How does one company form an effective technology partnership with another company? Our guest this week might tell you it’s not so different than a successful mentoring relationship. It requires alignment on the outcomes both parties want to achieve.
Daniel Paluszek is a Principal Partner Technology Strategist at ServiceNow, and in episode 337 he helps us set some context on technology partnerships and go-to-market strategies before we discuss his personal journey to working in technology. We’ll follow Daniel through early experience working at a university help desk, learn about how he grew in scope and responsibility working for a defense contractor, understand why he later chose to move into a consulting role, and wrap the entire discussion with advice on mentoring and the importance of effective communication.
Original Recording Date: 06-11-2025
Topics – Meet Daniel Paluszek, What Makes a Technology Partner Best of Breed, Tech Origin Story, Mentorship and Lessons in Developing Others, Communication through Presentations, A Step Toward Consulting
2:12 – Meet Daniel Paluszek
Daniel Paluszek is a Principal Partner Technology Strategist at ServiceNow.He is part of a solution consulting team supporting ServiceNow’s global strategic partners. Daniel and his peers work to optimize the way in which ServiceNow and its global partners go to market together to solve customer business problems and build solutions that drive business transformation.On a daily basis, Daniel looks at the following:Where is the industry moving?What technology is ServiceNow developing that can apply to industry challenges?What are the customer pain points, and how can a joint strategy be developed to solve these?Daniel consistently thinks about how to solve problems, and it may not be something technical that solves a problem.ServiceNow has evolved from an IT ticketing platform to a work platform, and many of the things Daniel works on span beyond IT.4:21 – What Makes a Technology Partner Best of Breed
What does it mean to be a partner to a technology company like ServiceNow? Many listeners may not understand this.Daniel believes a partner can look at a customer from an agnostic point of view to help solve specific business or technical challenges.Partners usually work with and have a joint strategy with several equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or ISVs (independent software vendors). These can be leveraged to provide a best of breed solution that meets a customer’s requirements.Regardless of a partner’s experience, they should focus on solving the customer’s unique problem(s), and this means ignoring / removing the technology landscape to make sure they understand what problem needs to be solved.Once the problem(s) are well understood, a plan and solution can be jointly developed. Solution partners can aid companies like ServiceNow in answering customer requirements.John likes this explanation of the partner ecosystem and expected Daniel to use the word reseller, but he did not mention it.“Resell for me is a motion, a sales motion. It is not the end all or be all. There’s some great resell partners, but in my mind, in my vision, the strongest partners are the ones that encompass the entire lifecycle…. The partners that are achieving and acquiring the new business look at it from a holistic approach…not just selling a product.” – Daniel PaluszekExecutive leaders like Bill McDermott talk about empowering businesses to increase revenue and productivity while reducing operational expense, and Daniel tells us this effort has to focus on the core problems.A partner may also have professionalsNick mentions being a partner may also mean the partner can do professional services for a specific technology stack tied to a hardware or software vendor.John thinks even consulting services are in service of the greater outcomes a partner is trying to drive for an end customer. The goal would not be to sell services or specific pieces / parts but to “partner” with the customer and vendors to present a best of breed solution.Daniel agrees and says it is about the outcomes we’re trying to produce with the solution. The best partners can understand what needs to be achieved, set expectations, and develop a plan of execution to get there.John says we ask people what they do because one of the goals of the podcast is to expose listeners working in technology today (perhaps in IT Operations) to different types of roles in our industry across customers, tech vendors, partners, or even system integrators. In Daniel’s case, we’re talking about a role at a large technology vendor focused on a large partner and the go-to-market partnership. Can we define go-to-market?Daniel says go-to-market is an execution path based on a channel.Daniel’s role working with partners is how the partner positions their offerings and solutions to end customers. As part of the ServiceNow team, he would work with the partner to position the overall solution to an end customer.Many technology vendors have 2 major routes to market, but some may only have 1 of these.Selling products / services directly to an end customer (called selling “direct”)Selling