MSP growth strategies: why community matters
Community engagement is a foundational pillar of your experience as a Pax8 partner, and with this comes an unwavering commitment to addressing your needs through our offering.
Michael Breeze, Senior Director for Partner Advocacy and Community Insights, is no stranger to our partner network. In this blog, he shares how feedback from our community fuels continuous improvement and why traditional MSPs must now implement new growth strategies to evolve into Managed Intelligence Providers (MIPs) in order to thrive in the agentic era.
The rise of the Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP)
For years, the MSP model has been evolving, from traditional break-fix to a co-managed, cloud-first approach. Canalys describes the latest iteration as MSP 3.0, where the scope of what clients want from their MSP has expanded to include compliance, regulation and additional expertise. But at Pax8, we believe something bigger is happening: the rise of the MIP.
This shift is not theoretical; it’s already in progress. According to our 2025 report, The Agentic Inflection Point, 66% of Pax8 partners expect to be viewed as strategic business advisors within two years. Clients aren’t just looking for IT support; they want more guidance on harnessing agentic AI systems to grow and compete.
In his introduction to the MIP model, Pax8 CEO Scott Chasin lays it out clearly:
“We are standing at the edge of a monumental new era where agentic systems will redefine how work gets done.”
– Scott Chasin, Pax8 CEO, The Agentic Inflection Point
The implications for MSPs are huge. The next 24–36 months will be critical as businesses work to integrate AI-powered agents and intelligent workflows. MIPs will be at the heart of this revolution, empowering SMBs to scale faster and unlock new value from their technology investments, and those MSPs that evolve quickly into the MIP model will be poised to experience long-term success in the new paradigm. We are supporting our partner community in this journey, offering expertise, growth strategies and community connections to help you evolve confidently into this new role.
The Pax8 Partner Experience Team
The insights and advocacy function of our Partner Experience team exists to amplify partners’ voices and maximise their Pax8 experience. Michael Breeze and his team constantly listen and talk with partners to gain a deep understanding of your everyday challenges. With such an engaged and wide-ranging community of partners, they can highlight trends and quickly respond to changes in market sentiment. The community insights guide our strategy and shape the way we support your growth.
A prime example is the Pax8 Partner Advisory Council in EMEA. With around 60 partners of varying sizes, it’s the largest of its kind in the region. Regular meetings and focus groups ensure we’re constantly health-checking their experience and looking at what we can do better to support them and help grow their business. Partners on the council benefit from early access to new initiatives and the opportunity to influence Pax8’s future strategy.
We use feedback from the Partner Council in a number of ways. For example, the agenda for Pax8 Beyond EMEA has been developed to address specific partner priorities in the EMEA region. The council’s voice carries real weight, and their insights validate progress, pinpoint areas for refinement and highlight regional nuances that help us deliver more tailored solutions across diverse markets.
Your clients’ needs are evolving, reacting to market changes and differing business priorities. They want (and need) help maximising their technology investments, and this represents an opportunity for you to pivot your growth strategy to focus on developing a more advisory role with your clients. This pivot is much more achievable with a strong community around you.
Supporting the partner community in the agentic era
Feedback gathered in our partner council shows us that the arrival of agentic AI is the biggest and fastest technology evolution MSPs have experienced. And it is reshaping everything, from client expectations to operational strategy. But with change comes uncertainty, and at Pax8, we’re helping partners turn this complexity into opportunity. The impact of agentic AI means that we need to reassess how today’s MSPs deliver value, scale and differentiate themselves.
Cybersecurity concerns, new compliance requirements and a turbulent economic landscape have created a crowded field of priorities for MSPs. But the journey to becoming a MIP doesn’t need to be overwhelming. That’s where our community shines.
With Pax8 and our community of partners, we empower MSPs with:
- Expert guidance to cut through the noise.
- Peer-to-peer collaboration to share insights and best practices.
- Real-time feedback channels that influence our services and strategy.
Our mission is to help MSPs stay balanced. Still delivering the solutions your clients need now while building up the advisory role you’ll play in the future. By collaborating with the Pax8 community, MSPs gain the peer support and growth strategies needed to learn from one another’s successes and challenges along the way.
Events and community engagement
Our unmissable events are designed to energise and educate. From Mission Briefings to Masterclasses and our annual partner event, Beyond, the Pax8 partner community is out in full force.
The Beyond EMEA agenda has been curated to address the challenges you are facing right now, with practical advice on how to make the shift to MIP. The best experts in the channel will be there to give you their predictions on community, education and innovation.
At Beyond EMEA you’ll find:
- The Partner Experience Desk—a direct line to the team that’s listening and responding to your needs.
- Dedicated Partner Advisory Council sessions—where strategic conversations help guide the future.
- Engaging Partner Roundtables—where real-world stories take centre stage, giving you practical insights from peers.
Building the future, together
The traditional MSP model is evolving. As SMBs seek strategic partners to help them scale, innovate and maximise the benefits of agentic AI, the path forward is clear: become an MIP. What are your plans to embrace this opportunity in 2026?
At Pax8, we’re driving this transformation with our partners. From hosting events like Beyond EMEA to groundbreaking research and community-led initiatives, we’re committed to helping you become the trusted advisors your clients need.
Join the community. Shape your MSP’s growth strategy.
Whether you’re kickstarting your MIP journey, sharing insights with the Partner Experience Team or attending Beyond, your voice matters to Pax8 and you’re helping us build the roadmap for the future.
