John Pagliuca’s Vision for Scaling in the Age of AI: Lessons for MSP Leaders
Central to his vision is a shift from reactive security measures to proactive, integrated platforms that unify IT operations, security operations, and data protection.
John Pagliuca, CEO of N-able, envisions a transformative “platinum era” for the MSP industry.
In this era, MSPs evolve from traditional IT support roles into indispensable, trusted advisors for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) navigating escalating cyber threats, AI-driven efficiencies, and hybrid/cloud environments.
Scaling isn’t just about growth in revenue or client base—it’s about building cyber resilience as the core of sustainable expansion.
Pagliuca emphasizes that cyber threats are inevitable (“it’s not ‘if’ but ‘when'”), and AI serves as a “how” rather than a standalone “what,” automating routine tasks to free MSPs for strategic, high-value work like threat detection and compliance.
Central to his vision is a shift from reactive security measures to proactive, integrated platforms that unify IT operations, security operations, and data protection. N-able is positioning itself as the “control plane” for MSPs, with tools like remote monitoring and management (RMM) software evolving into AI-augmented dashboards offering a single view of endpoints, users, and threats.
This enables MSPs to “fight fire with fire” by leveraging AI for anomaly detection, immutable backups, and automated responses, while addressing talent shortages and compliance demands. Ultimately, Pagliuca sees MSPs disrupting themselves to avoid external disruption, capitalizing on global tailwinds like cloud migration and regulatory pressures to achieve profitable, recurring revenue models.
Lessons for MSP Leaders
Pagliuca’s insights, drawn from N-able’s Empower conferences, podcasts, and industry discussions, offer actionable guidance for MSP leaders. He advocates a three-part framework—standardize, automate, and augment—to scale resiliently amid AI opportunities and cyber risks.
Prioritize Cyber Resilience Over Isolated Security: Move beyond siloed tools to a holistic “resilience platform” that includes monitoring, detection, response, and data protection. Cybersecurity isn’t optional—it’s the differentiator for winning/losing clients.
Embrace AI as an Efficiency Multiplier: AI automates the mundane (e.g., ticketing, log analysis) to boost productivity by 20-30%, allowing focus on customer obsession and strategic services. Avoid tool overload—start small with GenAI for proactive threat hunting.
Standardize to Scale Profitably: Uniform processes, tech stacks, and offerings reduce complexity and enable horizontal growth, especially into larger clients like Fortune 1000.
Automate and Augment Amid Talent Shortages: With IT/cyber labor gaps widening, automation handles volume while augmentation (e.g., co-managed services) fills expertise voids. MSPs must co-partner with vendors for tailored support.
Work ‘On’ Your Business, Not Just ‘In’ It: Scale requires mindset shifts: Be proactive/disruptive vs. reactive/disrupted. Regional differences (e.g., faster AI adoption in UK/Australia) mean customizing journeys.
These lessons underscore Pagliuca’s call to action: MSPs at the “intersection of global tailwinds” (cyber, cloud, AI) must invest in platforms that empower transformation, not just tools. By 2025, he predicts leaders who standardize and AI-augment will outpace competitors, turning threats into revenue streams through resilient, customer-obsessed models. For deeper dives, check resources like The Path to Growth podcast episode on scaling resilience.
