MSP Well Aims to Break Stigma, Support Mental Health in Channel

Cavelo CEO James Mignacca, alongside several channel leaders and others, has founded the MSP Well organization to address mental health stigma within the channel. 

We spoke with Mignacca about the non-profit and how he hopes to support channel professionals.

MSP Well launches to address burnout and stress in MSP and MSSP community

Mignacca told Channel Insider the founding of MSP Well was inspired by his own experience with mental health and his understanding of how much more could be done to support channel-focused initiatives around mental health-related programming and resources.

The community is supported by MSPs, MSSPs, vendors, media organizations, and other channel partners through board participation, content contributions, and sponsorships.

Mignacca and others point out that IT and cybersecurity professionals often manage high-stakes responsibilities, including responding to cyber incidents, maintaining client uptime, and balancing operational demands with business growth. 

Despite these pressures, structured conversations around mental health and emotional resilience have remained limited within the channel, something Mignacca said he saw firsthand when he began working through his own mental health struggles over the past few years.

Even with that limitation, Mignacca said he realized quickly how pervasive mental health struggles were as he opened up more frequently about his own.

“When I started sharing my story, realized that everyone either had a story of their own to share with me or shared something about someone they care about,” Mignacca said.

Channel leaders highlight need for wellbeing initiatives in the industry

Cavelo is one of several sponsors and company members of the new community.

“MSP Well is a good cause — an important cause — and one I feel deeply passionate about,” said Joe Ussia, CEO at Infinite IT. “Bringing this vision and these resources to the community is made possible by our partners and through generous sponsors like Cavelo.”

The announcement underscores that burnout, team exhaustion, and emotional fatigue can affect service delivery, organizational culture, and long-term sustainability for MSP and MSSP businesses. 

By promoting open dialogue and practical support tools, MSP Well is positioned as a resource intended to strengthen both individual professionals and the broader channel ecosystem.

“Over my years working in and alongside the channel community, I’ve never seen momentum like this around a wellbeing initiative,” said Larry Meador, channel chief at Cavelo. “At Cavelo, we recognize that when we invest in the health of IT and security professionals, we invest in the future of the channel.”

How MSP Well aims to break stigma around mental health while providing professional resources

Mignacca said the group’s main goal is to remove the stigma associated with talking about, and even just dealing with, mental health-related challenges. 

To him, the group provides both a safe space for open dialogue between peers and an opportunity to connect people to helpful resources.

“We will absolutely bring professionals into the fold on this. I don’t want people to just take my story and what I’ve experienced and run with it, because everyone is different,” Mignacca said. 

“We’ll have a newsletter and a podcast that will be people sharing their stories and also professionals bringing resources and tools to help,” he continued.

The organization is inviting MSPs, MSSPs, vendors, and other channel stakeholders to join the community as it begins formal programming in 2026, which Mignacca said will include content, an open space for discussion, and programming at other channel events, encouraging well-being during busy times of social connection.

“I encourage everyone who is interested to absolutely come and join us,” Mignacca said. “We have a great community in the channel, and we want everyone who has any interest to get involved with what we’re building.”