Ecosystem Aces

They’re one of the largest ecosystems around: 300+ partners, 500+ integrations, and they’re still customer first? You bet they are.

Sonal Uban, Director of Marketing, Global Technology Alliances at Fortinet, says the way you keep a machine like that going is you start with the customer pain points, and then work backwards. According to Sonal, that means putting the effort into the longterm strategies for customers and then thinking about the number of ways to integrate their product into the process. Being the trusted advisor means you’re co-innovating together and you’re co-jointly going to market.

Join us as we discuss:

• How scalability means meeting partners on their journey
• How onboarding and account mapping works at Fortinet
• What does it mean to be an open ecosystem at Fortinet
  Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:
  
  
  • #121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow
  • #122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda
  • #106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft
  • #97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.
    Links & Resources
    
    
    • Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
    • Subscribe to the Ecosystem Aces Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast.
    • Join the WorkSpan Community to engage with other partn er 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.
    • Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management
    • Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds
    • 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.
      
      

How do you make a meaningful conversation happen with a customer?

It’s certainly not enough to wait for inbound customers to just happen. You’re going to have to go outbound. Manoj Bhatia, Vice President of Channel Sales at Acqueon, says the best way to do that is by getting good data from an impeccable customer experience that can be used to effectively communicate to that customer’s needs. Through Acqueon’s recognition, trust, and partnership with Cisco and the ISV marketplace, the solutions, and co-selling opportunities will be the right fit for the customer.

Join us as we discuss:
-How to put together the right solution components
-How to stand out and keep the attention of larger companies
-What good “data-parsing” looks like for successful outcomes

Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:
#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.

Resources
-Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
-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.
-Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management
-Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds
-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.

Everybody is selling something, so what’s the best way to stand out? Have you tried giving it away for free? 
That’s the business model that’s been so successful for George Drapeau, Senior Director, Global Partner Solutions & Technology, and his team at Red Hat. George’s team builds lasting success and relationships with clients by doing the unthinkable: listening to the community first. They start by asking clients what they’re missing, and the end by providing them a world-class service built upon quality partnerships. 
Join us as we discuss:
Providing value and capabilities through relationships
Roadmap sharing in new partnerships
Managing all the players sitting at the table.    


Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you: 
#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow 
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda 
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.  


Links & Resources 
Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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. 
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management 
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds
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.

Last year, IBM’s CEO, Arvind Krishna made a bold commitment to invest over $1 billion in the IBM partner ecosystem. Since that time, the IBM ecosystem team has been rolling out a number of initiatives to make good on that promise.
David La Rose, General Manager - IBM Partner Ecosystem, Sales at IBM, shares the inside view as he and his team are transforming partnering at IBM. With nearly 55,000 partners, the company is fully committed to its ecosystem by partnering with more global resellers, system integrators, ISVs, MSPs, and others.
IBM has been doubling the number of partner-facing resources this year, with an increase in the technical community service for partners by 35%. And recently, the company has reported 15% growth, with partnerships playing a significant role in that growth.
Join us as we discuss:
How David’s background prepared him for this global partner role
Significant commitments IBM is making to the partner ecosystem
Opening up IBM internal training and enablement to all ecosystem partners 


Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:
#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP
Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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.
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds
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.

You catch more bees with honey, or so they say. 
If your approach to partnerships is going down your list of needs and wants as you head into the meeting, you’re doing it all wrong. Your offer to an existing partner, or even a potential one, needs to be rooted in what that organization needs first. And according to today’s guest, Liz Fuller (a podcaster herself!), Vice President & General Manager of Global Marketing at Zones, that needs to be rooted in the solution to your partner’s solution. 
Join us as we discuss:
Why a venn diagram of goals will ensure partnership success
How to avoid icebergs for your partners
Why data and good measurement should be the core of your relationships 


And be sure to check out Liz Fuller’s People’s Choice Podcast Award nominee podcast, Women on Work. 
Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you: 
#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow 
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda 
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.  


Links & Resources 
Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing. 
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. 
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management 
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds  
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.

Is driving your company’s sustainability plan a challenge or an opportunity?

The answer you choose will say a lot about how your company will fare in the coming years as both industry and government make the switch, a switch by the way, that is definitely coming. Alec Saunders, Worldwide Sustainability Partner Strategy Leader at Microsoft, joins the show to discuss the vast amount of opportunity coming to sustainable partner ecosystems, who will benefit the most, and how partnerships can best leverage themselves for the coming changes.

Join us as we discuss:

• What role will ISV and IoT partners have in ecosystems?
• How can companies solve the data problem around their greenhouse gas protocol?
• What moving from on-prem to cloud does for your emissions

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

#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.

Links & Resources
Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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.
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds
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.

Stop creating partner-first strategies!

What??? It’s the reason we do what we do, right?

Wrong. Your client is the reason you do what you do. Your partnerships need to originate with the client wants first if you want your program to have measurable success. Then, focus on your partners. It sounds simple enough, but Carola Cazenave, Business Angel, Business Advisor, Board Member, and most recently Vice President Global BP Ecosystem, Pegasystems, says it’s not what a lot of companies are doing.

Join us as we discuss:
 Bringing in partners at all levels of strategy
 Being authentic with clients
 The metrics we should all be using to measure success



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

#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow 
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda 
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP. 



Links & Resources

Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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.
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management 
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds  
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.

Do you ever have that feeling that the data is just… lacking? 
It’s really not going to be possible to effectively serve all partners if the data just doesn’t serve the end goals. Part of that journey is transforming go to market by providing a robust 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party data plan. The best way to do that is ending the one size fits all product, and asking the simple question: how can this product serve your workflow, not ours? 
Join us as we discuss:
The role of community in go to market
What good data looks like
CRO rules of engagement    


Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you: 
#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow 
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.  


Links & Resources 
Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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.
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management 
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds
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.

You can’t be everywhere all at once. But your partnership network can.

A good ecosystem will not only increase your sphere of influence and knowledge, but will be cheaper, increase sales conversions, and extend retention rates. That’s why hearing what Mike Stocker, VP, Partnerships, RollWorks at NextRoll, Inc., has to say is important.

Join us as we discuss:
Delivering customer value with integrated partner solutions
Real world examples of partner co-selling driving more revenue
How partner influence delivers tangible and measurable results



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

#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow 
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda 
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP. 



Links & Resources

Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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.
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management 
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds  
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.

Sometimes you just gotta break some glass. That’s just a sign that you’re moving fast. 
For large, prolific companies, the ability to continually grow is predicated on the ability to continually innovate. If you don’t do this, the company will stagnate. That goes for partnerships in the public sphere as well. Libby Greco, Vice President, Alliances at Salesforce, talks about her many years of experience in keeping focused on the bigger picture, even as the times and arena she’s played in, have changed. 
Join us as we discuss:
Co-selling
ISV joint solutions
appExchange  


Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you: 
#121 Aligning Ecosystem Strategy with Your Customer as the North Star with Lara Caimi, Chief Partner Officer, ServiceNow 
#122 There’s No Easy Button For Partnering with Nicole Napiltonia, VP Of Alliances and OEM Sales, at Barracuda 
#106 The Secrets to Managing Alliances Like Microsoft with David Totten, Chief Technology Officer, US Partner Ecosystem at Microsoft 
#97 Why Quality Always Beats Quantity in Software Ecosystems with Tom Roberts, Senior Vice President at the Global Partner Organization over at SAP.  


Links & Resources 
Learn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-innovating, Co-investing, and Co-marketing.
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.
Download the Best Practices Guide for Ecosystem Business Management 
Download the Ultimate Guide for Partner Incentives and Market Development Funds 
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.