#11. Lucy Bourne is the cofounder and director of Oaka Studio in the UK. Oaka Studio, which just celebrated its second birthday, helps Microsoft partners level up their Microsoft alliance in their marketing, sales, their Microsoft alliance and in the operation of their Microsoft practice.

Lucy is a former partner development manager from Microsoft, and she dives deep into what it takes to thrive in your alliance with Microsoft. As you’ll hear in this episode, this is an area where I’m still struggling: wrestling with Partner Center, figuring out whether a solution designation is worthwhile or missing out on recognition in deals where we weren’t the invoicing CSP.

Lucy cuts through all that and helps us focus on what matters most in our Microsoft alliance and the steps we need to take to succeed.

KEY LESSONS

🔑 1. Alliance management needs two distinct skill sets. Don’t expect a single person to handle both the operational, programmatic tasks in Partner Center and the relationship-building with Microsoft sellers. Lucy recommends splitting these responsibilities: methodical, detail-oriented team members for the admin side, and storytellers/networkers for the relationship side.

🔑 2. Focus, focus, focus. To get noticed by Microsoft and the market, don’t try to be everything to everyone. Specialise—pick an industry or two, and build a crystal-clear narrative for your expertise. You can still deliver broadly, but your outward marketing should be laser-focused for maximum impact.

🔑 3. Recognition for implementation partners. Business apps partners can now claim recognition for workloads they’ve implemented—even if they weren’t the ones transacting the licenses. This “dual partner recognition” can accelerate your journey toward solution designation and unlock more opportunities and funding from Microsoft.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Lucy Bourne explains the value of vendor focus for large partners

00:40 Neil Benson opens the episode and introduces Lucy Bourne and Oka Studio

03:18 Lucy shares her career background and Oka Studio’s mission

05:24 Discussion of partner types Oka works with and the evolving Microsoft partner landscape

06:11 Is it harder now to become a successful Microsoft partner?

08:16 Do partners need a dedicated alliance manager? Where do you find one?

09:36 The two key roles in alliance management—operational and relational

12:54 The most important thing successful partners do: focus, focus, focus

14:17 How to balance specialization in marketing with versatility in delivery

16:08 Common mistakes partners make—neglecting alliance program management

17:30 Can partners succeed with multiple vendor relationships?

22:07 Discrete investments partners can make—case studies, awards, and social proof

28:21 Microsoft’s new dual partner recognition and what it means for partners

RESOURCES

• Lucy Bourne on LinkedIn
• Oaka Studio on LinkedIn
• Dual recognition for Microsoft business applications partners

RECOMMENDED EPISODES

#8 Insider Secrets to Succeeding as a Microsoft Partner with Chris McNulty

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🌐

#10. Nancie Calder is a Senior Vice President and Global Consulting Practice Lead at Avanade, based in Toronto, Canada. From her start as a freelance consultant to leading a global team of 3,000 people, Nancie brings three decades of experience driving innovation at scale.

Nancie shares her hard-won insights about what it really takes to nurture innovation and continuous learning across a 3,000+ person global practice—especially in the fast-changing Microsoft ecosystem. Her emphasis on combining practical experience with scalable programs really hit home.

KEY LESSONS

1. Innovation is for everyone. True innovation goes beyond technology. Nancie instills an innovative mindset throughout her team by hiring for passion and curiosity - not just technical skills. Encouraging everyone to leverage AI and new Microsoft tools is at the heart of their success.
2. Continuous learning is non-negotiable: Avanade dedicates specific learning hours, gamified certification paths, and peer mentoring to ensure their team is always up to speed. A growth mindset isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a requirement for staying relevant.
3. Global knowledge sharing matters: With biweekly cross-regional meetings, dynamic communities of practice, and creative use of Copilot to gather project learnings, Nancie demonstrates the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing for scaling leadership across borders.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Helping teams deliver AI assessments and using AI in practice

00:35 Introduction to Practice Leading and the focus on innovation at Avanade

02:42 Nancie Calder introduces herself and her journey in the Microsoft partner ecosystem

05:02 Scaling a global practice and building capability across regions

06:40 Defining innovation at a global systems integrator: product development and service improvement

