Changing Channels

RapidScale’s Duane Barnes on How AI Is Transforming Managed Services

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Artificial intelligence is compelling managed service providers to rethink where value is created, shifting the opportunity from resale and token margins to advisory services, implementation, optimization, lifecycle management, and measurable business outcomes. As customers look for partners that can turn AI ambition into practical systems, the MSP market is likely to split between providers with deep expertise and those left supporting yesterday’s model. Duane Barnes, president of RapidScale, joins Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to discuss how AI is reshaping managed services.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

Bio: https://www.channelnomics.com/about
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/

About Duane Barnes:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanebarnes/

About RapidScale: https://rapidscale.com/

New Relic's Shannon Batson on Winning in the AWS Marketplace

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:11:47 -0400

Hyperscaler marketplaces are rapidly becoming a preferred way for enterprises to buy technology, creating new opportunities for vendors and partners alike. But success requires far more than simply listing products online. New Relic recently surpassed $1 billion in sales through AWS Marketplace, demonstrating what's possible with the right strategy. On this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh speaks with Shannon Batson, Global Director of Cloud Sales at New Relic, about building a successful hyperscaler marketplace business and the lessons learned along the way.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• Bio: https://www.channelnomics.com/about
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/

About Shannon Baston:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonbbatson/

About New Relic: https://newrelic.com/

How Lenovo is Evolving Its Channel for Outcome-Based Selling

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:24:09 -0400

Technology buyers are demanding business outcomes, AI readiness, and measurable value — not just products. To meet those expectations, Lenovo is evolving its channel strategy through Lenovo 360, emphasizing services, lifecycle value, technical enablement, and outcome-based selling.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Wade McFarland, Vice President of North America Channel at Lenovo, joins Larry Walsh to discuss how Lenovo is helping partners grow profitability, attach more services, accelerate AI adoption, simplify engagement, and deliver stronger customer outcomes.

Topics include:
• Outcome-based selling and customer success
• Lenovo 360 partner program updates
• AI-driven opportunities for channel partners
• Services-led growth and recurring revenue
• Partner profitability and lifecycle services
• Technical enablement and skills development
• Financing, consumption models, and customer value
• Simplifying channel engagement

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
Bio: https://www.channelnomics.com/about
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/

About Wade McFarland:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wade-mcfarland-9017037/

About Lenovo 360:
https://www.lenovopartnerhub.com/

#Lenovo #Lenovo360 #ChannelPartners #ITChannel #ChannelSales #PartnerPrograms #OutcomeBasedSelling #AI #ManagedServices #CustomerSuccess #ChannelStrategy #TechnologyPartners

ConnectWise’s Manny Rivelo on Automation, AI, and the Future of MSP Platforms

Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The managed services market is entering a new phase as MSPs confront rising operational complexity, mounting tool sprawl, margin pressure, and increasing customer demands for automation and efficiency. Platform consolidation, workflow orchestration, and AI-driven operations are reshaping how MSPs scale and compete, while vendors race to position themselves as the operational backbone of modern service providers. ConnectWise CEO Manny Rivelo joins Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to discuss the company’s ASIO platform strategy, the evolution of the MSP business model, the role of ecosystem integration, and how automation and data-driven operations are redefining the future of managed services.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/

About Manny Rivelo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannyrivelo/

About ConnectWise

LinkedIn: www.connectwise.com

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Follow @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics — the voice of thought leadership — we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel. 

Inside Slide's Reinvention of Backup for MSPs

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The backup and disaster recovery market has long been viewed as mature and saturated, yet shifting economics, evolving cyber threats, and partner fatigue are creating an opening for disruption. New infrastructure capabilities, changing MSP expectations, and rising concerns around vendor “extraction” models are redefining what partners demand from their technology providers – including BCDR. Slide, the new MSP-centric backup vendor, aims to shake up the staid segment with new products, innovations, and commitment to partner collaboration. Co-founders Austin McChord and Michael Fass join Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to discuss the ascent of Slide.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn

About Austin McChord
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcchord/

About Michael Fass
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-fass-6a224111/

About Slide
• LinkedIn: www.slide.tech

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Acumatica’s Sanket Akerkar on How AI is Revitalizing the ERP Channel

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Enterprise resource planning systems have long been the operational backbone of businesses, but advances in cloud computing and artificial intelligence are transforming how they are used. AI is turning ERP from a static system of record into a system of intelligence by applying automation, analytics, and decision support to the core data that runs a company—finance, supply chains, procurement, and operations. These changes are also creating new opportunities for partners that implement and support ERP platforms, as success increasingly depends on industry expertise and the ability to translate technology into business outcomes. Sanket Akerkar, president and COO of Acumatica, joins Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to talk about how ERP is cool again.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn

About Sanket Akerkar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-bradley-2b0288/
Acumatica Bio: https://www.acumatica.com/leadership-team/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Proofpoint Evolving Partnerships for a Secure AI World

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:12:13 -0500

As enterprises move from AI experimentation to production deployment, security risks tied to data exposure, identity compromise and agent misuse are expanding rapidly, forcing organizations to rethink how they protect people, data and collaboration environments. Proofpoint is positioning itself at the intersection of AI, human-centric security and data protection, evolving from a point-product focus into a broader platform strategy designed to consolidate tools and reduce operational complexity for customers and partners. With the majority of its business now transacted through partners – a dramatic shift from a decade ago – the company is aligning its channel model to drive partner-sourced growth, incentivize platform adoption, strengthen deal protections and introduce performance-based back-end rebates that reward both net-new acquisition and long-term customer expansion. Stan de Bossiet, senior vice president of global channels, joins Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to discuss Proofpoint's new channel program, its objectives, and the implications for partners and customers alike.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn

About Stan de Boisset
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-bradley-2b0288/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

How Energy Management is the Next Greenfield Opportunity

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

As AI workloads expand, data centers multiply, and everything stays perpetually plugged in, electricity has become a limiting factor for digital growth rather than a passive utility. Aging power grids, rising costs, and infrastructure constraints are colliding with unprecedented demand, pushing energy management into the core of IT strategy. For the channel, this convergence of power, IoT, and infrastructure represents a new growth frontier — one where managing, optimizing, and securing energy is as critical as managing networks or cloud workloads. Vince Bradley, the CEO and founder of Abundant IoT, joins Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to discuss the growing opportunity of energy management in the IT channel.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Vince Bradley
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-bradley-2b0288/

About Abundant IOT: https://abundantiot.com/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Connecting the Dots on Channel Attribution

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:05:39 -0500

The channel is widely regarded as the most effective way for technology vendors to cover the total addressable market, enabling broader customer reach, deeper penetration into specialized segments, and more profitable growth. Yet persistent doubt remains—from boardrooms to field sales—about the true contribution of partners. That skepticism is rarely philosophical; it is rooted in attribution. When vendors lack clear, agreed-upon methods for measuring impact, linking partner activity to outcomes, and crediting success, the value of the channel becomes difficult to defend. In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh is joined by Joe Sykora, CEO of Coro Cybersecurity, and Frank Rauch to examine why attribution remains one of the channel’s most enduring—and consequential—challenges.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Frank Rauch
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankrauch/

About Joe Sykora
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesykora/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

ServiceNow Redefines Partnering With AI Fluidity

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Artificial intelligence is radically transforming how businesses and individuals operate, eliminating mundane tasks, driving operational efficiency, and unlocking new sources of value. In the technology channel, AI is reshaping the go-to-market relationship between vendors and partners by automating processes, improving collaboration, and introducing new products and services that help offset the effects of commoditization. Partners are under pressure to find new accretive and attached offerings to sustain profitability and growth, and few companies are responding to this opportunity as aggressively as ServiceNow. The company has evolved from embedding AI into its platform to incorporating it across its partner management systems and integrating AI agents from other vendors to expand its value proposition. ServiceNow’s channel organization is using AI as a guiding principle, rethinking engagement models, redefining partner roles, and even mandating that every member of its partner team be fluent in AI concepts and capabilities. Michael Park, senior vice president of global partnerships and channels at ServiceNow, joins Larry Walsh to talk about what it means to have AI fluidity in the channel.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Michael Park

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-park-59519b21/

About ServiceNow

LinkedIn: https://www.servicenow.com/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

How MongoDB Is Powering the Next Generation of AI Partnerships

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh sits down with Olivier Zieleniecki, Global Vice President of Worldwide Partners at MongoDB, to discuss how the database innovator is redefining partner collaboration in the era of artificial intelligence. Zieleniecki explains how MongoDB’s ecosystem strategy has evolved from product enablement to outcome-driven partnership, emphasizing joint innovation and solution development over transactional resale. He details how MongoDB empowers its partners to build generative AI applications, integrate with leading platforms, and deliver measurable business results for customers. From the company’s “AI factory” framework to its focus on quality over quantity in partner engagement, Zieleniecki shares how MongoDB is aligning its technology, resources, and ecosystem around a single goal — helping partners and customers turn data into action.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Olivier Zieleniecki

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierze/

About MongoDB

LinkedIn: https://www.mongodb.com/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Redefining and Elevating Cybersecurity Distribution

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh sits down with Jason Beal and Justin Crotty of Exclusive Networks to explore how the cybersecurity-focused distributor is carving out a distinct role in a market dominated by broadline distributors. Beal and Crotty discuss why they returned to distribution after senior vendor roles, the unique services Exclusive Networks offers across the customer and channel lifecycle, and how they help vendors and partners navigate the crowded cybersecurity landscape. From emerging vendor incubation to white-glove engineering support, they explain how Exclusive Networks aims to become as well-known in North America as it is globally, by addressing churn, accelerating adoption, and delivering value where traditional distributors often fall short.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Jason Beal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbeal/

About Justin Crotty

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justincrotty/

About Exclusive Networks

LinkedIn: https://www.exclusive-networks.com/usa/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Getting the Most Out of Channel Data

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

The channel exists to extend a vendor’s reach and capabilities through partners, opening access to markets and revenue streams that would otherwise be out of reach. Building and running programs that enable those partners, however, rests heavily on how well performance and sales data are understood. While most agree that channel data management is critical, the practices for collecting, analyzing, and applying that information often fall short.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Bill Rainey, vice president of global channels at Milestone Systems, joins Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh for a conversation about the discipline of data in the channel. Together, they explore the importance of gathering accurate information, the challenges of interpreting it, and how thoughtful analytics can guide program decisions and ultimately drive stronger partner results.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Bill Rainey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billrainey/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Inside Microsoft’s AI Vision for Channel and Partners

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 06:15:09 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh speaks with Nina Harding, Corporate Vice President of Americas Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the channel landscape. From internal adoption of Copilot—Microsoft’s flagship AI tool—to the rise of AI-native partners, Harding shares how Microsoft is enabling its vast ecosystem to innovate faster, streamline operations, and deliver meaningful customer outcomes. Together, Harding and Walsh explore the growing importance of data readiness, partner-to-partner collaboration, and preserving the human element in AI-driven transformation—offering valuable insights for anyone navigating the evolving channel model.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Nina Harding

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-harding-microsoft/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Why Fun Is the Secret to Cloudflare’s Channel Success

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh speaks with Tom Evans, Chief Partner Officer at Cloudflare, about how fostering an open, fun, and collaborative culture translates directly into partner success. Evans shares insights from his first year at Cloudflare, where he’s reshaping the company's channel strategy to accelerate growth and increase partner contribution. Learn how Evans cultivates an environment that balances high expectations with genuine enjoyment, promotes diversity of thought, and creates a sense of belonging, even in remote settings. It’s a refreshing look at how channel leaders can build strong, productive teams by making sure that work feels less like a job and more like a community.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Tom Evans
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomevans2121/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

How Sophos is Rewarding MSP Commitments

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh sits down with Chris Bell, Senior Vice President of Global Channels, Alliances, and Business Development at Sophos, for an inside look at MSP Elevate—the company’s bold new program designed to reward committed partners with richer margins, exclusive capabilities, and unmatched growth potential. Bell shares how Elevate goes beyond the existing MSP Flex model by offering architect-level training, performance-based rebates, and early access to new offerings—all while simplifying the path to profitability. It’s a compelling playbook for how vendors can win partner loyalty and stand out in today’s competitive cybersecurity market.

Analyst Note - Sophos Elevates MSP Engagement With New Program: https://www.channelnomics.com/insights/sophos-elevates-msp-engagement-with-new-program

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Chris Bell
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgerardbell/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Autodesk Goes All In on the Agency Model

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0400

Autodesk has overhauled its channel strategy by moving to an agency model, where the company handles transactions directly while partners focus on delivering post-sale value. The change provides Autodesk with greater pricing and data control, reduces the administrative burden for partners, and enhances the customer experience through streamlined systems and self-service capabilities. Early results show stronger renewal rates, higher partner margins, and improved operational efficiency. Rachel Tuller, Vice President of Global Channels at Autodesk, joins Larry Walsh on Changing Channels to discuss the strategy, transition, and results of this strategic change.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Rachel Tuller
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rtuller/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

How Plugable is Dealing with Tariff Turbulence

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 05:57:54 -0400

Tariffs are top of mind across the channel. In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh talks with Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, CEO of Pluggable Technologies, about the wide-reaching effects of shifting U.S. trade policy. Lynn shares how Pluggable restructured its supply chain in response to Trump-era tariffs and how new rounds of uncertainty are forcing fast, complex decisions. The discussion covers pricing volatility, the limits of reshoring, and how to stay competitive in a crowded peripherals market. With decades of channel experience, Lynn provides practical insight on managing through disruption and maintaining strategic focus when the rules keep changing.

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• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-smurthwaite-murphy-icd-d-6454856/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Delighting and Frustrating Partners

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:13:49 -0400

Vendors go to great lengths to create channel programs that enable and encourage partners to succeed in their mutual go-to-market activities. These programs define the rules and agreements under which vendors and partners operate. However, partners often have little direct influence over how these programs are crafted or managed. Vendors can either elevate partners to new heights or dash their hopes and aspirations. Channelnomics reviewed years of commentary from satisfaction surveys that gathered insights from thousands of partners on their experiences and perceptions of working with different vendors. We aggregated and compiled these comments, identifying the actions that delight and frustrate partners. In this special episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh explores the highs and lows of vendor engagements with partners – and what channel leaders can learn from them. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Changing Channels. Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe! • Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ • LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli • X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics About Larry Walsh: • LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112 • X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn • Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-... Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC Follow @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics — the voice of thought leadership — we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.  © 2112 Enterprises LLC

Esprinet CEO Alessandro Cattani on the Changing Face of European Distribution

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 03:09:34 -0500

In this episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh speaks with Alessandro (Alex) Cattani, CEO of Esprinet Group, about the unique dynamics of working within the IT channel and distribution landscape across Europe. Unlike the United States, the European market is complex, shaped by distinct local economies, languages, and regulations across different countries. Cattani shares insights into how these regional distinctions require a highly localized approach, making distribution essential for navigating each country’s specific business climate.

