You're an MSP. You thrive on automation, recurring revenue, and keeping things predictable. So when a juicy, one-off project lands in your lap, one that doesn’t fit your core model, you panic slightly, smile professionally, and mutter, “Sure, we do that.”
Sound familiar?
Whether it's a massive cloud migration or a five-location network overhaul for a company you’ve never heard of, these side gigs can be lucrative… or a logistical migraine. In this post, we’ll break down how to handle large client projects even when project work isn’t your bread and butter, and how to not lose your shirt in the process.
Why Offer Non-Core Projects Anyway?
If you’re asking why you’d take on one-off projects in the first place, here’s your answer: money. That and the occasional urge to spice things up from your routine ticket queues.
Even when projects aren’t your core offering, they can:
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Add profitable revenue without long-term commitment
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Open doors to new industries or clients
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Test capabilities before a strategic pivot (or before regretting said pivot)
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Make use of idle staff, partners, or that one contractor who knows BGP like witchcraft
Done right, these projects fund themselves. Done wrong, they fund your stress therapist.
Key Challenges When Projects Aren’t Your Core Business
Let’s not sugarcoat it. Project-based work can feel like herding caffeinated cats with an existential crisis.
Here’s what makes it tricky:
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Every project is different: Unlike MSP contracts, there’s no repeatable motion or standard pricing
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Sales resets every month: No retainer, no commitment, just vibes and the hope they’ll call again
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Delivery chaos: A mishmash of your techs, freelancers, and that one partner who still uses Lotus Notes
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Scope creep: Like regular creep, but with routers
If you don’t build a repeatable system for these engagements, you’ll burn time, money, and good will.. fast.
How to Model Project Work for Scalability and Control
Project work doesn’t have to be the Wild West. Even if it’s not your main thing, you can apply structure that saves you time and protects your margins.
Start with pricing frameworks. Build templates for common tasks (e.g., migrations, wiring, setup). Get nerdy with past data: how long did similar projects take? What were your overruns? What made you cry?
Introduce checkpoints. Break big projects into smaller, measurable milestones. That way you get to say things like, “We’ll complete Phase 2 by Friday,” instead of, “We’re still figuring out the firewall.”
Use one platform to rule them all. Centralize your project management, even if you use a cocktail of full-time staff, freelancers, and resellers. Bonus: it looks super professional on client calls.
Structuring the Team and Resourcing
Repeat after me: “My best techs don’t have to do everything.”
Separate oversight from execution. Assign a project lead (not your Tier 3 savant who hates meetings) but someone who can manage timelines, scope, and clients without crying. Let specialists handle the tasks they’re good at.
Be honest about capacity. If your internal team is slammed with MSP work, lean into your partner network or freelancers. Just make sure everyone knows who owns what (ambiguity is a budget-killer).
Keep documentation sacred. Nothing derails a project faster than missing documentation or tribal knowledge locked in someone’s brain. Write it down. All of it. Especially the weird workaround that only works on Tuesdays.
Project Management Best Practices
You don’t need to be a certified PMP to run a smooth project (though it doesn’t hurt). You just need to stay organized and communicate like your profit depends on it, because it does.
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Define success early. What does “done” look like? Get it in writing. Preferably not on a napkin.
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Adapt with grace. Projects change. Requirements shift. Clients suddenly “remember” critical needs. Build in buffers and always expect the unexpected.
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Talk more than you think you need to. Weekly check-ins, progress updates, stakeholder emails (overcommunicate). Silence is where projects go to die.
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Celebrate wins. Internally and with clients. It’s good for morale and great for referrals. Bonus points for snack-based celebrations.
Profitability & Business Metrics
A one-off project can feel like a financial black hole if you don’t track properly. So track like your margins depend on it.
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Compare bid vs. actual: Did you make money or just work for free with extra steps?
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Account for overhead: Don’t forget the time your team spent quoting, planning, and emailing the same PDF five times.
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Monitor repeat ratio: Are these one-and-done clients actually coming back? If yes, you’ve got a future sales pipeline. If not, optimize harder.
Also: Think about valuation. If your side project business generates serious revenue and margin, it could have standalone value. That means options: investment, spin-off, or merger bait.
When to Invest More or Just Stay Casual
There’s nothing wrong with staying casual, until the project work starts showing up every week, asking where the toothbrush is.
If demand is growing and profit is solid, it may be time to formalize things: build a separate team, set growth targets, even give it a name cooler than “Side Projects LLC.”
But if the economy’s tightening, staff is stretched, and you’re burning out quoting projects that never close... reel it in. Focus on your core, sharpen your offer, and revisit later.
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