Ecosystem Aces

In "Innovation Through Collaboration: Qualtrics, GSIs, and the Power of AI," we delve into Qualtrics's pivotal role in transforming the tech and GSI landscape. Our guest, Alina Everett, Vice President of GSI Alliances - EY + Deloitte at Qualtrics, shares her journey at Qualtrics, focusing on the success of joint co-sell initiatives, experience management, and leveraging AI for deep sentiment analysis. She highlights how collaborations with GSIs are modernizing customer experiences and expanding to improve employee satisfaction.

Alina discusses the power of partnership in innovation, emphasizing the strategic use of AI in interpreting emotions from surveys to connect deeply with users and accelerate insights. The conversation also covers the essence of co-innovation with GSIs and ISVs, the impact of building solutions based on market demand, and the importance of a sales narrative that underscores the mutual benefits of partnerships.

Listeners will get insights into how Qualtrics is steering industry-specific solutions and marketplaces through strategic alliances, emphasizing technology's role in customizing user experiences and advocating for partners. This episode is a concise exploration of the synergy between technology, partnerships, and innovation in enhancing customer and employee experiences.

We also delve into:

• How technology augments GSI's sales and customer service capabilities.
• The pivotal role of sentiment analysis and AI in capturing nuanced emotional perspectives for businesses.
• Strategies for crafting tailored pricing and offers to cater to GSI needs.

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected] 

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan. 

WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world underwent a drastic transformation. One of the areas that had to adapt the most was the physical working environment, which, for most organizations, had to shift entirely to remote work. This transition presented numerous challenges in ensuring that the working environment could effectively fit within the edges of a single screen.

In today’s episode, Patrick Piwowarczyk, Head of AV Integrator Channel at HP, shares insights into how his company approached collaborating with partners to develop end-customer solutions. These solutions played a pivotal role in facilitating the transition of the working environment, ensuring productivity, equality, and connection within organizations.

We also discuss:

• The role of educating partners to communicate the value of your solutions
• Why having different go-to-markets ensures the same solutions can be leveraged in multiple ways
• The importance of building honest relationships with partners—and how this can improve co-selling strategies.

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.

WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

In our tech-driven era, relying on the outdated paradigm of "we can do it ourselves" is no longer sustainable for any company. To truly flourish in today's dynamic landscape, businesses need to embrace ecosystem thinking, mirroring the collaboration found in the natural world where diverse ecosystems cooperate towards common goals.

In this episode, Simon Ninan, VP and Head of Strategy and Growth at Hitachi Vantara, explores the significance of an actionable outside-in strategy. This strategy transcends mere ideation, ensuring future-proofing and meaningful partnerships. By adopting this approach, your business can position itself for success, delivering substantial value to both end customers and stakeholders.

We also discuss:

• Simon's efforts in instigating a cultural shift at Hitachi Vantara to integrate partnerships into their core strategy.
• Hitachi's innovation approach and the importance of active involvement in the startup ecosystem.
• The value of relationships and the necessity to prioritize an ecosystem-centric mindset over a transactional approach in partnerships.

Establishing and maintaining enduring partnerships is a task that undeniably transcends the capabilities of one individual. Yet, within their responsibility lies the capacity to be an effective leader—guiding the team in unison and ensuring a shared direction. This involves skillfully overseeing the team through consistent delegation, strategic prioritization, and fostering open communication.

In this episode, Katie Landaal, SVP, Global Alliances and Ecosystem at ZoomInfo, delves deep into the company’s partner categories —technology, solutions and sales— highlighting the importance of clear messaging and co-selling in driving successful partner relationships, all steered by thoughtful leadership.

We also discuss:

• How ZoomInfo’s partner strategy has evolved over the last 18 months
• The importance of integrating a partner ecosystem as main pillars in businesses
• Why GenAI could play a pivotal role in improving co-selling processes

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.
WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

Establishing partnerships is pivotal for business growth. However, the significance of not only cultivating these alliances but also ensuring their appeal to both prospective and existing partners is equally crucial as building the partnerships.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Jeff Mattan, VP, Global Partner Programs and Operations at BeyondTrust, who shares insights from his over 17+ years of experience designing long-term, high-impact channel partner programs — and how using a strategic and communicative approach has helped him pave the way for success across several companies. Through his unique perspective, Jeff has been able to incentivize partner programs —through technical enablement, certifications, and workshops— and increase registrations up to 200%.

Join us as we discuss:

• BeyondTrust's shift from a legacy transactional channel to an ecosystem providing value to customers
• How Partner Operations can play a critical role in driving change internally and with partners
• The importance of cultivating effective communication to internal stakeholders
• Jeff’s “launch and learn” approach

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.

WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

Innovative minds, where new ideas and technologies constantly spark from, are scattered around every corner of the world. However, accessing capital and resources to bring these innovations to life is a bottleneck for a lot of individuals and startups. A potential answer to bridging this gap while generating revenue and value to customers is co-creating with partners.

