With over two decades of success across Microsoft, Oracle, and SMB consulting firms, Santhosh Varatharajan now shares his field-tested playbook for IT services growth in his new book, Bootstraps to Billions, available now on Amazon.
In the fast-moving world of digital transformation, few leaders have walked the full spectrum of enterprise consulting like Santhosh Varatharajan. From navigating global strategy at tech powerhouses like Microsoft and Oracle, to rolling up his sleeves at agile SMB consulting firms, Santhosh has lived and led through every phase of growth, disruption, and reinvention.
Now, in his newly released book, Bootstraps to Billions: Scaling an IT Consulting Firm the Smart Way in the Age of AI, he delivers a bold, tactical roadmap for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and boutique consulting firms looking to thrive in today’s competitive, AI-accelerated landscape.
A Career Forged Across Giants and Growth Firms
Santhosh’s journey began in the trenches of cloud adoption and sales strategy at Oracle, where he helped lead go-to-market transformation during one of the company’s most critical pivots to cloud. He worked closely with customers in highly regulated industries, helping them transition from legacy on-premises systems to secure, scalable cloud architectures.
That enterprise rigor was later matched by speed and agility when Santhosh joined high-growth Oracle & Microsoft Consulting firms, where he held roles such as Sr. Director of Business Development and Sr. Cloud Sales Director GTM Strategy. Here, he directly shaped and sold multi-million-dollar transformation deals focused on Oracle Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and managed services, targeting healthcare, financial services, and public sector organizations.
He brought all that expertise to bear in his role as a Global Black Belt Sr. Solutions Sales Specialist at Microsoft—where he worked with Fortune 500 enterprises leading consultative C-suite engagements and translating Microsoft’s cloud and Unified Support capabilities into tangible business outcomes.
“My work sat at the intersection of strategy and technology,” Santhosh shared. “Whether it was at Oracle, Microsoft, or advising a niche consulting firm, the mission was always the same: help clients unlock meaningful, scalable value.”
Bootstraps to Billions: A Playbook Built from the Front Lines
In Bootstraps to Billions, Santhosh delivers what most business books don’t: real-world, implementable advice that comes straight from decades of hard-won experience. Rather than theory or recycled strategy frameworks, this book dives into the actual pain points, patterns, and plays that make the difference between flat growth and exponential scale.
Key insights from the book include:
🎯 Carve out and dominate niche markets
Instead of diluting services across a broad client base, Santhosh advocates for deep specialization. Identify high-value verticals, build industry fluency, and position your firm as the top-tier expert. This creates not only differentiation, but pricing power and stronger retention.
🤝 Build long-term client partnerships that scale
The book outlines how to move beyond transactional engagements and into trusted advisor territory. From proactive success planning to value-based delivery models, it offers a blueprint for client relationships that fuel growth over years—not quarters.
🧠 Use AI and automation to reduce costs and increase delivery velocity
Santhosh shares how firms can embed intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and AI ops into their delivery framework—freeing up resources, improving quality, and increasing margins.
📈 Create high-impact partnerships with Companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce etc.,
Drawing from his own partner ecosystem work at Microsoft, Santhosh breaks down how firms can co-sell, co-market, and co-innovate with hyperscalers. These partnerships, when done right, are game-changers for SMB consulting growth.
🔍 Avoid the generalist trap—be the “brain surgeon,” not the “general physician”
This recurring mantra from the book encapsulates Santhosh’s core belief: specialization drives scale. When firms double down on targeted expertise, they move from commodity vendor to indispensable advisor.
Grounded in Practice. Backed by Research.
In addition to his hands-on experience, Santhosh is also a published technology researcher, with articles available on ResearchGate. His academic work complements the book by exploring modernization strategies in vertical industries:
- Higher Education: Cloud migration strategies to de-customize ERPs and improve student outcomes.
- Banking: How Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer can improve scalability, compliance, and transaction security.
- Insurance: Migrating legacy systems with AI and automation, without disrupting business continuity.
These case studies reinforce the core themes of Bootstraps to Billions—providing actionable frameworks grounded in industry-specific best practices.
Real Praise from Industry Leaders
“Wow – you’ve effectively captured the essence, challenges, and success strategies of IT consulting firms in this book. Great job! Very helpful.”
— Jim Ghormley, VP of Sales, Vigilant Technologies
“Dominating a specific niche is critical for SMB IT firms to cement their success and growth—now more than ever!”
— Shriram Shanmugam, Founder & CEO, Credait Inc.
“Bootstraps to Billions is a must-read for any consulting leader serious about scale. Practical, sharp, and deeply insightful.”
— Vikas Nair, CRO, CloudVice (Former GVP & GM, Oracle)
Shaping the Next Generation of Consulting Leaders
With Bootstraps to Billions, Santhosh Varatharajan has created more than a book—he’s created a movement for IT consulting firms ready to evolve. Whether you’re launching your first solo venture or leading an established mid-size firm looking to break into enterprise markets, this book is your execution manual.
His deep understanding of both the corporate enterprise and the SMB consulting grind gives readers the credibility, clarity, and confidence they need to grow with purpose.
“I didn’t write this book for theorists. I wrote it for builders,” says Santhosh.
“Every page is something I’ve tested, sold, or lived through. And if it worked for me—it can work for you.”
📘 Get your copy of Bootstraps to Billions now on Amazon:
👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2752RXW
🔍 Explore Santhosh’s research and publications:
👉 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Santhosh-Varatharajan
📣 For media inquiries, keynotes, or executive coaching, connect via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/santhoshvaratharajan/
