Podcasts about channel partners conference

Live from MSP Summit at Channel Partners Conference & Expo 2025 – Las Vegas In a podcast recorded live at the MSP Summit, part of the Channel Partners 2025 event in Las Vegas, Doug Green of Technology Reseller News sat down with Charlene Ignacio, founder of Fornix Marketing, to unpack a bold message: “Stop doing events.” But Ignacio isn't anti-events — she's calling out the three costly mistakes vendors make when they show up at trade shows unprepared and hope for leads without a plan. “You're spending $20K, $40K, sometimes more for a booth, travel, and team… and you haven't even gotten a single lead yet,” said Ignacio. Here are the three areas where vendors go wrong — and how to fix them: Unclear Lead Strategy Not everyone walking by your booth is a lead. Ignacio urges vendors to define what qualifies as a lead before the show and to research whether the event's audience actually matches your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). Untrained Sales Teams “Events are a different kind of sales,” said Ignacio. Booth staff need event-specific training — knowing how to engage quickly, qualify fast, and handle the booth with energy and clarity. No Follow-Up Plan Too often, leads collected on badge scanners or apps go nowhere. “You're back at work the next day, and you forget all the names you collected,” said Ignacio. Build your post-event follow-up strategy before the show begins. For MSPs, she also recommends starting small — hyper-targeted events like lunch-and-learns or local chambers of commerce may outperform big expos if the audience is right. Want to level up your events? Connect with Charlene at fornixmarketing.com or find her on LinkedIn. Listen to the full podcast at telecomreseller.com or on your favorite podcast platform.

“We're bringing a powerful new revenue stream to MSPs—combining device sales with recurring 5G data services,” says Adam Crockett, Senior Director at D&H Distributing. Speaking with Technology Reseller News at the 2025 Channel Partners Conference, Crockett unveiled D&H's new 5G initiative, powered by Cellhub, marking a major expansion in the distributor's service capabilities and a significant opportunity for managed service providers. D&H, the third-largest broadline IT distributor in the U.S., has long been known for its dependable hardware fulfillment. But as Crockett explains, the company has steadily evolved to support its partners in new ways—offering pre- and post-deployment services, ongoing support, and now 5G connectivity. In a bold move, D&H has entered the mobile data space through a strategic partnership with Cellhub, T-Mobile's premier primary agent. This collaboration allows D&H to offer activated 5G devices bundled with data plans—an area previously off-limits to the distributor. Crockett emphasizes that this expansion is more than just another offering: it's a key to long-term, recurring revenue. “MSPs can now earn both upfront commissions and ongoing residuals through 5G service activations,” he explains. The program covers a range of connected hardware—from Dell and HP laptops with built-in 5G to enterprise routers and wireless networking gear—positioning partners to deliver secure, always-connected solutions in today's hybrid work environment. A timely PC refresh cycle and growing demand for mobile-first operations make 2025 the ideal launch window. The program also includes subsidy options through T-Mobile, potentially offsetting hardware costs and making premium devices accessible even for budget-conscious clients. “This lets our partners sell a complete solution—hardware, connectivity, and services—at a compelling price point,” says Crockett. MSPs interested in tapping into this opportunity can contact the team directly at tmo5g@dandh.com. No prior D&H relationship is required to get started. For more on the program and partnership, visit www.dandh.com and www.cellhub.com.

Channel Partners Conference & Expo 2025 | Las Vegas "Be the trusted business advisor." That's the message from Ryan Henley, Chief Revenue Officer at NUSO, who joined Technology Reseller News publisher Doug Green live on the opening day of the Channel Partners 2025 expo. For years, Henley noted, MSPs have been encouraged to be “trusted technology advisors.” But at this year's show, NUSO is pushing for a shift—one that positions channel partners not just as tech experts, but as core strategic partners who help customers grow and protect their businesses. “It's not about selling software—it's about elevating the business,” said Henley. “Whether it's customer experience or compliance, we can help our partners deliver real business outcomes.” Helping MSPs Go Beyond the Stack NUSO offers a fully integrated service platform that includes: Omnichannel contact center solutions for both enterprise and informal CX environments Compliance tools to support HIPAA, PCI, and GDPR requirements A UCaaS foundation powered by NUSO's own telephony network What sets NUSO apart is ownership. All platform elements are built and operated in-house, offering MSPs a single partner with end-to-end accountability. “You've got one throat to choke, or one back to pat,” Henley quipped. “It simplifies support and strengthens the value MSPs can offer.” A Channel-Only Strategy As a 100% channel-focused company, NUSO is using its presence at Channel Partners to reinforce its commitment to resellers and service providers across North America and beyond. “We're here to help partners break out of the technology-only mindset,” said Henley. “By enabling them to deliver customer experience, compliance, and communications—under one roof—we're helping them transform into true business advisors.” Henley sees this evolution as essential in a changing market. “When you focus on the success of others, everyone wins,” he said. To learn more, visit nuso.cloud or stop by their booth if you're attending Channel Partners this week. Listen to the full podcast at TelecomReseller.com or on your favorite platform.

As the sun shines over the Las Vegas Strip, the future of POTS replacement is being redefined from a panoramic suite high above the city. In a special Technology Reseller News podcast recorded live at Channel Partners Conference and Expo 2025, Jonathan Alarcon, Senior Director of Technology at TELCLOUD, sat down with publisher Doug Green to discuss the company's innovative, carrier-grade approach to POTS replacement—and the growing opportunity for channel partners and resellers. “POTS lines are going away. Regulations are changing. Prices are going up. And legacy systems in buildings—many hidden or forgotten, still depend on them,” said Alarcon. “We're solving that challenge with a fully modular and white-label-ready solution.” Alarcon emphasized the scale and complexity of the issue: from elevators to fire panels, healthcare fax lines to security systems, legacy analog infrastructure remains pervasive across commercial real estate. TELCLOUD's platform has been engineered to support those use cases with true analog line reproduction, including appropriate voltage support and compliance for life safety systems. What sets TELCLOUD apart is its modular hardware approach. Unlike single-box LTE solutions, which are often limited by installation constraints, TELCLOUD allows partners to separate the router from the endpoint by up to 250 feet using a simple Cat6 connection. This flexibility ensures better signal strength and deployment across diverse environments, especially in telco rooms located deep within buildings. The company also offers a comprehensive remote management platform, delivering one pane of glass for full visibility and control—integrated with leading router management systems. Resellers and channel partners can handle firmware updates, monitoring, and diagnostics anywhere. “Coming from the alarm and life safety industry, I knew we needed something better,” said Alarcon. “Our platform is tailored to the realities of fire code compliance and the needs of mission-critical legacy devices.” TELCLOUD's channel-first, white-label strategy is designed to accommodate partners at every stage—from MSPs just entering the space to seasoned telco veterans. The company offers full deployment support, installation services, and turnkey go-to-market options. “Whether you need us to handle everything, or just provide the platform, we're here to help,” said Alarcon. “We tailor our engagement to your needs.” As copper networks continue their sunset and regulatory deadlines loom, TELCLOUD invites channel partners to explore the business opportunity now—before demand exceeds deployment capacity. Learn more at TELCLOUD.com or contact sales@TELCLOUD.com. #POTSReplacement #TELCLOUD #ChannelPartners2025 #LifeSafetyTech #WhiteLabelSolution #MSP #TelecomInnovation #UCaaS #AnalogToDigital #TechnologyResellerNews

