Small Business Specialists Community Hits 20,000
    In an aside  to a press release about a sponsored 
small business study  last week, Microsoft  stated that the Small Business Specialist Community is almost up to 20,000  members worldwide. It's a substantial number, representing substantial growth.
I checked  the number with a Microsoft spokesperson, who confirmed that it was correct and  current (about three weeks old).
Small  Business Specialists are a subset of Microsoft partners. The designation is  distinct from the Registered Member, Certified Partner and Gold Certified  Partner levels of the program and denotes, obviously, companies with expertise  in meeting the needs of small businesses.
Microsoft  officials frequently point to SBSC as an example of something that's being done  right, and say that other areas might be appropriate for SBSC treatment -- such  as, say, an Enterprise Specialist or a Public Sector Specialist. That kind of  specialization has been mentioned as a possible part of the Microsoft Partner  Program overhaul that the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group is working on.
The SBSC  program's growth, while impressive, hasn't been as fast as Microsoft had hoped.  Launching SBSC in July 2005, Microsoft   had hoped to hit 20,000 members  worldwide by 2007. By July 2007, however, the program had 12,800 members.  Judging by the new numbers, growth is slower but steady and strong -- giving  Microsoft one of the most formidable stables of SMB-focused partners in the  industry.
 
	
Posted by Scott Bekker on March 31, 2009