Charting Growth and Leadership: The Evolution of Our Systems Integration Practice and the Launch of Our Enhanced NetSuite Delivery Capacity

This article is relevant if you are curious about the growth and culture of a NetSuite professional services firm.

Background

In 2003, I founded Prolecto Resources, and by late 2008, I recognized the opportunity to dedicate our attention to the NetSuite ERP platform. This strategic decision was based on a rich tapestry of experience, summarized in three significant areas:

1. Big 4 Accounting and Financial Systems Experience: Earning my Certified Public Accounting title at Deloitte & Touche, I went beyond traditional audits to work within a specialized practice. Here, we helped middle-market companies choose and deploy financial systems before the term ERP was coined. Through operational reviews and an in-depth look at various internal business practices, I developed a unique understanding of the industry’s landscape.
2. Dot.Com Era eCommerce Entrepreneurship: I founded a firm specialized in crafting custom eCommerce applications. These served as the backbone for Wells Fargo and Bank of America’s store and payment gateway services. This venture culminated in the successful sale of the company in the summer of 2000, just as the Dot.Com boom was winding down. My experience taught me how to lead teams and deliver valuable accomplishments consistently.
3. Cloud Computing Insight: I identified the growing acceptance of cloud computing as a crucial trend. Recognizing that companies could now bypass traditional hardware concerns, I saw how the reliable internet had paved the way for the rapid adoption of business applications. This shift allowed firms to considerably reduce both implementation and maintenance costs, reinforcing our decision to focus on the NetSuite platform.

These three pillars of experience shaped my decision to concentrate on the NetSuite ERP platform, providing a foundation of expertise that continues to guide Prolecto Resources’ success.

Becoming a NetSuite Systems Integration Practice

In 2008, armed with my previous experience, I deeply reflected on the essential competitive capacities that I believed should underline a business systems architecture. These were:

1. Single Database Approach: Consolidating all business data into one connected structure brings immense advantages. It’s not just about usability and actionability; it’s also about the significant cost reduction when compared to the traditional practice of weaving together various disparate systems. I boldly wrote an article in 2010 underlying this perspective: “Best-of-Breed Business Systems: Traps & Lies”.
2. Adaptable Platform: A highly flexible platform that accommodates adaptation offers businesses a chance to mold their exclusive competitive practices without a hefty price tag. In essence, it allows businesses to modify the software to fit the practice when it’s logical, rather than the other way around. This is not for everyone — but those that want it need real competent actors.
3. Reliable Service: A computing platform that delivers the above two points without exorbitant costs for maintenance and upgrades becomes a highly valuable and competitive asset. That was and continues to be NetSuite’s vision.

Given this foundational philosophy and considering NetSuite’s positioning in the 2008 marketplace, it seemed a logical and strategic choice to align with their go-to-market strategy. This decision, guided by a clear understanding of what makes a business system truly effective, has continued to inform our success in the NetSuite arena.

Producing NetSuite-Driven Accomplishments

In 2008, with a commitment to NetSuite, the journey to achieve meaningful accomplishments began. It wasn’t a simple start; with a small staff and an existing business, we had to first make the shift from Quickbooks to NetSuite as a way to learn. We knew that we had to truly understand the platform to keep our administrative costs low and provide valuable insights for our clients considering NetSuite. Today, we continue to fine-tune our application, leveraging NetSuite as a testament to the skills we’ve cultivated. Stay tuned for more articles about some innovations we have developed.

Signing up for NetSuite partnering programs was the next logical step. During those foundational days, working with clients on their NetSuite implementations demanded time, patience, and a keen willingness to learn. Both myself and our staff were on a steep learning curve. In 2009, I dedicated myself to creating this blog as a platform to reflect upon and share our insights, experiences, and genuine capabilities.

What fueled our progress was an affinity for listening to our clients’ goals and translating their ambitions into configurations and customizations in their implementations. Collaborating with team members, I ensured that they, too, would engage with clients effectively, translating requirements into actionable implementation narratives. We had to grapple with risks, hone our estimation abilities, and navigate the uncertainties of delivering future outcomes.

The fruits of our labor began to manifest. We were not only creating satisfied and referenceable clients but also sharpening our practices. Our comprehension of the NetSuite platform’s native capabilities expanded, and our innovative approaches strengthened. The journey, marked by challenges and triumphs, transformed us into respected experts in the field, earning our place as a trusted NetSuite service provider. We distanced ourselves from NetSuite’s selling programs to showcase our commitment to ethical principles.

