Solution providers serious about transition to cloud should keep a few of Cloud Sherpas' key principals in mind: Focus, team, alliances, transparency and the pursuit of excellence.

By focusing on "going really deep with a couple of cloud vendors," solution providers won't spread themselves too thin, and will be better able to meet the needs of high-value customers.

Your team has to be more than just a group of co-workers, Cohn said. "It's really critical for us to have our own areas of expertise. It's important that you have separation of duty on your team."

Alliances are both dangerous and rewarding, Cohn said. "It requires investment from both sides. You both understand why you're getting into this, what the commitment of the partnership is."

Transparency is a big part of Cloud Sherpas' corporate culture. Its business strategy is discussed openly with employees. So are its deep financial details. "We're a private company. We've made a point of sharing this info with employees, perhaps to a fault to a point," Cohn said.

A company in which all employees are trying to do their best work keeps everybody on the same page. "And it's reflected in customer satisfaction scores," Cohn said.

To BoB Conference attendees, Cohn's message was on point.

"You can't fight change, you have to go with the motion," said Armando Binelo of Trust Technology Solutions. "I paid attention when people said, 'Hey, you'd better pay attention to cloud.'"