Kaseya's buyout of Datto, expected to be completed in the second half of 2022, involves far more than MSP software. Indeed, there's also the MSP community strategy to keep in mind.
What are the key components of the community strategy? Some of the variables to keep in mind include...
1. Kaseya's Conference: The Kaseya Connect IT Global 2022 conference (set for June 2022) certainly comes to mind, but that event typically attracts a mix of MSPs and IT professionals. And the event mainly focuses on Kaseya's own IT Complete software stack.
2. Kaseya's Online Community: The Connect IT Community surfaced in August 2021, and has grown to span more than 87,142 members and 144,000 posts.
3. Kaseya Powered Services: These essentially are sales and marketing tools to help MSPs drive customer engagements and growth.
4. MSP Coaching: Here, Kaseya's acquisition of TruMethods and associated peer groups in 2021 is front-and-center. In some ways, that deal countered ConnectWise’s purchases of HTG Peer Groups in 2018 and Service Leadership in 2021. But TruMethods certainly brings unique capabilities to the MSP sector, based on founder Gary Pica's hands-on work as an MSP founder, builder, investor and advisor.
5. The Next Big Move - DattoCon?: This year's Datto conference -- DattoCon 2022 -- is set for September. Datto positions the MSP event as an " open-ecosystem experience" -- which is a bit different than Kaseya's approach to conferences. It's unclear whether Kaseya's acquisition of Datto will be finalized ahead of DattoCon 2022. The M&A deal is "currently expected to close in the second half of 2022," according to an April 11, 2022, statement from Datto.
6. Robin Robins?: Now, for the next potential twist in Kaseya's community strategy. Robin Robins, founder of Technology Marketing Toolkit, is known worldwide as an MSP marketing consultant, IT sales trainer and technology business builder. And she is confirmed to speak at Kaseya Connect IT Global 2022.
The Robin Robins-Kaseya Connection: What's Next?
Robins and Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola first spoke around 2015, when Voccola joined Kaseya as CEO. Voccola was new to the MSP software industry, and Kaseya had lost its focus under previous management.
When Voccola arrived at Kaseya in 2015, Gary Pica and Robin Robins each reached out to Kaseya's new CEO and ultimately delivered a similar message: Kaseya needed to work hard — and fast — to rebuild trust across the MSP community. Voccola stayed in touch with both sources. Kaseya ultimately acquired Pica's TruMethods business (as announced in 2021). And some sources now wonder if Kaseya has similar plans for Robin Robins' various MSP marketing and conference businesses.
Among the events and dates to watch: Robins' Big Seminar -- an IT sales and marketing boot camp -- is scheduled for April 19-22 in Nashville, Tennessee. The guest speaker lineup includes:
- Marcus Lemonis of CNBC's The Profit
- Super Bowl Champion, NFL Hall of Fame member and former Dallas Cowboy running back Emmitt Smith
- And a surprise guest speaker named Mr. X.
Is the surprise guest Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola? We don't know for sure. Will Kaseya acquire and/or invest in any of Robins' businesses? Some pundits have speculated about that from time to time. But we have never heard anything firm from our sources...
Waiting on DattoCon
Meanwhile, we'll be watching to see if the Kaseya-Datto deal is finalized before DattoCon arrives in September. In the meantime, here are the top five questions we've been hearing from MSPs about Kaseya's buyout of Datto.
