Channel Journeys Podcast

Go-to-market strategies keep evolving, but one thing that hasn't gone away is the ever present challenge of channel conflict. This is especially true in regions or market segments where you co-sell with your partners. How do you get your own reps to give up control in exchange for the powerful returns partners can bring? Rich … Rich Blakeman Reboot: The Power of the Hybrid Sales Channel Read More » The post Rich Blakeman Reboot: The Power of the Hybrid Sales Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

There's no doubt that customers are increasingly making their technology purchases on B2B marketplaces. I wrote about the impact of this shift recently in my blog on Channel Predictions: 2023 and Beyond. To learn why marketplaces are gaining so much steam and how ISVs and partners can take advantage of this shift, I turned to Felipe … Conill and Manks: How to Win on the AWS Marketplace Read More » The post Conill and Manks: How to Win on the AWS Marketplace first appeared on Channel Journeys.

One challenge channel managers still face is finding time to sit down with partners and develop proper business plans. But it's not just an issue of time. Channel managers struggle with the skills needed to talk about business goals, document goals and action plans with their partners, and effectively meet to review progress. To address … Gary Morris Reboot: How to Create a Successful Channel Manager Read More » The post Gary Morris Reboot: How to Create a Successful Channel Manager first appeared on Channel Journeys.

It's been almost four years since I launched Channel Journeys, on a mission to help all of us become better channel professionals. From day one I've been talking with channel experts, hearing their real life stories of what works and what doesn't, learning about their own channel journeys, and what they do on and off … Vince Menzione: The Art of Running a Channel Podcast Read More » The post Vince Menzione: The Art of Running a Channel Podcast first appeared on Channel Journeys.

One of the common mistakes we make in channel marketing is expecting our MSP partners to use our self-serving marketing content. MSPs don't sell individual services. They sell a complete offering. Getting your MSP to sell more of your solution requires helping them sell more of their of their complete offering. Dan Tomaszewski, EVP Channels, … Dan Tomaszewski: How to Power Up MSPs Read More » The post Dan Tomaszewski: How to Power Up MSPs first appeared on Channel Journeys.

When you need to build a channel from scratch or create a new channel on top of existing partnerships, where do you start? Nancy Sperry, VP of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, shares how Allego is creating a greenfield channel in the emerging market of sales enablement technology. KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are the top 3 … Nancy Sperry: How to Build a Greenfield Channel Read More » The post Nancy Sperry: How to Build a Greenfield Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Executive buy-in is always at the top of the list of key success factors for a successful channel strategy. Dave Thomson, Chief Revenue Officer at Allbound, describes what you can do to gain that executive support. Apply these tips to gain buy-in for your partner strategy, your channel budget, and for reseources you need to … Dave Thomson: How to Gain Executive Channel Buy-In Read More » The post Dave Thomson: How to Gain Executive Channel Buy-In first appeared on Channel Journeys.

When stepping into a channel chief role, you're hired for one of three missions. Run a channel, build a channel, or rebuild a channel. The rebuild is often the most challenging. Someone before you built a channel then lost it. And now you've got to step in and regain the trust of your partners.  Lynn … Lynn Tinney: Two Simple Secrets to Successful Partnerships Read More » The post Lynn Tinney: Two Simple Secrets to Successful Partnerships first appeared on Channel Journeys.

How many channel chiefs do you know who have successfully climbed to the top of Mt. Everest? I've only met one, Louise McEvoy, who applys lessons learned from mountain climbing to her role as a channel chief. Louis, VP of US Channels at Trend Micro, loves adventure and thrives on change, both on and off … Louise McEvoy: How to Tap into Transformational Partnerships Read More » The post Louise McEvoy: How to Tap into Transformational Partnerships first appeared on Channel Journeys.

You're probably tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your transactional partners. These are the traditional metrics like partner sales, partner originated pipeline, and win rates.  But what are the right metrics to track the performance of the modern partner ecosytem such as system integrators, cloud hyperscalers, and strategic consulting firms? Joe Golemba, VP, Global Ecosystem … Joe Golemba: KPIs for the Modern Partner Ecosystem Read More » The post Joe Golemba: KPIs for the Modern Partner Ecosystem first appeared on Channel Journeys.

