technology leadership
VISIBILITY unlockeD…
Your msp should not be your vcio!
When your Managed Service Provider (MSP) also acts as your vCIO, you aren't getting unbiased executive leadership—you are letting the fox guard the henhouse. A true vCIO should serve as your independent strategic advocate, aligning technology with your specific business goals. However, when an MSP fills both roles, a massive conflict of interest arises. It is fundamentally unethical for a provider to audit their own performance, evaluate their own architecture, or objectively tell you if you are getting what you pay for. Instead of an honest assessment, you get a rubber stamp on their own work.
accountability is everything
Just Think about it.
When your MSP is selling you CIO services, this consolidates far too much power into a single vendor's hands, often forcing your business into a restrictive, cookie-cutter mold. MSPs thrive on standardization because it lowers their overhead, but this frequently saddles your company with undue expenses and rigid technology limitations that don't fit your unique workflow. You don't need a vendor who forces your business to fit their business model; you need an independent advocate fiercely dedicated to your best interests, ensuring your IT spend actually drives growth and that your MSP is genuinely delivering on their promises.
put your msp to the test
Challenge #1
“Will you provide us persistent, real-time access to all of our documentation, passwords and management tools?”
Logic: A true vCIO looks for cost efficiency; an MSP-vCIO looks for upsells.
Challenge #2
“Are you open to an independent audit of all services you are billing us for?”
Logic: Anything other than “absolutely, when.” should scare the hell out of you.
Challenge #3
“Can you show me the last three times you recommended a solution that reduced our monthly bill with you?"
Logic: I’ve never worked with a client that actually got an answer from their MSP on this one!
Let’s Work Together
Sean Fagundes
Founder, Type Agentic
