S12E4: Tate Talks - With Michael Fass, Slide

Bringing Back the Magic with Michael Fass In this episode of Tate Talks, I sit down with Michael Fass, the Founder and CEO of Slide, a modern BCDR (Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery) solution purpose-built for the MSP community. Michael shares his "winding road" from being a lawyer by trade to becoming the "consigliere" and Chief People Officer at Datto, and eventually launching Slide to finish what he and Austin McChord started.Check out Michael Fass on Spotify: Listen to Michael's Music Here Connect with today's guest on LinkedIn here or check out the Slide website here Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

It’s been six years since Rachel Williams (formerly McGuinness) last graced the podcast to talk about sleep. Now, she’s back to tell us that if we haven't fixed our sleep by now, we probably have bigger problems—specifically, the "post-lunch slump" that Chris is still trying to fight with a cup of tea and sheer willpower.In this health-focused pivot, Rachel breaks down how to stop treating your body like a bin and start treating it like the power source of your business. From "Knowing your Numbers" to why you should probably ignore the siren call of a Boots meal deal, this episode is a wake-up call for every MSP owner who thinks "burnout" is just a setting on their coffee machine.Connect with the Zesty Lady on LinkedIn here or check out her website here.Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode of Tate Talks, I sat down with Phil McGowan, Sales Engineering Manager for EMEA at Huntress. Phil shares his journey from technical support to leading a team of 11 technical experts, providing deep insights into the evolving cybersecurity landscape for Managed Service Providers (MSPs).Connect with todays guest on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here or check out their website hereMusic - https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode of Tate Talks, sponsored by JumpCloud, Chris Tate sits down with Daniel Welling, a seasoned MSP veteran, mentor, and motorsport enthusiast. Daniel shares his journey from running a "dark MSP"—operating in isolation without the support of the community—to becoming a central figure in the UK MSP ecosystem.The conversation dives deep into the value of community, the nuances of M&A, and how Daniel has successfully blended his passion for racing with business networking.The Power of Community: Daniel reflects on his first iteration as an MSP owner and how a lack of community awareness led to missed opportunities for growth and confidence.Motorsport as a Networking Tool: Learn how Daniel uses events at iconic tracks like Brands Hatch and Silverstone to create intimate, high-value networking experiences that break the mold of traditional conferences.Defending Your Client Base: Daniel discusses why the "mundane" basics—like consistent QBRs (Quarterly Business Reviews)—are the best defense against competitors, especially as clients look for guidance on navigating the AI hype.The "Numbers Game": Why every MSP owner should pick at least one core metric to measure progress and gain a sense of achievement in the daily grind.The Tech Tribe: Local meetups and a global community for MSPs.It’s a Numbers Game Podcast: Daniel’s podcast exploring the financial landscape of MSPs.Welling Media (YouTube): Check out Daniel’s "Channel Cars" series and his insights on F1 sponsorships.CompTIA / GTI: The industry trade association mentioned regarding community events.Connect with todays guest on LinkedIn hereIt’s a Numbers Game podcast https://mspfinanceteam.com/blog/IT & Motorsport YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@itandmotorsportKarting MSP Meetup https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-msp-finance-team-karting-meetup-2026-tickets-1982350254976?aff=oddtdtcreatorBTCC MSP Meetup https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-msp-finance-team-btcc-brands-hatch-2026-meetup-tickets-1773108407979?MSP Finance Team https://mspfinanceteam.com/Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

Tate Talks: Navigating the New Wave of Managed Services with Dan WensleyIn the final episode of 2025, Chris Tate sits down with a titan of the MSP channel, Dan Wensley, the CEO of GTIA (Global Technology Industry Association). With a career spanning nearly 30 years, Dan shares his unique perspective on the evolution of the industry—from the early days of internet adoption and value-added reselling to the birth of the modern Managed Service Provider.The conversation dives deep into the power of collaboration and community. Dan reflects on how even the fiercest competitors in the early RMM and PSA space worked together to "carry the torch" for the managed services business model. They also discuss the transition of CompTIA into GTIA, emphasizing its role as the industry’s only fully agnostic, non-profit trade association dedicated to unbiased research and peer-to-peer education.As we look toward 2026, Dan warns that the pace of change—driven largely by AI and cybersecurity—is accelerating faster than anything we’ve seen before. His primary advice for MSPs? Don’t go it alone. Stay close to your community to avoid "missing the turn," and never lose sight of the customer relationship, which remains the ultimate differentiator.Connect with Dan on LinkedIn here or check out the GTIA website here Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode of Tate Talks, I speak with Mark Williams, owner of Pensar IT, about his incredible journey in the IT industry, the evolution of his MSP, and his unique personal life lessons, including a refreshing love for cold-water sea swimming..Current Read (Business): Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara.All-Time Best Business Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.Connect with Mark on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here⁠ or check out the Pensar website hereMusic - https://www.purple-planet.com

This episode of Tate Talks features Chris Tate in conversation with Tim Rookes, founder of TrueMSP and now part of the leadership team at Truly SMB. Tim provides a deep dive into his extensive career in the IT industry, the evolution of the Managed Service Provider (MSP) model, and his company's innovative approach to helping Small to Midsize Businesses (SMBs) adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI).Connect with Tim on LinkedIn here or check out their website hereMusic - https://www.purple-planet.com

This episode of Tate Talks features Matt Tougas, Co-founder and CEO of Mizo, an AI agent solution specifically designed for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Matt shares his unique journey into the MSP channel, his insights on the shifting MSP business model, and how his experience led to the creation of a cutting-edge product aimed at solving scaling challenges.Connect with todays guest on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here⁠ or check out their website here Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode of Tate Talks, host Chris Tate catches up with industry veteran Mit Patel, Founder of Netstar and now the driving force behind the new trust mark, Assurix. Mit shares his journey from building a successful MSP through to a strategic exit, and unveils his mission to raise the bar for security and accountability within the MSP community.Connect with todays guest on Mit Patel of Assurix on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here⁠ or check out their website hereMusic - https://www.purple-planet.com

Chris Tate welcomes MSP community pillar Richard Tubb for a candid conversation about his journey, the shocking announcement of his step-back from the industry, and the critical shifts MSPs must make to thrive in the age of AI.Richard shares his personal, life-long struggle with depression and the importance of open discussion around mental health within the male-dominated IT and MSP space.He recalls a pivotal moment speaking at a CompTIA (now GTIA) event where he openly discussed his challenges, noting a significant shift in the industry's willingness to engage with the topic since then.He highlights that the challenges faced by MSP owners are often the same, but the willingness to discuss them openly is finally improving.Richard details his evolution from working in corporate IT (Ernst & Young, NHS, GE Capital) where he learned about standardization, systems, and processes, to becoming a "one-man band" MSP.A major turning point was reading Michael E. Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited, which inspired him to build a business that didn't solely rely on him.The creation of the Tubbblog started as a way to share his MSP journey, offering "secret sauce" information which was groundbreaking at the time. After a life event (the passing of his father), he sold his MSP and focused on the blog, which grew into a media and advisory business.He also mentions his books, including The IT Business Owner's Survival Guide and his most recent, Business Networking for Geeks.Richard discusses the huge community response to his decision to step away from the active center of the MSP industry.This was not a snap decision but a pivot following life reflection, spurred partly by recognizing the immense pressure on business owners who manage teams and the acceleration of change due to AI.His decision allows him to focus on "fun stuff," advisory work with a select few, and continuing to write books. He aims to get to 20 books, like his hero, Carl Palachuk.Crucially, he has joined the board of 404 Stress Not Found, a non-profit mental health organization, to help support the community in this vital area.Richard delivers his final, strong words of advice on the future of the MSP:He stresses that the "fixing stuff" days are rapidly disappearing due to AI and self-repairing technology. The runway for MSPs who resist change has run out.The future role of the MSP will be closer to a business consultant or an advisor, focusing on connecting different systems (middleware concept) and helping clients understand how technology can help their businesses grow.This shift requires a different, more human-centric skill set: listening, taking a big picture view, and communicating clearly—skills that the most successful MSPs have been honing for years.A thought-provoking point is raised about the unsung contribution of content creators:AI models like ChatGPT absorb years of publicly available content (Richard's blogs, podcasts, books, etc.) to serve up answers without attributing the source.Richard asks, "Where is the motivation for people to continue giving their knowledge away and not being rewarded for it, if it's just the AI companies that serve it up?"Book: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. GerberBook: The IT Business Owner's Survival Guide by Richard TubbBook: Business Networking for Geeks by Richard TubbNon-Profit: 404 Stress Not Found (Supporting IT professionals' mental health)Richard's Blog: richardtubb.co.uk (His personal blog)Richard's Archive: tubblog.co.uk (The original Tubb Blog content archive, remaining online indefinitely)Connect with Richard on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here⁠ Music - https://www.purple-planet.com