It’s 501 Somewhere: Evolution of MSP 501 and Managed Services Market

It’s 501 Somewhere: Kris Blackmon on the Evolution of the MSP 501

Written by Allison Francis
May 18, 2021

Blackmon talks about how the 501 award program has grown over the years, and where it's headed given industry shifts.

The managed services market looks far different than when the MSP 501 debuted 15 (15!) years ago. Since its humble beginnings, the 501 has evolved from a ranking of a handful of partners to an insightful, data-rich report. This report does so much more than name the top MSPs in the world — it shows you how they got there.

I sat down for drinks this week with Kris Blackmon, former senior content director at Channel Futures, now chief channel officer at JS Group. We chatted about the evolution of the 501, how it has progressed since its inception, how it grew and changed when she was running the program, and where it’s headed.

A reminder, the application deadline for the 2021 MSP 501 awards is May 24th. Make sure you get your submissions in! Here is the link to apply.