Coming Soon — Spring 2026

Start at Zero

Name: Start at Zero
Author: Abhijit Verekar
ISBN: 979-8-9954535-0-5

Leading High-Stakes Modernization in the Age of AI

The government ERP modernization playbook — from 30+ engagements, 100% on the public-sector side of the table.

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

5× Inc. 5000 CEO · Founder, Avèro Advisors

Read Chapter 1 Free See What's Inside ↓

Free chapter + 5 templates. Or reserve a signed copy. No payment required.

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.

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.

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.

The Structural Trap

Vendor-led processes. Conflicted advisors. Governance designed to rubber-stamp rather than challenge. The structures that produce failures remain unchanged.

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

Watch · Part I intro

The Pattern Behind Every Failed IT Megaproject

The $216M Wake-Up Call

Forensic examination of why identical challenges produced opposite outcomes.

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

Watch · Part II intro

Four Pillars of Project Control

The architecture of control that separates success from disaster.

Phase Zero Mastery

The preparation that creates clarity before vendors arrive.

AI-Enabled Requirements

How AI transforms requirements gathering into a focused, human-centric process.

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

Watch · Part III intro

Vendor Selection

Spotting allies, dodging traps, and cutting through polished demos.

Governance Reimagined

Structures for decision-making that prevent vendor capture.

The Human Element

Change management that determines adoption or rejection.

The Independence Principle

Building advisory relationships where incentives are permanently aligned.

AI Comes of Age

The new rules — what AI delivers today and how to spot vendor overselling.

The Complete Roadmap

Step-by-step from day one to go-live with every framework integrated.

Watch the full companion series → Start at Zero playlist on YouTube

Early Praise

What Government Leaders Are Saying

Endorsements from CIOs, city managers, and project directors who lead modernization on the public-sector side of the table.

“

START AT ZERO is a well written book that describes many issues governments have with ERP projects. AV's expertise is evident. The valuable insights in this book will help government organizations navigate pitfalls of large, complex projects and avoid disastrous outcomes. This book is a roadmap for project success!

Dr. Jennifer Cougle

CIO, Monroe County, New York

“

If you're leading a modernization and you skip Stage Zero, you're taking on risk you don't understand. ‘Start at Zero' puts structure around what determines success — something we've seen firsthand at the Port of Portland through Port Forward. This isn't a theory book — it's a reality check.

Mike Nolop

Port Forward Project Director, Port of Portland

“

Start at Zero is a sharp, practical guide for public sector leaders facing high-stakes technology modernization. Drawing on real-world case studies and decades of experience, Abhijit Verekar shows why successful projects depend less on software and more on governance, preparation, and independent oversight. Clear, candid, and highly relevant in the age of AI, this book gives government leaders the tools to avoid costly failures and deliver technology transformations that truly serve the public.

Paul Oberdorfer

City Manager, City of Piqua, Ohio

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.

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Government CIOs & IT Directors

Navigating vendor landscapes, AI hype, and legacy system transitions.

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Finance Directors & CFOs

Protecting budgets and ensuring ROI on the largest technology investments of a career.

About the Author

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

Common Questions

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about the book, the frameworks, and what’s inside.

What is Phase Zero in ERP modernization?

Phase Zero is a structured 100-day preparation methodology introduced in Start at Zero. It creates clarity before vendors enter the conversation by documenting current processes, assessing data quality, building internal readiness, and aligning governance. Skipping Phase Zero is one of the most common root causes of failed government ERP modernizations.

Why do government ERP projects fail at such high rates?

Over 70% of large government IT projects fail to deliver intended benefits. The root causes are structural rather than technical: vendor-led processes, conflicted advisors with commercial relationships to the platforms they evaluate, governance designed for compliance instead of challenge, and skipped preparation. Birmingham City Council’s $216 million overrun on a $19 million ERP budget is the canonical case.

Who should read Start at Zero?

Start at Zero is written for the leaders accountable when a government modernization goes sideways: city and county managers, government CIOs and IT directors, finance directors and CFOs, and state agency leaders running enterprise modernizations, ERP replacements, or digital transformations.

What was the Birmingham City Council ERP failure?

Birmingham City Council, Europe’s largest local authority serving over 1 million citizens, replaced a working 20-year SAP system with a project that ballooned from a $19M original budget to $216M in actual cost — a 10× overrun. The failure had three structural causes: no Phase Zero preparation, an advisory firm with commercial ties to the vendors being evaluated, and governance that included vendor representatives alongside council decision-makers. It is the cautionary case study at the heart of Start at Zero.

What is independent advisory in government technology?

Independent advisory means an advisor whose firm has no commercial relationships with the vendors or implementers being evaluated. When advisors profit from the platforms they recommend, the advice is structurally compromised regardless of the individuals’ integrity. Start at Zero argues that independence — not just talent or experience — is the prerequisite for advice that protects the buyer’s interests.

When does Start at Zero release?

Start at Zero releases April 20, 2026 in hardcover. ISBN 979-8-9954535-0-5. Chapter 1 — the full Birmingham case study — is available now as a free download, along with five ready-to-use templates from the book’s toolkit.

Continue the Conversation

Start at Zero isn’t just a book — it’s a movement to fix how government buys technology.

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Start at Zero with AV

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Long-form govtech intelligence from the government buyer’s side, not the vendor’s. ERP, AI, procurement, digital transformation.

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