Ultimate Partner®

For this episode of the series to help us Optimize for Success in 2021, I was delighted to welcome Bob Moore, the Co-Founder, and CEO of Crossbeam, a partner ecosystem platform that helps companies build more valuable partnerships by discovering which customers and leads they have in common. For 2021, Bob advises us to embrace that really important change is happening in the world of partners.

​​Bob is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder the cloud data pipeline company Stitch (Acquired by Talend in 2018) and business intelligence platform RJMetrics (acquired by Adby way of Magento Commerce in 2016). Bob is on a mission to help organizations solve many of the challenges of sharing data he saw in his last two companies.

Prior to RJMetrics, Moore worked on the Investment Team of Insight Venture Partners, a leading software-focused venture capital and private equity firm based in New York.  He is a graduate of Princeton University's School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Bob is a vocal supporter of the Philadelphia startup scene, where he serves as the Board Chair Emeritus of Philly Startup Leaders and a has served as a Board Member of Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT). 

​As a writer and speaker, Bob has been featured by The New York Times, Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, TEDxPhilly, EnterConf, Business of Software, and many more.  He guest lectures regularly at Princeton University and The Wharton School.

​ Outside of the tech scene, Bob is a comedy performer, where he has performed over 100 shows as a member of the Philadelphia-based improv team Big Baby.  He has also served as a Trustee of the Awesome Foundation and the Glassboro Education Foundation

In this episode, Bob and I discuss:

* His organization, mission, focus, the value of Crossbeam and how it differentiated in Channel Software Tech Stack. * His perspective and what he has seen in the market and the channel.* Advice on optimizing for success in 2021 by embracing the important change happening in the world of partners.

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed spending time with Bob Moore

LINKS & RESOURCES

* Follow Bob Moore on Linked In, Twitter. * Join Crossbeam: https://www.crossbeam.com/* Sign up for the Crossbeam newsletter to hear about new research and reports: https://www.crossbeam.

For this episode of the Series, "Optimize for Success 2021", I was excited to feature Miri Rodriguez - a globally recognized Storyteller, Head of Global Internship Program at Microsoft, and author of Brand Storytelling. Miri joins this podcast to discuss the components and importance of good Storytelling with our listeners.

Miri's book, "Brand Storytelling -  Put Customers at the Heart your Brand Story" recently won a Stevie Award in the Book of the Year Category for Women in Business. Miri has earned several awards in digital marketing and customer experience and is ranked as a top in-demand speaker at leading industry conferences around the world. Read more about Miri here.

In this discussion, you will learn the elements of a great story, how to build an integrated marketing plan with "story" and how storytelling can sit at the center of your marketing and branding strategy.

In addition to this important topic - Miri and I discuss her amazing journey overcoming poverty, migrating to the United States, building her career, and her roles and success at Microsoft.

As we each look to optimize for success in 2021 - I hope you listen and learn from this amazing guest.

LINKS & RESOURCES

* Learn More About Miri Rodriquez * Find Miri Rodriquez on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram.* Also, check out my interview with Dux Raymond Sy on Brand.* Subscribe and listen to this podcast on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM,

For this episode of the Series, "Optimize for Success 2021", it was great to welcome back Jay McBain, Principal Analyst - Channels, Partnerships & Ecosystems at Forrester. In this episode, we discuss the rapid changes in the channel, accelerated by the pandemic and advice for listeners - "Find and Embrace the Ecosystem Delighting Your Customer."

I hope you enjoy and listen as Jay always has a unique and well-shaped view of the channel based on his engagement with vendors, organizations, and partners and his command of the numbers driving the channel is like no other.

In this episode, we pick up where we left off from our 2020 mid-year discussion and he shares his perspective and observations on trends he has seen in the channel in the last few months, the continued rapid transformation he is seeing, and where organizations need to focus to optimize success in 2021.

LINKS & RESOURCES

* Find Jay McBain on LinkedIn and Twitter* Jay’s Personal Blog* Follow Jay’s Forrester Blog* How Did I Score On My Channel Outlook For 2020?* NEW - Channel Software Tech Stack 2021* Channel Marketers Need To Become Community Marketers * "The Law of a Few" - From Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point. * Subscribe and listen to this podcast on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM, almost anywhere you get your podcasts!* Follow or reach Vince - Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.* Ultimate Guide to Partnering Facebook * Drop me a line - [email protected].

