Small IT Team, Big Responsibilities: Finding the Right IT Partner

Episode Description

Supporting office employees and field crews across multiple states is a big job for a small IT team. Mike Adams, who leads IT at Chesapeake Containment Systems, knows that firsthand.

In this episode of Decrypting IT, Mike joins Ashley Wallace to share what it takes to manage a distributed workforce, how he recognized it was time to change IT providers, and what he looked for in a new partner. He explains why Chesapeake chose Katalyst and how clearer communication, stronger accountability, and better visibility into security and backups have changed his day-to-day experience.

From the realities of switching providers to uncovering previously unknown vulnerabilities, this conversation offers practical advice for IT leaders looking for a partner that can support their team and grow with their business.

Takeaways

• Small teams need support that fits their environment. Remote field crews, seasonal employees, and language barriers all shape how Chesapeake delivers IT support.
• Evaluate the people behind the technology. Responsiveness, technical depth, and an understanding of your business matter as much as the tools a provider offers.
• A dedicated point of contact makes a difference. Having someone who understands your priorities and follows through helps keep issues moving.
• Accountability matters during a transition. Mike shares how taking ownership and quickly resolving onboarding issues helped build trust with Katalyst.
• Security visibility leads to action. Mike reports addressing roughly 35 to 40 vulnerabilities in the first two months of monthly penetration testing.
• Backup reporting provides needed clarity. Seeing what is backed up and when snapshots ran gives IT leaders more confidence in their coverage.
• A stable environment creates room to improve. With core services running reliably, the next focus is improving device patching, efficiency, and security for field employees.