In a special Technology Reseller News podcast recorded at Channel Partners Conference & Expo 2025, Crexendo executives Jon Brinton, Chief Operating Officer, and Doug Gaylor, President and Chief Operating Officer, announced that the company has surpassed six million users on its NetSapiens® platform—a milestone achieved primarily through its rapidly growing base of channel partners and licensees. “This is a significant accomplishment for us,” said Gaylor. “We've tripled the number of users in just three and a half years. That growth is organic, partner-led, and backed by a solid financial foundation.” Crexendo, a NASDAQ-listed company, also recently announced record annual revenue and net income, reporting 14% year-over-year organic growth and six consecutive quarters of GAAP profitability. “No one else in the space can match those metrics,” Gaylor added. Brinton highlighted that more than 235 licensees now power their UCaaS and CCaaS offerings using the NetSapiens platform, with 17 new licensees added in the past year—10 of which migrated from major competitors including Cisco and Microsoft. The NetSapiens model, known for its “Seconds, Not Seats” concurrent usage pricing, is credited with helping partners maintain industry-leading margins and deploy with unmatched flexibility—either on-premise or hosted in the cloud via Crexendo's OCI infrastructure. Brinton emphasized the ecosystem around the platform. “We now have over 100 developers actively building solutions for our marketplace. Many of those are AI-driven—already available today, not years away,” he said. Crexendo partners are leveraging real-time AI features like voice studio tools, sentiment analysis, call transcription and summarization, and AI-enhanced video and contact center applications. Gaylor and Brinton also pointed to the strength of the Crexendo community as a key growth driver. “Our partners grow at twice the market rate,” said Brinton. “They share best practices, support each other, and many are on this show floor offering competitive solutions powered by NetSapiens—under their own brand.” As the company celebrates six million users, Gaylor noted that Crexendo is on pace to reach seven million before year-end. Read the Press Release. To learn more, visit www.crexendo.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. #Crexendo #NetSapiens #UCaaS #CCaaS #ChannelPartners2025 #AIinUC #UnifiedCommunications #PartnerFirst #TechnologyResellerNews  

SkySwitch, the leading next-generation white-label UCaaS provider, announced today that it has launched a new option within their existing partner program, the Foundations program. The Foundations program offers all the benefits of its Wholesale program—a rock-solid UCaaS platform and technology with a wide range of features, backed by a team of experts, all delivered under the partners' brand—and additionally provides back-office support. See the podcast below. With the Foundations program, SkySwitch handles all the billing, taxation, and regulatory work while keeping the partner's brand front and center. By taking on the back-office tasks, it allows partners to focus on growing their brand and delivering communication solutions to their customers. The existing Wholesale program is still available for partners who have the resources and processes in place to manage the back-office billing, taxation, and regulatory tasks. Now partners have the option to choose the program that best suits their needs. “As a white-label provider, SkySwitch invests heavily in our partners' success. This goes beyond the product itself, and that's what the Foundations program is all about,” said David Hardy, General Manager of SkySwitch. “Not every partner has the desire, or bandwidth to manage these critical back-office and go-to-market functions. Having the option to outsource all that to the same partner that provides the underlying UCaaS technology can be a game-changer.” For more information about our new SkySwitch Foundations Partner Program, visit us at the Channel Partners Conference this week March 25-26 in Meeting Room 18 outside of the Expo Hall floor. ABOUT SKYSWITCH SkySwitch is the leading US-based white-label Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) provider offering MSPs, VARs, telecom agents, interconnect ISPs, and WISPs, a cloud-based voice platform to brand as their own. With a thorough on-boarding process, we educate you on everything you need to know to start selling the most in-demand solution for a hybrid workforce. SkySwitch is a BCM One company.

Rebuilding Trust in Phone Numbers: Phound Business Launches at Channel Partners, a new platform aimed at restoring trust, privacy, and control in the phone system—this time, with enterprise-grade capabilities In a special Technology Reseller News podcast, Dave Erickson, co-founder of Phound and long-time telecom innovator behind CarrierX and Free Conference Call, sat down with publisher Doug Green to discuss the launch of Phound Business, a new platform aimed at restoring trust, privacy, and control in the phone system—this time, with enterprise-grade capabilities. “We're reinventing the telephone numbering system,” said Erickson. “Over the years, trust in the phone network has eroded. Phound Business is our answer to robocalls, spoofing, and lack of identity control—bringing modern privacy-first functionality to business communication.” Built on the foundation of the original Phound.app—a secure, self-managed caller ID and contact card system—Phound Business allows organizations to distribute virtual phone numbers to team members across devices, while maintaining full control over billing, access, and security. A Business-Ready Phone Identity Platform The platform gives users the ability to switch between personal and business personas, assign multiple ringtones, control availability hours, and enable detailed access settings that define who can call or message—and when. “Think of it as a virtual closed calling network,” Erickson explained. “You can limit communications to internal departments, vendors, or even specific individuals. And when someone outside the network tries to call, they're asked to authenticate themselves before getting through.” Key features of Phound Business include: Unified Billing: One admin portal for managing hundreds or thousands of phones, all billed centrally. Comprehensive Access Controls: Permissions based on trust level, with granular control for each contact. Privacy-First Security: All numbers are authenticated, and user data remains protected through customizable visibility settings. Persona Switching: Seamlessly manage personal and business identities from one device. Spam-Free Calling: Closed network architecture drastically reduces robocalls and scams. Erickson emphasized the growing importance of trusted communication in an era of deepfakes and AI-driven scams. “We're heading into a future where verifying who's calling—and protecting your contact network—is more critical than ever,” he said. Looking Ahead at Channel Partners Phound is showcasing this new platform at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo this week in Las Vegas, where the company is meeting with resellers and MSPs interested in monetizing privacy-first telecom. “There's real buzz around the show this year,” said Erickson. “We're looking to partner with people who see the opportunity to clean up the phone call ecosystem—and make money doing it.” To learn more about Phound Business or to schedule a meeting with Dave and his team, visit phound.app.

In this episode of the Channel Futures podcast, Craig and James sit down with Fred Voccola, the outspoken CEO of Kaseya, the IT management software giant. The guys learn all about the success of the recently launched Kaseya 365 subscription service for MSPs and get some advice for managed service providers ahead of Voccola's appearance at the MSP Summit, brought to you by the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, Sept. 16-19, in Atlanta. You can register for that event here: https://themspsummit.com. We'll also recognize the top company in this year's MSP 501, and in a turnabout-is-fair-play moment, James challenges Craig to a history lesson vis-à-vis "This Is Your Life."

The guys welcome esteemed channel analyst, Jay McBain of Canalys, now a colleague of Craig and James, to the podcast. He offers a great take on artificial intelligence in the channel, Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, and previews some of his many sessions at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo.

The Channel Futures podcast welcomes Amy Bailey and Kathryn Rose of the Channel Marketing Association. Plus, the latest editions to the Channel Partners Conference & Expo agenda. And the guys play a game of Family Feud. There's actually a tie-in! Go here to take the Channel Marketing Association's salary survey before it closes!: https://form.jotform.com/233326429723154

Craig and James sit down with Opkalla's Keith Hawley to learn more about the channel partner's business model, how to talk with customers about artificial intelligence, and much more. Plus, we preview some big changes to the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 11-14, in Las Vegas.

The Channel Futures podcast duo is back after a brief hiatus due to travel, and they're welcoming Palo Alto Networks into the coffee house. Channel leader Tom Evans joins the conversation to discuss the latest cybersecurity threats, updates for Palo Alto partners and predictions for the future. Craig and James also get you caught up on final numbers from the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, as well as their trip to London representing Channel Futures at the annual Informa Awards. Don't forget that you can watch this podcast. The video is here: https://www.channelfutures.com/podcasts/coffee-with-craig-and-james-episode-124-palo-alto-networks

Welcome to The Incident Report. Adam and Paul discuss the Channel Partners Conference and the Importance of reputational analysis for organizations. If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Articles Cited: Most Memorable Quotes from CP Expo 2023 https://www.channelfutures.com/channel-partners-event-coverage/most-memorable-quotes-cp-expo-2023   Cybersecurity Insurance https://fortune.com/2023/02/15/cost-cybersecurity-insurance-soaring-state-backed-attacks-cover-shmulik-yehezkel/   Quest Monitoring and Alerting https://questsys.com/services/cybersecurity/monitoring-and-alerting-services/   The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