As with each of my episodes, I appreciate your support. Please tell your friends about Ultimate Guide to Partnering and where they can find us.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Ultimate Partnerships. Ultimate Partnerships helps you get the most results from your p...

As we kick off the podcast's fourth anniversary and leap into 2021, I am excited to be joined by an "Industry Thought Leader", a friend and a woman I admire, Chaitra Vedullapalli, the co-founder and CMO of Meylah Corporation, a purpose-driven organization.

Chaitra is recognized as an Influential Business Leader with a passion to enable digital equity and access to achieve economic prosperity in our communities.

As the co-founder and CMO of Meylah Corporation, Chaitra is focused on helping customers to modernize their business with cloud solutions. She is also the Co-Founder & President of Women in Cloud, where she drives global conversations with the United Nations and top corporations like Microsoft, IBM, and Accenture.

In this episode, Chaitra and I discuss:

* Her Passions and Journey* Her Audacious Mission, Work, and Focus at Meylah* Her work driving Women in the Cloud* Women in Cloud Digital Summit 2021 - January 28th - 30th 2021. A must-attend event - for everyone in the tech sector.

LINKS & RESOURCES

* More about Chaitra* Follow Chaitra on Linked In, Twitter, Facebook. * About Meylah* Register - Women in Cloud Digital Summit 2021* Subscribe and listen to this podcast on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM, almost anywhere you get your podcasts!* Follow or reach Vince - Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.* Ultimate Guide to Partnering Facebook * Drop me a line - [email protected].

As with each of my episodes, I appreciate your support. Please tell your friends about Ultimate Guide to Partnering and where they can find us.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Ultimate Partnerships.

As we kick off the podcast's fourth anniversary and leap into 2021, I'm thankful to all of the amazing thought and business leaders who come to this podcast and share principles, success strategies, and best practices that help technology organizations thrive during this age of change and transformation.

After a year like we've never experienced before, I am excited to be joined for this special series by some of these "Industry Thought Leaders" to help us better prepare for "What We Can Do to Optimize Success in 2021."

My guest for this maiden episode of the series is Joseph Landes, the Chief Revenue Officer at Nerdio.

Joseph's partner leadership experience is extensive and before joining Nerdio in 2018, Landes had a 23-year career at Microsoft and worked directly with Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Value-Added Resellers, Distributors, Enterprise partners, and other service providers in multiple geographies.

In this episode, Joseph and I discuss:

* Nerdio unique and compelling value proposition to both MSPs and Enterprise Partners and Customers and why this is an excellent time for partners. * His recommendations for Microsoft Partners for 2021.* Observations, opportunities, and optimism going into this new year?* What Makes A Great Partner - Having Great Listening and Learning Skills.* Lessons from his career journey * NerdioCon, the big event he is hosting, January 26th, and 27th.

LINKS & RESOURCES

* Follow Joseph Landes Linked In, Twitter, * About Nerdio * Register for NerdioCon.* Subscribe and listen to this podcast on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM, almost anywhere you get your podcasts!* Follow or reach Vince - Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. * Ultimate Guide to Partnering Facebook * Drop me a line - [email protected].

As with each of my episodes, I appreciate your support. Please tell your friends about Ultimate Guide to Partnering and where they can find us.

Part Two of An Amazing Interview with Dr. Michael Gervais.

My extraordinary guest and special gift at the end of this very different year is to share a pretty incredible conversation with someone I respect and hold in very high regard, Dr. Michael Gervais.

Dr. Michael Gervais is a world-renowned high-performance psychologist and industry visionary. Over 20 years working with world-leading performers, Dr. Gervais has developed a psychological framework that allows people to thrive in pressure-packed environments. His clientele consists of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, countless Olympic medalists, MVPs from every major sport, world record holders, internationally acclaimed music artists, and corporate leaders. 

Dr. Gervais is the host of the popular Finding Mastery podcast that explores the psychology of some of the world’s most extraordinary thinkers and doers. Past guests range from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to best-selling author Brene Brown and NBA coach Steve Kerr.  

Dr. Gervais and NFL coach Pete Carroll founded Compete to Create, an online and live master class for the mind. They have worked with more than 30,000 employees at Microsoft alone on the mental skills and strategies to unleash one’s potential.

While at Microsoft, I was privileged to be part of one of the first teams to work with Michael to apply his work and first principles to the world of business organizations.

I invited Michael to the podcast because I am a student and have recognized that many of the fundamentals and principles that he teaches specifically apply to and are “first principles” of successful partnering.