The conversation explores the evolving state of distribution in Europe, highlighting the digital transformation reshaping distribution and the ongoing consolidation trend. As Cattani notes, while American distributors and global firms expand their footprint, smaller, regionally-focused distributors still play a critical role in servicing localized needs. This episode is an essential listen for anyone looking to understand the nuances of the European IT channel and how distribution strategies differ significantly from the American model. Tune in for expert insights on adapting to Europe’s fragmented market and the critical role that nimble, localized distribution partners play in supporting vendors’ success.

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Changing Channels.

Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe!
• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): / channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: / lmwalsh2112
• X (formerly Twitter): / lmwalsh_cn
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-...

About Alessandro Cattani
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acattani/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Exploring the Importance of Collaboration in Ecosystems

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 03:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, Channelnomics's Larry Walsh speaks with Stephanie Chiras, Senior Vice President of Partner Ecosystem Success at Red Hat, to discuss the critical role collaboration plays in building and leveraging successful ecosystem channels. Chiras highlights how no single company can solve all customer challenges alone, emphasizing the need for multiple partners to work together to deliver comprehensive solutions. Red Hat, as a leader in open-source software, has embraced this collaborative approach by creating a flexible, modular partner framework that enables partners to engage more effectively with both Red Hat and each other. Throughout the conversation, Chiras explains how collaboration is essential for driving value through AI, hybrid cloud, and other emerging technologies, and how Red Hat is evolving its partner program to foster these collaborative motions.

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Changing Channels.

Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe!
• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
• X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Stephanie Chiras
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-chiras-9022144/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Inside NinjaOne's Meteoric Rise in Managed Services

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 05:03:25 -0400

In this episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh speaks with Sal Sferlazza, the CEO and founder of NinjaOne, a leading managed services platform, to discuss the evolving landscape of Managed Services Providers (MSPs). They dive into how NinjaOne has emerged as a competitive alternative in the crowded MSP market by focusing on simplicity, scalability, and superior customer service. From the rise of MSPs to the challenges they face in today’s complex and commoditized environment, this conversation covers how vendors like NinjaOne are helping MSPs consolidate their tech stacks, improve business outcomes, and grow their customer bases. Sferlazza also shares insights on future trends, including the role of AI and the ongoing transformation of the managed services industry. Tune in to hear about NinjaOne’s journey, strategy, and the broader managed services ecosystem.

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Changing Channels.

Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe!
• Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
• X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
• X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
• Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Sal Sferlazza
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sal-sferlazza-64b916/

About NinjaOne: https://www.ninjaone.com/about-us/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Inside the Influencing Power of Partner Advisory Boards

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 10:29:04 -0400

Partner advisory boards (PABs) or councils (PACs) are integral components of many vendor channel programs, serving as crucial platforms for direct and candid dialogue between vendor leadership, channel managers, and partners. These forums allow vendors to gain valuable insights into their current operations and gauge partner sentiment regarding future plans and aspirations. While most vendors acknowledge the significance of PABs in their partner programs, the effectiveness of these forums can vary. Inconsistent execution or a lack of actionable feedback can diminish their value. Successful PABs require careful planning, coordination, active listening, and, most importantly, a genuine commitment from vendors to foster an environment where partners feel encouraged to engage meaningfully. Ivanti, a provider of security and IT management software, exemplifies the impact of a well-executed PAB. Through its robust advisory board, Ivanti gathers crucial insights and direction directly from its partners. In this episode of Changing Channels, Michelle Hodges, Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances, shares her expertise on what it takes to successfully produce and leverage partner advisory boards for mutual benefit.

Check out Channelnomics’s Partner Advisory Board support resources:

PAB Management & Support Services: https://channelnomics.com/pab/
Partner Advisory Boards: A User Manual: https://channelnomics.com/partner-advisory-boards-a-vendor-user-manual/
Choosing the Right Feedback Event: https://channelnomics.com/choosing-the-right-event/

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN

Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Michelle Hodges

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellewhodges/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Building Annual Recurring Revenue with Partners

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:38:47 -0400

More than 90% of software and services vendors are selling their products on subscription plans, generating annual recurring revenue (ARR). The model is more advantageous than traditional sales through transactional perpetual licensing, as it provides predictable revenue that leads to higher market valuations. While software and services sold on long-term recurring contracts have many operational and economic advantages, generating sales through partners isn’t always easy. Many vendors are challenged in getting partners to accept and act on the model. A company finding success in the subscription model is Cato Networks, which recently announced it surpassed $200 million in ARR, doubling the volume in less than two years. Cato’s global channel chief, Frank Rauch – a veteran of legacy and emerging channel models – joins Changing Channels to discuss the lessons learned in developing ARR through partners.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Frank Rauch
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankrauch/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Redefining Managed Services Economics

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 05:34:53 -0400

The managed services segment of the channel has long operated on a “best of breed” basis. These companies developed services with collections of technologies from multiple vendors, providing what they considered the best options for their needs. While "best of breed" is considered a good means of developing effective systems, it is not always easy and often expensive to create and maintain. The holy grail of managed services is the simplification of systems into consolidated applications with well-integrated features and lower total cost of ownership. This approach, in theory, leads to better organizational management, predictable costs, and improved service delivery to end customers.

Earlier this year, Kaseya rolled out Kaseya 365, a new package that provides MSPs with the tools they need for service delivery at a single, low subscription price. Kaseya believes this model, which it has been working on for years, will redefine managed services economics. Mike DePalma, the vice president of business development, joins Changing Channels to discuss the new Kaseya model, what it means for the managed services community, and where the MSP model is going next.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Mike DePalma

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldepalma1/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

What Channel Women Face in their Careers

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 11:44:46 -0400

Women in the IT channel face unique career challenges. These include skill development, gaining experience, and demonstrating their value for advancement in a predominantly male industry while also balancing motherhood and family responsibilities. Simply put, men don’t face the same pressures as women.

Progress is evident, though, with more women holding leadership positions and rising through the ranks. However, mid-level channel professionals continue to face challenges balancing work and family commitments.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Bryn Nettesheim, explores career issues for women building successful careers in the channel with an expert panel of senior women channel leaders:

• Meaghan Sullivan-Moore, VP of Global Partner Marketing, ServiceNow
• Chari Rhoades, VP of Americas Channel and Partner Sales, Proofpoint
• Heather K. Margolis, CEO and Founder, Channel Maven

Our discussion provides insights, experiences and tips for how women in the channel can balance their career and home commitments.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Bryn Nettesheim:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brynnettesheim/

About Our Guests
• Heather K. Margolis, Channel Maven: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherkmargolis/
• Meaghan Sullivan-Moore, ServiceNow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meaghansullivan-moore/
• Chari Rhoades, Proofpoint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chari-rhoades-21615a8/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Connecting the Ecosystem Dots with ISVs

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:46:47 -0400

No one technology vendor has all the products and services that businesses need to operate efficiently and effectively. Even the best vendors with the broadest portfolios have limitations. They need to partner with complementary products and services to extend the value of their applications. This need is at the heart of what makes ecosystems valuable. Through ecosystems vendors and partners are able to combine products into systems. A significant part of this ecosystem is independent software vendors (ISVs), which make the applications that extend the functionality and value of the underlying technology products and platforms. The challenge vendors and partners face is identifying and forming relationships with the right ISVs. In this special episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh speaks with three industry experts – John Dusett of Ingram Micro, Alyssa Fitzpatrick of Elastic, and Alex Lewis of Genesys – about what it takes to create value-generating relationships with ISVs.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Our Guest

John Dusett, Ingram Micro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndusett/
Alyssa Fitzpatrick, Elastic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysfitz/
Alex Lewis, Genesys: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlewis/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Dissecting the Ecosystem Definition Problem

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:25:04 -0400

The term "ecosystem" has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, steadily replacing "channels" to denote indirect sales processes. By definition, ecosystems is the collaboration between two or more companies to address a customer's needs. Nevertheless, there is a trend where the term "ecosystems" is also applied to describe channel populations and communities, leading to some confusion. This conflation of terms can set unrealistic expectations about what ecosystems are and what outcomes they can achieve.

In this episode of "Changing Channels," Channelnomics's Larry Walsh and Bryn Nettesheim address the nuances of the ecosystem definition and seek to clarify the current trend's implications. They explore the distinct characteristics of ecosystems and how these collaborative networks can be leveraged effectively in the technology sector. This discussion aims to demystify the concept and ensure a common understanding within the industry.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About Bryn Nettesheim

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brynnettesheim/
Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/staff/bryn-nettesheim/

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

Chipping Away at the $8 Trillion "Siliconomy"

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 05:37:24 -0400

In the latest episode of the podcast “Changing Channels,” host Larry Walsh spoke with Trevor Vickery, the vice president and general manager of Intel's global partners and support organization, about the concept of the "Siliconomy" – or the Silicon Economy – and how semiconductors are driving a new wave of innovation and opportunity.

The Siliconomy, a term coined by Intel, refers to the ubiquity of semiconductors in our digitally connected world. As Vickery explained, the need for compute power is growing exponentially, with the market expected to reach a trillion dollars in the next few years. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for connected devices and the need to modernize cities to accommodate the growing urban population.

Intel sees its role in the Siliconomy as not only a supplier of technology but also as a key player in diversifying the semiconductor supply chain. The company is investing in expanding its manufacturing capacity in the U.S., Asia-Pacific, and Europe to ensure a more resilient and diverse supply chain.

The conversation also touched on the importance of partnerships in the Silicon Economy. Vickery emphasized that no one company can go at it alone and that partnerships are critical to building solutions that meet the needs of customers. He highlighted Intel's Partner Alliance program as a mechanism for scaling these partnerships and bringing together ISVs, GSIs, and other partners to co-engineer solutions.

When asked about the potential for new types of partners to emerge in the Siliconomy, Vickery acknowledged that Intel may need to get closer to the end consumers of technology to understand their unique use cases and workloads. However, he also stressed the importance of scale and the need for open standards to ensure that solutions can be easily deployed and run anywhere.

Looking ahead, Vickery outlined Intel’s agenda for facilitating the vision of the Siliconomy. He emphasized the need to work more closely with partners to develop the ecosystem, co-engineer solutions, and innovate on both the technology and business model side.

As the world becomes increasingly digitally connected, the Siliconomy is poised to drive significant growth and opportunity. With partnerships and innovation at the forefront, companies like Intel are working to ensure that the infrastructure and solutions are in place to support this growth and drive the next wave of technological advancement.

The Impact of Tech Layoffs on DEI Initiatives

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:19:20 -0500

The tech industry is the generator of great wealth and a contributor to economic growth. The industry has provided trillions of dollars in opportunities to entrepreneurs and investors around the world, and it has offered a pathway to a better life for millions.

The last two years haven’t been kind to the tech industry. Many companies and their partners are struggling against strong economic headwinds resulting from the post-COVID recovery and geopolitical instability. While tech companies continue to generate profits, their operating costs are going up. The biggest impediments to performance and growth: Inflation, interest rates, automation, and general uncertainty.

In 2023, the tech industry laid off more than 260,000 jobs, with many job losses going uncounted. The downsizing rate more than doubled compared to 2022, and the trend is continuing into 2024. We’re at the beginning of the year, and tech companies across the industry are already planning more job cuts in their pursuit of “optimization” and “efficiency.”

Some of the downsizing is justified to control costs and maintain profitability. However, the departments often first in line for cuts – marketing, operations, administration – tend to have the highest numbers of women and people of color, leading to these layoffs disproportionately affecting minorities. This is ironic since the tech industry has been a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

In this episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh is joined by David Lee, a software engineer turned corporate transformation advisor and DEI advocate, to discuss the layoff trend. Lee, who is also the author of “The Only One in the Room: The Unwritten Rules of Being Black in Tech,” shares his insights on the reasons behind the layoff trend and its impact on the tech industry's progress towards achieving its diversity objectives.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

About Larry Walsh:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmwalsh2112/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmwalsh_CN
• Official Bio: https://channelnomics.com/team/larry-walsh/

About David Lee
• Official Website: https://www.iamdavidlee.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/identityjedi/
• Book on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/yzhpx2tp

Changing Channels is a production of Channelnomics, a brand of 2112 Enterprises LLC

HPE’s Paul Hunter on Transitioning Channels to ‘as-a-Service’

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:36:50 -0400

Paul Hunter, managing director of North America at HPE, joins Changing Channel’s Larry Walsh to discuss the traditional data center hardware company’s transition to the Everything-as-a-Service model and what it meant to its channel program.

In recent years, vendors across the tech industry have wholeheartedly embraced the Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) model. This revolutionary approach involves selling technology in various forms through subscription and consumption-based models, which offer numerous benefits. The appeal of this model is undeniable: It generates recurring and predictable revenue while eliminating the uncertainties of sales cycles.

While companies that were born in the cloud or have a service-based foundation find it relatively straightforward to adopt the XaaS model, traditional hardware vendors and some software publishers face significant challenges. These companies have long-established transactional sales practices deeply ingrained among partners and customers. Convincing sellers to shift their product positioning to a service-oriented approach and embrace new compensation plans is no easy task. Likewise, getting partners to adopt product sales that require presenting different value propositions and costs can be equally challenging.

However, the lure of capturing recurring revenue is simply irresistible. As a result, many hardware vendors are undertaking the transition to XaaS sales models and channel programs, albeit at a slower pace than anticipated due to change management complexities.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) stands out as a prime example of a company that has strategically embraced the service-based model. HPE introduced its cloud-based GreenLake platform in 2017 and set a primary objective of generating the majority of its revenue through service and hybrid infrastructure sales. Over the past five years, HPE has continuously restructured its internal organization and external channel programs to align with the XaaS model. Its efforts are paying off, as the company is well on its way to achieving its revenue goals through service sales in the near future.

HPE's accelerating transition to XaaS couldn't come at a better time. According to IDC, a considerable 71% of enterprises are shifting their workloads from public clouds to hybrid and on-premises infrastructure. This move is driven by the desire for enhanced administrative capabilities and cost control. Simultaneously, partners are identifying increasing opportunities to provide managed and professional services alongside XaaS and hybrid engagements. HPE recognizes these trends as significant drivers of growth.

In this edition of Changing Channels, we bring you an insightful discussion between Paul Hunter, the managing director of North America for HPE, and Channelnomics Larry Walsh. They delve into the vast opportunities presented to vendors and partners by the XaaS model, highlighting the successes and setbacks that HPE has experienced during the transition process. Moreover, they provide invaluable insights into how businesses can capitalize on the flourishing XaaS and hybrid infrastructure markets.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels: A Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Paul Hunter: https://tinyurl.com/2utcv8pu

Channelnomics Podcasts

Changing Channels: https://tinyurl.com/4xfvevbn

The Network Effect: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzkwtb

In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Ingram Micro’s Eric Hembree on Extended Reality & IoT in the Channel

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 10:26:05 -0400

Eric Hembree, director of Internet of Things at Ingram Micro, joins Changing Channel’s Larry Walsh to discuss the state of Extended Reality and IoT in the channel.

The reputation of Extended Reality (XR) technology is taking a hit as some consumer vendors are pulling back on their market development ambitions. But in the commercial segment, XR is just getting warmed up.

Ingram Micro, one of the world’s largest technology distributors, partnered with Channelnomics to study the state of XR — an umbrella term that includes augmented and virtual reality — in the channel. The research found that, while only a minority of partners are selling and supporting these products, their business is robust and growing.

