Bold Journeys Podcast

Seven years ago, in December 2018, I launched Channel Journeys, on a mission to explore the stories behind the partnerships and partner leaders who shape our industry. My goal was to help all of us become better partnering professionals. Over the past 7 years, I’ve had so many incredible guests who’ve shared so much channel wisdom. This episode is a tribute to all of my guests who’ve joined me over the past 180 episodes. It’s a celebration of the voices that made this journey unforgettable. 

I enjoyed meeting all of my guests. And what I found getting to know them was often something deeper than their channel story. I heard stories of grit, grace, and transformation. And that’s where I’m being pulled, to dig more into those stories of perseverance, endurance and coming out of failure and challenges stronger than ever.  

Today, as I prepare to launch Bold Journeys, I want to pause and say thank you. Thank you to the guests who shared their wins and losses, challenges and successes. And thank you to all of you listeners who’ve joined me on this awesome journey.  

Here are the top 10 lessons from the distinguished guests featured in this episode:

1. Visionary Ecosystems – Jay McBain : Jay highlights the shift from transactional partnerships to transformational ecosystems. His insights remind us that modern channel programs are comprehensive ecosystems accommodating a diverse array of partnerships.

2. Agile Collaboration – Rich Blakeman : Rich’s metaphor of ‘seagull behavior’ in sales emphasizes the need to embrace a hybrid approach. Collaborating with partners is essential to overcoming classic sales challenges.

3. Relational Leadership – Theresa Caragol : Theresa’s belief in the exponential growth factor through trust and internal cultural transformation reshapes our approach to partnership growth.

4. Cultural Alignment – Timm Hoyt : Tim emphasizes the importance of aligning leadership around a shared vision before executing the mission. This cultural foundation drives successful channel outcomes.

5. Strategic Reinvention – Rajnikant Gupta : Raj teaches us that reinvention in channel strategy isn’t failure, but faith in motion. Building mind share and heart share within enterprises is essential.

6. Embracing Change – Louise McEvoy : Louise shows us how courageously embracing change leads to growth and innovation. Her insights inspire leaders to face risks head-on and learn from experiences.

7. Coachability – Bart Fanelli : Bart reminds us that being coachable is key to effective leadership. Collaboration and openness to learning facilitate stronger team dynamics.

8. Ecosystem Leadership – Janet Schijns : Janet stresses targeting future-oriented connections to influence tomorrow’s behaviors, encouraging leaders to look beyond traditional networks.

9. AI Leadership – Noelle Russell (Microsoft MVP, AI): Noel emphasizes the modern leader’s role in managing AI systems, highlighting clarity in communication and results-driven strategies in AI adoption.

10. Empowering Partners – Jessica Baker : Jessica showcases how empowering partners with knowledge in AI and prompting skills enhances loyalty and trust, enriching partnership dynamics.

Thank you for being a part of this journey and for contributing to its success. As we transition to Bold Journeys, we hope to delve into deeper stories of grit, adventure, and faith, drawing on all the invaluable lessons learned here. Until next time, be bold and have a great channel journey!

Figuring out co-opetition, especially with the hyperscalers, is one of the biggest challenges in partnering today. That’s why the number one top listened to Channel Journeys episode over the past 12 months is this one I had with Alan Chhabra. At the time of the interview, he was Executive Vice President of Worldwide Partners and International Sales at MongoDB. And he had figured out how to turn potential rivals into powerful allies.

Our conversation delves deeply into the challenges and successes MongoDB has faced in navigating partnerships with hyperscalers like Microsoft, AWS, and Google – all while simultaneously competing with them.

Alan sheds light on the nuanced strategy of “co-opetition” – where competition meets cooperation – and how MongoDB has managed to leverage partnerships for growth. This episode is essential listening for business executives and partnership leaders looking to understand the intricate balance of competition and collaboration in today’s technology-driven market landscape.

