ambush on air

Convergence is back — and this live episode from Miami proves why it matters. Recorded from the media sponsor booth at the Nobu Hotel, I sat down with Jenn Rinfrit, Sales Lead for the Americas at Seer365, to talk about what’s actually happening in the Microsoft partner ecosystem right now.

From tight year-end budgets to packed meeting schedules, Convergence showed up fast — but the value was immediate. For partners and ISVs, it’s a high-density opportunity to reconnect, meet new collaborators, and have the face-to-face conversations that move business forward in ways remote meetings can’t.

One thing is clear across the channel: everyone is building their own AI stack. Jenn shared how she uses Copilot for work because it’s connected to Microsoft systems and ChatGPT for everyday use, while continuing to test other models. The takeaway? There’s no single right tool — the smartest leaders are comparing outputs and choosing what works best for each job.

Seer365 is a partner enablement platform built by partners, for partners. Its goal isn’t to replace partner processes, but to accelerate them — shortening sales cycles, standardizing discovery, and automating repetitive work so teams can focus on customers.

One standout example is Rapid Discover, which adds an AI agent layer to the discovery process. Instead of manually working through hundreds (or thousands) of questions, partners can now:

• describe the customer and scope conversationally

• let the agent identify modules and complexity

• automatically generate a pre-populated discovery survey

What used to take weeks can now take minutes — turning discovery into a validation conversation instead of a bottleneck.

Jen also shared Seer365’s new AI Agent Discovery Workshop tool, designed to help partners confidently lead AI strategy conversations with customers — even if they’ve never sold AI before.

The tool helps partners:

• identify business pain points

• map them to potential AI agents

• generate a clear, take-home AI strategy report

It removes fear, creates clarity, and gives customers something tangible to bring back to leadership.

This episode captured why Convergence mattered: one more chance to be together before year-end, to share ideas, and to see where the channel is heading next. Based on the conversations happening in Miami, Convergence is only going to grow — with more partners, more ISVs, and deeper community impact next year.

If you’re selling, marketing, or partnering in the Microsoft ecosystem, this episode is a clear snapshot of what’s next: agentic AI, faster discovery, and enablement that actually works.

As always — party on.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennrinfret/

https://seer365.com/discoveroverview/

This one’s been a long time coming.

In this episode of AMBUSH On Air, Sam finally sits down with her daily audio message co-conspirator and bestie, Kate Coffey Bacon, for a conversation that’s equal parts channel strategy, community therapy, and pure unhinged bestie energy.

Recorded live at Convergence in Miami, Sam and Kate pull back the curtain on what it really means to be “the community girlies” in the Microsoft ecosystem—showing up at every event, building relationships on purpose, and treating community as more than a buzzword.

They dig into:

• Why community is the new marketing funnel—and how UST’s rise in the channel is proof

• The tension between “desk job” work and being highly visible in the ecosystem

• Kate’s philosophy of “give, don’t grab” when networking and building relationships

• How to actually measure the impact of community, events, and partnerships in a messy, multi-touch buyer journey

• The origin story and vision for She Builds as a story-first, scalable community platform

• What’s exciting (and still uncertain) about the resurgence of Convergence and where it could go next

• How travel, speaking, and women-in-tech spaces are evolving in 2026 and beyond

If you live at the intersection of Microsoft, marketing, partnerships, and community, this episode is your love letter. It’s for the people who put their “butts in seats,” host the hallway conversations, and build momentum in the messy middle—long before the opportunity ever hits the CRM.

Press play to hear two women who actually walk the walk on community, collaboration, and showing up for the channel.

Recorded live from the media booth at Convergence, this episode of AMBUSH On Air dives into the not-so-secret engine behind modern supply chains: EDI, data, and a whole lot of AI.

Sam Bush sits down with Mayssa Moubarak, Montreal-based channel leader at TrueCommerce, to talk about her 12-year journey in EDI, how a film and cinematography background led her into the Microsoft ecosystem, and why she’s still energized by this space after more than a decade.

