Verinext is a company that delivers transformative technology solutions that empower digital business. Formed through the merger of Veristor and Anexinet, the company combines deep expertise across cybersecurity, cloud, infrastructure, networking, AI, and digital experience to help organizations achieve business outcomes through trusted technology partnerships. By focusing on technical excellence, honesty, and long-term relationships, Verinext stands apart as a consultative partner that bridges innovation and execution for its clients.
Pulse 2.0 interviewed Ashby Lincoln, President of Verinext, who co-founded Veristor in 2001 and helped guide its merger with Anexinet in 2022. A veteran of more than 30 years in IT sales and leadership, Lincoln has built his career on the principles of truth, trust, and technical expertise. In this conversation, he shares insights into Verinext’s origins, mission, and continued evolution in a rapidly changing technology landscape.
Ashby Lincoln’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Lincoln said:
“I have worked in the IT industry for nearly 35 years. I started my career as an OEM sales rep where I learned how critical integrators and resellers were in moving technology into customer environments. Over time, I grew frustrated with fulfillment-only partners and saw the opportunity for integrators to deliver more value. After my OEM career, I co-founded a service provider delivering data storage as a service in the late 1990s. Later I launched an integrator business focused on truth, honesty, and technical expertise. I have been operating in this space for more than 20 years.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Lincoln shared:
“The idea came from recognizing that both customers and OEMs needed integrators who could add real value, not just fulfill orders. My partners and I believed in building a company that provided technically capable, honest, big-picture consulting that helped clients achieve business outcomes. We chose the name Verinext to reflect that mission. “Veri” means truth and “Next” symbolizes the next conversation, the next business outcome, or the next goal.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Lincoln reflected:
“One of my favorite memories is earning the trust of large enterprise customers. I remember a client telling me that after a lunch with an OEM rep, he realized that no matter how he answered the questions, the OEM would have pitched the same product. That moment validated what we are all about. Our mission is to provide unbiased, honest advice and help customers navigate the complexity of vendor offerings.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Lincoln explained:
“We are not a product OEM. We are an integrator and a consultative partner. Our focus is on solutions across cybersecurity, networking, hybrid infrastructure, AI, and cloud marketplaces. What makes us different is our technical expertise combined with a long-term, trust-based approach. Our teams specialize in different technology areas, we carefully vet the vendors we work with, and we bring only the most valuable solutions to our clients.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Lincoln acknowledged:
“The biggest challenge we face is the constant reinvention required to keep up with disruptive technologies. Every few months new technologies emerge that require deep understanding. We address this by continually upskilling our teams, partnering with OEMs that provide strong education and support, and hiring people who can lead disruptive conversations with customers.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since its launch? Lincoln noted:
“From our roots in data storage consulting we have expanded into cloud, AI, cybersecurity, and hybrid infrastructure. The company has always been built on truth and next generation technology. The evolution has been about scaling our expertise across more areas while maintaining honesty, technical depth, and a big-picture outlook.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Lincoln cited:
“Some of the key milestones include building trusted relationships with some of the largest enterprises in the world, growing across multiple vendors and verticals while keeping a high-touch consultative approach, and establishing dedicated teams for different technology areas such as cybersecurity, networking, and cloud. Another milestone was navigating difficult times like the dot-com bust and post-9/11 by sticking to our principle of delivering truth and value.”
Customer Success Stories
Can you share any specific customer success stories? Lincoln highlighted:
“A recent engagement started with a client who was overwhelmed by competing cybersecurity pitches. My team narrowed the field to a small shortlist after we vetted each vendor’s technology, financial backing, and leadership track record. We ran a focused proof of concept around the client’s business outcomes and helped them pick a solution that fit their environment and budget. The result was a cleaner architecture and a faster path to the outcomes they cared about.”
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Lincoln assessed:
“Verinext operates across some of the fastest-growing segments in enterprise technology—including cybersecurity, cloud, AI, and hybrid infrastructure—each representing multibillion-dollar global markets. The convergence of these areas, coupled with the acceleration of digital transformation initiatives, creates a massive and expanding opportunity for integrators who can deliver both technical depth and strategic guidance. As organizations modernize their operations and embrace new consumption models, we see the overall channel ecosystem roughly doubling in size over the next five years. That growth positions Verinext to play a critical role as a trusted advisor helping customers navigate complexity and maximize value from next-generation technologies.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Lincoln affirmed:
“We are guided by honesty and truth with a customer-first mindset. We take a vendor-agnostic approach and help customers select technologies based on fit rather than sales quotas. We bring deep technical expertise and have teams that vet solutions thoroughly before recommending them. We focus on building long-term relationships rather than chasing short-term transactions. We also bring value to both customers and OEMs by being trusted advisors and reliable partners.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Lincoln emphasized:
“Our future goals are to continue evolving with disruptive technologies like AI and cloud marketplaces, to maintain the balance between growth and consultative service, to expand recurring revenue and business outcome driven solutions, and to continually reinvent ourselves to stay relevant in fast-changing markets.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Lincoln concluded:
“I would add that one of the biggest lessons I have learned is the importance of reinvention. Every few months we need to learn new technologies and go deep enough to be valuable to our customers. It is not simple work. I sometimes joke that brain surgeons have it easier because the brain does not change, while in IT we have to go back to school every 90 days. That ongoing reinvention is challenging, but it is also what keeps us valuable and relevant.”
