Channel 2.0 Podcast

Most AI implementations fail before they start. Brian Friedopfer knows why.

Recorded live from Channel Partners 2026 in Las Vegas, this episode of Channel 2.0 sits down with Brian Friedopfer, now leading partner strategy at Quandary Consulting Group. Brian started his career on the customer side, watching partners miss scope, pad billables, and pitch product instead of solving problems. He pivoted to the partner side with one mission: build the practice he always wanted to hire. He scaled it from zero to a hundred million dollars in six years. Now he is doing it again, this time around AI and data consolidation.

The conversation is direct. Why ninety percent of AI implementations fail to deliver. Why the answer is not better software, it is cleaner data and fewer manual processes. Why the workforce fear around AI is misplaced, and who actually has reason to be worried. The real story behind a client who went from a sixty day payroll cycle to twenty minutes.

Brian also says something out loud that most people in the channel will not say. Some TSDs are choosing AI vendors not by impact, but by sponsorship. The right question to ask is not who paid to get into the portfolio. The right question is who can move the needle for the customer.

If you sell into the channel, advise on AI, or sit in a portfolio decision seat, this is the conversation that should be in your team meeting next week.

In this episode:

• The customer side pain points that built a hundred million dollar practice

• Why "single pane of glass" is dead, and what is replacing it

• What it actually means to "clean your data" before deploying AI

• The 90 percent failure rate of AI implementations, and how to avoid it

• The workforce question: who AI actually replaces and who it doesn't

• The 60 day payroll story: from manual chaos to a 20 minute query

• The portfolio problem: when TSDs pick vendors by sponsorship instead of impact

• The channel as collaboration, not competition

Guest: Brian Friedopfer, Quandary Consulting Group Host: Kameron Olsen, President, The Channel Advisors Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/friedopfer/ Quandary Consulting Group: quandarycg.com Connect with The Channel Advisors: thechanneladvisors.com

On this episode of the Channel 2.0 Podcast, Kameron sits down with two channel veterans, Andrew Bond (Trinity Network Solutions) and Shane Speakman (Adaptive Advisors). With over 20 years of combined experience, they discuss the evolution of the Technology Advisor role and the grit required to survive the early years.

Shane and Andrew dive into the "sweat equity" required to succeed, why loyalty lies with people rather than brands, and how suppliers can win their attention not with donuts, but with strategic tools and unique solutions. They also provide a candid look at why they might fire a supplier—specifically when they go behind their back to renew a customer with a subpar deal.

In this episode, we cover: 

• The 20-Year Evolution: Andrew’s journey from "selling his soul" for MRC to building a robust advisory firm. 
• The Barrier to Entry: Why the "on-ramp" to profitability takes years, not months, and how to survive the lean times. 
• Supplier Strategy: Why "donuts and lunch" are no longer enough to win over top-tier advisors. 
• The Litmus Test: Why true partnership is defined by how a supplier reacts when an install goes wrong. 
• Niche Hunting: The value of finding the "1%" of suppliers who solve unique problems (like high-volume voice for debt collectors).

On this episode of the Channel 2.0 Podcast, Kameron sits down with Meggan Fenton, Senior Director of Supplier Management at Telarus. With over 12 years in the channel, Meggan pulls back the curtain on exactly what it takes for a supplier to get into a TSD portfolio, and why so many fail.

Meggan dispels the myth that TSDs are just "lead ports" and explains the rigorous vetting process involving technical, operational, and financial audits that prospective suppliers must pass. She also shares the hard truth about timelines, revealing that a supplier is often considered "new" for up to three years before gaining real traction.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Vetting Process: The specific steps and criteria Telarus uses to accept (or reject) 15+ supplier applications a month.

• The "Lead Port" Myth: Why signing a contract doesn't mean the orders will just roll in.

• Contractual Protections: The non-negotiables regarding evergreen commissions, channel conflict, and ROEs.

• Mistakes to Avoid: Why prematurely exiting the channel or treating it as "pay to play" can destroy your reputation.

• ROI on MDF: How suppliers should actually be tracking their marketing spend (hint: it's not just revenue).

On this episode of the Channel 2.0 Podcast, Kameron sits down with James Anderson, a veteran journalist who has spent 10 years covering the channel's evolution from "Phone Plus" to the modern TSD landscape.

James offers an outsider-insider perspective on the friction between MSPs and Agents, describing the sentiment that agents are "coming for the lunch money" of traditional VARs. He also dives into the "coin-operated" reputation of the industry, the importance of journalistic independence over objectivity, and his experience covering major M&A events like the TBI acquisition.

In this episode, we cover:

• 10 Years of Change: James's journey from a college intern thinking he was writing about Best Buy to covering the complex TSD ecosystem.

• The Convergence: How the MSP and Agent worlds are colliding and the cultural friction between them.

• Reputation Management: Addressing the "coin-operated" stigma and the need for transparency in compensation.

