What’s the benefit of pursuing the MSP route rather than the agency model? Both models are great ways to grow within the channel, but this week’s podcast guest explains why he decided to turn his attention to managed services. 

In this episode, we speak with Craig Beason, CEO and Founder of Renodis, who tells us how he came to build Renodis and why acquiring new companies is a key part of his strategy for growth. 

We talk about Craig’s predictions for the future of the channel and what he thinks the next big things in tech will be. He also explains that while he was hesitant to work with TSDs in his early career, their evolution over the years has helped him see the value they can bring to the table – and how that value is passed onto Renodis’ customers.  

Key Moments: 

• The early days of Craig’s career  
• How Craig got involved with business acquisitions 
• How COVID impacted Renodis 
• Why managed services helps with scalability  
• Renodis’ plans for further expansion 
• Why Craig chose the MSP route  
• The evolution of TSDs in the channel 
• Predictions on the future of the channel  
• Advice for younger agents and suppliers  

Key Links: 

• Connect with Craig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-beason-6425a717/ 
• Renodis: https://www.renodis.com/  

Is it harder to be a channel agent in today’s market? 

In this episode of The Channel Champions Podcast, we hear from two experts who share insights into what it takes to be a great agent today and how the channel has evolved since the 90s. Capteon’s Vic Pepe, CEO and Jay Bradley, Chief Partner Success Officer, join the podcast to take us through their journey to building Capteon, why they went this route, and what they learned from previous roles.  

We also hear some tips for modern agents and why, in some ways, it’s tougher to be an agent in today’s market. 

Key Moments: 

• How Jay and Vic began working with the channel 
• What was big in the 90s vs. today? 
• How being an agent has changed since then 
• What it takes to be a great agent 
• Why having a niche is best for small companies 
• The mindset you need to work in the channel 
• Why the channel is evolving 
• What’s next for Capteon 

Key Links: 

• Connect with Vic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-pepe/  
• Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-bradley-5a4285/  
• Capteon: https://capteon.com/ 

How do independent analysts differ from channel advisors? 

In this episode of The Channel Champions Podcast, we hear a slightly different perspective on the channel. As an independent analyst, Jon Arnold offers consultancy services and counsel on a variety of technologies and solutions that businesses need help with.  

He explores the benefits of being independent, why we need more younger people to join the channel as independents, and his predictions for the future. We also hear how Jon first got started in the channel, plus his insights into how the buying process is changing all the time. 

Key Moments:  

• How Jon first became involved in the channel  
• What the tech space was like before the channel 
• Why the channel is in a period of the “economics of abundance” 
• The biggest changes in the tech space 
• Why independent analysts play a vital role 
• Why younger people should become independent 
• Jon’s predictions for the future 
• How the way customers buy hardware and software is changing 
• Market predictions for suppliers  

Key Links: 

• Connect with Jon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarnoldassociates/  
• J Arnold & Associates: https://www.jarnoldassociates.com/ 

The modern channel has evolved into a complex machine – with more choices and solutions for customers than ever before. So, how can advisors and consultants help customers navigate all of these options to find the best solutions? 

To explore this, we invited Chris Gamble, CEO and Founder of Caliber Solutions, to The Channel Champions Podcast. Chris has a refreshing take on the role of consultants in the channel today and lives by the philosophy of helping customers, not just selling to them. 

Key Moments: 

• What the channel was like 20 years ago 
• How the channel has evolved 
• How Chris helps customers make decisions 
• Opportunities in the channel today 
• The importance of transparency 
• How the channel could change 
• Opportunity gaps in the channel 
• Why Chris follows a help, not sell model 

Key Links: 

• Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calibersolutions/ 
• Caliber Solutions: https://www.caliber.solutions/  

The longer you spend in the industry, the more easily you can adapt to the changes that come. But how can newcomers approach the channel in the best way and what does it look like right now for the next generation of agents? 

Here to explore this is Kyle Hall, President of Resourcive. Kyle joins The Channel Champions Podcast to discuss the current landscape of the channel, whether there are enough newcomers to the industry and how the channel has changed since he began his career. 

Plus, he shares how his background as a green beret has influenced his work and makes a bold prediction for the future of the channel. 

Key moments: 

• Kyle’s first involvement in the channel 
• Why businesses in his space could become “large and successful” 
• How Kyle’s time as a green beret influenced his work 
• Breaking into the international market 
• How the channel has changed in the past six years 
• How suppliers can deepen their relationships with partners like Resourcive 
• How partner/supplier relationships have changed 
• The best exit strategy options 
• What the channel looks like for up-and-comers 
• Kyle’s parting advice 
• Details about Kyle’s podcast

Key links: 

• Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylebhall/ 

How can advisors and TSDs achieve success in a constantly evolving channel? 

The channel has undergone its fair share of changes, both due to technological advances and the way channel partners operate in today’s market. We invited Kameron Olsen, President of The Channel Advisors, to the podcast to hear about the changes he’s experienced and his predictions for the future. 

He explores how advisors can find success in today’s channel, the importance of communication, the impact of private equity on the channel, and the technology that advisors should pay the most attention to. 

