Last updated 3 Nov 2019 I ran a business for ~7 years from basically tripping through the process and learning as I went. And boy, did I learn a lot! In this session, I will share how I accomplished starting a business and starting a Microsoft partnership, my hard won knowledge and lessons learned, and how you can start your own business and become a Microsoft Partner too! I have included the deck here so that you can have easier access to the links shown in my presentation. The video of me going through the deck is here: https://collab365.community/started-business-become-microsoft-partner-can/ (as well as on YouTube) but the deck has been updated a bit since then. Please note that in this session, I will not talk about selling my company, my other adventures as a Microsoft partner, or dig very deep into my experience of running the company. This is mostly about beginning the journey. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at nikkia@nikkiatcarter.me

1. H O W I S TA R T E D
M Y O W N
B U S I N E S S A N D
B E C A M E A
M I C R O S O F T
PA R T N E R
AND HOW YOU CAN TOO!

2. ABOUT ME

3. 3
Nikkia T. Carter
Worldwide Modern Workplace Tech Lead
 Worldwide Modern Workplace Tech Lead, Microsoft
 Past Director, C3 Integrated Solutions, MS Gold Partner
 Past CEO of Carter-McGowan Services, MS Silver
Partner
 Microsoft Strategist | Solutions Developer | Trainer
 Specialty: Office 365, SharePoint, and related tech
 Applications & Intranet Developer 2001 – 2009
 SharePoint Developer 2009 - Present
 Microsoft Strategist | Trainer 2012 – Present
 CompTIA CTT, Published Author, Tech Speaker
 Other Roles: Microsoft Voices for Innovation (VFI)
Taskforce
 Former Roles: SUGDC community lead, IAMCP DC
Board Member and IAMCP WIT Community Leader,
MFCF-DC Founder, FEDSPUG and WSPDC Board
Member, Microsoft WPC/Inspire PAC Member, Tech
Event Co-organizer (IT ProCamp DC, Office 365 Ramp

4. BEFORE WE
BEGIN…
4

5. SPONSORS

6. Questions?
Ask Me!
Please use the chat window.

7. @ladygwenavear www.nikkiatcarter.me

8. Baltimore SharePoint User Group
SharePoint User Group of DC
FEDSPUG/Women in SharePoint
DC
Flow User Group
SharePoint .NET Group
SPSEvents
SharePoint Fest
Collab365
Microsoft Tech Community

9. T H E F O L L O W I N G S L I D E S M A Y B E O U T D A T E D S O T A K E
W I T H A G R A I N O F S A L T B U T I T D O E S G I V E Y O U A N
I D E A O F W H A T T O E X P E C T . T H E L I N K S S H O U L D W O R K …
H O P E F U L L Y . 
9

10. AND NOW, THE
MOMENT YOU
HAVE BEEN
WAITING FOR!

11. SO HOW DID THE
ACCIDENT
OCCUR?

12. Started thinking about starting a
business…
How do I start?
Which way do I go
George??? Which way do I
go???

13. Looked for getting my own
SharePoint Enterprise site

14. Office 365 to the rescue

15. Tripped into becoming a partner
Oooo, what does
that link do?
Become a Microsoft Partner

16. Follow the yellow brick
(Microsoft) road aka Fill out
ALL of the paperwork online

17. STARTING THE
BUSINESS
M O R E D E TA I L S … I N G E N E R A L

18. SBA – A
TREASURE TROVE
OF INFO
G O T O S B A . G O V A N D D I S C O V E R T H E G O O D N E S S A N D I T S F R E E ! ! !

19. ContractingStarting & Managing
Loans and Grants

22. SBA – A TREASURE TROVE OF
INFORMATION
Check it out!
Local Assistance

23. SBA – STARTING A BUSINESS
Click on Starting & Managing and then on Thinking About Starting under Starting a Business
Click on 10 Steps to Starting a Business

24. SBA – STARTING A BUSINESS
Complete each step. Each step is a link with more instructions on how to complete the step.

