Keeping You Up To Date With The Latest Channel News

The 10 Commandments of Channel Management

Having spent over 30 years in this industry, I’ve seen some bad behaviour from partners. But to a large extent it’s often a reaction to bad behaviour from vendors. So with a surname like mine, it seemed kind of obvious that I take a leaf out of the Bible and lay down my 10 commandments … Continued

The ‘Dark Art’ of MDF

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel at ARN EDGE 2025 on the dark art of MDF (Marketing/Market Development Funds) with four industry experts – Ashleigh Vogstad (CEO, Transcends), Patrina Kerr (Managing Director, Fabric Brand Partners), Brad Clarke (Founder, Channel Guru) and James Davis (Chief Strategy Officer, The TSP Advisory). We … Continued

McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2025

The global technology landscape is undergoing significant shifts, propelled by fast-moving innovations in technologies. These are exponentially increasing demand for computing power, capturing the attention of management teams and the public, and accelerating experimentation. These developments are occurring against a backdrop of rising global competition as countries and corporations race to secure leadership in producing … Continued

The #1 Reason Channel Strategies Fail

In my experience, the number one reason partner strategies fail isn’t anything inside the partner organisation itself – it’s something else within the vendor’s own business. Misalignment. Too often, partners aren’t embedded in the overall vision, mission, or strategy. Many vendors keep pouring money into expensive direct sales models (even when those teams underperform) yet … Continued

The Future of Work is Agentic

Earlier this year, an article appeared in The Wall Street Journal titled “Everyone’s talking about AI agents. Barely anyone knows what they are.” It began with the premise that ‘Agentic’ is the biggest buzzword in Silicon Valley, but tech companies and enterprises lack a common understanding of its meaning. So what exactly do we mean when we … Continued

AI and the Future of Partner Ecosystems

Building and managing a partner ecosystem has always been complex, but as AI becomes more embedded in business strategy, traditional approaches to partnerships often fall short. As companies grapple with higher customer expectations and increased competition, there’s growing pressure to make partnerships more intelligent, data-driven, and predictive – moving beyond gut feel to real insight … Continued

How’s That “100% Channel” Strategy Working For You?

Ok, so you’re a vendor who’s “100% channel”. Great! But is it working for you? Because I meet a lot of vendors who say they have a “100% channel” model but still complain about lacklustre results from non-performing partners. If that’s you, my guess (based on having assisted more than 180 vendors over the last … Continued

What Did 2025 Look Like 30 Years Ago?

Bill Gates once said: “Most people overestimate what they can achieve in one year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years.” So what happens when someone tries to predict 30 years into the future? In 1995, the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World program dared to predict what the year 2025 would look like, envisioning everything … Continued

2025 Tech Predictions From The Top Analysts

It’s the start of a new year, and what does that mean… predictions, predictions, predictions! As with every year, the analysts try to forecast what’s in store for the 12 months ahead. For a lot of companies in the IT sector, 2024 was a challenging year, and I’m sure many are looking forward to 2025 … Continued

Stop Putting The Wrong People In Channel Roles

In the competitive landscape of the IT industry, the effectiveness of a company’s channel strategy can be the difference between success or failure. Channel managers play a crucial role in driving revenue, expanding market reach, and fostering strong relationships with partners. Which is why it is so surprising to me that so many companies hire … Continued