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.

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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.

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

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

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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.

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

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

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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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About Abundant IOT: https://abundantiot.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. 

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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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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. 

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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.

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

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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