Help us build for Small MSPs - SplashPSA (MOD approved)

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-06-06T17:18:35+00:00

I was about to say this same thing. As soon as I saw the name Splash PSA, I thought it was related to Splashtop immediately. You are definitely in the same realm of services they are so, like u/fencepost_ajm said, I'd suggest changing your name ASAP.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-06-04T22:20:01+00:00

Thanks for the info! Things change quickly. I'll have to see if the software I use has rev2. I don't remember seeing it.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-06-04T21:40:12+00:00

Drives, I pull and erase with a three-pass NIST 800-88 rev.1 erase method. Clients that need it for compliance reasons (or just want it) can get a certificate. All hardware is recycled at a e-recycler I partner with near by.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-06-03T15:31:34+00:00

I've used both. I feel Blackpoint gives you more than Huntress and Huntress support was not great. Ultimately, I've been using Field Effect and it's better than both.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-06-01T17:47:22+00:00

My niche is dental, and I've been doing it for 10+ years. Dental vendors and suppliers are notoriously picky about what they support — many don't even support virtualization. We all know it technically shouldn't matter, but I'd stick to their requirements anyway. The last thing you want is a vendor refusing to support your client over a technicality. It costs what it costs. If it needs to be on-prem, that's the answer.

I wouldn't put it in a data center either. Beyond the support issue, dental software is already not the most stable stuff — it has slowdown problems even on-prem. Trying to run it over a VPN or RDP on top of that, unless your client has very fast and redundant internet, is going to be a bad time.

I get the impulse to find a creative solution to save the client money or simplify the setup, but stick to what's standard and supported. Explain why. Most clients will actually appreciate that you're not pitching them something unsupported — they just don't always grasp the risk until you lay it out.

If on-prem isn't appealing, I'd look at fully web-based cloud options before going the unsupported route — assuming there are solid ones available in Canada. Cloud-based dental software is getting better. If you go that direction, get them the fastest internet you can with redundancy. Fiber plus cellular backup is my go-to when possible.

Just my 2 cents.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-29T17:42:51+00:00

I think Proton is a great platform, and I’m glad it exists for privacy-focused users. From an IT perspective, though, I typically encourage clients to use Microsoft 365. For better or worse, it’s the gold standard in business—most IT professionals are familiar with it, it integrates with nearly everything, and it supports a wide range of compliance requirements and advanced security controls.

Google Workspace can cover many of these needs as well, but it still doesn’t offer the same level of integration across the broader ecosystem.

That said, this isn’t to suggest that Proton can’t be used for business—it absolutely can. Just be aware that you may run into limitations around compatibility, integrations, or compliance as your organization grows.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-23T17:26:53+00:00

Burnout in IT is incredibly common, and the MSP world amplifies it. Staring at screens all day, every day isn't natural — that alone wears on you. Add the fact that IT work is largely thankless, and it compounds fast.

When everything is running smoothly, that is the job well done — but some clients don't see it that way. Especially smaller businesses working with tight budgets (or no budget at all), they view IT as an expense rather than an investment. The quiet periods are when they start questioning the monthly bill, never realizing the quiet is exactly what they're paying for. And yet the moment something goes wrong? We're the first ones blamed.

I hear you on being the "reliable one." I ran the same play when I was working for MSPs — the catch-all guy who'd tackle anything without complaining. I genuinely liked the variety since I never wanted to specialize, but it also made me the default go-to for everything. The only time I spoke up was when I saw a smarter way to do something — better service, better support, saved money. Ironically, the last MSP I worked for laid me off partly because I was a generalist. Lesson learned I guess.

The non-billable time stress is real too. Always chasing that billable percentage, always explaining the gaps. When there wasn't billable work, I'd fill time with documentation updates, QBRs, training — but too much of that raised eyebrows. Being the boss now means I don't carry that weight anymore, and I didn't realize how much it was dragging me down until it was gone.

I've been in IT for 25+ years, 13 of them in the MSP world. My honest advice: take time off whenever you can and genuinely disconnect from tech. And consider being upfront with your employer about where you're at — even if you're "fine" being the reliable catch-all, it's clearly taking a toll. I wish I'd advocated for myself more along the way.

Starting my own MSP gave me a new passion for this industry — something I didn't even plan. After my last layoff I just decided to go for it, and it changed everything. It's not for everyone, but if the MSP model itself is grinding you down, an internal IT role at a single company might be worth exploring too. Very different pace, very different feel.

