If you want to learn how this forward-leaning leader is driving the future of work then you won’t want to miss listening to this amazing interview. I have been fortunate to know this guest since early in her career and I am absolutely stoked to welcome her for this frank and inspiring discussion. My guest for this episode of the podcast is Brea Starmer who joins Ultimate Guide to Partnering for a far-reaching, big, and bold interview focused on how one leader inspires others to achieve what we all thought was just potential.

Ultimate Guide to Partnering™

How One Leader Inspires Others to Achieve What We All Thought Was Just Potential.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Melissa Mulholland, the Chief Executive Officer of Crayon. Melissa was an early and popular guest of the podcast three years ago while she was still at Microsoft. I was delighted to welcome her back to discuss her amazing journey. In this episode, she shares her passion for technology, learnings on her journey, and her bold mission for Crayon.

110 -One Bold CEO’s Passion for Technology, Partners, and Future-Focused Leadership

In the lead-up to Microsoft Inspire, we went back to the archives to rerelease this poignant interview with Rodney Clark. Recorded ten months earlier and in the midst of the pandemic, Rodney graciously joined Ultimate Guide to Partnering to tell the story of a trailblazer focused on his business and his people. I hope you enjoy hearing from and learning from Microsoft's New Channel Chief, Rodney Clark.

Spotlight on Microsoft’s New Channel Chief, Rodney Clark [Episode 66 Reprised]

My guest is Jennifer Didier, the CEO, and Founder of Directions Training. In this episode, you'll learn how this successful woman entrepreneur is acting as a catalyst for Women in Technology and acting as a catalyst to get women into the technology sector.

108 – One Leaders Focus and Passion to Help Women Take Technology In a New Direction

Eric Rosenkranz serves as the Executive Channel and Partner Engineering Leader on Google's North America Senior Leadership Team. As the senior Americas leader on the Global Channels leadership team, he leads a multibillion-dollar operation that has achieved exponential growth multiple times since joining in 2016. Eric also Chairs the North American Partner Governance Council and North America Partner Advisory council at Google.

107 – One Leader’s Focus, Taking Partnerships to the Next Level at Google.

My guest is Jeremy Epstein, the Chief Marketing Officer for Gtmhub. Jeremy joins to discuss how OKR's and this leader are focused on advancing the Knowledge Worker Economy.

106 – How OKR’s and This Leader are Focused on Advancing the Knowledge Worker Economy.

If you’re a technology organization looking to learn how a top ISV is investing to become a partner-led company, you’ll not want to miss this 105th Episode of Ultimate Guide to Partnering. My guest is Jason Beal, the Senior Vice President of Global Channel and Partner Ecosystems at AvePoint. Jason joins to discuss his channel-focused steps for AvePoint to become a Partner-led Company. A five-time winner of the Microsoft Partner of the Year award, AvePoint offers the only full suite of SaaS solutions to migrate, manage and protect data in Microsoft 365. More than 7 million cloud users, including a quarter of the Fortune 500, rely on their solutions As AvePoint’s new head of global channels, Beal’s job is to build out the company’s first broad partner program. While AvePoint has some channel relationships, it has historically provided its SharePoint and Office 365 management tools directly to enterprises. Jason is building out Avepoints Channel and Partner to Partner Motion working primarily with Microsoft, but they may also incorporate Google and Salesforce in the future. In this interview, Jason discusses Avepoints success and growth, why partners are so important to their future success, partnering principles from his successful career in the channel, and some interesting and insightful details from his personal and professional journey. What you’ll learn in this episode: AvePoint's value proposition, success, growth, and partner mandate.Why this partner model is so important to their future success Partnership principles from a successful career in the channelPersonal insights and early work experience that shaped a path toward channel leadership. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed getting to know Jason Beal. Other Episodes Featuring AvePoint Executives. 76 - Optimism for unparalleled opportunity focused on a better world.48 - One partner of the year's personal and professional transformation. Links & Resources Engage with Jason on Linked In.His Twitter HandleAvePoint's Home PageLearn more about Partner Strategy Workshops offered by Ultimate Partnerships.Ultimate Guide to Partnering Linked In – Stay tuned as I’ll share details around our new offering for you.Subscribe to Ultimate Guide to Partnering on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM, almost anywhere you get your podcasts! About Vince MenzioneFollow or reach Vince – Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Ultimate Guide to Partnering Facebook Drop me a line – vincem@ultimate-partnerships.com. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Ultimate Partnerships. Ultimate Partnerships helps you get the most results from your partnerships. Get Partnerships Right – Optimize for Success – Deliver Results – Ultimate Partnerships.