At this year's Channel Partners Conference and Expo 2023, David Dungay, Editor in Chief from UC Today interviewed Alan Maserak, CEO at Avaya on their recent emergence from Chapter 11 on May 1st and the road ahead for its employees, partners and customers.In the session, Alan explains:Chapter 11 update and debt restructuringAvaya's tough decisions Financial and investment strategy - people, products, brand and distributionProduct roadmap and go-to-market; Avaya Experience Platform, on-premise, hybrid and public cloud products and migration strategies “Innovation without Disruption”Avaya's relationship with RingCentral and the future of Avaya Cloud Office (public UCaaS)Channel partner conversations at Channel Partners Conference and Expo 2023 event - modernizing and monetizing Avaya customersGrowth ambitions and new board of directors Will Avaya eventually sell or IPO?Outgoing message to customers, partners and employees

Welcome to The Incident Report. Adam and Paul are joined by President of Resourcive, Kyle Hall to discuss the channel, emerging trends, and what we're most excited about. Join Adam, Paul and the Quest team at Channel Partners Conference and Expo May 1-4. Visit us at Booth 2002. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2lyteanx   Follow Kyle Hall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylebhall/ Learn more about Resourcive: https://www.resourcive.com/ Learn more about Resourcive as a Podcast: https://www.resourcive.com/raap-podcast Learn more about Skill Bridge: https://skillbridge.osd.mil/program-overview.htm Learn more about Honor Foundation: https://www.honor.org/   If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

MartinWolf M&A Advisors founder Marty Wolf joins Craig and James this week on the popular Channel Futures podcast. Wolf offers an overview of the M&A landscape and delivers practical advice for any partner business considering selling or taking private investment. It also serves as a preview for some keynote and conference sessions that focus on mergers and acquisitions at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, May 1-4. Speaking of CP Expo, Craig and James will do a final breakdown to get you ready. It's not too late to register!: https://channel.informatech.com/lv/2023/registrations/Attendee

Welcome to The Incident Report episode 54. We're glad you're here! Adam and Paul discuss partner summits, the upcoming Channel Partners Expo, and cloud computing. Adam also shares his Partner Phase Theory. Join Adam, Paul and the Quest team at Channel Partners Conference and Expo May 1-4. Visit us at Booth 1902. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2lyteanx If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening!   Articles Cited: Customers Need Partners to Help Navigate New Digital Ecosystem https://www.channelfutures.com/channel-partners-event-coverage/customer-digital-ecosystem   Public Cloud Spending to Jump 22% in '23, Driven by AWS, Azure, Google https://www.channelfutures.com/cloud-2/public-cloud-spending-aws-azure   MeetKevin Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ckKuuTxAt0&t=397s   The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

Welcome to The Incident Report episode 53. Special guest Peter Radizeski joins Adam and Paul to talk all things channel. Peter is President of RAD-INFO INC., a telecom strategy and marketing consulting agency. He is a sales trainer, writer, consultant, and speaker. Don't miss this insightful conversation. Peter Radizeski is available to speak at your events on channel, marketing, strategy, or sales. You can reach Peter through his website, Twitter or LinkedIn. Website: http://channelplaybook.com Twitter: @radinfo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radinfo   Join Adam, Paul and the Quest team at Channel Partners Conference and Expo May 1-4. Visit us at Booth 1902. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2lyteanx If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening! The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at ⁠https://www.questsys.com⁠.

It's MSP 501 season. The final day to apply for the biggest and best awards program in the channel is April 30. With that rapidly approaching deadline in mind, we decided to dedicate this podcast to the Channel Futures MSP 501. First, we welcome in Ginette Andre, senior marketing associate for Channel Futures and VIP liaison for the MSP 501. Ginette offers up some frequently asked questions for candidates who are applying for the list. Then comes the team from Ingram Micro, sponsor and longtime supporter of the 501. The distributor's execs discuss the value of landing on the list. They also cover some important managed service provider trends for 2023. Also, it wouldn't be an episode of the podcast without talk of the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. James tells us about two of the sessions he'll be hosting and why you should be there. Finally, what's in a name? A common email mistake that flusters some of our colleagues. Apply for the 2023 Channel Futures MSP 501 here: https://channelfutures.tradepub.com/free/w_chag101/prgm.cgi?a=1

Welcome to The Incident Report episode 52. We're glad you're here! Are there to many cybersecurity startups? What should MSPS offer? Are there channel conflicts? Adam and Paul discuss. Plus…check out Adam's review of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie! Join Adam, Paul and the Quest team at Channel Partners Conference and Expo May 1-4. Visit us at Booth 1902. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2lyteanx If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com.   Thanks for listening!   Articles Cited: There Are Way Too Many Cybersecurity Startups. Some Won't Survive A Recession. https://www.crn.com/news/security/there-are-way-too-many-cybersecurity-startups-some-won-t-survive-a-recession-   Expected MSP Services: What All MSPs Should Offerhttps://www.channelinsider.com/managed-services/expected-msp-services/   Channel Conflict, Controversy: https://www.channelfutures.com/business-models/channel-conflict-controversy-avaya-bankruptcy-mass-layoffs-high-profile-execs-depart   Adam's Children's Book Review - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie https://tinyurl.com/2zqvqmgn   The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at ⁠https://www.questsys.com⁠.

The Channel Futures podcast this week welcomes in Phil Soper, North America head of channel sales at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He gets us caught up on the HPE Partner Ready Vantage program and the company's as-a-service efforts. Craig and James also cover the networking opportunities not to miss at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. The big show is less than six weeks away — here's where you can register: https://channel.informatech.com/lv/2023/registrations/Attendee

Welcome to The Incident Report. We're glad you're here! Adam and Paul sit down to discuss Zero Trust adoption, HPE OpsRamp Acquisition, and SVB collapse and what it means for the channel.   Join Adam, Paul and the Quest team at Channel Partners Conference and Expo May 1-4. Visit us at Booth 1902. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2lyteanx If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com.   Thanks for listening!   Articles Cited: HPE Gets AI-Based IT Management Boost With OpsRamp Acquisition https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/hpe-gets-ai-based-it-management-boost-with-opsramp-acquisition   Zero Trust Is A Huge Security Opportunity. It Also Means ‘Heartburn' For Some MSPs.https://www.crn.com/news/security/zero-trust-is-a-huge-security-opportunity-it-also-means-heartburn-for-some-msps-   What the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Means for the Channelhttps://www.channelfutures.com/regulation-compliance/what-the-silicon-valley-bank-collapse-means-for-the-channel   The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at ⁠https://www.questsys.com⁠.

The Channel Partners Conference & Expo is less than two months away and Craig and James are all over it. In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn about more incredible keynotes slated for the event. CP Expo is May 1-4, at the Venetian in Las Vegas. And for a guest, we have a special treat. Ronnell Richards, sales consultant extraordinaire to the channel, joins the guys for a conversation. They touch on sales tips, relationships between partners and TSDs/vendors, and much more. The news discussion of the day will center around a couple of things. First, James talks about an acquisition by HPE that could have significant channel implications. 5G, once overhyped, might be making another run at celebrity status. Also, our Channel Futures' Channel Influencers for 2023. The list is out, and features a lot of names in the channel who are having a big impact. The guys will explain how the team came up with this year's honorees.

A best-kept secret no more, the Alliance of Channel Women (ACW) plays a huge role in our industry. The organization promotes both established and up-and-coming channel sales professionals, including the camaraderie and mentorship to elevate their careers in what's traditionally been a male-dominated field. ACW is kicking off a spring membership drive, so it's a great time for Craig and James to learn more about the group. The guys welcome ACW board member Kelly Danziger to the show. (Her day job is Craig and James' boss as general manager of Informa Tech Channels, Channel Futures' parent organization.) The guys also discuss some of the big keynotes at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Furthermore, we've got fun with technology trivia and a test of ChatGPT technology.

