NWN is entering its next phase of growth after reaching $1.3 billion in revenue in 2025 and earning a fifth consecutive spot on the Inc. 5000, with CEO Jim Sullivan pointing to acquisitions, operational scale, and a sharper focus on measurable customer outcomes as key drivers of the company’s expansion.
In an interview with Channel Insider, Sullivan said the broader opportunity is being shaped by customers seeking technology partners that can manage increasingly complex IT environments and deliver business results, rather than simply selling individual products or services.
NWN scales through acquisitions and organic growth
Sullivan explained that NWN was built around the premise that customers’ IT environments are becoming increasingly complex, particularly as organizations move between on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments.
NWN has combined organic growth with acquisitions to expand its capabilities and customer base.
“When we did the InterVision acquisition, we added cloud capabilities, more cybersecurity capabilities, and AI capabilities. Last year, we refreshed all the offerings, adding AI capability and continuing the right kind of innovation,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan attributes NWN’s ability to sustain growth to having the right products, customers, and processes in place. He emphasized that scaling a company requires more than simply increasing sales – it requires systems and processes capable of supporting that growth.
“You can’t underestimate that – that the scale matters and the team matters,” Sullivan explained. “They have to have the right products, the right offerings, and the right customers. Then you have to deliberately scale, but you also have to write systems and processes to scale, which we’ve done.”
Technology partnerships support integrated customer outcomes
NWN takes a selective approach to its technology partnerships, choosing to develop deep relationships with a smaller number of partners rather than working broadly across a large ecosystem.
Those partnerships are viewed as critical to delivering the capabilities customers need.
“We don’t do a wide volume of a whole bunch of different partners. We really get deep with a couple partners, and those partners, to us, are incredibly strong, collaborative partnerships,” Sullivan said.
Business outcomes replace point-product selling
Sullivan sees significant room for continued growth as NWN operates in large, expanding markets.
He explains that growth will depend on combining those market opportunities with differentiated offerings and strong execution.
“The first part has to be in large, growing markets, and then you have to have the right differentiated offerings that are really solving the problems for the customers. And then you have to execute,” said Sullivan.
NWN has built its business around understanding customers’ current state, desired future state, and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. Sullivan believes customers increasingly want technology partners that understand their businesses and can take responsibility for delivering measurable results.
“Customers want partners that understand their business, are aligned with them on the business, and can deliver business outcomes for them as if you’re part of their company team,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan notes that it’s not about selling something, installing it, and then walking away. It’s about making the whole solution work that drives the business outcome. That solution could drive revenue for a customer, improve customer experience, improve employee experience, or reduce risk.
AI and observability shape NWN’s next growth phase
NWN recently invested heavily in refreshing its offerings, systems, and processes to position the company for another significant period of growth.
Looking ahead, NWN is focused on making it easier for customers to deploy integrated solutions and manage increasingly complex environments across cloud and on-prem infrastructure.
Sullivan highlights that NWN’s investments in observability and its EMP management platform are a part of that effort.
The next phase of generative AI adoption is emerging as organizations evaluate which early pilots have actually delivered value. Sullivan anticipates greater responsibility as customers identify proven use cases and deploy them more broadly.
Sullivan says that maintaining the practices that have driven NWN’s growth is key to driving continued success. Customer engagement, research, innovation, and disciplined execution remain central to NWN’s approach.