Belly2Belly

Most companies focus on recruiting more partners, but what if the bigger opportunity is making the partners you already have more capable? In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Craig Patterson, Global Channel Chief at Exabeam, about partner competency, why traditional enablement often fails, and how AI can help partners learn, sell and perform more effectively.

Craig Patterson, Exabeam
https://www.linkedin.com/in/globalchannel/
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Bill Kenney, [email protected]
MEET, https://meetroi.com/

Most companies still measure partner performance at or near the point of sale, but partners can influence a customer long before a transaction takes place. In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Jay McBain from Omdia about why most partners never produce, the 28 measurable moments in a considered purchase, and how leading ecosystems are identifying and influencing opportunities much earlier in the buying journey.

Jay McBain, Omdia
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymcbain/

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Bill Kenney, [email protected]
MEET, https://meetroi.com/⁠� 

AI companies are moving faster than traditional SaaS businesses, and partnership strategies need to evolve just as quickly. In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Cindy Zu from AirOps about how AI-native companies approach partnerships, why experimentation is essential, and how speed, accountability, and partner alignment drive better outcomes.

Cindy Zu, AirOps
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiazu/

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Feel free to contact us with any questions

Bill Kenney
[email protected]

MEET
https://meetroi.com/

Entering the U.S. defense market requires much more than a great product. Success depends on understanding the regulatory landscape, building trusted partnerships, and finding the right route into the market.

In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Mathew Woodlee from MDW Trade and Tech Advisors about how dual-use technology companies can successfully enter the United States, leverage innovation ecosystems, and build strategic partnerships that support long-term growth.

Mathew Woodlee, MDW Trade and Tech Advisors
https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodlee/

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Feel free to contact us with any questions

Bill Kenney, [email protected]
https://meetroi.com/ 

Many companies entering the U.S. believe hiring a local salesperson should be their first priority. According to Dale Shephard, that can become one of the most expensive mistakes founders make.

In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Dale Shephard from TrinityHawk about why founder-led sales create stronger early momentum, the risks of hiring too soon, and how founders can build the right sales foundation before they scale.
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Bill Kenney, [email protected]
https://meetroi.com/

Dale Shephard, TrinityHawk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daleshephard/ 

In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Chris Messina from QuarqAI about why traditional partnership models break down, why treating partners as lead-generation machines creates hidden risks, and how AI is helping organizations manage ecosystems more strategically.

Chris Messina, QuarqAI
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjmessina
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Feel free to contact us with any questions

Bill Kenney, [email protected]
MEET, https://meetroi.com/

Most partner ecosystems struggle with the same challenge: only a small percentage of partners actively drive revenue. In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Emily McLellan from Bongo about why partner activation gaps exist, the risks of inconsistent messaging, and why verification matters just as much as training.

Emily McClellan, Bongo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-mclellan/
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Feel free to contact us with any questions

Bill Kenney, [email protected]

MEET, https://meetroi.com/ 

Enterprise partner programs are evolving as AI, SaaS, and customer expectations reshape the market. In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Jason W. Gallo from Cisco about how partner programs are shifting toward value, outcomes, and ecosystem collaboration.

Jason W. Gallo, Cisco

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Feel free to contact us with any questions

Bill Kenney, [email protected]

MEET, https://meetroi.com/

Partnership ecosystems are evolving quickly as native AI companies scale at unprecedented speed. In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney talks with Chris Samila from Partnership Leaders about how AI companies are building partner programs, why distribution matters more than ever, and how service and technology partners are beginning to blend together in the AI economy.

Chris Samila, Partnership Leaders
https://www.partnershipleaders.com/
https://www.joincatalyst.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissamila/
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Feel free to contact us with any questions
Bill Kenney, [email protected]
MEET, https://meetroi.com/ 

 AI partnerships are evolving quickly, but they are not yet mature.

In this Belly2Belly episode, Bill Kenney speaks with David Winter of Orion Innovation about the current AI partnership landscape and what system integrators should focus on today.

They cover:
• Why AI partnerships currently flow through cloud ecosystems
• The role of Microsoft AI Foundry and AWS Bedrock
• How frontier AI partner programs may develop by 2026
• The hardware layer behind AI inference
• How to prepare to become a launch partner

David Winter
Orion Innovation
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davewinter3/

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Feel free to contact us with any questions
Bill Kenney, [email protected]
MEET, https://meetroi.com/