Human-to-human IT security for accounting firms.
Dignity over ticket numbers.
We measure success by how little you need to call us. Proactive service that treats people like people, not support tickets.
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Why We Started
This isn't a corporate "we saw a gap in the market" story. It's personal.
I was standing in my living room at 11 PM on a Tuesday, staring at a blinking router light. Another client call interrupted. Another missed deadline. Another "have you tried restarting it?" from an MSP who treated me like a ticket number.
I realized something: IT shouldn't be this hard. It shouldn't be a hindrance. It should just exist and work.
The problem wasn't technical incompetence. The problem was dignity.
Real Moments That Built IT Sidekick
The "Ticket #3872" Moment
I called my former MSP for the third time that week. Same issue. Different technician. Same script: "I see ticket #3872 is still open. Someone will look at it."
No one ever did. I felt invisible. Not like a partner, not like a customer—like a problem to be managed.
That's when it clicked: You can't build trust when people feel like numbers.
The "I'm Not an Idiot" Interaction
The technician's tone was patient, condescending. "Let me explain what a VPN is, in simple terms."
I'd been running my accounting firm for 15 years. I knew what a VPN was. I just needed it to work without disappearing every Friday afternoon.
The arrogance cost them my business. It taught me something about excellence: competence without humility is just ego.
The Proactive Revelation
A different firm (not an MSP, but a consultant) noticed something before it broke. "Your backup storage is 90% full. We should upgrade this before it becomes an emergency."
They caught it. They fixed it. They told me about it matter-of-factly. No drama. No invoice padding.
I thought: What if IT always worked like this?
The Accounting Firm Realization
Working with accounting firms, I noticed a pattern: They're high-trust businesses. Their clients hand them their finances, their secrets, their livelihoods. They build entire practices on trust.
But their IT providers? Treat them like numbers.
That's the mismatch. That's the opportunity.
The Remote Leader Experience
I talked to a managing partner running a 40-person firm across three states. His nightmare wasn't technology—it was communication. His MSP ghosted him when he needed them most. He couldn't get straight answers about security, compliance, or what was actually happening.
He said: "I don't need a tech genius. I need someone who answers the phone, tells me the truth, and gives a damn about my business."
That's when IT Sidekick became real.
What Makes IT Sidekick Remarkable
We're not "another MSP." We're not even trying to compete with them.
Dignity first, always.
No ticket numbers. You're a person, not a queue position.
Proactive by design.
We fix things before they break. You shouldn't know we're there—until you notice how smoothly everything runs.
Transparency that hurts.
We'll tell you when you're about to make a mistake. We won't upsell you just because we can.
Excellence without ego.
We're experts, but we don't need you to know it. We just need your technology to work.
Justice in pricing.
No hidden fees. No "we found this problem that'll cost $2,000 to fix."
Accounting firm focus.
We don't do everything for everyone. We specialize. Depth over breadth.
Who This Is For
This is for:
- ✓ Business owners who've been burned by MSPs
- ✓ Remote leaders tired of being ghosted
- ✓ Accounting firm partners who care about their clients' data security
- ✓ People who believe technology should just work
This is NOT for:
- ✗ IT directors who want to micromanage
- ✗ Companies chasing the lowest possible price
- ✗ People who prefer reactive, break-fix IT
- ✗ Anyone who doesn't care about dignity
We're Not Perfect
We make mistakes. We drop balls. We've over-promised and under-delivered.
The difference is: we own it. When we mess up, we don't hide behind ticket queues. We say: "We dropped the ball. Here's what happened. Here's how we're fixing it."
Vulnerability builds trust. Perfection builds barriers.
The Vision
IT Sidekick exists because technology should serve people with dignity, not the other way around.
Founder Guarantee
When you choose IT Sidekick, you're not just hiring an MSP—you're partnering with someone who's personally invested in your success.
Joakim Lindqvist, Founder, IT Sidekick
Tax Season Uptime
During tax season (January 1 - April 30), we guarantee your critical systems will be available 99.5% of the time.
If we fail: Service credit equal to 10% of monthly fees per 0.1% below 99.5%
Response Time SLA
Tier 1: 2 hours for P1 incidents. Tier 2: 30 minutes for P1 incidents.
If we fail: Service credit equal to 10% of monthly fees per missed SLA
Compliance Documentation
Complete, FTC Safeguards Rule-compliant documentation within 30 days of onboarding.
If we fail: Full refund of first month's fees + completion at no cost
Backup Recovery
We guarantee your backups will work. We test quarterly, and if a recovery test fails, we fix it within 7 days.
If we fail: We pay for data recovery (up to $5,000) or refund 3 months of fees
"No Jargon Zone" Promise
We translate tech-speak into plain English. If you can't explain it to your partner who's not tech-savvy, we rewrite it.
