I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Launching AI By Design isn’t about starting another podcast. It’s about starting a conversation our MSP channel can’t afford to delay anymore. This series was born out of countless hallway conversations, late-night calls with peers, and a growing realization we all share: AI isn’t coming someday. It’s already here, and how we respond will define the next decade of our businesses.
What excites me most is that this journey isn’t about theory or hype. It’s about real operators. Real MSP leaders. Real stories from the trenches. That’s the promise of AI By Design: learning from people who are actually building, experimenting, and scaling with AI.
There was no better way to kick this off than sitting down with someone I deeply respect: Carlos.
Carlos’ Journey: From Basement Beginnings to a Scaled MSP
I’ve known Carlos for some time, but about a month ago, when I spent time at his office, I walked away with a much deeper appreciation for what he and his work family have built. That’s when I knew his story needed to be the first one we shared.
When I asked Carlos to take us back to the beginning, his answer felt familiar in the best possible way. He was 19 years old, working out of his parents’ basement, driving around Atlanta with a backpack and a Red Bull, doing residential consulting. His first major contract came from BellSouth, handling DSL escalation work.
From there, the business grew the way many great MSPs do: referrals, reputation, and an obsessive focus on doing the job right. Carlos talked about how growing through referrals taught him early that partnerships matter. Trust matters. Choosing the right partners -people who want mutual growth – became foundational to everything that followed.
Over time, the company found its footing in healthcare, well before it became a crowded or trendy vertical. That early move proved critical. Today, the business has grown to around 40 employees, with global staff, coast-to-coast coverage, and something even more meaningful: it’s a true family business. His sister runs the company. His brother is part of the team. That was always the goal.
Let’s Begin: The Real AI Conversation MSPs Need to Have
After grounding ourselves in Carlos’ journey, we shifted to why this episode exists in the first place: practical AI in the MSP space.
I shared something I firmly believe – MSPs have been through major technology shifts before. Cloud. Cybersecurity. Compliance. Each time, we adapted. AI is another peak, not a cliff. And like every other shift, we’ll get through it.
That framing opened the door to an honest conversation about what’s actually hard right now.
The Biggest AI Challenge: Timing, Trust, and Adoption
Carlos was candid about his biggest concern as an MSP leader. It’s not just monetizing AI; it’s rolling it out too soon. The real risk, he explained, is introducing AI solutions that clients don’t fully adopt, only to face non-renewals a year later.
“You’re going to get one opportunity with your existing client base to do this right,” he said.
That mindset is shaping their entire AI strategy. Instead of rushing AI to market, they’re focusing first on governance and security. Their goal is to become an AI-first MSP, starting internally.
Not “patient zero,” as Carlos jokingly clarified – but “client zero.”
Client Zero: Why Internal AI Adoption Comes First
After my discussion with Carlos, what impressed me most was how intentional their internal approach is. AI isn’t being treated as a technical experiment reserved for engineers. Every department is involved!
Some of the earliest value showed up in marketing, where AI helped streamline social content creation and keep messaging consistent without added strain. From there, the plan expands outward: deploying AI agents to automate repetitive tasks across departments and gradually working up the value chain.
The reason is simple: mindset shift.
Carlos wants his team to experience AI firsthand so they can recognize similar opportunities for clients. That shift doesn’t happen in theory: it happens through use.
AI Isn’t Taking Jobs; It’s Creating New Ones
One message Carlos was very clear about with his team: AI is not about eliminating jobs. It’s about evolving them.
This isn’t a move to fire people or reduce headcount. It’s about creating new career paths. Level-one technicians don’t disappear—they grow into AI-enabled roles. AI engineers instead of help desk agents.
That shift requires reassurance, education, and time. But the opportunity it creates – for both the business and the team – is significant.
As Carlos put it, this is also about moving away from the idea of being “just a help desk.” The future is becoming an intelligent provider.
From Help Desk to Intelligent Provider
That evolution is already underway. Carlos shared that they’ve been fast-tracked with Microsoft toward Frontier accreditation, with support from key partners. The goal is to have AI solutions ready for clients later this year, once the internal foundation is solid.
This is a deliberate, thoughtful approach – one that prioritizes trust, adoption, and long-term value over speed.
As we wrapped up, I reinforced something I believe deeply: AI is not software. It’s a skill.
Jobs won’t disappear because of AI. They’ll disappear because of skill gaps. The people who learn to think with AI, who use it as leverage, will outperform those who don’t. And as Carlos’ story shows, you don’t need to be the most technical person in the room: you need curiosity, intent, and the courage to evolve.
That’s exactly why AI By Design exists.
This is just the beginning.
