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Craig Schlagbaum might very well be, as James puts it, the "O.G." of the channel. As senior vice president at Comcast Business/Masergy, he's one of the longest tenured channel executives. You could almost say he "grew up" in the channel. So we thought it would be great to pick his brain on topics ranging from his longevity, to relationships with technology service providers and much more. Furthermore, with the next Channel Partners event, the Channel Futures Leadership Summit, still nearly four months away, Craig and James thought it was a perfect time to highlight some of the things you might've missed on our media platform, Channel Futures. All of that, plus Craig once again tries to prove his manhood by humiliating James in a round of trivia, this time focused on, as an homage to our guest, cable TV.

The Channel Futures podcast duo is back after a brief hiatus due to travel, and they're welcoming Palo Alto Networks into the coffee house. Channel leader Tom Evans joins the conversation to discuss the latest cybersecurity threats, updates for Palo Alto partners and predictions for the future. Craig and James also get you caught up on final numbers from the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, as well as their trip to London representing Channel Futures at the annual Informa Awards. Don't forget that you can watch this podcast. The video is here: https://www.channelfutures.com/podcasts/coffee-with-craig-and-james-episode-124-palo-alto-networks

MartinWolf M&A Advisors founder Marty Wolf joins Craig and James this week on the popular Channel Futures podcast. Wolf offers an overview of the M&A landscape and delivers practical advice for any partner business considering selling or taking private investment. It also serves as a preview for some keynote and conference sessions that focus on mergers and acquisitions at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, May 1-4. Speaking of CP Expo, Craig and James will do a final breakdown to get you ready. It's not too late to register!: https://channel.informatech.com/lv/2023/registrations/Attendee

It's MSP 501 season. The final day to apply for the biggest and best awards program in the channel is April 30. With that rapidly approaching deadline in mind, we decided to dedicate this podcast to the Channel Futures MSP 501. First, we welcome in Ginette Andre, senior marketing associate for Channel Futures and VIP liaison for the MSP 501. Ginette offers up some frequently asked questions for candidates who are applying for the list. Then comes the team from Ingram Micro, sponsor and longtime supporter of the 501. The distributor's execs discuss the value of landing on the list. They also cover some important managed service provider trends for 2023. Also, it wouldn't be an episode of the podcast without talk of the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. James tells us about two of the sessions he'll be hosting and why you should be there. Finally, what's in a name? A common email mistake that flusters some of our colleagues. Apply for the 2023 Channel Futures MSP 501 here: https://channelfutures.tradepub

The Channel Futures podcast this week welcomes in Phil Soper, North America head of channel sales at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He gets us caught up on the HPE Partner Ready Vantage program and the company's as-a-service efforts. Craig and James also cover the networking opportunities not to miss at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. The big show is less than six weeks away — here's where you can register: https://channel.informatech.com/lv/2023/registrations/Attendee

The Channel Partners Conference & Expo is less than two months away and Craig and James are all over it. In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn about more incredible keynotes slated for the event. CP Expo is May 1-4, at the Venetian in Las Vegas. And for a guest, we have a special treat. Ronnell Richards, sales consultant extraordinaire to the channel, joins the guys for a conversation. They touch on sales tips, relationships between partners and TSDs/vendors, and much more. The news discussion of the day will center around a couple of things. First, James talks about an acquisition by HPE that could have significant channel implications. 5G, once overhyped, might be making another run at celebrity status. Also, our Channel Futures' Channel Influencers for 2023. The list is out, and features a lot of names in the channel who are having a big impact. The guys will explain how the team came up with this year's honorees.

A best-kept secret no more, the Alliance of Channel Women (ACW) plays a huge role in our industry. The organization promotes both established and up-and-coming channel sales professionals, including the camaraderie and mentorship to elevate their careers in what's traditionally been a male-dominated field. ACW is kicking off a spring membership drive, so it's a great time for Craig and James to learn more about the group. The guys welcome ACW board member Kelly Danziger to the show. (Her day job is Craig and James' boss as general manager of Informa Tech Channels, Channel Futures' parent organization.) The guys also discuss some of the big keynotes at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Furthermore, we've got fun with technology trivia and a test of ChatGPT technology.

