I’m currently helping a Salesforce partner officially become an Independent Software Vendor (ISV).
If you don’t already know, ISVs sell a product on the Salesforce AppExchange. This is in contrast with the other type of partner, System Integrators (SIs).
Sadly, becoming an official ISV is not an easy or straightforward process.
You would figure that companies who are lining up with money in their hands would be warmly welcomed by Salesforce. Unfortunately this is not the case.
The process involves many cryptic steps, talking to multiple teams, and even talking to different people within teams.
I need to constant remind Salesforce of what step we are on, and where we are trying to go. And my client sometimes asks whether this entire process is worth the effort.
However they are extremely happy to have my help.
The takeaway
Being an ISV is awesome. Becoming an ISV sucks.