Steve Mordue: Professional Biography

Steve Mordue has been involved in the business software industry for over three decades, beginning his career in customer relationship management (CRM) consulting. In the mid-2000s he worked as a certified Salesforce.com consultant, helping clients implement Salesforce solutions. In 2011, seeing the potential of Microsoft's emerging cloud CRM, he transitioned his consulting practice to focus on Microsoft Dynamics CRM (now Dynamics 365). That same year, he founded Forceworks, a consulting firm dedicated to Microsoft cloud business applications.

Under Mordue's leadership, Forceworks quickly gained prominence – it was recognized as a Microsoft Partner of the Year in 2014, signaling its excellence among Microsoft partners. From its base in Florida, Forceworks grew to serve customers globally, and Mordue assumed the role of CEO (a position he has held since the company's inception in 2011).

As CEO of Forceworks (later RapidStart Global), Steve Mordue became a highly influential figure in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform ecosystem. He was honored as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Business Applications for nine consecutive years, reflecting his deep expertise and contributions to the community. Mordue has been involved in hundreds of CRM deployments over his career, and Microsoft often recognized him as an expert in the field.

For 9 years, he has served on Microsoft's Worldwide Dynamics Partner Advisory Council and the Worldwide SMB Partner Advisory Council, advising Microsoft on product and partner strategy. In addition, Mordue has delivered training on behalf of Microsoft to other partners around the globe, teaching best practices for launching and building successful Dynamics 365 practices.

Mordue is also a frequent public speaker in the Microsoft community. He has been a presenter and panelist at numerous Microsoft conferences and events worldwide, where he shares insights on Dynamics 365, the Power Platform, and industry trends. This extensive involvement – from MVP contributions and advisory roles to speaking engagements – has made him a well-known thought leader in the Business Applications arena.

One of Steve Mordue's most notable career milestones was the creation of RapidStart CRM. Launched in 2015 as a simplified, rapid-deployment CRM solution built on Microsoft's Power Platform, RapidStart CRM was designed to remove the cost and complexity barriers for businesses adopting CRM. Mordue spearheaded the development of this product through his company (Forceworks), positioning it as an easy-to-use Customer Relationship Management app that could be deployed quickly in the cloud.

RapidStart CRM gained significant traction in the market – since 2015 it has been a leading choice for customers, amassing over 170,000 users across organizations of various sizes. It became the #1 ranked app on Microsoft's AppSource marketplace, valued for its simplicity, power, and affordability. This success in turn bolstered Mordue's reputation as an innovator in the Dynamics 365/Power Platform ISV (Independent Software Vendor) space.

Building on the popularity of the original RapidStart CRM, Mordue expanded the RapidStart product line into a family of business applications (under the banner RapidStart Apps). These included purpose-built add-ons and solutions such as RapidStart Project (project management), RapidStart Field Service, and integrations like a Business Central addon.

All of these solutions share a common foundation on Microsoft's Dataverse and Power Platform, making them easily extensible. By offering this suite of packaged "RapidStart" apps, Mordue enabled small and mid-sized businesses to adopt Microsoft's business application ecosystem with a plug-and-play approach. The success of RapidStart CRM not only addressed a market need but also influenced Microsoft's own approach to SMB customers.

Steve Mordue's entrepreneurial journey has been marked by an ability to pivot and adapt to new technology waves. Around 2020–2021, he began infusing more advanced automation and AI concepts into his Microsoft-focused solutions, keeping pace with the industry's evolution. By 2024, Mordue made a strategic branding change: Forceworks Global was rebranded as RapidStart Global, aligning the company name with the well-known RapidStart product line.

In addition to his role at RapidStart Global, Mordue now provides strategic consulting services to Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) in the Microsoft ecosystem. Drawing on his extensive experience as a successful ISV himself, he helps other software companies navigate the complexities of Microsoft's marketplace, co-sell programs, and partner ecosystem.

Mordue's consulting practice focuses on helping ISVs accelerate their growth within the Microsoft ecosystem. He provides guidance on AppSource strategy, licensing and pricing models, co-sell navigation, go-to-market alignment, and marketplace growth strategies. His unique perspective as both a former MVP and successful ISV makes him particularly valuable to companies looking to scale their Microsoft-based solutions.

By pivoting toward strategic ISV consulting, Steve Mordue has once again demonstrated a forward-looking shift in his career. This move represents a natural evolution from his earlier focus on building successful Microsoft-based solutions to now helping other ISVs achieve similar success in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Beyond his direct business endeavors, Steve Mordue has contributed substantial thought leadership in the business applications domain. He is an active author of articles and blog posts that share his candid insights on the industry. For example, he has written about the changing dynamics of the Microsoft partner channel – one notable post titled "Dynamics 365 – The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Channel" examined the tensions and evolution in Microsoft's reseller model.

Mordue's forward-looking and sometimes bold commentaries earned him a reputation as someone unafraid to challenge the status quo. In fact, a 2016 MSDynamicsWorld profile described him as a person with "enthusiasm for progress" – noting that Mordue even dubbed himself a "Dynamics 365 Fighter Pilot" for the way he embraced the cutting edge of cloud CRM, rather than clinging to outdated products or models.

He has also been a guest on podcasts and webinars discussing the future of CRM and enterprise technology. Over the years, Mordue's commentary has covered topics like the future of Dynamics CRM post-Dynamics 365, the importance of partner-to-partner collaboration, and the impact of new technologies on the Microsoft business apps ecosystem.

More recently, as the industry shifts toward AI, Mordue has shared insights on how artificial intelligence is transforming business applications and customer engagement. He frequently publishes articles on LinkedIn and other platforms – with over 20 LinkedIn articles to date – where he provides thought leadership on trends such as the rise of low-code platforms, the evolution of software consulting, and AI-driven automation in the enterprise.

Throughout his career, Steve Mordue's accomplishments have earned him substantial recognition. In addition to the nine-time Microsoft MVP Award (an honor given for exceptional community contributions in Microsoft Business Applications), he and his company received Microsoft's Partner of the Year award in 2014 for their innovative services.

Mordue is also known for being an early adopter of remote work and global team management. Originally from the United States, he relocated to Brazil and now runs his operations from there, illustrating his comfort with leveraging technology to work beyond geographic boundaries. (He humorously refers to himself as a "US citizen living on a mountain in Brazil".)

In summary, Steve Mordue's professional background is marked by continual innovation and leadership in the enterprise software arena. From founding a successful Microsoft-focused consultancy and creating the RapidStart CRM product line, to educating the partner community and earning MVP status, to now providing strategic guidance to ISVs in the Microsoft ecosystem, Mordue has played multiple influential roles in the Microsoft partner community.