The value of a network community

Building meaningful relationships in business has never been more important. 

Running an MSP or IT company can be a lonely pursuit. Many owners feel unable to air issues or concerns with their own team as they’re expected to always have the answers – a pressure that can take its toll. Without a trusted peer group to turn to, business leaders can become stuck on challenges, without any clear path forward. 

That’s why structured business relationships matter. They allow owners to take time away from the business – to step back, share openly, and grow alongside those who are able to sympathise and advise on those same challenges.

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT providers that don’t have that outlet could suffer, missing out on not just knowledge sharing, but the support and perspectives that can make a massive difference in navigating modern IT challenges. On the other hand, those that put the time and effort into building mutually beneficial partnerships will be well placed to gain an edge, simply by exchanging ideas and knowledge. 

It is within this context that network community groups have become so important. These are trusted spaces through which business owners and department heads can share experiences and advice with likeminded businesses to help them collectively thrive. 

Whether you're running a five-person MSP or leading a larger IT operation, the challenges are often strikingly similar – just experienced at different scales. That shared understanding is a platform for empathy, practical advice, and genuine relationships that can help businesses thrive. It aids innovation, yes – but it can also be a pillar to lean on in tough times. 

Naturally, founders and business owners may find it tricky to justify dedicating the time and resources required to effectively engage and draw the most from peer groups. These may be seen as a luxury or a nice to have. Yet, for many businesses, they can be a pathway to unlocking several key competitive advantages in multiple ways.  

Strength in numbers

The core mission of industry support groups is mutual success, bringing together a varied expertise and experiences to be shared in the form of insights, knowledge and learnings that benefit the collective. It is for this reason that having a high volume of companies involved in a network group is beneficial.

From a commercial point of view, there’s real strength in numbers. At Network Group, our average member revenues are a little over £2 million, yet we’re able to ask SaaS vendors and hardware providers to treat the collective as a £200 million organisation, and secure favourable commercial terms for our members. 

Further, having a united community can truly influence the wider market, and even drive change at the policy level, or among industry bodies. Key decision makers are more likely to listen to unified, collective voices, underpinned by a trusted network representing tens of businesses.

However, it’s just as much about the quality of companies involved as it is the quantity. Bringing the right members together – those that are keen to actively engage with others, tell their stories, and share not only their wins but also their struggles – is key. That requires vulnerability at times, yet that vulnerability can lead to genuine conversations which can be of the greatest value.

When members feel safe to be honest about what’s working, what’s not, and what they’re unsure about, the quality of collaboration dramatically improves, with conversations centred around real support and practical solutions. 

Consider innovation. For technology providers, where agility and adaptability are critical to staying competitive, a trusted peer group can dramatically shorten innovation cycles. Take artificial intelligence as an example: instead of experimenting in isolation, members can share early experiences with AI-driven automation or service delivery tools, exchange feedback, and refine their approaches together. The result is faster, lower-risk adoption of emerging technologies than traditional external channels typically allow.

Raising the bar for everyone

Inter-company support, business development sessions, benchmarking opportunities against industry peers – there is so much peer groups can offer beyond the direct commercial merits. They provide a space in which members can see their own challenges in others, and gain reassurance they’re not alone. 

At a time in which the tech landscape continues to evolve at speed, having a steady, supportive network of industry peers and access to key learning resources can make a pivotal difference – a community that businesses can count on for practical support. From scaling operations to managing talent, companies are facing similar issues.

To be successful, community groups are the way to go. It can be natural for business leaders to feel protective – to want to be secretive about their best solutions and learnings to try and get ahead of the competition. But who is really going to be successful? A single isolated company, or tens of collaborative peers sharing their best innovations and insights collectively?

The modern way of doing business is not about ring-fencing and restricting knowledge, but swapping ideas, being free and open with information, and generous with your knowledge and time. 

MSPs need to embrace this cultural shift towards collaboration – to see the value in openly sharing strategies, mistakes, and insights. It’s not about outdoing each other. It’s about raising the bar for everyone and driving collective progress.