Show Notes:
From Break-Fix to $50M
In this episode, Tom Andrulis, CEO of Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS), walks us through his multi-phase journey—from fumbling solo tech founder to leading a $50M+ MSP with over 360 team members across 13 cities. Andrulis breaks down the lessons learned at each stage of growth, the turning points that changed his business, and what it takes to grow a scalable, profitable, and people-centered MSP.
Key Themes and Takeaways for MSP Owners
Leadership Team = The Game-Changer. Growth plateaued around $5M until Andrulis built a solid leadership team. “You don’t see a lot of MSPs get past $5M without a strong leadership team,” he explains.
Strategic M&A to Scale Fast. ITS has completed 18 acquisitions since 2016, partnering with Tower Arch Capital in 2022 to go bigger. “We realized M&A was going to be the fastest way to grow—and we built our team around it,” Andrulis says.
Raising Prices and Ditching Bad Clients. Andrulis identified unprofitable clients, and either increased rates or walked away. “Even a $60K client might be draining your team if they’re not profitable,” he says.
Culture Isn’t Fluff—It’s Glue. ITS reduced 10 core values to just three for clarity, and built them into daily huddles. “Every company has a culture,” says Andrulis. “The question is: do you have the right one?”
Actionable Advice for MSP Owners
- Build a Leadership Team BEFORE You Burn Out
- Stop being the bottleneck. Start by hiring leaders for ops, finance, and service.
- Use Tools to Screen Candidates Efficiently
- Create basic cognitive and typing tests to filter quality applicants. Use DISC assessments to gauge behavioral fit before the interview.
- Andrulis moved from résumé sifting to structured testing, DISC assessments, and automated screening. “I just needed a faster way to find the right people. [This] saved me time and mistakes,” he says.
- Manage by Leading KPIs, Not Lagging Results
- Track your expenses and gross margin as percentages to spot problems without digging into every line item.
- Don’t wait for a bad P&L to tell you something’s wrong—track the activity metrics that predict outcomes.
- Market Even When It’s Uncomfortable
- Andrulis credits consistent, low-budget direct mail with getting his first clients. “If you’re not doing any marketing, you’re definitely not getting returns,” he says.
What’s Next for Intelligent Technical Solutions?
Andrulis is now laser-focused on scaling ITS to $100M in revenue and $15–20M in EBITDA. Future plans include expanding deeper into the Midwest, enhancing the firm’s security and compliance offerings, and continuing a disciplined M&A strategy—all while protecting the company’s culture and core values.
Andrulis’ journey is a masterclass in MSP scaling—from break-fix beginnings to structured leadership, smart finance, and sustainable growth. If you’re stuck at a few million and wondering how to get to the next level, this episode is a playbook on how to build a real business, not just a job.
Liked this episode? Subscribe for more MSP success stories and head over to MSPSuccess.com for more tools, templates, and insights. If you missed last episode, tune in here to hear how Harold Mann hit $1M with strategy and trust.