The same is true of IoT, which represents a $2 trillion opportunity and has been promised as the next wave of technology innovation and growth for the past decade. Despite all of its promises, IoT remains a relatively small presence in the channel compared to more conventional technologies. Yet research developed by Channelnomics and Ingram Micro found that resellers and integrators focusing on IoT are doing well and growing rapidly.

In this special podcast, Eric Hembree, director of IoT at Ingram Micro, joins Changing Channel’s Larry Walsh to review the research conducted by Ingram Micro and Channelnomics, identify the current and emerging opportunities in XR and IoT, and discuss what it takes for vendors and resellers to leverage the channel to get these technologies to market.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels: A Channelnomics Production
Follow @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics — the voice of thought leadership — we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel. 

Episode Resources
Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa
Guest Eric Hembree: https://tinyurl.com/26w9rwbu
Download Reports: https://tinyurl.com/4thvfuv4

Channelnomics Podcasts
Changing Channels: https://tinyurl.com/4xfvevbn
The Network Effect: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzkwtb
In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

The 2023 Channelnomics Channel Forecast

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:02:18 -0500

Economic uncertainty remains high, even as the general indicators start to point away from a recession disrupting the market in 2023. Channelnomics is adding to this more optimistic outlook with the recently released annual Channel Forecast report, which found that technology vendors believe indirect sales will increase this year.

The prospect of a good sales and revenue year is somewhat surprising amid the continuing string of technology company layoffs and mixed sales results by product category. The technology market is in flux and adjusting to the contemporary realities of the post-pandemic world. As supply chains ease and companies return to “normal” operating postures, their technology needs change accordingly.

In this special edition of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh is joined by his Channelnomics colleagues Chris Gonsalves, chief research officer, and TC Doyle, vice president of strategic content, to discuss the channel performance trends and expectations that channel professionals can expect in 2023.

Reference Materials
2023 Channelnomics Channel Forecast: https://tinyurl.com/yn9m2wr8
Channelnomics Recession Survival Guide: https://tinyurl.com/5n6928pn

Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe!
Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics production

Our Guests
Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa
Chris Gonsalves: https://tinyurl.com/23s4m4m4
TC Doyle: https://tinyurl.com/2kt6ajyf

Channelnomics Podcasts:
Changing Channels: https://tinyurl.com/4xfvevbn
The Network Effect: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzkwtb
In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Netskope’s David Rogers on the Security of Ecosystems

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 09:40:42 -0500

David Rogers, senior vice president of alliances and global channel sales at Netskope, talks to Larry Walsh about the security risks of the expanding world of ecosystems.

“Ecosystems” is a buzzword that everyone is talking about these days. In these collaborative networks of technology and value providers, vendors, distributors, resellers, service providers, and integrators work together to combine various applications and resources, resulting in a value that’s greater than the sum of their parts.

These ecosystems aren’t limited to the technology industry or the IT channel. Every industry is adopting ecosystems to maximize their products’ potential and enhance their value propositions to customers. The trend toward ecosystems is estimated to transform the economy, creating trillions of dollars in opportunities and outputs.

While enhancing value through ecosystems is a great idea, it also poses a problem — security. When an application connects with another, particularly one produced by a different company, it creates a potential security vulnerability. APIs and SDKs are often the root cause of many potential exploits that lead to data breaches and compromises.

Although the security of ecosystems is in its early stages, it’s growing in importance. As more businesses adopt ecosystems as a means of building systems and consuming technology, they also will take on the risk of security vulnerabilities that come with integrated resources.

Netskope, a provider of security risk management solutions, is tackling the challenge of ecosystem security with new tools that enable vendors, partners, and customers to ensure security from the outset of use and monitor systems for vulnerabilities.

David Rogers, senior vice president of alliances and global channel sales at Netskope, will join Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the ecosystem trend, the associated security issues, and the steps that vendors can take to ensure the integrity of their value networks.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest David Rogers: https://tinyurl.com/cvdpcwa8

Channelnomics Podcasts:

Changing Channels: https://tinyurl.com/4xfvevbn

The Network Effect: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzkwtb

In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Oracle’s Ross Brown on Cloud Economics

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 10:31:01 -0500

Ross Brown, senior vice president of North America Cloud Ecosystem Partners at Oracle, talks to Larry Walsh about what it means to make money in cloud computing.

The cloud is now mainstream. Vendors and partners make more money on cloud and other automated services sold through subscriptions than they do through traditional hardware and software products. A large part of cloud computing’s appeal is the recurring revenue — steady, predictable income with a consistent expense correlation. Unlike fluctuating, seasonal sales cycles, recurring revenue brings certainty.

Recurring revenue sounds simple in explaining the cloud computing model, but accounting for cloud revenue is much different and more difficult. Cloud computing is sold on extended contracts with pricing consideration based on consumption expectations over the lifetime of the engagement. Bookings don’t equal revenue. Revenue isn’t immediately recognized. There are revenue and costs associated with interconnected services. And customers can use “credits” to retire their purchasing commitments, but vendors must pay partners for those sales.

Pricing and accounting in cloud computing are complicated and confusing. Planning for growth, calculating profitability, measuring performance, and defining value to partners and customers are all a matter of how a vendor interprets GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) and calculates cloud numbers.

Given the pervasiveness of cloud computing in the channel, Changing Channels asked a true expert in cloud services and business models — as well as the channel — to talk about cloud pricing, revenue recognition, and accounting practices. Ross Brown, senior vice president of North America Cloud Ecosystem Partners at Oracle, has one of the most in-depth understandings of cloud economics relative to vendor sales and partner engagement models. The insights Brown shares provide a next-level reveal of what it means to make money in cloud computing.

Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe!
Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics production

Episode Resources
Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa
Guest Ross Brown: https://tinyurl.com/4r5ej67s
In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Palo Alto Networks’ Karl Soderlund on Challenging Complacency

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 07:14:09 -0500

Karl Soderlund, senior vice president of North America ecosystems at Palo Alto Networks, joins Larry Walsh to talk about what it takes for channel leadership and teams to continuously challenge themselves to look for improvements and better ways of doing things.

Technology is a driving force behind the transformation of the way businesses operate. One important aspect of this transformation is the channel, which vendors use to get their products to market through partners. Staying ahead of the competition and meeting customers’ evolving expectations require channel managers and teams to constantly seek ways to improve their strategies and operations.

Getting teams to pursue continuous improvement isn’t always easy. Some channel teams may become complacent, content with mediocre performance as long as it meets their basic needs. Others may adopt “best practices” and conform to standard structures and performance levels rather than trying new approaches. Some channel teams may avoid change due to perceived obstacles or cultural resistance to new ideas.

Implementing change is always a challenge. Questioning the status quo is even harder. It takes vision, planning, analytical skills, talented individuals, valuable insights, strong leadership, and, above all, courage. Companies that are willing to commit to continuous improvement, even when they’re already achieving notable success, tend to stay ahead of the competition and are better equipped to weather market shifts.

One such company that has consistently demonstrated a commitment to challenging the status quo, identifying and solving problems, and innovating its channel programs is Palo Alto Networks. With one of the most effective and well-structured channel programs in the industry, the vendor may seem to have little room for improvement, yet its channel leadership and management team are always seeking ways to enhance their programs, processes, and partner relationships.

Karl Soderlund, senior vice president of North America ecosystems at Palo Alto Networks, is an instrumental figure in the company’s culture of continuous improvement and challenging the status quo. In this episode of Changing Channels, Soderlund discusses with host Larry Walsh the importance of not settling for mediocrity and not being afraid of change when it comes to channel strategies and programs.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Karl Soderlund: https://tinyurl.com/3kv5brbd

In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Best of Changing Channels 2022

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 13:08:46 -0500

Changing Channels welcomed dozens of seasoned and insightful channel leaders from around the world and across the industry to share their experiences in developing modern routes to market. As we transition to the new year, Channelnomics is revisiting some of the best moments of Changing Channels over the last 12 months. We’re looking back at the deep thoughts and experiences shared by numerous industry executives, including:

Rob Rae, Datto
Cheryl Cook, Dell Technologies
Louise McEvoy, Trend Micro
Ted Schumann, Planet One (now Avant)
Michelle Hodges, Ivanta (formerly of GitLab)
John Dusett, Ingram Micro Cloud
Lou Serlenga, Nile
Dan Tomaszewski, Kaseya

In addition, we recall some of the most salient soundbites of our top five guests of the year.

Justin Crotty of NetEnrich on the importance of demonstrating value in managed services
Kim King of Hitachi Vantara on building consensus in developing new systems
Todd Palmer of Tanium on the fallacy of finding the right partners
Eric Buck of Google on the value of distribution in bringing cloud services to market
Patrick Pulvermuller of Acronis on the impact of the Russo-Ukraine War

Check out the great Changing Channel highlights of the year or see the full episodes on the Channelnomics YouTube channel.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Dell Technologies’ Cheryl Cook on the Evolving Art of Channel Marketing

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 05:26:26 -0500

Cheryl Cook, senior vice president of global channel marketing at Dell Technologies, joins Larry Walsh to talk about the state of channel marketing, how marketing to and through the channel is evolving, and how to craft market-leading channel marketing programs.

Successful channels require a combination of good products with demonstrable value propositions, training and enablement to transfer skills required to sell and support the offerings, and marketing resources and support to drive the demand that leads to revenue and profitability.

Every vendor has channel marketing resources and functions that support partners’ go-to-market activities and keep partners engaged and informed about a vendor’s value propositions, programs and activities, and opportunities in the market. The effectiveness of channel marketing varies by vendor. Some vendors do a relatively good job of channel marketing, while others are merely scratching the surface. And all vendors are challenged to keep up with the latest techniques and tools for communicating their messages to and through partners.

Productive and effective channel marketing requires a combination of well-defined objectives, clear messages, systems and tools for conveying messages, and resources and support for guiding partners’ marketing efforts. The challenge is persistent as channel marketing must continuously evolve with changing market conditions.

In conversations with partners worldwide, one company keeps coming up as a good example of a vendor doing channel marketing right: Dell Technologies. For this episode of Changing Channels, we went right to the source to find out what makes Dell’s approach different from others. Cheryl Cook, senior vice president of global channel marketing at Dell, joins Changing Channels to talk about the current and evolving state of channel marketing and how to put together an effective channel marketing program.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Cheryl Cool: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylscook/

In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Kaseya’s Dan Tomaszewski on Enabling MSPs for Success

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 11:26:21 -0500

Dan Tomaszewski, executive vice president of channels at Kaseya, joins Larry Walsh to talk about what it takes to enable managed service providers for success and how to get partners to put skin in the game on joint efforts that result in growth.

Managed services providers (MSPs) are the most sought-after partners in the channel. Built on recurring revenue models and service delivery, MSPs have the attributes that vendors adopting and developing subscription-based sales models seek in their go-to-market channels. The conventional wisdom: MSPs get what vendors want and need, so partnerships should be simple, fast, and productive.

MSPs know the service and recurring revenue model, but generating a return on investment for vendors isn’t automatic. MSPs vary in their capabilities, capacities, and productivity. They require support in training, business development, technology adoption, and sales.

Many vendors that support or sell through MSPs offer training and other development resources. Most MSP partner programs follow traditional approaches in this regard, offering these enablement resources for free or having partners earn them based on performance. The result is a mixed bag.

Kaseya approaches MSP development differently in that it offers paid engagement. MSPs buy into a program that gets them access to resources and support — often through veteran MSP practitioners — to aid technology adoption, service development, marketing activities, and sales. The result is telling; MSPs that participate typically show better and more consistent growth.

Dan Tomaszewski, executive vice president of channels at Kaseya, joins Changning Channels to discuss Kaseya’s MSP enablement approach and why getting partners to put skin in the game is a good way to drive better results in managed services.

Google Cloud’s Eric Buck on Distribution in Cloud Services

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 12:03:24 -0400

Eric Buck, director of commercial partners and global distribution at Google Cloud, joins Larry Walsh to talk about the role two-tier distribution models and distributors play in aiding cloud service providers in engaging channels and supporting partners.

Technology is increasingly being delivered via the cloud and sold through subscription payment models. End customers — from SMBs to enterprises — appreciate the ability to acquire and utilize computing resources hosted in public cloud infrastructure and available from virtually anywhere.

The digitalization of computing infrastructure and resources has many channel pros questioning the necessity of selling cloud services through traditional two-tier distribution models. Without physical products that require warehousing and logistics support for fulfillment, cloud services seemingly negate the need for working with distributors to reach the channel and end customers.

Yet cloud service providers and cloud-based technology companies have discovered that bypassing distribution isn’t necessarily the wisest choice. Distribution continues to play a vital role in helping vendors reach and influence partners, provide access to sales and technical support services, and enable transactions. From the perspective of partners, distribution is an aggregation point for different cloud resources, and distributors provide direction on what services to sell and how to make them work together.

Changing Channels asked Eric Buck, the director of commercial partners and global distribution at Google Cloud, to explain why even the hyperscale cloud service providers such as Google are working with distributors, the value and support they receive from distribution, and how vendors can measure the efficacy and return on investment they get by engaging a two-tier model.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Eric Buck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-buck-6213211/

In the Margins: https://tinyurl.com/2sun9z5s

Tanium’s Todd Palmer on Finding the Right Partners

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:58:21 -0400

Todd Palmer, senior vice president of global partner sales at Tanium, joins Larry Walsh to talk about the mythical “right partners” that vendors always seek to sell their products and why it’s important to set the right expectations when developing go-to-market partnerships.

Vendors often say that they want to work with the right partners — resellers and solution providers with the ability and willingness to sell their products, support their customers, and, most of all, book consistent sales and beat revenue expectations.

“The right partners” are the white whales of the channel — a bit of a myth, if not misnamed. A partner’s appropriateness for a vendor’s go-to-market needs and program depends on alignment of the right product, vendor brand and product marketability, and sales economics, and on the partner’s alignment in capabilities, capacity, and willingness to invest resources.

That’s a pretty tall order, which is probably why the average vendor generates about 95% of its indirect revenue through less than 5% of its partners. And that’s also probably the reason why so many channel people say they want “the right” partners. In the survey for our 2022 Channel Chief Outlook, 83% of channel professionals said they’re challenged in getting partners to meet their sales goals and revenue expectations.

It’s an endless pursuit to identify, recruit, enable, and engage partners that will self-actualize in the market, hunt for net-new opportunities, and build books of business that accelerate revenue growth.

Channel veteran Todd Palmer, senior vice president of global partner sales at security vendor Tanium, joins Changing Channels to discuss ongoing efforts to find the right partners, how it’s often an unrealistic pursuit, and how vendors should approach the issue of finding qualified and capable go-to-market partners.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Todd Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-palmer-310807/

More videos by Larry Walsh: https://tinyurl.com/mr25a4cy

Nile’s Lou Serlenga on Launching a New Company in the Channel

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Lou Serlenga, chief revenue officer at Nile, joins Larry Walsh to talk about the launch of a new Network-as-a-Service company that’s leveraging channel partnerships to take on the incumbents in the staid, commoditized networking segment.