105 – Channel Focused Steps for AvePoint to Become a Partner-led Company

Sanket Akerkar has 20 years of leadership experience in the software industry. Most recently, he was the SVP of Fleet and Insurance at Nauto where he led their global sales, marketing, and services functions. Before Nauto, he spent 14 years at Microsoft in multiple senior leadership positions including VP Global Enterprise, Chief Evangelist of the United States, and Managing Director of Microsoft India. Sanket started his career at McKinsey & Co.

104 – Acumatica Enables Partners and Customers as its “First Team.”

Suppose you're a technology organization looking to optimize your success with the leading cloud providers. You'll not want to miss this 103rd Episode of Ultimate Guide to Partnering. I'm delighted to welcome a woman I've known for several years and with whom I partner to deliver transformation to several best-in-class partner organizations Erin Figer, the CEO and Founder of Core Consulting. Erin and her organization help partners optimize for success to get more from Core. Erin's mission is to help you get your best results through a proven framework. I have seen this firsthand, as I got to work with Erin while I was still at Microsoft, and she was assisting a partner in getting it right with the tech giant. As a result, since I founded Ultimate Partnerships, we have teamed up on several client engagements and workshops. In this episode, Erin will share her unique Total Impact Formula, how she helps partners optimize for success to get more from Core, Core+, the exceptional Co-Sell managed services offering her company built, and her journey as a successful woman entrepreneur. You will also learn more about an exciting offering Erin and I have for you, our listeners. What you'll learn in this episode: Erin's unique Total Impact FormulaTrends and transformations in Co-Selling, including the role of Marketplaces.Core+, the Managed Services Offering and Platform built to manage your Co-Sell Operations.Her reflections and personal journey to a successful woman entrepreneur.A Special Offer from Erin Figer and me. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed spending time with Erin Figer Other Important Episodes Focused on Partner Co Selling Transformation. 85 - Optimize for Success 2021 - Find and Embrace the Ecosystem Delighting Your Customer90 - Partner Co-Selling - Why Trust, Commitment, and Focus are Critical to Success Links & Resources Engage with Erin Figer on Linked In. Contact Core.Erin's Spotify Playlist Learn more about Core Consulting. CORE+ - the Managed Services Offering and Platform to manage your Co-Sell Operations. Partner Strategy Workshops offered by Ultimate Partnerships.Ultimate Guide to Partnering Linked In - Stay tuned as I'll share details around our new offering for you. Subscribe to Ultimate Guide to Partnering on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM, almost anywhere you get your podcasts! About Vince MenzioneFollow or reach Vince – Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Ultimate Guide to Partnering Facebook Drop me a line – vincem@ultimate-partnerships.com. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Ultimate Partnerships. Ultimate Partnerships helps you get the most results from your partnerships. Get Partnerships Right – Optimize for Success – Deliver Results – Ultimate Partnerships.

103 – Partners Optimize for Success to Get More from Core

For this 102nd Episode of Ultimate Guide to Partnering, I interview a founder that I've had the chance to work with, Raymond Bily, the CEO of BrightArrow Technologies. I met Raymond while I was Channel Chief at Blackbaud and BrightArrow was a Rising Star Partner of the Year. In this episode, Raymond shares his rich and fascinating story and how BrightArrow partners with technology organizations to deliver a complete K12 solution. Since the pandemic began, I have written, blogged, and recorded podcasts about how society has been impacted, and how organizations can come out of this time, better than before. One area where most of us have been affected is Education and Learning. I see firsthand through my engagement with partners like BrightArrow, how educators and schools are adjusting from the physical to the virtual, and back to the physical again. Technologies like BrightArrow enable a smooth transition through persistent and pervasive communications. BrightArrow has been at the center of the digital transformation happening in K12 Education as its solutions are being deployed in many new use cases since the pandemic. I invited Raymond to share his rich and fascinating story, how BrightArrow partners with other technology organizations to deliver a complete solution to customers and why customers and partners choose to work with Bright Arrow. Things you’ll learn in this episode: How BrightArrow revolutionizes the way organizations deliver messages simultaneously to large groups of people. How BrightChat is used by teachers, coaches, and administrators for secure two-way communications. BrightArrow symbiotic partnership to deliver notification as part of a broader technology solution.Raymond's rich and fascinating journey, including being one of the very first employees at Microsoft. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed spending time with Raymond Bily. Other Important Episodes Focused on Transformation in Education: 99 - Commitment to Microsoft Education Mission with Optimism, Inclusion, and Energy93 – Transformation, Challenges, and Opportunities in the US Education Sector with Jamie Harper75 – Two K12 Partners, Focused on Leveraging Technology in Bolder Ways LINKS & RESOURCES Engage with Raymond Bily Linked In, Engage with BrightArrow.Reach out to Raymond via Email rbily@brightarrow.comLearn more about BrightArrow.Partner Strategy Workshops offered by Ultimate Partnerships.Subscribe to Ultimate Guide to Partnering on Apple,  Spotify,  Google,  Audible,  SoundCloud, Stitcher, Player FM, almost anywhere you get your podcasts! About Vince MenzioneFollow or reach Vince – Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Ultimate Guide to Partnering Facebook Drop me a line – vincem@ultimate-partnerships.com. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Ultimate Partnerships. Ultimate Partnerships helps you get the most results from your partnerships. Get Partnerships Right – Optimize for Success – Deliver Results – Ultimate Partnerships.

