In this conversation, Simon and Ollie interview Michael Musselman, the VP of Channel and Alliances at Astronomer. They discuss the evolving landscape of channel sales and partnerships, particularly in the context of cloud service providers like AWS, Google, and Azure. Michael shares his insights on building successful partnerships, the importance of understanding the partner's business, and the need for a give-and-take relationship. He also emphasizes the value of aligning with the market trends and leveraging the power of the cloud service providers.

Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of effective channel strategies in driving business growth. In this conversation, Michael Musselman discusses the importance of leveraging the channel and partner strategy to scale revenue for startups. He emphasizes the need to build relationships with cloud service providers and other strategic partners to generate qualified pipeline and close deals faster. Musselman introduces the concept of the 5 C's (Co-sell, Co-build, Co-market, Consumption, and Champions) as a framework for evaluating and developing successful partnerships. He also highlights the growing influence of cloud service providers in the software sales market and the need for companies to adapt to this trend.

Key Takeaways:

• Building successful partnerships requires understanding the partner's business and adding value to their operations.

• The evolving market trends indicate that every business is becoming a technology or software business, and cloud service providers play a crucial role in this transformation.

• Effective channel strategies involve aligning with market trends, leveraging the power of cloud service providers, and nurturing strong relationships with partners.

• Balancing the give-and-take relationship in partnerships is essential, where adding value to the partner's business should come before asking for favors.

• The channel sales role requires individuals with attributes like an entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity, and a growth mindset. Leveraging the channel and partner strategy can have a significant impact on the size and speed of deals.

• Building relationships with cloud service providers and strategic partners is crucial for generating qualified pipeline and closing deals faster.

• The 5 C's (Co-sell, Co-build, Co-market, Consumption, and Champions) provide a framework for evaluating and developing successful partnerships.

• Cloud service providers are playing an increasingly influential role in the software sales market, and companies need to adapt to this trend.