‘Two years ago, who would’ve thought large language models like ChatGPT would change the world?’ says ConnectWise CEO Manny Rivelo. ‘AI is changing how we live, work, play and learn. It’s powerful but how do we help SMBs use AI effectively?’
An MSP in an “Industry 5.0” world must lead with security, integration, AI and be community-driven. That’s the message ConnectWise CEO Manny Rivelo has to MSPs who want to stand out, get ahead and evolve in an industry being transformed by AI.
With AI revolutionizing business and cybersecurity becoming non-negotiable, Rivelo believes MSPs who embrace it will lead the transformation into “Industry 5.0,” where humans and AI work together, and become indispensable to the SMBs they serve.
“The future is already here,” Rivelo told CRN. “If you’re connected in today’s modern world, by default, you have to secure your environment. Your adversary is milliseconds away.”
And cybersecurity must be core to everything MSPs offer, he said. With threats evolving rapidly and hackers expanding their attack surfaces, the CEO of the Tampa, Fla.-based vendor said that even basic IT services must include embedded security.
“Every MSP needs to think about security. Their evolution into becoming an MSSP be front and center,” he said. “Even if you’re not going full MSSP, at least offer rudimentary security services. Without it, you’re just expanding your client’s attack surface.”
To help, ConnectWise is betting big on tight integrations that allow MSPs to deliver more while doing less.
“We can’t solve everything alone,” he said. “But if we integrate the right technologies into our platform tightly, we save clicks, we save steps.”
CRN spoke to Rivelo about where the industry is going, how ConnectWise is helping MSPs get there and what’s to come for ConnectWise in the future.
You referenced Industry 5.0 in your keynote. What does that look like for ConnectWise and partners?
It’s a big opportunity for change and transformation. Every major tech transition creates winners and losers. Very few companies stay leaders for 50 years. Two years ago, who would’ve thought large language models like ChatGPT would change the world? AI is changing how we live, work, play and learn. It’s powerful but how do we help SMBs use AI effectively?
Industry 5.0 is where AI and humans work together. Think cognitive, agentic worlds. Maybe it’s robotics, maybe your computer does tasks for you. There’s more to it, like resiliency and adaptability, but that’s the general direction.
In your keynote, you kicked off with a phone hack demo. What was the message you wanted to send to MSPs about the state of cybersecurity?
It’s a constant battle. I mean, it’s a battle that we all face. If you’re connected in today’s modern world, by default, you have to secure your environment because your adversary, whatever that may be or whoever it may be, can come from anywhere in the world. And they’re milliseconds away from you, knocking on your door. So the concept is, we as an industry must provide security services to the SMB. The SMB doesn’t know it, but they’re very vulnerable. We have to package security as part of those connectivity services that they have, and that’s our job. MSPs have to continue to expand their capabilities and offer those capabilities.
So how does ConnectWise plan to equip MSPs and SMBs to deal with that threat landscape?
CISOs have 40 to 100 security vendors inside their environment and they hire armies of people to make that work. MSPs have to do that for the SMB and deliver it in a much more efficient and effective way. The security market continues to grow. The TAM (total addressable market) continues to grow because the adversary’s TAM is growing.
MSPs need to come into the mix. Even in a basic offering, there should be some level of security. If you don’t include it, the services you’re offering could be vulnerable, you’re actually increasing the attack surface. Every MSP needs to think about security. Their evolution into becoming an MSSP should be front and center.
So should every MSP strive to become an MSSP?
They don’t have to become full MSSPs, those usually offer other services, but they do need to offer at least rudimentary security services. There’s no point in using this technology unless it’s secure. You can create too much risk. Every time you add a new form of connectivity, basic internet, Wi-Fi, if not set up correctly the attack surface increases. People are trying to get into your environment.
Our job is to help MSPs build that. Our philosophy is this, we have core technology MSPs run their business on. We have technologies that grow the business. We integrate third parties, with partners like Proofpoint and Microsoft, into our platform.We can’t solve everything alone. But if we integrate them into our platform tightly, we save clicks, we save steps.
How should MSPs lead with security when talking to clients?
Talk to them about their business risk. If you’re an MSP focused on healthcare, HIPAA is a major consideration. Don’t talk to them about speeds and feeds or horizontal technology. They care about their business. Talk about their business risk and how you remove it so they can focus on what they do well. Don’t go in talking about two-factor authentication, that’s not their language. Translate what they do and say, ‘Here’s how I’m going to remove that risk so you can get back to doing what you do best.’
ConnectWise is big on community and peer learning. Any new investments there?
Yes, we’re growing it. Originally, Evolve was about peer groups, a sort of business board. You stand up, present to peers and they challenge you. Now, we’re making them role-based. CEOs talk to CEOs. CFOs talk to CFOs. They share specific challenges and solutions. It’s not just about APIs and integrations. We’re a community of communities. What amazes me is how many MSPs say, ‘I was walking in the dark, then I joined an Evolve session and everything changed.’ That’s the power of peer learning. We just facilitate it.
Kaseya Announced a new CEO this week, Rania Succar. As a direct competitor, what are your thoughts on the new pick?
I think it’s great. We’re in the same industry, we compete, but they need a CEO to run their business. I look forward to meeting her. Hopefully we can build a personal relationship, even if we’re competitors. She’s got a lot to learn in this market, but I wish her well.
Lastly, can you give us a teaser of what partners can expect at this year’s IT Nation Connect in November?
It’s going to be big. We’re continuing our vision and I’m proud of what the team has done over the last six months. We’ve had more announcements and have realized what the Asio platform truly is. Every release adds value. It’s not just point products, it’s about integrating everything including third-party ecosystem tools, into one efficient platform. That’s the journey. We’re not stopping. There’s more growth and innovation ahead, and we want MSPs along for the ride.