A year ago, I interviewed Lana King, VP of Partner Programs, Training and Enablement, on how Mitel is helping partners and their customers adopt the cloud business model through their unique partner managed program. A few months after that interview, Mitel struck a strategic partnership where RingCentral became their exclusive UCaaS partner. In this episode, … Lana King: Maintaining Partner Trust through Massive Change Read More » The post Lana King: Maintaining Partner Trust through Massive Change first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Buyer and worker behavior changed dramatically during the pandemic. Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, CEO of Plugable Technologies, discusses the impacts of the remote worker, digital buyer world on the channel and how to achieve success. The answer is surprisingly simple.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are 5 things I learned from Lynn about the shift to a remote digital … Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy: Channel Success in a Remote Digital World Read More » The post Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy: Channel Success in a Remote Digital World first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in our first live Partner Advisory Board (PAB) as the SVP Channels & Alliances at BeyondTrust. The setting was beautiful Monaco overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the format was highly interactive. While there, I took the opportunity to record a live podcast to hear what our  … Partner Panel: How to Build a Modern Partner Ecosystem Read More » The post Partner Panel: How to Build a Modern Partner Ecosystem first appeared on Channel Journeys.

In the SaaS world, customer experience is king. Drive a great customer experience and customers will expand and renew their subscription to your service. Deliver a poor experience, and customers will quickly switch to a competitor and likely share their bad experience online. Genesis Lee, VP of Global Customer Experience at Allbound, shares how a … Genesis Lee: Customer Driven Partner Success Read More » The post Genesis Lee: Customer Driven Partner Success first appeared on Channel Journeys.

We often think of channel partners, the ones selling our products, as the most vital element of our partner ecosystem. Nima Badiey, Global VP of Alliances at GitLab, shares why alliances are an invaluable component of your partner strategy and how to make them successful. KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are 10 things I learned from Nima … Nima Badiey: The Key to Successful Alliances Read More » The post Nima Badiey: The Key to Successful Alliances first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Have you ever heard your partner ask “You have great products, but why do you make it so difficult to buy?” Daren Finney, SVP Global Channels at Mitel, is on a mission to make it easier to buy their business communications and collaboration offerings. In this episode, Daren shares how he is leveraging distributors as … Daren Finney: How to Use Distributors as Cloud Service Brokers Read More » The post Daren Finney: How to Use Distributors as Cloud Service Brokers first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs) are a vital component of a cybersecurity vendor's partner ecosystem. When I wanted to learn how to build a best in class MSSP program, I turned to Stephan Tallent, VP of North America MSSPs at Cybereason. Stephan shares the details behind Cybereason's new ‘Pay As You Grow' program designed to … Stephan Tallent: The Pay as You Grow MSSP Program Read More » The post Stephan Tallent: The Pay as You Grow MSSP Program first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Partner ecosystems are the new channel, so much so that channel chiefs are now taking on the name “ecosystem” in their titles. Andrew Habgood is the VP of APAC Partner Ecosystems at Red Hat. In this episode, Andrew shares how he's building a modern partner ecosystem across the Asia Pacific region. KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are … Andrew Habgood: How to Develop an APAC Partner Ecosystem Read More » The post Andrew Habgood: How to Develop an APAC Partner Ecosystem first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Vendors, customers, and partners need an easier way to find the skills needed to implement and integrate multi-vendor solutions. That requires a next generation open ecosystem where all players can see and find each other. John Guido, founder and CEO of P2P Global, shares how partners are becoming ecosystem orchestrators and leveraging a P2P marketplace … John Guido: Turning Partners into Ecosystem Orchestrators Read More » The post John Guido: Turning Partners into Ecosystem Orchestrators first appeared on Channel Journeys.

CompTIA is a non-profit trade association that provides IT channel education, training, and certifications. They also provide valuable market research on the IT industry and channel, which is where today's guest, Carolyn April, comes in. Carolyn is the Senior Director of Industry Analysis. Each year she works on the IT Industry Trends Report, based on … Carolyn April: 2022 IT Channel Trends You Need to Know Read More » The post Carolyn April: 2022 IT Channel Trends You Need to Know first appeared on Channel Journeys.

For SaaS vendors building a stream of annual recurring revenue (ARR) with low churn, partner experience and partner success are increasingly more important than partner transactions. And a diverse, modern partner ecosystem is more important than just attracting resellers with shiny tiers of higher discounts.  My guest today is Tim Mackie, VP of Worldwide Channels … Tim Mackie: How to Build an Ecosystem Partner Program Read More » The post Tim Mackie: How to Build an Ecosystem Partner Program first appeared on Channel Journeys.