In this episode, we are joined by Vanessa Sorenson, Chief Partner Officer ANZ and Managing Director at Microsoft New Zealand. She shares valuable insights about some of her organization’s partner programs, including the Founders Hub Program, and how they are transforming the innovation landscape in the AI and Cloud spaces by fostering investment and employing marketplace strategies that enable the co-selling and scaling of innovation.

We discuss:

• Microsoft’s pivotal role in the AI and Cloud spaces
• The significance of aligning goals and compensation plans to drive collaborative innovation with partners
• The rapid advancement of AI technology and its potential impact on industries like education, healthcare, and banking

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.

WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

In the ecosystem world, being forward thinking is crucial — if you are building partnerships when you need them, and not when you anticipate the needs of your customers and the trends of the market, you won’t be on the cutting edge.

In this episode, we are joined by Dan Hod, VP, Global Cloud Partnerships and Business Development at Amdocs, as he talks through his long-time journey in the tech industry, leveraging a clear long-term vision to build synergistic partnerships that deliver customer value. Dan also shares how Amdocs is shifting from vendor-specific to open source technology and thus enabling him to work closely with hyperscalers like AWS, Azure, and Google to create a mechanism for cloud consumption and transacting via the marketplace.

Join us as we discuss:

• How Dan is building relationships with cloud partners at Amdocs around open source, network, big data, and AI
• Growing joint business with hyperscalers by approaching smaller telcos
• Amdocs’ growth plan in the FSI to become a leading telco

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.
WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

Competition is an inherent trait of all industries' marketplaces. However, when strong partnerships are built, collaboration allows business leaders to address customers' specific needs more efficiently, whether it is by multi-dimensional engagements or single product-based solutions.

In today’s episode, Amit Sinha Roy, VP Global Head of Strategic Alliances at Tata Communications, dives deeper into managing multiple-scale alliances through joint service creation, prioritizing collaboration over competition, and driving business success with differentiated market solutions. Amit also emphasizes the importance of framing the term "strategic alliances" with a programmatic, long-term approach, with investment from both parties of the partnership.

Join us as we explore:

• The importance of evolving from a connected world to a hyper-connected one
• How strategic alliances help companies navigate the fast-paced technology landscape and stay competitive
• How a synchronized approach across regions and segments ensures effective go-to-market strategies.

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.

WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

The idea of succeeding alone in today's global market landscape is becoming obsolete. Addressing intricate challenges demands a profound shift in approach—one rooted in strategic collaboration.

By investing in robust partnerships and recognizing the unique capabilities each party brings, the tech industry can address highly complex problems, delivering value to customers faster than ever. These collaborations not only foster innovation but also drive sales, propelling businesses toward unprecedented growth.

In this episode, Nick Otto, Head of Global Strategic Partnerships at IBM, delves into the synergy of hybrid cloud and AI. He explores how this fusion has led to the creation of multiscale models, generating actionable insights in collaboration with industry leaders and $1B+ partners. Nick also shares the investments IBM is making in its ecosystem, highlighting the importance of strategic partnerships for success.

Join us as we discuss:

• How generative AI is shaping the business landscape for the foreseeable future
• The importance of understanding business value and goals associated with AI adoption
• Leveraging a combination of public and company-based information to derive targeted solutions for businesses.

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.

WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.

Today more than ever, digital transformation is necessary to optimize process and system efficiency to keep up with fast moving changes in the market. Achieving this with partner ecosystems is the best solution to advance quickly and deliver value to customers.

Today’s guest, Madhuri Chawla, Vice President, Global Head of SAP Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem at Kyndryl, a company that spun off from IBM with 90,000 employees and a roster of 4,000 customers, shares insights on how she’s been leading the digital transformation co-creating and co-innovating through partner ecosystems. Madhuri delves into Kyndryl’s strategic partnership with SAP, the development of their cutting-edge product, the Digital Blueprint, and their journey towards becoming a services powerhouse.

Join us as we discuss:

• The relevance of building cyber-resilient futures in a digitalized era where security breaches pose threats to businesses
• Driving industry-shaking change with strategic partnerships by focusing on co-innovation
• The importance of understanding client’s needs before providing technology-based solutions

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:

• #164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem
• #156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass
• #154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?
• #152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era
• #151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner Influence

Links & Resources

• Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
• Download The Ultimate Guide to Drive Co-sell Partnerships!
• Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
• Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partner ecosystem leaders on best practices, news, events, jobs, and other tips to advance your career in partnering.
• Find insightful articles on how to lead and get the most out of your partner ecosystem on the WorkSpan blog.
• To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about modern partnering, he can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, or send Chip an email at: [email protected]

This episode of Ecosystem Aces is sponsored by WorkSpan.
WorkSpan is the #1 ecosystem business management platform. We give CROs a digital platform to turbocharge indirect revenue with their partner teams at higher win rates and lower costs. We connect your partners on a live network with cross-company business applications to build, market, and sell together. We power the top 10 business ecosystems in the technology and communications industry today, managing over $50 billion in the joint pipeline.