This is marketing: A quality standard we hold ourselves to, not a measurable deliverable.
Founder's Coffee
If you're not happy after 90 days, I'll personally fly to your office, buy you and your team coffee, and we'll work it out face-to-face.
This is marketing: Personal commitment to customer satisfaction, not contractually obligated.
These guarantees are written into your service contract and are legally binding. Full terms available on request.
What's Not Guaranteed
- • Client negligence or misuse (sharing passwords, disabling security)
- • Third-party outages (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, QuickBooks)
- • Force majeure events (natural disasters, war, government actions)
- • Willful misconduct (intentional damage, fraud)
For US Accounting Firms with 5-200 Employees
Two Paths. Complete Clarity.
Choose your commitment level. Save 15-20% with prepaid plans.
Core Security
$1,650 Monthly Floor • 2-Hour Response SLA
- shield Complete Cybersecurity Suite (EDR, Firewall, Patch Management)
- fact_check Compliance Management (GLBA, FTC Safeguards, IRS Security Six)
- laptop_mac Secure Remote Work (VPN, MFA, Device Encryption)
- support_agent Help Desk Support (2-hour P1 response, 24/7 monitoring)
- cloud_done 3-2-1 Backup Strategy (Local NAS + Cloud, Quarterly DR Tests)
- description Monthly Security Report with IT Fitness Score
- translate_off "No Jargon Zone" Guarantee
Growth Partner
$3,300 Monthly Floor • 30-Minute Response SLA
- Everything in Core Security, Plus:
- person_celebrate Dedicated Account Manager (Weekly Check-Ins)
- business_center Quarterly Strategic Business Review (Not Just Tech)
- policy Proactive Threat Intelligence (Threat Hunting + Intel Feeds)
- bolt Priority Support (30-minute P1 response)
- groups Remote Leaders Community Access (Slack, Roundtables, Summit)
- assessment Quarterly IT Fitness Score (Board-Ready Format)
- dashboard Executive Dashboard (Real-Time Metrics)
Choose Your Commitment Level
Month-to-month at full price OR 6-month at 15% discount OR 12-month at 20% discount.
Month-to-Month
Full price • Cancel anytime
6-Month Prepaid
15% discount • 60-day notice
12-Month Prepaid
20% discount • Maximum savings
What's Included
| Feature | Core Security | Growth Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price Per User | $130-150 | $195-225 |
| Minimum Monthly | $1,650 | $3,300 |
| P1 Response Time | 2 hours | 30 minutes |
| Cybersecurity Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compliance (GLBA, FTC, IRS) | ✓ | ✓ |
| 24/7 Monitoring | ✓ | ✓ |
| Help Desk Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backup & Disaster Recovery | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monthly Security Report | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated Account Manager | — | ✓ |
| Quarterly Business Review | — | ✓ |
| Proactive Threat Intelligence | — | ✓ |
| Remote Leaders Community | — | ✓ |
| IT Fitness Score & Executive Dashboard | — | ✓ |
Conversations & Clarifications
Who is IT Sidekick for?
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US Accounting Firms with 5-200 employees. We specialize in the unique compliance and operational needs of accounting firms, from solo practitioners to mid-sized practices.
How much does a security breach cost accounting firms?
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The average data breach costs $4.88 million in 2024 (IBM Cost of Data Breach Report). Firms using security AI and automation save an average of $2.2 million compared to those that don't. Our Level 02 service costs $21,000 per year—security as a fraction of what a breach costs.
Onboarding timelines?
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We transition your firm in 14-21 days. Our engineers work in the shadows during your off-hours, ensuring that on Monday morning, your team experiences nothing but speed and stability.
The Sidekick difference?
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We measure success by how little you need to call us. While other IT providers are reactive, we're proactive. We do quarterly strategic business reviews (not just tech reviews), provide board-ready IT fitness scores, and offer a "No Jargon Zone" guarantee.
What's the Remote Leaders Community?
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A free, invitation-only Slack community for accounting firm leaders (included with Level 02). Connect with peers, share insights, and learn from others managing remote teams and IT challenges. It's not about us—it's about you connecting with each other.
Softwares we master?
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The complete accounting ecosystem: CCH, Thomson Reuters, Drake, QuickBooks, and every specialized audit tool in your stack. We understand the pressure of April 15th and the unique needs of accounting workflows.
Incidents and Responses?
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Our 24/7 response team monitors for threats. When we detect something, we contain it immediately—sometimes before any files are affected. Level 01: 2-hour response. Level 02: 30-minute priority response.
Ready for partnership?
Schedule a 30-minute conversation. No sales scripts, no pressure—just honest dialogue about your firm's IT needs and how we can help.