MSPs spent 25 years managing the plumbing. The next 25 are about selling business outcomes. Callen Sapien (CEO, Synthreo) and David Weeks (VP Enterprise, N-able) join Mark Scott and Joel Abramson to unpack Managed BPO, or Business Process Outcomes, and what it means for the future value of managed services.

Callen shares how one MSP turned a $200-a-run AI tool into a roughly $10,000-a-month outcome. David brings what he heard from MSPs on N-able's world tour about where AI is actually landing. Plus the three categories of Managed BPO and what they mean for founders looking to build, buy, or sell.

Read the companion blog and find every episode at topdown.com/outliers.

Is the Global MSP finally here? Rashaad Bajwa (CEO and Chairman, Integris) and Nikhil Sehgal (CEO and Co-founder, Neo Agent) join Mark Scott and Joel Abramson to spin the globe.

Rashaad shares how Integris is building toward a global footprint through disciplined M&A, and Nikhil explains how AI-native platforms are shortening the timeline for MSPs to scale internationally. The panel covers what it takes for a Platform MSP to go global, the playbook software vendors have already proven, and why local relationships at global scale are the hardest part. Plus the MSP Value Creation Hierarchy, from Regional to Global MSP, and why Global Systems Integrators should be watching.

Read the companion blog and find every episode at topdown.com/outliers.

Top Down Outliers Episode 14 airs on Thursday, July 30 at 3pm ET, co-hosted by Mark Scott and Joel Abramson. This episode features Pete Skurman, CEO and Co-founder of Longwave, and Shawn Freeman, Founder of Impactful MSP. The conversation explores the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Longwave’s approach to AI data governance, and Shawn’s perspective on MSP growth, leadership, innovation, and scaling.

Anchored by this month’s blog, “Building ‘Quality’ into Your Board of Directors & Advisors,” the panel examines what makes a truly effective board, how advisors can strengthen strategy, and the emerging concept of CorpDev-as-a-Service. The discussion also explores how MSP and SaaS founders can navigate the AI sea change, build enduring companies in the New Era of MSP, and transform board meetings from a focus on quantity of slides to quality of decisions and outcomes.

Top Down Outliers Episode 13 airs on Thursday, June 25 at 2pm ET, co-hosted by Mark Scott and Joel Abramson. This episode features two rising leaders in the AI-native MSP movement: John Harden, CEO and Co-founder of Lemhi, and Saurin Patel, CEO and Co-founder of Titan. The conversation cuts through the noise around Managed AI to explore what it really means, how it can be packaged as a recurring managed service for SMBs, and where the market currently stands on adoption.

The panel introduces the AI evolution shaping The New Era of MSP, examining whether traditional MSPs and software vendors can adapt quickly enough or risk being overtaken by AI-native companies. From an investor perspective, the discussion explores the AI Investor Triangle—labor productivity, token capital, and revenue outcomes—and why recurring Managed AI services could represent a significantly larger opportunity than simply using AI to automate MSP operations. The episode offers practical insights for MSP and SaaS founders looking to understand and deliver Managed AI services to SMBs.

With the IPO window frozen, who buys the large MSP platforms? Peter Melby (CEO, New Charter) and Daniel Lee (Managing Director of Investment Banking, CIBC Capital Markets) join Mark Scott and Joel Abramson for the show's one-year anniversary episode.

The panel traces the history of private equity and strategic acquisitions in the MSP industry, the IPO freeze, and which strategic acquirors are positioning for large MSP and software companies. They also explain the growing role of secondaries, where existing investors sell their stakes to new investors, as an exit path for MSP platforms. Plus an early look at Top Down Horizons 2026: The New Era of MSP.

Read the companion blog and find every episode at topdown.com/outliers.

Crossing the Series A Chasm & Beyond (Episode 11) airs on Thursday, April 30 at 2pm ET, co-hosted by Mark Scott and Joel Abramson. This episode features fundraising experts Will Rayner, Partner at Lookout Ventures, and Derik Belair, CEO and Co-founder of Augmentt. Kicking off the Q2 theme on fundraising, the discussion explores today’s volatile investment landscape, combining investor and founder perspectives on what it takes to successfully raise capital in the MSP and SaaS ecosystem.

Anchored by this month’s blog, “Crossing the Series A Chasm & Beyond,” the panel breaks down current market dynamics, including valuation expectations, the importance of the MSP Moat, and the role of AI-first operating models in scaling efficiently. With insights from early-stage investing trends and firsthand fundraising experience, including Augmentt’s recent Series A, this episode offers practical strategies for navigating investor relationships and securing growth capital in a competitive market.

Re-founding Your Company for AI (or Die) (Episode 10) airs on Thursday, March 26 at 2pm ET, co-hosted by Mark Scott and Joel Abramson. This episode features AI-focused industry leaders Pinar Ormeci, CEO of Lexful, and Nick Heddy, President of Pax8. As the Q1 series wraps on building businesses for successful exits, the conversation shifts to a bold theme: re-founding your company in the age of AI. The discussion explores what that transformation looks like, why it’s becoming essential, and how leaders across MSP and SaaS are approaching this new reality.

Anchored by this month’s blog, “Re-founding Your Company for AI (or Die),” the panel dives into the accelerating impact of AI on the MSP and SaaS landscape, including the so-called “2026 SaaSpocalypse,” adoption challenges, and the evolving MSP moat. With insights from Pax8’s Managed Intelligence Provider strategy and Lexful’s AI-first approach, the episode breaks down practical strategies, common misconceptions, and real-world examples of companies redefining themselves to stay competitive in an AI-driven market.

The Art of the Exit (Episode 9) airs on Friday, February 27 at 2pm ET, co-hosted by Mark Scott and Joel Abramson. This episode features two seasoned M&A leaders in the MSP space: David Bellini, CEO and Co-founder of CyberFOX, and Stephan May, President of Eastbay Technologies Inc.. Building on last month’s strategic alternatives discussion, the conversation dives deeper into the current state of M&A across both service providers and software firms, drawing on David’s long track record from the early days at ConnectWise to private equity-backed growth, and Stephan’s roll-up and corporate development experience across multiple MSP platforms.

Anchored by this month’s blog, “The Art of the Exit,” the panel explores the purpose behind building a business, the work/life cycle of MSP entrepreneurs, and the art and science of positioning a company for maximum exit value. The discussion also examines how the MSP industry has created thousands of bootstrapped success stories, and why PE-backed players ultimately need exits too—offering practical insight for founders and investors navigating their own next chapter.