25. SBA – STARTING A BUSINESS
Steps 6-10.

26. SBA – STARTING A BUSINESS
Note the articles and blogs listed on the right side
And bottom of the page.

27. OTHER
RESOURCES

28. ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR VA
http://www.virginia.gov/busin
ess

29. ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR MD
HT TPS://OPEN.MARYLAND.GOV/BUSINESS -RESOURCES/STARTING -A-BUSINESS/

30. ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR DC
https://business.dc.gov/startbusin
ess

31. STARTING MY
BUSINESS
M Y S T E P S ( A S B E S T A S I C A N R E C A L L )

32. HOW I STARTED
Found an SBA online training called Essential Guide to Starting
Your Own Business. (no longer available)
NOTE: Newer course
called Young
Entrepreneurs. Here -
https://www.sba.gov/c
ourse/young-
entrepreneurs/

33. HOW I STARTED
Back to my steps (as best as I can remember):
Choose my business structure – Initially I choose
Sole Proprietorship
See definitions here -
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-
structure/starting-managing-business/starting-
business/choose-your-business-stru

34. HOW I STARTED
Back to my steps (as best as I can remember):
Applied for my FEIN number - https://sa1.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp
More details here - http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-
for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-(EIN)-Online
Checked to see my business name was taken or not:
https://sccefile.scc.virginia.gov/NameAvailability
Registered for a VA Tax Account (need your FEIN) -
https://www.ireg.tax.virginia.gov/VTOL/iRegSignUp.seam?conversationId=7417&conversa
tionIsLongRunning=true
Went to my PO Office and got a PO Box

35. HOW I STARTED
Back to my steps (as best as I can remember):
Went to my county Registrar and Commissioner of Revenue (Need FEIN and state tax id)
Registered business name (factitious name)
Got a business permit
Got a zoning permit
Tried to find a SharePoint environment and tripped into becoming a Microsoft Partner
(discussed in next section)
Got website domain and built website AND …

36. HOW I STARTED
Back to my steps (as best as I can remember):
NETWORKED LIKE CRAZY
How you
doing?
How you
doing?
AND …

37. HOW I STARTED
Back to my steps (as best as I can remember):
Study/Learn… Learn from Others... Work… Repeat

38. HOW I STARTED
Back to my steps (as best as I can remember):
The very next year I registered as a LLC
VA SCC -
https://sccefile.scc.virginia.gov/File/ArticlesOfOrganization?entityName

39. BECOMING A
PARTNER
T R I P P I N …

40. OOOPPS! NOW I’M A MICROSOFT PARTNER
Did I do that???

41. BECOMING A PARTNER
Tripped into becoming a partner
Become a Microsoft Partner
Oooo, what does
that link do?
Become a Microsoft Partner

42. BECOMING A PARTNER
https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/
What the Partner page looks like as of Sept 2018 2014.

43. BECOMING A PARTNER
I started as a Community Partner (yes,
because it was free ) then later became
an Action Pack Partner then a Competency
Partner.
https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/membership
I also joined this program.

44. BECOMING A PARTNER: CLOUD PARTNER
More details here:
https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/Pages/Solutions/access-cloud-
partner-program-benefits.aspx

45. BECOMING A PARTNER:
BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS
More details here: https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/pages/membership/core-benefits.aspx

46. BECOMING A PARTNER:
BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS

47. BECOMING A PARTNER:
BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS

48. BECOMING A PARTNER: COMMUNITY
PARTNER
Since I am already a partner, I can’t see these
but...

49. BECOMING A PARTNER: COMMUNITY
PARTNER
This screen basically shows what needs to
be filled out for profile (#2),
*May need to be signed in as a partner to see this exact screen.

50. BECOMING A PARTNER: COMMUNITY
PARTNER

51. BECOMING A PARTNER: COMMUNITY
PARTNER

52. BECOMING A PARTNER: COMMUNITY
PARTNER
And this screen basically shows what needs to
be filled out (#3).
*May need to be signed in as a partner to see this exact screen.

53. BECOMING A PARTNER:
ACTION PACK PARTNER
More details here:
https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/u
s/Pages/Membership/action-
pack.aspx

54. BECOMING A PARTNER:
ACTION PACK PARTNER

55. BECOMING A PARTNER: COMPETENCY
PARTNER https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/Pages/Me
mbership/competencies.aspx

56. BECOMING A PARTNER:
COMPETENCY PARTNER
Here is the competency for SharePoint.
https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/Page
s/Membership/collaboration-and-content-
competency.aspx

57. BECOMING A PARTNER:
COMPETENCY PARTNER
Silver Competency

58. BECOMING A PARTNER:
COMPETENCY PARTNER
Gold Competency

59. ONCE YOU ARE A PARTNER:
INCENTIVES
More details here:
https://partner.micr
osoft.com/en-
us/membership/part
ner-incentives
*Must be signed in
as a partner*