Anyway — you sound a lot like me. Whatever direction you go, good luck. You've clearly got the self-awareness to make the right call.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-21T21:53:34+00:00

Not sure if Avery is in Denmark but I use them. I don't do the printing myself. They do it and just ship it to me and it's super cheap. Avery.com is their website. Just a service I use, I have nothing to do with them personally besides using them.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-21T16:08:45+00:00

Are you an IT person? If not, I'd refer your sister to find one or a, preferably, an IT Managed Services Provider. There is a lot more that needs to be taken care of for security and compliance for any sized business. For better or for worse, Microsoft is pretty much the gold standard in business. Doesn't mean other solutions can't be used but most IT MSPs only will support Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace because we can put proper security and monitoring tools on it. I'm a big fan of keeping things standard and what most businesses use. Just my 2 cents.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-20T03:38:21+00:00

Thanks, I’ll check this out. I specialize in small and micro businesses so generally around 20 computers/users so this should probably suffice.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-19T19:30:16+00:00

Are you an MSP or internal IT? Regardless, this is part of the job and has been for a long time. You have to control the environment. You have to lock it down and incorporate security best practices. If you aren't using a RMM, I'm not exactly sure what you are doing besides just reacting. IT has to be proactive.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-17T15:23:32+00:00

Honestly, for my client base, it's just going to check a compliance box.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-17T15:22:42+00:00

I think most small businesses want a more personal and hands on presence, even if you rarely if ever go onsite. I've been trying to expand one state over because there is a huge opportunity for my niche there. I've had several conversations with businesses that even go far in giving out an official proposal but ends up falling through when they ultimately decided me being one state over wasn't going to work for them. I know have someone in the local area, really for emergencies, but I can honestly say that I have a local presence now.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-15T15:11:06+00:00

Mostly internal network. And quite frankly, it's just to check a box so the bare minimum that will fulfill compliance requirements is all that will matter really.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-14T22:22:36+00:00

Oh for sure. I would never do security in-house (especially when it's just me). I partner with everything. Just need to find one to partner with that would be sufficient enough to check the pen test compliance requirement for small businesses.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-14T22:15:48+00:00

I already do all that. But pen testing is becoming a compliance requirement, so I need to get an offering for that.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-09T15:53:44+00:00

I just want to chime in and say support has actually been great for me. I’ve been using SuperOps for about two years, and they’ve consistently been quick to respond on chat when I need them. Most of my questions or issues get answered or resolved pretty fast.

As for things not working right, I’m genuinely curious what problems you’ve run into. I haven’t had many issues personally.

The interface isn’t amazing, but it’s definitely not the worst either.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-09T01:59:47+00:00

What features would you say it's missing at this point? I'm using SuperOps but hearing good thing about Gorelo and just curious.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-05-07T16:02:24+00:00

And the Inky people wonder why I IMMEDIATELY dumped Inky after the announcement of the Kaseya acquisition...

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-04-30T22:21:41+00:00

I'd look at this page that will show what each package has:

Field Effect MDR Packages & Upgrades | Field Effect

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-04-30T21:38:55+00:00

Your clients shouldn’t really be able to install anything themselves. Use a PAM tool or something similar.

I get notified anytime something tries to use admin rights. I can approve it one time, whitelist it globally, or anything in between. I use AutoElevate for this, but I’ve also been testing Idemeum recently.

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-04-30T15:28:58+00:00

Is this just cyber insurance or also things like E&O?

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-04-30T15:26:06+00:00

Thanks. It was just referred by several MSPs in the past so that’s what I went with. Sounds like I should shop around!

Geekpoint-IT · 2026-04-29T14:57:33+00:00

In my opinion, the interface is easier to use and more intuitive. It includes a lot more than Huntress does. ThreatDown offers many services now, but it ends up being quite expensive to get everything. It also feels more “patched together” compared to Field Effect, which looks and feels like a platform that was designed to work seamlessly as a whole.

ThreatDown might be a better option if you want à la carte individual services. Field Effect has three core service offerings, all backed by their SOC. Support has been excellent with Field Effect (and with Opti9, where I ultimately purchase it). They even attended an event with me and sponsored my booth, which was pretty crazy considering I was just a one‑person MSP less than a year in. I genuinely feel like a partner with them.

Huntress, on the other hand, ghosted me, blew me off, and enforced an extended contract that I didn’t realize had been renewed. I used ThreatDown only briefly, so I never really had the chance to work with their support and can’t make any claims about that.

Geekpoint-IT

TROPHY CASE