In this episode, John Rice of AI Savants sits down with Noah Landow, CEO and co-founder of Macktez, a New York–based IT consulting firm known for its human-first approach to technology. With origins in architecture and biochemistry rather than traditional IT, Noah and his team built Macktez around a simple philosophy: technology must solve the real problem the user is facing - not the one the tool is designed for.

Noah shares insights from nearly 30 years of consulting, from solving unusual environmental constraints at Little Island to modernizing legacy infrastructure for MakerBot during rapid growth and M&A. He breaks down why the MSP world often becomes a race to the bottom, how to balance standardization with tailored solutions, and why organizations going through dynamic change are where Macktez delivers the most transformative impact.

Listeners will take away practical lessons on identity management, device onboarding, Zero Touch deployment, navigating legacy Active Directory, and knowing when to bring in an outside partner before problems become costly crises. Noah also shares his perspective on AI’s real value in IT - not the hype - and why trust remains the core currency in technical consulting.

Episode Highlights

• [00:00] John introduces AI Savants and welcomes Noah Landow.

• [00:40] Why stepping back from daily work helps leaders see broader tech trends.

• [01:20] The unconventional origins of Macktez and a human-centered IT philosophy.

• [03:00] How “tech that technically works” fails real business needs.

• [04:30] MSP standardization vs. bespoke consulting — and finding the right balance.

• [06:00] Little Island case study: building IT into a park over water.

• [08:10] Working with Cisco on pre-release hardware to meet extreme conditions.

• [09:40] Early client acquisition through architecture referrals.

• [10:50] The MSP pricing challenge and why Macktez avoids the race to the bottom.

• [12:10] MakerBot transformation story: modernizing, hiring, and supporting M&A.

• [14:00] Why Macktez thrives in organizations undergoing dynamic change.

• [15:10] Outlook for the next 6–12 months and impacts of economic volatility.

• [16:20] Real-world use of AI in ticketing, triage, and internal knowledge access.

• [17:10] Zero Touch, JumpCloud, and modern device management wins.

• [18:20] The “magic wand” wish: being brought into messy projects earlier.

• [19:20] Costly security incidents and the consequences of delaying modernization.

• [20:10] Final thoughts: trust as the heart of IT consulting.

Tags / Keywords

Macktez, Noah Landow, IT consulting, MSP strategy, tech modernization, identity management, JumpCloud, Zero Touch, Little Island NYC, MakerBot IT overhaul, Active Directory migration, security incidents, IT for creative firms, technology change management, AI in IT operations

Call to Action (CTA)

👉 Connect with host John Rice and AI Savants:

Website: https://www.aisavants.io

Email: john@aisavants.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rice-31329526/

👉 Connect with Noah Landow:

Website: https://www.macktez.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahlandow/