How I Built an IT Business from Scratch - Ron Oppermann

In this episode, Josh Peterson sits down with Ron Opperman of E3 IT Services to unpack his unlikely path into the MSP world. From engineering and CAD drawings to co-founding a thriving managed services firm, Ron shares the pivotal decisions, risks, and lessons that shaped his entrepreneurial journey.

In Episode 2 of the Don’t Be That Guy series, Josh Peterson (CEO of Bering McKinley) interviews Ron Opperman, co-founder of E3 IT Services, about his unconventional path into the MSP industry and what it really takes to build a successful IT services company.

Ron’s story begins far from managed services — in industrial engineering, CAD design, and large-scale factory projects for Fortune 500 companies. But a chance request to fix a computer shifted his career, ultimately leading to the creation of Techad, and later a merger with RC Computers that became today’s E3 IT Services.

Throughout the conversation, Ron shares hard-earned lessons from two decades in business:

• The importance of taking risks, planning growth, and reinvesting profits.

• Why partnerships and trust are vital for scaling an MSP.

• How marketing, sales discipline, and peer groups fueled E3’s growth from home offices to a 3,000 sq. ft. facility.

• The power of hiring the right first employee — and how that decision shaped the firm’s culture for years.

• Why MSPs must adapt constantly, embrace new methodologies, and stay ahead of rapid industry change.

Ron’s journey is filled with entrepreneurial grit, pivots, and a strong belief that “hard work beats talent when talent isn’t working hard.” His story is a reminder to MSPs that calculated risks, sales investments, and operational discipline are the keys to scaling beyond a lifestyle business.

👉 For more insights and resources to help your MSP grow profit, revenue, and enterprise value, visit beringmckinley.com.