MSP Growth Maturity Framework

A strategic tool to help you benchmark your MSP’s growth stage and identify the right next steps.

The journey of growing an MSP isn’t linear—and the challenges at £1M revenue look very different from those at £5M or £10M+. That’s why we created the MSP Growth Maturity Framework: a practical model to help you assess where your business sits today and what’s required to move forward.

This framework is designed around four core dimensions that are critical to scale:

  • Leadership & Vision
  • Service Delivery & Operations
  • Sales & Go-to-Market
  • Financial & Commercial Maturity

Each stage builds on the one before, showing a progression from “Founder-Led Hustle” to “High-Performing, Scalable Business.”

Stage 1: Foundation (Early-Stage MSP)

Characteristics:

  • Owner/operator wears many hats
  • Reactive service delivery
  • Limited documentation or processes
  • No formal sales strategy
  • Low visibility into profitability

Focus Areas:

  • Basic SOPs and tool stack
  • Get control of cash flow
  • Build first layer of leadership support
  • Define ideal customer profile

Stage 2: Emerging (Growing MSP)

Characteristics:

  • Small leadership team in place
  • More structured service desk and tools
  • Growing client base, but uneven profitability
  • Sales activity is inconsistent
  • Limited strategic planning

Focus Areas:

  • Implement KPIs and dashboards
  • Introduce client segmentation and pricing strategy
  • Hire or formalise sales/account management
  • Document key workflows and roles

Stage 3: Scaling (Process-Driven MSP)

Characteristics:

  • Processes are defined and measured
  • Consistent MRR growth
  • Leadership team focused on departments
  • Clear strategic plan and regular quarterly reviews
  • Building a scalable service model

Focus Areas:

  • Strengthen leadership accountability
  • Use EOS or similar framework for alignment
  • Improve forecasting and pipeline visibility
  • Start grooming for future M&A or valuation goals

Stage 4: Optimised (Exit-Ready MSP)

Characteristics:

  • Strong recurring revenue base
  • Robust service delivery with automation and QA
  • Sales, marketing, and account management running in sync
  • Leadership operates independently of the founder
  • Positioned for sale, merger, or acquisition

Focus Areas:

  • Exit planning and value optimisation
  • Long-term incentive plans and succession
  • Reduce key-person risk
  • Prepare due diligence materials

What to Do With This Framework

Understanding where you are is the first step. The goal isn’t to rush to the next stage—it’s to build the structure that will support sustainable growth.

👉 Or book a free 30-minute Clarity Call to review your current maturity level with one of our team.

👉 Download the full PDF version of this framework.

Adelvium: Helping MSPs scale, optimise, and grow with purpose.