Most MSP leaders agree on one thing: finding and keeping skilled people is harder than selling technology. The best cybersecurity specialists, Cloud engineers, architects, and customer-facing technical leaders are in high demand.
So, how to ensure the best people are attracted and retained—especially women who have traditionally been poorly represented and supported within the sector?
That was among the questions put to a stellar conference panel at MSP GLOBAL 25, hosted by Cass Cooper and featuring:
- Alona Geckler, SVP Business Operations & Chief of Staff, Acronis
- Melyssa Banda, Senior Vice President of Edge Storage and Services, Seagate Technology
- Trice Johnson, Chief Data & AI Officer, First Genesis, Inc.
- Jane Frankland MBE, CEO, KnewStart Limited
The conversation moved beyond representation statistics or symbolic gestures. Instead, it focused on the practical realities of building inclusive cultures, developing leadership pathways, and ensuring the next generation of technologists sees MSPs as places where long-term careers can thrive.
Watch it now:
Five key takeaways for MSPs
Inclusion directly supports innovation
Diverse teams bring different approaches to problem-solving. In an MSP environment, where no two client challenges look the same, this variety of thinking improves service quality and reduces blind spots in design, security, and delivery.
Culture determines retention more than compensation alone
The discussion reinforced that talented professionals stay where they feel supported, visible, and able to progress. MSPs that invest in inclusive leadership, flexible career paths, and psychological safety are better equipped to retain hard-to-replace skills.
Mentorship accelerates capability building
Mentorship emerged as a recurring theme, not as a formal checkbox, but as a practical way to transfer knowledge, build confidence, and prepare future leaders. For MSPs, structured mentoring shortens learning curves and strengthens succession planning.
Visibility changes expectations
When women are visible in technical, commercial, and leadership roles, it reshapes assumptions about who belongs in the MSP space. This visibility helps attract new entrants to the industry and signals maturity to clients assessing long-term partners.
Talent strategy is a growth strategy
As MSPs expand into advanced cybersecurity, Cloud services, and advisory-led models, the demand for adaptable, communicative, and technically strong professionals will only increase. Inclusive talent strategies widen the pipeline at a time when narrowing it is a commercial risk.
What MSPs can learn from the session
The Women in Tech session at MSP GLOBAL conference made one thing clear: inclusion is not a separate initiative running alongside the business. It needs to be embedded in how MSPs hire, lead, innovate, and grow.
As managed services businesses evolve from technical providers into strategic partners, their people become the primary differentiator. MSPs that recognize inclusion as a core business capability, not a compliance exercise, will be better positioned to build stronger teams, serve broader markets, and remain competitive in an industry defined by constant change.
Want more? Check out personal experience and advice on how to improve equity and support female talent from Demi Clinch, another female tech leader and MSP GLOBAL speaker.
