Fractional COO/CIO/CISO for MSP Founders Ready to Scale
You built a successful technical services business. Now you’re the bottleneck.
Operations run through you. Service delivery is inconsistent. Your team is reactive—firefighting instead of executing. Security and compliance demands from clients keep escalating, and you don’t have a formal program to point to. You’re working 60+ hours a week with no slack for strategic work.
Sound familiar?
Common Challenges We See
Founder overload
You’re acting as de facto COO, CIO, and CISO; no time for strategy
Reactive operations
Chronic firefighting; inconsistent service delivery; SLA near-misses
Poor visibility
Utilization, margins, and team performance are opaque
Security demands from clients
Enterprise and regulated customers expecting SOC 2, formal policies, and security questionnaires you can’t respond to quickly
Complex tool stack
RMM, PSA, EDR, backup, monitoring, cloud platforms—but no coherent operating model
Considering a transaction
PE interest or strategic sale, but operational and security gaps would be exposed in diligence
You’ve outgrown founder heroics but aren’t ready to hire a full-time COO or CIO
You’re winning larger, more sophisticated clients who expect operational maturity and security documentation
You’re launching a new platform, service line, or major initiative that needs dedicated executive leadership
You want to build value for a future transaction by installing repeatable operations
Your team has strong technical talent but needs operating structure and accountability
How We Help MSPs, MSSPs & Cloud/DevOps Providers
Guardantix meets you where you are: installing operating cadence, building security credibility for enterprise sales, launching new service lines, or preparing for a transaction. Here’s how we typically engage.
Embed as Your Fractional Executive
Guardantix joins your leadership team as a fractional COO, CIO, or CISO through an Operator-Series retainer. We’re not outside consultants producing reports—we own outcomes, run programs, and build the operating system of your business.
Typical workstreams include:
- Operating cadence, governance rhythm, and KPI framework
- Service catalog design and profitability analysis
- Team performance, hiring input, and delegation mechanics
- Security and compliance program build
- Platform and infrastructure initiatives (cloud builds, data center consolidation, new service lines)
Build Security and Compliance Credibility
For MSPs pursuing larger and regulated clients, we build the security program and sales enablement materials:
- SOC 2 readiness and attestation support
- Security & Compliance “Ready-for-Sales” Pack—security overview, questionnaire library, customer FAQ
- vCISO or Hybrid governance for ongoing risk management and incident readiness
For AI-Native Service Providers
MSPs building AI-powered services can engage our vCAIO program for AI governance, roadmap development, and positioning that gives clients confidence in responsible AI deployment.
Transaction Preparation
If you’re considering a sale or PE investment, we conduct Transaction Readiness Reviews to identify and address gaps before diligence—and build the operating model that drives premium valuations.
Example Engagement Patterns
Regional MSP Operations Build
A regional MSP with strong technical talent but inconsistent operations brought on Guardantix as fractional COO. We installed KPIs, rebuilt the service catalog with clear margin visibility, and established weekly operating cadence. Within six months, utilization improved measurably, the founder cut back to 45 hours/week, and the security workstream spun off to a vCISO retainer.
MSSP Ready-for-Enterprise
An MSSP pursuing healthcare clients needed SOC 2 attestation and HIPAA-aligned security documentation. Guardantix led SOC 2 readiness, developed a security overview for sales, and built a questionnaire response library. The MSSP closed two enterprise healthcare deals within 90 days of completing the program.
Cloud/DevOps Provider Platform Build
A cloud/DevOps provider was launching a new managed Kubernetes offering. Guardantix embedded as fractional CTO to lead architecture, reference patterns, and go-to-market security positioning—then transitioned to vCISO oversight once the platform was operational.
Getting started for For MSP, MSSP & Cloud/DevOps Founders
Most MSP engagements begin with an Ops & Security Health Check, then evolve into embedded operational leadership. Whether you need help building a service catalog, installing governance and KPIs, or preparing for a transaction, we tailor the engagement to where you are today.
