An “Iron Man” MSP
Your MSP business needs to have the attitude of Tony Stark in the cave. If you’re not familiar with the popular film “Iron Man”, it represented one of the biggest game-changing moments in the Marvel universe. Tony Stark was a character who came from money. Certainly, he was written to be a brilliant inventor, but realistically, given a nigh-endless budget, it would be hard not to come up with a few “winners”. Still, Tony has talent such that even without all the bells and whistles that come from exceptional fortune, he is able to design revolutionary technology.
During a demonstration of some of his company’s weaponry in the Middle East, Stark is captured by terrorists and forced by them to build technology they can use to wage war. Stark double-crosses them and designs an armored suit which he manages to use so that he can escape. It’s a suit that flies through the skies and takes out the bad guys.
Your MSP is much like Tony Stark when captured and forced to work in conditions that aren’t ideal in a cave. With resources and time, you can design the solutions you want as you would have them. But even if you’re in the worst circumstances, you can find effective solutions. The key is maximizing your talent and using it well. With this in mind, there are a few other lessons you can also take from this fun fictional fantasy film, including:
• Beginning with an endgame in mind
• Diligently enhancing subjective protocols to best practices— a playbook
• Determining how to statistically define your operation
• Facilitating proper attitude
Beginning with an Endgame in Mind
Iron Man’s final form came from the prototype made in the cave. Tony Stark knew what he would need, and how to make it happen. He kept that in mind, saw it through to completion, then perfected it when he had the necessary resources. You need to do the same with your MSP. Having a vision means having a goal. You’ll have to complete many small goals for your MSP business to see the big goals come to fruition. So, calibrate your operations. Know where you’re going and keep striving to get there. Once you arrive, you can refine what you’ve built until it fulfills your former vision.
Diligently Enhancing Subjective Protocols to Best Practices— A Playbook
In “Iron Man”, Stark has a top-tier computer system so technologically advanced it almost comes across as sentient. He uses this device to help him refine his Iron Man design. Certain features have to go, certain features are added; it all moves toward the most cohesive conclusion.
The suit is in continuous development throughout the character arc of Tony Stark. Your MSP can do the same. Some things work, some don’t. Cut out what doesn’t. Keep what does. Move forward in terms of enhancement such that you ultimately can design a book of protocols which matches a variety of situations— a playbook, if you will. But to fill the playbook, you must first learn the plays.
Determine How to Statistically Define Your Operation
Statistics can make oblique concepts clear. They can turn what seems like chaos into linear, readable data. IoT (Internet of Things) devices in conjunction with cloud computing can help you and clients of your MSP get clearer ideas of operations which help to streamline things. There are other means to collect numbers as well. You want to find effective, efficient ways to harvest numbers pertaining to your operation. Tony Stark had a computer that was super-efficient to help with this.
Facilitating Proper Attitude
Last but not least, you and your team need to think about things right, and approach problems with as positive an attitude as possible.
Optimizing Your Business
An MSP business that trickles the right attitude through the ranks from the top-down, statistically defines itself, continuously enhances itself, and starts with a visionary end-game in mind will likely see desired success.