They cover what’s changing inside TrueCommerce—from new leadership and strategy to AI-powered innovation—and how that directly impacts Microsoft partners and customers on Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain and Business Central.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How a cinematography major ended up spending 12+ years in EDI and the Microsoft channel

• What TrueCommerce actually does for Microsoft customers (EDI, supply chain messaging, and automation across BC & FSCM)

• How new leadership at TrueCommerce is leaning into three pillars: innovation, operational excellence, and customer experience

• Real AI use cases inside TrueCommerce:

  • AI for support optimization and faster issue resolution

  • AI for retention flagging and customer health

  • AI-driven mapping and faster trading partner onboarding

• Why “EDI isn’t dead”—and how AI is enhancing it instead of replacing it

• A very real-life example of AI at home: turning a sugary cereal into a healthier, kid-approved version using an AI-generated recipe

• Why community in the Microsoft ecosystem still matters more than ever—and why events like Convergence are becoming must-attend again

If you care about supply chain, Microsoft Dynamics, EDI modernization, or how to make AI feel practical instead of buzzword-y, this conversation will hit exactly where you live (with a little Montreal flavor, of course).

Recorded live from Miami at the resurgence of Convergence, this episode of AMBUSH On Air brings together two seasoned Microsoft channel nerds who’ve seen it all—from the original Convergence concerts to today’s AI-first roadmap.

Sam Bush sits down with Tiffany Allen, Director of ERP Channels & Alliances, Corpay Cross-Border Solutions at Corpay’s, to talk about 20 years in the channel, how events like Convergence really drive pipeline, and why automation for everything (yes, even payables) is the hill she’ll happily die on.

They swap stories—from spilling red wine on a brand-new partner at “old” Convergence to helping partners navigate AI agents, global payments, and the new reality of community-led demand gen.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What “making payments local to global” really means across 200+ countries and 145 currencies

• How Corpay is approaching AI (including hiring a Chief AI Officer) to drive efficiency and better ERP-connected experiences

• Real-world use cases for AI agents: meeting notes, follow-ups, out-of-office messages, social content, and internal systems

• Why Tiffany built “Penny,” an AI clone of her voice for LinkedIn, partner invites, and channel communication

• A candid take on community as the new demand gen funnel—and why events like Convergence still matter for attribution and pipeline

• How cross-border payments, crypto, and automation are changing the controller and finance leader’s day-to-day

If you live in the Microsoft ecosystem, work with global payments, or are trying to figure out how AI + community + events fit into your 2025 go-to-market, this conversation will feel like a debrief at the hotel bar—with actual tactics you can steal.

Recorded live from the Nobu Hotel in Miami at Convergence, this episode of AMBUSH On Air brings tax, AI, and the Microsoft channel together in the most unexpectedly fun way. Sam Bush sits down with Jessica Krasinger, Channel Sales Manager at Vertex, to talk about 10 years in tax, life in the Microsoft ecosystem, and how AI is quietly reshaping the most “unsexy” but critical part of business: tax and finance operations.

Jessica shares how Vertex is using AI and agents (including her internal assistant “Claire”) to keep channel managers on track, surface action items, and eliminate repetitive work. Sam and Jessica dig into what it really looks like when Copilot, internal data, and tax engines are connected end to end—and how that changes the day-to-day reality for controllers, finance leaders, and partner teams.

You’ll hear them get into:

• How a “10 years in tax” career became a niche superpower in the Microsoft ecosystem

• Real-world ways Jessica uses AI agents to manage meetings, follow-ups, and internal processes

• How Vertex is launching an Azure Marketplace agent to automatically detect and validate tax-impacting changes

• Why AI in finance is less about replacing roles and more about giving controllers their time back

• The human side of AI adoption: generational comfort levels, communication styles, and meeting people where they are

• How AI and automation can shorten close cycles, reduce manual tax work, and free teams to focus on revenue and strategy

If you live in the Microsoft channel, sell or implement ERP, or support finance teams that are drowning in month-end tasks, this conversation will give you a fresh, practical look at where AI in tax and finance is really headed—and how to stay ahead of it.