Coffee with Craig and James, the Channel Futures podcast, welcomes Scott Kinka, chief strategy officer with Bridgepointe Technologies. Bridgepointe is truly one of the hottest companies in the channel, growing both organically and inorganically, via acquisition. The guys also give you your first taste of the keynotes and conference sessions at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo, May 1-4. We told you last time about keynote speaker Capt. Scott Kelly, but that's far from all. From a guy who lived in a van to a NASCAR driver, there's some really cool content on tap. We talk about it in this podcast. And that's just scratching the surface. Craig and James also will discuss the news of the week, including the staggering number of layoffs impacting the channel. Communications platform as a service (CPaaS) is also a topic, as Channel Futures introduces a new video segment. If you want to see us on video, head over to Channel Futures: https://www.channelfutures.com/podcasts/coffee-with-craig-james-episode-118-bridgepointe-technologies

It only took 117 episodes of the Channel Futures podcast for Craig and James to make their video debut together. In this premiere Channel Futures TV episode of Coffee with Craig and James, we welcome Cato Networks leader Frank Rauch. He was one of the biggest newsmakers of the past week, just joining the SASE provider on Jan. 10. The guys also give you a sneak preview of the keynote retired astronaut Capt. Scott Kelly will deliver at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, May 1-4, at the Venetian in Las Vegas. All that, plus a recap of some of the biggest news so far this month.

Craig and James are back to celebrate the holiday season with you, Nitel and Opex Technologies. First up is Jim Glackin, channel leader with Nitel, the next-gen technology services provider. It's been a big year for the company. The guys dig into the state of aggregation in the channel and have a conversation with Glackin about cost center vs. profit center. Later in the show, we get to know more about Opex Technologies. It's a well-known firm in the agent channel, but there's a whole lot you don't know. For instance, some think of Opex as a research firm of sorts? We'll dig into all of that and get some market insight straight from a partner's mouth. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't look back on the year that was at Channel Futures. Craig and James will discuss some of the biggest stories of the year. They'll also recap the successful Channel Partners Conference & Expo and this past fall's Leadership Summit. And if you haven't heard the dates for our 2023 shows, we've got 'em.

We reflect on the world's largest channel event, Channel Partners Conference and Expo, with Brent Earlewine, Senior VP of Indirect Channels. Earlewine's vast experience includes building, recruiting, and cultivating an ecosystem of business partners to support omnichannel CPaaS. Learn more about our partner program – IntelePeer's Apex Partner Program, shifts in partners' focus, and partner challenges.

Welcome to The Incident Response Episode 11. Adam and Paul discuss the Conti Leaked Documents, Top Moments at Channel Partners Conference, Managed Service Trends of 2022 and Biggest Cybersecurity Risks for MSPs If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening! Articles Cited: Conti Leaked Documents - https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/14/conti-ransomware-leak-shows-group-operates-like-normal-tech-company.html Channel Partners Conference & Expo - Top Moments https://www.channelfutures.com/channel-partners-event-coverage/top-moments-from-the-record-smashing-channel-partners-conference-expo Managed Service Trends 2022 - https://www.channelfutures.com/channel-partners-event-coverage/beyond-the-trends-in-managed-services-2022-with-comptia The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

Janitza's Andrew Ruef makes his first appearance on JSA TV from the Channel Partners Conference & Expo showroom floor! Andrew discusses the key components of a sustainable energy management system. To learn more about Janitza, visit www.janitza.com/us.SUBSCRIBE to JaymieScottoTV for the latest Telecom News: https://www.youtube.com/JaymieScottoTVHOMEPAGE: http://www.jsa.netLIKE JaymieScottoTV on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JaymieScotto...FOLLOW JaymieScottoTV on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jsatv

Quest CEO, Tim Burke joins the show for an honest discussion about cyber insurance. Do you need cyber insurance in 2022? Tim is always direct, and we appreciate his insights! If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening! Register for The Channel Partners Conference: https://channelpartnersconference.com/ Quest's team will be attending Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 11th-14th. Schedule your appointment with the cohost of The Incident Report and VP of Partnerships Adam Burke. Schedule your appointment with Quest National Partner Manager, Gary Schick. Schedule your appointment with VP of Marketing Darcy Baker. The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

The Incident Report is live! It's a Channel Partners Conference takeover as special guests darcy Baker and Gary Schick join @adam and Paul to discuss the upcoming 2022 Expo in Las Vegas. Learn how to get the most out of the Channel Partners Conference, while learning trivia like, "where can I easily spend $3,000 on lunch in Vegas?" If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening! Register for The Channel Partners Conference: https://channelpartnersconference.com/ Quest's team will be attending Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 11th-14th. Schedule your appointment with the cohost of The Incident Report and VP of Partnerships Adam Burke. Schedule your appointment with Quest National Partner Manager, Gary Schick. Schedule your appointment with VP of Marketing Darcy Baker. The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

The guys are back with their second pre-show edition of the podcast in the past five months. That's because the Channel Partners Conference & Expo is just a week away! Craig and James will break down some of the biggest can't-miss events of the show; plus, speaking of CP Expo, James will present an entertaining review of some beloved channel event stereotypes. The "attender vendor"? The "social butterfly?" The "sponge"? Then, the lineup of great guests continues. Craig and James talk to Ashley Rowland, founder of partner firm Adaptiv Advisors. She shares some tricks of the trade and explains why she started a second business -- one that trains fellow agents on, well, the tricks of the trade.

The Incident Report is live! Adam Burke and Paul Burke sit down and talk about the Microsoft Evolution, the private versus the public cloud, and Everything as a Service in 2022 If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening! Articles Cited: Global petition - https://www.channelpartnerinsight.com/news/4047261/petition-brands-microsoft-partner-score-impossible-biased-reward-loyalty Everything as a Serice in 2022 - https://www.channele2e.com/business/finance/how-real-is-everything-as-a-service-revenue-reality-check/ Quest's team will be attending Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 11th-14th. Schedule your appointment with the cohost of The Incident Report and VP of Partnerships Adam Burke, Schedule your appointment with Quest National Partner Manager, Gary Schick. Schedule your appointment with VP of Marketing Darcy Baker. The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

Welcome to The Incident Response Episode 7. Adam and Paul discuss the 2022 IT Market Trends Report, New Microsoft Cloud Partner Program, and Security Tool Alert Fatigue If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening! Articles Cited: IT Market Trends Report 2022 - https://www.channelfutures.com/channel-research/post-pandemic-it-talent-market-will-never-be-the-same New Microsoft Cloud Partner Program - https://www.channelfutures.com/cloud-2/7-fast-facts-about-the-new-microsoft-cloud-partner-program The Problem with Multiple Cloud Security Tools: Alert Fatigue and Burnout - https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/03/18/cloud-security-alert-fatigue/ Quest's team will be attending Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 11th-14th. Schedule your appointment with the cohost of The Incident Report and VP of Partnerships Adam Burke, Schedule your appointment with Quest National Partner Manager, Gary Schick. Schedule your appointment with VP of Marketing Darcy Baker. The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com.

Adam Burke, Mike Dillon, and Paul Burke discuss Russian and Iran threat actors, and the dangers they pose for your data, and organization. Have you reviewed CISA guidance and recommendations?. It's advice that can help keep you and your organization safe! Special guest Mike Dillio is CTO of Quest Technology Management, returns. The Incident Report is created by Quest Technology Management. With over 40 years of experience, Quest is a leading Technology Integrator, working seamlessly with your staff, and systems to achieve your IT goals. Learn more about everything they do at https://www.questsys.com. Quest's team will be attending Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 11th-14th. Schedule your appointment with the cohost of The Incident Report and VP of Partnerships Adam Burke, Schedule your appointment with Quest National Partner Manager, Gary Schick. Schedule your appointment with VP of Marketing Darcy Baker. Learn more about Quest's Cyber Security Workshop: https://www.questsys.com/workshops/cybersecurity-workshop/ If you have questions or suggestions for the podcast, you can always email Paul and Adam at theincidentreport@questsys.com. Thanks for listening!

Cable takes center stage in this episode as the guys sit down with the Spectrum Enterprise channel chief. Did you know how core cybersecurity is to Spectrum's business? Michelle Kadlacek, vice president and channel chief at Spectrum, shares a story about bailing out a school that had an issue with an "overachieving" student who decided to challenge its security defenses. We'll also look both backward and forward. Kadlacek describes some successes from last year and what partners can expect in 2022. Plus, the agenda for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo is taking shape; Craig and James look at the latest hot sessions added to the schedule. Finally, James takes Craig through a trivia contest involving channel news. (Let's hope he does well since he edits the Channel Futures website, after all.) We bet you'll learn something and be entertained at the same time.

The podcast is back for a new year! Craig and James are going even bigger with the guests this year. First up is Dave Dyson, CEO of Eclipse Telecom, one of the best-known agent businesses in the channel. Dyson, who never pulls punches, engages with the guys in a wide-ranging conversation. M&A? Check. Customer experience? Check? Even blockchain? You know it. He has some ideas on how all of those topics are impacting the channel and will in the years to come. Then there's Brian Gilman of IntelePeer. The company's chief marketing officer explains the increasing role of artificial intelligence in the contact center. And if you're not that familiar with the CPaaS acronym, he describes how IntelePeer recently landed in our list of "20 Top CPaaS Providers." Gilman also gets us up to speed on the latest happenings in the IntelePeer partner program. Plus, don't forget. The next Channel Partners Conference & Expo is just two-and-a-half months away. Craig and James tell you about a couple of things that are already on the agenda.

Thanksgiving is here and Craig and James have an aural feast for you! Just as good as turkey, am I right? First up is our latest edition of "Where in the World is Edward Gately?" Our intrepid reporter talks with industry analyst Jon Arnold about how rampant copper retirement is impacting the channel. Later in the show, James catches up with Jim Campbell, managing partner at Opkalla, an agent partner. Campbell describes what it was like to set up his business and offers advice to peers. All that plus Craig and James take a look back at the recently concluded Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Then, a look forward at next year's events. Finally, Craig challenges James to some channel trivia that goes back to his pre-teen years. Don't worry, he doesn't get embarrassed too badly.

We're not sure we could've packed any more channel goodness into this episode of the podcast. It's the pre-show edition as we put the final touches on the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. First up, we hear from one of the speakers at the show, John Iannarelli, retired FBI special agent. He's going to take us inside the mind of a cybercriminal. Furthermore, he'll offer tips to business and partners on how to protect themselves. Next, we follow that up with a "lightning round" that runs down every keynote and conference session you won't want to miss. Then we roll James' interview with Ian Keininger, Avant CEO and co-founder. He talks about numerous trends in the agent channel and offers advice to partners looking to grow their businesses. The team at Coffee with Craig & James can't wait to see you in Las Vegas, Nov. 1-4.

It's been a busy few weeks for Craig and James who are prepping for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. As usual, CP Expo is front and center on their podcast agenda. The guys outline some of the big sessions you won't want to miss. But the guests once again bring the heat. Father and son team Ted and Jake Schuman of PlanetOne describe a new tool for partners that they say is revolutionizing the channel. Then we'll hear from Mobolaji Sokunbi of Dell Expert Network. He'll dive into trends his partner community is seeing and give us the nitty-gritty of what's happening at the tech giant. The company is also a sponsor of our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Channel Futures. Sokunbi will explain why DE&I is such a priority for Dell.

Craig and James are back with a vengeance after a bit of a summer vacation. And they return with some powerhouse guests. First up is Dave Young, new channel chief at Lumen. He talks about how partners might be impacted by the company's huge ILEC sale. It was one of the biggest news stories of the summer. You'll also get insight into new initiatives in the Lumen channel program and other aspects of the business he's taking on. Then we'll stay in the agent channel by talking to a couple of partners to get their perspectives on a number of issues. Want to spin up a contact center practice? Kathleen Waters, founder and CEO of Creekview Group, and David Wright, founder and CEO of Disruptive Innovations, have some advice. We'll also ask them how business has changed for partners in the past year. Furthermore, it wouldn't be an episode of Coffee with Craig and James without mentioning CP Expo. Co-located with the new MSP Summit, we're announcing a series of celebrity guests at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo who all attendees can see at no additional charge.

A couple of more great guests as Telarus CEO Adam Edwards and Marc Monday of Citrix join the show. First up is Edwards. Craig was on the road at the Telarus Partner Summit last week, catching up with him at one of the channel's biggest live events since the pandemic began. We discuss the growth of the service distributor's partners over the past year and planning the Summit during the pandemic. Also, we feel better about Mondays now after our interview with Marc Monday! In a fun chat, he covers everything from softball questions about coffee to some hardballs about perceived channel conflict at the software company. We'll also learn about the evolution of the desktop to the workspace. Craig and James also preview the upcoming MSP Summit, which we are collocating with the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Moreover, they make a plea to the channel so COVID-19 restrictions at future channel events will remain at a minimum.

Channel Futures is getting ready to release its first-ever DE&I 101 list. So it seemed like a great time to catch up with two people who are driving diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the channel. Kelli McMillan of Five9 and Jamaal Savwoir of 8x8, founding members of the Xposure Diversity & Inclusion Council join the show. They discuss the group's new membership drive and tackle the controversy surrounding the term "master agent." Also joining the guys is the team from Jenne, the value-added distributor. The company's VP of vendor management and director of cloud solutions talk about Jenne's important Avaya relationship. They also discuss what it's like to serve both the traditional IT and telecom channels. Furthermore, Craig and James will get you caught up on the latest Channel Partners Conference & Expo prep. Plus, with a "space" theme, we've got a podcast that's out of this world.

We couldn't be more excited for this edition of the Coffee with Craig and James podcast. We're celebrating our 100th episode! We're notching episode No. 100 with a pair of huge channel guests. First up is Chris Jones, chief revenue officer at Fuze, the enterprise cloud communications and collaboration provider. Jones discusses his company's new partner-first initiative. He also touches on how Fuze goes to battle in the competitive UCaaS industry. Then, Joyce Mullen, a channel legend from her days with Dell's channel, joins the show. Now president of Insight North America, she reflects on her company landing the top spot on the 2021 MSP 501 list. Mullen also tackles the partner opportunity as "as a service" takes off in the industry. Speaking of guests, Craig and James have some cameos from the entertainment world wishing them well on their milestone. All that, plus the latest on the fast-growing agenda for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo and collocated MSP Summit.

Craig got a little summer R&R, meaning a bit longer of a break than usual between podcasts. But we think it'll be worth the wait. First up is Ken Presti, the stats guru at Avant Analytics. He's out with a new report that takes a deep dive into contact center as a service. Presti uncovered some interesting trends that partners should know before their next customer conversation. Then we hear from Jon Groves, CEO of Logicalis, the IT service provider. He offers insight into what it's like to become chief executive of a tech company the same month that a pandemic breaks out. He'll also dive into important industry trends impacting our managed service provider friends. Speaking of MSPs, Channel Futures released our annual MSP 501 list since we last spoke. We'll break it down. And the agenda is starting to take shape for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in November. We promise a great lineup for the channel's biggest in-person bash in two years. Finally, we'll tell you what's coming next time in our 100th episode extravaganza.

