Fifteen years ago, when we launched Cogent Growth Partners, we had a simple mission: help IT service providers navigate the M&A world without getting lost in the noise. What we didn’t expect? That we’d spend the next decade and a half not just facilitating deals, but redefining how M&A should feel—less like a spreadsheet exercise and more like a strategic, human-centered partnership.
Since 2010, we’ve worked with IT business owners across the country, closing hundreds of deals and advising countless others along the way. We’ve seen the MSP market explode, contract, consolidate, and evolve at a breakneck pace. We’ve watched buyers get more sophisticated, sellers become more selective, and valuations swing from modest to sky-high (and sometimes back again). Through it all, one thing has never changed: good deals are about good people—and that’s why we do things differently.
The M&A Market Has Changed. So Have We.
When we first started, IT M&A was still the Wild West—buyers were trying to figure out how to scale services, sellers were just beginning to realize they had something valuable, and let’s be honest, due diligence sometimes felt like an afterthought. Today, buyers are sharper, sellers are savvier, and the stakes are higher than ever. That’s why we’ve spent the last 15 years honing our process, building a team that gets it, and creating a methodology that balances financial strategy with something most firms ignore: the human side of M&A.
At Cogent, we don’t just put deals together—we guide our clients through what we call “Transaction Therapy”, a concept we coined because M&A isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about people, emotions, and making sure both sides walk away with confidence. We’ve seen the excitement, the second-guessing, and the occasional existential crisis that comes with selling (or buying) an MSP. Our job isn’t just to get deals done—it’s to get them done right.
The Next 15 Years: What’s Ahead?
The IT services market isn’t slowing down, and neither are we. Buyers are getting more selective, valuations are shifting, and MSP owners who want to maximize their exit need to be more prepared than ever. Over the next 15 years, we’ll continue evolving, growing, and helping IT service providers navigate this ever-changing landscape. More deals. More insights. More straight talk about what actually matters in M&A.
To everyone who’s been part of our journey—our clients, partners, and the incredible team that makes Cogent what it is—thank you. Here’s to the next 15 years of growth, deals, and making sure no MSP owner has to figure this out alone.
