On January 12, 2023, Thirdera acquired Elite-level ServiceNow partner, SilverStorm Solutions. As one of the longest-tenured ServiceNow partners in the world, SilverStorm has established itself as a ServiceNow luminary and essential resource for customers looking for platform expertise and guidance. With acquisitions being nothing new to Thirdera - this marks its sixth in the last two years - it begs the questions: 1) how is this one different, and 2) how does SilverStorm fit into Thirdera’s ongoing mission of enabling customers to extract maximum value from the ServiceNow platform? Fortunately, I had the opportunity to have a candid conversation with Thirdera CEO, Jason Wojahn and SilverStorm CEO (now Sr. Managing Director of Thirdera EMEA), Rian Butcher, to get answers to such questions and more.
Jason: I think it’s important to first share with our customers and partners how we got to this point. We began having conversations with SilverStorm more than 15 months ago. The impetus was devoid of any financial motives but rather triggered by a curiosity about how we could better enable complete value for ServiceNow customers. As the conversations progressed it became apparent that there was a compatibility and like-mindedness that had a synergistic potential if acted upon. Now with the acquisition completed, we are finding inspiration from those elucidating conversations to harmonise our strengths; not only to offer enhanced skills and services but also to better align with customer values. Customer value is exceptionally fluid and changes not only with evolving business priorities but also macro-economic conditions and in alignment with the evolving needs of their customers. As we continue to build the most comprehensive ServiceNow partner globally we position ourselves to better enable our customers to extract the most value from ServiceNow.
Rian: To echo what Jason said, by no means was this outcome fortuitous. It was intentional. The culmination of our conversations revealed that the market needs a partner who is proactive and adaptable in attaining point-in-time business objectives. This acquisition offers Thirdera and SilverStorm enhanced scale in reach and accessibility – both of which enable us to be more contextual with clients. Most of the work we do is with enterprises, many of which are multi-national. Therefore, it’s important for our companies to be multi-national as well so we can better align with their evolving strategies and objectives and ultimately deliver complete value in shorter timeframes.
Jason: SilverStorm was the perfect fit when looking at its reputation, capabilities, and culture. They’ve been a pure-play ServiceNow partner since 2007; so, needless to say, they’ve clearly done their diligence over the last 15+ years to accommodate transient market demands while building a company that attracts and retains highly skilled people. I’ve been in the ServiceNow space for well over a decade now, so I’ve seen my fair share of ServiceNow partners. With that kind of sample set, you develop an uncanny ability to identify those companies that are in it for the right reasons. SilverStorm is just that. They are constantly thinking about how to enable value for customers. And they value all the things we value – which, simply stated, are customers, employees, and partners.
Rian: Well, I had 15 months to reflect on this. And I think it really boils down to four characteristics: 1) Thirdera is people-centric; 2) Thirdera is a pure-play ServiceNow partner; 3) Thirdera has unmatched platform experience; and 4) Thirdera is global. The first 3 could really be used to describe SilverStorm as well, so there was an immediate affinity engendered by a nearly identical set of core traits. I knew it was time for SilverStorm to be part of something bigger; but, at the same time, I didn’t want to compromise our integrity and identity. Nor did I want to get lost in a sea of various platform skill sets or deal with the hampering effects of a learning curve. From that initial conversation 15 months ago to now, Thirdera has been a partner in every sense of the word. It's been assuring to have a voice and be part of an acquisition process that is collaborative and bilateral with a focus on improving both companies. To me, that’s the sign of a great relationship.
Jason: We are systematically building Thirdera to align with our business thesis which is that a global partner deep in skills would be a valuable asset in the ServiceNow ecosystem. With the addition of SilverStorm, Thirdera is now one of the largest elite partners globally, with elite-level presence in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. What’s especially exciting about this acquisition is that we’re bringing two experienced, pure-play ServiceNow partners together. Adding SilverStorm’s talent roster enables more mindshare opportunities for our teams through specialised cohorts. And this puts us in a position to be more strategic with ServiceNow and better demonstrate the enterprise-wide value of the platform.
Rian: Bluntly put, ServiceNow is getting a pure play partner with GSI-level capabilities and scale. This was already the case prior to SilverStorm joining Thirdera; but, I think this latest push towards global growth sends a clear message to ServiceNow: that Thirdera is fully invested in supporting ServiceNow and its customers. I’m excited to see the tangible output once our thought leaders, advisors, and certified architects have time to pool and incubate their platform ideas. ServiceNow recently rolled out the catchphrase “a new era of partner”; and every time I hear it, I can’t help but think that Thirdera has long been the epitome of the new era of partner – one that uses innovation, expertise, and intuition to deliver transformative business value. And by folding in SilverStorm, Thirdera is only fortifying that long-standing partner distinction.
Jason: There are a number of things SilverStorm is world-class at. So, we want Thirdera to be a global platform for those skill sets. We call it harmonisation because it’s not about changing identity – it’s about bringing the best of SilverStorm and Thirdera together. For now, it’s business as usual; but, customers should expect broader capabilities, more comprehensive services, and more accessibility.
Rian: I know Jason just mentioned that it’s business as usual for now; but, I can think of one, multi-national enterprise that is already getting to experience a more comprehensive Thirdera. And that’s something we’re now capable of doing with a global talent network. From Day 1, we can have those deeper and broader customer conversations to identify global objectives and build a strategic roadmap that gets organisations to where they need to be. So it may be business as usual for now; but, if current customer conversations are any indication, it won’t be for long!
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