products / services through a partnerThe DNA or type of solution we’re talking about and the industry to which the solution will be sold (i.e., retail, government, etc.) will dictate what the route to market (or go-to-market) is for a company.Over the course of his career, Daniel has worked with large enterprises as well as state and local governments.The direct route to market usually means the company has field selling teams that work with end customers. This can coincide with partners who work hand in hand with these field teams.John says there are likely different go-to-market plans within a technology vendor for different types of partners but that these plans will need to be customized to a specific partner based on factors like industry expertise, the way they build relationships with customers, etc.Daniel says when it comes to global systems integrators as an example, there are normally dedicated teams to serve an industry who know the industry well (its nuances, the common themes and solutions, etc.). Daniel gives an example of the retail industry and some of the nuances around point of sale, visibility, onboarding employees and making them productive despite attrition, etc.Partners with industry expertise can share how they have solved problems within that industry and how they address the common themes and challenges within that industry.Nick says there is probably a specific way in which company leaders at technology vendors would identify only those partners it makes sense for them to work with based on specific solutions or industry expertise. Partners have to be qualified and identified before a joint go-to-market can be developed.Companies like ServiceNow have online tools to help end customers find partners with specific experience (i.e. capabilities, outcomes delivered, certifications, industries of focus, regional presence or focus). Check out the ServiceNow Partner Finder as an example. Daniel looks for partner success stories in which a partner accelerated or de-risked an outcome.Due diligence is required when building a solution for our customer (i.e. the right solution for the right people at the right time), and part of this is ensuring the right partner with the right expertise is involved.15:59 – Tech Origin Story
Daniel says he grew up in technology. His father was a programmer at Bell Labs and worked at also Sun Microsystems.Daniel remembers his first exposure to Linux being on a computer running Solaris.“I was just fascinated and enamored by technology. I started off as just a kid tinkering.” – Daniel PaluszekDaniel wanted a computer because he loved video games and obsessed over getting optimal performance. He tinkered with overclocking, for example, with a group of friends.Daniel’s first job was in high school, and he was doing computer repairs.Even though he might not know how to solve a problem, Daniel was determined to go figure it out, trying to eliminate variables along the path to a solution.After determining that he wanted to work in the technology field, Daniel signed up for the computer science program and the University of Central Florida (UCF) but would find that programming did not interest him as much as solving hardware and software issues.Daniel switched to studying Information Technology (IT) after a year in the computer science program and started working in the IT help desk for the university.While working at the help desk at UCF, Daniel remembers posting his resume for an internship program which was open to all computer science and IT students. He tells the story of getting a call about a defense contractor (Ensco) that needed an intern. They wanted someone who was interested in systems engineering and systems administration, but Daniel would have to start in the help desk.Daniel initially said he was not interested because of the focus on help desk. The person he spoke to said since this was a defense contractor, they could get him on some projects working with the US government, and that piqued his interest.After interviewing, Daniel received an offer that he accepted. This began as an internship that morphed into a part-time job while he finished his IT degree.Daniel remembers working on a defense contract for the Air Force after 1-2 years, and it was focused on Solaris administration.The experience from Daniel’s childhood on Solaris paid off here.Daniel also began working with VMware technology during this time (early 2000s) for server virtualization.The Solaris administration Daniel did was in a SCIF environment.Daniel feels like saying yes to this opportunity accelerated his exposure to a different type of technology environment and different landscape that helped him progress to where he is now.“That was really my big…initial opportunity into systems engineering, administration, and really understanding a different purview…especially in federal government contracting.” – Daniel PaluszekDid Daniel understand the differences in systems administration and systems engineering when he first received the call about the role at the defense contractor?Daniel says no. He saw administration as day 2 operational patch management applied to a specific technology platform and was doing a little bit of this in the help desk role.Daniel gained experience designing new datacenters while working for the defense contractor. One of his first projects in this role at age 19 involved designing smart power infrastructure for a datacenter.