Show Notes:

In this episode, Robin Robins sits down with Peter Melby, CEO of New Charter Technologies, to talk about his journey from founding Greystone Technology in 2001 to leading one of the largest MSP platforms in North America today. With over 1,200 employees, 40+ offices, and projected revenue of $375 million, New Charter is reshaping how MSP growth and acquisitions are done. Melby shares lessons from both the early struggles of scaling an MSP and the unique model New Charter has built around people, culture, and sustainable growth.

Key Themes

• Early Growth Lessons—Melby explains how underpricing services and missteps in hiring slowed Greystone’s early growth, and how he corrected course.
• Owner-Led Sales—He discusses why MSP owners often make the best initial salespeople, and how to transition sales into a scalable, team-based system.
• Culture Challenges—Between $1M and $10M in revenue, Greystone faced cultural toxicity that forced Melby to rethink leadership, values, and accountability.
• Defining Culture in Practice—Instead of vague core values, Melby implemented a “citizenship statement” that clearly defines expected behaviors and accountability.
• Psychological Safety—He highlights why employees must feel safe sharing honest feedback and how structured self-reflection and direct feedback can build trust.
• Directed Autonomy—Melby emphasizes balancing freedom with guardrails, allowing employees ownership within clear boundaries.
• Courageous Empathy—He shares why empathy paired with accountability is essential for building resilient teams in MSPs.

Actionable Takeaways

• Price services with confidence from the start.
• Hire for accountability and client empathy, not just technical skills.
• Keep owners engaged in sales early, but transition into a layered sales approach.
• Replace vague values with specific, actionable cultural agreements.
• Build psychological safety through structured feedback systems.
• Provide autonomy with clear boundaries to foster employee growth.
• Lead with empathy while holding people accountable.

What’s Next

Melby believes MSPs must move beyond short-term growth tactics and focus on building organizations that scale sustainably. For New Charter, that means continuing acquisitions while protecting local brand identity and culture, integrating only where it adds real value.

The rise of New Charter Technologies shows that MSP growth isn’t just about financial engineering—it’s about people, culture, and building trust at every level. Melby’s experience demonstrates that sustainable scale comes from aligning shareholder value with customer and employee value. His lessons apply to any MSP looking to break through growth ceilings.