One MSP Co-Founder Recounts Rollercoaster Journey To Building Microsoft Dynamics-Focused Business

‘I’m just a guy from Fargo, North Dakota,’ says Zac Paulson, co-founder of TruNorth Dynamics. ‘But sometimes, that’s all it takes. Accidents can turn into your greatest opportunity. Never stop reinventing yourself. Sometimes the hardest lessons are the ones that teach you the most.’

Zac Paulson dropped out of college and never thought he'd enter the tech industry. Now, he’s the co-founder of TruNorth Dynamics, an MSP highly specialized in the Microsoft Dynamics space.

His journey into IT started back in 2004 when he joined a small IT company with no tech background. His focus was not on technology but on the business side of things, particularly sales, where he had already found success in retail.

“My first role was as a part-time Best Buy sales leader, and I realized I didn’t need a degree to eventually run a store," he said. "But then 9/11 happened and I had to reinvent myself."

Paulson (pictured above) spoke to a room full of MSPs at CRN parent company The Channel Company’s XChange March event in Orlando this week about his unconventional journey into tech and how he found success running his business.

After 9/11, he joined a break-fix company and became part owner by 2009. Paulson and his team soon sold a product called ConnectBooster that simplified recurring revenue. A few years later the MSP, TrueIT, acquired a Dynamics consultancy firm to expand services.

"We bought the company thinking, 'How hard could it be?' Well, let me tell you, we nearly bankrupted the company trying to make that work," he said. "Microsoft Dynamics was a whole different world from managed IT services, and we learned the hard way that these two businesses don’t mix easily."

As the company grappled with the complexities of integrating the Dynamics consultancy, it also faced setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2020, TrueIT was struggling, with inconsistent sales channels and a lack of predictable recurring revenue.

“We were losing money and barely scraping by," he said. "But we learned a crucial lesson: MSPs should never start a Dynamics practice unless they’re fully prepared."

The turning point came when Paulson and his business partner began to gain recognition as the "Dynamics guys" within the MSP community. His team then decided to spin off their Dynamics business into a separate entity, rebranding it as TruNorth Dynamics in 2022.

Looking back, he acknowledged the tough lessons along the way but remains optimistic about the future.

TruNorth Dynamics now has plans to expand its presence in the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem while continuing to serve the MSP community.

While MSPs continue to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing IT landscape, Paulson’s words served as both a guide and a reminder of the power of partnerships, innovation and resilience.

"I’m just a guy from Fargo, North Dakota," he said. "But sometimes, that’s all it takes. Accidents can turn into your greatest opportunity. Never stop reinventing yourself. Sometimes the hardest lessons are the ones that teach you the most.”

Tony Olson, president of North Sioux City, S.D.-based D2 WorldWide, said one of Paulson’s most striking points was his ability to stay ahead of the curve and make bold pivots when things weren’t working.

“He did it in spades which was truly remarkable,” he told CRN. “I don’t think many of us can replicate exactly what he did, but there’s a lot to learn from his approach. The ability to stay in touch, listen to what people need and pivot, sometimes just in the nick of time, is what saved his company. It’s a reminder of the power of adaptability and market awareness.”