There is a lot to unpack in this two-part conversation. I hope you listen as Michael’s insights apply to both our business and personal development, including:

* His work, journey, the spark, and his belief system.* His work with Microsoft’s Leadership Team, featured in Satya’s Book, Hit Refresh.* How the fundamentals and principles he teaches directly apply as the first principles of successful partnering.* Personal Philosophy, Mindfulness, and other core principles from his Compete to Create Workshops and Audible Book.

HIS WORK, JOURNEY, THE SPARK, AND HIS BELIEFS 

* HIS WORK  – Standing on the shoulders of giants, studying the science of excellence, sometimes innovating and helping others make sense of the world.* HIS JOURNEY – As a kid, just trying to figure it out and how coming from pain, boredom, and anxiety led him on the path.* HIS BELIEF–”Everything you need is already inside you.”

WORKING WITH SATYA’S LEADERSHIP TEAM

* SETTING THE TONE – Getting the leaders in the room to clarify commitment to Microsoft’s audacious vision and to better know the people and get to the truth. * MINDSET – A particular way you are approaching something. To perform under stress, you need to train the mind.* EMPATHY –One of Microsoft’s backbone principles, how do you practice empathy, you need awareness. You don’t wait to practice empathy; you front-load it.

HOW HIS WORK APPLIES TO THE PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERING 

* COACHING GROWTH MINDSET IN PARTNERSHIPS– Mindset matters, as does human capital.* HOW HE HELPS ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOP A COMPELLING VISION – it needs to be true, and there needs to be consistency, applying core principles to guide it.* CREATING A SHARED VISION – See the brilliance in others, clarify and hold people to the set of standards to which we will hold ourselves.* WHEN PARTNERSHIPS DON’T GO RIGHT- We need to be authentic and assess both accelerants and blockers. When we overestimated skills,

Part One of An Amazing Interview with Dr. Michael Gervais.

My extraordinary guest and special gift at the end of this very different year is to share a pretty incredible conversation with someone I respect and hold in very high regard, Dr. Michael Gervais.

Dr. Michael Gervais is a world-renowned high-performance psychologist and industry visionary. Over 20 years working with world-leading performers, Dr. Gervais has developed a psychological framework that allows people to thrive in pressure-packed environments. His clientele consists of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, countless Olympic medalists, MVPs from every major sport, world record holders, internationally acclaimed music artists, and corporate leaders. 

Dr. Gervais is the host of the popular Finding Mastery podcast that explores the psychology of some of the world's most extraordinary thinkers and doers. Past guests range from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to best-selling author Brene Brown and NBA coach Steve Kerr.  

Dr. Gervais and NFL coach Pete Carroll founded Compete to Create, an online and live master class for the mind. They have worked with more than 30,000 employees at Microsoft alone on the mental skills and strategies to unleash one's potential.

While at Microsoft, I was privileged to be part of one of the first teams to work with Michael to apply his work and first principles to the world of business organizations.

I invited Michael to the podcast because I am a student and have recognized that many of the fundamentals and principles that he teaches specifically apply to and are "first principles" of successful partnering.

There is a lot to unpack in this two-part conversation. I hope you listen as Michael's insights apply to both our business and personal development, including:

* His work, journey, the spark, and his belief system.* His work with Microsoft's Leadership Team, featured in Satya's Book, Hit Refresh.* How the fundamentals and principles he teaches directly apply as the first principles of successful partnering.* Personal Philosophy, Mindfulness, and other core principles from his Compete to Create Workshops and Audible Book.

HIS WORK, JOURNEY, THE SPARK, AND HIS BELIEFS 

* HIS WORK  – Standing on the shoulders of giants, studying the science of excellence, sometimes innovating and helping others make sense of the world.* HIS JOURNEY - As a kid, just trying to figure it out and how coming from pain, boredom, and anxiety led him on the path.* HIS BELIEF –"Everything you need is already inside you."

WORKING WITH SATYA'S LEADERSHIP TEAM

* SETTING THE TONE - Getting the leaders in the room to clarify commitment to Microsoft's audacious vision and to better know the people and get to the truth. * MINDSET -  A particular way you are approaching something. To perform under stress, you need to train the mind.* EMPATHY - One of Microsoft's backbone principles, how do you practice empathy, you need awareness. You don't wait to practice empathy; you front-load it.