New technology companies spring onto the IT landscape all the time, but few launch into a well-established and commoditized segment that’s dominated by a giant such as Cisco Systems. Yet that’s what the folks at Nile are doing.

Under the leadership of chairman John Chambers, former CEO of Cisco, and Pankaj Patel, former executive vice president and chief development officer at Cisco, Nile is looking to disrupt the networking segment with a pure as-a-service model that allows customers to pay only for the networking services they consume. It’s not a new idea, but the Nile approach is much grander in scope and ambition than what others — including the established networking companies — have tried.

Working entirely through channel partners, Nile launched with more than 50 resellers and integrators in its Nile Connect channel program, which is as unique as its product and business model. There are no tiers or certifications, just an ease of access that allows partners to build recurring revenue on Nile’s services.

The job of building and expanding Nile Connect belongs to Lou Serlenga, the company’s chief revenue officer and a Cisco veteran. Serlenga is looking to develop a broad and vibrant channel program to disrupt his former company’s long-held leadership position in the networking market by giving partners and customers an alternative to buying boxes. Serlenga joins Changing Channels to discuss the launch of Nile and its ambitious channel program.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Lou Serlenga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louserlenga/

Larry Walsh on interest rates impacting the channel: https://youtu.be/Ta5QDNTANlg

More videos by Larry Walsh: https://tinyurl.com/mr25a4cy

Channelnomics’ T.C. Doyle on the X-Chasm of Service Transformation

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:35:36 -0400

T.C. Doyle, vice president of strategic content at Channelnomics, joins Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the challenges all vendors face in transitioning from transactional to recurring revenue models.

Services sold through subscription or recurring contracts are fast becoming the dominant go-to-market model for all vendors. While cloud service providers are built on the recurring-revenue model, even hardware and component vendors are pivoting toward the predictable revenue model.

Recurring revenue is attractive, but it’s not easy to generate when a vendor has a legacy of transactional sales. Recurring revenue is — or should be — a replacement for transactional sales. In theory, transactional revenue should go down while recurring revenue increases, over time creating an “X” pattern on a graph.

The challenge is that many vendors try to maintain, if not grow, their transactional sales while building a book of business on recurring revenue. This creates conflict as partners and customers are caught between making choices that often stymie the transition process. This is what Channelnomics calls the X-Chasm.

Navigating the X-Chasm requires understanding the nature of the revenue transition process and how it influences partners and customers, making choices in channel strategy, and adjusting priorities for internal stakeholders responsible for managing legacy and future business units. In this episode of Changing Channels, industry veteran T.C. Doyle talks about his cover story in the premier issue of Channelnomics Quarterly that details the X-Chasm phenomenon and how channel chiefs can navigate the trap successfully.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest T.C. Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tcdoyle/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Netenrich’s Justin Crotty on Leveraging Data in Managed Services

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 16:04:40 -0400

Justin Crotty, senior vice president of channels at Netenrich, joins Channelnomics Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how data and device telemetry is transforming managed service delivery and value propositions.

Managed services in the channel are nothing new. Partners started delivering them more than 20 years ago, augmenting and replacing their legacy break/fix support with remote monitoring and management.

Increasingly, vendors — particularly legacy hardware and software vendors — are discovering the power and value of service and subscription models. Vendors want the same predictable recurring revenue that partners have generated for years. Wall Street and private equity investors are rewarding vendors that make the transition from transactional sales to service-based subscriptions.

Services ranging from endpoint management to cloud administration are generating petabytes of data. Through the telemetry of the data broadcasted by devices and applications in the field, vendors and partners have a rich source of analytics to diagnose performance and security issues.

While managed services have always promised customers quick responses to performance issues and system failures, the reality is that services are reactionary. Something has to happen to trigger an alert so a vendor or partner can take action. That’s changing, though, as data analytics become more available. Vendors are beginning to leverage telemetry to identify issues as early as possible so that they and their partners can take anticipatory action and prevent system failures for end users.

A vendor on the forefront of this trend is Netenrich, which is offering managed service providers a vendor-neutral capability to tap into the telemetry stream to identify and anticipate customer performance issues before they can cause more serious problems. Justin Crotty, senior vice president of channels at Netenrich, joins Changing Channels to discuss this growing trend of enabling partners to be more proactive.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Justin Crotty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justincrotty/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

What Vendors Don’t Understand About Partners

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 10:11:45 -0400

Larry Walsh, chief analyst at Channelnomics, discusses the performance challenges that channel chiefs face, explaining that they’re rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of partner business models and ill-conceived presumptions about partner capabilities.

Being a channel chief isn’t easy. Channel leaders face numerous challenges, including getting partners to perform in a way that contributes to company goals and revenue-generation expectations. This underlying challenge is amplified by the struggles that come from transitioning channels to new service and subscription models.

In the 2022 Channel Chief Outlook report, Channelnomics reveals that 85% of channel chiefs say they’re challenged in getting partners to adopt new products, technologies, and services, while 83% say they’re grappling with getting partners to meet or exceed their sales goals. And 71% struggle to get partners to adopt new go-to-market models — mostly based on services and subscriptions.

What’s the source of these challenges? Walsh posits two possible answers: myopic thinking and a fundamental misunderstanding of partner business models.

Over the past two decades, resellers and integrators evolved their business models beyond transactional product sales and break/fix services. Partners make most of their money on managed and professional services. But vendors continue to think that they have to lead partners into the future of services and that partners are behind in their service capabilities.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh, chief analyst at Channelnomics and host of the podcast, details what vendors get wrong about their partners’ business models and capabilities and what they need to do to overcome the challenge of generating superior channel performance that contributes to their corporate goals.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

2022 Channel Chief Outlook report: https://channelnomics.com/product/channel-chief-outlook-the-2022-report/

Channelnomics Quarterly: https://channelnomics.com/cq/

Ingram Micro Cloud’s John Dusett on Cloud Customer Experience

Tue, 03 May 2022 00:01:00 -0400

Ingram Micro Cloud’s John Dusett joins Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss new cloud research — conducted by Channelnomics and supported by Ingram Micro Cloud, Microsoft, and Google Workspace — and how the customer experience is crucial when it comes to service renewals and expansions.

The cloud computing market continues to grow at double-digit rates. Over the next decade, businesses will continue to migrate systems and mission-critical workloads into cloud environments. They’ll adopt cloud-based applications to replace legacy client-side licenses, and they’ll subscribe to managed services to support their cloud resources.

To say that it’s a good time for reselling and supporting cloud computing services is an understatement. According to our recent report — “Buying the Cloud: The As-a-Service Experience From the Customer Perspective” — 47% of SMB IT buyers, the prime target for the channel, plan to buy more cloud computing products in the next 12 to 18 months. End users are adopting infrastructure services, productivity software, business applications, and backup services. Moreover, they’re expanding their cloud utilization to include customer support applications and Internet of Things infrastructure.

Cloud computing provides solution providers with recurring revenue. Customers pay for services on monthly or annual schedules, providing resellers with predictable income. The recurring-revenue model works well as long as the customer keeps paying, renewing contracts, and expanding service utilization. As solution providers have learned through managed services, customers are more apt to expand their cloud capacity when they have positive experiences and recognize the value of their spending.

Customer experience is becoming a significant factor in solution providers’ cloud value proposition. While vendors are the source of cloud services, solution providers are the managers of cloud resources and customer experiences. If solution providers can facilitate a positive, seamless experience, customers are more apt to renew and expand their cloud contracts. According to the research conducted by Channelnomics and Ingram Micro Cloud, 38% of cloud buyers base their decision to renew contracts on their experience with a solution provider.

In this episode of Changing Channels, John Dusett, Ingram Micro Cloud’s executive director of cloud services for the United States, joins us to discuss the increasing importance of customer experience in cloud computing engagements and what solution providers need to do to impress and satisfy their clients.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest John Dusett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndusett/

TeamViewer’s Patty Nagle and Rob Thiele on Evolving Channel Strategies

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 10:21:23 -0400

TeamViewer’s Patty Nagle and Rob Thiele join Changing Channel’s Larry Walsh to discuss how they’re revamping their channel program to accelerate the company’s evolution into more use cases and market opportunities beyond their remote-access foundation.

Many products start out as free, consumer-oriented offerings to capture market share for what’s often a singular purpose or value proposition. Over time, they evolve into more business-ready, enterprise-centric solutions. The trick is building the sales capacity and coverage to make the leap from legacy to future. The channel is often that evolutionary catalyst.

One company that’s using the channel to make this leap forward is TeamViewer. Best known for products that enable remote access and control for endpoints, TeamViewer is expanding beyond its core into collaboration, workflow management, and augmented reality. While it maintains the freemium offerings that got it started, TeamViewer is increasingly looking to channel partners as a means of identifying new opportunities and servicing an expanding total addressable market.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Patty Nagle, TeamViewer’s North America president, and Robert Thiele, vice president of strategic alliances and partners for the Americas, join host Larry Walsh to discuss how they’ve reshaped their channel program to account for different types of partners, customers, and use cases to facilitate growth beyond the traditional core.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Patty Nagle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattynagle/

Guest Robert Thiele: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robthiele/

How the War in Ukraine Is Reshaping Everything

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 09:55:31 -0400

Larry Walsh, chief analyst at Channelnomics, provides an overview of how the Russian war on Ukraine is affecting global and regional economies, and how the conflict will impact the technology industry and channels.

The Russian war on Ukraine isn’t a regional conflict. While the fighting is happening across the plains and marshlands of the Ukrainian heartland, the war is having a cascading effect of human and economic disruption around the world.

As Walsh explains, the war will cause significant disruptions in energy, food, and raw-material supplies. Western resolve to oppose the war through sanctions comes at a cost; experts say the economic penalties against Russia will reduce global economic growth by 1% to 2%. Ultimately, the consequences of the conflict and the Western response will likely push many countries into recession and instability.

The Western world was in a fog of disbelief, thinking that such a large conflict was beyond the realm of possibility in the post-Cold War era. In our guidance, Channelnomics is preparing for the unthinkable, even if implausible. Technology companies need to develop contingency plans for potential disruptions still to come.

In this special edition of Changing Channels, Channelnomics provides an overview of the war in Ukraine from the unique perspective of how it could continue to impact the technology industry and channel. Chief analyst and Changing Channels host Larry Walsh provides insights on the current extent of the conflict, how it’s disrupting different industries, and how those disruptions will ripple through the general economy.

For a promo code granting free access to one of our latest analyst notes, “Getting Comfortable Asking Uncomfortable Questions Regarding War,” be sure to listen to the entire podcast.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.  

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Hitachi Vantara’s Kim King on Automated Partner Quoting

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 10:40:15 -0400

Larry Walsh talks to Hitachi Vantara Senior Vice President of Strategic Partners and Alliances Kim King on automating quoting for partners to ensure fast, easy access to accurate pricing with minimal human interaction.

Buyer expectations have evolved. No longer are companies willing to wait for weeks for quotes on their IT projects. They want the same “Amazon Experience” in their business purchasing that they get in their consumer lives. In other words, they want quotes in days, if not hours.

Quoting has been a longtime challenge for both vendors and distributors. Partners receive different discounts and incentives based on their status, sales performance and history, and competencies. Adding to the complexity is the impact of regional pricing differences, the varying needs of customers for different types of products, and the cost of distribution and fulfillment.

Configure, price, and quote (CPQ) solutions go a long way toward automating many steps in the process. Through such systems, partners (in theory) gain access to product pricing and quoting based on customer specifications and fulfillment needs. CPQ works well, but to a point. These systems often lack the ability to take into account the nuances of incentives and other financial measures that influence partner buying. As a result, gaps remain that keep the quoting process running long.

Storage vendor Hitachi Vantara decided to tackle this problem directly. Rather than adopting a CPQ system, the company formed a “tiger team” to develop a homegrown system based on Salesforce’s CRM. The team set out with the goal of creating a platform capable of processing partner quote requests within hours – even for large enterprise deals. Moreover, the system would include all partner incentives, including deal registration and promotional discounts, in the quotes.

The development took two years of work that included platform customization and the collection of volumes of pricing, discounting, promotional, and partner data. The effort, thus far, is paying off. The Hitachi Vantara partner quoting system is delivering enterprise-level quotes to partners, often in just hours. The tool, which gives partners a competitive advantage by turning around accurate prices with blazing speed, also gives partners more control over pricing, as they’re able to add their own markups with greater ease and consistency.

The Hitachi Vantara quoting system isn’t perfect and remains a work in progress, but the company is demonstrating how vendors can create better quoting systems that improve partner experience and performance. In this edition of Channelnomics’ Changing Channels, Kim King, senior vice president of strategic partners and alliances at Hitachi Vantara, joins host Larry Walsh to discuss how the company developed such a complex quoting system and extracted the benefits they sought.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a  Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Kim King: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-king-746463/

Acronis CEO Patrick Pulvermueller on the Impact of the Ukraine War

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Larry Walsh talks with Acronis CEO Patrick Pulvermueller about the impact the war in Ukraine is having on the technology market and channel, efforts made to help refugees, and how the Russian invasion is changing strategic and contingency planning.

The war in Ukraine, now raging for more than a month, woke governments and companies around the world out of their complacency. The dystopian-like order of the Cold War returned with a vengeance, causing many technology industry leaders to rethink their operations and outlook in ways they couldn’t conceive just weeks ago.

To date, thousands of lives have been lost. Entire cities have been leveled. More than 3.7 million Ukrainians are refugees in other European countries. And as much as 15% of the population has been displaced by the fighting and destruction.

The Western response has been multifaceted. Beyond the financial and military aid flowing into Ukraine, NATO and other Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia that aim to cripple its economy. Many Western companies – most notably, technology companies – have suspended operations in Russia and taken active roles in aiding the Ukrainian resistance.

One of these companies is Acronis, a cybersecurity and backup specialist based in Switzerland and Singapore, with substantial connections to Russia and Ukraine through its diverse globalized staff. Acronis stopped doing business in Russia in 2017, and the company severed any remaining ties immediately following the invasion in solidarity with Western sanctions and in support of Ukraine’s resistance.

Acronis has taken additional steps as well. The company is actively working to provide displaced Ukrainians with employment; has pledged €500,000 through its charitable arm, Acronis Cyber Foundation; and is helping its employees in Eastern European countries that are providing aid and support to Ukrainian refugees. Acronis, like many of its peers, is dealing with issues that were unthinkable just a month ago.

Beyond the humanitarian efforts, Acronis and companies like it are shifting their strategic thinking. They’re not only thinking about their usual annual operating plans; they’re also considering the short- and long-term ramifications of a sustained war in Ukraine and the widening of the conflict to more countries. They’re coping with the continuing inflation and inventory issues, while adding sanctions and supply-chain disruptions to the list. They’re rethinking everything.

In this Channelnomics Changing Channels episode, Acronis CEO Patrick Pulvermueller joins host Larry Walsh to discuss the far-reaching repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how it will impact technology companies around the world.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Patrick Pulvermueller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickpulvermueller

Sarit Chalamish of monday.com on Flipping the Script on Partner Enablement

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:59:28 -0400

Larry Walsh talks to monday.com Senior Channel Partner Manager Sarit Chalamish about how vendors can step outside of their comfort zone and embrace creative business solutions to pave the way for unparalleled opportunities for growth and success across all levels of an organization.

