Crayon helps Mustard Seed drive SME digital growth

A 25-year history has made Mustard Seed Systems Corporation a trusted name in the Philippines’ business solutions sector. True forward-thinkers, the company saw digital transformation and cloud innovation as a natural next step for their clientele. The Philippine IT services landscape is still heavily reliant on on-premise solutions, especially for Mustard Seed’s core customers of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Mustard Seed saw how its customers could unlock a ton of value with a shift to modern cloud-based solutions, like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Business Central offered benefits that on-premise ERPs couldn’t match, such as real-time access and easier system updates.

Cloud technologies have yet to gain traction in the Philippines, especially with SMEs. Many business owners lack knowledge or understanding of Microsoft’s capabilities in cloud-based business applications. Mustard Seed saw a clear opportunity to grow its Microsoft business, but needed expert guidance to navigate the breadth of available solutions and align them with SME needs. It sought a distribution partner that could go beyond licensing to offer a more involved, expert-led partnership. It needed a strong team to collaborate with them in bringing Philippine SMEs to the cloud.

Crayon and its “Distribution, Done Differently” approach were exactly what Mustard Seed needed. More than just a licensing provider, Crayon brought together enablement, expertise, and dedicated relationship management under one roof. The local Crayon team is hyper-focused on partner care, working closely with Mustard Seed in aligning Microsoft solutions with the needs of the latter’s SME customers.

For Mustard Seed, Crayon’s ability to put their needs first was key to the success of their relationship.

Turning interest into impact: enabling Business Central growth

Crayon’s team of experts provided guidance beyond Microsoft licensing for products like Power BI and Microsoft 365. Instead, Crayon helped Mustard Seed understand what to offer, when to offer it, and how to position the full Microsoft stack effectively. The team became an extension of Mustard Seed’s own: responsive, collaborative, and always ready to help.

This enablement boosted Mustard Seed’s confidence in discussing Microsoft products and integrations, such as linking Business Central with Outlook and Excel. This resonated strongly with SMEs that were more familiar with Microsoft Office tools than its broader business solutions. Crayon made Microsoft’s ecosystem more accessible; a direct result of its “Distribution, Done Differently” approach.

By combining expertise, go-to-market planning, and close collaboration, Crayon empowered Mustard Seed to lead impactful roadshows across the Philippines. These trade promotion activities featured guest speakers from Crayon and Microsoft, who helped SMEs understand the real-world benefits of Business Central. They efficiently converted interest into results, generating new qualified leads.

Crayon’s support also helped drive sales conversion for Business Central across Mustard Seed’s nationwide branch network, helping the latter achieve their FY25 targets and the Number One spot in Crayon’s top BizApps partners list. With Crayon’s timely help, Business Central has now become a key offering to Mustard Seed’s customers, many of whom previously had no exposure to cloud ERP. Mustard Seed also gained recognition as the Microsoft SureStep Business Applications Partner of the Year at Crayon’s Partner Awards in July 2025.

A partner-first model built on enablement, expertise, and long-term impact

Crayon helped Mustard Seed explore and understand other Microsoft products beyond just Business Central – Microsoft 365, Power BI, and most recently, Fabric, an end-to-end Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) data analytics platform. This sharpened Mustard Seed’s ability to communicate Microsoft’s full value, which increases deal size and helps customers maximize Business Central’s potential.

Crayon also actively collaborates with Mustard Seed on strategy, not just execution. With Crayon’s expertise and guidance, Mustard Seed has learned to better upsell and cross-sell with existing M365 subscriptions and identify “what’s next” for Mustard Seed’s customers. Their approach helps Mustard Seed offer a complete solution ecosystem that, as Judith put it, “perfectly fits the needs of the SMEs.”

Crayon’s Key Account Manager Pam Cardenas became practically a part of the Mustard Seed team: she joined calls, solved issues, and was the backbone of Crayon’s flexible, responsive support. On occasion, she accompanied Mustard Seed on customer visits and has even provided immediate support to help Mustard Seed resolve last-minute customer concerns.

With Crayon as a trusted advisor, Mustard Seed aims to redefine how SMEs engage with technology for business growth. The next phase will see Mustard Seed expanding its reach and deepening market education, supported by Crayon’s ongoing enablement and alignment with Microsoft.

While Business Central will remain a core product, Mustard Seed plans to scale further; the company sees itself releasing more custom-made integrations that address the unique needs of Filipino SMEs. They’re also looking to deepen their knowledge of Power BI, Fabric, and Copilot. “With Crayon, we’re confident we can navigate the complexity of Microsoft’s world,” says Judith.

Watch the full interview