Let's be honest: most MSP owners are lone wolves. We built our businesses from scratch, figured out the tech, learned sales the hard way, and made every mistake in the book, twice. And we're proud of it.

But here's the problem with going solo all the way to your exit: you're leaving money on the table. Lots of it.

I've seen MSP owners spend years trying to crack the code on what makes their business sellable, when they could've had those answers in a single peer group meeting. The difference between figuring it out alone and learning from others who've already done it? Literally years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuation.

So if you're thinking about an exit in the next 3-5 years (or even if it's just on your radar), msp peer groups aren't just "nice to have." They're your secret weapon for business exit planning that actually works.

Here are five ways the right peer group can fast-track your path to a successful exit, without the expensive learning curve.

1. You Get Real-World Benchmarks (Not Just Industry Averages)

When was the last time you really knew where your MSP stood compared to others?

Not according to some industry report written by people who've never run an MSP. I mean actual data from real MSP owners who are willing to pull back the curtain and show you their numbers.

That's what peer groups give you.

You walk into a room (or jump on a Zoom) with other MSP owners who are dealing with the same stuff you are, margins, monthly recurring revenue, client retention, the works. And they'll tell you what's actually working. Not the sanitized case study version. The messy, real version.

MSP financial benchmarks and metrics for exit planning valuation

Why does this matter for your exit? Because buyers aren't looking at your numbers in a vacuum. They're comparing you to every other MSP they're evaluating. If your EBITDA margin is 12% and the industry benchmark for profitable MSPs is 20-25%, guess what? You've got work to do.

Peer groups give you those benchmarks before you ever sit down with a potential acquirer. You know exactly where you're weak and where you're strong. No surprises. No "Well, we thought we were doing great until we saw what buyers actually expect."

You get to fix the gaps now, while you still have time.

2. You Learn From Others' Exit Experiences (The Good and the Ugly)

Here's the thing about exits: most MSP owners only do it once. Maybe twice if they're serial entrepreneurs. So you're basically flying blind unless you know people who've been through it.

Peer groups are packed with those people.

I'm talking about owners who've sold, owners who are actively selling, and owners who tried to sell and pulled back because the deal wasn't right. All of them have stories. All of them have lessons.

You want to know what actually increases your valuation? They'll tell you. (Spoiler: it's not just about revenue.)

You want to know which buyers to avoid? They'll tell you that too.

You want to know what "representations and warranties" really mean in an acquisition agreement and which ones you should push back on? Yeah, someone in your peer group has already fought that battle.

And the best part? You learn all of this before you make the mistake yourself. You don't have to be the cautionary tale. You just have to listen to the ones who were.

3. You Avoid Business-Limiting Mistakes (Before They Tank Your Valuation)

Let me paint a picture.

You've spent five years building your MSP. You're doing well: good revenue, decent margins, happy clients. But you've also made some decisions along the way that seemed fine at the time:

None of these things feel like dealbreakers. Until you try to sell.

Then they become massive red flags that crater your valuation: or kill the deal entirely.

Peer groups help you avoid these mistakes before they become problems. Someone in the group has already learned the hard way that buyer concentration is a huge risk factor. Someone else has already been told by their advisor that their tech stack is a liability.

You get to course-correct now, while it's still relatively easy to fix. Not in Year 5 of your exit plan when you're scrambling to overhaul your entire operation before the buyer does their due diligence.

It's like having a bunch of older siblings who already touched the hot stove. You don't have to.

4. You Build Strategic Relationships That Actually Matter

I'm not talking about networking events where you collect business cards and never follow up.

I'm talking about real relationships with people who understand your business, your challenges, and your goals. People you can call at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday when you're trying to decide whether to fire a client or restructure your service offerings.

Those relationships become invaluable when you're planning an exit.

Maybe someone in your peer group knows a buyer who's actively looking for MSPs in your market. Maybe they've got a connection to a private equity firm that specializes in IT services. Maybe they're willing to introduce you to the M&A advisor they used: and vouch for you in the process.

MSP peer group meeting with owners sharing exit planning strategies

Or maybe: and this is where it gets really interesting: someone in your peer group becomes the buyer.

I've seen it happen. MSP owners who met in a peer group, built trust over a couple of years, and then realized they could create something bigger together. One buys the other out, or they merge, or they structure a partnership that sets them both up for a larger exit down the road.

You can't engineer those opportunities. But you can put yourself in rooms where they're more likely to happen.

5. You Gain Confidence and Clarity in Critical Decisions

Here's what nobody tells you about building an MSP: you're making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information, all the time.

Should you hire another tech or invest in automation? Should you raise prices or risk losing clients? Should you narrow your focus to a specific vertical or stay broad?

When you're going it alone, those decisions are agonizing. You second-guess yourself. You procrastinate. You make a choice and then spend six months wondering if it was the right one.

Peer groups cut through that noise.

You bring your decision to the group. You lay out the options. And you get input from people who've faced the same choice: some of whom made the right call, and some of whom made the wrong one and can tell you exactly why.

It doesn't mean you outsource your decision-making. You're still the CEO. But you make decisions faster and with more confidence because you've stress-tested your thinking with people who get it.

And when it comes to exit planning? That clarity is gold.

You're not sitting around for two years wondering if now is the right time to start preparing. You're not paralyzed trying to figure out whether you should hire a CFO or clean up your client list first. You've got a sounding board that helps you move decisively.

So Why Are You Still Going Solo?

Look, I get it. You built this thing yourself. You're used to figuring it out on your own. And maybe there's a part of you that thinks, "I don't need help. I've got this."

But here's the truth: the MSP owners who exit successfully aren't the ones who did it alone. They're the ones who surrounded themselves with people who'd already done it. They learned faster. They avoided bigger mistakes. And they walked away with better deals.

You've already done the hard part: you built a business. Now it's time to make sure that business is worth what it should be when you're ready to sell it.

Peer groups won't do the work for you. But they'll fast-track the process in ways you can't even anticipate until you're in one.

Ready to stop going solo? Check out the MSP peer groups that Encore Strategic hosts: or reach out to learn more about how we help MSP owners profit, grow, and exit on their terms.

Because the best time to start preparing for your exit was five years ago. The second best time? Right now.