As cyber threats escalate, offering robust cybersecurity services is no longer optional for MSPs. It’s a critical growth strategy. The ChannelPro DEFEND Central conference in Dallas on March 11-12 spotlighted that. The event focused on equipping the Texas MSPs in attendance with the tools, insights, and partnerships needed to enhance their cybersecurity services and better protect their clients.
Event attendees learned how security safeguards MSPs’ customers, creates new revenue streams, and helps businesses differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
ChannelPro spoke with some of the cybersecurity vendors that participated in the event. These providers offered tailored solutions and actionable advice for MSPs. Below are highlights from those conversations, including key guidance for MSPs looking to expand their services securely.
Excel Micro
Michael Amadio and Ernest Marchinelli of Excel Micro
Unique Value Proposition for MSPs: Excel Micro, a Ziff Davis Company, stands out through personalized guidance. Its team members — who average eight to 10 years of experience — provide expert advice tailored to each MSP’s security needs.
Key Advice for MSP Growth: “Listen to your customers and try to cut through all the noise,” advised General Manager Michael Amadio. “There are so many brands and solutions now. But just because someone is marketing well does not mean that product is the right product for them. So, listen.”
Responding to MSP Challenges: “I’ve seen this a lot in the industry, where they make a lot of noise, but there’s not a lot of substance there,” added Ernest Martinelli, sales and product manager. “So, spend time researching is one of my best recommendations. Then, take your time and talk to experts.”
Choice Cyber Solutions
Steve Rutkovitz
Unique Value Proposition for MSPs: Choice Cyber Solutions specializes in compliance and cybersecurity services, offering expertise in administrative tasks that MSPs often struggle to manage. With a focus on building shared responsibility matrices and delivering effective project management, Choice Cyber Solutions helps MSPs and MSSPs (managed security service providers) grow their revenue by offering specialized compliance services.
Key Advice for MSP Growth: “MSPs should really have offerings in all three lanes: managed services, cybersecurity, and compliance,” emphasized Founder and CEO Steve Rutkovitz. “Then decide whether you’re going to do it in-house or bring in a partner. That’s what I would do as an MSP.”
Responding to MSP Challenges: “The real lesson I’ve learned is to focus on your strengths,” Rutkovitz shared. “Understand your clients, define your wheelhouse, and perfect it. Trying to stretch into areas where you lack expertise can hurt your core business.”
Calyptix Security
Calyptix Security CEO Ben Yarbrough (left) speaks with an attendee.
Unique Value Proposition for MSPs: Calyptix Security provides hands-on support for MSPs by acting as a trusted network security partner. The company’s solution is tailored to MSPs that serve SMBs, with a focus on delivering immediate, high-level support from experienced engineers when issues arise.
Key Advice for MSP Growth: “Know what you know,” advised CEO Ben Yarbrough. “Serve your client by aligning yourself with experts to fill those gaps and make sure that they have the same values that align with yours to serve your clients.”
Exciting Developments: “The increasing focus on cybersecurity is exciting,” Yarbrough said. “More MSPs are recognizing that security isn’t just about tools — it’s about building trusted relationships with vendors and clients alike.”
Octiga
Juan Porrata
Unique Value Proposition for MSPs: Octiga helps MSPs secure their Microsoft 365 environments through a unified dashboard that simplifies tenant management. This is particularly helpful for growing MSPs managing multiple clients.
Key Advice for MSP Growth: “Standardize your process and your solution set, and manage your policies across your multiple tenants, if you can,” shared Juan Porrata, senior salesperson of Octiga.
Responding to MSP Challenges: “As MSPs grow and develop a larger client base, it becomes harder for their senior-level engineers or L3s to manage across their tenants. We help streamline that process. We have one place where they can go to easily view what problems are going on within their client base.”
Cylerian
Vijay Akasapu
Unique Value Proposition for MSPs: Cylerian delivers an enterprise-grade security stack designed for SMBs. Its $5-per-endpoint solution combines security tools, RMM capabilities, and SOC services. This makes it easier for MSPs to scale into MSSP territory.
Key Advice for MSP Growth: “Be that strategic advisor to your partners, to your clients,” revealed CEO and Co-Founder Vijay Akasapu. “Reach out to your vendors and leverage them to solve your clients’ problems, but be that strategic advisor.”
Responding to MSP Challenges: “The main challenge that we come across is they need the know-how. That’s why we decided to offer a SOC,” said Akasapu. “They bring us a client, we provide everything else. We man the SOC, we will work either through the MSP or directly with the clients to make sure they are remediating the enterprise. So if there are issues that the MSP faces, we’re there to help them with that.”
The Value for MSPs
With these insights, MSPs can improve their cybersecurity services, expand revenue streams, and build stronger client relationships. By aligning with trusted partners and focusing on specialized services, MSPs can position themselves as indispensable security advisors in 2025 and beyond.
