Kathy Blair MSP StratOp Strategic Planning Review | Fox & Crow Group
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Kathy Blair Fox & Crow Group StratOp Review: Expert Strategic Planning Facilitation for MSPs
Thank you to Kathy Blair for this review of her StratOp facilitation experience with Ian Richardson, Co-Founder of Fox & Crow Group.
First Published: October 1, 2025
Last Updated: May 1, 2026
Strategic planning for MSPs is genuinely difficult. The business faces pressure from multiple directions simultaneously — client retention, team development, technology evolution, competitive positioning, and owner wellbeing. Holding all of that complexity while also making clear decisions about where to focus is not something most MSP leadership teams can do effectively without structured outside facilitation.
This Kathy Blair Fox & Crow Group StratOp review describes what that facilitation looks like when done well.
"I had the pleasure of working with Ian, who facilitated our StratOp meetings with exceptional skill and insight. Ian quickly gained the respect of our team and was able to provide top-notch guidance and advice tailored to our specific needs. Ian's MSP experience, combined with his wealth of knowledge and expertise in strategy, process, and execution is truly unparalleled, making him an invaluable asset to any team. I highly recommend Ian to any company looking for a skilled and insightful partner who will understand their unique challenges and have the tools to set them up for consistent success."
What StratOp Facilitation Provides for MSP Leadership Teams
StratOp — Strategic Operations Planning — is a structured facilitation process that brings leadership teams through a comprehensive examination of their business and produces an actionable strategic plan. It is not a one-size-fits-all template. It is a facilitated process that surfaces the specific realities, constraints, and opportunities facing that particular organization.
For MSP leadership teams, StratOp facilitation produces:
- Clarity on where the business actually is, versus where leadership assumes it is
- Agreement on priorities across a leadership team that may have different assumptions about what matters most
- A plan that connects long-term vision to near-term actions
- Accountability structures that keep the team moving after the facilitation is complete
The quality of those outcomes depends almost entirely on the quality of the facilitation.
Gaining Team Respect Quickly
Blair notes that Ian "quickly gained the respect of our team" — and that speed matters in group facilitation.
Leadership teams in MSPs tend to be skeptical of outside advisors. They have built their businesses through hands-on expertise and are generally quick to identify when someone does not understand the environment they are working in.
When a facilitator walks into that room without demonstrated MSP operational credibility, the team holds back. They engage with the process superficially rather than bringing the honesty and vulnerability that makes strategic planning useful.
Ian Richardson's background — having built and operated an MSP — changes that dynamic immediately. He speaks the language. He understands the pressures. He can reference real operational context when something comes up in the room. That credibility creates the trust that makes the facilitation productive from the first session.
Tailored Guidance for Unique Challenges
Blair specifically calls out that the guidance was "tailored to our specific needs" — which distinguishes genuine strategic planning from generic workshop delivery.
Every MSP faces a unique combination of challenges based on its market, team structure, service mix, ownership goals, and competitive position. A facilitation process that applies a standard agenda regardless of those specifics will produce a plan that fits no one perfectly.
Ian Richardson's approach to StratOp begins with understanding what is actually going on in the specific business — the real constraints, the actual team dynamics, the genuine strategic questions — before moving into planning. That diagnostic orientation is what allows the guidance to be tailored rather than generic.
The Combination of MSP Experience, Strategy, and Execution
Blair identifies three capabilities as "truly unparalleled": Ian's MSP experience, combined with expertise in strategy, process, and execution.
That combination is rare. Most strategic advisors are strong in one dimension:
- Deep operational experience without strategic framework
- Strategic frameworks without operational credibility
- Good at planning without supporting execution
Ian Richardson brings all three — the firsthand experience of having operated an MSP, the strategic framework of StratOp and other planning methodologies, and the process orientation that connects strategy to what actually happens in the business week to week.
For MSP leadership teams trying to build and execute a real plan — not just create a document — that combination makes a meaningful difference in what they come out with.
Explore MSP strategic planning and StratOp facilitation with Fox & Crow Group.
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FAQ: MSP StratOp and Strategic Planning with Fox & Crow Group
What is StratOp and how does it help MSPs?
StratOp (Strategic Operations Planning) is a structured facilitation process that helps leadership teams build a comprehensive, actionable strategic plan. For MSPs, it produces clarity on priorities, team alignment, and a connected plan from long-term vision to near-term execution.
Why does an MSP strategic planning facilitator need MSP operational experience?
MSP leadership teams are skeptical of advisors who do not understand their environment. An experienced MSP operator gains credibility quickly, which allows the facilitation to be honest and productive from the first session.
How is StratOp facilitation different from a standard planning retreat?
StratOp is a structured process, not a free-form brainstorming session. It guides the leadership team through a systematic examination of the business and produces a prioritized, actionable plan — not just a list of ideas.
How long does a StratOp engagement with Fox & Crow Group typically take?
StratOp engagements vary based on the team's size and complexity. Most initial StratOp facilitations run over one to two days, with follow-up sessions to review progress and adjust the plan. Contact Fox & Crow Group to discuss what is right for your organization.
Other MSP owners who have been through StratOp facilitation with Ian Richardson share similar observations. Reuben Levinsohn's review covers the partner alignment dimension that StratOp consistently surfaces, and the Aberdean Consulting team's account reflects on how the process translates strategic clarity into operational direction.
Read more about the Brightworks MSP sales success story and how MSPs are building predictable sales growth with Fox & Crow Group.