HOW HIS WORK APPLIES TO THE PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERING 

* COACHING GROWTH MINDSET IN PARTNERSHIPS - Mindset matters, as does human capital.* HOW HE HELPS ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOP A COMPELLING VISION - it needs to be true, and there needs to be consistency, applying core principles to guide it.* CREATING A SHARED VISION - See the brilliance in others, clarify and hold people to the set of standards to which we will hold ourselves.* WHEN PARTNERSHIPS DON'T GO RIGHT- We need to be authentic and assess both accelerants and blockers.

Welcome to the 80th episode of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering.

For this milestone episode, I was delighted to welcome a former colleague, Natalie Singh, the Enterprise Channel Director for the North East Region, State and Local Government, and Manufacturing in the One Commercial Partner organization at Microsoft. 

Natalie has spent over 20 years in the technology industry, with Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.  She is known as a visionary who has consistently taken an innovative approach to achieve objectives, manage, and motivate people while focusing on customer and partner satisfaction and financial results.  Natalie is recognized as a progressive leader and has received numerous awards and commendations within her tenure at both HP and Microsoft including the Microsoft Circle of Excellence Founders Award in 2015. 

Natalie graduated from Yale University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.  Natalie also has Business Administration certification from Georgetown University and Advanced Business Certifications from The Wharton School of Business.   She currently resides in Maryland and is actively involved in community service.  

I invited Natalie as a guest to discuss her amazing career journey and to help Microsoft partners better understand how to engage in Co-selling with Microsoft.

In this episode Natalie and I discuss: 

* The role of her team as Enterprise Channel Managers (ECM's) focused on the account teams.* Attributes of some of the best partners in her portfolio.* How she is leading her team and the amazing innovation they are seeing now from Partners. * Her perspective as a Multiracial and Black Woman in technology at Microsoft.* Her Career Journey.

WORK OF HER TEAM AND HOW PARTNERS CAN BE MOST EFFECTIVE

* HER TEAMS FOCUS - Her team leads effective partner field integration between Microsoft sellers and partners. Partner field integration encompasses everything from lead sharing to co-selling events, integrated account planning, and fostering a deep trust-based and lasting relationship between our field sellers and our partners.* HOW THEY ENGAGE - Engagement includes building demand, from planning, sharing sales leads, accelerating partner to partner empowered selling, and delivering marketplace lead commerce for customer transformation. * THE BEST PARTNERSHIPS - A sense of urgency and purpose. This also includes Clarity, Preparation, Focus, and Perspective. In addition, these partners bring a level of enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and are invested in the partnership. * WHEN PARTNERSHIPS FAIL - They try to be all things versus playing to their strengths and not knowing where Microsoft plays a role and executing on it.

HER PERSPECTIVE ON THE BUSINESS DURING THIS TIME  

* PLATINUM LINING - "Despite the fatalities and struggles, there has also been good that has come out of this time. I've seen many acts of kindness where people help people out. We have each been blessed with perspective and a level of peripheral vision."* LEADING WITH EMPATHY - "It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to not have an immediate answer. It opens up to a level of really seeing people and hearing people and a level of empathy for the fact that everyone is going through something."* TRANSFORMATION OPPORTUNITY FROM PARTNERS -  "I see a feeling from our partners that we're all feeling is that sense of we need to do something for our greater good to make sure that we are offering solutions that are propelling us forward and making sure that we are really focused on the needs of our customers, examples include specific COVID offers related to vaccine management or solutions ...

Welcome to the 79th episode of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering.

If you're in the world of tech and partners, my guest for this episode needs no introduction. I'm excited to welcome back to the podcast Gavriella Schuster, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President for the Worldwide One Commercial Partner Organization, and it's Channel Chief.

Gavriella Schuster is a C-level Microsoft leader passionate about recruiting more women and minorities into the technology sector. 

At Microsoft, she has grown a P&L greater than $6.5B and currently leads their global portfolio of channel partners that reached $1 trillion in ecosystem revenues. 

She leads the global recruitment, enablement, and engagement of Microsoft's fast-growing partner ecosystem. Additional areas of her specialization include licensing models, digital marketing, and global routes to market.

Gavriella specializes in starting up and turning around businesses by inspiring a vision for future customer relevance and engaging the team in developing the roadmap.

For Gavriella's second appearance on Ultimate Guide to Partnering, we covered quite a bit of ground, including: 

* How our lives and work have changed since the pandemic.* The transformational opportunities, and how she's advising partners to lead through this change.* Her advocacy for gender equity, including her recent TED Talk.* How she is also steering Microsoft's efforts to solve the gap in Black and African American owned technology businesses.* The capstone honor she recently received, the prestigious Athena Global Leadership Award.

