What Cloud9 Consulting does

Cloud9 Consulting, Inc. is a privately held, US-based business technology agent and consulting firm founded in late 2016/2017 by Michael Dougherty, a former senior account executive at SBC/AT&T. The firm operates as a carrier-agnostic intermediary that helps businesses — primarily small and mid-sized organizations — identify and procure communications, cloud, and connectivity solutions. Its value proposition centers on performing due diligence across a portfolio of nearly 100 carrier partners and presenting unbiased, customized recommendations through a consultative sales process; customer agreements are executed carrier-direct, with Cloud9 compensated via agent commissions.

The firm does not own or operate the underlying technology platforms. Its public solution catalog covers 14 categories, including Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN), cybersecurity, cloud computing, digital transformation, connectivity, data center, IoT, remote workforce, next-generation wireless, and Backup/DRaaS. These are delivered through partner carriers, with technical sales engineering support sourced from master-agent partner Telarus and provider-direct engineers. The technology stack is therefore entirely third-party, with Cloud9 acting as a distribution and advisory layer rather than a product builder.

Cloud9's go-to-market is consultative and direct: free consultations via phone (1-775-241-3936, Nevada area code) and website contact form, with a website (cloud9.consulting) serving as the primary marketing channel. The company is founder-owned, bootstrapped, operates without disclosed external funding, and has only a single named executive. Public customer references are limited to two small businesses (VR Sacramento / Citizens Business Group and PCL, Inc., Driver Placement Services), with no enterprise logos, revenue figures, or headcount disclosed. The operating footprint is domestic (United States) with no claims of international presence.

Name

Cloud9 Consulting

Legal name

Cloud9 Consulting, Inc.

Website

https://cloud9.consulting

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cloud9 Consulting is a US-based, founder-led business technology agent founded in 2017 that helps small and mid-sized businesses procure communications, cloud, security, and connectivity solutions through a portfolio of nearly 100 carrier partnerships, earning agent commissions on placements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT and Business Technology Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Cloud Consulting & Migration (BPAHAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cloud Strategy, Assessment & Roadmap (BPAEACAA), Cloud Managed Services (Operations, Monitoring, Patching) (BPAEACAF), Vendor & Contract Management (Software/Cloud) (BPAEAOAD)

Keywords

• Business technology consulting
• Managed cloud services
• Unified communications solutions
• Carrier-agnostic advisory
• SD-WAN consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Astoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Technology Agent Commissions: As a business technology agent with nearly 100 carriers in their portfolio, Cloud9 Consulting likely earns commissions from carrier partnerships when businesses select and implement recommended technology solutions. All agreements are carrier direct, meaning the customer contracts directly with the provider.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Cloud9 Consulting operates as a carrier-agnostic business technology agent and managed cloud services provider, advising business customers on communications, networking, cloud, and security solutions. The firm curates and recommends solutions from a portfolio of approximately 100 carrier partners and supports customers through planning, implementation, and ongoing optimization, while the actual contracts are executed directly between the customer and the chosen carrier provider.

Product overview

Cloud9 Consulting is a managed services provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of business technology solutions. The core offering consists of a suite of cloud-based communication and infrastructure services including UCaaS (Unified Communications), CCaaS (Contact Center), SD-WAN, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing. These are complemented by additional services such as Digital Transformation, Customer Experience, Connectivity, Data Center, IoT, Remote Workforce, Next Gen Wireless, and Backup/DRaaS. The company operates as a carrier-agnostic technology consultant with access to nearly 100 carrier partnerships, providing vendor-neutral guidance and end-to-end support from planning through implementation and ongoing optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TelaruscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Telarus provides sales engineering support for Cloud9 Consulting's complex technology solutions. This partnership offers redundant layers of support alongside provider direct sales engineers, enabling comprehensive assistance for customers at every level of their technology needs.
• AT&T (Former Employer)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CEO Michael Dougherty previously worked at AT&T (formerly SBC) from 2003 to 2016 in senior positions. This background provides industry expertise and likely ongoing professional relationships in the carrier ecosystem.
• Carrier Network (Approximately 100 carriers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Cloud9 Consulting operates as a business technology agent with a portfolio of nearly 100 carriers. This enables them to provide carrier-agnostic recommendations tailored to each business's unique needs, with all agreements being carrier-direct between the customer and provider.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• AppSmart (formerly WTG): AppSmart is the channel commerce platform from WTG that aggregates cloud, communications, and network solutions for advisors and end customers. It competes with Cloud9 by enabling technology advisors to deliver multi-carrier recommendations digitally.
• Telarus: Telarus is the largest US master agent for cloud, UCaaS, CCaaS, and network services. It is both Cloud9's strategic sales engineering partner and its closest direct competitor, operating the same carrier-agent model with a much larger sales force and supplier portfolio.
• Avant Communications: Avant is a master agent and technology services distributor specializing in UCaaS, CCaaS, SD-WAN, security, and cloud solutions for partners and agents. It competes head-on with Cloud9 in the carrier-agnostic advisory channel and serves a similar SMB/mid-market base.
• Sandler Partners: Sandler Partners is a national master agent agency offering UCaaS, contact center, SD-WAN, security, and cloud solutions through carrier partnerships. It directly competes in the same technology-advisor channel as Cloud9, with a broader sales-agent network.
• Bridgepointe Technologies: Bridgepointe is a technology services agency connecting mid-market and enterprise clients with UCaaS, CCaaS, network, cloud, and security providers. It is a structurally comparable carrier-agnostic advisor serving the same customer profile as Cloud9.
• PlanetOne Communications: PlanetOne is a technology services distributor focused on UCaaS, CCaaS, SD-WAN, cloud, and security. It is a comparable master-agent competitor serving the same channel partner ecosystem.
• Intelysys (ScanSource): Intelysys is one of the largest US master agencies for cloud and communications, now part of ScanSource. It provides the same carrier-agnostic technology advisory services as Cloud9, at significantly greater scale.
• TeleChoice (TCG): TeleChoice is a master agency offering UCaaS, CCaaS, networking, and cloud advisory services through carrier partnerships. It serves a similar SMB-to-enterprise customer base and overlaps directly with Cloud9's solution portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• CDW Corporation: CDW is a large-scale IT solutions provider and reseller of UCaaS, CCaaS, networking, security, and cloud services to mid-market and enterprise. It competes with Cloud9 for the same end customers but at vastly greater scale and with deeper enterprise integration services.

Emerging players

• Convey Services: Convey Services combines technology advisory with a cloud-based sales acceleration platform for agents and advisors selling UCaaS and CCaaS. It is a niche, technology-enabled competitor in the same carrier-agnostic advisor category as Cloud9.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cloud9 Consulting