The Channel Buzz

At Directions NA, the conversations aren’t just about innovation—they’re about certainty in an uncertain market.

In this episode of Channel Buzz, Amiee Keenan sits down with Jeffrey Porter, Principal Brand Evangelist at StockIQ, to unpack a major shift happening across the Microsoft ecosystem: risk aversion is rising and it’s reshaping how partners sell, collaborate, and deliver value.

With decades of experience in supply chain and the channel, Jeffrey shares why customers are demanding more proof before making decisions, how failed projects have changed expectations, and why deeper partner collaboration is no longer optional—it’s essential.

They also explore where AI fits into the conversation (and where it doesn’t), and what makes customers become long-term “raving fans.”

00:00 — Welcome from Directions NA
Setting the stage and introducing the conversation

01:15 — Risk Is Changing Buyer Behavior
Why customers are more cautious and doing deeper due diligence

03:10 — AI vs. Real Results
Moving beyond hype to what actually delivers value

05:00 — No Appetite for Failed Projects
Rising expectations and pressure to get it right

07:00 — Winning Together
Why partner collaboration is key to delivering outcomes

08:45 — Creating Raving Fans
How strong partnerships and ROI drive long-term success

If you’re an ISV, VAR, or SaaS leader navigating today’s volatile market, this episode is packed with grounded, real-world insight.

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

Speed. That’s the word coming out of Directions NA and this episode proves why.

In this live conversation, Stephanie McColly of Crestwood Associates breaks down the 3 forces reshaping the ERP channel right now:

• the unstoppable momentum of AI
• the overlooked power of ISVs
• And the growing pressure on partners to keep up

From native AI agents inside Business Central to the real-world challenges customers are facing, this isn’t a hype-filled AI conversation—it’s a reality check.

💡 Key insight: The winners won’t be the ones who “master” AI… They’ll be the ones who help customers make sense of it.

Fast-moving, insight-packed, and straight from the show floor—this is Channel Buzz at its best.

Chapters:

00:00 – Live from Directions NA + Meet Stephanie McColly
Setting the stage and introducing the partner perspective

02:30 – The ERP “Value Gap” & Why ISVs MatterWhere ERP falls short—and how ISVs unlock more value

05:30 – The Partner Advantage: What Actually WorksReal-world insights from seeing what clients are using successfully

08:30 – AI Is Creating a DivideWho’s keeping up, who’s not—and the growing confusion

11:30 – The Big Takeaway: AI Speed Is EverythingWhy no one can keep up—and why “speed” defines the future

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

Recorded live at Directions North America in Orlando, this episode of Channel Buzz features Rob Triggs—sales expert and founder of RTR—sharing hard-earned insights on what actually drives growth in the Microsoft partner ecosystem.

From scaling challenges in founder-led organizations to the critical gaps in sales capability and channel strategy, Rob breaks down why many partners hit a revenue ceiling—and what it takes to move past it.

The conversation also explores what international ISVs often get wrong when entering the North American market, and why differentiation doesn’t have to be dramatic to be effective.

Plus, Rob shares the personal story behind his upcoming book The Manifested Seller, and how mindset—not just skillset—can be the ultimate driver of sales success.

If you're building, scaling, or refining your go-to-market strategy in the Microsoft ecosystem, this episode delivers practical insights you can act on immediately.

00:00 Introduction to the Ecosystem

02:48 Challenges in Scaling Microsoft Partnerships

05:07 Entering the North American Market

06:50The Importance of Mindset in Sales Success

Take the 20 question survey

Reach out to Rob - [email protected]

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

In this special episode of The Channel Buzz, Amiee Keenan sits down with Ryan Grant, Directions North America board member and Sponsorship Committee Chair, to explore why community, AI, and partner marketing are becoming the defining forces shaping the Business Central ecosystem.

Drawing on nearly three decades in the ERP channel, Ryan shares practical insight into how ISVs and VARs can move beyond transactional relationships and build partnerships that drive real momentum.

