Episode 27 | Clarity First: Leading with Lean Thinking in MSPs (Karen Martin X. Wim Kerkhoff)
Agile isn’t just about speed, but it’s about clarity. Karen Martin, the bestselling author of Clarity First and a global expert in lean management, joins Wim to unpack how MSPs can cut through the fog and make work visible, manageable, and meaningful. With decades of experience transforming Fortune 500s and government agencies, Karen shares why most MSP teams operate in ambiguity and how leaders can fix it. In this episode, you will learn how to align on purpose, define priorities, and create a shared understanding of “done.” Explore the five P’s of clarity, reduce organizational drag, and discover why approvals, rework, and multitasking are silent killers of flow. Packed with real-world strategies, this episode is a must-listen for MSP leaders who want to lead with clarity and build resilient, high-performance teams. What Should I Do Next? Ready to find the hidden waste in your workflow? Take our PMA Quiz to identify your biggest clarity gaps: https://topleft-project-maturity.scoreapp.com/ Want help visualizing work across your team? Use our free Capacity Planner to reduce overload and improve flow: https://www.topleft.team/capacityplanner Curious how TopLeft helps MSPs create clarity and flow? Book a Demo today: https://www.topleft.team/schedule-demo
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Episode 26 | Beyond Tickets: Making Agile Human-Centered for MSPs (Mike Burrows X. Wim Kerkhoff)
Agile principles aren't just for developers, they're transforming MSP service delivery. Mike Burroughs, five-time author and organizational change expert, joins Wim to explore how MSPs can move beyond overwhelming ticket queues to create adaptive, human-centered operations. Drawing from his Executive Director role at UBS and UK government digital transformation experience, Mike reveals why teams struggle with overburden and overcommitment. Learn to shift from task pushing to value delivery, start with outcomes not solutions, and build trust through meaningful conversations. Discover why top MSPs focus on finishing work rather than starting it, and how healthy organizational relationships unlock growth. Packed with actionable insights for MSP leaders ready to make agility practical and powerful. What Should I Do Next? Ready to assess your team's agility? Take our PMA Quiz to identify your biggest workflow challenges: https://topleft-project-maturity.scoreapp.com/ Need help managing workload and capacity? Use our free Capacity Planner to visualize and balance your team's commitments: https://www.topleft.team/capacityplanner Want to see how TopLeft brings agile principles to MSP service delivery? Book a Demo today: https://www.topleft.team/schedule-demo
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Episode 25 | Agile & AI: The Future of IT Managed Service Providers
Agile methodologies and AI-driven automation are transforming how MSPs manage projects and service delivery. In this episode, Wim welcomes Dave Sobel, host of the MSP Radio Show, to discuss why most MSPs struggle with project profitability—and what they can do to fix it. Dave shares insights from his extensive experience covering the MSP industry, including how project work differs from traditional managed services, why MSPs often overlook its value, and how Agile practices can help streamline workflows. He also dives into the evolving role of AI in MSP operations, how it’s reshaping decision-making, and what MSPs must do to stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape. Discover how top-performing MSPs are leveraging Agile principles, project management best practices, and AI-driven insights to boost efficiency, improve client outcomes, and unlock new revenue opportunities. This episode is packed with actionable takeaways for MSPs looking to optimize their service delivery and scale their business. What Should I Do Next? Want to uncover your biggest project management challenges? Take our PMA Quiz here: https://topleft-project-maturity.scoreapp.com/ Need help streamlining your MSP operations? Use our free Capacity Planner to balance client projects while managing resources efficiently: https://www.topleft.team/capacityplanner Curious how TopLeft can help you implement Agile for MSP success? Book a Demo today: https://www.topleft.team/schedule-demo
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Episode 24 | How IT MSPs Can Finish Tickets FASTER
Agile practices and automation are revolutionizing ticket and project management for IT MSPs. In this episode, Wim and Joshua share tips for reducing ticket resolution times, improving SLA performance, and enhancing service delivery through better communication, automation, and Agile workflows. Discover how their IT MSP teams use daily huddles, hybrid work collaboration tools like Teams, and PSA automation to move tickets forward faster and reduce neglected tickets. They also highlight the importance of standardizing processes with SOP integrations, automating repetitive tasks like onboarding and password management, and leveraging Agile principles like Kanban and WIP limits. Packed with actionable insights, this episode is perfect for MSPs looking to improve ticket flow, reduce client churn, and enhance team productivity. What Should I Do Next? 🔍 Want to uncover your biggest ticket management challenges? Take our PMA Quiz here: [Insert Link] 📊 Need help managing your resources? Use our free Capacity Planner to determine when your team can onboard new clients while balancing current commitments. [Insert Link] 🚀 Curious how TopLeft can help you resolve tickets more efficiently? Book a Demo today: https://www.topleft.team/schedule-demo
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Episode 23 | How IT Managed Service Providers Can Finish Projects FAST
Agile practices are transforming how MSPs manage project delivery, financial processes, and client relationships. In this episode, Steve and Wim delve into the advantages of agile and Kanban approaches over traditional methods like Gantt charts, emphasizing practices like buffers, WIP limits, and workflow visualization to make your project plans more achievable. They share how their company reduced monthly financial close times to just 2-3 days with strategies like daily bank reconciliations and timely timesheet submissions, while improving on-time project delivery. Steve explains how these changes have impressed clients, strengthened relationships, and attracted new business. They also highlight the value of tools that enhance collaboration by allowing clients to track and update project prerequisites in real time. This episode is packed with actionable insights for MSPs looking to streamline workflows, get projects done faster, and build stronger client connections. What’s Should I Do Next? 🔍 Want to uncover your biggest project management headaches and learn how to tackle them? Take our PMA Quiz here: https://topleft-project-maturity.scoreapp.com 📊 Need help managing your resources? Use our free Capacity Planner to easily determine when your team can start and complete new projects while taking into account existing service, project, and training commitments. 🚀 Curious how TopLeft can help you finish projects and tickets more efficiently? Book a Demo today: https://www.topleft.team/schedule-demo
The TopLeft Podcast is about Agile, Lean, and growing healthy teams. By inviting professionals in the field of growth, service and project management, and career coaching, we discuss concepts and methods behind building attractive cultures and companies that can thrive for over 100 years. It's not about our software product, but the journey of growing MSP teams.
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