On Growth


Remember: M&A Doesn't Have To Be All or Nothing

It sometimes makes more sense for a company to sell off just one segment of its business than all of it. The hard part, of course, is letting go.

'The Curse of Growth' and How To Avoid It

A viable plan for growing your IT services business should consist of much more than a bigger revenue target.

Building a 'Portfolio of Initiatives' Is Key to Partner Growth

Forget planning for just the foreseeable future; a partner's plan for adapting to the rapidly changing IT landscape should span years.

IP Development: Beware of These Potential Pitfalls

The next stage of growth in the partner ecosystem is IP development, but firms should be mindful of its hurdles before making the transition.

Apply for the Second-Annual RCP/Rocket Award!

If your company has a great growth story that covers the past three years, we want to hear about it.

CEOs: Have a Succession Plan Ready

A business leader's legacy is more than just the state of the company when they leave -- it's also how well the stage has been set for the company to succeed in the future.

Finding Your Company's Growth-Rate Sweet Spot

For IT companies, what's the ideal rate between growing too fast and not being able to keep up with demand, or growing too slowly and not having the resources to create demand?

Got a Growth Story? We Have an Award for That

The RCP/Rocket award honors IT services companies whose unique business strategies have led to growth. The May 1 deadline for submissions is fast approaching.

Seller Beware: Customers Want Vertical Partners, Not 'Generalists'

"Geographic generalist" partners that offer any services for anybody, anywhere, are a struggling breed.

To Get in Good with Microsoft, Find the Right Salesperson

As Microsoft moves ever closer to a subscription-based model, connecting with the right salesperson isn't just strategy -- it's key.

Why Microsoft's Services Partners Need To Specialize

In addition to competing against other Microsoft partners and other software vendors' partners, there's now the possibility of competition with the mothership.

Now Is the Time To Become an IT Services Company

In the new technology marketplace, it's the buyers -- not the sellers -- who have the power. And buyers are increasingly focused on intangibles.

Why the State of Vendor-Partner Relationships Is Good, But Not Great

In an informal survey, Mike tries to figure out what's causing the tension between software vendors and their partners -- and what they can do to alleviate it.

For Partners, the Cloud Keeps Getting Cloudier

The fight for market share is intensifying, and as a result the costs for a share point of growth are getting frightfully more expensive.

12 Secrets to M&A Success

Begin with the end in mind and know what you want and need before you buy, based on your overall long-term growth strategy.