Key Moments: 

• What the channel was like back in 2008 
• Why Kameron first got into the channel 
• Standing out as an advisor or supplier 
• Why Kameron transitioned into the TSD world 
• How much TSDs should be involved with partners  
• Why communication is essential 
• Predictions for the channel in the next five years 
• The impact of private equity on the channel 
• Technology that should be getting attention 
• Advice for anyone interested in a career in the channel 

Key Links: 

• Connect with Kameron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameronolsen/ 
• The Channel Advisors: https://www.thechanneladvisors.com/  

The channel is ever evolving and with it, the role of advisors, as new technologies enter the market all the time.

We wanted to hear more about how the role of advisors has evolved and will continue to as trends develop, so we invited Derek Roush, President of VocalPoint Consulting, to The Channel Champions Podcast to share his thoughts. 

Derek shares his insights from his experience and career in business. He explores how he first got started in the channel, how the role of advisors has changed, and the trends that will continue to drive big changes in the channel for advisors, TSDs and suppliers.  

Key Moments: 

• How Derek first became involved in the channel 
• How the cloud changed everything 
• Why advisors need to focus on problems and solutions 
• Why we need to get the word out about tech advisor careers 
• How TSDs could become “business incubators” 
• Why security remains popular in the channel 
• How the trusted advisor community has changed 
• Why DaaS is the next big trend advisors need to know about 
• Why advisors need to position themselves as experts of the procurement process 
• Advice for suppliers  
• Advice for young advisors wanting to start a business 

Key Links: 

• Connect with Derek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekroush/ 

The channel has evolved a lot over the years. But the foundations of what makes a truly trusted advisor haven’t – even if you do have to tweak your approach.  

In this episode of The Channel Champions Podcast, Robert Bowling, CEO and Founder of TDM, explains how the channel has changed over the course of his career and business ventures and what makes a trusted advisor in today’s channel. He explores how the role of an advisor has changed, his predictions for the future, and how you can still provide value to customers in an increasingly revenue-focused channel. 

Key Moments: 

• How Robert differentiated his business model 
• How the channel has changed since Robert began his career 
• How the customer relationship has evolved 
• Why technology needs to be good for the company  
• Robert’s technology trend predictions 
• Robert’s “three-legged stool” business model 
• Why he chose to partner with Salesforce 
• How ROI has become the priority in the channel 
• Advice for building great customer relationships 
• Why sellers need to spend more time selling and less on admin 

Key Links: 

• Connect with Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-bowling-4516308/ 
• TDM: https://tdm.cc/

The channel needs a collaboration overhaul – and in this episode of The Channel Champions, we have two guests who are revolutionizing the way technology advisors operate. 

Ashley and Ryan Rowland are Co-Founders of Adaptiv Advisors and The Technology Advisors Alliance. As a purposely small team of two, Ashley and Ryan started their company after seeing the gaps in the channel – especially when it comes to communication and collaboration. 

In this episode, they share how and why they started Adaptiv Advisors and take us through the obstacles and challenges they met while launching a company during the pandemic. They explain why the channel is in need of more collaboration between advisors, vendors, and customers, and why this could benefit all parties.  

We also hear what led Ashley to publish the book, Advice From Top Agents: Secrets From High Performing Technology Consultants & Telecom Agents That Will Catapult Your Success. 

Key Moments: 

• Why Ashley and Ryan decided to start their company  
• Why Ashley and Ryan decided to stick with a minimalist company setup 
• The importance of hearing from all stakeholders involved 
• The common mistake advisors make when meeting stakeholders 
• Why advisors need to balance what’s popular with what’s most valuable 
• Why Ryan believes AI will revolutionize the channel  
• Why vendors need a strong channel strategy 
• Why the channel needs more collaboration  
• What’s next for Adaptiv Advisors? 
• What led Ashley to publish her book 
• Advice for advisors  

Key Links: 

• Adaptiv Advisors: https://www.adaptiv2u.com/  
• The Technology Advisors Alliance: https://www.technologyadvisoralliance.com/  
• Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-rowland-telecom-mom/  
• Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trrowland/  

The channel has evolved a great deal over the past few years. With more and more technology solutions appearing in the market, IT consultants’ jobs are all the more important. 

In this episode, we speak with a familiar face – the CSO of Bridgepointe Technologies and former Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer and Founding Partner at Evolve IP, Scott Kinka.  

Scott shares a bit of background on his career, how he navigated the channel in the early days, his advice for consultants, and everything in between. We also hear why Scott believes “the golden age of IT consultants” is yet to come. 

Key Moments: 

• Scott’s early career days of web development 
• How Scott became involved in the channel  
• How the agent model has changed over the years 
• What he learned from Evolve IP that has helped at Bridgepointe Technologies 
• Why consultants need to focus on business outcomes 
• How strategists can navigate all the different solutions 
• Why your best customers are repeat ones 
• Challenges in the channel today 
• Why we’re not yet at the golden age of IT consultants 
• How private equity is affecting the channel  
• What’s next for Bridgepointe Technologies? 

Key Links:  

• Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkinka/