Start at Zero book cover

Coming Soon — Spring 2026

Start at Zero

Leading High-Stakes Modernization in the Age of AI

Government ERP projects fail at rates that would be scandalous in any other sector. This book reveals why the failures are structural — and delivers the playbook that prevents the next $216 million disaster before it starts.

Abhijit Verekar
Abhijit Verekar
5× Inc. 5000 CEO · Founder, Avèro Advisors
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70%+
of large gov't IT projects fail to deliver intended benefits
$216M
lost in Birmingham — from a $19M budget
12
chapters of frameworks & real case studies
16+
ready-to-use tools & checklists included

The Convergence

Three Forces Creating Extraordinary Risk

Thousands of government organizations are simultaneously entering the market for new enterprise systems. Most aren't prepared for what's coming.

01
The Ticking Clock
SAP end-of-support deadlines. Oracle cloud mandates. Thousands of cities, counties, and states entering the market simultaneously — many for the first time in 20 years.
02
The AI Confusion
AI is transforming what's possible — and being weaponized as a marketing tool. The gap between what AI can deliver and what vendors claim has never been wider.
03
The Structural Trap
Vendor-led processes. Conflicted advisors. Governance designed to rubber-stamp rather than challenge. The structures that produce failures remain unchanged.

Cautionary Tale

The Birmingham Wake-Up Call

Europe's largest local authority — serving over 1 million citizens — turned a working 20-year SAP system into a catastrophe.

No Phase Zero. No independent oversight. No governance separating advice from delivery.

$19M
Original budget
$216M
Actual cost
10×
Budget overrun
1M+
Citizens affected

Inside the Book

The Complete Modernization Playbook

12 chapters. Real case studies. Actionable frameworks. Every phase from first recognition to post-go-live governance.

Part I — Why Projects Fail Understanding the root causes behind billion-dollar government IT failures
01
The $216M Wake-Up Call
Forensic examination of why identical challenges produced opposite outcomes.
02
Legacy Time Bombs
Why waiting costs more than acting — and how to build the case before crisis forces your hand.
Part II — Regaining Command The frameworks and preparation that create clarity before vendors arrive
03
Four Pillars of Project Control
The architecture of control that separates success from disaster.
04
Phase Zero Mastery
The preparation that creates clarity before vendors arrive.
05
AI-Enabled Requirements
How AI transforms requirements gathering into a focused, human-centric process.
06
Winning Procurement Strategy
Crafting RFPs that attract the right vendors and protect your leverage.
Part III — Executing Without Capture From vendor selection through go-live — maintaining independence at every stage
07
Vendor Selection
Spotting allies, dodging traps, and cutting through polished demos.
08
Governance Reimagined
Structures for decision-making that prevent vendor capture.
09
The Human Element
Change management that determines adoption or rejection.
10
The Independence Principle
Building advisory relationships where incentives are permanently aligned.
11
AI Comes of Age
The new rules — what AI delivers today and how to spot vendor overselling.
12
The Complete Roadmap
Step-by-step from day one to go-live with every framework integrated.

Who This Book Is For

Written for the Leaders Who Bear the Risk

If you'll be held accountable when the implementation goes sideways, this book was written for you.

🏛️
City & County Managers
Leading enterprise modernization with limited staff and enormous public scrutiny.
💻
Government CIOs & IT Directors
Navigating vendor landscapes, AI hype, and legacy system transitions.
📊
Finance Directors & CFOs
Protecting budgets and ensuring ROI on the largest technology investments of a career.

About the Author

Abhijit Verekar
Abhijit Verekar
Founder & CEO, Avèro Advisors

Abhijit Verekar has spent two decades helping government organizations navigate the most complex technology transformations in the public sector. As founder of Avèro Advisors, he built the only consulting firm exclusively focused on independent, vendor-neutral government ERP advisory.

His firm has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list five times, and his team works exclusively with cities, counties, and states — never with the vendors who sell to them.

5× Inc. 5000 20+ Years in Gov Tech 30+ ERP Engagements 100% Government Focus

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