Coffee with Craig and James, the Channel Futures podcast, welcomes Scott Kinka, chief strategy officer with Bridgepointe Technologies. Bridgepointe is truly one of the hottest companies in the channel, growing both organically and inorganically, via acquisition. The guys also give you your first taste of the keynotes and conference sessions at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo, May 1-4. We told you last time about keynote speaker Capt. Scott Kelly, but that's far from all. From a guy who lived in a van to a NASCAR driver, there's some really cool content on tap. We talk about it in this podcast. And that's just scratching the surface. Craig and James also will discuss the news of the week, including the staggering number of layoffs impacting the channel. Communications platform as a service (CPaaS) is also a topic, as Channel Futures introduces a new video segment. If you want to see us on video, head over to Channel Futures: https://www.channelfutures.com/podcasts/coffee-with-craig-james-epi

It only took 117 episodes of the Channel Futures podcast for Craig and James to make their video debut together. In this premiere Channel Futures TV episode of Coffee with Craig and James, we welcome Cato Networks leader Frank Rauch. He was one of the biggest newsmakers of the past week, just joining the SASE provider on Jan. 10. The guys also give you a sneak preview of the keynote retired astronaut Capt. Scott Kelly will deliver at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, May 1-4, at the Venetian in Las Vegas. All that, plus a recap of some of the biggest news so far this month.

Craig and James are back to celebrate the holiday season with you, Nitel and Opex Technologies. First up is Jim Glackin, channel leader with Nitel, the next-gen technology services provider. It's been a big year for the company. The guys dig into the state of aggregation in the channel and have a conversation with Glackin about cost center vs. profit center. Later in the show, we get to know more about Opex Technologies. It's a well-known firm in the agent channel, but there's a whole lot you don't know. For instance, some think of Opex as a research firm of sorts? We'll dig into all of that and get some market insight straight from a partner's mouth. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't look back on the year that was at Channel Futures. Craig and James will discuss some of the biggest stories of the year. They'll also recap the successful Channel Partners Conference & Expo and this past fall's Leadership Summit. And if you haven't heard the dates for our 2023 shows, we've got 'em.

Craig and James are here to get you pumped up for this week's MSP Summit and Channel Partners Leadership Summit. The first-of-its-kind of event will bring more than 100 sponsors and exhibitors together with the partner community. The guys will break it all down, from the education to the networking. Speaking of events, it's the return of the popular segment, "Where in the World is Edward Gately?" Our intrepid reporter checks in from the road to deliver big cybersecurity interview with Darktrace.

The Coffee with Craig and James podcast is back with a pair of big interviews. First up is Lynn Tinney, SVP of global partners at Zayo. The company has been making big strides in the channel as of late. She tackles industry trends and the company's recent M&A. Zayo has a message to share as it really bounces back in the channel. Then, James details his travels to Salt Lake City for the Telarus Partner Summit. He got a chance to sit down with co-founder Patrick Oborn to talk about how the constantly evolving industry is impacting partners. Of course, it wouldn't be a Channel Futures podcast without a preview of the upcoming MSP Summit. And Craig tortures James with a game of "Which would you rather." Will James choose to teach the channel to kids, or stand on his head? Live on a desert island only with work email? Develop a PowerPoint to convince the brass he's worth his salt?

The dog days of summer have arrived. So why not sit back with a cold glass of lemonade, and a Channel Futures podcast? We've got two of the biggest names in the channel -- Telarus and Cisco. Let's start with Telarus, whose summer got off to a hot start with the acquisition of TCG. What does this move hold for the future of tech distribution? James asked Telarus CEO Adam Edwards in a one-on-one interview. Then, James lands an interview with Cisco VP Alexandra Zagury. She describes how the company is going after the entire channel with a series of programs and new products. Where was Craig, you ask? On vacation. Or just passing the hard work off to James. Meantime, the guys will put a bow on the recently concluded Channel Partners Europe, Furthermore, they'll offer up a preview of the upcoming MSP Summit in Orlando. We just happen to be colocating it with the brand-new Channel Partners Leadership Summit. You'll learn about the event that has something for agents, VARs, MSPs and all partner types.

Craig and James beg for your forgiveness as the podcast has been on hiatus for a while. But with guests like Bluewave Technology Group and Vodia, like Die Hard 3, they are back with a vengeance. Well-known channel figures Curt Allen and Eric Brooker are new to Bluewave, but not the channel. These gents talk with the guys about the unique business model the company offers and the flood of investment money coming into the industry. Next up is Christian Stredicke, president and CEO of Vodia Networks. You might know him best as the founder of Snom. Stredicke will discuss WebRTC and other technologies impacting the IP PBX market. And it wouldn't be a podcast without a discussion of Channel Partners events. We'll have a preview of Channel Evolution Europe, less than two weeks away. Moreover, the MSP Summit in September will be here before we know it. And we're introducing the inaugural Channel Partners Leadership Summit that we are co-locating with the event. All that plus the 2022 MSP 501 reveal is almost here

