About Greg Gyves

Observations of friction in a managed service practice

My value doesn't come from having built, sold, run or even worked in an MSP. It comes from 20+ years working alongside thousands of them.

MSPs, MSSPs, GSIs, telecoms providers, hosting companies, cloud providers, ISVs, WAN Providers, VARs — of every shape, size and level of maturity, across four continents. I've put myself in their shoes for two decades. That's where the lens comes from.

I've always positioned myself at the intersection of the vendor and the partner. Asking lots of questions, listening, connecting the dots and then trying to do something about it. Building programs and channel businesses from next to nothing. Leading specialist teams with purpose, clarity and — importantly — a sense of fun.

Background

I started with eight years in IT distribution - the engine room of the channel - First in broadline with OpenPSL (later Bell Micro then Avnet) before stints at specialist distributors IQ-Sys and Exclusive Networks covering vitualisation and cyber security respectively. 13+ years in vendors dedicated exclusively to MSP, MSSP and GSI partner motions at Fortinet and currently TeamViewer giving my invaluable insights across cyber security, networking and digital workplace. I've developed structured frameworks for service readiness, offer development and partner enablement — used with partners ranging from small regional MSPs to global system integrators.

Always at the intersection. Always building. Always in service of the MSP partner.

Values

Honesty — always
Transparency — no hidden agenda
Kindness — it's nice to be nice
Fairness — to every side of the conversation
Never superior. Never subservient. Always peer to peer.

What I'm known for

High energy and directness — straight talking, no performance. Thinks at 100mph. Easily frustrated by lack of action. Self-deprecating humour, dry wit. Takes his contribution to the industry seriously — But does the opposite with himself.

What this blog is not

I don't pretend to know everything - Nobody does. This blog is a lens, not a rulebook. I won't vendor bash — my career has been built working for vendors and I love and respect what they do. I won't discriminate against any partner, whether they're a five-person operation or a global SI. And I won't push out content for the sake of it. If there's nothing worth saying, nothing gets published.

What you read is what you get. I hope you enjoy enough to follow.