As any channel professional knows, building a successful partner program is no simple task. Starting from scratch and finding the right partners to connect with takes a tremendous amount of concentrated relationship-building, typically accomplished through face-to-face meetings and the moments in between wining and dining. Especially for the leaders assigned to getting a new partner program off the ground, securing those first partners is a crucial step, as those early partners can be critical in determining the long-term success of the program.

Combine the inherent nature of developing a new partner program with the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the pandemic and the challenge seems not only difficult but downright impossible. Of course, collaboration, flexibility, and relationship-building took on new meaning with the onset of COVID-19. A firm handshake was replaced with a link to a virtual meeting as the world was forced into a dependency on computer and phone screens.

For those starting something fresh in the midst of the pandemic – whether a new job, a new kind of program, or even the general adjustment to remote work – the question was clear: Could virtual resources be enough to meet the demands of pre-pandemic life?

A channel leader who was quickly forced to answer this question is Sarit Chalamish, senior channel partner manager at monday.com. When she joined the company last spring, she faced a seemingly insurmountable task: to develop the organization’s North America channel program as a new member of the monday.com team and amid the onset of a global pandemic. Quick and creative thinking quickly became the foundation for accomplishing this feat as Chalamish navigated unchartered territory.

Chalamish, like other channel leaders, knows the right partners can make or break the launch of a partner program. To ensure the success of monday.com’s burgeoning partner program, Chalamish and her team embraced their creative sides, exploring more “out of the box” partner relationships like vertical partners or turning inward and leveraging their own networks. The process was difficult, but the goal was simple: to find partners with the same level of professionalism as monday.com – sharing that same culture of adaptability and creativity – so that clients can enjoy a seamless experience.

In this edition of Channelnomics’ Changing Channels, Chalamish joins host Larry Walsh to discuss how adopting a mindset of “thinking outside the box” allowed monday.com to develop a partner program entirely through virtual resources. By embracing this same sense of creativity and flexibility, executives can open the door for exciting new projects and relationships across all levels of the channel.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest: Sarit Chalamish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarit-chalamish-28177/

GitLab’s Michelle Hodges on Spotlighting the Value of the Channel

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0500

Michelle Hodges, vice president of worldwide channels at GitLab, joins host Larry Walsh to discuss how channel executives can develop better relationships with board members while showcasing the benefits of the channel.

Channel chiefs are often challenged in explaining and demonstrating the value of partner programs and relationships to decision-makers in their organizations. Having a seat at the management table means having a voice in strategy and decision-making. In business, there’s no bigger table than the board of directors.

Gaining the attention of the board in supporting the channel is becoming increasingly important to channel chiefs. Helping boards understand the value and importance of channel programs and partners can make all the difference when it comes to strategic priorities and funding for indirect routes to market.

The challenge is bridging the “language divide.” Channel executives and board members often fail to use the same lingo, rely on the same metrics, or even identify the same priorities. To help board members – extensions of the investors behind companies – better understand the value of the channel and what it brings to the table, channel and business managers need to make more of an effort to cultivate a relationship between themselves and the board. In that relationship, channel leaders should focus on using the same metrics, showing demonstrable results, and making it clear that their aim isn’t to sell a product but to explain the channel’s impact on a company’s business.

A channel leader at the forefront of cultivating these types of relationships is GitLab Vice President of Worldwide Channels Michelle Hodges. She’s long been a fierce advocate of working closely with boards and encouraging others to do the same.

Hodges, like other channel leaders, knows it can be difficult to make a material difference in the eyes of the board. That’s why her game plan involves asking lots of questions and catering to the board’s goals. She starts by asking her leadership team about the pressure they’re under by the board and familiarizing herself with management-level metrics. Then she approaches the board, making sure to use the right language to ask about their objectives and explain how their goals align with the value of the channel – and how the channel can produce critical results in serving the business.

In this edition of Channelnomics’ Changing Channels, Hodges joins host Larry Walsh to discuss how cultivating a relationship with board members while zeroing in on the power of the channel can lead to unparalleled opportunities for growth and a more unified value set across an organization.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Michelle Hodges: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellewhodges/

Datto’s Rob Rae on Building Strong Managed Services Partnerships

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Rob Rae, senior vice president of Datto, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss why vendors often struggle when building service channels and how to get the most out of MSP relationships.

As the shift away from transactional sales models and toward service- and consumption-based paradigms progresses, vendors are realizing that managed service providers may be the ideal target for building out their indirect sales.

That’s because MSPs are entrenched in current revenue models, are used to selling to their customers, and already have a good installed base of customer and consumer services. But one problem remains – the mistaken presumption that MSPs will act in a way that aligns with what vendors know about their resellers and integrators.

Vendors are designing channel programs around how they want to work with the market, not necessarily how partners or MSPs are working with their customers. That creates a gap between what the vendors are trying to do and what they’re actually doing.

One vendor with a keen awareness of what it takes to bridge that gap is Datto. The company has long been a key player in working with MSPs – championing them as bona fide partners and supporting them in getting their products to end users. Datto has developed MSP relationships that not only ensure its success in a changing industry but also allow it to work side by side with competitors and other service providers. The goal: to cultivate an integrative community that facilitates constant support for MSPs while stimulating the continued buildout of the consumption model.

By persistently networking, communicating, and building on its relationships with partners, Datto fosters a climate of collaboration to keep MSPs running smoothly and create a positive partner experience. Rob Rae, senior vice president of Datto, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how Datto is leveraging its years of experience to ground its partner program in the concept of community and help MSPs grow their businesses.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Rob Rae: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtrae/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Microsoft’s Craig Crescas on Leaning into the Power of Advanced Cloud Applications

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Craig Crescas, Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, and Mathew Batterbee, Global Head of Business Applications at Ingram Micro Cloud, join Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how partners can leverage the benefits of advanced cloud applications and help customers do the same.

As the digital transformation continues to barrel ahead, with no signs of slowing down, advanced cloud-based applications are increasingly imperative in helping organizations to automate processes, maintain accurate records, and facilitate better customer experiences.

The challenge many businesses face is setting up and operationalizing that cloud-based software. When customers don’t have the expertise or resources to bring their cloud vision to life, their quest for digital transformation fails. That’s why customers need partners with the skills and know-how to help them get the most out of their cloud investment.

It turns out that partners face the very same challenge as customers – a lack of experience and resources. Building practices that go beyond the deployment of simple, common cloud applications takes time, money, and, most important, the acceptance of risk. But the truth is that advanced cloud applications represent a big opportunity for solution providers given partners’ under-penetration in that area and customers’ need for support there. As the saying goes, where there’s mystery, there’s margin.

Vendors need to better prepare partners to offer more advanced cloud applications such as CRM and ERP. Doing so is a win-win. While customers get the help they need to address business challenges, partners get a chance to capitalize on this cloud market opportunity.

A vendor at the forefront of dispelling the mystery of how partners can break into advanced cloud services is Microsoft. With Microsoft Dynamics 365, the company has developed a set of advanced applications designed to help take organizations’ digital transformation capabilities to the next level. More significantly, though, the company has built its own training program for Dynamics 365 to simplify the learning process for partners and grant them the skills and resources they need to get the most out of their investments.

As the technical environment transitions, Microsoft is guiding partners on how to embrace the benefits of Dynamics 365 and engage in a business-led, rather than tech-led, conversation with customers. The goal: more open discussions between partners and customers and an overall better experience for customers as partners gain the ability to understand their aims, challenges, and growth inhibitors.

Microsoft is a supporter of cloud research conducted by Channelnomics in partnership with Ingram Micro Cloud, which is why we’ve invited them here to share their thoughts on leveraging advanced cloud applications and taking advantage of the market opportunity they present. Craig Crescas, Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, and Mathew Batterbee, Global Head of Business Applications at Ingram Micro Cloud, join Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how Microsoft helps partners and end users harness the power of advanced cloud applications.

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production
Follow @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.  

Episode Resources
Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Craig Crescas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcrescas/

Guest Mathew Batterbee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-batterbee-7580a8ba/

Credits
Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

PlanetOne’s Ted Schuman on Leveraging Data to Enhance the Human Experience

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Ted Schuman, founder and CEO of PlanetOne, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how vendors can better leverage data to improve customer experience and communication across the channel.

It’s easy to say we’re living in the data age, and that data is the new fuel of the business engine, but it’s a lot harder to execute on that vision than it seems. Big Data remains one of the biggest challenges many companies face as they seek to collect, manage, normalize, and analyze it to create single points of truth.

Technology vendors are increasingly adopting data-centric models and strategies to drive partner behavior and performance, and to get more value out of the channels in which they invest. Making plans to do all this is the easy part; yielding deliverable results is the challenge.

Even for companies that successfully harness data, making it actionable is a whole different story. That data is essentially useless unless it can be made consumable and broken down in a way customers and partners can understand and capitalize on.

A vendor at the forefront of leveraging data to enhance the customer and partner experience is PlanetOne, which has long been known as a key technology sourcing partner. With Sentient, a scalable business intelligence platform, the company is giving vendors, agents, and customers visibility into the entire sales lifecycle – prospecting, provisioning, project management, activation, etc. – through a single pane of glass.

PlanetOne is using its new platform to ensure the constant availability of real-time data analytics that can be used to generate actionable results according to users’ needs. Through its automation capabilities, Sentient ensures effective internal and external communication to keep customers up to speed and create a positive partner experience.

Ted Schuman, founder and CEO of PlanetOne, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how Sentient is enhancing the human experience and helping customers launch and expand their businesses.

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Episode Resources
Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Ted Schuman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-schuman/

Credits
Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Trend Micro’s Louise McEvoy on Embracing the Reality of Change

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 02:01:00 -0500

Louise McEvoy, vice president of U.S. channels at Trend Micro, joins Channelnomics Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how channel professionals can change their mindset and embrace the reality of change.

We’ve probably all heard the saying, “the only constant in life is change,” and it’s true. The channel is on the brink of a major transformation. Shifting priorities, digital transformation, and new sources of revenue mean that vendors and partners alike are being forced to re-evaluate their go-to-market strategies. At this pivotal point in time, all channel professionals have the same two options: Buckle up and embrace the ride or risk falling off the bandwagon completely.

There’s no denying that change is difficult. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone without a clear vision of the results can be a risk. But it can be one that’s very much worth taking. Getting stuck in the past allows no room for growth, in the channel or otherwise. Moving forward helps to build endurance, and that can be the determining factor between success and failure in the channel. Building endurance and embracing risk can unleash an exhilarating sense of liberation and pave the way for new opportunities.

A channel leader at the forefront of embracing change is Louise McEvoy. The vice president of U.S. channels at Trend Micro has long been a fierce advocate of getting comfortable with transformation and encouraging others to do the same. Not one to shy away from speaking her mind, McEvoy is no stranger to venturing out of her comfort zone. In 2018, she successfully summited Mount Everest, making a decision to “put aside the pain, acknowledge it’s there, and just keep moving forward.” Since then, McEvoy’s mentality of resilience has been tangible both on and off the mountain.

McEvoy, like other channel leaders, understands there’s a chance of failure when undertaking any new business venture. But fear of failure is not something that prevents her from taking risks. Instead, she dives into every new project by focusing on excelling in the areas she knows she can control. To McEvoy, change is synonymous with opportunity, and it’s this message she hopes to impart to the next generation of tech leaders.

In this edition of Channelnomics’ Changing Channels, McEvoy joins host Larry Walsh to discuss how embracing change and the risk that goes along with it, both in and out of the channel, can lead to unparalleled opportunities for growth.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/llmcevoy/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Best of Changing Channels 2021

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 06:28:03 -0500

Changing Channels host Larry Walsh recounts the highlights of 2021’s 26 episodes with some of our top guests and industry luminaries.

Many people in the world would say that 2021 is not a year they’d want to repeat, given the ongoing pandemic, inflation, and supply-chain disruptions. Suffice it to say that the world is hardly back to normal. But the channel perseveres. In 2021, Changing Channels invited some of the top channel executives and thought leaders to share their experiences and insights on a variety of strategic and operational topics. Over the course of 26 episodes, our guests spoke about enabling fluid workforces, pricing strategies and methodologies, cloud adoption trends, partner enablement, management strategies, international expansion, and much more.

Picking our favorite moments from more than 14 hours of conversations wasn’t easy, but we did manage to select some memorable highlights, including these:

Lori Cornmesser, vice president of worldwide channel sales at CyCognito, on becoming a channel chief again (time mark: 2:06)
Christian Alvarez, senior vice president of worldwide channel sales at Nutanix, on building respected key performance indicators (time mark: 5:40)
Frank Rauch, head of worldwide channel sales at Check Point Software Technologies, on gaining executive support for channel programs (time mark: 8:20)
Joe Sykora, senior vice president of worldwide channel and partner sales at Proofpoint, on the changing dynamics of partner incentives (time mark: 11:34)
Alyssa Fitzpatrick, general manager of worldwide partner sales at Microsoft, on the vendor’s co-selling strategies (time mark: 13:45)
Renee Bergeron, senior vice president and general manager at AppSmart, on enabling partners to sell through marketplaces (time mark: 16:37)
Bill Cate, vice president of marketing and channels at Zebra Technologies, on leveraging the influence of non-transacting partners (time mark: 19:04)
Mary Beth Walker, head of global channel strategy at HP, on incorporating sustainability as a value proposition in go-to-market strategies and channel programs (time mark: 20:42)
Denzil Samuels, vice president of the global CX Partner Practice at Cisco, on making customer experience a core outcome of channel-delivered services (time mark: 24:25)

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host, Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guests

Lori Cornmesser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loricornmesser/

Christian Alvarez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianaalvarez/

Frank Rauch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankrauch/

Joe Sykora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesykora/

Alyssa Fitzpatrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysfitz/

Renee Bergeron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneebergeron/

Bill Cate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcate/

Mary Beth Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-beth-walker-a276b2184/

Denzil Samuels: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denzilsamuels/

Credits
Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.
Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa
Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Poly’s Nick Tidd on Redefining the Value of Technology

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 07:03:06 -0500

Nick Tidd, vice president of global channel sales at Poly, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how vendors can better meet customers’ evolving technology needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way the world thinks about work as employees grew accustomed to using their own devices and technology platforms. Now, as employees return to the office, they’re seeking the same rich technology experience to which they’ve become accustomed. Employers are stepping up to meet employees’ demands, upgrading their existing technology, but in many cases, they’re rendering their old equipment obsolete in the process.

While upgrading office technology benefits workers, it also raises the question of what to do with the old equipment. In getting rid of this gear, businesses lose money and jeopardize their sustainability efforts if they don’t dispose of it with an eye to the long term. Considering the current supply-chain shortages, letting go of that old equipment seems like an avoidable waste of resources.

One company addressing this issue is videoconferencing vendor Poly, which has long been a key player in providing offices with the proper devices for communication. Now, Poly is breathing new life into seemingly worthless equipment with its upgrade program, Poly Renew. By offering customers vouchers for new devices if they turn in their old equipment to its partners, Poly is using the program to fill demand for the products customers now want. Simultaneously, Poly is providing a sustainable way for old devices to be disposed of and even refurbished.