I am a huge fan of Gavriella's work, and I had the chance to work with her at Microsoft when she was a GM focused on the Server and Tools business. In my opinion, she is one of the most authentic, empathetic, and passionate business leaders I know.

As leaders in the technology sector, I've often said that we have both an opportunity and perhaps an obligation to lead during this time. Gavriella embodies that leadership.

HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED HER BUSINESS 

* Personal Level - It's a significant disruption. You need to have empathy and be mindful as it impacts people in different ways, whether alone, living with small children, balancing work, or a large family.* The Business of Managing Partners - How do we continue the business and stay connected to partners? The pandemic is requiring people to check in a lot more than before using Microsoft Teams. It requires more connection with different people in these organizations to ensure a full view of the business.* For Her Teams - leaders need to be more planful, ensuring they touch base and check-in with everyone on the team. It requires mindfulness and a deliberate communication plan to ensure the readiness is conveyed in multiple modalities for maximum alignment on business priorities. We all need to be more inclusive and respectful of boundaries.* How Partners Can Align and Embrace the Change - Businesses that learn to pivot and embrace the opportunity have the best chance for growth and survival.* Advances in Partner Center - There is now one place where partners can engage and continually grow a sustainable business with Microsoft.

CAREER BASED ON ADVOCACY AND SOLVING FOR EQUITY GAPS 

* Advice She Gives Others - do the things you believe need to be done, help grow, and impact others. What is stopping you? You need to be creative, committed; what does success look like for you?* Driving for Gender Equity - Only 27% of IT comprises Women In Technology, which is down from 36% in 1991.

Welcome to the 78th episode of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering. For this episode, I was delighted to welcome a friend and former colleague, Linda Rendleman.

I met Linda many years ago when we both worked at Microsoft, and her career as a woman in technology has blossomed over the last few years.

Linda Rendleman has served as Vice President, North American Device Partner Solution Sales at Microsoft since August 2020. In her role, she leads the strategy, relationships, and business operations of the company's device solutions and partnerships to support building devices that consume our cloud, innovating with device partners, and transforming how we sell devices and services with partners. 

Linda focuses on helping channel partners capture more opportunities by rethinking how work is done and leverages aggregated solutions to increase business agility, work productivity, and operational efficiencies. 

I was excited to feature Linda to discuss her award-winning career as a woman in technology, her new role, her team's priorities and how the market is thinking differently now about devices. 

DEVICES ARE THE GATEWAY TO THE CLOUD

With so many of us working from home with the pandemic, using a first-class, modern computing device is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Selecting devices with excellent audio, video, and computing is essential.

Linda's team works with OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to design and build devices that best utilize the cloud with next-gen delivery models to transform the Modern Workplace.

Her Team's Priorities:

* Champion the value of a modern device, both in commercial consumer and education channels - why a modern device is essential.* Attaching client office and server perpetual licensing to those devices for businesses that aren't yet ready for the cloud.* Closely align with OCP (One Commercial Partner) counterparts to support our partners in their Microsoft CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) attach motions.* Transformational initiatives around selling the Commercial Intelligent Edge, including Azure Stack HCI offers, DaaS, Autopilot, and Microsoft Teams Rooms.

TEAM LEADERSHIP AT MICROSOFT & PARTNERSHIPS 

As this is the year of the essential worker, and the device is the essential worker.

Linda has a unique perspective on the Device Business as she held leadership roles as a Senior VP at a top partner and now as a VP at Microsoft.

In this tough year, I wanted to ask her how she is coaching her team and supporting her top partnerships.

* Her Team? - performing and transforming is hard. Set boundaries to ensure you are working on your plan versus the plan work you. * What Keeps Here Up at Night? - The care, concern, and support for her team and her partners during this challenging year.* Attributes of Great Partnership? - Listen, have courage, take action when needed, take a step back when needed, really be invested—having a Growth Mindset, Empathy, and Trust.* When Partnerships Failed - listen, open to giving and receiving advice, not seeking to understand, to get them on the path to success.  

HOW SHE GOT TO THIS SPOT IN HER JOURNEY 

Linda and I discuss her career journey and her path to a Vice President at Microsoft.

Here are some key takeaways:  

* Self-improvement - focusing on health, educating herself on food, exercise,