• Journalism in the Channel: The difficulty of finding unbiased sources and the difference between independence and objectivity.

On this episode of the Channel 2.0 Podcast, host Kameron Olsen sits down with Kelly Danziger, the force behind the largest independent event in the industry, the Channel Partners Conference & Expo.

Kelly shares the history of how the channel evolved from separate worlds into a unified ecosystem, describing the merger of MSPs and Agents as a "peanut butter and chocolate" moment that brought the industry together. She explains why she believes she has the "best job in the channel" by remaining vendor-neutral and getting under the hood of businesses across the entire spectrum.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Evolution of the Channel: How the industry shifted from the "old days" of Phone+ to the 8,000-person powerhouse event it is today,.

• Trade Show ROI: Critical advice for vendors on how to succeed at events and the biggest mistakes first-time exhibitors make,.

• The AI Shift: Why AI is overshadowing security in conversations and how partners can monetize the data center explosion,.

• The Next Gen: Why the secret to adopting new tech lies in listening to the younger generation already on your team.

• Vegas Updates: A sneak peek at the major layout changes coming to the Venetian in 2025.

Whether you are a supplier, a TSD, or a Technology Advisor, this episode offers a holistic view of where the channel has been and where it is going next.

Host Kameron Olsen sits down with Alexis of John Alexander Consulting to map the channel’s evolution from relationship selling to rigorous, process-driven advisory. They unpack how formal scopes and proactive legal terms protect customers, why cloud and security deals demand application-first discovery, and how a customer-facing platform spanning project management, inventory, and TEM creates ongoing value. Alexis explains where AI reduces operational drag without replacing trusted advisors, makes the case for evergreen commissions through continuous engagement, and outlines what best-in-class suppliers do: meaningful councils, clear day-2 support, and fast escalation paths. Two real-world case studies show how smarter design and tighter ops shorten time to remediation and improve economics.

In this episode of the Channel 2.0 Podcast, host Kameron Olsen sits down with Jay Dixon of Criteria Consulting to explore the evolving relationship between MSPs, VARs, and the TSD community. Together, they unpack how the industry has shifted since the 2016 ScanSource and Intelisys acquisition and why the long-anticipated convergence of these ecosystems is finally accelerating.

Jay shares nearly three decades of experience in IT, from building MSPs to navigating the complexities of the TSD model. This candid conversation covers:

• The three distinct "channels" MSP, VAR, and TSD and why each one operates differently.
• The rise of MSPs in the channel and how their customer-first mindset is reshaping supplier relationships.
• Why support and trust matter more than features in winning MSP business.
• How suppliers can effectively approach MSPs and avoid common pitfalls.
• The growing overlap and competition between MSPs and Trusted Advisors.
• What the future holds including software, new verticals, and the role of AI in channel enablement.

Whether you are a supplier, TSD leader, or Trusted Advisor, this episode is packed with actionable insights into how to align with MSPs, eliminate channel conflict, and position yourself for the next wave of channel transformation.

In this episode of the Channel 2.0 Podcast, we sit down with John Coulter, VP of Sales at Five Star Call Centers, to explore the growing role of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in the channel. John shares his journey from Wells Fargo to Five Star, the unique value BPO brings to trusted advisors and their clients, and how AI is shaping the future of customer experience.

Discover how BPO can help organizations reduce costs, augment staffing, and tackle challenges like attrition and training. Whether you're a trusted advisor, channel manager, or supplier, this conversation is packed with insights on leveraging BPO as a tool for success in the evolving channel landscape.

Tune in to learn how trusted advisors can identify BPO opportunities, co-sell effectively, and bring value to their clients through innovative solutions.

Retail manager turned channel powerhouse Catherine Boyce joins host Kameron Olsen to unpack her 15-year journey from mini master agent to founding her own Trusted Advisor firm Boyce & Data all while raising twins. They dive into the nuts-and-bolts of partner enablement, why responsiveness beats “spray-and-pray,” and what AI, data, and private equity consolidation really mean for the future of the channel.

The Channel 2.0 Podcast pulls three of the sharpest Dads in the channel around one mic and let the stories fly. What followed is equal parts dad-joke therapy, gut-check wisdom, and playbook for anyone trying to build a business without missing the moments that matter at home. We laugh about the parenting fumbles, trade the leadership moves that actually work when your paycheck is pure commission, and unpack why “freedom is a currency” your kids (and your sales teams) have to earn.

The real gold lands when we talk legacy: living the dash between your birth date and the death date on your tombstone. You’ll hear how these fathers stayed present through scaling companies, empty-nest pivots, and the pressure cooker of quota season, plus the simple rituals that keep the family scoreboard lit up right alongside revenue.

If you’re a new dad, a seasoned pro, or just juggling channel deals with car-pool lanes, this episode will have you laughing, thinking, and texting home before it’s over.