MIL Loves AI, Upcoming BQWM, Karen Ben-Alta, Risk in CW, MSP & VMS Consolidation, AI Dad Joke, AI in the Workforce News + Bonus Meme

Your newsletter for a lighter and different spin on the CW world.

Mickey Pelletier

May 23, 2025

First, here’s some AI in the workforce news from this week:

And now on with this week’s content:

Sunday, May 18, 2025 - Mother-in-Law Loves AI

I had some fun showing off the trip planning I did with AI to my mother-in-law and she loved it. Read more here.

Monday, May 19, 2025 - Upcoming BQWM

Check out these upcoming guests!

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 - Keren Ben-Alta

Keren joined me this week and it was a blast getting to know her. Watch the full episode here!

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 - Risk in Contingent Workforce

Risk can mean a lot of things. Early in my career I struggled to understand what it meant when it was brought up in conversations. Read the full article here.

Newsletter Only Content

MSP & VMS Consolidation - Is It a Client’s Dilemma or a Provider’s Play?

There’s been some low-key noise lately about potential consolidation among VMS and MSP providers in the contingent workforce space. No press releases. No LinkedIn victory laps. But the whispers are getting louder and the implications are worth paying attention to.

From a client-side perspective, consolidation might look like simplification on paper. Fewer systems. One invoice. A single partner to “own it all.” And depending on who your partners are, there may be some real benefits like efficiencies, integrated insights, and cleaner data trails.

But if we think a little more critically, the other side of consolidation is often a loss of flexibility, slower innovation, and pricing leverage tipping in the wrong direction. Especially when the so-called “platform” is still two or more legacy systems Frankensteined together with branding duct tape and a six-month integration roadmap that quietly becomes 18 months.

On the provider side, consolidation is often a strategic land grab, naturally. Control the stack, own more data, create stickier clients, acquire capabilities that you don’t have or are better than yours. That’s the upside. But there’s risk here too in overextension, brand dilution, and friction with partners. Especially staffing firms and independent tech vendors who suddenly find themselves locked out of ecosystems they used to be part of.

This is already playing out quietly:

Private equity firms are making moves behind the scenes—restructuring portfolios, divesting non-core segments, or bundling service plus tech in ways that suggest future rollups.
Niche tech acquisitions are increasing, especially around DE&I analytics, SOW, and direct sourcing enablement.
Some VMS platforms are openly positioning as broader “workforce ecosystems,” putting pressure on MSPs and other third parties to fit—or get out of—the new model.

So what should you watch for?

When a provider promises “end-to-end,” ask where the seams are.
Don’t settle for a roadmap one-pager. Ask what’s actively in development and what’s just a placeholder.
If you're a staffing firm or partner, start paying attention to shifts in partner programs and integration access.
And remember: consolidation doesn’t equal cohesion. The benefits may come, but the early road is often bumpy.

The CW tech landscape may look very different a year from now. Whether that shift benefits the buyer, the provider—or anyone at all—is still up for grabs.