Nick Tidd, vice president of global channel sales at Poly, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how Poly Renew is protecting the end-user, redefining the value of technology, and enabling partners to play a vital role in the renewal process.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Nick Tidd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicktidd/

Google Cloud’s Sandeep Gupta on Driving Fluid Collaboration

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 02:01:00 -0500

Sandeep Gupta, Lead of Strategic Partnerships at Google Cloud, joins Channelnomics Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how Google Workspace can help ensure productivity and meaningful connection for everyone during this transitory time.

Spurred by difficult conditions wrought by the pandemic over the past two years, the world’s been forced to adopt more flexible, fluid work arrangements. Mobile devices, persistent high-speed Internet, and cloud-based applications make working from home relatively easy, and during this adjustment period, options for collaboration have emerged in ways we didn’t think possible before 2020.

While working from home – and from anywhere – has its advantages, the primary goal of today’s collaboration solutions is to best enable individuals and teams to stay connected in a meaningful way and maximize productivity.

Everything is about collaboration, regardless of where workers are. Now more than ever, users need a smooth, effortless way to communicate, share, and produce. As the world ventures even further into a hybrid environment, it’s imperative to build on what we’ve learned over these past two years.

One company that’s making flexible collaboration and productivity its prime mission is Google with its Google Workspace collection of tools, software, products, and services. Workspace is a solution that caters to everyone – individuals, IT managers, teams, and entire businesses – to ensure that they remain linked securely and on the same schedule.

Channelnomics invited Google, a partner in our recent cloud research, along with Ingram Micro Cloud and Microsoft, to join us for our latest podcast. Sandeep Gupta, Lead of Strategic Partnerships at Google Cloud, spoke with Channelnomics Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to explain how Google Workspace enables fluid collaboration and helps businesses achieve consistent productivity in these uncertain times.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Sandeep Gupta: linkedin.com/in/sandeep-gupta-5626bb2

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh on the 7 Truths About the Channel’s Long Tail

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 09:40:43 -0500

Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh discusses the debate around the true value of the channel’s long tail and explains some of the misconceptions about this cadre of partners.

By definition, the long tail is a collection of partners that contribute little and are considered low-value on an individual level but generate a large sum of revenue collectively. In practice, the long tail is a concept that few in the channel completely understand and even fewer know how to address. That begs the question: Can the long tail truly be leveraged?

There’s always been debate about the long tail’s value. Is it a treasure trove of untapped opportunity, rich with partners that, if nurtured, can yield high performance? Or is it an illusion that vendors chase in pursuit of growth that’ll likely never come to fruition? There’s no simple answer.

Vendors across the industry are constantly looking to improve their growth and revenue. The long tail can potentially help or hinder that. There are many common misconceptions about the long tail, some so ingrained that vendors and partners may not realize they’re off track. By taking the time to better understand the long tail and get to the root of its composition and dynamics, vendors will be better able to make intelligent decisions about programs and strategic development initiatives around this group of partners.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Channelnomics host Larry Walsh shares seven indisputable truths about the channel’s long tail and why they matter to channel chiefs and leaders.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Cisco’s Denzil Samuels on Driving Better Customer Experiences

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 02:14:00 -0400

Denzil Samuels, vice president of the global CX Partner Practice at Cisco, joins Channelnomics Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how vendors can enable partners to meet shifting customer experience expectations.

Customer experience is the new name of the game. While “the customer is always right” might not always be true in practice, what is certainly true is that as the technology market shifts to a service-based model, customer experience is the deciding factor for service success. Customers are looking for the best functionality, outcomes, and ease of use. When partners are part of service delivery, customers include in their experience perception things like accessibility, support, communications, and responsiveness.

Vendors across the industry are looking to keep up, working on incorporating customer experience into their channel models. Telling partners to focus on customer experiences and outcomes is the easy part; delivering on that promise is the challenge.

Even successful account management and a good customer relationship aren’t enough anymore. Customers are expecting their providers, whether vendors or partners, to make sure they get the best value out of their service investments.

A vendor at the forefront of customer experience as a channel value proposition is Cisco. The company has long been a key player in supporting partners in their delivery of services based on its products. As the technical environment transitions, Cisco has begun enabling partners to use the data and intelligence derived from services to better understand and anticipate customer needs and take proactive measures, rather than react to service events and requests. The goal: a better overall experience and value as partners gain the ability to act before customers even recognize they have a problem or need.

Cisco, like other vendors, understands that engagement and attention to customer needs is the answer to building and maintaining a successful service model. Enabling partners to meet these shifting customer experience expectations is the focus of the CX Partner Practice at Cisco. Denzil Samuels, head of that practice, joins Channelnomics Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how Cisco translates customer experience to the channel.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Denzil Samuels: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denzilsamuels/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Secureworks’ Wendy Thomas on Securing Human Progress

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 05:39:33 -0400

Wendy Thomas, CEO of Secureworks, joins Channelnomics’s Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how security services are instrumental in helping businesses keep up with the security arms race.

Security is an arms race. With each advancement in technology, hackers find ways of one-upping the defenders of a business’s digital frontiers. Security breaches always have consequences. In the past, a compromise could mean losing access to files or being blocked from mission-critical applications, both of which can lead to lost revenue. Today, though, in the increasingly digitalized world, the consequences of security breaches are increasing in the way of losses and costs – including putting national security at risk and human life in danger.

Innovation is bringing more resources and benefits to the world. This technical innovation, though, is creating more risk. The market doesn’t have enough security professionals to staff the end-to-end needs of businesses and individuals. Businesses struggle to acquire the technology and support required to protect their digital assets adequately. Evolution, it seems, has a downside.

A potential solution to the security conundrum is managed security services. Through the aggregation of technology and human-based expertise, managed security service providers (MSSPs) provide customers with access to leading technology and resources that cost-effectively scale. A leader in providing and supporting MSSPs is Secureworks, which is making securing human progress a cornerstone of its mission.

Wendy Thomas, CEO and President of Secureworks, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the evolving security needs of businesses, how managed security can scale to meet those evolving needs, and the role partners play in the delivery of security services.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa  

Guest Wendy Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-thomas-7133283/

Credits 

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com. 

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa 

Voice-Over: Denise Quan  

Impact Pricing’s Mark Stiving on Product Pricing and Discount Strategies

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 02:01:00 -0400

Mark Stiving, chief pricing educator at Impact Pricing, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about pricing, discounting, and channel sales strategies.

No one wants to pay full price for anything. And people love winning. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that when it comes to the list price of products, people are always looking for a discount. They want to win a deal.

Through partners, manufacturers often offer significant discounts on their products to meet this negotiation demand and avoid losing a sale. The question arises: Why does a list price even exist?

It’s a question that Mark Stiving, chief pricing educator at the consulting firm Impact Pricing, relishes answering.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Stiving explains how a product with a discounted list price creates a unique set of benefits for manufacturers. It makes the product more desirable and gives end users the impression that the product is of a higher value. Even so, it can be difficult for manufacturers to determine exactly how to price their products when they must consider the needs and desires of both distributors and end users.

Stiving joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss why the concept of a list price persists and what manufacturers can do to best determine their ultimate selling price.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Mark Stiving: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Ingram Micro Cloud’s John Dusett & Channelnomics’ Chris Gonsalves on Cloud Trends and Opportunities

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 02:01:00 -0400

Channelnomics and Ingram Micro Cloud, with the support of Microsoft and Google Workspace, unveil the 2021 State of the U.S. Cloud Channel report, the fourth annual study on trends around cloud computing among resellers and service providers. John Dusett, executive director of cloud services in the U.S. for Ingram Micro Cloud, and Chris Gonsalves, senior vice president of research at Channelnomics, join Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about strengths and weaknesses among resellers in the cloud segment.

The 2021 State of the U.S. Cloud Channel report, an annual study conducted by Channelnomics with Ingram Micro Cloud and supported by Microsoft and Google Workspace, reveals how cloud-based products and services are becoming an increasingly more significant portion of channel partners’ revenue.

As demand for cloud services grows, so too does the availability through the channel. The demand is pulling more partners into selling and supporting cloud services. The average channel partner sees the adoption of cloud computing into its portfolio as a means of capturing new sales, expanding business with existing accounts, and staving off competition.

According to the research, the cloud computing pull is so great that 80% of channel partners plan to increase their cloud service and support capacity over the next year.

While cloud computing is generating revenue and opening new opportunities for channel partners, not all is well. Partners remain under-resourced, lack in business planning, and are losing too many accounts at renewal time.

In this special edition of Changing Channels, Channelnomics delves into the details of the fourth annual installment of the State of the U.S. Cloud Channel. Channelnomics’ head of research, Chris Gonsalves, talks about key findings of the study and how channel adoption and performance has changed over the past five years. Ingram Micro Cloud’s John Dusett talks about how the trends revealed in the report are translating into opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions for partners.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa  

Guest John Dusett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndusett/

Chris Gonsalves: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-6a8241/

Credits 

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com. 

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa 

Voice-Over: Denise Quan  

Nutanix’s Christian Alvarez on Establishing Channel KPIs

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 05:15:05 -0400

Christian Alvarez, senior vice president of worldwide channel sales and all routes to market at Nutanix, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about creating meaningful and contextual channel key performance indicators (KPIs).

A common challenge among channel professionals is proving the relative worth of partner programs and productivity. Everyone knows that KPIs are essential for measuring and monitoring channel performance and success.

The question that vexes many channel professionals is this: What KPIs are most applicable to the unique circumstances and needs of different vendors?

When it comes to KPIs, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t exist, which leads channel chiefs to create metrics that don’t measure what matters. When this happens, doubt about the channel’s value creeps into the minds of senior management.

Measuring what matters in channel performance not only justifies the expense of working through partners but also provides data for planning future investments and sales coverage models.

In this episode of Changing Channels, Nutanix’s Alvarez shares his insights into how to identify the right channel KPIs and use them effectively in demonstrating the value of channel investments and their contribution to a company’s success.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa  

Guest Christian Alvarez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianaalvarez/

Credits 

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com. 

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa 

Voice-Over: Denise Quan  

Oracle NetSuite’s Craig West on Partner Enablement

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 05:08:12 -0400

Oracle NetSuite's Craig West joins Channelnomics' Changing Channels host Larry Wals to discuss the importance of continuous partner enablement.

They say it takes money to make money. One of the ways vendors use money to make money is through the enablement of their partners. This investment leads to the creation and cultivation of partnerships that are – in many cases – more productive. Partners enabled through technology and sales training generate more revenue for their vendors.

While training and enablement are universally seen as a channel necessity, connecting the value to the outcome often proves elusive. The vendor community frequently treats training as episodic – only on an annual basis or with new product releases. Also, the training typically focuses on products, not workloads or what customers expect as outcomes. For the most part, training programs treated as onboarding checkbox items do little to speed time to market with new partners. As a result, there’s a disconnect between vendor intent, partner engagement, and customer experience.

One vendor that’s making enablement a core piece of its channel strategy and partner relationships is Oracle NetSuite. Through its SuiteLife program, Oracle NetSuite provides hands-on training and enablement that accelerate partners’ ability to take enterprise resource planning applications to market.

Craig West, vice president of alliances and channels at Oracle NetSuite, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss making partner enablement more productive and persistent.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics 

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa  

Guest Craig West: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-west-17369b3/

Credits 

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com. 

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa 

Voice-Over: Denise Quan  

Zebra’s Bill Cate on Working With Influence Partners

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 05:33:58 -0400

Bill Cate, vice president of marketing and channels at Zebra Technologies, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the role of non-transacting partners in go-to-market strategy.

Partners come in various models and sizes. The common trait is that they sell and support technology products produced by vendors. At least that’s what conventional channel wisdom says. But the channel is replete with non-transacting partners – companies and professionals that influence end customer product consideration and purchasing decisions. Non-transacting partners range from IT resellers that see a sales opportunity but don’t have a relationship with the vendor to technology enthusiasts that recommend products to colleagues. Influencers and their cousins, referrers, are an increasingly important part of the go-to-market equation, as they help guide the customer through their purchasing journeys long before they engage a vendor or reseller. A company that’s plying the emerging influencer channel is Zebra Technologies, which is supporting and enabling non-transactional partners such as independent hardware vendors, consultants, technology partners, and systems integrators through its Alliance Partners track. Zebra recognized that gaining benefit from influencers requires an up-front investment – a risky proposition for a vendor that’s used to offering back-end incentives to motivate partners. In this episode of Changing Channels, Bill Cate, Zebra’s vice president of marketing and channels, talks about the role of customers in bringing influencers to the forefront, using alliance relationships to form and achieve common goals, and how to gauge the results of an influencer strategy.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Bill Cate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcate/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Wasabi’s Laurie Mitchell on Expanding Into the International Market

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 20:11:42 -0400

Laurie Mitchell, vice president of partner and international marketing at Wasabi Technologies, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how a midstage technology start-up expands into the international channel.

Wading into international waters is a tricky proposition for many technology companies. The complexities of localization, the individualities of different markets, the unique needs of customers in various parts of the world, and the expenses involved in developing a multinational presence are all challenges to any organization trying to build an international channel. Despite the intricacies, though, emerging U.S. cloud storage company Wasabi Technologies has rapidly expanded its international footprint. Only a year after launching its cloud storage service in 2017, Wasabi announced the construction of its first overseas data center in Amsterdam, and this summer it began its move into Asia with the announcement of a new data center in Tokyo. Much of Wasabi’s overseas success is credited to European and Asian channel partners that have spurred the storage company’s expansion. In this episode of Changing Channels, Laurie Mitchell, Wasabi’s vice president of partner and international marketing, discusses how the storage start-up ventured into the international market with the assistance of its partners.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Laurie Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lcoppola/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

PODCAST LINK/EMBED CODE:

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/PajNCbX1TKY

CN POST: https://channelnomics.com/2021/08/wasabis-laurie-mitchell-on-expanding-into-the-international-market

Pure Storage’s Andy Martin on Embracing the Subscription-Based Sales Model

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 03:53:41 -0400

Andy Martin, vice president of global partner sales at Pure Storage, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the challenges and rewards of transitioning to a subscription-based sales model.

The subscription model, under which technology is sold based on access and use rather than as a one-off transaction, is changing the way businesses acquire and consume said technology. It’s also giving customers greater flexibility to plan, utilize, and budget for their technology needs and providing economic benefits to vendors, partners, and customers as they pare down their capital expenses. Among hardware companies, Pure Storage – a leader in flash array products – was an early entry into the use of subscription models. Pure introduced its Evergreen storage service in 2015, allowing customers to purchase – or downgrade – capacity based on operating needs. In this episode of Changing Channels, Andy Martin, vice president of global partner sales at Pure, shares insights into the transition process from transactional to subscription sales, the need to engage with the channel under the subscription model, and opportunities that subscription models open for partners.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Andy Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-martin-6aab205

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Sibling Rivals Channel Maven’s Heather K. Margolis and Channelnomics' Larry Walsh Dish on Channel Marketing

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 04:56:45 -0400

Heather K. Margolis, the founder of Channel Maven and Spark My Channel, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how marketing to and through channel partners is changing and what most technology companies get wrong.

