Changing Channels

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Changing Channels uncovers what it takes to get the next generation of technology to market. Join Larry Walsh, chief analyst and CEO of Channelnomics, for candid conversations with thought leaders, channel chiefs, and partner executives sharing actionable insights, best practices, and lessons learned in a channel that’s constantly changing. Each episode provides expert go-to-market guidance for enhanced performance in the channel.

Episodes

Jul 13, 2021

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

Jul 13, 2021

32 min

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

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

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

Jun 24, 2021

AppSmart’s Renee Bergeron on the Evolution of Channel Marketplaces

Jun 24, 2021

28 min

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

Jun 8, 2021

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

Jun 8, 2021

29 min

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

May 11, 2021

CyCognito’s Lori Cornmesser on Channel Chiefs Starting Over

May 11, 2021

32 min

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

Apr 27, 2021

The Evolving Value of Distribution

Apr 27, 2021

11 min

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

Apr 13, 2021

Proofpoint’s Joe Sykora on Building Channel Sales Cultures

Apr 13, 2021

22 min

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

Mar 30, 2021

HP’s Mary Beth Walker on Data-Driven Channels

Mar 30, 2021

34 min

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

Mar 16, 2021

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

Mar 16, 2021

35 min

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

Mar 2, 2021

Chad Cardenas on Innovating Channels Through Venture Investments

Mar 2, 2021

45 min

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.

Follow us, Like us, and Subscribe!

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/

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.

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

Feb 22, 2021

SAP's Meaghan Sullivan on Rising Up to Marketing Transformation

Feb 22, 2021

30 min

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.

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

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

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

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 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