The practice
A practice, not a payroll.
Crucis Advisors was founded in 2013 to give technology companies senior sales and business development leadership — without the cost, lag, and theater of a premature Sales VP hire. Engagements are principal-led. You work with the person in the rooms, not a bench behind the curtain.
Principal
Troy Cross
Principal
Austin, Texas
Troy Cross has spent more than twenty-five years building sales organizations for technology companies that sell into global carriers, device makers, and enterprise buyers.
As Principal of Crucis Advisors, he steps in where a company needs senior commercial leadership: market strategy, pipeline, international entry, negotiation, and the team that has to carry it — without installing a full-time Sales VP before the motion is real. Engagements are principal-led. The work is not handed off.
His operating record includes taking Vlingo from pre-revenue to a $220M+ acquisition by Nuance; scaling Ozmo 300% in revenue and 500% in customers; and business-development leadership at Maluuba (Microsoft) and Fleksy (Pinterest). Earlier, he held director roles at AT&T, Cisco, and Comverse.
He mentors at MassChallenge and works from Austin.
Selected record
Built in the rooms where the deals actually close.
2013
Crucis Advisors founded
A practice built to give technology companies senior sales leadership without the full-time overhead.
2008–2012
Vlingo, acquired by Nuance
Led sales and business development from pre-revenue to a $220M+ exit, with foundational relationships across Samsung, AT&T, BlackBerry, and Yahoo — work that helped put voice on the iPhone.
2013–2016
Fleksy and Maluuba
Business development leadership through two outcomes: Fleksy acquired by Pinterest, Maluuba acquired by Microsoft.
2018—
Ozmo and the Crucis practice
Scaled Ozmo 300% in revenue and 500% in customers, with partnerships at AT&T, Google, and Dish — while advising a set of growth-stage technology companies through Crucis.
2022–2025
Viiz and Consumer Cellular
Opened Consumer Cellular for Viiz and established the monitoring partnership behind IRIS Ally — the carrier’s wearable emergency-response service. Viiz remains the 24/7 monitoring partner; Consumer Cellular has since extended the line with Ally Go. A win for both companies.
Austin, Texas