Syncro CEO On Kaseya-Datto Deal: It’s An Opportunity For Us

'As we continue to see consolidation in the space, it doesn't show any signs of slowing but it does lead to less choice and the risk of less investment in innovation,’ says Syncro CEO Emily Glass, who was previously an executive at Datto. 'I think that innovation is important as the market continues to evolve and tech is changing and the needs of small businesses are changing. Syncro is perfectly poised to capture that.’

Syncro CEO Emily Glass believes Kaseya’s mega deal to acquire Datto will benefit Syncro in creating new partnerships with small and emerging MSPs.

Glass spent five years at Datto holding multiple positions including chief product officer, customer experience officer and vice president of customer experience before becoming CEO of Syncro, the Seattle-based software firm specializing in next-generation MSP platforms.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” she told CRN about the Kaseya/Datto deal. “We’ve been investing a lot in helping our customers grow and growing with them. We feel like we’re a really solid solution for those emerging MSPs so we’re excited. We're open. We’re welcome. Our arms are wide open. We’re ready to welcome folks that want to see what it’s like to work with a vendor that really prioritizes them and listens.”

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Software giant Kaseya will acquire fellow vendor Datto for $6.2 billion through an all-cash deal, a move so significant it rocked the channel sparking almost everyone to react with thoughts on how it will affect MSPs and business going forward.

As a Datto veteran, Glass weighed in on the deal and what this means for partners, Syncro and the channel going forward.

Check out CRN’s interview with Glass to get her take on the blockbuster deal.

What are your thoughts on the acquisition?

Congratulations to Datto. It's great to see them having some more success and I’m really happy for my former colleagues there. It’s great news for the MSP space as well which is great news for Syncro and all of our partners. This is yet another data point that proves out the value of this really exciting space that continues to grow and is driven by the essential service that MSPs are providing to their customers. As we continue to see consolidation in the space, it doesn’t show any signs of slowing but it does lead to less choice and the risk of less investment in innovation. I think that innovation is important as the market continues to evolve and tech is changing and the needs of small businesses are changing. Syncro is perfectly poised to capture that. We’re attuned to our MSPs, we’re nimble and we're focused on constantly delivering value to our growing base.

How do you think the acquisition will impact Datto partners?

That's going be very interesting to see play out. I’ve seen a lot of speculation online and I'm sure partners that have been or are Kaseya partners and/or Datto partners have thoughts on their experiences. It’s going to be an interesting time. Those are two very large companies that are coming together. I worked on the integration of Datto and AutoTask so I know a little bit about what that process looks like and it can be a little messy and take a long time to sort out. It'll be interesting to see what leadership emerges and what policies emerge. I think it’s going to take them some time to figure that out.

What are you hearing from Datto partners?

Datto has done a great job. They have a quality product and MSPs have come to trust them. Kaseya has had a bit more of a bumpy history in that respect so partners are sort of reflecting on how much [Kaseya is] going to have their and their customers best interests at heart.

How does Syncro’s security measure up to Kaseya?

It’s an area that we’re definitely very focused on. Although we don’t compare Syncro to Kaseya line-by-line, I’m sure they have made some investments and have gone through some hardships there and have learned some of those lessons. But we aim to make sure that that does not become us and take the appropriate measures there.

Does this give Syncro an opportunity to attract some of Datto’s partners?

Absolutely, I think both Datto and Kaseya partners. We've been working hard since I joined, even before I joined, to grow our customer base. And we grow with our customers. I feel like we’ve already seen a bunch of MSPs who have maybe been around the block with some of the larger MSP vendors come to Syncro because we care about them. We're growing with them and we listen and react to their needs, so it definitely represents an opportunity for us.

Do you think ConnectWise partners will consider jumping to Kaseya now?

I think they’ll probably wait and see what’s going to happen because I don’t know that there’s any impetus for them to do that. I think the general trend though is about the large MSP vendors kind of losing touch with the MSPs. The smaller or emerging MSPs kind of get lost in the shuffle a little bit and their needs aren't always the same. Those are the folks who we see coming to Syncro.