In 1885, pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton formulated a syrup designed to relieve headaches, with coca leaf extract and kola nuts. He christened it “Coca-Cola” before selling the rights to Asa Griggs Candler, who trademarked the name and began bottling the tonic as a soda.
The new product addressed two market gaps in one: a nonmedicinal headache remedy and a refreshing, on-the-go beverage.
Every company has an origin story; the most triumphant start with a vision to fill a gap — and a determined leader who will make it happen.
Take Denver-based Eastwall, a cloud consulting and engineering services firm that provides hands-on implementation services for application, data and integration ecosystems.
Eastwall CEO Glenn Mate and VP of Business Development Chuck Martin co-founded the company in 2022 upon recognizing the need for services dedicated exclusively to Microsoft Azure cloud solutions, specifically targeting underserved small and medium-sized businesses. Seeing an opportunity to excel in this niche, they set out to provide tailored, high-quality services to meet the specific needs of these organizations.
Thus, Eastwall was born, and today is a trusted partner of Microsoft, serving companies nationwide.
Built In sat down with co-founders Mate and Martin for more of their story and to find out where the company is headed next.
What prompted you to start Eastwall?
The idea to start Eastwall was driven by a clear gap in the market for boutique consulting services specializing solely in Microsoft Azure cloud solutions. This market has consolidated heavily in recent years, with large global organizations acquiring many smaller firms. As consulting companies grow, either organically or through acquisition, they typically move up in average engagement size and cost. This leaves the small to medium-sized businesses and small to medium-sized corporate segments severely underserved. Eastwall saw an opportunity to be a top player in this space by focusing on delivering high-quality services to these organizations. But don’t let the word “small” fool you — companies in this bracket can be billion-dollar organizations with thousands of employees. We wanted this market to receive enterprise-quality implementation of infrastructure, data, AI and application services at a cost that would be palatable for small and mid-market IT departments.
My previous role as the head of Global Cloud Solutions for a leading oncology company gave me a deep appreciation for the transformative power of cloud technology. I wanted to bring that same level of innovation and efficiency to smaller businesses that often don't have access to such high-level resources. It was a challenge worth taking on, and the potential for growth and impact was enormous.
Whom did you look to for inspiration early on, and why?
Mate: We drew inspiration from successful technology entrepreneurs who built their companies on a foundation of innovation and customer centricity. As a Microsoft-only consulting partner, we especially looked up to leaders like Satya Nadella of Microsoft for his vision of digital transformation and emphasis on cloud computing.
Additionally, my former employer and former contractor for Chuck’s prior company, 10th Magnitude, was a significant source of inspiration. At 10th Magnitude, we grew our small consulting organization tenfold in just a few short years, thanks to our customer focus and fierce dedication to Microsoft solutions. As early adopters of Microsoft’s Azure platform, the entire business was infused with excitement about being trailblazers in solving real business problems. The company’s employee-centric focus on continuous learning and the value of building a skilled, dedicated team was electric.
Martin: Watching 10th Magnitude scale rapidly by prioritizing customer satisfaction and innovation was incredibly inspiring. It demonstrated that with the right approach, a small company can make a big customer impact through well executed business strategy and technical execution leveraging expert knowledge of Microsoft's cloud platform. Glenn and I realized we needed to cultivate a similar culture of excellence and elevation at Eastwall to achieve similar success.
What scared you the most during your first few years as a founder?
Mate: If you’re a founder, you never stop worrying. There’s making payroll, ensuring customer satisfaction, providing appropriate personal and career growth for your staff — and trying to find balance for your spouse and children.
It wasn’t a single big mountain to climb or a specific risk that scared us; it was the constant struggle to maintain the discipline needed to do what had to be done. Whether it’s a big customer implementation or balancing the checkbook, perfection comes in all the small actions you take deliberately. My wife says I’m the biggest procrastinator she knows, and she’s probably right. Somehow, though, I always manage to get it done just in time. Today I burned 25 percent of my free time browsing LinkedIn or Reddit, so I still have some discipline to grow into.
Martin: Building a business doesn’t have to be scary, but it does require discipline. Glenn always says that success is a balance of setting expectations and delivering quality outputs. That means doing what you say you’re going to do and committing to showing up every day. The things that kept us up at night on day one still keep us up in year three, just at a different scale. The fear of not meeting our sales targets is always at the back of my mind. Sales are the lifeblood of any business, and ensuring a steady pipeline of clients was (and still is) crucial. We had to constantly innovate our approach to stay ahead. It was daunting, but it also pushed us to be better every day.
“Perfection comes in all the small actions you take deliberately.”
Was there a time you felt like giving up? What pushed you to keep going?
Martin: Watching our solutions make a real difference for our clients was incredibly rewarding and fueled our persistence. Every time we saw a client's success due to our efforts, it reaffirmed our mission and motivated us to push through challenges. These success stories weren't just milestones; they were a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. They reminded us why we started Eastwall in the first place.
Each client success reinforced our belief in the value we provide and strengthened our commitment to excellence. It was these moments of triumph that kept us focused and determined, even when faced with obstacles. Seeing the tangible impact of our work inspired us to continuously improve and innovate. It pushed us and still does every day.
Mate: In business, there are decisions and actions you know you have to take, or you risk major impacts to the business or your people. It’s about navigating complex client relationships, business development and operational hurdles.
As a founder and CEO, you’re always thinking of the 10 different ways a situation can play out and then trying to build a risk mitigation or go-forward plan for each possible permutation of the problem. This results in a lot of hypothetical scenario planning — playing out situations in your head and constantly thinking about how the business might change.
There’s also a lot of financial modeling and asking your career mentors about the “what ifs.” I always say, “Plan for the worst and hope for the best.” What realistically ends up happening, if you have the discipline and forethought, will sometimes surprise you. If you’ve done the right planning, been honest in your expectation setting with others, and provided the right balance of visibility to your clients and staff, there will rarely be any earth-shattering surprises.
What’s next for Eastwall?
Mate: As always, we’re focused on Microsoft. As fiscal year 2025 begins, our organization is dedicated to delivery of infrastructure, analytics, data and AI solutions. We’re committed to enhancing our technology capabilities to meet the needs of the mid market. We work heavily in regulated industries such as insurance and healthcare, so we plan to continue evolving our operational capabilities to remain a trusted partner in these spaces.
Microsoft audits its top partners on their solutions, engagement methodology and output deliverables. We look forward to undergoing additional audits in fiscal year 2025 to continue demonstrating our focus and excellence.
For the team, we’re bringing in and promoting the right leaders to help our organization scale. Career growth internally is a core focus, and we look forward to both people-focused and technical-focused advancements. Having the right talent and resources to ensure customer satisfaction and personal growth is non-negotiable.
Martin: While many organizations are forcing their staff back into the office, we’re committed to maintaining a fully remote nationwide team. Our vision is to drive innovation and deliver transformative solutions that help our clients achieve their goals. This isn’t just about meeting sales targets; it’s about setting the benchmark for excellence in cloud consulting services. We focus on empowering our team to leverage their creativity and expertise to tackle any challenge. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and dedication, we will expand our reach and impact in the industry. Our goal is to consistently exceed client expectations and build long-term partnerships based on trust and exceptional results.
Just like tackling the toughest terrain on the slopes, founding Eastwall has been about navigating challenges head-on with determination and skill. Together, Glenn and I are committed to pushing boundaries in the cloud(s) — pun intended.