“It was anxiety inducing. I’ll just say that, and I had to learn a lot. It was also my first foray into dealing with vendors….” – Daniel PaluszekDaniel had to test technology from different vendors (hardware and software) as part of this project, and he had to learn about different NEMA plugs used in datacenters.This experience helped Daniel in future roles because he understood how power and cooling worked and knew how to design a 42-unit rack.“It wasn’t something I learned at school. That was trial by fire by experience. You were dropped into this situation. You either had to sink or swim, and you had to figure it out…. But it was my first foray into designing a solution…. And I didn’t have awareness at the time of what the methodology was. I just had to figure out how to build this and get some guidance from mentors along the way.” – Daniel PaluszekDaniel says he had supportive managers he could use to vet ideas and suggested solutions.In designing a solution, Daniel had to think about things from the conceptual, logical, and physical views of the solution.If someone listening really likes the idea of being a systems designer, how much systems administration experience do they need, if any?It’s difficult for Daniel to say someone needs to choose a specific path to be successful.An administrator of a system is exposed to how the system performs and how it behaves (i.e. real-world experience using the system). This kind of experience and exposure helps one understand some of the constraints and challenges of system design.“So as a designer if I don’t have the experience of how to manage this from a day 2 perspective, I think you missed part of the equation. I’m not saying a good designer has to have that experience, but I think it adds up to this formula that makes certain individuals unique because they have had that real-world experience. Not the conceptual view of it…they lived it. They breathed it. When something broke and it’s all hands on deck, they know how to actually…figure that out….” – Daniel PaluszekDaniel reminds us that as humans we usually learn well from the times things break. So, when something does go wrong, Daniel suggests we look at those times through the lens of what we can learn and how it will make us better technologists and professionals as a result.25:23 – Mentorship and Lessons in Developing Others
Did Daniel learn any lessons in all this about teaching people or overseeing their development?As someone who had the chance to broaden his horizons at a young age, Daniel is a firm believer in mentoring.“I think guiding others on their career journey and development is key for our industry because it gives everybody an opportunity to say, ‘how do I get exposed to what’s next?’ …I had somebody for some reason randomly pick me out of thin air when I worked at a help desk to provide me an opportunity, and I’m a firm believer in passing it forward….” – Daniel PaluszekDaniel considers mentoring the next generation pf people and professionals in this industry as something that is at the heart of his personal and professional development.How does Daniel spot people who might need some mentoring?He looks for people who have a desire to learn and challenge themselves.Daniel shares a story about a product manager who called him seeking to understand the perspective of a field-facing sales engineer. This person wanted to become a better product manager by understanding more about how Daniel and others in his role worked with customers on a day-to-day basis. He and Daniel developed a long-standing deep relationship as a result.People who want to challenge themselves to be better are often seeking guidance. Daniel mentions the importance of guardrails from a mentor in these situations.After Daniel recognizes the drive and high-performance potential in someone, he likes to take time to get to know the person and understand what they really want / what they are trying to pursue.Daniel tells us he challenges himself daily to articulate solutions better every time he talks about them, and it’s about constantly seeking to become a better professional.What guidance does Daniel have for the person who is asking for mentorship (i.e. the mentee)?Daniel encourages us to communicate the context.Be sure to communicate what you want to achieve as well as your short-term and longer-term goals / aspirations.For those in pre-sales, are you looking to provide differentiated value in a specific industry, for example?Do you want to become a subject matter expert?Are you looking to gain exposure to giving presentations?The secret, according to Daniel, is practice!When he worked for the defense contractor, Daniel had to present his physical power infrastructure solution to a large group of people (around 100 people). He tells us it was awful despite weeks of practice.