The conversation highlights how AI is transforming solution design, why community continues to act as a powerful growth engine, and how marketing must evolve into an integrated capability across the partner ecosystem.

With Directions North America 2026 approaching, the discussion also explores why events that foster collaboration and shared learning remain critical for accelerating innovation and strengthening relationships across the Microsoft channel.

Episode Highlights:(02:38) Why community continues to fuel growth across the Business Central ecosystem
(04:40) How AI is reshaping the way partners design and deliver solutions
(06:16) What ISVs must do to help partners win more deals
(11:52) The potential of agent-driven integrations and autonomous workflows
(13:44) Why marketing must be integrated across the partner journey
(18:07) What makes Directions North America a unique ecosystem experience

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

Most ISVs don’t lose pipeline because their campaigns fail.

They lose pipeline because their visibility pauses.

ERP buyers don’t make decisions on marketing timelines. They evaluate solutions gradually — across conversations, partner recommendations, content, and repeated exposure over time.

Which means the most expensive moment in your go-to-market strategy isn’t during the campaign.

It’s after it.

In this solo episode, Amiee Keenan explores why familiarity drives confidence in ERP ecosystems and why consistent presence between initiatives often matters more than the initiative itself.

Because buyers don’t remember who showed up once.

They remember who kept showing up.

And in this ERP ecosystem, momentum isn’t created by a single initiative — it’s created by staying visible between them.

Chapters

00:00 — Why Strong Campaigns Still Lead to Inconsistent Pipeline
A common challenge many ISVs don’t expect.

01:05 — The Visibility Spike That Quietly Fades
Why momentum often slows after events, webinars, and launches.

02:20 — The Hidden Gap Most Teams Don’t Notice
What happens while you’re planning the next initiative.

03:30 — Buyers Don’t Follow Your Marketing Calendar
ERP decisions continue long after campaigns end.

04:40 — Why Buyers Trust Vendors They See Often
How familiarity influences considered technology decisions.

06:00 — How Short Touchpoints Build Long-Term Confidence
Why multiple interactions shape vendor preference.

07:10 — Consistency Without Creating More Content
Extending conversations instead of increasing workload.

08:15 — The Insight Most Vendors Miss About Momentum
Why visibility between initiatives influences pipeline growth.

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

In this episode, Amiee Keenan hosts Hayley from Esper Strategies to discuss how clarity and understanding your ideal customer can significantly impact your success in the ERP and ISV ecosystem.

They explore topics like buyer behavior, effective messaging, content consistency, and strategies to cut through the noise in a crowded market.

Key Topics

• Buyer reality in ERP ecosystem
• Importance of clarity in messaging
• Content consistency and momentum
• Understanding customer needs and language
• Effective marketing strategies for VARs and ISVs

00:00 Introduction & Episode Overview
Meet Hayley from Esper Strategies and the core theme: why clarity wins more deals than price.

02:28 Buyer Reality: Why Trust Beats Price
Why buyers choose the option they understand and how unclear positioning leads to price comparisons.

06:08 What Clarity Actually Means in the Channel
Clarity isn’t simpler language — it’s knowing who you help, what problem you solve, and why you’re different.

10:49 The 20-Word Differentiator Every ISV Needs
How to communicate your value clearly and help champions explain your solution internally.

14:47 Consistency vs Volume in Content Strategy
Why repetition builds recognition and how consistent messaging outperforms sporadic campaigns.

19:23 Repurposing Content & Maintaining Momentum
How to extend campaign impact using content calendars and repurposing strategies.

22:24 The Customer Language Advantage
Why customer wording is often more persuasive than internal marketing copy.

25:21 How to Strengthen Future Campaigns
Key diagnostic questions to improve messaging effectiveness.

27:10 Customer-Centric Messaging That Cuts Through Noise
Why focusing on the buyer’s problem improves differentiation.

28:56 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts

If you found value in this episode:

👍 Follow the podcast

⭐ Leave a rating or review

💬 Share your thoughts in the comments

🔗 Share this episode with someone in the channel or partner ecosystem

Your support helps more people discover these conversations and insights.