The guys are back with their second pre-show edition of the podcast in the past five months. That's because the Channel Partners Conference & Expo is just a week away! Craig and James will break down some of the biggest can't-miss events of the show; plus, speaking of CP Expo, James will present an entertaining review of some beloved channel event stereotypes. The "attender vendor"? The "social butterfly?" The "sponge"? Then, the lineup of great guests continues. Craig and James talk to Ashley Rowland, founder of partner firm Adaptiv Advisors. She shares some tricks of the trade and explains why she started a second business -- one that trains fellow agents on, well, the tricks of the trade.

It's a "blockbuster" new episode of the Channel Futures podcast in more ways than one. This edition of Coffee with Craig and James focuses on the huge awards programs that Channel Futures offers. For instance, the massive MSP 501, the world's largest and most comprehensive survey of managed service providers worldwide. The application recently opened, and we've got everything you need to know to throw your hat into the ring. Furthermore, to help recognize the MSP 501, we pulled in Eric Kohl, VP of security and networking for Ingram Micro, sponsor of the program. He sits down with MSP 501 lead Allison Francis for an interview. Moreover, we released the 2022 Channel Futures Channel Influencers list since our last podcast. We'll break it down. Also, last but not least, we introduce you to the CP 101, an award for the agent community. All that, plus the return of the Coffee with Craig and James "Movie Night." The guys will take part in a movie-like trailer to promote the podcast that you won't want to miss.

Cable takes center stage in this episode as the guys sit down with the Spectrum Enterprise channel chief. Did you know how core cybersecurity is to Spectrum's business? Michelle Kadlacek, vice president and channel chief at Spectrum, shares a story about bailing out a school that had an issue with an "overachieving" student who decided to challenge its security defenses. We'll also look both backward and forward. Kadlacek describes some successes from last year and what partners can expect in 2022. Plus, the agenda for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo is taking shape; Craig and James look at the latest hot sessions added to the schedule. Finally, James takes Craig through a trivia contest involving channel news. (Let's hope he does well since he edits the Channel Futures website, after all.) We bet you'll learn something and be entertained at the same time.

The podcast is back for a new year! Craig and James are going even bigger with the guests this year. First up is Dave Dyson, CEO of Eclipse Telecom, one of the best-known agent businesses in the channel. Dyson, who never pulls punches, engages with the guys in a wide-ranging conversation. M&A? Check. Customer experience? Check? Even blockchain? You know it. He has some ideas on how all of those topics are impacting the channel and will in the years to come. Then there's Brian Gilman of IntelePeer. The company's chief marketing officer explains the increasing role of artificial intelligence in the contact center. And if you're not that familiar with the CPaaS acronym, he describes how IntelePeer recently landed in our list of "20 Top CPaaS Providers." Gilman also gets us up to speed on the latest happenings in the IntelePeer partner program. Plus, don't forget. The next Channel Partners Conference & Expo is just two-and-a-half months away. Craig and James tell you about a couple of things that are already

We're breaking out the Coffee with Craig and James stockings to celebrate the holidays! It's our final Channel Futures podcast of 2021, but we didn't skimp. James nabbed a big partner interview with Resourcive. This Mt. Vernon, New York-based company is working hard to employ military veterans. They also have a unique business model. While many companies are taking money from private equity firms, Resourcive actually provides services to them. But that's far from all. The guys will break down what's been an incredible year in the channel. Furthermore, you'll hear about some of the highlights at Channel Futures over the course of the year. And we wouldn't let you depart for your eggnog without a little holiday fun. James offers up some coal-based trivia (you read that right). And Craig dedicates a spin on a familiar song to his podcast co-host. We hope you enjoy and then return for more episodes of Coffee with Craig and James in 2022!

Thanksgiving is here and Craig and James have an aural feast for you! Just as good as turkey, am I right? First up is our latest edition of "Where in the World is Edward Gately?" Our intrepid reporter talks with industry analyst Jon Arnold about how rampant copper retirement is impacting the channel. Later in the show, James catches up with Jim Campbell, managing partner at Opkalla, an agent partner. Campbell describes what it was like to set up his business and offers advice to peers. All that plus Craig and James take a look back at the recently concluded Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Then, a look forward at next year's events. Finally, Craig challenges James to some channel trivia that goes back to his pre-teen years. Don't worry, he doesn't get embarrassed too badly.