Julian Ju, Canada Channel Manager with Yealink, speaks to Don Witt of The Channel Daily News, a TR publication, about Yealink’s history and current technology. They currently are the leading global manufacturer of VoIP technology. This is a major achievement having started the company in 2001. Julian Ju Due to COVID-19 Yealink has modified its approach to the Canadian channel. Initially focusing on headsets as a ZOOM necessity, it turns out that the Yealink VoIP phones addressed the real need of the ZOOM from home demand. Listen in as Julian describes the road map and market focus of Yealink in Canada for 2021? Yealink is a global brand that specializes in video conferencing, voice communications and collaboration solutions with best-in-class quality, innovative technology and user-friendly experience. As one of the best providers in more than 140 countries and regions, Yealink ranks No.1 in the global market share of SIP phone shipments (Global IP Desktop Phone Growth Excellence Leadership Award Report, Frost & Sullivan, 2019). For more information, go to: https://canadianchannelpartners.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjv3KDwcSQ&t=8s https://www.yealink.com/

With the surge in cloud solutions, Ingram Micro has helped customers during the pandemic with provisioning on-demand services.  It is all about the experience and without automation, the resellers and VARs would be limited in their capabilities to respond to customer dimands during COVID. Greg Onoprijenko Greg Onoprijenko, Cloud Director for Ingram Micro Canada, highlights the services which have been most utilized by the channel during the pandemic to Don Witt of The Channel Daily News, a TR publication. It is not only phones being provisioned, but also SaaS applications that get more complicated.  The provisioning streamlines the resellers & VARs response time and eliminates configuration errors. Greg continues by describing how Ingram Micro has addressed business communications and the vision of ‘work from anywhere’ during the last year. Learn how convenience and resources are available to resellers and how they differentiate Ingram Micro in market. Ingram Micro Cloud is a global division of Ingram Micro and employs more than 1,500 dedicated cloud specialists worldwide. Among this large pool of experts are 400+ cloud sales associates and 700+ engineers. As a premium cloud services provider, Ingram Micro Cloud views cloud not just as a single technology, but as a foundational platform capable of underpinning the digital transformation. Their innovative platform and services offerings power some of the world’s most pioneering and successful companies. For more information, go to: https://canadianchannelpartners.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjv3KDwcSQ&t=8s https://www.ingrammicrocloud.com/ca/en/

Security has become one of the most important issues for a company to address in 2021.  With the work from anywhere employee base now representing 20% to 30% of a future staffing, normal security measures are out the window. Eric Anthony Eric Anthony, Director of Channel Community and Enablement with Egnyte walks Don Witt of The Channel Daily News, a TR publication, through the benefits of a secure environment for employees during a time when they are remote workers.  Having control of the company data and knowing who is accessing what at any one given time is critical to the efficiency of the company.  Enabling that process to happen securely is vital to the operation. Listen in as Eric details how not only the employees benefit, but also how the customers or client benefit. The Virtual Canadian Channel Partners will be held February 23rd and February 24th. Be sure to sign up and hear the many Keynote speakers that will address current issues along with new technology. Egnyte is the only secure content platform built specifically for business. With thousands of customers worldwide, in a variety of different vertical markets, Egnyte delivers secure content collaboration, compliant data protection, and simple infrastructure modernization; all through a single SaaS platform. Founded in 2007, Egnyte is a privately held company with headquarters in Mountain View, CA, and offices in Raleigh, NC, Spokane, WA, London, and Poland. Investors include Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Caufield & Byers, and Goldman Sachs. For more information, go to: https://www.egnyte.com/ or https://canadianchannelpartners.com/  or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjv3KDwcSQ&t=8s

Jay McBain, Principal Analyst for Channels, Partnerships & Alliances with Forrester Research, Inc. shares the top 3 shifts in the world of channels during 2020 with Don Witt of The Channel Daily News, a TR publication.  In addition, Jay has talked with many companies about their channel strategy and channel programs.  Listen to what are some patterns he sees from the most successful companies. Jay McBain We know that there are a lot of work-from-home employees resulting from COVID-19. Jay will provide details on how the pandemic affected the channel and the telecommunications industry. Some communications companies suffered and others grew during 2020.  Jay will identify what the secret was for the successful companies. Being a Keynote Speaker at the Canadian Channel Partners 2021 Conference, Jay provides some insight, to the podcast listeners, on what he will be discussing. (*) Due to the current lockdown restrictions, the onsite component of the event is not available. For more information, go to: Date: February 23 & 24, 2020 Website: https://canadianchannelpartners.com/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjv3KDwcSQ&t=8s

Dano Ybara, a serial entrepreneur with a billion dollar start up to his credit, speaks to Don Witt of the Channel Daily News, a TR publication about the changing times and the opportunities that emerge as a result of turbulent distressful environment we find ourselves in as a result of COVID-19. How should leaders of companies and industries manage and maneuver their organizations and employees through these difficult times. Dano Ybarra Listen in to hear the advice that Dano provides to help channel partners guide their businesses through 2021. Find out about the many attractions that will be featured at the Virtual and onsite Canadian Channel Partners this February 23rd & 24th. A long list of vendors will be available both on site and at the Virtual event. For more information, go to: Date: February 23 & 24, 2020 Location: Virtual Event & Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto Website: https://canadianchannelpartners.com/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjv3KDwcSQ&t=8s

It's a bombastic new Coffee with Craig and Kevin, the 75th edition of the podcast! The guys are celebrating with Dan Saks, co-CEO of AppDirect, who discusses the origin of the company and how the acquisitions of a number of big master agents in the channel furthered his mission to develop AppSmart, the technology-services marketplace. Renee Bergeron, new SVP and GM of AppSmart, also takes part in the conversation, to talk about what drew her to AppSmart from a decade at Ingram Micro and what she has for goals in her first year at the company. Then, one of the hottest companies in all of tech, let alone the channel, drops in for a chat. Kevin Thomsen with Zoom Video Communications tells us why his company's platform is catching on like wildfire. He also offers up some interesting thoughts on the work-from-home phenomenon created by coronavirus concerns nationwide. All that, plus Craig and Kevin break news-- sort of -- on the rescheduling of the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Plus, they unveil their latest "movie trailer" for those who need a pick-me-up during these difficult times.

**The interviews for this episode of Coffee with Craig and Kevin were done prior to the difficult decision that was made to officially postpone the event. Stay tuned to this podcast stream for updates on when it will be rescheduled.** Craig and Kevin offer their famous pre-show edition of the podcast, where they break down some of their favorite things to come at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 9-12, in Las Vegas. The guys interview two companies that will make big waves at the event. First up is Pilot Fiber's Mike Egbert, the company's director of sales. He gets us up to speed on the competitive market for fiber and internet services. Then comes Jasmina Muller, the 8x8 and CenturyLink channel vet who just took on a big new role with Everbridge, the critical event management provider for the channel. She explains how partners can get a conversation around CEM started with their customers.

With just a week and a half before the BIG SHOW, the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, Craig and Kevin are hard at work not only prepping for the event but also garnering interviews with some of the big players who will be in the expo hall and beyond. First up is Rob Messmer, channel chief with CBTS, who strolls into the coffeehouse to update us on the company's foray into SD-WAN and unique efforts to build its channel community. Then it's Jed Kenzy, managing partner with Innovative Business Solutions, who talks about the master agent's relationships with the big cable companies and its Cablefinder.net service. And of course, both companies can be found all over the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 9-12, whether it be in the expo hall, in meeting rooms, on the keynote stage and more. Finally,  Craig and Kevin will give you a top-three countdown of tips for attending the show.

Craig and Kevin packed a lot into this episode with just a little more than three weeks to go before the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. First up is the channel team from Oracle. They get into the nitty gritty of SD-WAN and security. You might be surprised at the strides that this networking, cloud and enterprise software company is making in the channel. Also, our Edward Gately scored an interview Avaya's channel chief to learn more about Avaya Cloud Office, which the company is betting on as a huge success when it debuts this spring. He also learned how Avaya plans to turn around four years of declining channel revenue. And just when you thought that awards season was over, the guys discuss the many honors that will be doled out at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 9-12, in Las Vegas. Among them: the Excellence in Digital Services Awards, the Channel Influencer Awards and the Channel Partners Circle of Excellence. Speaking of awards, did you know that this podcast was up for a very prestigious honor? This is the one time we're not being facetious.

We're just one month away from the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, so the guys lined up an interview with Nerdio, which is poised to help drive even more managed service providers to the event. Also on the show, intrepid Channel Partners editor Edward Gately files a report from the Check Point Software CPX 360 event, where he caught up with the company's channel chief, Frank Rauch. Check Point is making some significant changes to its channel program. What's more, we'll break down the upcoming Business Success Workshop preconference ahead of the Channel Partners show and fill you in some of the networking opportunities available at this year's BIG SHOW. Finally, Craig and Kevin get their Super Bowl predictions in--yes, we recorded this before the big game--and let's just say the result was better for Craig than it was Kevin.

Craig and Kevin are back with their first episode of the new year, the new decade! You might say they've got 2020 vision in great new interviews with Poly and Webroot. Poly channel chief Nick Tidd, one of our Channel Partners Top Gun 51 award winners from 2019, tells us how partners have reacted to the changes at the company -- namely the merger of Plantronics and Polycom, followed by the rebrand to Poly. He also touches on new products and services rolling out at the company over the past few months and the exciting things coming down the road. The guys also up their security game by welcoming George Anderson of Webroot to the show. He gets us caught up on advice for partners approaching their customers about security spending and the urgency for SMBs to stop thinking they're immune from cyberattacks. And it wouldn't be a new year without one of Kevin's whimsical industry metaphors. We've also got a preview of the hot keynotes and conference education tracks on tap for the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo in March.

The guys return with their final podcast of the year, celebrating the holidays and thanking listeners for their devotion to Coffee with Craig and Kevin throughout 2019. And a classic Craig & Kevin tradition returns -- a special CwCK movie trailer celebrating the "space" everyone in the channel loves to occupy. They've also lined up a pair of great guests. First up is Andrew Pryfogle, chief market development officer at cloud distributor Pax8. He'll be on a panel debating IT and telecom convergence at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo in March. You'll want to hear what he has to say. Also, Vonage channel chief Mario DeRiggi talks to Craig and Kevin about the company's new channel program in the U.K. -- perfect timing coming off our inaugural Channel Evolution Europe show -- as well as Vonage's revitalized branding as a B2B SaaS company. What's it all mean to partners? Listen and find out.

The push is on to Channel Evolution Europe, less than three weeks away in London. It's our inaugural European show, where we'll welcome top vendors and partners to Park Plaza Victoria, Dec. 2-3. A key player in the event will be Dave Sobel, IT industry and MSP expert, most recently at SolarWinds, who is doing a couple of his own podcasts to evangelize for the channel. We sat down with him to hear what he's been up to, what he has planned for Channel Evolution Europe, and how he'll be working with Channel Partners and Channel Futures over the next few months -- not to mention pick his brain for channel-related advice. Oh, and get this: Sobel says the "trusted adviser" is dead. That ought to perk up some ears. The guys also welcome the team from Vade Secure, the email security company, to learn about new technology they're offering and get the inside scoop on the latest in phishing attacks. All that, plus we take our first look at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, slated for March 2020, and Kevin explains why he loves the three "F's" of fall so much.

Did you think we were gone for good? No way -- sorry! The guys are back with their first show since the Channel Partners Conference & Expo wrapped last month with a recap of the event and a trio of interviews with some big players in the industry. First up is Danny Obaseki, VP of sales with GMS Live Expert, who shares how MSPs and their end customers are benefiting by working with his company. Then, Channel Partners/Channel Futures news editor Edward Gately talks with channel leaders from KnowBe4 at their KB4-CON user conference, where dozens of partners were in attendance. They get us caught up on the latest trends in cybersecurity and how the KnowBe4 partner program is helping partners improve their security chops. And fellow news editor James Anderson files a live report from master agent TBI's Big Event at Soldier Field in Chicago. All that, plus Kevin tries to slow Digi's momentum and the guys reveal a big name that will be taking the stage at this fall's Channel Partners Evolution. Be sure to check out the following links mentioned in the podcast: Live video podcast on Channel Evolution Europe: https://www.channelpartnersonline.com/videos/coffee-with-craig-and-kevin-get-ready-for-channel-evolution-europe/ MSP 501 application page: https://informa.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Xmxv9gFsMHSgVT?track=Website_Announcement

The Channel Partners Conference & Expo is almost here, so the guys are celebrating with a trio of first-time exhibitors at the show. First up is Richard Stevens of Channel Assist, who talks about how his company helps businesses increase partner engagement. Then comes Rachael Wright of Upcurve Cloud, a Google Cloud premier partner. She shares how Upcurve offers partners the opportunity to engage their clients from top to bottom of the technology stack. Last but not least is Jennifer Kula of Wasabi, who explains Wasabi's "hot" storage and how partners can be "hot" by association. And of course, with this being the last podcast before the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas kicks off on April 9, Craig and Kevin offer tips to make the best of your event-going experience. Oh, and Kevin raps … and goes off on a rant to get us all pumped up … the usual stuff.

March Madness is in full swing, not only on the basketball court, but with our podcast and the just-around-the-corner Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Oracle, fresh off its purchase of SD-WAN provider Talari, is poised to make a big splash at our show. Nate Grinnell, senior director of the company's worldwide alliances and channels, strolls into the coffeehouse to talk about: how the acquisition will benefit partners of both companies; the new master-agent relationships he's setting up; the year's hottest SD-WAN trends; and the message he and his team hope to get across to prospective partners at CP Expo. We'll also get an on-the-scene report from Ingram Micro's Cloud Summit X, where the distribution giant just launched a new IoT Marketplace. All of that, plus a rundown of the Channel Partners agenda that only a millennial could appreciate.

With the Channel Partners Conference & Expo now just a little over a month away, the guys are getting serious. (Well, kind of. Their guests certainly are.) First up is Tim Cook, founder and chief revenue officer of Blulogix, the B2B monetization specialists. Cook explains how partners can take advantage of what he calls the "monetization moment" and discusses the on-demand Channel Partners webinar that can help our audience make a giant leap toward getting there. Next up is Andy Ory, co-founder and CEO of 128 Technology, a company that takes a unique look at networking. Ory tells us how the surge in the use of multiple clouds is impacting the industry and how his company's Session Smart SD-WAN is changing the game for its partner community. All that, plus--are you ready to par-tay? The revamped Digi Awards at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas now features a party where we're welcoming a few hundred guests to put their hands up and raise a glass. We break it all down.

Craig and Kevin are coming down off the high from Valentine's Day in their latest podcast. Love is in the air when Jim Vicatos, national director of sales at Choice Business Connections, joins the show. In addition to telling us where to find the best bagels and pizza on Long Island, Jim talks about his company's important relationship with T-Mobile, partner opportunities in IoT and how Choice's CAMP program is saving customers money. The guys also feel the love from Rick Beckers, who's not only a member of the Channel Partners Advisory Board, but also the head of a new company that's bringing a new approach in digital distribution to the channel. "It's an evolution and a collision of everything that's going on in the world as it pertains to what everyone has hung "industry 4.0" on ... our channel vendors and agents and partners are selling technology things. ... The digital transformation has turned everything from what used to be an on-premises world to a hybrid world, and you'd now be hard-pressed to find a technology offering that, if it already isn't subscription-based, the vendors selling those things are already working on how to make their wares subscription-based. XaaS1 ... is evolving the channel ... [creating] a digital distribution layer ... making the channel easier in general with a single-sign-on platform." All that and more, including a preview of the Business Success Symposium at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo and all of the "great ideas" that haven't quite made the cut for our shows over the past several years.

The groundhog didn't see his shadow, so that means at least six more episodes of Craig and Kevin. The guys are pleased to welcome RingCentral channel chief Zane Long to the show. He talks about the latest cutting-edge research around unified communications a service and how his company's recent purchase of a pair of customer-engagement platforms is bound to benefit partners. "This bolsters our customer-engagement portfolio .... without question our primary focus has been addressing the needs of businesses as they look to enable their mobile and distributed workforces all across the world," Long says. We also get an on-the-scene report from our own Edward Gately, who spent the week in Las Vegas at the Check Point CPX360 event. He caught up with new Check Point channel leader Frank Rauch to learn about the direction the cybersecurity provider is taking with its partner program. All that, plus Kevin introduces a sketchy new acronym--KWIM--that we doubt is going to catch on. He tries hard nonetheless. And we'll offer an update on this spring's upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo, whose pieces are really starting to come together.

It goes without saying that we've been away for too long. Coffee with Craig and Kevin returns for its first episode of the new year. The guys tell you more about the partner opportunity to go home with a first-ever Digi Award at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo--an homage of course to our own digital services robot mascot. We'll also offer up our first preview of some of the hottest attractions coming to CP Expo in Vegas in April. We also welcome in Channel Partners/Channel Futures editor Edward Gately, who this week was live on the scene at Avaya's Engage event, where he caught up with Dino DiPalma, president, strategic partners and global accounts at the company. DiPalma talks about the biggest trends in unified communications and contact centers, sharing the goals he has for Avaya's partners this year.

After a hiatus to catch their breath from the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, the boys return to talk with two of the biggest headliners from the event. First, David Beagle of Office Depot talks about catching some of the audience off guard with the retail giant's big booth at the show. Just what were they doing there? He'll explain. And many were surprised to see such a large presence from EnergyWare. Michael Bertamini, the company's CEO, lights up the Channel Partners airwaves to discuss the growing interest in LED lighting solutions and why partners won't want to drop this profitable opportunity. All that, plus Craig and Kevin discuss some of their favorite moments from the show and the business transformation that will continue through 2018 and beyond.

Carolyn and Seth welcome Forrester's Jay McBain live from Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. The three analysts discuss the IT channel and the way it is changing--including whether it should even be called "the channel" anymore. The modern IT industry has evolved over the past decade, and a new set of relationships and value-add opportunities is now in place.

Carolyn and Seth welcome Forrester's Jay McBain live from Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. The three analysts discuss the IT channel and the way it is changing--including whether it should even be called "the channel" anymore. The modern IT industry has evolved over the past decade, and a new set of relationships and value-add opportunities is now in place.

The Channel Partners Conference & Expo is upon us, and to celebrate, Craig and Kevin welcome their old colleague, Rick Reed, now heading up sales for Avant in the master agent's South Central region. Also on the show is Skyler Ditchfield, CEO of GeoLinks, a first-time Channel Partners exhibitor, who talks about the huge strides his company is making and what they have planned for #CPExpo. All that, plus the guys break down a few of the highlights of the upcoming conference and share some deep thoughts--metaphors that tie rap music into the Channel Partners show. Yes, rap.

Coffee with Craig & Kevin celebrates its 35th episode by welcoming Dina Moskowitz and Clinton Gatewood of SaaSMax to the show. They discuss the state of SaaS in the channel and their plans for the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. (Warning: Many SaaS puns await you.) Also, Craig talks about his latest obsession--which is truly an old obsession--game shows.

In the latest edition of Coffee with Craig & Kevin, the guys sit down with Michelle Chiantera, vice president of Global Partner Marketing with Cisco. Chiantera talks about the upcoming Cisco Marketing Velocity event in Barcelona and offers some tips to partners trying to market their businesses in this digital age. Also on the podcast is Adam Nygard of D&H Distributing, who talks about his company's presence at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, as well as what D&H is doing in the SMB space to differentiate itself from its competitors. All that, plus a little March Madness talk -- and the feud between Kevin and Digi starts to grow.

Sit back and pour yourself another cup of java, because it's time for another episode of Coffee with Craig & Kevin. The guys are pleased to welcome Bruce Wirt, vice president of channel sales at Telesystem, to the show. Bruce discusses the different ways partners can work with Telesystem, as well as his company's recent master-agent relationship announcements. But that's not all. Channel Futures and Channel Partners sales leaders -- Kelly Danziger and Brian Snortheim, Kevin's bosses who greatly intimidate him -- join the podcast to discuss more of the exciting changes coming to the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in April and Channel Partners Evolution in October. Think we're done? Nope. You'll also get to meet Digi, our new digital-services mascot, who proves to be another thorn in Kevin's side.

Craig and Kevin offer up a recap of this month's Channel Partners Conference & Expo, and welcome several guests to talk about the brand-new SDxE (Software-Defined Everything Enterprise) show to be collocated with Channel Partners Evolution this fall in Austin. Meantime, editor in chief Lorna Garey catches up with Wendy Bahr, SVP, Cisco Global Partner Organization.

Channel Partners' Craig Galbraith and Kevin Morris welcome their first international guest--HPE's Xavier Poisson, and sit down for a chat with CBB about their rebrand. Of course, we'll also talk about the imminent Channel Partners Conference & Expo, and Craig and Kevin will include what they consider to be hilarity.

It could be the biggest edition of Coffee with Craig & Kevin to date. The guys interview David DeCamillis of Platte River Networks to preview his session at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Topic?: Crisis prevention. And does he have a doozy of a story to tell about his company's involvement in the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. But that's far from all. Craig files a report from the PlanetOne Communications Tech Tour in Newport Beach, California, where he caught up with Verizon channel chief Janet Schijns. She outlines what people can expect from her keynote at the show -- including a special celebrity guest who will join her on stage.

In this jam-packed edition of Channel Partners' Coffee with Craig & Kevin, the guys talk about the "experience areas" at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Also, you'll hear Craig's interviews with CenturyLink channel chief John DeLozier and Intelisys co-founder Rick Dellar. But that's not all; we welcome The 2112 Group's Larry Walsh to the show. And expect a few Academy Awards jokes along the way in a podcast with an underlying theme of rock 'n' roll.

In this edition of Channel Partners' "Coffee With Craig & Kevin," the guys welcome to the show Brian Babich, the new channel chief at BullsEye Telecom. He shares his goals for his company's channel program and what he has in store for the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Also, David Walter, the boss at MSP SEO Factory, joins the podcast, with some tips for partners to get their marketing houses in order.

Craig Galbraith and Kevin Morris welcome Channel Partners editor-in-chief Lorna Garey and former editor-in-chief, BuzzTheory Strategies' Khali Henderson, to talk about concurrent education at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. At the heart of the conversation is the "business of the channel," which promises to deliver topics and speakers dedicated to helping partners improve their businesses. Plus, Khali shares some memories of previous Channel Partners shows, with a promise not to embarrass the hosts of this podcast!

Channel Partners' Craig Galbraith and Kevin Morris return for the new year. Joined by special guests Brian Snortheim, new Channel Partners VP of sales, and Angela Leavitt, chief mojo-making officer at Mojo Marketing, they discuss the benefits of attending the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo as well as some marketing tips for partners to use in their businesses.

Channel Partners' Craig Galbraith and Kevin Morris talk about the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo, a new addition to the team and exciting things on tap for 2017.

This is the first report of two I’m doing on the Channel Partners Conference in Vegas last week. The primary reason I attended is that many, many, people at the Channel Pro SMB event in Baltimore kept asking me if I was going. I went a little early and connected with some folks. Then I stayed a little late and caught up with some others. I always recommend that strategy, as opposed to rushing in and rushing out. A lot of the “good stuff” at any conference takes place around the edges. Zynstra and CloudMSP team (and Karl) I was lucky enough to connect up with the whole Zynstra Hybrid Cloud team. They were in town for an HP Global Partner conference. Here we are at the MGM. Pictured here are Daniel Langton (CloudMSP), me, James Tuff (Zynstra), Andrew Morlidge (Zynstra), Nick East (Zynstra), Rhett Ryder (Zynstra), and Jeff Ponts (CloudMSP). Learn more at www.zynstra.com or www.mycloudmsp.com. – – – – – I interviewed several people. On this podcast, you’ll hear interviews with the following folks:   – Dave McGirr – Advocates for Business Dave McGirr – Dave is from Annapolis MD. He literally stopped me in the hallway to tell me how excited he is about the Zynstra Hybrid Cloud solution I had mentioned some time ago on a podcast.     – Paula Wong – Hayward Networks Paula Wong – Based in the SF Bay Area. Paula is a security specialist looking for IT partners. See www.haywardnetworks.com.   – Sam Ciaccia – Datto Networks Sam Ciaccia – Datto has offices in the U.S., Canada, London, and Australia. – Learn about the cool news for founder Austin McCord – and find out about the Datto Partner Conference in New Orleans! – www.dattopartnerconference.com and www.datto.com   Listen to all three interviews and my commentary here: Listen to the Podcast.       Enjoy the recordings . . . I’ve got more coming soon from the Channel Partners event that just finished in Vegas.