April 4, 2025
Re: Platform Specialization - The Good Parts
As a change consultant, fellow list member Kris Jennings knows a thing or two about pivoting.
She replied to one of my platform specialization messages to share her experience with the Workday platform and what happened once it got really big (shared with permission):
Kris:
This topic is super relevant to me....
I became a Workday OCM specialist de facto by doing early implementations (starting in 2015). It was easy. I was referred from client to client in the MSP area.
Things changed in 2022 when Workday began offering its own OCM consulting inside its implementation support (along with taking a bigger chunk of these implementations themselves instead of sharing with preferred partners in their ecosystem). It’s safe to say this shift resulted from achieving a 50%+ market share in the Fortune 500.
Obviously, Workday gets first crack at any sales opportunities.
I’m currently in mid-shift in repositioning to take on a smaller (but more strategic) role as an independent OCM advisor....and other targeted solutions that might suit smaller size organizations (a scalable OCM solution)....but also not necessarily limiting that to Workday.
Anyhow....reading with interest 😉
Kris
Jonathan:
Great example!
It’s totally fine to say no, but... may I share your message with the list as a follow-up to this series?
Either way, thanks for sharing!
Kris:
Absolutely.
Let me know if you need any other color commentary from me. But honestly I don’t specialize in any platform....Workday was just the hot ticket for the last decade.
I’ve looked at probably a dozen related options for pivoting. One thing that maybe isn’t clear to people when they hear “pivot” is that there’s still a set point. One part of my expertise (i.e., OCM) stays the same, while the other part adjusts (i.e., Workday) and vice versa.
OR combine them in a new way such as serving a different market (other OCM professionals, small-to-mid-market companies who can’t afford the full service consulting, SIs who need a scalable solution, etc)
The variables are where people get overwhelmed in a pivot, especially when it’s been “easy”.
I ended up doing another transformational project with a client who had implemented Workday and then implemented OneStream for their Finance team. (changed platforms).
I’m currently in the final stages of selling a fixed fee strategy engagement for an SAP implementation. (scalable solution)
There are many ways to keep adapting! 🙂
Thanks so much to Kris for sharing her expertise!
There are lots of great points in this, but the big one is:
Keep adapting!
There is no “set it and forget it” in business.
No matter how dialed in you get things, the market will eventually change out from under you.
Yours,
—J