Blumira's Commitment to MSPs: Q&A with Chris Furner, New Head of Partner Enablement

At Blumira, we've always believed that Managed Service Providers are the backbone of effective cybersecurity deployment for businesses of all sizes. Today, we're excited to announce a significant expansion of our MSP program that reinforces our unwavering commitment to the channel. From product enhancements and dedicated personnel to new training programs and growth initiatives, we're investing heavily in our MSP partners' success.

As Blumira strengthens its commitment to the MSP channel, we sat down with Chris Furner, our new Head of Partner Enablement, to discuss why MSPs are central to our strategy and how our enhanced program will benefit our partners.

Q: Blumira has announced a significant increase in focus on MSPs. Why is the MSP channel so important to Blumira?

Chris: It's really about our roots. Blumira was literally built out of the backroom of an MSP/MSSP, so we have firsthand experience with the challenges MSPs face. And that includes me, as I spent over a decade working for MSPs on both the IT and security sides of the house. We've lived it—trying to provide excellent security services while maintaining profitability, balancing limited staff and resources while servicing multiple clients. That experience is in our DNA and drives our commitment to creating solutions specifically designed for MSPs. I also think that for a large number of SMBs, the MSP model is the best delivery method for effective cyber security services.

Q: What makes Blumira's approach to the MSP market different from competitors?

Chris: Unlike many competitors in the space who have been acquired and shifted focus, Blumira remains independent and fully aligned with the needs of MSPs. This independence allows us to be incredibly responsive to partner feedback and to build features specifically for MSPs without competing priorities. Our product roadmap is heavily influenced by partner input, and we've even realigned our engineering teams to create a dedicated group focused exclusively on MSP features. When I talk with our partners, they mention how nice it is to work with a vendor that understands their business model.

Q: Can you tell us about your new role as Head of Partner Enablement and what that means for MSPs?

Chris: Absolutely! My role was created specifically to help our MSP partners get the most value from Blumira's platform. I work directly with partners to understand their workflows, challenges, and goals, then help them optimize their Blumira implementation to address those needs. This includes everything from technical guidance to strategic guidance on packaging and pricing our solution for their clients.

Along with my colleague Kass Lawrence, our new MSP Relationship Specialist, we form a dedicated team focused entirely on long-term MSP success. Our goal is to ensure every partner has the resources, training, and support they need to provide exceptional security services while maintaining healthy margins.

Q: What specific product enhancements has Blumira made for MSPs?

Chris: We've made several significant improvements based directly on MSP input. Our recent ConnectWise PSA integration helps partners improve security response times and staff efficiency while reducing time spent on non-revenue producing activities. Our enhanced M365 response capabilities allow MSPs to address threats directly within the Blumira portal—a massive time-saver.

Next up is our new API integration, in which we’ve developed specific MSP capabilities. This will give our partners flexibility to access security information regardless of their workflow, which is crucial for scaling customer bases efficiently. And we're creating special MSP overview reporting capabilities that support scalable client management, and give them quicker visibility into the health of their accounts.  Plus, we have exclusive pricing and editions for our MSP partners, that combined with our predictable pricing model, gives them more flexibility on packaging and margin. In the near future we will be revising our MSP pricing and packaging to give MSPs even more options and value.

Q: How is Blumira helping MSPs demonstrate their security expertise to clients?

Chris: This is an area I'm particularly passionate about. We're launching several certification and recognition programs designed to help MSPs develop and showcase their security expertise. Coming soon are new self-guided programs, including our Level 1 Blumira User Certification and a course on how to effectively sell Blumira. We’re also working on a Level 2 Certification focused on advanced security practices, set to launch in the second half of the year.

We're also introducing semi-annual security badge awards to recognize MSPs that use Blumira at the highest level. These digital badges will be awarded in categories like response times, response rates, maximized platform usage, growing partners, and team member certification. To help MSPs promote their accomplishments, we’ll provide social, blog and email templates to winners along with the badge graphics.

Q: Beyond product and training, how is Blumira supporting MSP business growth?

Chris: We recognize that MSPs need more than just great technology—they need business support too. In the second half of 2025, along with the self-guided programs, we’ll start offering sales coaching and peer group sessions to share best practices on educating, selling and growing security customers.

Additionally, our new co-marketing program is now available to all qualifying MSPs. It gives partners  access to funds and support from the Blumira Marketing Team for events or digital advertising that features their security offerings. 

To help our MSPs expand their client base, we’re also building a marketplace that will connect prospects directly with our top-tier partners based on geographic service areas.

And since many of our partners come to us through referrals, we've created an MSP referral program where partners can earn rewards for recommending other MSPs to join our program.

Q: What should MSPs do if they want to take advantage of these new offerings?

Chris: For existing partners, I encourage you to reach out to me or Kass directly to discuss how we can optimize your Blumira experience and take advantage of our new programs. 

For MSPs not yet working with Blumira, now is a perfect time to join our program. We're offering new partners who add their first paying client in May 2025 one month free. We have a free MSP NFR program, the onboarding process is straightforward, and our team is ready to help you every step of the way.

Remember, Blumira was built by MSPs for MSPs. We understand your challenges because we've faced them ourselves, and we're committed to helping you deliver outstanding security services while growing your business.

Chris Furner is the Head of Partner Enablement at Blumira. With extensive experience in the MSP  and security spaces, Chris works directly with partners to optimize their security offerings and maximize value from the Blumira platform.