The field of Empirical Software Engineering has undergone a much-needed expansion the last decade, and papers of all shapes and sizes are more or less mandated to have an "empirical" part to be published in premiere venues. The positive trend has researchers realizing the benefits, but also the investments needed, inherent to industry collaboration. That is, real practitioners, involved in the development of software intensive product, system, and service development. This paper shortly summarizes lessons learned from over ten years experience of industrial collaboration, and knowledge and technology exchange between applied researchers and industry.