April 30, 2025

Scaling Success Through Partnerships with CEO Jed Ayres

42 minutes

Where do CEOs develop their appreciation for partnering? Why do some CEOs fully embrace partnering as a core business strategy while others take a fair-weather nice-to-have view?

In this episode, you’ll meet a CEO who gets it. Jed Ayres, CEO of ControlUp, talks about his unique career path and insights on channel partnerships. Jed shares his experience transitioning from a reseller to leading a SaaS company, emphasizing the critical role of channel partners in scaling business operations.

This episode is a must-listen for every CEO who wants to better understand the power of partnering.

Key Takeaways

Here are my top 10 takeaways from my conversation with Jed:

Invest in Partner Relationships: Long-term success relies on strong, trusting relationships with channel partners. CEOs should hold regular meetings to understand partners’ needs and strengthen collaborations.

Human Interaction is Irreplaceable: Building genuine relationships with partners requires face-to-face interactions. Encourage sales and channel managers to spend quality time with partners, including in-person meetings and events, to build and maintain strong relationships.

Quality Over Quantity in Partnerships: It’s better to have a few high-performing partners than numerous mediocre ones. Focus on building deep, meaningful relationships with a few high-performing partners.

Adopt a Partner-First Philosophy: A successful channel strategy depends on embedding a partner-focused mindset across the organization. Ensure the entire leadership team embraces a partner-first approach.

Leverage Channel for Scale: Channel partnerships can help businesses grow exponentially by extending their reach. Use channel partnerships to exponentially grow your business reach and influence.

Trust and Integrity Are Fundamental: Integrity in business dealings builds long-term trust with partners. Maintain integrity in all dealings to build trust and long-term relationships.

Include Partners in Marketing Strategy: Co-marketing with partners can significantly enhance brand credibility and reach. Embed channel partners into your marketing initiatives for increased co-branding opportunities.

Listen and Act on Partner Feedback: Continuous improvement comes from listening to and acting on feedback from partners. Regularly gather and implement feedback from partners to improve processes.

Ecosystem Integration Is Key: Strong technological alliances improve product value and market adaptability. Develop strong technological alliances to enhance product value and interoperability.

Face Challenges with Adaptability: The ability to adapt and collaborate is crucial for business growth and resilience. Screen new hires for adaptability and a collaborative mindset to fit the company culture.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Connect with Jed

Listen to Partnering Smartly: A CEO’s View with Christa Quarles

Learn how to Unlock the Power of Ecosystems with CEO Bob Moore

The post Scaling Success Through Partnerships with CEO Jed Ayres first appeared on Channel Journeys.

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