🔗 Connect with Hayley on LinkedIn

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

B2B marketers often struggle with one big challenge: how to create messaging that actually resonates with multiple buyers.

In this episode of The Channel Buzz Podcast, host Amiee Keenan sits down with Mel Bell, founder of Grit Marketing Co., to break down what actually works in modern B2B marketing.

If you're an ISV, SaaS company, ERP partner, or channel leader, this episode is packed with practical strategies to improve messaging and build authority in your market.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mel Bell and Grit Marketing Co.

02:50 The Anatomy of Website Copy That Converts

10:21 Understanding Demographics vs. Psychographics

18:47 The Importance of Content and Messaging Pillars

25:06 Why Execs Shouldn't Be the Default Design Approval Board

Make sure to follow the show so you don’t miss upcoming conversations with leaders across the SaaS, ERP, and partner ecosystem.

If you found value in this episode:

👍 Follow the podcast
⭐ Leave a rating or review
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments
🔗 Share this episode with someone in the channel or partner ecosystem

Your support helps more people discover these conversations and insights.

In this episode of The Channel Buzz, Amiee Keenan sits down with John Siefert to talk about how learning and professional development are evolving across the ERP ecosystem.

They discuss the launch of the eLearners platform from Dynamics Communities, why continuous learning is becoming essential for ERP professionals, and how the community can stay ahead as technology—including AI—continues to reshape the industry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the eLearners Platform

02:55 The Vision Behind eLearners

05:41 User Experience and Engagement

08:49 Community and Inclusion

Want to see AI in action?
Join me for AI Demo Day on March 24, where three ISV solutions will demonstrate how AI is being used in ERP workflows today. I'm also testing out this new platform, so come join me and check it out.

Welcome to another episode of The Channel Buzz, hosted by Amiee Keenan of The ISV Society.

Guest: Marie Wiese – CEO of Marketing Copilot, Author of You’re On Mute

In This Episode

The Inspiration Behind “You’re On Mute”

• Stories from women navigating careers in tech

• Why representation and diversity still matter

• The meaning behind the title and the “on mute” metaphor

AI and the Future of Marketing

• Why the last few years have brought the biggest shift in tech

• How AI is accelerating marketing and content creation

• The challenge of maintaining quality and critical thinking

The Growing Trust Gap

• Why trust in companies and marketing is declining

• How businesses must rethink accessibility and communication

• Why relationships matter more than automation

What B2B Marketers Need to Do Differently

• Focus on testing and experimentation

• Layering marketing channels instead of relying on one tactic

• Understanding customer pain points more deeply than ever

Value Propositions in an AI World

• Why most companies struggle to articulate their value

• The difference between slogans and true value propositions

• Why differentiation matters more than ever

Where to Find Marie

Book: You’re On Mute

Speaking at AI Agent & Copilot Summit

Directions North America

Community Summit

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠

In this conversation, Amiee Keenan discusses the misalignment between marketing budgets and revenue goals in the ERP and ISV ecosystems. She highlights the challenges of meeting ambitioumizerategies to maxies and offers starketing resourcs with limited ms booking target effectiveness through collaboration, visibility, and focused initiatives.

Takeaways

Some partners have ambitious booking goals and limited marketing budgets.

Revenue goals are often set based on executive expectations and market pressures.

Marketing budgets are typically based on previous spending rather than future needs.

ERP sales cycles are long, requiring trust and relationship building.

Marketing effectiveness should focus on leverage rather than just activity metrics.

Creative strategies are essential when budgets are tight.

Partner collaboration can enhance marketing visibility and effectiveness.

Building momentum is more important than one-off marketing moments.

Sales support is crucial for achieving booking goals.

Transparency in marketing metrics can shift leadership perspectives.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding the Misalignment of Goals

03:26 Strategies for Achieving Booking Goals

06:06 Maximizing Marketing Efficiency in Tight Budgets

🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 

🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.

Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