The Ultimate Business Lesson for MSPs from “The Founder”

Content by: David Walter from MTS

The movie “The Founder” narrates a story about the rise of Ray Kroc as the so-called founder of the McDonald’s empire and is highly commendable for the deep tapestry of business lessons. It is, by all rights, a must-watch for those in the world of business, and for good reason. Amidst the myriad different business lessons that one could glean from Ray Kroc’s journey to success, one rises to the top. 

The pivotal scene in the movie occurs when Ray meets Harry Sonneborn. After a brief conversation, Ray follows Harry back to his office to examine his books. Harry, after thoroughly reviewing the financials, identifies the core problem Ray is facing. He then delivers a game-changing insight: “You’re not in the restaurant business; you’re in the real estate business.” This revelation shifts Ray’s perspective entirely, leading to the massive growth and success of McDonald’s. 

Turning the Lesson to MSP Business Owners 

How does it apply to MSPs? It is simple, really: The movie has been praised by several IT companies mentioning a number of lessons. However, most of them see the lesson without really knowing and applying it. The specific lesson for MSPs, although profound, actually gets overlooked. 

One of the key pieces of insight came from an interview with the owner of a large MSP business in Houston who had just been acquired in an M&A deal. Probably the biggest lesson he learned in growing his business was the realization that he was not in the IT Support business; he just happened to sell IT services—in reality, he was running a sales organization. This is a lesson that perhaps the greater number of IT providers have failed to learn even after repeatedly watching “The Founder.” 

The Real Question for MSPs 

But the real question to MSP owners is: Does your business have a Harry Sonneborn? Someone to look deeper than the surface and see the actual nature of your business? It’s for everyone reading this; it’s a secret coded message for one MSP in particular. 

Conclusion 

The final takeaway of “The Founder” for MSPs is this: you’re not in the IT business, you’re in the business of sales and expansion. Just as Ray Kroc’s success depended upon the epiphany that he was actually in the real estate business, your success as an MSP depends on realizing that your core business is sales. Welcome this realization, and you will unlock whole new ways to growth and success.