MSPs are dealing with more complexity than ever. Security vendors are flooding the market with overlapping tools while threats evolve.
For Michael Amadio, general manager of Excel Micro, the answer is not adding more noise. Instead, the channel-focused security partner is doubling down on specialization.
Amadio spoke with ChannelPro during the recent ChannelPro DEFEND: Chicago conference. He shared how Excel Micro helps MSPs cut through vendor overload, why the company stays tightly focused on email security, and what rising phishing risks mean for partners and their customers. Here are the highlights from that conversation, edited for brevity.
ChannelPro: How does Excel Micro help MSPs navigate an increasingly crowded security market?
Michael Amadio
Amadio: We want to stay in our lane and specialize in what we do, which is email protection. It’s our lifeblood. Our team and our process can actually help cut through that noise. And being a part of groups like ChannelPro, we’re exposed to so many other vendors. If MSPs come to me with a problem and I don’t have a solution, I know somebody who does that I can refer them to. That’s the kind of family it is.
ChannelPro: What is Excel Micro’s competitive advantage in the market?
Amadio: We are that old-school practice; we like to still shake hands and talk to people. We don’t add products just to add products. Our line card is five vendors, and it usually remains around five vendors. Sure, there are more tools to help manage your account more easily as far as who’s using what, how many licenses you have and just basically help with your account. But we don’t want to just focus on new and exciting for us. We want to talk to you and find out what’s new and exciting for you. That’s how we help.
Excel Micro discusses email security for MSPs at ChannelPro DEFEND: Chicago.
ChannelPro: What security trends concern you most right now?
Amadio: That’s a loaded question. Everyone’s going to say AI, of course. What I’m afraid of is what’s going to happen to the elderly. I talk to my parents a lot about what to and what not to do. And even my neighbor recently lost a few thousand dollars because of phishing. They have no idea what is and isn’t real anymore. Who’s taking care of them? Sure, we’re all out there, saying, ‘Buy this, buy that.’ We’ll secure a company. What about other people out there? There’s some weird stuff going on that I’m concerned with, but most people don’t even think about it.
ChannelPro: What makes events like ChannelPro DEFEND valuable for vendors and MSPs?
Amadio: As always, it’s probably one of the best events that we’re a part of throughout the year. I appreciate how intimate it is. The quality over quantity is something that we’ll always remember about it.
Cutting Through Security Noise
For MSPs navigating an increasingly crowded security market, Amadio emphasizes fewer, well-vetted solutions and partners who can help filter the noise. As threats like phishing evolve, that kind of specialization may be more valuable than ever.
Anjali Fluker is managing editor of The ChannelPro Network, where she covers news, trends, and best practices for the MSP community. She specializes in telling the stories that matter to IT providers serving the SMB market. When she’s not reporting on the latest in managed services, she’s connecting with channel pros at industry events across the country.
Images: AI generated by Copilot, Anjali Fluker/ChannelPro