“But I realized very quickly it just comes down to…you have to put in the time, the effort, the discipline to put yourself in a better position. I also had this naïve view that…certifications and certain qualifications were this end all be all…. That’s part of the equation. It’s about how you communicate, how you work through a dialogue, and that comes with experience. That’s priceless. You can’t purchase that. Yeah, you can have classes that teach you to become more of an eloquent speaker and articulate a message…but the proof is in the pudding when you’re in front of the customer, in front of the panel, in front of the event. I always process. What did I do really well here, and what can I improve on? Or what do I need to work on next time? So, I always have this post-processing operation for me that says, ‘these are things I need to improve on’ even to this day.” – Daniel PaluszekWhen mentoring others, Daniel wants to know what the person is trying to achieve and the outcome the person wants. He also asks why people came to him specifically and what he can help with.32:01 – Communication through Presentations
John says people often think having expertise will allow them to eloquently communicate expertise, but there’s a difference between gaining mastery of a skill and teaching someone about that skill. It seemed like Daniel realized the act of presenting was something very different.“What I realized very quickly is I really enjoyed speaking to others about a technology and also framing it in the reference that they could understand. One of the things I learned very quickly is you need to know your audience. Who are you speaking to? Who are these individuals? …You could be a subject matter expert in this technology. You have to have the context of who you’re speaking to, who you’re trying to articulate a message to.” – Daniel PaluszekPresenting a solution to an executive compared to someone who is more technical at a lower level in an organization is quite different. You need a different approach and must frame things in a way that the audience understands based on the context of the solution or situation at hand.Think about why people in the audience are there. What do they want to understand or take away from what you present? Daniel stresses the importance of meeting the audience where they are / meeting them in the middle and putting things in their terms. He learned how to apply the right context within his presentations so it would be impactful to the audience.Daniel knew after his first speaking experience that he had a lot of room to improve. But he also found it both interesting and enjoyable.Doing presentations gave Daniel a lot of energy, especially seeing people understand complex solutions or take something away from the discussion they can apply to improve their own work.“Even today, it’s about providing a level of understanding the audience can just take away. What are the key points that I am trying to drive towards that solve your issues and your business problems?” – Daniel PaluszekDid Daniel get some pointed feedback after that first presentation that led him to the post-processing exercise, or did that come only through more experience?Daniel remembers people saying he did a good job but feels they were just trying to be nice. He walked away from that experience knowing he needed to do better but at the same time really enjoyed the challenge and the impact.This presentation happened before Daniel got into consulting and started working for partners.“But I saw a spark. This was something that I really enjoyed…presenting and articulating a message. I just didn’t know at that time where that was going to lead me….” – Daniel PaluszekAround the time of that first presentation, Daniel was focused on learning everything he could and soaking in new experiences. He wanted a broad view of the industry and the market as a whole from which to learn.When new opportunities came up, Daniel would be the first to volunteer. Things he had never done were opportunities to go and learn something new and then compound past knowledge.“The words of wisdom I could give to anybody starting off their IT career or in this industry is be the first one to raise your hand. You may not know how the heck to do it, but if you have the drive and desire, you’ll figure it out. I figured it out, and I don’t feel like I’m the smartest person…. But I feel like I have that innate drive and desire to figure it out. And I set my mind to it, and I don’t stop.” – Daniel Paluszek37:13 – A Step Toward Consulting