When you've got a horizontal platform, how do you provide customers with solutions tailored to their business? When you're a partner looking to drive up your valuation, what do you do? Put these two needs together and the answer is partner IP (Intellectual Property).  Karl Fahrbach, Chief Partner Officer at SAP, explains how SAP is … Karl Fahrbach: The Power of Partner Innovation Read More » The post Karl Fahrbach: The Power of Partner Innovation first appeared on Channel Journeys.

With all the talk around the modern partner ecosystem, we may mistakenly neglect an entire segment of the channel traditionally known as the Direct National Resellers, or DMRs. These national sales giants, like CDW, SHI, and Insight, have transformed their business models to look much more like sophisticated solution providers than box resellers. And now … Dwayne Owens: Driving Success Through NSPs Read More » The post Dwayne Owens: Driving Success Through NSPs first appeared on Channel Journeys.

In this year end special episode, I took a look back at all the knowledge shared by the awesome Channel Journeys guests in 2021. It's always fun for me to listen to prior podcasts and remind myself of their advice that I can apply in my own role as channel chief.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are … Rob Spee: 10 Channel Lessons Learned in 2021 Read More » The post Rob Spee: 10 Channel Lessons Learned in 2021 first appeared on Channel Journeys.

It's that time of year when we're mapping out our channel strategies for the new year, making our wish lists for what want our CFO and CEOs to approve, and what we want from our channel partners. And it's that time of year when Jay McBain, Forrester's Analyst for Channel, Partnerships, and Ecosystems, comes back … Jay McBain: 10 Channel Predictions for 2022 Read More » The post Jay McBain: 10 Channel Predictions for 2022 first appeared on Channel Journeys.

We are all seeing the impacts of supply chain shortages, from empty shelves to higher prices on just about everything. I've been waiting over a year for the bike I want to become available, and it's hard to find the parts to keep my existing bike in top performance. In this episode, Chanan Greenberg, SVP … Chanan Greenberg: How Supply Chain Shortages are Impacting the Channel Read More » The post Chanan Greenberg: How Supply Chain Shortages are Impacting the Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

How do you build a channel team to support and drive explosive channel growth? Ally Murtlow, Director of National Channel Sales at Dialpad, shares how they grew their channel team by over 400% to manage and drive their channel bookings that are growing 150% year over year. KEY TAKEAWAYS Dialpad expanded their channel team from … Ally Murtlow: How to Manage Explosive Channel Growth – CJ77 Read More » The post Ally Murtlow: How to Manage Explosive Channel Growth – CJ77 first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Signing a new partner is often celebrated with great fanfare, but driving successful engagment is the real challenge for most partner managers. Daniel Graff-Radford, CEO of the PRM company Allbound, discusses a study of partner portal engagement and key indicators of successful partners.      KEY TAKEAWAYS Allbound observed their software users' behaviors and tracked … Daniel Graff-Radford: The Digital Body Language of Successful Partners Read More » The post Daniel Graff-Radford: The Digital Body Language of Successful Partners first appeared on Channel Journeys.

This is the story of my sailing adventure in the summer of 2021 from Bermuda to New York. I'm out on the high seas once again with my sailing hero, Tania Abei, the author of Maiden Voyage, and 4 other crew I've never met before. We've got 800 miles of open ocean and a Berudua … Rob Spee: Sailing the Bermuda High in a Covid Low Read More » The post Rob Spee: Sailing the Bermuda High in a Covid Low first appeared on Channel Journeys.

We've all heard how the global pandemic has accelerated cloud adoption. Analysts report that 90% of enterprises with over 1000 employees and 50% of government agencies use the cloud. But why are some partners and customers still hesitant to make the shift? In this episode, I'm speaking with Lana King, VP of Partner Programs, Training … Lana King: How to Drive Cloud Adoption in the Channel Read More » The post Lana King: How to Drive Cloud Adoption in the Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

What do partners want more than discounts and rebates? That's the question I posed to Balaji Subramanian, SVP and Global Channel Chief at Igel. Before this interview, I didn't know much about this successful edge computing company. They have a very interesting channel story of transformation. Igel launched 21 years ago as a hardware company … Balaji Subramanian: What Partners Want More Than Discounts and Rebates Read More » The post Balaji Subramanian: What Partners Want More Than Discounts and Rebates first appeared on Channel Journeys.

There's a wide range of partners and influencers who can help you find and win new customers. The trick is finding what motivates them to recommend your solution. Learn how Chris Westfall, VP Channels and Alliances at Paylocity, built a partner referral program with creative non-cash rewards to drive partner sourced business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Here … Chris Westfall: How to Build a Referral Program that Works Read More » The post Chris Westfall: How to Build a Referral Program that Works first appeared on Channel Journeys.

What percentage of your channel partners are achiveing their sales targets? Recruiting partners who are non-productive or a bad fit with your company is a costly waste of time. Paul Bird, Salesforce enthusiast and portal wizard at Magentrix, comes back for another Channel Journeys interview to share how you can find the right channel partners … Paul Bird: 3 Tips for Finding the Right Channel Partners Read More » The post Paul Bird: 3 Tips for Finding the Right Channel Partners first appeared on Channel Journeys.

When creating or transitioning your technology offering to the software subscription as-a-service model, the traditional tiered channel program is going to look as old and outdated as the lump sum perpetual license. In this episode, I share how and why we updated our channel program at OutSystems to benefit our partners, customers, and internal sales … Rob Spee: It’s Time to Ditch Your Channel Program Read More » The post Rob Spee: It’s Time to Ditch Your Channel Program first appeared on Channel Journeys.

What exactly is a hybrid SaaS channel and what can it do for your company? That depends on who you ask. I spoke with channel pro Taylor Macdonald, SVP of Channel Sales at Sage Intacct, to get his view. Taylor built an indirect SaaS channel that now contributes 50% of the company’s overall revenue. Learn … Taylor Macdonald: Double Revenue with a Hybrid SaaS Channel Read More » The post Taylor Macdonald: Double Revenue with a Hybrid SaaS Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Customer experience is the name of the game for technology vendors. And when you’re counting on partners to grow your business, partner experience and customer experience go hand in hand. Today’s guest is Jeff McCullough, Global Vice President of Channel Sales at Park Place Technologies, a leader in data center services. Jeff describes how to … Jeff McCullough: How Customer Experience Drives Partner Success Read More » The post Jeff McCullough: How Customer Experience Drives Partner Success first appeared on Channel Journeys.

This episode takes us on a journey exploring the mental health aspects of our new work environment. Marc Monday, head of Citrix’s Global Partner Go-To-Market Strategies, talks about lessons learned from a study on the impact of the lockdowns in the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lockdowns brought us the benefit of … Marc Monday: Channel Lessons from the First Wave Read More » The post Marc Monday: Channel Lessons from the First Wave first appeared on Channel Journeys.

According to Larry Wash, CEO and Chief Analyst at Channelnomics, the only thing that’s certain moving forward is more change. The Covid pandemic may have accelerated Digital Transformation, but we’re still more at a point of digitalization and haven’t even started the transformation yet. And that’s the next evolution that’s going to be coming over … Larry Walsh: Channelnomics of the New Normal Read More » The post Larry Walsh: Channelnomics of the New Normal first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Mark Brigman is the founder of the company and author of book Partnernomics. After a career leading partnerships with Sprint, Mark studied the economics of partnering, wrote a book, and took the leap to launch a company focused on helping others drive successful partnerships. In this episode, he shares the five phases of a successful … Mark Brigman: The 5 Phases of Successful Partnering Read More » The post Mark Brigman: The 5 Phases of Successful Partnering first appeared on Channel Journeys.

When is the right time to introduce your B2B software solution into international markets? How do you attract your first customers in foreign countries when you have a great product but only a small budget? International channel expert, Hans Peter Bech, author and founder of TBK Consult, shares his B2B software channel expertise and lessons … Hans Peter Bech: How to Go Global on a Shoestring Read More » The post Hans Peter Bech: How to Go Global on a Shoestring first appeared on Channel Journeys.

When I want to know what’s happening or going to happen in the channel, I turn to Forrester’s Principal Channel Analyst, Jay McBain. In this year-end special episode of Channel Journeys, Jay shares channel lessons from 2020 and makes his predictions for what we need to plan for in 2021. KEY TAKEAWAYS Here are five … Jay McBain: Channel Disruptions You Need to Prepare for in 2021 Read More » The post Jay McBain: Channel Disruptions You Need to Prepare for in 2021 first appeared on Channel Journeys.