Growth in Strength, Not in Numbers

As the general demand for NetSuite steadily began to rise, my early 2008 speculations were demonstrating validity. Along with this growing interest, I keenly recognized the underlying complexities in delivering successful NetSuite-driven outcomes. Adopting an ERP system and achieving satisfactory results is no trivial task. Yet, we were consistently succeeding. How? Our approach involved a measured consideration of the complexities inherent in each implementation. This required instilling in our staff a shared caution, cultivating their judgment, and simultaneously deepening our collective technical prowess with the platform.

Watching other service firms boast of their growing revenues and staff count, I listened and reflected. I understood the intricacies of transforming individuals into reliable senior team members. As demand for our firm’s services grew, I maintained a conscientious selection process, only accepting engagements we were sure to deliver upon. I recognized that overextending would lead to a diluted focus, hindering our ability to listen attentively and fulfill our promises. We were mindful not to become common.

I also held a deep respect for the delicate process of nurturing talented individuals into senior consultants -— a process that can’t be rushed. I fostered a culture that balanced the development of soft, ethical skills with the discerning standards required for the intellectual mastery of NetSuite. Our team gradually accepted more engagements, carefully evaluating our collective capacity to maintain service standards.

Our responsibilities grew, largely centered around supporting existing clients and optimizing their NetSuite implementations. Successes accumulated, and it became evident that my role had transformed into a limiting factor for taking on new clients. It was clear that the next step wasn’t merely to expand our team but to strengthen leadership practices within. Rather than focusing on sheer numbers, our growth strategy emphasized enriching real skills and building a solid foundation of ethical and technical competence. It was about strengthening from within, knowing that numerical growth would follow in due course.

Developing Highly Respected Management

To meet the increasing demand and enable the firm to grow, it was imperative to develop a true management team. This wasn’t a task I took lightly; I reflected deeply on our successes and the reasons behind them. What emerged as fundamental was competence — both tactical and strategic. It was clear that any manager within our firm had to embody these qualities, possessing tactical acumen and cultivating strategic leadership capabilities to effectively guide clients and other staff members.

Our growth strategy required us to segment our focus into major competency practice domains: operations, accounting, and software technology quickly surfaced as vital areas. By organizing into specialized groups, our staff could collectively deepen their expertise and foster a more robust understanding of these domains. But beyond that, we had to engineer the intricate management practices necessary for both extensive NetSuite implementations and day-to-day support. This meant learning how to work cohesively across different practice areas and understanding how to blend them into successful client delivery. Similar to the foundational phase where we built our NetSuite competency, we now faced the challenge of cultivating our management practices. This new focus wasn’t just about scaling; it was about enhancing the strength, substance, and reliability of our service delivery. In these efforts, we continued our commitment to competency, ensuring that growth never came at the expense of the quality and ethics that defined us.

Formally Announcing our NetSuite Delivery Capacity

As we worked diligently behind the scenes, our team continued to evolve and learn, understanding what methods were effective and what needed refinement. Like our clients, we expanded our investment in our internal use of NetSuite, gleaning many innovations from our unique requirements. Through these experiences, we forged a unified management team, honed our client care under new management structures, and refined our service delivery models. While our focus on the multifaceted capabilities of NetSuite remained constant, the overarching narrative within our business evolved to center around nurturing leadership within each and every staff member.

This transformation and growth called for a public acknowledgment of our team’s development and the shift in focus from an individual to a collective achievement. We recognized that our identity in the marketplace needed to highlight not just me but the remarkable accomplishments and dedication of my entire team.

Therefore, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new corporate website on August 19, 2023. This new site is more than just a digital presence; it’s a testament to who we are and a clear statement of our confidence in our NetSuite delivery capacity. While our concerns for thoughtful growth remain the same, this new presence allows others to see the real actors within our organization, those who are diligently working to deepen their craft and steadfastly committed to service excellence. It’s a bold step forward, reflecting not only our evolution but also our unwavering commitment to quality and leadership in the NetSuite space.

Joining a Respected NetSuite Delivery Practice

Just a few weeks ago, I penned the article, “Valued NetSuite Implementation Leadership Qualities”. This composition isn’t merely a collection of insights; it serves as the compass guiding our firm, molding our identity, and informing how we undertake commitments. We identify as a Systems Integration Practice, a title that reflects more than a business category. It underscores our ongoing dedication to honing our craft, enhancing our capabilities, and fine-tuning our judgment, all in the pursuit of offering stronger, more decisive leadership within the NetSuite ecosystem.

If you found this article relevant, feel free to sign up for notifications to new articles as I post them. If you are prepared to commit to enhancing your career with the NetSuite ERP platform and care about your professional development, let’s have a conversation.