The Power of Reinvention: What the Infocomm and DiscoverIT Story Reminded Me About Leadership
At Catalyst Sydney 2026, Louie Kouvelas and Aaron Smith shared the story of Infocomm and DiscoverIT. Their journey offered valuable lessons on reinvention, leadership, and building businesses that can adapt and thrive through change.
Nick Clift
6/3/20262 min read
A conference stage can sometimes reveal more than a boardroom ever will.
At Catalyst Sydney 2026, Louie Kouvelas and Aaron Smith took to the stage to share the story of Infocomm and DiscoverIT. On the surface, it was a business story. Beneath that, it was a story about something many leaders quietly wrestle with: change.
After more than three decades in the MSP community, one thing has become increasingly clear to me. The businesses that endure aren't necessarily the smartest, the biggest, or the fastest growing.
They're the ones willing to reinvent themselves before circumstances force them to.
That sounds simple enough.
In practice, it's often uncomfortable.
Most of us spend years building systems, teams, brands, and reputations. We become attached to the way things have always been done. The processes that worked. The services customers loved. The identity we've carefully constructed over time.
Then the market changes.
Customer expectations shift.
Technology evolves.
The rules of the game move.
The challenge isn't recognising that change is happening. Usually, everyone can see it.
The challenge is deciding whether we're willing to move with it.
Listening to Louie and Aaron's story, what stood out wasn't a particular technology decision or growth strategy. It was the mindset behind it. A willingness to ask difficult questions and challenge assumptions rather than defend them.
That takes courage.
It's much easier to protect the status quo than it is to create something new.
A bit like finally cleaning out that cupboard at home you've been avoiding for years. You know the one. The cupboard containing cables for devices that haven't existed since the early 2000s.
Business leaders often have their own version of that cupboard.
Old products.
Old processes.
Old beliefs.
Things that once served a purpose but no longer move the business forward.
The most effective leaders I've met aren't constantly chasing every new trend. They're simply willing to let go of what is no longer essential.
That's a subtle but important distinction.
Reinvention isn't about becoming someone else.
It's about becoming more aligned with where the world is heading and where your customers need you to be.
The MSP industry has experienced wave after wave of transformation over the years. From break-fix to managed services. From on-premise to cloud. From infrastructure to security. And now AI is creating another shift that many of us are still trying to understand.
The businesses that thrive through these transitions tend to share a common trait.
They stay curious.
Not certain.
Curious.
They keep asking questions.
They keep listening.
They remain open to the possibility that tomorrow might require a different answer than yesterday.
That's what I took away from Louie and Aaron's presentation.
Not a lesson about technology.
A lesson about adaptability.
Because at the end of the day, every business journey is really a human journey. It's people making decisions in uncertain circumstances and choosing whether to hold on or move forward.
The future rarely belongs to those who have all the answers.
More often, it belongs to those willing to keep learning.
Perhaps that's the question worth reflecting on this week:
What is one thing in your business you're holding onto simply because it's familiar?
And what might become possible if you had the courage to let it go?