Bridgepointe Gives Long-Term Agent Equity, Investment

Bridgepointe Technologies is giving another one of its partners equity in its business.

The IT strategy firm has given David Barsocchini the title of partner, in addition to a “substantial equity investment” in Barsocchini’s business. The agreement marks the fourth investment Bridgepointe has made in an agent. Bridgepointe has been sharing the wealth from its $100 million-plus strategic investment from Charlesbank Capital Partners, with the IT strategists that contract with it.

David Barsocchini

For Barsocchini, who has sold through Bridgepointe since 2006, the investment serves as a reward for 15 years of sales growth. Other IT strategists, like Reaction Communications’ Jeff Tarpley, have also accepted the recognition and investment.

“Our top performers gaining an equity position in Bridgepointe’s overall success is a win for all of the firm’s stakeholders,” Bridgepointe co-founder Brian Miller said. “With this model, we’re poised for strong organic growth.”

Changes

Barsocchini remains an independent contractor for Bridgepointe. However, his appointment as partner gives him equity in Bridgepointe.

“It changes more of my standing for future growth and future successes, if you will,” Barsocchini told Channel Futures. “It maintains my enthusiasm of what I do daily. As a partner, you’re happy for your own success as you work hard, but you’re also happy for your colleagues’ success as a partner as well.”

Bridgepointe co-founder Scott Evars said his leadership team wanted to remember the IT strategists whose sales and customer relationships have grown the company.

Bridgepointe’s Scott Evars

“One of the things that we wanted to make sure we did was lift up people who helped us get here. David now has some capital to help him scale his business, but he also is a true partner and owner in the business,” Evars told Channel Futures.

Moreover, Evars said Bridgepointe is providing an “ongoing offer” for the same appointment to its other existing IT strategists.

Organic Growth

Barsocchini said the investment will help ensure that he has the internal support systems he needs to ensure a solid customer experience.

“The investments can help everybody on all fronts expedite and just cast a wider net and be more efficient in what we’re doing to scale. Because you can scale deals but not have the backend infrastructure to support it,” he said.

“Our top performers gaining an equity position in Bridgepointe’s overall success is a win for all of the firm’s stakeholders,” Bridgepointe co-founder Brian Miller said. “With this model, we’re poised for strong organic growth.”

Bridgepointe Technologies’ Brian Miller

Background

Barsocchini brought a sales rep background to Bridgepointe. He engaged with enterprise customers for businesses like Adobe and Apple before trying his hand as an agent. Like many Bridgepointe partners, he has been leveraging the Bridgepointe brand during his channel career. Although he was dealing a new market, he brought the same relationship-based posture to his sales strategy.

“It’s all about long-term relationships with enterprise leaders and IT leaders. And those take time,” he said. “I finished an opportunity this month, and I’ve been talking to this gentleman for two-and-a-half years. And that’s OK. Some things just take longer than others. Sometimes you meet somebody in a conference, and six months later you’re working a project with them.”

He said the partnership with Bridgepointe has similarly emphasized a long-term relationship that he, Miller and Evars built over time.

“It feels like a small startup success story, because of the people involved and the relationships involved,” he said. “It’s a great achievement for all of us see Brian and Scott evolve the business into what it is today.”