Here are five important lessons I learned from my discussion with Alan Chhabra about managing partnerships and navigating the competitive landscape:

In this last episode of our ChannelCon series, I have the opportunity to wrap up with MJ Shoer, the Chief Community Officer at GTIA. MJ’s role is pivotal as GTIA executes on it’s mission around community and innovation in technology.

As someone deeply embedded in the fabric of GTIA, MJ provides unique insights into the organization’s current strides and future directions. Our conversation spans a wide array of topics, from the vibrancy of recent GTIA events to strategic preparations for the next generation of industry leaders. MJ’s reflections highlight a community-driven approach that integrates philanthropic efforts and engages both seasoned and upcoming professionals in the technology sector.

The interview offers valuable insights for business executives and partnership leaders aiming to harness community engagement as a means to drive organizational growth and foster sustainable innovation. This conversation is also a testament to GTIA’s commitment to evolving and adapting in a rapidly changing technology landscape.

Here are the top 5 lessons I learned from MJ Shoer about fostering an engaged community at GTIA:

How do great companies thrive in the midst of massive industry and technology changes? What sort of leadership is required to energize employees and your customers? In this episode with Jennifer Roy, CEO of Nucleus Networks, we dive into the secrets of leadership in the rapidly evolving tech industry. Jennifer, who took over as CEO in January 2024, reflects on her leadership journey from her earlier role as COO starting in 2021.

Based in Vancouver, Nucleus Networks strategically serves medium-sized businesses across various verticals including non-profit, architecture, engineering, and mining. Recorded live at ChannelCon, Jennifer shares her experiences and perspectives on effective leadership, operational efficiencies, and the transformative power of technology like AI.

Her insights, particularly on fostering a people-first approach and her involvement in mentorship programs, provide valuable guidance for business executives and partnership leaders looking to thrive amidst industry changes.

Here are the top 5 lessons learned from my discussion with Jennifer:

In one of my many conversations at ChannelCon, I had the opportunity to interview Chris Day, the co-founder and CEO of ScalePad. Chris offered a unique perspective into the evolving Managed Service Provider (MSP) landscape and shared his journey from the inception of his business to spearheading massive growth through strategic integration and technological advancements.

With a history of scaling businesses and making strategic acquisitions, Chris provides invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of navigating the rapidly-changing technology landscape. As Chris re-emerged as CEO, he emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and leveraging technology—especially artificial intelligence (AI)—in crafting seamless business processes and enhancing customer relationships.

Chris’ insights offer a comprehensive guide for MSP business executives seeking to navigate growth, integration, and technological advancement with confidence. Listen in and hear the intricacies and potential of the MSP space, offering guidance and inspiration to business executives and partnership leaders aiming to thrive in this dynamic industry.

If you’ve been listening to the series of Channel Journeys podcasts recorded at ChannelCon, you’ll know that there was a lot of conversation around AI.  One of the most important and valuable discussions for partners and partner managers was around leveraging AI for partner success.

At the forefront of innovation around this topic stands Jessica Baker, the Chief Innovation Officer at AchieveUnite. I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Jessica and learning all about the work she is doing to learn as much as she can about AI and it’s ability to increase productivity and profitability in the partnering world.

This episode explores her unique perspective on leveraging AI to drive partner success and business innovation. Jessica’s role as an innovator involves applying existing technologies in novel ways to enhance business processes.

Highlighting her participation at Channel Con, Jessica shares how AI is reshaping how businesses operate, interact, and innovate. You’re going to hear about the transformative potential of generative AI, its integration into workflows, and the crucial role of prompt engineering.

Jessica’s perspective offers invaluable insights for business executives and partnership leaders eager to harness AI’s potential to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen partnerships.

Here are 5 lessons learned from Jessica Baker on enhancing partner success through AI:

Strategic Partner Empowerment: By focusing on empowering partners rather than just enabling them, Jessica advocates for providing partners with tools and skills to transform their business practices. This empowerment goes beyond transactional relationships, fostering deeper trust and collaboration, ultimately leading to more resilient and innovative partnerships.