ConnectWise CEO: We’re ‘ready to compete aggressively’ against Kaseya
“It’s all about how we continue to innovate and help the MSPs progress, transform their business and become more efficient and profitable,” Manny Rivelo tells CRN
ConnectWise CEO Manny Rivelo said he is “ready to compete aggressively” against rival Kaseya amid its recent refinancing news and leadership change.
“We’re not concerned about one individual leaving a competitor,” Rivelo tells CRN in an interview.
“We’ve seen companies much larger than either of us go through transitions successfully.
“Look at Apple, Microsoft and many others.
“What matters is that we offer better solutions to MSPs.
“We focus on building a unified platform with integrated products, and we believe that’s what the market needs.
“We’ll compete aggressively because we’re confident in our offerings.”
Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola unexpectedly stepped down from his role in January after leading the company for more than ten years in an unpredicted move that shocked the vendor’s partners.
A new CEO has not yet been named.
“I don’t have a lot to comment on that, to be honest,” Rivelo says.
“I think Fred was an ambassador for the industry in his own way, but we’re all focused on supporting MSPs and driving their value proposition.
“Fred’s approach differs from ours, as they package separate products without integration while we focus on integrating our stack.”
He added the importance of having a unified platform is the key to success in today’s competitive landscape, and Florida-based ConnectWise is focused on integrated solutions and providing value at a competitive price point for MSPs.
“It’s all about how we continue to innovate and help the MSPs progress, transform their business and become more efficient and profitable,” he says.
“This year is all about execution.
“Everything we’re doing, whether it’s changes in the leadership team as well as more focus or increased investment, everything comes down to focus and execution.
“We need to keep our heads down, constantly measuring every element of the business that drives success.
“Strategy without execution is just hallucination.”
CRN speaks to Rivelo about competition in the space, strategies around platform integration, community support and operational efficiency for MSPs.
You’ve been with ConnectWise for a few months now. What have you assessed about the company, and where do you want to take it?
“From what I’ve seen, there are two major pillars that we believe are crucial to this community.
“The first is building a platform for MSPs. The current state is fragmented, with MSPs facing dozens of unintegrated point products.
“A unified platform, with proper data storage, is key for leveraging automation and AI capabilities.
“We’re prioritising engineering efforts to deliver on that vision.
“The second part is the community.
“The power of our community, which supports each other, is what makes us unique.
“We’re investing more in it, expanding events like IT Nation to be more frequent and international, with commitments to yearly events in Europe and Sydney.
“These efforts will help MSPs grow and make it easier for us to deliver the right solutions.”
What sets the ConnectWise community apart from other similar groups in the space?
“Most groups in the industry are just user groups, meaning they’re simply a place for people using your products.
“Our community is different - we keep it open to everyone, even competitors.
“What’s also unique is the willingness of our community members to share best practices; you wouldn’t see financial service experts sharing their insights in a user group, but our community of MSPs is more collaborative.
“They understand the risks they face, personally and financially, so they’re more inclined to help each other succeed.”
What are your thoughts on Fred Voccola (pictured) departing Kaseya?
“I think Fred was an ambassador for the industry in his own way.
“We’re all focused on supporting MSPs and driving their value proposition, though I believe their approach differs from ours.
“They’re looking to package separate products through pricing and packaging, but without integration.
“We, on the other hand, are focused on integrating our stack so we can apply the right solutions across the board.
“To do that effectively you need a platform.
“A company like Kaseya doesn’t build a platform, they just bolt together different products to deliver pricing and packaging.
“I don’t have much to say about Fred as a person or leader, but I wish him and the market the best.
“We’re all in this together, and we all rise together.”
It’s been reported that Kaseya is refinancing. With that and the CEO’s departure, do you see this as an opportunity to go full throttle and capture market share?
“Absolutely. Every day, we’re looking to capture market share.
“We already have great solutions, especially in data protection.
“It’s a big part of Kaseya’s business, like the Datto acquisition, which formed a large part of their revenue.
“We’re delivering similar solutions at a more competitive price point while also ensuring strong profitability, we’re ready to compete aggressively.”
“It’s not about Fred leaving creating an opportunity for us; no single individual can hold a company together long term.
“We’ve seen companies much larger than either of us go through transitions successfully; look at Apple, Microsoft and many others.
“The company will survive any leadership transition.
“Our focus is on the solutions we offer, which are something MSPs can really benefit from.”
Recently, there were some departures from ConnectWise’s executive team. How does that affect the company’s direction?
“We’re continuing to invest in leadership to drive our vision forward.
“The departures are part of a strategy to bring in talent that will help us execute faster and more effectively on our platform and community goals.
“The team is being augmented to ensure we continue moving in the right direction.”
What can you tell me about a potential sale or IPO for ConnectWise?
“My focus is on building value, not selling.
“I didn’t come here to sell the company anytime soon; if it happens in the future, then so be it.
“What’s important is to build a company that can sustain decades of growth.
“Whether that leads to a sale or IPO, I’m committed to growing this company and building a strong foundation for long-term success.”
How does ConnectWise differentiate itself from newer competitors like HaloPSA?
“Those competitors are focused on vertical solutions, while we’re building a more comprehensive, horizontal platform
“That’s the key difference.
“Our platform not only covers the verticals but integrates across them, giving MSPs more flexibility.
“Additionally, the community we’ve built sets us apart.
“It’s a collaborative environment where members help each other succeed, which is rare in this industry.”
Operational efficiency is crucial for MSPs. What strategies should they adopt to optimise operations and maintain high service quality?
“Automation is key. We’re focused on hyperautomation where emerging AI agents help streamline tasks.
“For example, these agents can assist admins and techs by automating repetitive tasks, summarising support tickets or gathering information.
“MSPs need to implement platforms that allow them to apply AI and automation to improve efficiency and profitability.”
What do you see as the biggest operational bottleneck for MSPs today, and how can they address it?
“There are several pain points, but one common challenge is achieving operational efficiency while scaling.
“MSPs often face issues like managing vulnerability, security and support cases. My advice is to avoid experimenting on your own.
“Use proven solutions that can help run your business efficiently and profitably.
“At ConnectWise, we aim to help MSPs grow, transform and succeed by providing the right tools, whether it’s for automation, security or adopting the cloud.”
Where do you see the MSP market heading in the next two to three years?
“The trend is clear - MSPs will move toward platforms and integrated solutions. Just like in enterprise security, where companies transitioned from point products to unified platforms, MSPs will follow suit.
“This shift toward platforms, automation and cloud services will be key.
“The MSP space will have to evolve quickly to keep up with the rapid pace of change.”
What’s your long-term vision for ConnectWise?
“My vision is simple: We want to get every MSP onto our platform, provide them with the tools they need and ensure they know they’re not alone.
“The community is crucial to this.
“As we build out our software stack and community resources, we’ll continue to invest in both, helping MSPs not just survive but thrive in the ever-changing market.”
Finally, what can MSPs expect from ConnectWise for the remainder of the year?
“We’ve committed to delivering innovation in our platform, and you’ll see that in the coming months.
“My goal is to stand at IT Nation a year from now and show how much we’ve progressed.
“We’ll also continue to invest in our community, ensuring that MSPs have the support and resources they need to succeed.”
ConnectWise also recently launched a business unit combining different existing programmes to boost the voice of its partner community, including MSPs.
This article originally appeared on CRN UK sister website CRN.