Episode 181

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Published on:

1st Jun 2025

[181] Cybersecurity, M&A And Mission: Nostra's New MSP Model

In this episode of TubbTalk, Richard Tubb speaks to Kevin O'Loughlin, the founder of Irish MSP Nostra. He started it in 2006 with the aim of making a positive impact and demonstrating Ireland's potential for global success.

From a starting pioneering cloud email adoption service in 2007, Nostra has grown to deliver €50,000,000 in annual revenue and is growing at 30% year on year through strategic acquisitions and organic growth. And it's on its journey to become a market leading, full-service IT managed service of either business.

Kevin tells Richard why he founded Nostra, their approach to cybersecurity and the tech stack they use, as well as why cannibalising the services they offer has led to growth.

Richard asks Kevin about the companies they partner with and why it’s important to nurture your vendor relationships. They also discuss why MSPs are so resistant to change in an industry where change happens constantly.

Having gone through several mergers and acquisitions, Kevin explains Nostra’s approach to them and red flags to be aware of. He also shares his tips on choosing the right tools for your MSP without feeling overwhelmed.

Finally, Richard asks Kevin how he became an Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and what that meant for him and Nostra. Kevin shares how he keeps going when things are hard, and reveals his biggest inspirations.

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About the Podcast

TubbTalk: The Podcast for Managed Service Providers
Putting Managed Service Providers back in control!
Richard Tubb has been a leader and keynote speaker in the MSP community for the last two decades. At the helm of media company and MSP advisory business Tubblog, Richard loves to showcase tech companies disrupting the industry, as well as shining a light on new tools you might not be aware of.

His long-running and successful interview-style show, TubbTalk, features fireside style chats with the CEOs and CTOs of these businesses, to dig deep into how they got started in the industry, what inspired them to start something new and what their advice would be to anyone who wants to do the same.

But it's not all tech focused! As a former MSP owner himself, Richard knows that there are many facets to being a business owner, which is why his guests reflect that too.

Previous topics include mental health, sales, marketing, business growth, productivity, customer service and more. Wondering why you should listen? Well, as one fan put it: "It's like eavesdropping on a conversation between two friends, who are sharing their knowledge and wisdom with each other. You learn while you're being entertained."

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Richard Tubb

Richard Tubb is one of the best-known experts within the global IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) community. He launched and sold his own MSP business before creating a leading MSP media and consultancy practice. Richard helps IT business owner’s take back control by freeing up their time and building a business that can run without them. He’s the author of the book “The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide” and writer of the award-winning blog www.tubblog.co.uk