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Follow Philip Counts
My name is Philip Counts and I am based out of Georgetown Texas. I have been working specifically in the MSP IT space for over a decade. From technical support to team lead to management and projects. I started Source MSP as way to empower businesses when they need to start a new relationship with outsourced IT companies.
After seeing so many different types of relationships and the pitfalls and time sink that business owners face when looking for service providers I decided to start my own business that helps business owners find these resources quickly at zero cost to them.
What lessons has being an entrepreneur taught you?
Being an entrepreneur is a transformative journey that offers valuable lessons and insights along the way. Here are some key lessons that being an entrepreneur has taught me:
Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity:
Failure is inevitable in entrepreneurship, but it’s essential to view it as a stepping stone to growth. Each setback presents an opportunity to learn, adapt, and refine your approach. Embracing failure with a positive mindset allows you to iterate, pivot, and ultimately improve your chances of success.
Persistence and Resilience are Key: Entrepreneurship is filled with challenges, obstacles, and moments of self-doubt. To succeed, you must cultivate persistence and resilience.
There will be times when things don’t go as planned, but maintaining a determined mindset and pushing through adversity is crucial.
Adaptability is Essential:
The business landscape is constantly evolving, and being able to adapt to change is vital. Successful entrepreneurs are agile and open to embracing new ideas, technologies, and market trends. Flexibility and adaptability enable you to navigate uncertainties and seize emerging opportunities.
If you could go back in time to when you first started your business, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
If I could go back in time to when I first started my business, there is one piece of advice I would give myself: Embrace and prioritize the power of networking.
Building a strong network of connections is invaluable for entrepreneurial success. It opens doors to opportunities, provides valuable insights and advice, and helps establish credibility in your industry.
A lot of entrepreneurs find it difficult to balance their work and personal lives. How have you found that?
Finding a balance between work and personal life is indeed a common challenge for entrepreneurs. While it’s not always easy, I have learned some strategies that have helped me navigate this delicate balance:
Set Clear Boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life is crucial. Define specific work hours and strive to stick to them. Avoid checking work emails or engaging in work-related tasks during personal time. Similarly, set aside dedicated time for personal activities and prioritize them just as you would with work commitments.
Delegate and Outsource: As an entrepreneur, it’s tempting to take on every task and responsibility. However, delegating and outsourcing tasks that can be handled by others is essential. Identify areas where you can offload some of the workload, whether it’s through hiring employees, outsourcing to freelancers, or partnering with other professionals. This allows you to focus on core business activities and create more time for personal pursuits.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
So many times I have seen customers hurt in a previous IT Partner relationship and the struggle to exit that cleanly while trying to also establish trust with a new partner is really difficult and it should not take that kind of toll on people who are trying to accomplish their businesses unique goals and vision.
My whole mission is to take the pain away from that process and save you time and money by helping to facilitate the relationships and expectations of both parties so that they can succeed together right from the beginning.
What do you think is your magic sauce? What sets you apart from the competitors?
I really care about getting results for our clients. I dont use some automatic system that queries IT providers near you and then just spits it back out to your email while collecting money from you.
I pick up the phone and start building that relationship with the client and the provider right away.
How have you found sales so far? Do you have any lessons you could pass on to other founders in the same market as you just starting out?
Networking and SEO optimization have really helped us establish our sales pipeline. I would say the most important lesson is to be authentic and keep putting what you want out into the world.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far in your business, and how did you overcome it?
Starting up a business is not an easy thing to do especially today. I would say the best thing to do to overcome it is to believe in your thesis and know that things will take time before they really start rolling.
What can the government do to help grow and support the startup ecosystem in the US?
By investing in entrepreneurship education at both the school and university levels, the government can equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and knowledge to start and grow successful businesses.
Initiatives such as mentorship programs, entrepreneurship centers, and networking events could also provide value by fostering a supportive startup culture.
The United States has a tonne of great startup ecosystems. Are you part of one? What benefits have you gotten from the startup community you’re part of?
I wouldn’t say i am part of one ecosystem that focuses on startups at the moment. I mainly spend my time networking with existing contacts and like minded IT professionals.
What do you think the future holds for American startups?
The US will continue to innovate and attract talent that create massively successful businesses I have no doubt about that.