If you want sales, you need to start with marketing. It’s a well-worn refrain in the channel that partners are subpar at marketing. According to Channelnomics research, between 60% and 80% of partners have no marketing plans, and the majority lack marketing capabilities. Such shortcomings necessitate that vendors pick up the load for producing materials and messaging to promote products and services. Yet partners frequently say the availability and quality of the marketing support they get from vendors is insufficient or ineffective. The evolving use of digital tools to convey messages, identify and cultivate customers, and reinforce value messages challenges vendors and partners to up their marketing game. Successful vendors produce more diverse marketing content, leveraging tools such as through-channel marketing automation (TCMA) and training partners in marketing techniques to produce more fruitful results. In this episode of Changing Channels, Margolis and Walsh revive their long-running Sibling Rivalry chats to discuss what vendors and partners need to do better channel marketing.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Heather K. Margolis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherkmargolis/

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Microsoft’s Alyssa Fitzpatrick on Flipping the Co-Selling Model

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 05:39:49 -0400

Alyssa Fitzpatrick joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss Microsoft’s innovative co-sell program in which it’s become the driver of independent software vendor products that complement the Azure cloud.

Cloud computing ushered in whole new ways of selling, delivering, and consuming technology. Through cloud platforms, vendors earn recurring revenue while customers get access to robust, resilient resources at a more palatable expense. Driving cloud adoption and expanded consumption requires applications. The more applications a customer runs in a cloud, the more revenue it generates for the service provider. Channels have a limited number of selling motions, such as sell-with or co-selling, in which the vendor and partner approach customers together. Microsoft, looking to feed its Azure Cloud platform, flipped the script on co-selling by creating a program in which its sells products that complement its cloud services. The result is a multi-billion-dollar business that provides lift to independent software vendors, commissions to Microsoft salespeople, and accelerated growth for Microsoft. Other cloud vendors have similar co-sell programs, but most are following in the footsteps of Microsoft’s innovative program that aims to create wins for Microsoft, partners, and customers. Alyssa Fitzpatrick, general manager of worldwide partner sales at Microsoft, joins Changing Channels to discuss the Microsoft co-sell program and its ongoing evolution.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: https://bit.ly/3r66LlU

Guest Alyssa Fitzpatrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysfitz/

2112 B2B Influencer Success Factors: Get detailed insights on how to leverage influencers in driving channel and marketplace sales: https://bit.ly/36uxuiR

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

AppSmart’s Renee Bergeron on the Evolution of Channel Marketplaces

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 09:15:07 -0400

Renee Bergeron joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how innovative marketplace models are providing new avenues to market for technology vendors and partners.

Marketplaces and online digital sales are increasing quickly. More than $6 trillion in B2B goods and reserves sales transact through marketplaces annually – nearly three times the volume of B2C activity. And a significant and increasing portion of that volume is technology products and services. Marketplace sales were on the ascent prior to the pandemic. Lockdown conditions made online buying a necessity for many businesses and provided vendors and resellers with a much-needed medium for selling under social distancing conditions. Marketplaces are on the minds of nearly every vendor. They see online selling as a means for increasing revenue, meeting customers where they want to transact (particularly younger buyers and influencers), and scaling limited resources. The concern is how marketplaces impact traditional channels and partners. Vendors want to tap the power of marketplaces, but they also want to control the negative side effects on the partners that got them where they are today. AppSmart, a division of AppDirect and leading online technology sales platform, provides an example of how a marketplace can provide vendors with the digital sales capabilities they seek while simultaneously enabling partners to transact online. Renee Bergeron, vice president and general manager of AppSmart, joins Changing Channels to share how AppSmart is plying this new online selling model to the benefit of vendors and partners alike.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: https://tinyurl.com/789uecks

Channelnomics Marketplace Guide: https://tinyurl.com/2k76tc9v

Guest Renee Bergeron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneebergeron/

2021 Channel Forecast and 2021 Channel Chief Outlook: Discover what your channel peers and partners are doing in 2021 and beyond. Get your copy of both reports for insights that inform your strategy development, guide your decision-making, and help you benchmark performance: https://channelnomics.com/library/.

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Harvard Business School’s Frank Cespedes on How to Sell in a World That Never Stops Changing

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:20:56 -0400

Frank Cespedes joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about effective sales and channel strategies in the post-pandemic economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic left an indelible mark on the market – particularly when it comes to sales strategy and management. The emergence of digital collaboration and dominance of online marketplaces has many sales leaders and strategists looking for the next selling methodology to replace existing sales techniques and channels. But as much as things change, they stay the same. In his new book, “Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World That Never Stops Changing,” Harvard Business School senior lecturer Frank Cespedes outlines how many of the common fundamentals will continue to work even as the market transforms. The challenge, he points out, is in the execution. The customer will remain king (or queen) in the go-to-market equation. Data is important to driving sales activities, but businesses need defined sales processes. Value must remain linked to price or else profitability is at risk. And despite persistent questions about their value contributions, partners and the channel will remain a critical part of market coverage and revenue generation. In this wide-ranging conversation with Changing Channels’ Larry Walsh, Frank Cespedes shares his thought-provoking perspective on how everything is changing yet remaining vaguely familiar in sales and channels.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Frank Cespedes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankcespedes/

Buy Frank’s Book: https://tinyurl.com/scuv2dwj

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh, https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

CyCognito’s Lori Cornmesser on Channel Chiefs Starting Over

Tue, 11 May 2021 00:01:00 -0400

Lori Cornmesser joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about what it’s like for a channel chief to start over in a new role and find success in driving indirect sales.

The average channel chief spends between 18 and 36 months in their role. From there, they often move on to a similar position in a different company. Review the resumes of some of the industry stalwarts and you’ll see a succession of channel leadership jobs, each requiring the same entry process of discovery, planning, and assimilation. Starting over as a channel chief isn’t easy. The start-up process is replete with back-to-back executive and team meetings, bottomless data analysis, deep dives into product training, detailed reviews of organizational capacities, team recruitment, and – of course – partner introductions. Starting up as a channel chief requires forethought, time, and selling a company’s vision and value. It’s the bifurcated nature of the channel chief’s role that presents the challenge. A channel chief must satisfy internal stakeholders – namely, their management – and external constituents, or partners. It’s a careful balancing act that can make or break a newly minted channel leader. Someone who’s performed this balancing act several times is Lori Cornmesser. She’s built and managed global partner programs at Juniper Networks and has been a channel chief at both Ixia and Infoblox. She recently started over as the vice president of worldwide channel sales at security specialist CyCognito. Cornmesser joins Changing Channels to discuss what it takes to restart and find success as a multi-time channel chief.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Lori Cornmesser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loricornmesser/

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

The Evolving Value of Distribution

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 11:09:05 -0400

Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh responds to the perception that distribution is declining in value to vendors’ go-to-market equation and channel programs.

A recent poll found that channel chiefs see distribution’s contribution to channels declining as the market shifts to service-based models and cloud delivery mechanisms. This perception is nothing new. The value that distribution brings to vendors’ go-to-market equation is always in question, as vendors are always on the lookout for ways to cut complexity and costs from their channel programs. Yet despite the recurring value question, the distribution segment persists. The reason distribution exists in the first place is because its absence makes it more expensive for vendors to get their products to partners and customers. Without distribution support, vendors would have a significantly harder time operating in emerging markets, managing logistics and support, and enabling partners – particularly in the long tail. In this episode of Changing Channels, Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh breaks down the reasons why vendors persistently question the value of distribution, what many get wrong about distribution capabilities and contributions, and what vendors need to think about before considering discarding distribution relationships.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Proofpoint’s Joe Sykora on Building Channel Sales Cultures

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:44:47 -0400

Joe Sykora joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about strategies and tactics for instilling in partners the imperative of selling persistently and consistently.

The IT channel is, by definition, a route to market for selling and delivering technology goods and services to end customers. Partners are the conduit through which products flow. They influence and direct customer brand consideration and product purchasing decisions. And partners play a major role in the customer experience through their deployment, professional services, and managed services. Selling is an essential part of the channel, but partners aren’t consistent in their sales capacity or competency. According to Channelnomics’ research, vendor channel leaders report as much as half of partners don’t originate most of their sales. Channelnomics reports that as many as six out of 10 channel partners don’t have sales plans or goals. And when it comes to services that drive recurring revenue, partners are losing one account for every two they gain – a retention rate of less than 70%, when the market says 90% should be the minimum. Vendors need high-performing and consistently selling partners to drive their growth, contribute revenue and profitability, and maintain a reliable forecast. Getting partners to focus on sales as much as they do technology is the challenge nearly all channel executives face. Joe Sykora, senior vice president of worldwide channel and partner sales at security vendor Proofpoint, has made channel sales excellence a hallmark of his storied career. He joins Changing Channels to discuss his approach to building and maintaining a sales culture that permeates the channel ecosystem, from internal teams to partners.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Joe Sykora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesykora/

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

HP’s Mary Beth Walker on Data-Driven Channels

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 00:02:00 -0400

Mary Beth Walker joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how HP’s new Amplify program is leveraging data shared by partners to improve channel sales and productivity.

As many say, data in the digital age is the fuel of business. By gathering, organizing, and analyzing data, businesses of all sizes – from large enterprises to small Main Street shops – are making more informed decisions and improving their operations and productivity. Although the technology industry has pushed the concept of “Big Data” for years, the application of data and analytics in the channel is sparse. In the crafting of Amplify, its new channel program, HP made data collaboration with its partners a cornerstone. HP is acting as a refinery of partner-supplied data. Partners will get detailed intelligence to target sales, manage inventories, and anticipate customer needs. Data collaboration is part of an evolving effort by HP to help make its channel partners smarter, more effective, and profitable. One of the architects of this initiative is Mary Beth Walker, the head of global channel strategy at HP. She joins Changing Channels to discuss the imperative of data collaboration between vendors and partners, and how data-driven operations will transform partner relationships in the coming years.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, best practices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Mary Beth Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-beth-walker-a276b2184/

2021 Channel Forecast and 2021 Channel Chief Outlook: Discover what your channel peers and partners are doing in 2021 and beyond. Get your copy of both reports for insights that inform your strategy

Check Point’s Frank Rauch on Gaining Exec Support for Channels

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 00:01:00 -0400

Frank Rauch joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss best practices for gaining top-down support from corporate executive leadership for channel strategies and programs.

Executives from the CEO to sales leadership at technology companies often talk about the value of their channel partners in their success equation. Many corporate executives say that they couldn’t achieve their goals without channel partners’ contributions. In reality, faith in the channel is elusive. According to Channelnomics’ annual Channel Chief Outlook report, one in five channel chiefs is under high pressure to demonstrate the value of channel programs. Most channel professionals say they’re challenged in proving to their company’s leadership that the channel has value. Seasoned channel chiefs say a critical factor in operating a productive channel program is having the support of the C-suite. Frank Rauch, head of worldwide channel sales at Check Point Software Technologies, has made gaining executive support a hallmark of his career. At Check Point, and at HP and VMware, Rauch used strategic alignment, key performance indicators, personal relationships, and demonstrable results to prove the value of the channel and earn executive support. Rauch’s tips are relevant to every current and aspiring channel chief.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Frank Rauch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankrauch/

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Chad Cardenas on Innovating Channels Through Venture Investments

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 04:20:07 -0500

In this episode of Channelnomics’ Changing Channels, Chad Cardenas of TSG joins host Larry Walsh to discuss his model for getting partners to put skin in the game with start-up technology companies through investments and channel commitments.

The lore of Silicon Valley was written with venture capital money. The start-up engine that brought iconic brands such as Google, Palo Alto Networks, and CrowdStrike to critical success made scores of millionaires and billionaires. In the process of their development, tech start-ups provide innovative products and services that feed the channel with new opportunities.

Chad Cardenas, a tech industry veteran who worked in sales and channels at NetApp and co-founded the successful systems integrator Trace3, has a career that follows a seam of finding and capitalizing on innovation. He’s always looking for ways to challenge the status quo. His latest venture, The Syndicate Group, looked beyond technology innovation to rethink the way start-ups get funding and find success. TSG, as it’s known, works with solution providers and channel partners to pool money for investment in innovative technology start-ups. The model gives TSG investors a way to reduce their risk and increase their potential returns by supporting the start-ups in the channel. Cardenas and his team of channel and tech industry veterans are on the leading edge of reshaping the equity equation between vendors and partners, rewriting the value chain to market so that partners have skin in the game.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmv4IY_w4x_AqvH-g4EDz6w

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Chad Cardenas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-cardenas/

Chad’s Blog: https://syndicategroup.com/blog/

Credits:

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out www.modpodstudio.com.

Executive Producer: Laila Kaiser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laila-kaiser

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

SAP's Meaghan Sullivan on Rising Up to Marketing Transformation

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:11:53 -0500

Channel Chief Meaghan Sullivan of SAP joins host Larry Walsh to recount the marketing lessons learned during the pandemic and how those learnings will shape digital go-to-market strategies for years to come!

COVID-19 changed everything in the way vendors and partners generate demand, curate sales, and cultivate productive customer relationships. At the beginning of the pandemic, SAP’s Meaghan Sullivan was among the first to wonder openly what would become of sales pipelines and partner productivity if tried-and-true marketing techniques like live events were no longer available (at least for an extended period). As the global vice president of ecosystem marketing, Sullivan’s job is to ensure partners are enabled and supported with marketing to find customers and convert sales. To keep the sales engine humming - and SAP evolving - Sullivan turned to digital transformation. Over the past year, Sullivan and her team adapted to the pandemic conditions by rewriting customer journeys, rethinking customer experience and sales engagement, investing in digital marketing tools and techniques, and training partners to leverage social marketing and virtual collaboration platforms. The outcome is an ongoing evolution that allows SAP to rise to the challenge of operating in a virtual world, overcome obstacles, and leave legacy marketing and sales techniques behind.

Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Meaghan Sullivan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meaghansullivan1/

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Executive Producer: Laila Kaiser https://www.linkedin.com/in/laila-kaiser/

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Episode 99: Business Guru Tom Peters on the Need for Extreme Humanization

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:15:00 -0400

Technology is making the world move faster through analytics and automation. Businesses and individuals leverage the power of cloud computing and collaboration tools to interact without meeting face to face. In recent months, the value of these resources came to the fore as the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to shut down, send their staffs home, and initiate crash courses in socially separated working organizations. Even before the social unrest roiled the United States, business guru Tom Peters was thinking about the need for “Extreme Humanization,” in which businesses and people actively try to get closer through empathy and understanding. Peters argues that now, more than ever, we need humanization in our business world, communities, and politics. Peters, the author of several best-selling books, including “In Search of Excellence,” joins POD2112 to talk about the need for Extreme Humanization.

Episode 98: Nerdio’s Joseph Landes on Simplifying Cloud Adoption

Fri, 15 May 2020 10:08:00 -0400

If we learned anything during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that cloud computing is the resilient resource it was always billed. Businesses leaned heavily on cloud-based resources and services to maintain operations as their staff shifted to work from home postures. At the same time, businesses – particularly SMBs – leaned on managed service providers to help them adopt, setup, and support their cloud services. The underlying challenge of cloud computing is setting up various services and understanding the total cost of ownership. A company helping MSPs simplify their path to the cloud is Nerdio. The company’s chief revenue officer, Joseph Landes, joins Pod2112 to discuss getting more MSPs into cloud services.