Is the drive what led Daniel into consulting? Did someone else recognize it, or did he push into that on his own?After the defense contractor, Daniel worked for a service provider (a cable provider) for a short time.Daniel did get to go and engineer solutions that he would then get to deploy. But then he would have to maintain those solutions. The day 2 maintenance and operations became repetitive and kind of boring for Daniel.“But I just felt like it was this same cycle over and over again….” – Daniel Paluszek, on building systems and then needing to maintain themDespite this, Daniel did get exposure to new technologies during this time. The company was focused on virtualization and consolidation of workloads using VMware technologies. He felt virtualization as a technology trend was really going to take off and could see this capability was driving good outcomes inside his employer like simplifying the architecture, but Daniel says he didn’t realize the economic impact of using virtualization technology at that time.Daniel had an interesting opportunity to work at a small partner in Tallahassee, Florida called DynTek Services. The role was a systems engineer for the consulting / professional services arm of the company.“At the cable provider, I started seeing these partners come in and out and really help us with our technology…. It just seemed so fun to me…. They can come in to a customer and present a solution, work with us on deploying it, ensuring that it’s working for us”, and it really changes our paradigm. So I said, ‘I’d love to do something like that.’ Needless to say, I got this opportunity…and that started my consulting career. No prior experience…I was just an engineer at the time. I didn’t have any pre-sales experience, but I worked with a sales rep who was an incredible mentor to me." – Daniel PaluszekDaniel says the sales rep was kind enough to “show him the ropes” once he joined DynTek. Their focus together was on state and local government. This sales rep was kind, true to his customers, and developed long-standing relationships with people when it came to solving problems.The sales rep had built strong relationships, and when the customer needed to solve a new problem, they would seek his advice.“He treated companies and organizations in state and local departments with respect, with honesty, in an ethical way, and always made their lives better and their organizations better. So, it was a great learning experience for me. Wow, this is incredible. I can learn and really experience the people side of it and how to have the interpersonal skills and work with dynamic situations…but also bring in technology. And it was almost like a switch turned on in my brain that said, ‘this is incredible. This is what I want to do.’ Because I felt every week it was something new. It was something dynamic. It was a new opportunity or a new customer problem came up, and we had to go solve it…. We had to orchestrate and build a solution that was compelling enough for them to say, ‘yeah, we’re going to buy off on this, and you’re going to help us go deploy this.’ …This is exactly what I was looking for that I didn’t have before.” – Daniel Paluszek, on working with a great sales repMentioned in the Outro
Did you hear the parallels between mentorship and technology partnership?If you’re seeking a mentor, you want someone with expertise in the area where you need help just like a technology company or end customer would seek a partner with the right level of expertise.It has to be good for both parties. It’s good for the mentee because they get to develop in a specific area, and it’s good for the mentor because their experience is valued and applied in the right place.Daniel talked about spotting individuals who had high performance potential and a specific amount of drive. This is also analogous to finding the right partner.Mentorship is something we should all be doing to develop others and to make our industry better.If you are seeking a mentor, be prepared to communicate why you specifically picked someone to mentor you in an area.When Daniel mentioned guardrails as key to mentorship, we immediately thought of the discussions with Dale McKay on this topic:Episode 288 – Guardrails for Growth: A Mentor’s Experience with Dale McKay (1/2)Episode 289 – Enhance Your Personal Brand: Feedback as a Catalyst for Change with Dale McKay (2/2)We heard about the importance of effective communication to different audiences in our industry in this episode as well. Many different guests have stressed a similar emphasis on communication.Former guest Neil Thompson of Teach the Geek wrote some good articles on importance of developing strong communicators:How Tech Leaders Can Develop Strong CommunicatorsWhy Technical Leaders Need Strong CommunicatorsNeil joined us in Episode 193 – Communication for Specialists with Neil Thompson (1/2) and Episode 194 – Question Askers and Problem Solvers with Neil Thompson (2/2) if you want to go back and listen.If you want to get better at doing presentations check out our Presentations Tag with links to episodes that discuss this topic.Contact the Hosts
The hosts of Nerd Journey are John White and Nick Korte.E-mail: [email protected]DM us on Twitter/X @NerdJourneyConnect with John on LinkedIn or DM him on Twitter/X @vJourneymanConnect with Nick on LinkedIn or DM him on Twitter/X @NetworkNerd_Leave a Comment on Your Favorite Episode on YoutTubeIf you’ve been impacted by a layoff or need advice, check out our Layoff Resources Page.If uncertainty is getting to you, check out or Career Uncertainty Action Guide with a checklist of actions to take control during uncertain periods and AI prompts to help you think through topics like navigating a recent layoff, financial planning, or managing your mindset and being overwhelmed.
