My name is Todd Thorson. I am the CEO and President of Tang Cyber Security and Technologies located southwest of Chicago in beautiful Illinois.
After about 5 years in business, I determined I was truly just exchanging time for money. I realized I was working constantly – not 100% of the time but operating at half throttle all the time. There were no vacations, no days off. If I was sick or couldn’t show up to work, I wasn’t getting paid or the business wasn’t making money, potentially losing clients.
I had an epiphany where I decided I really had to make a change. That was when I actively pursued a new direction for the business so I wasn’t just exchanging time for money anymore as a solo shop.
Joining the Program
I joined at the first event I attended for the program. I had never done any other coaching, mentoring or programs like this before. I usually forged my own way – that’s what I’ve always done. I’ve been in technology for 30 years and typically figured things out on my own.
I attended an event in Nashville where it was the other members that really sold me on joining. There wasn’t any pushy sales pitch or anyone pushing me to join. That was really what sold me – the lack of pressure. So I joined while in Nashville.
Overcoming Pricing Mindset Blocks
It has always been difficult for me to charge clients for something that comes easily to me. That’s how I’ve been my whole life – if it really comes easy, it was hard for me to justify charging for it.
What I realized is that the cyber security protection services I provide to help clients are worth the money they need to invest, not only in my company but their own.
It was 100% a mindset issue. Without a doubt, I’ve been talked off the ledge many times where I tried to negotiate with myself to lower the price before pitching a client. Through reinforcement from peers and coaches that I should stick to the plan, it works out.
I am skeptical, but the peer groups made the difference because the people I met at my first event, who I still work with regularly, is where the magic happens.
Realizing other MSPs, even local ones, are not competitors was key. Our competition is the criminals. We collaborate, share strategies and materials. A rising tide raises all ships.
The Results So Far
I joined in May last year, so about nine months ago. The first four or five months I focused on my business – getting contracts and processes in order. Previously, everything was just in my head as a good computer guy, which doesn’t keep clients safe anymore.
I needed to hire staff I could trust with day-to-day operations so I could work on the business, not just in it.
Once I focused on sales and marketing to existing clients, everything took off. I was at about $11,000 MRR when joining and am now at $22,000. It gave me freedom to part ways with a client not bought into cybersecurity – something I couldn’t have done before when that money was critical.
That freedom to choose clients is priceless. It’s part of my sales discussion – that I’m interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing me since we must be partners. Not just taking any client to pay bills was a massive mindset shift.
Mindset Shifts
99.99% of it was mindset. Having coaching and peers encouraging me accelerated progress far beyond what I’d have achieved alone, which was unexpected. Seeing a client go from $2,600 to $8,600 per month for the same services, just with a security stack added, proved the value discrepancy was in my head.
The old me would say I should move faster since I’m conservative in choices. The current me says trust the process, move faster, and make it happen – everything else will fall into place.
If you’re unsure like I was, you absolutely need to attend an event. There’s no pressure, you’ll learn about the process, meet peers who can become friends whether you join or not. But if you do join, they become teammates. Just do it and move faster.