102 – How BrightArrow Partners with Technology Organizations to Deliver a Complete K12 Solution

For this 101st Episode of Ultimate Guide to Partnering, I feature an interview with Carola Cazenave, vice president of Pega’s global partner ecosystem, its Channel Chief. Pegasystems or Pega, has been taking the industry by storm with its low code / no-code approach to technology transformation and is investing in building out its channel. Carola and I discuss how Pega takes tech by storm by crushing complexity and focusing on partners for growth.

101 – Pega Takes Tech by Storm by Crushing Complexity and Focusing on Partners for Growth

This marks the Centennial Episode of Ultimate Guide to Partnering with a unique podcast, celebrating 100 episodes with a spotlight on amazing friends and guests. I am beyond grateful for their generosity, their grace, and their willingness to help shape the dialogues on both what makes partnerships successful as well as how we can make a positive impact on our world. As I approached this 100th episode, I couldn’t help but reflect on how we got here and why.  It all started in the fall of 2016 when I left the tech giant and opened my heart to new possibilities and let forces – and wonderful friends like you – help shape what was next. There was the friend who turned me onto the podcast medium, which I became an immediate fan of. There was another friend that suggested that I do my own podcast on partnering. And it made me realize that there was a huge gap that I might be able to fill with my experience and expertise. You see, I knew from my nine years as General Manager of Partner Strategy at Microsoft, that partners often struggled to successfully navigate their work with the tech giants. There were a small handful of technology organizations that had the decoder ring and had gotten it right. But most were falling short. So I started the podcast to help the many thousands of partners in the Microsoft ecosystem better optimize for success and deliver during this time of intense technological transformation. From the beginning, I was incredibly blessed to have so many incredible friends and industry leaders as guests on the podcast. At times, there were doubts. Has this really been worth it? Spending dozens of hours each week to perfect the process and reach the audience who would most benefit from it? And just when I needed it, a third friend coached me about consistency. So I plodded along for 60 episodes, and learned so much along the way. And it wasn’t just about the principles of successful partnering; it was also the personal and professional journey – the grit, determination and resolve to overcome and to do and to be more. But after 60 episodes, I strayed from my path and put the podcast on the shelf to pursue what I thought would be the dream gig leading the alliance at a billion-dollar Microsoft partner. And in some ways, it was because it gave me new insight from a completely different perspective. When I relaunched the podcast in June of 2020 , I was convinced more than ever that partnerships could accelerate growth and be a catalyst for survival during this time. I now had experience from both sides: at Microsoft as a channel chief, and also as a partner to a tech giant. Not only did I know intuitively what was required to make partnerships successful for both parties, I had also seen firsthand why they often failed, and how culture, mindset, commitment and maniacal focus were pivotal to both success and failure. When I brought the podcast back last summer at the height of the pandemic, the country was in agony. And so I relaunched with a personal conviction – one that I've held in my heart and soul for some time – that we in the tech sector could and SHOULD be a force for good. That to manifest the change we wish to see in the world requires that we as leaders address deep-rooted issues in our society. What you have seen in the 40 episodes I’ve recorded over the last ten or so months is that the podcast is much, much more. Yes, this is the Ultimate Guide to Partnering where business leaders come to share the strategies, business principles and leadership required for successful partnerships. But more than just a podcast on partnering, it has become a forum for leaders to tell their stories about overcoming adversity, driving change in business and making a difference in our society and our world. So many incredible leaders, so many great stories, so much to learn from these trailblazers in the industry.  Now, here’s the hard part…how do I sum this up for you in one concise podcast epis...

100 – Celebrating 100 Episodes with a Spotlight on Amazing Friends and Guests

In his role leading the worldwide execution of Microsoft’s vision for education, Anthony Salcito works to help empower educators and inspire students to achieve more.

99 – Commitment to Microsoft Education Mission with Optimism, Inclusion, and Energy

Per Werrngren is a serial entrepreneur in IT for 25+ years. He has built and led companies and organizations in Sweden, UK, and USA and specialized in P2P, the Microsoft ecosystem, and in building modern cloud businesses with a focus on recurring revenue.

98 – Focus Frees Your Superpowers, Partner Unlocks Your Client’s Dreams

Nikki Harley, Director of Strategic Alliance at SADA, a global leader in business and technology consulting services, and a Google Cloud Premier Partner.

hubhopper

Ultimate Guide to Partnering™

hubhopper