60. NIKTIPS
T H I N G S I K N E W A N D T H I N G S I K N O W N O W
T H AT I W I S H I K N E W

61. THINGS I KNEW (OR FIGURED OUT)
• Learn about sales and marketing because you will have to wear that hat too
• Learn about and get tools to help with social media marketing. Social Media marketing builds trust in you
and your brand. DO NOT sell for at least 6 months.
• Research your business name AND website address then lock them down ASAP. Also, get your social media
handles ASAP (especially on Twitter).
• Consider adding a QR code to the back of your business card that links to your website and/or capability
statement
• If you intend to work for the government, especially the federal government, create a capability statement or
deck
• Get business cards with no lamentation because they are hard to write on. Don’t forget about leaving white
space on your card so they can write on it so no background pictures!
• During networking events, make sure you bring plenty of cards AND make sure you have a pen to notate
when and where you met the person plus any relevant notes
• Follow up as soon as possible and set reminders to continue until they “buy or die”
• Don’t forget about partnering with other business that are complementary to yours
• Ask vendors if they would be willing to send business your way that relates to a service you offer that
complements their product

62. THINGS I KNEW (OR FIGURED OUT)
• If you become a partner, find and join your local IAMCP and volunteer for helping out where you can
• Join Meetup and your local Chamber of Commerce. Attend meetings and network then as to present.
• Consider holding events at free venues like the Microsoft Store BUT REMEMBER to market in advance
– At least 3 months out but 6 months would be best
– Advertise AND talk about it
– Get MailChimp, or similar product, and send emails to remind people Tminus 3 months, 2 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, the week
of, and 9am ET the day of or 6 pm PM ET the day before
• Consider holding webinars BUT REMEMBER to market in advance
– At least 3 months out but 6 months would be best
– Advertise AND talk about it
– Get MailChimp, or similar product, and send emails to remind people T-minus 3 months, 2 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, the week
of, and 9am ET the day of or 6 pm PM ET the day before
• If you become a partner and can only budget one conference a year, go to Microsoft Inspire and network like crazy!
• Develop your contracts for the work you do with customers.
• If you are a SI, run your payments like an ISV. Figure out how to turn projects into a subscription they pay every
month.
• When signing a contract with a partner or a employee (even as a temporary one or a 1099), read the fine print and
challenge things like them owning your work solely or saying you can’t moonlight/have a company or you will only
work exclusively for them. Also, be aware of non-competes clauses.

63. Apply for lines of credit NOW (as opposed to a loan since loans
need to be paid back right away and credit lines are there when you need
them without payments until you use it)
Read books before you start your business (my reading list
is next)
Get a partner that you trust if possible (Remember to have deep
discussions to make sure you both want and agree upon the same thing then get a
lawyer to draw up the paperwork. See the suggest books in my reading list)
Make sure you have a steady paycheck
THINGS I KNOW NOW THAT I WISH I
KNEW THEN…

64. MY SUGGESTED BOOKS
I listened to these books on Audible. I HIGHLY suggest at least reading or listening to the first 2 (and the
next 2) BEFORE starting your business.
• The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
• Sales EQ by Jeb Blount
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson
• The Entrepreneur's Toolkit by The Great Courses
• Power Through Partnership by Maggie Ellis Chotas, Betsy Polk
• So, You Are New to Sales by Zig Ziglar, Bryan Flanagan
• The Partnership Charter by David Gage
• Entrepreneur Success Subliminal by Subliminal Guru
• Solving the People Puzzle by Kerry Johnson MBA PhD
• The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott
• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar
I also HIGHLY suggest that you take advantage of the free learning and monthly calls offered by
Microsoft if you become a partner.

65. LINKS TO MY RELEVANT PRESENTATIONS
• Recording of this session: https://collab365.community/started-business-become-
microsoft-partner-can/
• Work Smarter, Not Harder, with Social Media: https://vimeo.com/106771843
• Tools You Can Use (social media): Tools You Can Use - WPC15.pptx
• Mutlti-Stream Marketing: Inspire2018MultiStreamMarketing.pptx
• New to Microsoft Inspire? Here are a Few Last Minute Tips:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/going-microsoft-inspire-here-few-tips-last-minute-
first-nikkia-carter?trk=portfolio_article-card_title
• Starting Your Startup in the Cloud: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/starting-your-
startup-cloud-nikkia-carter?trk=portfolio_article-card_title

66. THANK YOU
Nikkia T. Carter
WW Modern Workplace Tech Lead,
Microsoft
Nikkia.carter@microsoft.com
nikkia@nikkiatcarter.me
www.nikkiatcarter.me
(425) 707-8306 Office
(540) 369-6058 Mobile
@ladygwenavear
NikkiaTCarter