‘Learning isn’t a luxury, it’s essential to operations,’ says Keith Craig, head of learning development at Empath. ‘We’re focused on delivering learning experiences that are not just relevant but directly applicable to the real-world challenges MSPs face.’

Empath, a training and education platform for MSPs, is gearing up for a busy 2025 with plans to expand its course offerings, AI integrations and a community-driven ecosystem that supports continuous learning and growth.

At the core of Empath’s strategy is a commitment to helping MSPs address the challenges of scaling while maintaining consistency. To do that, the education vendor brought on two new staple hires and teased a funding round in the new year.

“We’re at a stage in the MSP journey where providers are craving the ability to standardize their operations and scale effectively,” Wes Spencer, Empath co-founder, told CRN in an exclusive interview. “They feel the burden of inconsistent practices, which leads to knowledge gaps, especially as new people come on board who might not yet have the skill set to grow the business in a streamlined way.”

The education vendor recently brought on Keith Craig as head of learning development and Dean Trempelas as head of MSP operations. In his tenure, Craig was the director of learning and enablement for RingCentral and spent the last 13 years as director of instructional design at Panera Bread. Trempelas has experience in a number of roles including director of client success at OIT and VP of operations at Helpt, according to his LinkedIn.

[Related: MSP Exec On Why Community And Education Are Key For Growth]

“Learning isn’t a luxury, it’s essential to operations,” Keith told CRN. “We’re focused on delivering learning experiences that are not just relevant but directly applicable to the real-world challenges MSPs face.”

He said that Empath aims to offer content that’s specific to the MSP, filling a gap in the marketplace where some technical training is either too broad or lacks industry specificity.

“Our content is designed for the MSP world, everything from security practices to Microsoft technology, tailored to the specific needs of the business and its clients,” he said.

AI will also play a role in the learning process, but with a crucial distinction.

“AI can help identify patterns and general knowledge, but the real value comes from experts with hands-on experience,” Craig said. “Think of AI as the intern that can help get you started, but for the real expertise, we rely on seasoned professionals who truly understand the challenges faced by MSPs.”

Trempelas is focusing on developing educational roadmaps that align with the needs of MSPs and their teams.

“We’re talking about short-term, real-world skills, not just certifications for the sake of a five-year plan,” he said. “MSPs need their teams to quickly execute and deliver results. That means offering practical learning that resonates with the employees who aren’t entrepreneurs themselves but still want to contribute meaningfully.”

MSPs are primarily focused on two areas to drive efficiency, automation and education, and they must work in tandem to allow the business to scale effectively, according to Spencer.

“Our platform helps them put their hands on the wheel of that growth journey,” he said.

The company’s vision includes helping MSPs not only reduce costs but also improve employee accountability and performance.

“It’s about enabling MSPs to mentor and hold their employees accountable,” said Kyle Christensen, Empath co-founder. “We need to level up how MSPs manage their people and ensure they’re meeting expectations, not just after mistakes are made but proactively.”

Empath’s approach reflects a broader shift in the industry, moving away from just selling products to providing the training and support needed to foster long-term growth. As MSPs face the pressures of commoditization, the path forward may lie in better training, smarter management and more cohesive partnerships across the ecosystem.

“We want to fill the gap that others haven’t addressed, offering a clear pathway for MSP employees to grow in their careers,” said Alex Farling, the third Empath co-founder. “Every MSP owner can name their tier one-and-a-half engineer, the one who’s been stuck at the same level for five years. The issue isn’t just onboarding new staff, it’s about helping the current team grow, improving their skills and showing them a pathway to advancement.”

Empath, which officially launched last year, has just north of 200 MSP partners. In 2025 they plan to triple that number.

“We’re focusing on scaling by centralizing MSP learning and development,” said Christensen. “Rather than having MSPs juggle training from multiple sources, we want to be the central nervous system for education, bringing vendors, experts and communities together to fill the gaps.”

Jordan Silva, founder of MSP culture, is one of the “navigators” who heads up training courses for Empath. He said Empath is tackling a “major training hurdle for MSPs, which is that we need people to be able to function as MSP engineers, not just IT people.”

“It’s a different culture, a different level of accountability and a different mindset in a lot of ways, and training those things has been historically very difficult,” he told CRN. “The navigator model of recording content from the perspective of almost being a mentor is also a heck of a lot more approachable than the classic lecture format, and I think helps a ton.”

A major focus for Empath in 2025 is the development of a private community feature within the platform. This community will serve as a hub where creators, vendors and MSPs can contribute to and share knowledge.

“We want to create a space where anyone can come in and teach,” said Farling. “We don’t want this to be just about what Kyle, Wes and I think is best, we want it to be a community-driven ecosystem that fosters growth and knowledge sharing.”

The Empath team is also looking to expand its course library significantly. The platform releases a new course nearly every week, with plans to continue at this rapid pace.

“Our vision has always been to build a scalable platform for growth,” said Spencer. “But what’s really exciting is seeing the community of creators, educators and MSPs come together to make that vision a reality. The future of MSP growth is collaborative and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of it.”