Episode 97: Salesforce’s Tiffani Bova on Sales in a Time of Crisis

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 16:51:00 -0400

Over the past several years, vendors and solution providers have come under pressure to change their sales strategies and processes to meet evolving customer expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic downturn are forcing a crash transformation as sales teams find themselves disconnected from partners and customers absent the usual communication venues such as events and face-to-face meetings. The COVID-19 crisis is compelling vendors and solution providers to rethink sales in the short and long term. The pandemic will change the way businesses and consumers buy, their expectations for sales and post-sales support, and how they measure value in the supplier-customer relationship. Tiffani Bova, global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce, former channel chief and Gartner channel analyst, and best-selling author of the book Growth IQ, joins POD2112 to talk about the changing nature of sales and growth during and after COVID-19.

Episode 96: Kaseya’s Fred Voccola on the Resiliency of Managed Services

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 11:33:00 -0400

No business is immune to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite having long-term and recurring contracts, managed service providers (MSPs) are feeling the pinch of the downturn as customers curtail or shut down operations. Many MSPs are reporting customers canceling contracts, downgrading services, or simply not paying. Fred Voccola, CEO of managed services tools provider Kaseya, says MSPs are resilient to economic downturns, if not resistant to recessions. However, he caveats his point of view that the world is experiencing depression-like economic conditions that will adversely affect MSPs as much as their customers. It’s when the world improves to more “recession-like” conditions that MSPs will recover and thrive faster than most businesses. Voccola shares more of what he sees in the managed services segment and his long-term outlook for MSPs in this episode of Pod2112.

Episode 95: SolarWinds’ Tim Brown on MSPs Securing ‘Work From Home’

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 10:20:00 -0400

COVID-19 displaced tens of millions of office workers around the world. Overnight, companies went from cubicles teeming with activity to distributed workforces operating from makeshift desks, dining room tables, and couches. The displacement took many companies by surprise, forcing them to hastily equip their work-from-home employees or allow staff to use personal devices. The situation created a security nightmare by exposing businesses and corporate data to increased risk. Managed service providers (MSPs) are working around the clock to help their customers secure devices and data during social distancing. SolarWinds, a provider of IT automation and managed service software, is among the vendors supporting MSPs with resources to aid customers in this crisis. SolarWinds’ Tim Brown, vice president of security architecture, joins POD2112 to discuss the security implications of work-from-home and how MSPs are coping with this surge in demand for support.

Episode 94: SAP’s Karl Fahrbach on Customer Centric Channels

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:02:00 -0400

Customer experience is the metric that an increasing number of technology companies are using to define success. Customers are less interested in ROI and technical features, and more interested in the sum of their experiences with technology and the outcome of their technology investments. SAP has been reorienting its go-to-market philosophy and strategy around becoming “customer centric” – putting the end user at the center of its endeavors, including its channel initiatives. In this time of massive disruption and economic uncertainty, customer-centricity is even more important in ensuring that vendors and partners don’t lose touch with their clients. Karl Fahrbach, chief partner officer at SAP, joins POD2112 to discuss the customer-centric model, how it applies to channels, and why it’s important even as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode 93: IT By Design’s Sunny Kaila on Supporting MSPs in Crisis

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 09:26:00 -0400

The COVID-19 pandemic made managed service providers front-line responders to the crisis. As businesses scrambled to shift their workforces from office to remote, MSPs raced to get clients set up and running quickly with stable endpoints, platforms, and support. While MSPs are built to deliver services remotely, not all are equipped to meet the volume and variety of IT needs of their clients in the time of an extreme crisis. IT By Design – a master MSP that specializes in supporting solution providers with technical, infrastructure, and human resources – is seeing an increase in requests for help amid coronavirus. The pandemic’s mitigation measures are revealing the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for managed services. IT By Design CEO Sunny Kaila joins Pod2112 to discuss how MSPs are coping with COVID-19’s fallout.

Episode 92: SAP’s Meaghan Sullivan on the ‘Corona Effect’

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 08:33:00 -0400

SAP's Meaghan Sullivan joins POD2112 to share how the coronavirus outbreak could reshape marketing strategies in the long run.

Episode 91: GTDC’s Frank Vitagliano on the Future of Distribution

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:49:00 -0500

As technology continues to evolve and the market adopts service-based models, many vendors question the value distribution is contributing, and will contribute, to the go-to-market equation.

Traditionally, distribution is the layer that provides logistics, contract manufacturing, customization services, financing, and technical support on behalf of vendors to their partners. Some people believe that cloud computing and other service-based models diminish the need for distribution, as there’s little product to ship and support.

But distribution is evolving. While distributors continue to offer the traditional “pick, pack, and ship” services, they’re also providing value-add services in marketing, market intelligence, business development, hosting, service management, and more.

In addition, distributors’ financing activities are proving more valuable than ever as vendors and partners look to recognize service contracts before their terms mature. And distributors continue to look for ways to reinvent themselves, adding value to the vendor, partner, and end-user segments of the technology market.

The chief advocate for the distribution segment and its value proposition is the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC).

Now under the leadership of channel veteran and icon Frank Vitagliano, GTDC is reinvigorating its mission of distribution advocacy with new programs and initiatives to help vendors understand what distribution is doing for them today and how distributors will continue to evolve over the next decade.

Vitagliano, who was a channel chief at IBM, Juniper Networks, and Dell, as well as the CEO of a systems integrator, has a unique perspective on distribution. He joins POD2112 to discuss the evolving value of distribution and how distributors will remain relevant in the service era.

Episode 90: CoreKinect’s Assar Badri and John Horn on Smart IoT Manufacturing

Sat, 15 Feb 2020 14:37:00 -0500

Internet of Things (IoT) is a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity. Connecting legacy systems to autonomous sensors and controllers are opening new vistas for creating smart enterprises, manufacturing, cities and homes.

Vendors – old and new – are creating IoT components and systems to bring the smart world vision into reality. IoT architectures are popping up all over the channel. The expectations are high that IoT will result in greater user experiences and operational efficiencies. Moreover, IoT sellers and buyers have grand visions for immediate and ongoing returns on their investments.

On the supply side of the IoT equation is the manufacturing process. IoT devices – sensors and controllers – must often operate in cramped, remote, and exposed locations. IoT devices require durability, as they’ll operate in the wild for as long as a decade (or longer). And they require security during the manufacturing process to their lifetime operation.
These are significant challenges the permeate the conception, design, manufacturing, architecture, deployment, and operational phases of the IoT lifecycle.

CoreKinect, an IoT design and manufacturing startup, is solving these IoT manufacturing challenges with a unique process for quickly translating IoT concepts into prototypes, and prototypes into finished products. And when it comes to manufacturing at scale, CoreKinect is building the products it brings to reality in the United States ensuring end-to-end security and quality at surprisingly competitive costs.

CoreKinect CEO and co-founder Assar Badri and president and chief strategist John Horn join Pod2112’s Larry Walsh to discuss the smarter way to design and build IoT devices and systems.

Episode 89: D&H’s Jason Bystrak on Monetizing Every Seat with Services

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 18:50:00 -0500

Device and everything as a service is not a new concept. Since the early days of managed services, channel pros and practitioners foresaw a day in which the tech industry sold and supported all devices, applications and resources as a service. With cloud computing and ubiquitous connectivity, everything as a service is a real and growing trend. Nevertheless, the channel – particularly in the SMB segment – is not addressing what some size as a $390 billion market. D&H Distributing – the leading distributor that largely focuses on SMB partners and market segments – is looking to convert nearly 70 million seats from traditional capital-expense hardware sales and software licenses to an end-to-end services-based consumption and support model delivered by solution providers. Jason Bystrak, vice president of the cloud business unit at D&H Distributing, joins Pod2112 to discuss the massive channel opportunity in everything as a service and how vendors and solution providers can participate in the multi-billion opportunity.

Episode 88: Cohesity’s Bill Lipsin on Returning to the Channel Chief Role

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 08:15:00 -0500

Channel chiefs change jobs all the time, but few get the opportunity to build a channel program from the ground up. Channel veteran Bill Lipsin not only designed Cohesity’s recently launched channel program, but he did so as an outside consultant that grew into the job. Lipson, a widely regarded channel leader, joins POD2112 to discuss returning to the channel chief’s chair and the experience of building and launching a reimagined channel program.

Episode 87: Barracuda MSP’s Neal Bradbury on Catching a Growth Trend

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 10:20:00 -0500

Generating growth is a challenge for all technology companies. Few can create lightning in a bottle on their own. In many cases, vendors can catch a ride on the growth train by attaching themselves to another growing technology that they complement. In the case of Barracuda MSP, a division of Barracuda Networks that provides managed services for security and backup, that opportunity came with Microsoft’s push to increase the number of Office 365 business users. By many accounts, as many as 90% of Microsoft Office users are still on perpetual legacy licenses. Translation: The migration opportunity is huge for Microsoft, and every account that gets switched to the cloud-attached service will need several complementary services, such as security and backup. Neal Bradbury, vice president of MSP Strategic Partnerships at Barracuda MSP, is heading up the effort to ensure that Barracuda MSPs don’t miss the opportunity created by the Microsoft push. I recently spoke with Neal about how he approaches creating a strategy to draft on an existing trend. In this episode of POD2112, Neal shares guiding principles that all vendors can apply in their go-to-market strategies.

Episode 86: NetApp’s Chris Lamborn on Making Partners Profit Independent

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 16:51:00 -0500

The indirect sales model was never intended to ensure or provide partner profitability. The profit of partner activities was and remains a product of what they provide to customers in value-added goods and services. Some technology vendors are making that principle the cornerstone of their channel profit model. By giving partners the breathing room, tools, and enablement to deliver more managed and professional services independently of their vendors, the more likely they can generate higher profits without consideration to the vendor’s products and margins. NetApp, which is rolling out a new go-to-market channel strategy, is among the vendors that are looking to make partners more profitable by giving partners the models, resources, and support that will make them profit independent. Chris Lamborn, head of worldwide partner go-to-market and programs at NetApp, joins Pod2112 to explain the strategy and potential benefits of partner profitability independence.

Episode 85: HP’s Stephanie Dismore on Reorganizing Large Organizations

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 11:50:00 -0400

HP has a storied history of innovation and propelling change in its partners and customers’ organizations. HP is now undergoing a sweeping change in its leadership, organization, go-to-market strategy, and culture with the appointment of a new CEO, the creation of its first chief commercial officer, and the restructuring of its global framework. HP is aiming to meet future partner and market needs with a focus on technology innovation, services models, and efficiency. Reshaping large, global organizations isn’t easy or quick. The process takes inspiration, vision, planning, and time to execute. The changes announced at HP are two years or more in the making, and required getting thousands of people around the world onboard with the vision and executing in the same direction. Stephanie Dismore, the new managing director of HP’s newly created North America market, joins Pod2112 to talk about the changes and what it takes to turn a giant, global organization.

Episode 84: TBI’s Bill Vander Vennet on Leveraging Partner Referrals

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 10:59:00 -0400

As the technology industry evolves with new and innovative products and services, partners face the challenge of acquiring new skills or losing business. The shortcut to satisfying customers, even when the products and skills are lacking, is referrals. Through referrals, partners can direct customers to trusted, qualified vendors and solution providers that can meet their technology needs. Referral programs offered by vendors, distributors and master agents provide the supply-side of the business with the ability to capture through-channel revenue regardless of the partner’s qualifications. And, referrals are often a catalyst for helping partners identify market opportunities that lead to skill and capacity acquisition. TBI’s national referral program director Bill Vander Vennet joins Pod2112 to talk about the value and power of referral programs for everyone in the go-to-market chain.

Episode 83: Google’s Nina Harding on Turning Partners into ‘Imagineers’

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 09:44:00 -0400

In the race to dominate the cloud computing era, Google Cloud is playing catchup to rival market leaders Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. The difference maker, says Google Cloud’s management, is partners that are innovating with the cloud company and on behalf of their customers to building better, value-add solutions that produce better outcomes and return on investment. The strategy is already paying dividends as Google Cloud is expanding rapidly and picking up market share with the help of partners. Nina Harding, Google’s global chief of partner strategy and programs, joins Pod2112 to talk about how Google’s legacy of innovation is helping to make solution providers “imagineers” that devise new ideas, craft new solutions, and create new services in and around the Google Cloud.

Episode 82: Sensorium’s Amy Luby on IoT Managed Services

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:32:00 -0400

The Internet of Things trend is creating massive product and service sales opportunities. Businesses are spending billions of dollars acquiring new sensors, infrastructure, and applications to leverage IoT devices and systems to improve operations, create new experiences, and capitalize on emerging models. In the channel, IoT is still an emerging opportunity. Vendors are developing channel programs, and solution providers are beginning to adopt the technologies.

The market, though, is still struggling to figure out how to best implement and maximize IoT investments with limited experience and resources. A potential solution is the extension of managed services to the IoT segment. Sensorium, a Carnegie Technologies company specializing in IoT managed services, is helping solution providers and their customers identify opportunities and capture business by providing the means and resources for delivering IoT as a service. Channel chief Amy Luby joins POD2112 to talk about the unfolding opportunities and potential in IoT managed services.

Episode 81: Blackberry’s Richard McLeod on Reviving a Brand and Channel

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 18:02:00 -0400

Once upon a time, when cell phones did little more than voice services, the go-to mobile device for business executives was the trusted Blackberry. These communications devices with their monochrome display, roller-ball controller, and physical keypad untethered busy executives from their personal computers by giving them mobile emails, text messages, and voice services.

The days of Blackberry the device is over, swept away by the flood of iPhones and Android devices. Blackberry the company, though, is enjoying a renaissance. Over the last five years, Blackberry reinvented itself as an Internet of Things and security vendor by leveraging the best of its legacy technology and expertise.

Blackberry has a sizable and growing network of channel partners, and it’s looking for more resellers, integrators and service providers that can help meet the growing demand for security, mobility, IoT solutions. Richard McLeod, global vice president of enterprise software channels, joins Pod2112 to talk about the transformation and evolution of Blackberry, and where the company wants to go with partners.

Episode 80: Bechtle’s Thomas Jensen on Effective Business Strategy

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 19:25:00 -0400

Strategy is something often talked about and considered a necessity in business yet is largely misunderstood and misapplied. An effective strategy is the combination of vision, objectives and direction that set the course and tempo of business. Through strategy, businesses have focus that drives their day-to-day operations and clarifies decision-making. Creating effective business strategy isn’t easy, though. Managers can get distracted by legacy interests and short-term incentives. Strategy, when done right, can ensure businesses remain properly oriented toward goals and prepared for near- and long-term market conditions. Thomas Jensen, executive vice president of German systems integrator Bechtle and a veteran strategist of Hewlett Packard and Maersk, joins Pod2112 to share what it takes to understand, build and execute effective business strategy.