Gardner Johnson discusses his experiences and challenges in building successful channel ecosystems. He shares his journey from direct sales to the channel and how he developed a playbook for repeatable and scalable channel success.

Gardner emphasizes the importance of data and metrics in understanding partner performance and driving success. He also highlights the need for buy-in from the entire go-to-market organization and the value that a well-executed partner ecosystem can bring. The hiring criteria for partner managers are similar to those for account managers, focusing on intelligence, entrepreneurship, and a sense of urgency.

In this conversation, Gardner and the hosts discuss the qualities and skills required for success in partner management roles. They highlight the importance of drive, coachability, and experience in building successful partnerships. They also explore the challenges of convincing AEs to transition into partner roles and the need to check ego and take a backseat in sales campaigns. The conversation delves into the critical role of champion building in partner management and the need to build champions both internally and externally. They also discuss the evolving role of the channel in the changing buyer landscape and the emergence of marketplaces. Gardner shares his insights on why the channel is becoming more important and the potential for a channel-first approach. The conversation concludes with Gardner discussing his new role at Codeium and the exciting opportunities in leveraging AI and large language models to solve specific business problems.

Key Takeaways

• Building a successful channel ecosystem requires buy-in from the entire go-to-market organization.

• Data and metrics are crucial in understanding partner performance and driving success.

• A well-executed partner ecosystem can bring significant value to an organization.

• The hiring criteria for partner managers are similar to those for account managers, focusing on intelligence, entrepreneurship, and a sense of urgency. Drive, coachability, and experience are key qualities for success in partner management roles.

• Convincing AEs to transition into partner roles can be a challenge, as it requires checking ego and taking a backseat in sales campaigns.

• Champion building is crucial in partner management, both internally and externally.

• Enablement plays a critical role in building successful partner ecosystems.

• The channel is becoming more important due to the emergence of marketplaces and changing buyer behaviors.

• AI and large language models offer opportunities to solve specific business problems and drive meaningful business value.