Coffey Talk

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with Shannon Mullins of A BC Consulting Group and Pierre Lemyre of Gestisoft to talk about the human side of an acquisition in the Microsoft Business Central ecosystem.

Rather than focusing on the press release, the conversation explores how relationships, cultural alignment, and shared strategy led two organizations to realize they could build something stronger together. Shannon shares the journey of building A BC Consulting Group and the leadership choices that shaped its culture, while Pierre reflects on Gestisoft’s thirty-year evolution in the Microsoft ecosystem and the decision to expand into North America.

Together, they discuss what made the partnership feel right, the role culture plays in long-term growth, and why the future of Business Central is accelerating faster than many expected.

The conversation also looks ahead to what partners should be preparing for next, including the impact of AI, evolving ERP delivery models, and the growing opportunity in the Business Central market.

This episode is a candid look at leadership, trust, and what it takes to build companies that are meant to last.

Key Takeaways

• Cultural alignment matters as much as strategy in partnerships
• The Business Central market in North America is growing rapidly
• Trust and transparency are essential in acquisition processes
• AI will reshape how ERP implementations and consulting are delivered
• Strategic growth often starts with strong relationships

👉🏻Contact information for

Shannon Mullins LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-mullinsmacc/

Pierre Lemyre LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierlemyre/

ABC Consulting: https://www.abccgroup.com/

Gestisoft: https://www.gestisoft.com/en

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In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Molly Fuchsel, Founder of PartnerIn, and Peter Fidler, President of IAMCP, to talk about unity in the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. They explore the overwhelm partners are feeling in the face of AI and rapid change, why education is no longer optional, and what collaboration over competition actually looks like in practice. The conversation touches on specialization, mentorship, trust, and the importance of building real partnerships in a complex, evolving channel.

Takeaways

• Overwhelm is real, especially with AI and Copilot entering the ecosystem without a clear roadmap
• Education is foundational, but peer-to-peer learning is increasingly critical
• Trust is the currency that enables collaboration and long-term partnership
  Specialization and automation will define the next five years in Dynamics
• Mentorship and in-person engagement remain essential in a remote-first world
   

👉🏻Contact information for 

Molly Fuchsel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyfuchsel/

PartnerIn: https://partnerin.io/vibe

LinkedIn PartnerIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnerinllc/posts/?feedView=all

Peter Fiddler

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-fidler/

IAMCP: https://www.iamcp.org/default.aspx

IAMCP Amerias LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iamcpgroup/posts/?feedView=all

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Episode Summary

In this episode of Coffey Talk, I sit down with Michelle Serna, SVP of Revenue at TruNorth and Microsoft MVP, to talk about what it actually means to build something that does not yet exist.

Michelle has created four roles inside her organization by identifying operational gaps, proving value, and earning the political trust to formalize the function. From recovering millions in operational losses in her early twenties to leading revenue strategy across sales and marketing, her story is not about chasing titles. It is about building what the business needs before anyone asks for it.

We talk about leadership before recognition, cross-functional friction, burnout in high-achieving seasons, navigating motherhood during growth, and why community is essential if you plan to sustain momentum.

This conversation is about initiative, perspective, and the discipline required to lead without waiting for permission.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership often begins before formal authority
• Political trust determines whether new ideas get traction
• Cross-functional alignment requires shared language and empathy
• Burnout needs perspective and strong support systems
• Community makes sustainable leadership possible

👉🏻Contact information for Michelle Serna
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleserna1/
True North: https://trunorthdynamics.com/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
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Summary:
This Coffey Talk episode explores how innovation begins with intention, not features. Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with Projo founder Charbel Mawad to unpack the personal frustration that sparked the product and the discipline it took to know when to stop adding more. The conversation centers on listening closely, designing for real life, and defining success beyond sales numbers. This is a story about restraint, patience, and the courage to build something better by paying attention.

Key Takeaways:

• The best ideas often come from personal frustration.
• Intention matters more than adding features.
• Listening to customers shapes better products and better leaders.
• Ease and habit-building drive adoption.
• Success can be defined beyond revenue and growth metrics.

👉🏻Contact information for Charbel Mawad

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charbel-mawad-8a3373173/

Instagram: drinkprojo

Website: https://idrinkprojo.com

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

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☕️🎙️Summary:
In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with leadership coach and former fintech executive Maggie Coulter to talk about what happens when life interrupts the plan. Maggie shares how a cancer diagnosis and years in high-stakes tech leadership reshaped how she thinks about courage, identity, and career change. Together, they explore possibility-oriented realism, the quiet weight of imposter feelings, and why small, honest shifts matter more than dramatic reinvention. This conversation is grounded, reflective, and deeply human.

Key Takeaways:

• Major change often begins with an internal shift long before anything changes externally.
• Hope is strongest when it is paired with honesty and realistic expectations.
• Many high-performing leaders struggle with imposter feelings, even when they appear confident.
• Small, intentional changes can dramatically improve quality of life and leadership effectiveness.
• Slowing down creates space for clarity, self-trust, and better decision-making.

👉🏻Contact information for Maggie Coulter: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/magcoulter/

People Dynamics Learning Group: https://pdlgcoaching.com/

Maggie Coulter Coaching: https://www.maggiecoultercoaching.com/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. Conversations that stir something in your soul.
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Summary:

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Erica Hakonson, CEO and founder of Maven Collective Marketing, to talk about what happens when purpose is not a side project, but the operating system of a business. Erica shares her journey from aspiring academic to entrepreneur, the two-year push to become a certified B Corp, and why giving is not a nice-to-have for her team, it is a responsibility. They walk through Maven’s Pay It Forward initiative, how employee goals now include impact, and why purpose-driven companies can still be wildly profitable.

Takeaways:

• B Corp certification is a rigorous, ongoing commitment, not a one-time badge.
• Purpose-driven practices can live right inside day-to-day operations, not just in marketing copy.
• Giving back can look like money, skills, time, and simple presence in your local community.
• Employees stay longer when they feel like true stakeholders in the mission, not just the work.
• You can grow a profitable business that also funds real-world change, year after year.

👉🏻Contact information for Erica Honkonson: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericahakonson/

B Corp - Maven Collective: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/maven-collective-marketing/

B Corp Mission: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/

Officially B Corp Certified: https://mavencollectivemarketing.com/insights/maven-collectives-journey-to-b-corp-certification/

2026 Microsoft Partnership Survey: https://bit.ly/FY26-MSPartner-Survey

2025 Microsoft Partner Global Benchmarking & Insights Report: https://bit.ly/ms-partner-report

Maven Collective Learn With Us: https://www.youtube.com/@MavenCollectiveMarketing

Maven Collective Sneak Peak into Our Culture: https://www.instagram.com/mavencollectivemarketing/

Partner Marketing Bytes Newsletter: https://bit.ly/partner-marketing-bytes

Pay It Forward Initiative: https://mavencollectivemarketing.com/insights/b-corp-pay-it-forward-2025/

Additionally, Maven Collective's Global Survey on AI-Driven Growth: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/866976365/inside-the-1-2t-microsoft-partner-economy-maven-collective-marketing-unveils-2026-global-survey-on-ai-driven-growth

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. Conversations that stir something in your soul.
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Episode Summary
In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Steven Chinsky to talk about how consulting has evolved and what the next generation of consultants truly needs to grow into the role with confidence and impact. They explore how mentorship and community shape not just technical skill, but presence, communication, and trust. Steve shares why functional literacy matters as much as technical knowledge, how remote work has changed rapport with customers, and why experienced professionals have a responsibility to look around and pour into those coming up behind them. At its core, this conversation is about growth, learning, and building a future that is stronger because we invested in people.

Key Takeaways

• Mentorship plays a critical role in developing confident, capable consultants
• Functional literacy and business understanding matter as much as technical skill
• Consulting today requires adaptability and continuous learning
• Remote work changes how rapport and trust are built with customers
• Strong communities help individuals grow faster and more sustainably

👉🏻Contact information for Steve Chinsky:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-chinsky-321a20/

BC 3 Amigos: https://www.youtube.com/@BC3Amigos

Email: [email protected]

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. Conversations that stir something in your soul.
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Not every year comes with trophies, promotions, or a neat list of accomplishments. Some years are quieter. Harder to explain. Still deeply formative.

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with Shannon Mullins, Microsoft MVP, founder, community leader, and longtime friend, to talk honestly about seasons of change. The years where you show up, keep going, and stay grounded even when there’s no highlight reel to share.

This is a conversation about trusting the process, finding steadiness in uncertainty, and recognizing growth that doesn’t announce itself right away.

Key Takeaways 

• Not all growth is visible in real time
  Quiet years often prepare you for what’s next
• Staying grounded matters more than staying busy
• You’re not behind just because your year wasn’t loud

👉🏻Contact information for Shannon Mullins, MVP:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-mullinsmacc/

A BC Consulting Group: https://www.abccgroup.com/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. Conversations that stir something in your soul.
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

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In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate sits down with Leanne Paul to talk about what it really looks like to step away from a career, come back, and keep moving forward without waiting for permission. From social work to IT, from staying home with kids to rebuilding momentum in tech, Leanne shares how asking for opportunities, staying curious, and valuing soft skills shaped her path. This conversation is a reminder that time away doesn’t erase your experience and that growth often starts when you speak up.

Key Takeaways 

• Asking opens doors faster than waiting quietly.
• Time away from work builds skills that matter more than we realize.
• Soft skills carry across industries and roles.
• Growth doesn’t require a linear career path.

In this episode, Leanne mentions Mothers and More. Mothers & More is a support and advocacy network for mothers navigating career shifts, pauses, and returns while raising families. Through local chapters and online communities, it connects women who want honest conversation, shared resources, and reassurance that their choices and experience still matter.https://www.mothersandmore.org/about-us/

Connect with Leanne Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-paul-9108a740/

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. Conversations that stir something in your soul.
☕ Subscribe and join the Coffey Talk community.
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Resilience shows up when things do not go as planned. When the business you built gets shut down. When life forces a pivot you never asked for. When grief, disappointment, or uncertainty refuse to move on quietly.

In this episode of Coffey Talk, Kate Coffey-Bacon sits down with David Fullwood to talk about resilience as a lived practice, not a motivational slogan. They explore how setbacks shape identity, how small wins rebuild trust in yourself, and why learning from the past matters more than staying loyal to it.

This conversation is about movement, belief, and continuing forward even when clarity comes later.

Key Takeaways

• Resilience begins with choice, not circumstance
• Small wins rebuild self-trust over time
• Surrounding yourself with the right people changes perspective
• Setbacks can realign you rather than stop you

Contact David: 

Instagram: @dmarciano2023

Instagram: @alloysandysprings

LinkedIn: david-fullwood

Thanks for tuning in to Coffey Talk with Kate Coffey-Bacon!
Real people. Real stories. Conversations that stir something in your soul.
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🎧 New episodes every Monday at 8 AM ET.

👉 Visit us at CoffeyTalkPodcast.com