Podcasts about smbs

In this episode, Pete welcomes Anand Pandya, VP and GM of Specialty Solutions for SMBs at ADP, for a timely conversation on the rise of embedded technology and why payroll is becoming mission-critical infrastructure inside modern SaaS platforms. Anand shares why small businesses are increasingly overwhelmed by fragmented back-office software, often juggling multiple systems for payments, accounting, cash flow, employee data, and payroll.  Pete and Anand explore why payroll is uniquely complex as an embedded financial solution, from employee data and tax jurisdictions to deductions, state registrations, garnishments, worker's compensation, retirement mandates, and ongoing regulatory change. They also discuss why SaaS providers cannot treat payroll as a tech-only add-on and why the technology matters, but so do service, compliance support, onboarding, regulatory updates, and the ability to help small businesses when payroll gets complicated.   The conversation also looks ahead to where embedded payroll is headed next, including the growing role of AI, self-service support, real-time compliance prompts, and the movement toward SaaS platforms becoming the operational hub for small businesses. Connect with Anand and ADP:   For C-suite and developers interested in exploring ADP's embedded payroll solution: adp.com/embedded For SMB's interested in exploring ADP for their small business: adp.com/smallbusiness Anand's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anpandya/ Pete's e-book: ‘Payroll In The Flow of Business: How Embedded Payroll Is Becoming Mission-Critical for Modern SaaS Platforms'  https://www.payrollinfluences.com/researches/payroll-in-the-flow-of-business%3A-how-embedded-payroll-is-becoming-mission-critical-for-modern-saas-platforms *The annual Payroll Profession Confidence Index (PPCI) survey is open now through September 30, 2026. Payroll professionals and stakeholders interested in participating in the research can complete the survey at: https://www.payrollinfluences.com/ppci-2026.  Connect with the show: LinkedIn:  http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: @HRPayroll2_0  X: @PeteTiliakos  X: @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0  WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20  Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering the HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward!  G-P ‘Globalization Partners': https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Thank you to our ‘wizard behind the curtain' and show producer Ryan Kielma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kielma/

Send us Fan MailSelecting the right ERP for a food and beverage business requires a deeper evaluation than simply comparing features. In this episode, we rank the top food and beverage ERP systems for 2026 by first defining the diverse businesses that make up the food and beverage ecosystem. Our analysis spans manufacturers across the value chain, as well as distributors, processors, co-packers, and other organizations that support the industry. For each ERP solution, we discuss the business models, operational requirements, and deployment scenarios where it delivers the greatest value, helping organizations identify the system that best aligns with their unique operational and strategic needs.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top Food & Beverage ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7il16Lm7E4Read: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-food-beverage-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Payments don't fail as an abstract metric. They fail for a freelancer waiting to get paid, a small business trying to accept the locally normal method, or a customer who gets told “we don't support how you pay.” That's why our conversation with Clarice Lehman, Alternative Payments Operations Lead at DLocal, keeps landing on one theme: the future of payments has to stay human, even as the industry gets more automated, embedded, and AI-driven. We start with Clarice's journey from Uruguay to fintech, including a pivotal dinner-party moment that redirected her MBA path to MIT, followed by consulting at BCG, and a return to DLocal to lead strategy and operations across alternative payment methods. We unpack what “APMs” really include (instant payments, wallets, cash-based options, BNPL operations, card-present initiatives, and crypto operations) and why delivering a consistent cross-border payments experience is hard when every market's infrastructure looks different underneath. Then we get practical about leadership and trust: why smarter systems can't mean more exclusion, what transparency should look like when AI makes decisions, and why reliability and accountability are non-negotiable when downtime or a wrong decline hits. Clarice also shares the trend she's most excited about: AI-driven credit and underwriting using alternative data, and how that can expand access to capital for consumers and SMBs that traditional credit bureaus overlook. If you care about emerging markets, payments strategy, fintech leadership, and building products that actually include people, this one is for you. 

Send us Fan MailMost organizations develop workflows gradually as teams expand, business requirements change, and new systems are introduced. Along the way, undocumented processes, manual workarounds, duplicate data entry, and unclear ownership often emerge without deliberate planning. Over time, these issues create operational inefficiencies, process bottlenecks, and inconsistent data that limit visibility and decision-making. A structured process audit helps organizations understand how work is actually performed across departments, systems, and stakeholders rather than how it is assumed to operate. By identifying gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for standardization, a process audit establishes a clear baseline for continuous improvement. More importantly, it creates the foundation for successful enterprise software initiatives, including ERP, CRM, supply chain, and digital transformation programs, by ensuring that technology investments are aligned with well-defined and optimized business processes.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/how-to-audit-your-business-processes-a-practical-framework-for-operational-efficiency/Questions for Panelists?

Traceability is of vital importance in the food and beverage industry as it may directly impact consumers' health and well-being. When a defective product or contamination is found, whether before or after shipment, finding the source of the problem expediently is the top priority to ensure public health. You can learn more in this episode or read about it on our blog For more information about the MRPeasy software, visit our website: mrpeasy.com

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software developments highlight the continued expansion of AI, workflow automation, and ecosystem connectivity across CRM, marketing, operations, and enterprise applications. Copado introduced Agentia, a Salesforce-first 360 delivery solution designed to streamline software delivery processes, while ECI Software Solutions added new AI capabilities to its Deacom and JobBOSS² platforms to enhance manufacturing operations. InvoiceCloud unveiled an AI-powered billing experience to improve customer interactions, and Pipefy announced a collaboration with Microsoft to strengthen workflow automation and enterprise productivity. Meanwhile, Airship expanded its fleet of AI agents to support customer engagement initiatives, and Clari and Salesloft introduced new capabilities aimed at improving revenue execution. Exclaimer deepened enterprise integration through its connection with Workday, HubSpot launched a solution focused on Answer Engine Optimization to help organizations adapt to AI-driven search experiences, Respondology introduced new tools for managing and engaging with social media comments, and StackAdapt released a live events campaign workflow tailored for sports advertising markets. Together, these announcements underscore how vendors are embedding AI and automation directly into business processes while expanding platform interoperability and customer engagement capabilities.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOB2KlqraVsQuestions for Panelists?

Have you ever thought about getting better-targeted marketing and a strategy that can actually move your business forward without a massive budget?Listen as Diane sits down with Sarah, founder of Neon Compliant, who discovered the surprising secret hiding in something most business owners completely overlook.Our host, Diane Rolston, met Sarah at Web Summit after cheering on her pitch and brought her on to share how small businesses and nonprofits can finally access the kind of data that was previously only available to big companies.Listen to learn these key takeaways:The frustration that sparked Neon Compliant: why the people who needed data the most kept being told it was too expensive and out of reachHow something as simple as a postal code can paint a vivid picture of exactly who your customer is and what their neighbourhood vibe is likeThe 33 proprietary personas: how they connect to your existing orders and why they make your ideal customer unforgettable rather than forgettableWhy direct mail isn't dead and the statistic about nonprofits that will completely change how you think about itThe coupon campaign story: how one test reduced the number of pieces sent by 90% while still achieving 25% of the return (and what that means for ROI)Why Sarah hired comedy writers instead of data analysts to write her personas and the East Vancouver Tesla story that explains everythingThe "boring version for your board" and why making marketing memorable actually changes whether people use the data or let it get buried in their downloads folderThe 12-week founder program that completely transformed what Neon Compliant is and what it could do, and why Sarah says she'd be in a totally different spot without itThe autism diagnosis that came through her son, and how understanding her own brain turned what felt like a limitation into something she now works with instead of againstSarah's favourite free conversation: figuring out what data you already have that you could be using right nowSPECIAL OFFER: Your first 10,000 postal codes analyzed for FREE at www.neoncompliant.com for many small businesses, that covers them for a very long time. Use the code DYNAMICWOMEN.If you want a free 15-30 minute chat with Sarah about what data you could be using in your business, take her up on it, but sign up first so you can test the platform before you connect!Sarah's Bio:Sarah's career spans national marketing leadership at a major Canadian QSR brand, a SaaS company helping brands across North America use data for site selection, and most recently, marketing strategy consulting for nonprofits. The common thread: leveraging data to build smarter, more efficient marketing strategies.Her new startup, Neon Compliant, tackles a problem she's seen up close — SMBs and nonprofits lack the people and budget to access and use targeting data typically only available to large orgs at high costs. With cost pressures higher than ever, Neon Compliant exists to share those insights to all orgs.Sarah's Social Media links:Website: neoncompliant.comLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-compliant/This show's host, Diane Rolston, is called THE Expert on Being Dynamic and living a Dynamic Life. After leading hundreds of events and programs in her two businesses, speaking on international stages, being a published author while raising two young children, Diane Rolston knows all about work/life balance and getting things done! As an Award-Winning Coach and the CEO and founder of Dynamic Women®, a global community of women, her purpose is to unlock the greatness in others. Diane works with professionals all over the world to provide clarity, confidence, and action.Visit my website and Sign Up for my WEEKLY NEWSLETTER and you'll get FREE tips on how to live a dynamic life:www.dianerolston.comThe Dynamic Women® Podcast is an Award-Winning action-focused lifestyle and leadership podcast full of stories and strategies to help women design their success and unleash their “Dynamic Woman”. You can learn from the experts how to get clarity, build confidence, and get into action on your biggest goals and dreams.Thanks for listening!It means so much to us that you listened to our podcast! If you would like to continue the conversation with us, head on over to our Facebook group athttps://www.facebook.com/groups/DynamicWomenGlobalClubWith this podcast, we are building an international community of Dynamic Women® that we hope to inspire more women to unleash their dynamic selves and boost their lives in all areas especially business. If you know someone who would benefit from this message or would be an awesome addition to our community, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a note in the comment section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast app on your mobile device.Leave us a reviewWe appreciate every bit of feedback to make this a value-adding part of your day. Ratings and reviews from our listeners not only help us improve, but also help others find us in their podcast app. If you have a minute, an honest review on Apple Podcasts and other apps goes a long way! If you do, send a screenshot to our team team@dianerolston.com and you may receive something in the mail!

On this episode of the Jon Myer Podcast, Will Horn — founder, CEO, and Managing Technologist at GDNA — explains why enterprise-grade AI has historically been out of reach for startups and SMBs, and how agentic AI is finally leveling the playing field. Will breaks down GDNA's "listening first" philosophy, the maturity curve businesses move through when adopting AI, and where he sees agentic B2B automation heading next.Key Takeaways

On this episode of the Jon Myer Podcast, Will Horn — founder, CEO, and Managing Technologist at GDNA — explains why enterprise-grade AI has historically been out of reach for startups and SMBs, and how agentic AI is finally leveling the playing field. Will breaks down GDNA's "listening first" philosophy, the maturity curve businesses move through when adopting AI, and where he sees agentic B2B automation heading next.Key Takeaways

Send us Fan MailNot-for-profit organizations represent one of the most diverse and operationally complex segments of the ERP market, making software selection far more nuanced than in many commercial industries. Before evaluating the top not-for-profit ERP systems in 2026, it is important to understand the broad range of organizations that comprise this sector, including community-based nonprofits, charitable organizations, foundations, educational institutions, healthcare providers, housing organizations, and investment-focused entities. Although these organizations share a common not-for-profit operating model, their requirements can differ significantly based on funding structures, program management needs, regulatory obligations, reporting requirements, and service delivery models. As a result, selecting the right ERP system requires careful consideration of each organization's mission, operational complexity, financial management needs, and long-term strategic objectives.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top non-profit ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Hox7zRRP0Read: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-non-profit-erp-software/Questions for Panelists?

AI search is shifting how small businesses get discovered online. Multichannel content now drives visibility as traditional SEO metrics lose ground to AI-generated answers. To learn more, visit https://www.eightavision.com/ Northern Media Services City: Oswego Address: 274 Cemetery Rd Website: https://www.northernmediaservices.com/

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how SMBs can build resilient, cost-efficient cloud infrastructure without overcomplicating systems. Joining us is Amir Abolhasani, Founder and Technical Director at Namira Software Corporation, an AI architect with over 15 years of experience designing scalable platforms across multiple industries. Key Highlights Platform Engineering Priorities: Focus areas for leaders in 2026. De-risking SMB Infrastructure: Simplifying DevOps and Kubernetes adoption. AI-Powered SRE: Improving incident response with AI agents. Reducing Cloud Costs: Identifying and eliminating hidden expenditures. Bootstrapping Lessons: Insights from building your own scalable platform. Special Thanks to Our Partners: UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspx For more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age! To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at smbfoundation.ca. Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Send us Fan MailAs e-commerce operations scale, managing orders, inventory, financials, and customer data across disconnected systems becomes increasingly difficult. In this webinar, we explore how integrating Shopify with Acumatica ERP helps eliminate data silos and create a more connected, efficient order-to-cash process. First, we examine the core integration architecture between the Shopify storefront and Acumatica ERP, highlighting how data flows across sales, inventory, fulfillment, and finance functions. Then, we discuss how real-time synchronization improves inventory accuracy, accelerates order processing, enhances financial visibility, and delivers a better customer experience. For growing e-commerce businesses, this session provides practical insights into building a scalable operational foundation that supports growth while reducing manual effort and operational risk.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/connecting-shopify-to-acumatica-erp-streamline-ecommerce-and-back-office-operations/Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software developments highlight the accelerating convergence of AI, automation, and platform consolidation across multiple technology categories. Reshift Media launched Franify to help franchise organizations modernize marketing execution, while Sprinklr expanded its customer experience capabilities through its Spring '26 release. In the AI space, NeuBird AI raised significant funding to advance agentic AI for production operations, and Xoople secured substantial investment to build an AI-ready system of record for geospatial and Earth-scale data. Meanwhile, Advantive detailed its Advantive ONE platform strategy, and AppDirect announced plans to acquire PartnerStack to strengthen ecosystem and partner management capabilities. Amazon Web Services expanded its AI portfolio by introducing Claude Opus 4.7 to Amazon Bedrock, while BlackLine unveiled its Agentic Financial Operations model to transform finance workflows. Certinia introduced Veda, an intelligent operations engine designed to enhance business execution, and Copado launched Agentia, a Salesforce-first delivery platform aimed at streamlining software development and deployment. Collectively, these announcements demonstrate how vendors are embedding intelligent agents, operational automation, and connected data architectures into core enterprise processes to improve productivity, decision-making, and business agility.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXz-mbRHMowQuestions for Panelists?

Refurbished VoIP phones can save Canadian SMBs forty to sixty percent compared to new equipment. This episode covers cost savings, security protocols, scalability, and what to look for when leaving legacy PBX systems behind. To learn more, visit https://telecomdepotdirect.com/ Telecom Depot Direct City: Montréal Address: 9315 Route Transcanadienne Website: https://telecomdepotdirect.com/

What does it really take to grow an MSP for more than 20 years? In this episode of Channel Chat, Marc Sumner sits down with Guy Hocking, Managing Director of Utilize PLC, to discuss his journey from infrastructure engineer to leading one of the UK's most respected Managed Service Providers. Guy shares why so many SMBs are still vulnerable to cyber attacks, why Cyber Essentials should be the minimum standard for every business, and how MSPs can help customers navigate the AI revolution without getting lost in the hype. The conversation also explores leadership, company culture, B Corp certification, sustainability, recurring revenue, partner relationships, and what separates great MSPs from the rest. In this episode: Guy's 22-year journey from engineer to Managing Director Why MSPs accelerate careers The biggest cyber security mistakes SMBs still make Why Cyber Essentials is the minimum standard AI opportunities vs AI threats for MSPs How Utilize is using AI internally Building a people-first culture that scales Becoming a certified B Corp Why customer retention beats acquisition The future of the UK MSP market Quick-fire opinions on AI, cyber security, channel growth and more

Send us Fan MailThe pharmaceutical industry encompasses a wide range of business models, making ERP selection a highly strategic decision that extends well beyond feature comparisons. Before evaluating the top pharmaceutical ERP systems in 2026, it is essential to understand the diversity of the market and the unique operational, regulatory, and supply chain requirements that different organizations face. This analysis examines pharmaceutical companies of all sizes, from emerging biotech firms and specialty manufacturers to large global enterprises, each with distinct needs related to compliance, quality management, traceability, production, and commercialization. As a result, selecting the right ERP platform requires careful alignment with an organization's business model, growth trajectory, and long-term operational strategy.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top pharma ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0FOuPd2VMARead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-pharma-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Customers today research on YouTube, social media, podcasts, and AI tools before buying. Search Everywhere Marketing helps SMBs build visibility across all these platforms through smart content repurposing and multichannel strategies that reduce ad spend and compound over time. To learn more, visit https://www.eightavision.com/eightavision Northern Media Services City: Oswego Address: 274 Cemetery Rd Website: https://www.northernmediaservices.com/

Unlocking billions in cloud marketplace revenue. Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX: https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ This powerful panel discussion featuring leaders from Google, Tackle, and dbt Labs dives deep into the explosive growth of cloud marketplaces and the radical shift toward AI-driven go-to-market strategies. With hyperscaler backlogs nearing half a trillion dollars, the conversation unpacks how top-tier organizations are transforming their compensation models, aligning executive buy-in, and navigating the complexities of co-selling to capture committed customer budgets. From the rise of AI agents acting as metered SaaS to the essential operational investments required to scale marketplace revenue from 10% to over 50%, this session provides an actionable roadmap for software companies ready to dominate the 2026 partner ecosystem. https://youtu.be/LSj49f5FEII Key Takeaways Hyperscaler backlog commitments represent a massive, nearly half-trillion-dollar addressable market that completely changes the budgeting conversation. Successful marketplace selling requires complete executive alignment, right down to the CFO, and strategic adjustments like spiffing sales teams for marketplace transactions. The AI category is experiencing staggering 18x year-over-year growth, forcing companies to pivot toward an “agent-first” go-to-market model. Shifting from traditional channels to cloud go-to-market demands a multi-year, intentional investment in operations, people, and technology. System integrators are evolving into software companies as they build orchestration agents to manage fragmented, end-to-end workflows. Leveraging cloud commitments bypasses standard 12-15 month budget cycles, allowing for significantly faster deal closures and larger initial lands. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Key Tags: Google Cloud Marketplace, hyperscaler backlog, cloud commitments, co-selling strategies, AI agents, metered SaaS, product-led growth, rev ops, B2B sales transformation, ecosystem shift, channel strategy, system integrators, Deal registration, private offer APIs, digital transformation, software procurement. Transcript: Insight to Revenue- The State of Cloud GTM [00:00:00] Dai Vu: These are all things everyone has to do to get to that first five to 10 deals, and then 10, 20, 30% of your business through Marketplace. [00:00:09] Vince Menzione: You can feel it happening. The ecosystem is shifting beneath us, the way Hyperscalers are partnering, how AI is remaking the channel and what it means to win in 2026. [00:00:21] Vince Menzione: Welcome to the Ultimate Partner Podcast. I’m Vince Menzi, own your host, and each week I sit down with leaders at the intersection of technology. Partnerships and outcomes. The voices shaping how ecosystems actually work. We talk about what’s real, what’s changing, and what it takes to lead in this era where the partner channel isn’t just part of the strategy. [00:00:43] Vince Menzione: It is the strategy because being in the room changes [00:00:46] John Janke: everything. Let’s start. [00:00:52] Vince Menzione: And we have an incredible session. The way that we wanted today to, to, to start the day up was like, let’s talk about what’s happening right now and let’s get three leaders in this space to come up and talk about the world and how it’s a rapidly evolving. So I want to invite to the stage dvu from Google is a great friend of Ultimate Partner. [00:01:14] Vince Menzione: Are you guys ready? Are you guys micd up already? Okay, good. Good. John Yanke, the CEO and Founder of Tackle, and Sean Todo, who is an incredible leader with DBT, but also an old friend of mine. We worked together on Microsoft Days. Good to see you gentlemen. Thanks Sean. Great to have you with us. [00:01:37] John Janke: They stuck me on the side ’cause they said I’d block the screen if I sat in the middle. [00:01:41] Shawn Toldo: You still block it a little bit. [00:01:42] John Janke: And that picture’s from like 1985. I, I, we do have to get that. I had way darker hair. It was, uh, 10 year, 10 years at a startup. Makes you turn white. [00:01:52] Shawn Toldo: Mine’s the exact same right now. So it’s all good. [00:01:55] Shawn Toldo: Mine’s AI generated. Yeah. [00:01:57] Vince Menzione: Well, you know, guys, I just took it all off at that point, you know, it’s like good. Yeah, but you lose enough of it. You pull it out over the years. Yeah. So, uh, some really exciting times. Uh, you, we gotta spend some time at you at our breakfast. That’s right. A couple weeks ago. [00:02:13] Dai Vu: A lot of folks here, too. [00:02:14] Vince Menzione: A lot of folks that are here were at that breakfast, and I thought we’d spend a few moments with you talking about all the exciting things that have been happening at, at Google. I mean the, yeah, the businesses just to, first of all, the numbers were house. Outstanding. Congratulations. [00:02:28] Dai Vu: That’s right. [00:02:28] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:02:28] Vince Menzione: Really, some really great numbers. Commitments are off the charts. [00:02:32] Dai Vu: Yes. [00:02:32] Vince Menzione: Crazy off the charts. [00:02:33] Dai Vu: Yes. [00:02:34] Vince Menzione: Yes. Uh, and then there’s a lot happening in this little world called ai, which makes a ton of sense. Yep. I was critical about Google in the beginning because you had all the assets, but Microsoft leaned in first. [00:02:45] Vince Menzione: Uh, but now it’s like things have evolved, uh, quite a bit since those first days. Absolutely. In, in November of 2022. So, uh, take us through a little bit. Let’s, let’s go through [00:02:56] Dai Vu: it. Yeah. I could talk for quite a bit of time because obviously we came out next, yeah. At the end of April, and then we had our earnings announced, but shortly thereafter. [00:03:03] Dai Vu: But, but real quick on next, uh, for folks who attended, uh, you know, the way they framed, uh, the discussion was they showed this AI integrated stack, and that’s how they frame the keynote because we position ourselves as being the only vendor that provides this. Fully integrated stack from custom silicon all the way to the apps and agents. [00:03:23] Dai Vu: And a lot of the announcements were, were focused in those areas. Um, uh, I won’t go through the, the long list, but I think the big ones coming out of next were, uh, certainly the eighth generation TPU we announced, so we actually split this into two specialized chips for training and inference. Uh, so that’s, uh, that was a big piece. [00:03:41] Dai Vu: Uh, but the big one that we announced was this, uh, Gemini Enterprise. Uh, agent platform. So think of it as the comprehensive platform for companies to basically build scale, govern and optimize their agents. And of course, once they have that, they can bring that into, uh, what we call a Gen Gemini enterprise app, which is really the front door for AI for. [00:04:03] Dai Vu: All customers and all employees to manage a mix of agents, um, as part of their daily workflow. And, uh, and a big part of it is, you know, certainly they’ll have some custom agents, but we think a lot of the agents will come from the ecosystem. And obviously there was a big announcement around what we’re doing there. [00:04:21] Dai Vu: Um, and in fact, one of the things that’s interesting is this shows the evolution of, of marketplace in our, in our partnership, which is we’ve taken a lot of the marketplace experience. And brought it into Gemini exp uh, Gemini Enterprise app, right? So search, discovery, uh, the ability to invoke agents, uh, in context. [00:04:39] Dai Vu: I think that’s gonna be very powerful as we think about the evolution, uh, of, of go to market. And then the last thing maybe I’ll highlight is this, um, is. 750 million, uh, investment fund that we’re gonna drive with the broad partnership. So this cuts across all partner types, global system integrators, uh, uh, you know, AI, pure plays, uh, ISVs, uh, the big management consultants as well, uh, because we recognize that partners are gonna be critical to drive business transformation with our end customers. [00:05:08] Dai Vu: So we’re investing around things like. Technical enablement, access to our product teams, access to our FDE for deployment engineers, and then a lot of incentives to drive usage and deployment. So, um, so a lot of, a lot of activity and obviously the ecosystem’s gonna be very critical for us to drive that impact’s. [00:05:25] Dai Vu: Fine. And the last thing, I know we’ve going on and on fine, but the last thing I’ll just mention is just on the earnings announcement, uh, Vince touched on the backlog, so people have been tracking Yeah. Two quarters ago. We were 155 billion on the backlog, and then a quarter later we were 240 billion. And then in the last quarter, just recently, 462 billion. [00:05:46] Dai Vu: So obviously that’s a, a massive signal of customer intent, but more importantly, it’s a, it’s, it’s a addressable market for this ecosystem to go after as well. [00:05:54] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Almost a half a trillion dollars. Yes. In commitment. So a lot, a lot of reason why we should be on the marketplace. [00:06:01] Dai Vu: Absolutely. Absolutely. [00:06:02] Vince Menzione: Um, each of these gentlemen have some things to talk about as well, about their companies and the exciting things that have been happening. [00:06:08] Vince Menzione: I’m gonna start, John, I’m gonna start with you because Tackle has, has transformed quite a bit since the last time you were on stage with us. I thought maybe introduce the company. Take us through the transformation and then we’re gonna do the same thing with Sean with his organization. [00:06:21] John Janke: Yeah. Thanks. Uh, thanks Vince. [00:06:23] John Janke: Great to see everybody. Uh, John Yanke, GM of Tackle at App Direct. So the big news there is Tackle was acquired in Q4 by a company called App Direct, and I think the why behind this app, direct Powers, marketplaces, they run 400 marketplaces around the world for telcos, for ISVs, for system integrators, channel partners. [00:06:42] John Janke: And we were talk like, when you build a marketplace and diagnose this, stocking the shelves is actually really hard. Uh, and we were talking to them about how could we connect the dots between the hyperscaler marketplaces, the iscs we support, and these additional routes to market. Uh, and that became more strategic and we ended up joining forces in December. [00:07:00] John Janke: And since then, the other part that’s really hard when you build a marketplace is how do you generate demand? Uh, so four weeks ago we acquired a company called Partner Stack. And Partner Stack does affiliate content. They have an affiliate content platform that allows you to connect with 150,000 content providers to be able to start to tell your story to drive leads to. [00:07:23] John Janke: Marketplace. So we think there is a tremendous opportunity to continue. We’re in the earliest days. I think the, you know, Jay, I was with Jay at Channel Partners a few weeks ago and he is like, we under called it, he didn’t say this on stage yesterday, but he is like, uh, the 82% growth. He’s like, we totally under called it. [00:07:40] John Janke: Uh, and I think just listening to dies commit level increase mm-hmm. Reinforces the fact that we’ve under called it. But I also think we’re at this tipping point in the market where all of the new capabilities coming out, we have to all rethink our better together stories. So I think the challenge to all partner leaders, it’s like, how do we. [00:07:58] John Janke: Figure that out. So it’s, it’s a, it’s a fun time. As we transform the way we worked. We wrote the first helping people kind of list, launch and sell through the marketplaces. And now to be able to take that to the next level to hopefully unlock the next a hundred billion of marketplace throughput. [00:08:13] Vince Menzione: And are we at a hundred billion? [00:08:15] Vince Menzione: ’cause that was the number, right? [00:08:16] John Janke: I mean that’s, that’s, that’s the number that’s talked about. I mean, we’re seeing the data signals we see, I mean, we will process 20 billion plus this year. Uh, and that number’s growing faster than Jay’s stated number. So I think we’re excited to see where this year lands. [00:08:30] Vince Menzione: We’ve come a long way from three years ago and we all got on stage and talked about marketplaces together. Right. It’s been, it’s been amazing. And then Sean, let’s talk about DBT. You’ve had some excitement. I know some things maybe we can’t even talk about yet on stage. [00:08:43] Shawn Toldo: Uh, yeah, go ahead. [00:08:44] Vince Menzione: No, I was saying I, I could, I’ll pre-announce things, but No, I’m just, uh, tell, tell us about DBT for those who don’t know in the room, sure. [00:08:49] Vince Menzione: Mean Yeah, that might help. [00:08:51] Shawn Toldo: So, uh, Sean Todo, I lead the partner business at DBT. I’ve been here about 18 months. Um, DBT really started as an open source tool. That help data engineers be successful in SQL transformation with cloud data warehouses? Right. And so back even to the Redshift days now into what I would call more the BigQuery, snowflake, Databricks fabric led days, um, DBT is the tool of choice amongst the data engineering community in terms of how they wanna drive SQL transformation. [00:09:21] Shawn Toldo: And so more recently, we kind of jumped into this kind of paid world. Which is why we needed to bring in additional experience leadership around go to market product, sales, et cetera. And so when I walked in the door, one of the things I noticed really quickly was we were running on AWS, which was great. [00:09:40] Shawn Toldo: We were doing some AWS marketplace stuff. We were running on Azure in Europe only. And one of my first strategies was we have to be everywhere, right customer. We have to meet customers where they are. And so we, uh, made some major investments to be on Google Cloud platform to then be able to really take advantage of marketplace, to then really be able to take advantage of the co-sell opportunities that exist in the field from a day, day-to-day AI perspective with Google. [00:10:07] Shawn Toldo: And it has been a hell of a ride. We launched on, uh, Google Marketplace in July of last year. We went to Google next and we were Google Partner of the Year. Wow. For data and analytics in a very rapid way. We’re now in three, uh, data centers around the, the world. So we’re here in the us, we’re in Frankfurt, we’re in uh, uh, UK as well. [00:10:30] Shawn Toldo: And so it’s been a pleasure to work with D and the broader team. Because the enablement we’ve had and the support we’ve had from that group has really helped our growth be up and to the right. The data point I would give is that when I walked in the door, we were 10% of our business from an A RR perspective was transacting through marketplace. [00:10:48] Shawn Toldo: Last quarter we cracked 40%. Whoa. We will be at north of 50, uh, next quarter. [00:10:53] Dai Vu: Wow. [00:10:54] Shawn Toldo: The other piece that Vince was talking about is we’re getting ready to merge with a company called Five Tran. And so there will be a new company name at some point down the road. Uh, pay attention on June 1st for a public announcement around that merger. [00:11:06] Shawn Toldo: Uh, but we’re really looking forward to what we’re gonna be able to do with folks like DI and the Google team as well as others in the ecosystem. Um, ’cause I think in this data world that we’ve played for so long. This trusted foundational element of data and what it’s gonna mean to context in the AI world. [00:11:23] Shawn Toldo: We’re in a very interesting place to really continue our growth rate at a high level. [00:11:28] John Janke: Yeah, that maybe just a comment something there. Start there. I think we, we used to hear people say we wanted to be strategic with cloud, go to market and get to say 10 or 20% of revenue. I think this like 40, 50%. Yeah. Th that’s where people are setting the bar these days. [00:11:43] John Janke: Yeah. So the numbers are getting really crazy. Yeah. Uh, and people are showing up and being like, I have to go big. Mm-hmm. So a huge change over the last few years. [00:11:52] Vince Menzione: Yep. What’s the experience you’re seeing as well? I mean, it, it was a huge amount of buzz at next. [00:11:57] Dai Vu: Yeah. I mean, so interestingly, um, you know, typically when, when people get started on the, on the marketplace in Cosal journey, I always try to caution them and say, this is, uh, this is like a multi-year. [00:12:07] Dai Vu: Yeah. Uh, process. You have to be very intentional. You have to invest. It’s not gonna be a thing where you just list and, and, and, and, and, and sort of this channel opens up. So in some ways, Sean is describing an acceleration that is not common, right? Uh, so they’ve done, we’ve done some amazing things together and we hope to keep that acceleration going. [00:12:22] Vince Menzione: What does that require, by the way? Is it engineering resource? I mean, there’s, I talk about executive commitment and maniacal focus. Yeah. But it’s all those things, right? [00:12:29] Shawn Toldo: Well, all of it. But we went to a QBR in Austin, and I put up a slide and I said, we have to do this. And everybody in our ETE agreed. So when you have a chief financial officer that’s bought into the partner business. [00:12:43] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. And I guess qualifying coming into this role at this company, I qualified the C-level staff. Uh, like are they really serious about partner or not? And it’s one of the reasons I took the role. So I think executive commitment was one thing. I think the second thing is we were really well supported, um, by the Google team across the board, right? [00:13:02] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. So folks, Indy’s team that we would work with regularly on, these are the things you need to do to have an effective marketplace offering. Here’s what you need to do operationally with folks like John and team and others that are in the market, right? That helped us a ton to be able to scale. And then the other thing that we did is we changed comp. [00:13:20] Shawn Toldo: So from our VP of sales levels down, we have a 5% kicker for everything that goes through marketplace. [00:13:26] Vince Menzione: Hear [00:13:26] Shawn Toldo: that everyone. So as soon as we incented the sales team, I love that, right? We, we created the foundation on the partner side, but then from top down on the sales side, they were all in. And as a result of that, the question would become, okay, which marketplace stage two sales cycle are we gonna go use? [00:13:42] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:13:43] Shawn Toldo: Who’s the right partner to go partner with? And then my team is reaching out to make sure that co-sell connection happens. [00:13:48] Vince Menzione: That is such a best practice, Sean, to, because there is, as a seller out in the field and we talk about, you talk to John, talks about rev ops all the time. But getting rev ops eng getting the field engaged in the right way. [00:14:01] Vince Menzione: ’cause it feels like it’s more work for them. ’cause they have to think, they have to have more conversations with their customer about their cloud commitments and things like that. Mm-hmm. And then getting them incentive to do the right things. The right behavior. [00:14:12] John Janke: Yeah. It’s a strategy process. People, technology problem. [00:14:17] John Janke: Yeah. It’s not just some flip API automation, go list something if you don’t like that top down view. I think the other thing. Like there’s a, there’s a theme in startups where VCs fund second time founders. I think Sean and team have done this before and they took a lot of learnings over the years and reapplied them, which I think helps them go faster. [00:14:36] John Janke: It’s like that second time. Yeah. Second time cloud go to market Founder theme. [00:14:41] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Yeah. Um, so we could talk about the platform and all the changes there on the. The, the commitments and everything. Mm-hmm. Uh, what separates ISPs generating real incremental revenue on your, in your marketplace? What, what do you see? [00:14:58] Dai Vu: Yeah, so I mean, I, I think there are a couple things. Number one is, uh, the, the foundation has to be, uh, this better together story, uh, with Google Cloud. Um, so this idea that what, you know, what do you bring, what does the Google platform bring and how does that drive impact with customers? And I think this is the reason why Sean and DBT Labs has been very effective. [00:15:16] Dai Vu: ’cause our field recognized they, they can recognize that better together story and communicate it to their customers. So I think that’s the foundation. For everything. Right. And I think as you get started, uh, you know, we do tell partners that they probably need to lean in a little bit, uh, in terms of focus, uh, you know, pick a vertical, a customer segment, um, you know, a geography where they’re particularly strong and, you know, get that momentum going. [00:15:39] Dai Vu: And once you do that, the field knows about it and starts to pull you into deals. Um, so I think that’s the other big opportunity. And then the other thing I just mentioned. Which, uh, the panel already touched on, which is be very intentional around all the things you need to do to invest. Whether it’s like, uh, you know, the business functional alignment, uh, the policies around like, uh, pricing and, and comp, uh, making sure you have the operational capabilities. [00:16:02] Dai Vu: These are all things everyone has to do to get to that. First five to 10 deals, and then 10, 20, 30% of your business through marketplace. And not to, not to top you Sean, but our very top partners are driving 80 to 90% of their business on marketplace. And in fact, some of these partners are actually only marketplace first, uh, uh, because they started out that way. [00:16:21] Dai Vu: Obviously it’s the bigger challenge if you have an existing channel, you’re trying to shift that. But, uh, the aspiration to be more marketplace focus, uh, is up there. [00:16:28] Shawn Toldo: So I just set a new goal for the business plan for me. So that’s exciting. I love it. Looking forward to seeing you in six months on that. [00:16:35] Shawn Toldo: It’s good. [00:16:36] Vince Menzione: I love [00:16:37] Dai Vu: it. Work together on that. [00:16:38] Vince Menzione: Well, di I’m just gonna add, add this because I, I got to see operationally with some of the things you do. Mm-hmm. You, you have an overlay organization. [00:16:45] Dai Vu: Yes. Yes. [00:16:46] Vince Menzione: And so you put accelerants in place within your own organization Yeah. To drive the ISVs into the, into the lines of business. [00:16:54] Vince Menzione: Right. You have, you, you do some of that to accelerate. [00:16:57] Dai Vu: Yeah, I mean, I think, I think this is somewhat unique. I don’t, I don’t wanna speak to the other [00:17:00] Shawn Toldo: hyperscalers, [00:17:01] Dai Vu: but we do have, um, uh, you gotta know the field roles, right? [00:17:04] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. So [00:17:04] Dai Vu: obviously at Google Cloud in the regions, we have, uh, ISV sales specialists who are effectively quoted on marketplace revenue, right? [00:17:12] Dai Vu: So they’re a hundred percent focused on that. And, uh, in addition to that, uh, we also have these, uh, co-sell teams, partner teams where, you know, opportunistically if there’s an opportunity, uh, in a, in a, in a particular area. This team is responsible for connecting the regional sales leadership, uh, the regional, uh, sales teams with, with the partner on the opportunity. [00:17:32] Dai Vu: So there’s a lot of things we’re doing to sort of accelerate that. And of course, the foundation for all this is, you know, our, our, you know, registering deals. And as you definitely get started on that, it’s very important to be very mindful around when you register deals. Uh, be very clear around what the ask and the engagement is with the field reps. [00:17:51] Dai Vu: But once you have that going and get the right rhythm, it becomes sort of a natural way to sort of register all your deals and get that engagement. And then, um, and then maybe the last thing I would say is it isn’t always the sales specialists. It’s, you know, the FSR, our field sales rep as well as our customer engineers are also very motivated. [00:18:08] Dai Vu: To work, uh, with, uh, with our partners because they know that this, you know, whether it be solution completeness or it’s part of a bigger workload or helps unlock greenfield opportunity, they really are motivated to engage with the partners. [00:18:21] Vince Menzione: Nice. [00:18:22] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. I’ll just add, I’ll just add to that statement too. I think, um, it’s one thing to have a story as it relates to. [00:18:30] Shawn Toldo: Google Cloud and what you do with marketplace. It’s another thing to have a story in terms of how you impact data and analytics in our world. And there’s a set of specialist sellers inside of Google mm-hmm. That really care about us because we drive a lot faster consumption of big query. And our ability to tell that story across the world effectively has really created a pull now. [00:18:54] Shawn Toldo: And so I, I would say it’s almost, you know, back to, you know, being 12 years at Microsoft and watching kind of that. Phase and how that went. As we went to the cloud and we picked specialty areas, um, Google is doing that as well and they’re doing it extremely fast in a very, very productive way with partners. [00:19:12] Shawn Toldo: And so, you know, I’ll get comments from like Levi who runs west in north region for us, and he’s a, he was at Google next and he was like, I, I gotta, I, I just gotta go to bed. I’m tired. Like we wore him out over two days with their sales team and gave him a host of follow ups and actions related to specific sales areas as well as specific accounts. [00:19:34] Shawn Toldo: And I think that’s the other thing that, um, Google’s done a good job of, but we’ve pushed and we’ve had to work really hard to earn that seat at the table. To help make those people successful from a comp perspective inside of Google as well. [00:19:45] John Janke: Yeah, and this is a huge failure zone for partners with the clouds because they think enablement’s a one and done thing. [00:19:51] John Janke: Like I did a training for the field and I told them the better together story. That doesn’t work. Like you have to literally. Have consistency around this message every day. Oftentimes you need experts who can partner with your reps to give them the confidence. ’cause they may be able to ask the first line question, but someone asks a follow up and they fold up ’cause they know your product. [00:20:11] John Janke: That’s right. They don’s don’t understand all of the nuances of Google and the clouds and the questions that may come back. But if you do that well, it is a huge unlock. [00:20:20] Vince Menzione: Talk about the coaching you provided on the tackle side of that as well and kind of helping. Through this maturity model? [00:20:26] John Janke: Yeah. I mean we, we, over the years, I mean we started as a pure SaaS company and over the years our customers would consistently ask us for more help and we would struggle to figure out how to do that, and we had to invest in services and we actually acquired a company. [00:20:42] John Janke: Five years ago now, that was the foundation. Aaron Feiger, who’s in the room. The core consulting was the foundation of our services business. And that continues to evolve with us. And you know, we see customers at scale saying, I wanna operate my cloud, go-to market really consistently, and I want you to do all the backend operations so my teams can be outselling our products, selling the better together value with Google and others, and not have to figure out how to run the machinery. [00:21:09] John Janke: So we’ve invested a lot there. We have services around strategy, like how to help people think about their business strategy and translate it into a better together story and able to get executive buy-in. And then we have coaching, which is really a phone, a friend, because I think these things get complicated. [00:21:24] John Janke: And I had a customer who was doing the largest deal in their company history. It was the end of the quarter and it was Friday, and they’re like, this is going to be the most complex transaction we’ve ever done and we have no idea how to do it. Our team gets on the phone with them, they work through, what are you selling? [00:21:40] John Janke: How are you selling it? Is your listing set up the right way? Can we actually create all the offers? In a way you have confidence to execute. ’cause those are failure modes. You try to build a cloud, go to market business, and you mess up the largest deal in the company. On the last day of the quarter, uh, that’s something you can’t recover from. [00:21:55] John Janke: So we try to really wrap support around our customers to help them have the confidence to grow. [00:22:02] Vince Menzione: Di you’ve seen tremendous growth in marketplace. Mm-hmm. We don’t publish the numbers specifically. Yeah. We kind of try to figure it out on the back end, but [00:22:09] Dai Vu: Yep. [00:22:09] Vince Menzione: I know you’re accelerated. Your, your marketplace numbers are astounding. [00:22:13] Dai Vu: Yes. I can share some numbers, if that’s [00:22:15] Vince Menzione: okay. Please. Yeah, let’s go. [00:22:18] Dai Vu: So, um. I would say that for a few years now, we’ve been talking about growth. So we’ve been consistently, uh, you know, north of a hundred percent year over year growth. Uh, for the last few years we’ve been processing, uh, what I say, uh, billions of dollars, uh, annually and, uh, uh, millions of transactions. [00:22:36] Dai Vu: And again, that’s for a few years now. Now for 24 to 25, that full year we also doubled. Wow. Uh, which is, uh, which is amazing when you think about the scale in which we operate. But more importantly, if you look at specific category areas, right? So, you know, historically, marketplace has always cater to, uh, those solution pillars that are tied to cloud migrations, like, uh, like security and data and analytics. [00:22:59] Dai Vu: And those continue to be very strong areas for us. But the biggest growth area is, uh, is in the areas of business app. So obviously, you know, the, the ServiceNow workday, uh, Salesforce of the world, as well as the AI category. So one number that we threw out next was 18 x. Year over year growth for the AI category. [00:23:17] Dai Vu: Wow. So in one year now, a lot of it is models, right? So foundational models with our, with our ecosystem. But a lot of that is around agents. So this whole agent go to market model is gonna be, continue to grow and it’s gonna be a huge focus area for, for the coming years. [00:23:32] Vince Menzione: Fantastic. Yeah. Fantastic growth. [00:23:34] Shawn Toldo: Yeah, and, and I’ll add, Diane and I talked about this at Google next. This is a. Very complex thing for DBT, where today we sell seats. [00:23:42] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. Yeah. [00:23:43] Shawn Toldo: To data engineers. [00:23:44] Yeah. [00:23:44] Shawn Toldo: And now we have all these agentic things that are hitting our engine. And di and I are talking and we’re like, okay, so how does this work in an ag agentic marketplace? [00:23:54] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. Kind of a scenario. And what should we build? Where should we play it? ’cause we’re gonna spin the meter in a different way, so to speak. [00:24:01] Dai Vu: Yep. [00:24:01] Shawn Toldo: And so candidly, we got stuff to figure out related to that. Um, I think what’s been fascinating for DBT is our partner ecosystem changed overnight. So now it’s like I talked to x.ai on Monday. [00:24:15] Shawn Toldo: Mm-hmm. We got time with open AI on Thursday and we have a call with Anthropic and our, uh, CEO and co-founder and uh, chief Product Officer next week. [00:24:26] Vince Menzione: Mm. [00:24:27] Shawn Toldo: We don’t have anybody managing those partners. [00:24:29] Vince Menzione: Right. [00:24:30] Shawn Toldo: Today our focus is on managing the large, uh, hyperscalers plus Snowflake and, uh, Databricks. [00:24:36] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. [00:24:36] Shawn Toldo: And then the SI ecosystem and some tech partners. So we’re having to like, to your point on Agile yesterday. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Like we’re having to change our strategy, operating model and organizational model to support that. And candidly, we don’t have all the answers yet, so we have a lot of things to figure out fast, which is a little bit scary. [00:24:54] Shawn Toldo: And challenging, but it’s also a huge opportunity we have to kind of embrace and get into. Yeah. [00:24:59] Vince Menzione: And they’re figuring out as well. ’cause they’re, they’re new to partnering as well. Yeah. As organizations [00:25:03] John Janke: and these AI agents. I think to demystify for a lot of people, and what Sean said is totally right. [00:25:08] John Janke: They’re disrupting everyone’s business model. But in reality from a marketplace standpoint, they’re metered SaaS. This is a thing that’s existed for a long time. Yeah. They look like product-led growth products. There is a lot of patterns around how product-led growth products work in marketplace. Mm-hmm. [00:25:24] John Janke: But you have to bring your business strategy, your product and pricing strategy to those two categories. Metered SaaS and product-led growth. Put that all together to get cross-functional alignment. So we are seeing like. A lot of people get tripped up here and it really does go back to more of the company strategy, product strategy questions, and a lot of partner leaders are not in the room for those conversations. [00:25:48] John Janke: So I think at, at this point in time, as you see big pivots with the partners to go all in on agents, you have to go elevate. Those discussions to be like, what is our plan here? ’cause I, I mean, pricing and packaging will be the thing that trips almost everyone up. [00:26:02] Dai Vu: If I could, if I just build on what John John mentioned, um, so I do agree. [00:26:06] Dai Vu: P it looks a lot like POG, but, uh, but the difference I think is POG has. More historically been in like the data and developer space, now it’s like the general business user, right? So this idea that you want a business user to be able to search and discover, um, agents that could actually be part of their like everyday workflow is going to be very critical. [00:26:26] Dai Vu: And uh, you know, I do think that when we think about the ecosystem building agents. Uh, you know, a lot of the ISV partners aren’t necessarily gonna own end-to-end workflows, right? They’ll, they’ll have a very specific, uh, domain and scope area, but you have to enable yourself to be orchestrated and managed by, you know, orchestration agents or, or, or meta agents that are gonna span end, end workflows. [00:26:49] Dai Vu: And sometimes that includes system integrators and, and others who can stitch that, that automation. So I think, I think that’s, that’s one piece of it. But the other area that I think is gonna be different is, um. There’s going to be a lot of agents. I mean, literally you’re gonna have a very fragmented set of, uh, uh, of players, right? [00:27:07] Dai Vu: It’s not just gonna be the incumbents, it’s gonna be a lot of disruptors and, and, and, and startups. And so the, uh, for the incumbents in the room, it is a mandate that you need to, to innovate because if you do not identify and go to like an agent first, go to market model. Uh, you’re gonna be, you know, disintermediated. [00:27:25] Dai Vu: Somebody’s gonna go build an agent that’s going to leverage you as a dumb database. Um, and they’re gonna own the workflow. So you have to, you have to push the, the, the, the limits here. And I think it’s creates a big opportunity for everyone in this room. [00:27:39] John Janke: I’m going off script. I’m curious. Let’s do it. I’m curious on your take on the system integrators. [00:27:44] John Janke: ’cause I think this, this puts like they’re all, a lot of them are creating agents for people and I think that’s turning them almost more into software companies than they’ve ever been. [00:27:53] Dai Vu: They are, and I think they’re, you know, obviously they’re being, uh, impacted from like, you know, typical like, you know, SOW you know, time and materials type type business models. [00:28:02] Dai Vu: But I do think they play a big role because a lot of the system integrators are bringing, um, you know, vertical and business process expertise. And, um, like I said, I said before, a lot of the ISVs are not gonna necessarily have big enough scope in their area to own end-to-end workflows. And that’s really the promise of agents, right? [00:28:20] Dai Vu: You really need. This cognitive, you know, reasoning, planning, executing across end to end workflows. And I think, you know, the system integrators are gonna bring that capability either, either through, you know, these custom, uh, orchestration or meta agents or if they’re able to productize that and bring that to a model, they can also sort of go through the marketplace model as well. [00:28:41] Dai Vu: So who knows is how it’s gonna evolve. But you know, we’ve always been talking about. Marketplace being a broader opportunity for all partner business models. And I think that will extend to not only, uh, you know, traditional sort of, uh, sell and services partners, but also some of these system integrators as well. [00:28:58] Shawn Toldo: If I could comment on that, please. Yeah. I, I was in London two weeks ago and we did an SI partner day. Mm-hmm. We had 25 sis in a room, probably about 50 people. We had no, um, hyperscalers or cloud data warehouse providers. And when we started talking about open data infrastructure. The role that they can play. [00:29:17] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. [00:29:18] Shawn Toldo: Cross platform in a cost efficient manner for customers and the advisory orientation of that. They all leaned in and we, we stopped talking and they started talking. [00:29:28] Vince Menzione: Right. [00:29:28] Shawn Toldo: So they’re all facing this kind of same problem, which is actually causing a little bit of a shift, I think, in how they think about, I’m a Databricks partner. [00:29:38] Shawn Toldo: Uh, you sure you wanna do that? [00:29:39] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:29:40] Shawn Toldo: So this, this whole thing that’s kind of evolved in the last six to 12 months, when you kind of pick one horse to ride, I, I would tell you be cautious about what that means. You may pick a horse to lead with mm-hmm. But you’re gonna have to flank yourself a bit in terms of other providers that can help you be successful with that, that that partner you’re gonna roll with. [00:30:00] Vince Menzione: So you’re suggesting data vendor agnostic. [00:30:04] Shawn Toldo: I’m suggesting you really have to think about your strategy. Yeah. Because I think the AI, AI disruption is gonna make you think about that strategy. [00:30:13] John Janke: Yeah, I mean there’s, someone mentioned anthropics First Partner Summit. I was not there, but I’ve heard from a bunch of people were there. [00:30:20] John Janke: You know, they had a hundred partners in the room. 95 of them were system integrators. Five were technology companies, the three Clouds, Databricks and Snowflake. Like if you just think about the, the one of the major disruptors in ai, ISVs, were not in the mix. So I, I think, are they trying to disrupt all of us? [00:30:40] John Janke: Uh, do they need us? And they haven’t figured out how to work with us. I, I think. It’s, it’s, [00:30:44] Vince Menzione: and I’ve heard they only have five people in their partner organization, so I just, it’s, [00:30:49] Shawn Toldo: it’s 11 now, but it’s 11, [00:30:51] Vince Menzione: so it was five [00:30:51] Shawn Toldo: last growing fast in the, in the new company I have 50. So like, to put it in perspective, they have to make some pretty big priority. [00:30:59] John Janke: Yeah. And everyone’s been there a hot second, [00:31:00] Vince Menzione: like, right, exactly. Yeah, they, well, we will talk about the learnings we’ve had over the years, getting to where they need to get to. It’s exciting times. We got a lot to talk about here. Um, I, you know, we have about 15 minutes. I I, I want to kind of gauge, ’cause we could talk, we, we have a few things we could talk about, I could ask about, but I want to see if there’s an, like, an interest in opening up to the room for questions. [00:31:25] Vince Menzione: ’cause I feel like we’ve got a very interesting group here. [00:31:28] Shawn Toldo: You got a hand here? [00:31:29] Vince Menzione: Uh, are there hands that wanna Yeah, there’s some people that wanna ask some questions. So Yeah. We have a mic? Yeah, [00:31:37] Dai Vu: we have [00:31:37] Shawn Toldo: a mic. We, [00:31:37] Vince Menzione: we [00:31:38] Shawn Toldo: got one here. [00:31:38] Vince Menzione: We got one here. One here. Thank you. Sorry we went off script, but [00:31:44] Shawn Toldo: that’s fine. [00:31:45] Vince Menzione: It’s fine. [00:31:45] Dai Vu: Off [00:31:45] Vince Menzione: script. Better is good. [00:31:46] Shawn Toldo: I’m sure you planted the questions outta anyway. It’s okay. We [00:31:48] Vince Menzione: did, we did. [00:31:55] Audience Guest: Okay. All Eva, Sean Lightner, quick question to your, uh, increase on the marketplace, and you said you spiff the salespeople by fifth percent. 5%. Mm-hmm. So, and that obviously drives a very large adoption of, uh, marketplace transactions. How are you accounting for the margin you’re losing on, uh, you know, going through the marketplace? [00:32:14] Audience Guest: And also have you done analysis? I’m sure you have, how much is, uh, shape shifting or shifting from existing versus incremental? [00:32:22] Shawn Toldo: Yeah, it’s a great question. Um, um, lemme make three points. Number one, the backlog statement makes the margin statement not matter. So do you wanna play in that space where a customer’s already bought or not? [00:32:36] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. Or do you wanna force a budget conversation that you have to drive on your own in a direct model? That to me, I think it was 484 4 62 [00:32:43] Dai Vu: 4 6 [00:32:44] Shawn Toldo: 2. [00:32:44] Vince Menzione: That’s new Tam available to you? [00:32:46] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. That, that’s just with one. Right. And we are, we are, uh, running on four marketplaces. So that just increases our tam and makes our, our sellers lives easier. [00:32:55] Shawn Toldo: So on that piece, yes, there’s an expense, but we believe it’s right for growth. So there’s a balance there. Um, I think the, and then the second part of your question again. Sorry, [00:33:05] Vince Menzione: shapeshift. [00:33:05] Shawn Toldo: Oh, shift. We, we actually don’t think we would’ve won the business. So if I go back to our Q4 and I can probably point to three or four deals that went, um, Google Marketplace, we would not have won those deals because we couldn’t have created the budget cycle and that quarter. [00:33:23] Shawn Toldo: To make it happen. Generally a budget cycle is gonna take anywhere from 12 to 15 months. Bingo. Because of the spend that was available to us, we were able to close it in that quarter, and we had the largest Q4 in company history. [00:33:35] Vince Menzione: That is such an important point. I’m sorry. [00:33:37] Dai Vu: Okay. [00:33:38] Vince Menzione: But I, I just wanna, that is such an important point of the budget cycle. [00:33:42] Dai Vu: Yeah. [00:33:43] Vince Menzione: Being a year to a year and a half versus being able to tap into a commitment that’s already been made. Yeah, so I just emphasize that [00:33:51] Dai Vu: I was, I was just gonna add real quick, even, even when we see sort of a, uh, a channel shift renewal, which is, you know, it’s on partner paper and it moves to marketplace as part of the renewals, we do consistently see that the, uh, renewal rates on marketplace and the incremental a CB on the expansion and new opportunities tend to be better when it’s on the platform marketplace than than offline. [00:34:12] Dai Vu: And that’s why partners choose to continue to drive renewals on marketplace at a reduced to rev share. But uh, because they see that that growth, [00:34:20] John Janke: we, we, sorry. [00:34:22] Shawn Toldo: We see that as well. Yeah. And I would also make the statement on our land business, when we go through marketplace, we are two x higher across marketplaces. [00:34:30] Shawn Toldo: We’re three x higher with them. [00:34:32] John Janke: Yeah, I think separate new from renewals and then instrument deeply. [00:34:37] Shawn Toldo: Yeah, [00:34:38] John Janke: go proactively talk to your CFO and your head of rev ops to understand their mindset. Because I was with a billion dollar seller a couple weeks ago, their CFO still creates friction in the process, even though they’re selling a billion dollars through these channels. [00:34:52] John Janke: But when they broke it down, their deals are three times bigger. They do them faster. They use more components of the product, which I thought was a really cool one. So customers who buy this platform, many component platforms through a marketplace, end up using six components of the product. Versus a normal land customer who uses two increases gross in net retention. [00:35:12] John Janke: So you have to get to the point where you have the data and you can tell that story real really clearly to your finance team to get support ’cause that they will trip you up if you don’t get them on board. [00:35:23] Vince Menzione: And you’re saying there’s friction in that company. I’m just kind of curious ’cause a billion dollar company. [00:35:27] John Janke: There’s a billion dollar marketplace seller [00:35:29] Vince Menzione: market marketplace company. That’s what I meant. Yeah. But, but the fact that this, their CFO friction, like, is it, is it because they’re not doing a good enough job or? [00:35:37] John Janke: Uh, in, of educating, I, the root of the question is from this person is, would they win without it? [00:35:44] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:35:45] Shawn Toldo: Oh, and is it worth the three points? [00:35:46] John Janke: Right. It’s, it is And, and I think some pe like to me, it’s the cheapest channel in the world. Yeah. Like with committed budget and people to support you winning. Like the, that formula, the math is so simple. [00:35:57] Shawn Toldo: Yeah. For, for a company of our size to go to like the classic resell ecosystem, I gotta walk in with 30 points. [00:36:02] John Janke: Yeah. [00:36:03] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:36:03] Shawn Toldo: It, it’s an illogical conversation. Outside of public sector and growth, you know, geos around the world. And so I, I’ve been lucky to have a CFO that I haven’t had that challenge with, at least at DBTI should say. [00:36:19] Vince Menzione: Really great insights. I think we have, we have another hand up here. [00:36:28] Audience Guest: Yeah. Thanks Susan. The question is for Dai. Uh, my name is Latif Hamani. I’m the founder of Partner System ai. Um, so what we’ve done is we’ve built a, a co-sell AI agent mm-hmm. That your partners can use to Yeah. Reduce all the friction in the co-sell with you. Uh, the questions that I have is, I guess I should back up, so XAWS Madison with a very large alliances, and then I worked, went on the other side. [00:36:55] Audience Guest: For software companies, and even though I had an operational team, I was spending two to three hours on on the keyboard, right? Mm-hmm. Deal registration, emails that can’t be automated, et cetera. So the question that I have for you is, I’d love for you to validate that. You know, unless you are one of the big companies, one of the big enterprises, if you go to the lower end of the enterprise or the mid market, uh, would you validate that there is a challenge? [00:37:20] Audience Guest: There’s a lot of friction for a smaller company. Mm-hmm. Uh, ’cause these marketplaces are complex. Yeah. The cosell is complex. Uh, that there’s an opportunity to really break down that friction with some automation and ai. [00:37:33] Dai Vu: Yeah, absolutely. So, um, we have already been, uh, part of the journey to remove some of the, uh, the friction as part of that selling and purchasing journey. [00:37:43] Dai Vu: Uh. We’re not quite there yet. But, uh, we’ve done things like we have, uh, you know, private offer APIs. We, uh, we have co-sell, uh, registration automation. Um, you know, we have tools like, uh, propensity to buy, tooling to help, uh, partners do, uh, more targeted efforts. Um, but the a i piece is still coming. Um, so I think, uh, the idea here is that we have launched a number of agents as part of our, um. [00:38:08] Dai Vu: Uh, part of our, uh, Google Cloud Partner network, partner hub. Uh, so these are, uh, agents that are gonna do a bunch of things to help partners as part of their workflow, but we’re gonna extend this to the marketplace and ISV area as well. Uh, so I think there’s a lot of opportunity. So, uh, I know there’s probably a lot of feedback in friction, uh, in, in certain parts. [00:38:29] Dai Vu: So we can, we can go tackle together. [00:38:32] Vince Menzione: Hey. There you go. There was a little [00:38:34] Dai Vu: plug [00:38:34] Shawn Toldo: there for tackle. Exactly. [00:38:37] Dai Vu: Uh, and I wanted, and just to be clear, I want to take a look at it from the end to end, uh, uh, flow, right? It shouldn’t just be just marketplace. It should be all the way from like, you know, top of the funnel, demand generation, all the way to like post transaction follow up. [00:38:51] Dai Vu: So we really need to take a look at, at the, the end, end flows and figure out a way we can remove some of that friction [00:38:56] Vince Menzione: three sense. [00:38:57] Dai Vu: Yeah. [00:38:59] Vince Menzione: Any more questions [00:39:00] Audience Guest: back here? Hey. Hey guys. This, this is a really good discussion. Uh, di this question’s primarily, uh, from, I’m interested in the hyperscaler response. [00:39:09] Audience Guest: Yep. Uh, but all of you, uh, can you talk about the patterns or say more about the patterns between. Um, the consumption of just platform capabilities versus industry workflows. Mm-hmm. And how industry where I, I mean, I, I, my sense is that industry workflows are becoming more [00:39:27] Dai Vu: Yeah. [00:39:28] Audience Guest: Uh, the easier thing for enterprises and SMBs to buy. [00:39:33] Audience Guest: Yeah. Especially SMBs, I think. Um, but say more about those patterns that you’re seeing develop and kind of what is. Uh, who are, where, where are those kind of, where is the demand being driven? Is it, is it, yeah. The search and discover in the marketplace, or is it being led by field sales of mm-hmm. Either GCP or partners? [00:39:55] Dai Vu: Yeah, so let me, I’ll mention a couple, a couple areas where, where it’s growing. So I think number one I mentioned before about some of these large horizontal business apps that we’re partnering with, right? Um, and, uh, and of course the fact that we’re, we’re, we’re transacting them through marketplace is, is a huge. [00:40:14] Dai Vu: Evolution from a few years ago. So who would’ve thought you would be buying like, you know, a hundred million dollars a CB deals, uh, through, through marketplace with like a Salesforce or a ServiceNow workday. But it’s happening now. And to be clear, all these. Horizontal business app. They’re not doing this in a very, you know, opportunistic, transactional way. [00:40:32] Dai Vu: They basically see marketplace and cloud go to market as a strategic growth lever for them. So that’s one big area. So from just a pure large deal perspective. Okay. Then you mentioned before around sort of corporate and SMB. Well, we find that a lot of the big opportunities are mostly around as they scale their business, uh, they’re not necessarily looking for things in the traditional sort of infrastructure space, but they’re looking for, you know, full SaaS applications to help scale their business, right? [00:40:58] Dai Vu: So it would be CRM, finance, hr, these types of solutions to become very attractive for some of this, uh, downstream market. And then lastly, as I mentioned before, which is, uh, when we think about this gentrification and owning, um. Uh, driving, uh, this business process and vertical, the ISVs become very important along with the services partners who bring that domain expertise to drive the end to end workflow. [00:41:25] Dai Vu: So I think that’s gonna be increasingly important. So those are three areas I think we need to watch out for. We. Okay. [00:41:30] John Janke: Maybe one thing, like as the cloud commit grows inside of companies, it’s shifted from being an engineering department, IT department budget line item to a corporate finance budget line item. [00:41:40] John Janke: Typically one of the top five to 10 expenses in a company. So that has shifted. Who is thinking about optimizing? The cloud commit with marketplace contracts. And that opens, that’s really opened up the avenue in addition to like these biz apps, vertical apps players. Yeah. Like having success. So I, I do think even inside your own company, evaluating where your cloud commits are, who owns them and are they thinking about the intersection of marketplace? [00:42:06] John Janke: ’cause I, I think it’s smaller companies, they’re still figuring it out. I run into engineering leaders who still own the commits, uh, but in medium to large companies. Very different. [00:42:16] Vince Menzione: Really good point. Because it, you know this, the optics change dramatically, right? This large commitment is now at the board level, [00:42:23] John Janke: right? [00:42:23] John Janke: And then you do have to teach your sellers as a vertical or business application player how to ask that question. ’cause the first resistance everybody says is, oh my, my person, my stakeholder, we. Manufacturing vertical application provider talking at an event last week, and they’re like, the shop floor manufacturing owner doesn’t know anything about the cloud commit. [00:42:43] John Janke: But if they ask the question, be like, Hey, do you guys have a strategic relationship with Google? Would it be easier to buy our product on the bill? Eight out of 10 times they get a yes. So [00:42:52] Vince Menzione: which is why the 5% comes in And that really accelerates the conversation happening. Yeah. We’ve got three more minutes. [00:43:01] Vince Menzione: Um, if we don’t have any other questions, I ha I have one for each of you really about the maturity model and partners are in the room that are not committed yet, right? We’ve talked about some very significant DBTs doing some incredible things, right? So we, there’s maybe a sense that like we, you, you are working with the be the biggest and the best out there, but what about everyone else that’s in the room that maybe isn’t committed yet? [00:43:23] Vince Menzione: And maybe they’re in motion, but they need some help and advice on what to go do next. What? What would you say die first? [00:43:30] Dai Vu: So they’re early stage, [00:43:31] Vince Menzione: early, early stage or not, they’re not on board yet. They’re not, yeah. They’re not with you yet. [00:43:35] Dai Vu: Yeah. So I’ll, I’ll go back to my earlier comment, which is that as you go into the journey, just be very intentional about what you need to do from an operational, investment people, uh, technology perspective. [00:43:47] Dai Vu: Uh, because it could be, it could be a multi-year journey. Um, uh, so I’d say go into it with the right expectations as opposed to thinking it’s going to be some accelerated six month thing that Sean has been driving here. It’s, he’s the outlier. [00:43:59] Shawn Toldo: But, but the reason for the outlier, [00:44:00] Dai Vu: yeah. [00:44:01] Shawn Toldo: And just to add to the intentional point Yeah. [00:44:02] Shawn Toldo: Is, you know, hire the right people. Right. So, somebody told me a long time ago, uh, hire slow, fire fast. That’s a really, really, really good principle that I take. Mm-hmm. I don’t like the fire part, obviously, but just for context, I, I am very lucky to have a great set of leaders that we were able to add people in. [00:44:24] Shawn Toldo: When I walked in the door, we had a person that was leading the Snowflake and AWS partnership. I had nobody on GCPI had nobody on Microsoft. I had nobody on Databricks. And then we made prioritization decisions on where we’re gonna go next. And so we hired people that had the experience and could drive the outcome in the right way. [00:44:43] Shawn Toldo: But we were very thoughtful about when we made those decisions on a quarterly basis, not a daily basis. So who you’re gonna bet on and then who you’re gonna put in the seat to make that bet come to life, I think is a really important thing as well. [00:44:58] John Janke: Yeah. [00:44:58] Vince Menzione: John, you worked with the be biggest and the best out there, so Yeah, sorry. [00:45:01] John Janke: Well, I think there’s the, like there’s the bottoms up and the tops down. Like seven years ago, this was all bottoms up. It was a partner leader who thought launching a marketplace would be good and they would go figure out how to do some deals and then sell their way up. Today there’s a lot more top down where people get it. [00:45:17] John Janke: But you can evaluate top down pretty fast. ’cause if you go talk to your CEO, you talk to your head of product, you talk to your CFO, and they have an allergic reaction to these concepts. You know, you have to go bottoms up. But there also are success story examples in every single ISV category that exists. [00:45:33] John Janke: Like this is not just security and data and DevOp like the, I think the ServiceNow. Salesforce workday. Examples are really great, like the marketing tech examples, more and more business of vertical apps every day. So I do think you can look at those people who’ve been successful. Maybe they’re your competitors, maybe they’re people you aspire to be and reference them as you’re trying to figure out how to do top down. [00:45:55] John Janke: But like you need both. You can’t win long term unless you get top down and bottom up aligned. [00:46:01] Shawn Toldo: And, and when I, when I would go ask for resourcing, I would always get the question, do, could you go faster with more? And I’d say, no. Gimme the one or two humans here, let me go prove it out and I’ll come back. [00:46:13] Shawn Toldo: So there’s a little bit of a strategy in doing that, that you’re gonna get more over time when you’re, you know, very measured in how you go ask for investment and resource. And so I would just add that point also. [00:46:27] Vince Menzione: Was, was hiring a significant component of your executive commitment, Sean? I mean, [00:46:33] Shawn Toldo: yes. So when I walked in the door at DBT, we had eight people in the partner organization. [00:46:38] Shawn Toldo: Today we have 25, and that was 18 months ago. But that did not happen. I didn’t go in and ask for, you know, that 16 people. Right. I asked over time in a very measured way with, you know, the programs and strategy team, like, what can we also support? You don’t want to bring somebody in to go do something and you don’t have the programs and operations side to support it ’cause they’ll fail. [00:47:01] Shawn Toldo: So we’ve been very thoughtful about how we’ve done that as well. [00:47:04] Vince Menzione: Die from you. I know you had something. [00:47:06] Dai Vu: No, no, no. I, I was good. [00:47:08] Vince Menzione: What is the one thing that people in this room need to go better and differently? Is there one, is there one specific thing other than what we’ve already discussed, did we miss anything? [00:47:16] Dai Vu: No, I would just, the whole identification. So obviously, uh, identifying this is not just like slapping a chat bot, but more around thinking all the things we talked about, product commercials, but also go to market where it’s agent first, where you can surface your agent in a workflow like Gemini Enterprise app. [00:47:34] Dai Vu: That’s gonna drive high alignment with how we work and go to market with Google. [00:47:38] Vince Menzione: Awesome. [00:47:38] Dai Vu: Yeah. [00:47:40] Vince Menzione: Wow. Good stuff. Yeah. Very good session. [00:47:44] Dai Vu: Thank [00:47:44] Vince Menzione: you guys. What do you think? Everyone? Thank you very much. [00:47:47] Shawn Toldo: Thanks for listening to the Ultimate Partner Podcast. [00:47:50] Vince Menzione: If today’s conversation resonated, share it with a partner leader in your network. [00:47:55] Vince Menzione: Subscribe where you listen, and head over to the ultimate partner.com. For show notes related content and the resources for this episode. And if you haven’t already, now’s the time to register for the Ultimate Partner Live Event in Reston, Virginia, [00:48:11] John Janke: October 26th through October 28th. [00:48:14] Vince Menzione: Until next time, keep showing up in the rooms that matter because being in the room changes everything [00:48:22] I.

Send us Fan MailSelecting a modern FP&A platform has evolved far beyond a simple budgeting or forecasting decision. Today, it represents a strategic investment that influences forecasting agility, data governance, cross-functional collaboration, and executive decision-making. As organizations outgrow spreadsheets and disconnected reporting processes, they require a more integrated and scalable planning environment capable of supporting increasingly complex business needs. Meanwhile, the CPM/EPM market continues to expand with new capabilities, deployment models, and AI-driven functionality, making platform selection more consequential than ever. As a result, finance leaders must evaluate solutions not only on their features but also on their underlying architecture, scalability, integration strategy, and alignment with the organization's long-term operating model and growth objectives.In this episode, Sam Gupta and Shrestha Dash from ElevatIQ, Andy Pratico from Essential Software Solutions, and Phil Coerper from Ringling Business Solutions conduct an in-depth independent review of a leading FP&A platform Abacum.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/abacum-fpa-review-independent-in-depth/Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software developments reflect continued momentum around AI enablement, industry partnerships, customer experience innovation, and strategic acquisitions. ECI Software Solutions and In Time Tec announced a collaboration to expand technology capabilities for their customers, while M-Files introduced new solutions focused on tax advisory, quality management, and contract processes. Nexthink expanded its digital employee experience portfolio with a new solution for Android and iOS devices, and TrueCommerce embedded agentic AI capabilities across its platform to improve supply chain execution and automation. Meanwhile, Yobi strengthened its AI strategy through a partnership with Microsoft, and Zone & Co expanded its financial operations footprint through the acquisition of Sudozi. Additional market activity included Algolia's launch of Recommendation Analytics to enhance digital commerce insights, Caylent's acquisition of Pronetx to deepen cloud and AI expertise, Optimove's acquisition of Smartico to strengthen customer engagement capabilities, and Pipeliner CRM's rebranding as Coevera. Together, these announcements highlight how software vendors are increasingly combining AI, data intelligence, and ecosystem expansion to drive business value and competitive differentiation.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4A-kDBpB1oQuestions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThe medical device industry encompasses a diverse range of business models, including consumable manufacturers, distributors, capital equipment providers, and service-focused organizations, each with distinct operational and regulatory requirements. Consequently, selecting the right ERP system involves far more than evaluating feature lists. Organizations must assess how effectively an ERP platform supports their manufacturing processes, quality management initiatives, traceability requirements, compliance obligations, and long-term growth objectives. In this video, we examine the leading medical device ERP systems in 2026 and explore how different solutions address the industry's unique operational, financial, and regulatory challenges, helping organizations identify the best fit for their specific business model and strategic goals.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top medical device ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqE_43prs0kRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-medical-device-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Why this fintech has bet it all on the small business market. Dave Gilbert, CEO of FairSquare joins us to talk about building a fintech, helping SMBs access capital, and why the future of lending is changing. Plus we explore why prediction markets are gaining traction across fintech and banking https://www.fairsquare.com Click Subscribe to keep … Continue reading Ep 287- FairSquare CEO Dave Gilbert

Enrico Palmerino is the Founder and CEO of Botkeeper, an AI-powered bookkeeping automation platform that helps accounting firms streamline and scale client accounting services. Under his leadership, Botkeeper developed Infinite, its core AI-powered platform for accounting firms, which was later acquired by Xendoo. Enrico leads Botkeeper's mission to help accounting professionals automate manual tasks, improve accuracy, and build more scalable practices. He previously co-owned SmartBooks and co-founded ThinkLite, and he also serves on the board of Fidelity Bank, has advised Geisel Software, and is an investor and advisor to several tech companies.  In this episode… AI is transforming accounting, but the biggest shift is not just faster software — it is a new way for firms to serve clients, manage capacity, and stay competitive. As demand for bookkeeping rises and accounting talent becomes harder to find, how can firms use automation without sacrificing trust, accuracy, or control? Enrico Palmerino, a serial entrepreneur and accounting technology innovator, believes AI should help firms scale their expertise rather than replace it. He highlights how Botkeeper evolved from solving his own bookkeeping pain points into a platform that helps accounting firms automate categorizations, reconciliations, journal entries, document workflows, and practice visibility. By moving from direct SMB services to a firm-focused model, Botkeeper gave accountants a way to improve margins, reduce manual work, and support more clients without overloading their teams. Enrico also explains why adoption depends on trust, showing firms that AI can strengthen client service while preserving ownership of the relationship. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Enrico Palmerino, Founder and CEO of Botkeeper, to discuss AI, automation, and the shift in accounting firms. Enrico explains Botkeeper's move from SMBs to firms, how AI improves bookkeeping workflows, and why the Xendoo acquisition accelerated its roadmap. He also shares advice on pricing, profitability, and entrepreneurship.

Send us Fan MailAdvanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) can be a powerful tool for manufacturers, but its success depends on disciplined implementation and a clear understanding of its role within the broader operational landscape. In this session, we explore what APS truly is, moving beyond vendor marketing to define it in practical operational terms. We then examine how APS enhances production scheduling, capacity planning, resource utilization, and shop-floor execution by providing greater visibility into constraints and priorities. For manufacturers struggling with missed delivery commitments, recurring bottlenecks, frequent schedule changes, or constant operational firefighting, this discussion offers valuable insights into how APS can help create a more predictable, efficient, and responsive manufacturing environment.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/advanced-planning-and-scheduling-aps-finite-vs-infinite-capacity-planning-explained/Questions for Panelists?

From Cannes Lions, Ari Paparo sits down with Vibe.co CEO Arthur Querou, following the announcement that Walmart is acquiring Vibe.co. Arthur shares the company's journey from a French startup to a leading performance TV platform, how Vibe.co was funded after selling KMTX, and what the future of performance CTV looks like inside Walmart Connect. Takeaways Walmart announced plans to acquire Vibe.co, with reports valuing the deal at approximately $1.2 billion plus incentives. Vibe.co originated as a spin-off of KMTX, a QR-targeting company founded in France. The founders sold KMTX to fund and accelerate Vibe.co's growth. Vibe.co grew rapidly by focusing on performance-driven CTV advertising for SMBs and performance marketers. The company achieved a reported run rate of approximately $227 million ARR. Vibe.co operates primarily in the U.S., while maintaining its product and engineering team in France. Arthur credits France's strong ad tech ecosystem for helping produce global success stories. Walmart Connect and Vibe.co serve complementary customer segments, creating expansion opportunities. The entire Vibe.co team is expected to join Walmart following the acquisition. Arthur's focus remains on building technology that unlocks the full potential of performance TV advertising. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Walmart Acquisition Announcement00:23 Why Announcing the Deal at Cannes Was Special01:00 The Origin Story of Vibe.co01:12 Selling KMTX to Fund Vibe.co01:49 Building a French Ad Tech Success Story02:18 France's Impact on Global Ad Tech02:30 Vibe.co vs. Mountain: Market Comparisons03:22 Growth Metrics and ARR Discussion03:40 What Happens Next at Walmart04:18 The Future of Performance TV05:10 Why Vibe.co Focuses on SMB Advertisers05:47 How Vibe.co Complements Walmart Connect06:01 The Entire Team Is Joining Walmart06:16 Arthur's Walmart Story07:01 Final Congratulations and Closing Remarks Guests: Ari Paparo, Arthur QUEROU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software developments highlight how vendors are accelerating investments in AI, automation, connectivity, and operational intelligence across the enterprise technology stack. Zapier and Rillet connected general ledger processes to thousands of business applications, while ActivTrak introduced new capabilities to help organizations measure and govern AI adoption. At the same time, Celonis expanded its collaboration with Oracle to strengthen process intelligence initiatives, and C3 AI showcased enhancements to its enterprise AI development platforms. ECI Software Solutions and In Time Tec announced a strategic collaboration, M-Files introduced new solutions for tax advisory, quality management, and contract processes, and Nexthink expanded digital employee experience management with support for Android and iOS devices. Meanwhile, TrueCommerce embedded agentic AI throughout its platform to streamline supply chain operations, Yobi deepened its partnership with Microsoft to enhance AI-powered customer engagement, and Zone & Co strengthened its financial operations portfolio through the acquisition of Sudozi. Collectively, these announcements underscore the growing focus on embedding AI directly into core business workflows while improving interoperability, governance, and enterprise-wide productivity.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9cCGErWYJIQuestions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThe aerospace and defense ERP market remains one of the most complex and highly regulated segments of enterprise software in 2026. However, evaluating ERP solutions in this space requires a clear understanding of the diverse business models that make up the industry. Aerospace and defense organizations range from OEMs and Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 suppliers to MRO providers, airlines, defense contractors, and specialized component manufacturers. As a result, operational processes, compliance requirements, quality standards, and supply chain dynamics can vary significantly from one organization to another. Therefore, selecting the right ERP system is less about finding a universally superior platform and more about identifying a solution that aligns with an organization's specific business model, regulatory environment, and long-term growth strategy.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top aerospace and defense ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITidrgPRG9cRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/aerospace-and-defense-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Credit card processing fees remain a significant expense for small businesses. Understanding what drives these costs and how cash discount programs work can help merchants make informed payment decisions and better protect their margins. Learn more at https://quicsuite.myclickfunnels.com/landing-page Northern Media Services City: Oswego Address: 274 Cemetery Rd Website: https://www.northernmediaservices.com/

Steve Mordue joins us to talk about the AI landscape that SMBs are facing today and how that led to his team's launch of a new AI offering, RapidClaw, an OpenClaw-based agent framework that made it to market before the reveal of Microsoft's latest autonomous offering category, Autopilot, and the first of its agents, called Scout.   Steve explains how he has made sense of some of the big choices today in the enterprise IT space like pre-built services from hyperscalers, the rise of AI agents, different user interface options, and a variety of billing models. He also explains how his team made some of their decisions, like the use of OpenClaw as an agent harness that each organization can host with full control.  We also discuss how Steve sees AI costs shifting, some of the qualities of effective agents, and the importance of natural language-driven interfaces. Show notes: 6:45 - How are customers should be calibrating their AI priorities vs what many are doing so far 9:50 - Copilot Studio and Power Automate co-existing 4:30 - Boring successes 24:00 - How costs are shaking out for clients 30:15 - How partner billing will change with AI 34:00 - Are we moving away from user-based license model, and what does that mean for partners

Send us Fan MailSelecting the right ERP system begins long before software demonstrations or vendor evaluations—it starts with selecting the right advisor. While many consulting firms position themselves as independent, their implementation partnerships, reseller agreements, or vendor incentives often shape recommendations behind the scenes, leading organizations toward shoehorned solutions, vendor lock-in, and architectural decisions driven more by commercial alignment than operational fit. This webinar explains why true independence is critical during ERP readiness and selection initiatives, particularly as enterprise environments become more composable and category-specific. It explores what genuine vendor-agnostic consulting should look like in practice, including defining the target operating model before technology selection, aligning enterprise software categories without forcing everything into a monolithic ERP framework, and evaluating process maturity, data governance, and organizational readiness before narrowing vendor options. In contrast, many advisory firms rely heavily on familiarity bias, implementation convenience, or preconfigured solution stacks that quietly restrict strategic flexibility and increase long-term transformation risk.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/how-to-select-an-independent-erp-consulting-firm-the-process-explained/Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software developments further demonstrate how rapidly vendors are embedding agentic AI, governed automation, and composable data architectures into core enterprise workflows. Rootstock Software strengthened its manufacturing and warehouse execution strategy through the acquisition of Ascent Solutions, while Anaplan expanded its AI planning portfolio with CoModeler, Custom Analyst, and Agent Studio to accelerate enterprise planning automation. In the go-to-market space, Apollo.io acquired Pocus to build a more agentic revenue operations stack, and Zapier partnered with Rillet to connect general ledger workflows with thousands of operational applications. Meanwhile, Databricks introduced Lakewatch as an open, agentic SIEM platform built on the lakehouse architecture, and Oracle launched Fusion Agentic Applications designed to place coordinated AI agents directly inside ERP workflows. Governance and enterprise trust also emerged as central themes, with Relyance AI unveiling Lyo to monitor how AI agents interact with enterprise data, while Salesforce introduced AI Foundry to operationalize research into enterprise-ready AI models. Finally, Spade raised significant funding to transform messy transaction strings into finance-grade AI data, reinforcing how semantic normalization and governed enterprise context are becoming foundational to the next generation of AI-native enterprise systems.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hekHpEgI0zMQuestions for Panelists?

What if the biggest bottleneck in hardware design isn't your engineer's skill — it's the sheer volume of manual work standing between a great idea and a working schematic? And once you decide to embrace AI-assisted design, how do you make sure the output is actually trustworthy enough to build from? What you'll learn… (00:12) Why fragmented workflows hit SMB hardware teams hardest (02:39) The real cost of going from requirements to prototype without specialist support (07:33) How functional block-level design changes early decisions — including when a SOM beats building from scratch (12:04) Why system-level abstraction catches wrong-path decisions before they reach the schematic (14:39) The "rubber duck debugging" effect: how AI clarifies requirements before they become costly mistakes (17:54) The biggest AI misconception in hardware design — and why the engineer must own every decision (20:30) How CELUS's NXP collaboration delivers manufacturer-validated, human-in-the-loop solutions (25:05) Why abstraction-first tools help SMBs take on projects that would otherwise be out of reach (28:19) The CELUS Success Program: high-touch onboarding for SMBs on the Siemens instance More about the episode… In this episode of the Printed Circuit Podcast, host Steph Chavez welcomes back Antonio Becerra Esteban, VP of Customer Success at CELUS — a physicist-turned-engineer with experience at Infineon and Altium who now leads the team ensuring customers extract real value from the platform. The conversation tackles the fragmented, manual journey from requirements to schematic that burdens small hardware teams. Antonio explains how CELUS's functional block-level design approach lets engineers define system architectures, navigate component trade-offs with an AI assistant, and output fully-interconnected schematics — illustrating the point with a Linux-based HMI example where the right abstraction layer turns a complex MPU build into a simple SOM selection. On the trust question, Antonio is direct: the engineer must own every decision. CELUS backs this up with manufacturer-validated design blocks, transparent sourcing, and a human-in-the-loop process — putting engineers in the driving seat rather than asking them to ship whatever the model produces. SMBs can join CELUS' Success Program by sending an email to cs@celus.io. Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn Website Connect with Antonio Becerra Esteban: LinkedIn CELUS Website

Send us Fan MailThe automotive ERP market remains one of the most operationally complex and ecosystem-driven segments within enterprise software in 2026, making ERP selection highly dependent on business model alignment, manufacturing architecture, and supplier ecosystem participation. Automotive ERP spans organizations of all sizes, from emerging EV startups to global OEMs and multi-tier suppliers, yet the operational requirements across OEMs, Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 manufacturers differ dramatically in terms of compliance, traceability, production strategies, quality management, and supply chain coordination. As a result, no single ERP platform universally fits every automotive environment. One of the most important evaluation criteria is understanding whether an organization operates in a manufacturing execution-centric model—where MES integration, plant-floor coordination, machine connectivity, and real-time production visibility dominate—or a more ERP-centric model focused on procurement orchestration, forecasting, compliance management, and financial coordination. In addition, major automotive ecosystems such as Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW, and Tesla often impose highly specialized supplier collaboration standards, EDI frameworks, and operational protocols that shape ERP vendor alignment strategies. While these ecosystem-specific optimizations can create strong operational fit within certain automotive networks, they may also introduce challenges when organizations expand across different supplier ecosystems, making historical industry alignment and ecosystem depth critical factors during ERP evaluation.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top automotive ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k5ObVkvPMoRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/automotive-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Fred Voccola, CEO of Simpro Group, explains how SMBs are using AI to boost efficiency, turning 5–7% margins into over 25% through optimized scheduling and job management. He highlights how AI acts as a digital workforce, helping smaller businesses scale profitably while larger enterprises face disruption from AI-driven efficiencies.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

An underground forum post breaks down how hackers scan, exploit, and cash out on vulnerabilities — and it reads like a step-by-step guide. Meanwhile, Microsoft is catching heat for stonewalling a researcher who found real zero-days, and a new phishing campaign is hitting small businesses through the platforms they trust most. The OG crew — Joshua Schmidt, Eric Brown, and Nick Mellem — digs into this week's biggest cybersecurity headlines with sharp takes and real-world context that practitioners can actually use. 

For this episode, I spoke with Jay Mellon, the co-founder and owner of AtNetPlus, a top-ranked MSP serving SMBs across Northeast Ohio and South Carolina, about the evolution of MSPs and the small to mid-sized companies they serve, and how AI, security and collaboration are driving this evolution. You can find more information about my guest on my blog at buckleyplanet.com/

Send us Fan MailModernizing SAP environments requires far more than executing a software upgrade or signing a new licensing agreement. Organizations migrating to SAP S/4HANA or consolidating multiple regional ERP systems into SAP often face significant risks tied to fragmented legacy data models, inconsistent master data, and undocumented transformation logic that can undermine production cutover readiness. In this session, SNP CTO Steele Arbeeny explains how Kyano Crossway supports legacy-to-SAP conversion programs beyond traditional ETL approaches by governing the entire data conversion lifecycle. Rather than treating migration as isolated data loads, Crossway structures and manages mapping logic, transformation rules, validation workflows, and traceability controls to ensure transparency and audit confidence throughout the process. As a result, organizations gain visibility into what changed, why it changed, and whether the transformed data is fully prepared for production deployment within a governed SAP-ready architecture.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/legacy-sap-workloads-readiness-turning-legacy-data-into-sap-ready-data/Questions for Panelists?

Platform vendors are transferring liability and delivery responsibility for AI services onto MSPs by building structured AI practice frameworks, training programs, and service delivery methodologies. This approach is motivated by mounting economic pressures on vendors, as seen with large-scale infrastructure investments and the need for sustainable revenue models. PAX8, Ingram Micro Cloud, ConnectWise, and others are formalizing AI partner programs that enroll MSPs to deliver vendor-defined services, while shifting operational complexity and accountability downstream. The episode highlights PAX8's Managed Intelligence initiative, aimed at helping small and midsize MSPs deliver AI services to SMB clients with minimal prior expertise. PAX8 cites its own research, which notes that 62% of SMBs view AI as essential for competitiveness and 74% plan to increase AI spending in the coming year. The economics of AI scaling are underscored by data on projected data center buildout costs—up to $15 trillion by 2030 and requiring $1.75 trillion annually just to maintain. OpenAI's public offering, with an $850 billion valuation and $180 billion in funding, is attributed to the need for capital that private markets can no longer supply, prompting vendors to leverage channel partners for both revenue generation and market validation. Supporting developments include expanded programs at the distribution and platform levels: a PAX8-Nocdoc partnership providing managed NOC/SOC services for smaller MSPs, Ingram Micro Cloud's collaboration with PartnerStack to formalize AI service delivery infrastructure, and ConnectWise's introduction of an AI-native platform for predictive and autonomous IT operations. Research from Omnia and the IBM Institute for Business Value indicates underutilization of vendor market development funds and widespread deployment of AI frameworks despite only 11% of tech leaders feeling prepared—demonstrating the gap between vendor offerings and operational readiness. The implications for MSPs are significant. By enrolling in these vendor-driven AI programs, providers take on delivery risk, contractual accountability, and potential liability for AI outcomes they did not design. The structural split is clear: MSPs can either create and govern their own AI methodologies—pricing accountability as a service—or become vehicles for vendor frameworks, absorbing complexity without full compensation or control. Practical recommendations include updating service agreements for AI-related risks, building internal governance around AI deployments, and not allowing vendor or community consensus to substitute for explicit accountability for outcomes. 00:00 Channel AI Shift  03:59 Enrollment, Not Enablement 06:55 Methodology vs. Liability 10:01 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  Zero Networks  CometBackup 

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software announcements further confirm that the market is rapidly converging around agentic AI, semantic intelligence, and autonomous workflow orchestration. Blue Yonder introduced new AI agents and mobile applications aimed at strengthening supply chain execution and frontline operations, while Zendesk expanded its AI customer service strategy through the acquisition of Forethought. Actian launched an AI analyst designed to convert business glossaries into a live semantic layer, highlighting the growing importance of governed enterprise context for AI-native operations. Meanwhile, ActiveCampaign and Contentsquare announced new capabilities focused on customer engagement and digital experience intelligence. On the enterprise planning side, Anaplan expanded its AI planning portfolio with CoModeler, Custom Analyst, and Agent Studio, while Oracle continued embedding coordinated AI agents directly inside Fusion ERP workflows through its new Fusion Agentic Applications initiative. In parallel, Apollo.io acquired Pocus to strengthen its agentic go-to-market stack, Databricks introduced Lakewatch as an open agentic SIEM platform built on the lakehouse architecture, and Rootstock Software acquired Ascent Solutions to deepen its manufacturing and warehouse execution capabilities.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksS15kccXPcQuestions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThe construction ERP market remains one of the most fragmented and industry-specific segments within enterprise software, making ERP selection particularly challenging in 2026. Before evaluating the top construction ERP systems, organizations must recognize that construction ERP extends far beyond large commercial contractors alone. The category includes a wide range of operational models, including general contractors, specialty trades, engineering and infrastructure firms, developers, public sector construction organizations, property maintenance providers, and real estate-focused businesses. These organizations vary significantly in project complexity, compliance requirements, subcontractor coordination, procurement workflows, field operations, and financial structures. As a result, construction ERP systems differ substantially in their project accounting models, job costing depth, resource scheduling capabilities, document management workflows, and field-service integration, making industry alignment and operational fit far more important than generic ERP functionality comparisons.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top construction ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu8rU9s8xaYRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-construction-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

What does it take to turn a local idea into a nationwide phenomenon? In this episode, Gordon and Corey kick off a summer series exploring products that started small and went big with the right marketing. Their guest is David Klein, creator of Jelly Belly, who reveals how an $800 investment and some unconventional tactics helped transform a tiny candy into a global brand. Gordon & Corey unpack the marketing lessons every local business can learn about publicity, storytelling, and punching above your weight. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

In this episode of The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas, hosts Bela Musits and Mike Wasserman dive deep into a powerful yet often overlooked strategy for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs): fractional communications. While many entrepreneurs are familiar with the concept of a fractional CFO or HR firm, the idea of a fractional Chief Communications Officer (CCO) is a game-changer for companies looking to scale efficiently and manage their reputation with precision.Our guest, Joshua Altman, shares his journey of starting and running a fractional communications business designed specifically for SMBs. For businesses that may not have the budget or the need for a full-time marketing executive, a fractional CCO provides high-level expertise to shape perception and build long-term trust with stakeholders. Joshua explains that his role goes beyond traditional branding or marketing; he takes an integrated, big-picture view of how a company's messaging impacts its growth and stakeholder confidence.Throughout the interview, we explore:The Fractional Advantage: Joshua discusses how hiring a part-time expert can be significantly more cost-effective than a full-time marketing hire while delivering measurable, high-level results.The Story-Narrative-Brand Framework: Learn Joshua's specific process for helping businesses discover what they truly want to communicate. He breaks down the critical differences between a company's story (the facts), its narrative (how it answers market questions), and its brand (the tangible elements like websites and marketing materials).Innovating with Novel Products: For companies launching entirely new products that the public doesn't yet understand, Joshua stresses the importance of involving a communications team early in the product development roadmap. He discusses how to lay the groundwork months in advance to educate potential customers and shape their purchasing decisions.Offloading Communication Tasks: Many SMB presidents or VPs of operations find themselves handling communication by "happenstance" because there is no dedicated staff. Joshua explains how his firm steps in to take these critical tasks off their hands, allowing leadership to focus on their primary roles of running the business.If you are a business owner looking for innovative ways to manage your messaging and improve your communication process in a measurable way, this conversation is packed with actionable advice on how to use communications as a strategic tool for success.Connect with The Unconventional Path:Our podcast is now available on YouTube. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode.We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience.We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners.Thanks for listening,Bela and MikeSEO Search Terms: Fractional Chief Communications Officer, SMB growth strategies, entrepreneurship podcast, fractional CCO vs CMO, small business branding, communications strategy for startups, market penetration for SMBs, cost-effective marketing, building stakeholder trust, business narrative framework, product development roadmap, Bela Musits, Mike Wasserman, Joshua Altman, The Unconventional Path podcast.

Centaris Helps SMBs Bring AI Into the Business Without Letting Risk Come Along for the Ride, Podcast, According to Centaris, 86% of SMB workers are using AI tools, with 80% bringing their own tools into the workplace. At the same time, 80% of leaders cite leakage of sensitive data as their main concern. By Doug Green “We think there's a tremendous opportunity for us to shine where we've thrived for years.” In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Mike Nowak, Chief Revenue Officer at Centaris, about the challenges small and midsize businesses are facing as AI adoption moves faster than many IT and security programs can manage. Centaris provides cybersecurity and managed IT services for small and midsize organizations, with a focus on the Great Lakes region and companies with roughly 50 to 5,000 employees. The company works across key verticals including manufacturing, healthcare and financial services, where security, compliance and operational continuity are central business concerns. The conversation focuses on a problem that is becoming urgent for SMB leaders: AI is already inside the organization, whether or not it has been formally approved. According to Centaris, 86% of SMB workers are using AI tools, with 80% bringing their own tools into the workplace. At the same time, 80% of leaders cite leakage of sensitive data as their main concern. That creates a new challenge for MSPs, IT leaders and business owners. The question is no longer whether employees will use AI. They already are. The question is whether companies can create a secure, consistent and manageable way to use AI without exposing customer data, intellectual property or regulated information. Nowak outlines Centaris' role in helping organizations move from uncontrolled AI experimentation to structured deployment. For many smaller companies, AI adoption is happening at the employee level first. Staff members are using publicly available tools to write, summarize, research and automate work. That can create productivity gains, but it can also create risk when sensitive information is pasted into tools that are not governed by company policy. Centaris is positioning its AI and cybersecurity work around practical deployment. Rather than treating AI as a separate technology trend, the company sees it as part of the broader managed services and cybersecurity conversation. SMBs need policies, training, tool selection, identity controls and security frameworks that match the way employees are already working. The podcast also looks at the broader cybersecurity posture of the small and midmarket. These organizations face many of the same risks as larger enterprises but often lack the same internal resources. That makes consistent managed security, compliance guidance and trusted IT leadership especially important. Centaris is also in growth mode. Nowak says the company is looking to expand across the Great Lakes footprint, particularly in areas where it already has experience and vertical expertise. “The ones that we're looking for and where we're looking to expand is really the Great Lakes footprint,” Nowak says. “We think there's a tremendous opportunity for us to kind of shine where we've thrived for years.” The acquisition strategy is focused on fit and execution. Centaris is interested in organizations that align with its strengths in manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and cybersecurity-driven managed services. The company works with larger clients and clients in other regions, but Nowak emphasizes that Centaris is careful about ensuring it can execute well before expanding. For MSP owners, the message is direct: Centaris is open to conversations with firms that may be considering their next step. For SMB leaders, the message is equally clear: AI is already arriving inside the business, and the time to secure and standardize that adoption is now. Centaris can be reached through LinkedIn, at info@centaris.com, or through the Centaris website. Learn more at centaris.com.

Send us Fan MailSelecting a modern FP&A platform is no longer simply a budgeting or reporting decision—it is a strategic architecture choice that shapes how finance organizations operate, collaborate, and scale. Today's FP&A and broader CPM/EPM platforms directly influence forecasting speed, executive visibility, scenario modeling, data governance, and cross-functional decision-making across the enterprise. As a result, finance leaders must evaluate far more than dashboards and planning features alone. They must assess the underlying data architecture, integration depth with ERP and operational systems, scalability across business units, workflow flexibility, and the platform's alignment with the organization's long-term operating model. In many cases, the wrong architectural decision creates fragmented planning processes, inconsistent metrics, and governance challenges that limit finance's ability to function as a strategic business partner.In this episode, Sam Gupta and Shrestha Dash from ElevatIQ, Andy Pratico from Essential Software Solutions, and Phil Coerper from Ringling Business Solutions conduct an in-depth independent review of a leading FP&A platform Aleph.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/aleph-an-independent-in-depth-review/Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software announcements highlight how rapidly the market is evolving toward agentic architectures, semantic intelligence, and AI-driven operational orchestration. Anthropic expanded MCP with a framework designed for full-stack agentic applications, reinforcing the industry's push toward composable AI ecosystems. Meanwhile, Hubbl Technologies raised funding to position itself as an intelligence layer for the Salesforce agentic environment, while Salesforce continued broadening its AI footprint through Agentforce for Communications. Sage enhanced the Sage Intacct Suite with new capabilities focused on finance operations, and Sinch introduced a collection of AI agent features targeting customer engagement workflows. On the operational side, Typeface unveiled a marketing orchestration engine, while Blue Yonder announced new AI agents and mobile applications aimed at supply chain execution and workforce enablement. At the same time, Zendesk moved deeper into AI-powered customer support through its acquisition of Forethought, and Actian launched an AI analyst designed to transform business glossaries into a live semantic layer, signaling the growing importance of governed enterprise context for AI-native operations.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCxtpqQ_vIwQuestions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailDistribution-centric ERP systems represent one of the most operationally diverse categories in enterprise software, making ERP evaluation far more complex than many organizations initially expect. Before reviewing the top distribution ERP systems in 2026, it is critical to understand that distribution extends well beyond traditional wholesale operations. Many distribution businesses also manage light manufacturing, assembly, kitting, fabrication, ecommerce fulfillment, or retail processes, yet their primary operational complexity revolves around inventory movement, procurement, warehousing, logistics, fulfillment, and multi-channel coordination. This category spans a broad range of industries and company sizes, including industrial supply, HVAC, automotive, medical devices, food and beverage, construction supply chains, and ecommerce-driven businesses. Consequently, ERP systems designed for distribution vary significantly in their warehouse models, inventory strategies, fulfillment capabilities, pricing structures, and supply chain workflows, making business-model alignment far more important than generic feature comparisons alone.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top distribution ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA4XdEACxZoRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-distribution-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailERP initiatives frequently fail because organizations confuse ERP selection with ERP readiness. Selecting an ERP system is primarily a procurement and evaluation exercise, while ERP readiness is a far more complex organizational transformation involving process alignment, governance, data discipline, and executive consensus. ERP systems do not repair broken workflows, resolve ownership conflicts, or clean inconsistent master data—they simply automate and enforce whatever structure already exists. Unfortunately, many organizations develop a false sense of confidence once software is selected, assuming the implementation partner or vendor will absorb integration complexity and operational gaps. In reality, ERP readiness is what determines long-term success. It defines the target operating model, clarifies process accountability, strengthens data governance, and aligns stakeholders before implementation risk compounds. While ERP selection feels tactical and visible, ERP readiness requires strategic intent, organizational discipline, and executive commitment to prevent adoption failures, financial overruns, and architectural misalignment.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/erp-readiness-vs-erp-selection-selecting-an-erp-will-not-make-you-ready/Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software announcements reveal how aggressively vendors are repositioning around AI agents, composable integration, and industry-specific workflows. NetSuite introduced its new integration platform to simplify connectivity across enterprise ecosystems, while Oracle expanded both its process manufacturing capabilities and AI agent portfolio inside Fusion Cloud Applications. QAD and Tata Consultancy Services strengthened their manufacturing operations strategy through the Redzone partnership, reinforcing the growing importance of connected frontline execution. Meanwhile, Intuit Mailchimp rolled out new e-commerce enhancements, and Seismic and Highspot announced a major merger that could reshape the sales enablement landscape. On the AI infrastructure side, Anthropic expanded MCP with a framework for full-stack agentic applications, while emerging vendors like Hubbl Technologies positioned themselves as orchestration layers for the Salesforce agentic ecosystem. Finally, Sage, Salesforce, and Sinch continued the broader trend of embedding AI agents deeper into finance, communications, and customer engagement workflows, signaling that the enterprise software market is rapidly shifting from passive systems of record toward autonomous systems of execution.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Ktqz2rXh8Questions for Panelists?

Send us Fan MailManufacturing ERP remains one of the broadest and most misunderstood categories in enterprise software. Before evaluating the top manufacturing ERP systems in 2026, organizations must first understand that manufacturing is not a single industry—it is a collection of highly specialized micro-verticals with unique operational, engineering, compliance, and supply chain requirements. Consequently, manufacturing ERP platforms differ significantly in their process models, data architectures, and industry alignment. Some systems are designed to support multiple manufacturing modes through broad and flexible capabilities, while others are purpose-built for highly specific operational environments. This makes context critically important when comparing ERP systems, especially across different company sizes, business models, and levels of manufacturing complexity.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top manufacturing ERP systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these ERP systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each ERP system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLYsM4ExpD8Read: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-manufacturing-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?