From Technical Provider to Strategic Partner: A Transformation Story
The Challenge
Albie Schwartz, founder of Secure Side, faced a common dilemma in the cybersecurity/MSP space.
Despite providing valuable technical services, his company was primarily viewed as “an hourly shop that does cybersecurity work” rather than a strategic business partner. This positioning limited both their perceived value and their pricing power.
Like many technical service providers, he knew they should charge more for their expertise but lacked the confidence and framework to have those difficult conversations with clients.
The Transformation
Working with Start, Grow, Manage (SGM), a team of “seasoned professionals that have been through the trials and tribulations of growing businesses in the technology space,” Albie gained both the strategy and confidence to reposition his company.
The key shift came through SGM’s guidance on positioning Secure Side as a strategic business partner rather than just a technical service provider. This meant:
Communicating their value in terms of solving business problems rather than focusing solely on technical capabilities.
Learning to coach clients through their strengths and weaknesses.
Helping clients articulate all their challenges so Secure Side could identify opportunities to support their long-term business goals
Being more purposeful and targeted in their marketing and prospecting efforts
The Results
The impact of this transformation was immediate and significant:
Secure Side successfully increased fees across their entire client base
Every single client accepted the price increase (even the one client who initially hesitated eventually agreed after Albie repositioned the conversation around strategic partnership rather than hourly rates)
The company gained clarity on their messaging and marketing approach
As Albie puts it, “We knew we should have been doing it. Coming here and working with Start, Grow, Manage has made that reality.”
Looking Forward
Based on his experience, Albie plans to implement additional changes to further strengthen Secure Side’s position:
“One change that we plan to implement in our business is to be very purposeful about our prospecting and our strategic marketing. Instead of going after everyone and having a more generic message or technical message, it’s very important for us to adapt as we’re a cybersecurity strategic partner. We need to really make that more clear than the technical capabilities that we provide.”
Should you work with SGM?
Albie recommends Start, Grow, Manage for business owners who:
Are content but know they can do more
Run a technology business or consulting business related to technology
Are looking to expand their business
Feel their messaging isn’t as tight as it could be
Are trying to get out of day-to-day operations
Are experiencing any of these key pain points
The transformation from technical service provider to strategic business partner is possible – and as Secure Side discovered, it can unlock both greater client value and improved business results.
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