" The fact is that I trust and can stick my neck out for the level of service I render, but can't do the same for some item I had no hand in creating."

No Truer words have been said . I personally have managed sales and marketing and I can confidently agree with you here . Being able to be part of a product or a service right from it's infancy lets you understand the dynamics of the product and the pain point you are trying to solve . Hence it allows you to be more naturally passionate and convincing over selling it.