What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Eric Ligman — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:13:42 GMT

As a quick update, I will be sharing the latest information on the upcoming launch of the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business competency this Friday, June 15th, here on the blog. I will put up a new post which will include the information, so please be sure to keep an eye out for it on Friday.

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Michael — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:39:00 GMT

Eric, any word on when in June the SBS Silver or Gold will be live?

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Ivy — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:16:30 GMT

Hi Eric,

Do you have the exact date of the launch of the Small Business Competency?

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Eric Ligman — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:41:11 GMT

@ Rod - Yes, you can earn the Small Business Competency and also Cloud Accelerate and they would be a good fit together for you from a cloud perspective if that is your focus.

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Rod Arthur — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:35:56 GMT

Hi Eric, Can you advise if I became a Silver Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency , that I could also qualify and advertise the branding for the Microsoft Cloud Accelerate Partner. I am currently a SBSC and also currently in the Cloud Essentials program. I could see benefig that by becoming a Silver Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency, I could also elevate my status as a Microsoft Cloud Accelerate Partner. Many thanks for your time

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Eric Ligman — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:28:17 GMT

@ Mike - We have announced that the Small Business competency will be launched in June.

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Eric Ligman — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:27:12 GMT

@ Lee - Thanks for the feedback. To be clear, the 2 MCP requirement for the Small Business Competency is ONLY for this competency. We are not lowering the bar for all gold competencies. Because the silver and gold are competency specific, a partner earning a Gold Small Business Competency will have no impact on your other competencies at all, since they are separate. Having a Gold Small Business Competency does not provide anyone with a "gold" anywhere else and is specific to the Small Business competency only.

For instance, if you had a Gold Communications Competency, this demonstrates your organization's skillset and knowledge regarding communications technologies and offerings. Another company with a Gold Small Business Competency shows their skillset and knowledge in Small Business as a segment, it does not provide them with any "silver" or "gold" in any other competency, such as communications.

With the Small Business Competency being the evolution of the current SBSC designation, which is designed for our partners of all sizes serving the small business segment, aligning the requirements appropriately for these partners to participate was one key piece of feedback we received and designed into the competency.

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Mike — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:58:46 GMT

Eric, when do you think the Small Business Competency for silver and Gold and all the internal right software will be released?

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Lee S — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:26:40 GMT

Happy enough for the Small Biz award to be competency driven moving forward but I am a little annoyed that it only takes 2 MCPs to qualify for Gold. We worked hard to get our business moved to the new Gold Competencies and use it as a difference factor when bidding for work - but now MS has lowered the bar, I think it de-values the Gold award.

re: What are the requirements to earn the Microsoft Partner Network Small Business Competency?

Eric Ligman — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:50:14 GMT

@ Alan - Thanks for the comment. I would love to understand more about why you have the opinion you do about the Small Business competency. The Small Business Competency is the next step in the increasing importance of Small Business in the Microsoft Partner Network. SBSC is a "designation" and not a full competency like the other competencies in the Microsoft Partner Network. With the launch of the Small Business Competency, Small Business will now have the same status in the Microsoft Partner Network as all of the other competencies. Plus, if you recall, we launched the Microsoft Partner Network under the competency model to bring focus and highlight to the specific skillsets that partners bring to market for their clients. The idea of competencies is to elevate your skills and status within the Microsoft Partner Network and with your clients. By moving to a Small Business Competency, you will be able to utilize the full set of competency benefits and offerings associtated with it. This move to a Small Business Competency came after a long period of evaluating options, talking with partners, gathering input and feedback from the community, (including the SBSC PALs, which you can see a picture of that meeting here: http://ligman.me/wBwP9x) and much more.