08:26 Balancing billable work and professional development in consultancy

10:48 Instilling a culture of innovation and continuous learning at scale

13:17 Capturing and sharing project lessons learned across the organization

16:07 Incentivizing knowledge sharing and using AI to identify expertise internally

19:34 Formal innovation initiatives like hackathons, Innovation Days, and global knowledge sharing

21:11 Practice overlaps and navigating resource contention between business units

23:48 Supporting team members with different growth mindsets and learning from client attitudes toward innovation

29:36 Choosing which Microsoft innovations to invest in and building specialized practices

RESOURCES

• Nancie Calder on LinkedIn
• Avanade on LinkedIn
• Avanade website

RECOMMENDED EPISODES

#7 From Four to Forty: Building CRMK’s Team and Culture with CEO, Kathrine Hogseth

👋 LET'S CONNECT

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#8. Welcome to Practice Leading, the podcast for ambitious and curious Microsoft partner leaders who are passionate about growth, innovation, and building high-performing teams—with no tolerance for BS. I’m your host, Neil Benson, and in this special retrospective episode, I’m sharing the biggest lessons learned from the show’s first eight guests. We’ll revisit insights on creating a culture-over-hierarchy, hiring for industry expertise, empowering teams, pricing strategies, empathetic leadership, mentorship, and building a sustainable team culture.

You’ll hear the real-world results as I experiment with these ideas in my own business, Superware, and the challenges and successes we’ve faced along the way.

If you’re leading a Microsoft practice, this episode is a masterclass from trailblazers who know what it takes to succeed in the Microsoft ecosystem.



KEY LESSONS

1. Culture Over Hierarchy. Our journey began with Mohamed Mostafa from TechLabs London, who shared a secret interview question that's now a staple in my hiring process: “Tell me something not on your CV or LinkedIn.” It’s been a game-changer for uncovering cultural fit!

2. Managing Yourself First. Joel Lindstrom inspired me to prioritise managing myself first— and I share my biohacking experiments from tracking sleep to surviving cryotherapy chambers. I also experimented with team video updates (still a work in progress!) and debated the role of technical certifications for practice leaders. Where do you stand on keeping your certs up to date?

3. Pricing for Value. Ben Vollmer from RSM US drove home the importance of micro-verticals and flexible pricing. We’re testing new app and service models that reflect true customer value. Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with custom deals early on!

4. Empathetic Leadership Areti Iles of Telefonica Tech reminded us that clear communication, coaching, and meaningful feedback are at the heart of great leadership. It's pushing me to keep stretching those empathy muscles—even when it doesn’t come naturally.

5. The Power of a Talent Manager. Thanks to Bob Bell at ITK Consulting, I’m on the hunt for a talent manager to help formalise HR and talent acquisition at Superware. (If you know a good one, hit reply!)

6. Mentorship & Hackathons. Edit Kapcari at Orbis SE inspired me to rethink 1:1s and mentorship frequency. I may not be meeting every week just yet, but regular check-ins are now firmly on my radar. Plus, we’re exploring team hackathons—stay tuned!

7. Building a True Team Culture Katherine Hogseth at CRMK sets the bar high with weekly team breakfasts and a culture that dedicates 20% of company time to learning and development. We’re working towards one day per month for now, but the aspiration is there!

8. Microsoft Partnering Secrets Chris McNulty of Synozur brought clarity to the art (and challenge) of partnering with Microsoft. From leveraging customer innovation hubs to decoding dual recognition, we’re taking steps to sharpen our Microsoft alliance.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to Practice Leading and Neil’s mission

01:00 Why Neil started Practice Leading and what Superware does

01:49 Lessons from episode one: Culture over hierarchy and secret interview questions

03:45 The challenge of hiring for industry experience and onboarding new talent

04:24 Managing yourself first: Healthspan, conferences, and the power of routines

06:13 Should leaders keep technical certifications up to date?

08:52 Pricing strategies and focusing on micro-verticals

09:46 Leading with empathy: The importance of career conversations

11:35 Hiring a talent manager and building HR capabilities

12:25 Mentorship,...