When I decided to leave my role as the director of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM practice at a Big Four consultancy in London, some of my friends and colleagues in the industry were astonished by my decision. When I went further to tell them I was setting up a Microsoft ISV partner to build vertical business solutions on what is now known as the Microsoft Power platform (Dynamics 365, PowerApps, CDS, etc.), many of my friends, especially those who have been in the Microsoft channel for years, thought I was crazy for various reasons.

Some of the reasons I heard were:

“Vertical Business Solution ISVs don’t succeed in this channel.”

“Microsoft might say they want to help you, but it won’t happen.”

“Leaving your role as the head of a successful Big Four Practice and starting a business from scratch without funding is a big risk with high probability of failure.”

I took this feedback more as guidance about the risks and challenges I would face, then I used it in my business strategy and go-to-market approach. However, I didn’t let any negativity stop me from going on my adventure.