In this episode of AMBUSH On Air, host Sam Bush brings together Bobby Small from Dynamics User Group and Karen McAteer and Chris Cason from Accenture | Avanade to talk about the return of one of Microsoft’s most iconic events—Convergence.

Hear how DUG and Microsoft revived this long-beloved conference for the modern AI era, what attendees can expect in Miami, and why this marks a turning point for the Microsoft ecosystem. From pre-con workshops and roundtables to Microsoft-led sessions and real customer success stories, this conversation dives into how partners are redefining learning, access, and community in 2025.

Highlights:

• Why Microsoft brought Convergence back after 10 years

• Behind-the-scenes from DUG and Avanade on planning the new format

• Exclusive previews of sessions on AI, Fabric, and change management

• Why collaboration, not competition, is driving the new channel era

• Tips for getting the most out of your Convergence experience

#AMBUSHOnAir #MicrosoftChannel #Convergence365 #DUG #BizApps #PartnerMarketing #MicrosoftDynamics #AI #Avanade #Accenture

In this episode of ambush on air host Sam Bush sits down with Bobby Small, Community Strategist at Dynamics User Group (DUG), to unpack the story behind the revival of Microsoft’s iconic event, Convergence.

They explore how DUG and Microsoft joined forces to design a new kind of business applications conference—one that blends hands-on partner enablement, community-driven learning, and direct access to Microsoft’s product teams. Bobby shares behind-the-scenes details about how the event came to life, what attendees can expect in Miami, and how Convergence fits into the evolving ecosystem of Dynamics 365 events.

Key Takeaways:

• The origin story of the new Convergence event

• What makes this event different from Community Summit or Directions

• Deep-dive into the pre-conference partner enablement day

• The value of direct Microsoft access for partners

• Session highlights on AI, governance, and change management

• Why Convergence marks a turning point for the Microsoft BizApps community

#AMBUSHOnAir #MicrosoftChannel #Convergence365 #DUG #BizApps #PartnerMarketing #MicrosoftDynamics #B2BMarketing #CommunityEvents

In this solo episode, Sam Bush takes the mic to share one of her most personal moments yet — her live “She Builds Bridges” talk from the Women in Tech Luncheon at Community Summit. This is a story about mentorship, courage, and the moments that change everything. Sam reflects on the women who inspired her, the mentors who opened doors, and what it means to turn your own experience into a bridge for someone else.

Whether you were in the room or catching up now, this episode is an invitation to look back at who built the bridge for you — and to go build one for someone else.

Key Themes:

• How mentorship creates access and advocacy

• The power of “mentorship moments” that shape careers

• Why community matters more than competition

• Lessons from the Women in Tech Luncheon at Community Summit

• Building confidence and connection through shared stories

Listen if you’re:

• A mentor, mentee, or community builder in the Microsoft ecosystem

• Someone navigating career growth and looking for inspiration

• Curious how authentic storytelling fuels connection

In this episode of AMBUSH On Air, Sam Bush sits down with Will Taylor from AudienceLed to unpack what’s really working in partnerships today. From building sustainable partner programs to co-marketing campaigns that actually move the needle, they dive into customer stories, attribution headaches, and why integrations beat silos every time.

If you’ve ever wondered how to scale partnerships without drowning in “six-to-eighteen-month” timelines, or why enablement is just as critical as partner marketing, this conversation is packed with practical tips and hot takes.

🔗 Tune in to hear how to rethink partnerships, align incentives, and start creating campaigns that convert.

🎙️ In this episode of AMBUSH On Air, I sit down with Giuseppe Ianni from Dynamic Communities to preview what’s ahead at Community Summit North America 2025. From pre-conference workshops to new activations like pickleball, arcade games, and Women in Tech highlights, we dive into why this year’s Summit is shaping up to be the biggest and most energizing yet.