How often does the Founder and CEO of a high tech company come out of the gate with a 100% channel strategy? And how often does that same founder remain steadfast in that strategy, year after year, for 27 years, while taking the company public and driving consistent profitable growth? Frank Rauch is the head … Frank Rauch: Drive Growth & Profitability with a 100% Channel Strategy Read More » The post Frank Rauch: Drive Growth & Profitability with a 100% Channel Strategy first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Channel Management is more of a sales game than you may think. As a channel manager, you constantly have to persuade. You have to sell your company, your products, and your channel program to your partners. You continuously have to convince your sales teams and your management why you need the channel. That’s why the … Jason Cutter: The Key to Channel Selling with Authentic Persuasion Read More » The post Jason Cutter: The Key to Channel Selling with Authentic Persuasion first appeared on Channel Journeys.

For episode 60, I’m taking a break from our usual channel topics to share my story of sailing 1500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Hear what it’s like to sail from the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean to Rhode Island in the middle of the global pandemic. This is my “little big one” with 5 … Rob Spee: A Sailing Journey Through Covid Read More » The post Rob Spee: A Sailing Journey Through Covid first appeared on Channel Journeys.

At this time when we’re not doing trade shows or in person events, we have to find creative ways to reach and connect with our partners.  And knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do. Paul Bird, Salesforce Enthusiast and Portal Wizard at Magentrix, shares the top channel management mistakes … Paul Bird: Stop Making These 3 Channel Management Mistakes Read More » The post Paul Bird: Stop Making These 3 Channel Management Mistakes first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Even before Covid, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) have been one of the fastest growing channels for SaaS vendors. New work-from-home mandates have driven the demand for outsourcing to even higher levels. But building a well-functioning Managed Service Provider channel isn’t easy. In this episode, Tony Beller, SVP Worldwide Partner Ecosystems at TIBCO, shares a wealth … Tony Beller: 10 Tips for Building a SaaS MSP Channel Read More » The post Tony Beller: 10 Tips for Building a SaaS MSP Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Covid-19 has driven an unusual economic crisis. For certain industry and technology sectors, companies are doing as good or better than pre-Covid. But many companies are struggling, including IT vendors. Steve Benson, CEO of Badger Maps and field sales pro, shares how to lead an IT Channel Sales team through this time of economic crisis … Steve Benson: How to Lead Channel Sales in a Crisis Read More » The post Steve Benson: How to Lead Channel Sales in a Crisis first appeared on Channel Journeys.

How do you build a partner program that will succeed in our new remote world? Believe it or not, there are many advantages of working 100% remote, as I learned from Michelle Hodges, VP WW Channels at GitLab. This is a company that has been 100% remote since it was founded. They have written over … Michelle Hodges: How to Build a Partner Program for a Remote World Read More » The post Michelle Hodges: How to Build a Partner Program for a Remote World first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Why is a services-led channel so important? Software-as-a-service has forced vendors to think differently about their customer engagement model. TSIA (Technology Association of America) describes this new model as LAER which stands for land, adopt, expand and renew. Sales-led partners may be great at the land part; uncovering new opportunities and getting a customer to … Steve Stewart: How to Build a Services-Led Channel Read More » The post Steve Stewart: How to Build a Services-Led Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Where do the hyper-scale cloud marketplaces from the likes of AWS, Microsoft, and Google fit in your channel strategy? Forrester predicted that 17% of the $13 trillion in B2B spend will flow to marketplaces by 2023, and that was before we were hit by the global Covid-19 pandemic. If you are a SaaS vendor and … Gary Green: Leverage Cloud Marketplaces without Killing your Channel Read More » The post Gary Green: Leverage Cloud Marketplaces without Killing your Channel first appeared on Channel Journeys.

Three years ago, two-time Channel Journeys podcast guest, Jay McBain, wrote that the channel is aging and that 40 percent of channel owners plan on retiring by 2024. That comment lit a spark for today’s podcast guest, Linda Rose. Following Jay’s prediction, Linda embarked on a new mission and wrote the book “Get Acquired for … Linda Rose: 5 Tips, Traps, & Tactics for Getting Acquired Read More »