Channel Partners Online

We're not sure we could've packed any more channel goodness into this episode of the podcast. It's the pre-show edition as we put the final touches on the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. First up, we hear from one of the speakers at the show, John Iannarelli, retired FBI special agent. He's going to take us inside the mind of a cybercriminal. Furthermore, he'll offer tips to business and partners on how to protect themselves. Next, we follow that up with a "lightning round" that runs down every keynote and conference session you won't want to miss. Then we roll James' interview with Ian Keininger, Avant CEO and co-founder. He talks about numerous trends in the agent channel and offers advice to partners looking to grow their businesses. The team at Coffee with Craig & James can't wait to see you in Las Vegas, Nov. 1-4.

It's been a busy few weeks for Craig and James who are prepping for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. As usual, CP Expo is front and center on their podcast agenda. The guys outline some of the big sessions you won't want to miss. But the guests once again bring the heat. Father and son team Ted and Jake Schuman of PlanetOne describe a new tool for partners that they say is revolutionizing the channel. Then we'll hear from Mobolaji Sokunbi of Dell Expert Network. He'll dive into trends his partner community is seeing and give us the nitty-gritty of what's happening at the tech giant. The company is also a sponsor of our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Channel Futures. Sokunbi will explain why DE&I is such a priority for Dell.

Craig and James are back with a vengeance after a bit of a summer vacation. And they return with some powerhouse guests. First up is Dave Young, new channel chief at Lumen. He talks about how partners might be impacted by the company's huge ILEC sale. It was one of the biggest news stories of the summer. You'll also get insight into new initiatives in the Lumen channel program and other aspects of the business he's taking on. Then we'll stay in the agent channel by talking to a couple of partners to get their perspectives on a number of issues. Want to spin up a contact center practice? Kathleen Waters, founder and CEO of Creekview Group, and David Wright, founder and CEO of Disruptive Innovations, have some advice. We'll also ask them how business has changed for partners in the past year. Furthermore, it wouldn't be an episode of Coffee with Craig and James without mentioning CP Expo. Co-located with the new MSP Summit, we're announcing a series of celebrity guests at the Channel Partners Conference & Ex

A couple of more great guests as Telarus CEO Adam Edwards and Marc Monday of Citrix join the show. First up is Edwards. Craig was on the road at the Telarus Partner Summit last week, catching up with him at one of the channel's biggest live events since the pandemic began. We discuss the growth of the service distributor's partners over the past year and planning the Summit during the pandemic. Also, we feel better about Mondays now after our interview with Marc Monday! In a fun chat, he covers everything from softball questions about coffee to some hardballs about perceived channel conflict at the software company. We'll also learn about the evolution of the desktop to the workspace. Craig and James also preview the upcoming MSP Summit, which we are collocating with the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. Moreover, they make a plea to the channel so COVID-19 restrictions at future channel events will remain at a minimum.

Channel Futures is getting ready to release its first-ever DE&I 101 list. So it seemed like a great time to catch up with two people who are driving diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the channel. Kelli McMillan of Five9 and Jamaal Savwoir of 8x8, founding members of the Xposure Diversity & Inclusion Council join the show. They discuss the group's new membership drive and tackle the controversy surrounding the term "master agent." Also joining the guys is the team from Jenne, the value-added distributor. The company's VP of vendor management and director of cloud solutions talk about Jenne's important Avaya relationship. They also discuss what it's like to serve both the traditional IT and telecom channels. Furthermore, Craig and James will get you caught up on the latest Channel Partners Conference & Expo prep. Plus, with a "space" theme, we've got a podcast that's out of this world.

We couldn't be more excited for this edition of the Coffee with Craig and James podcast. We're celebrating our 100th episode! We're notching episode No. 100 with a pair of huge channel guests. First up is Chris Jones, chief revenue officer at Fuze, the enterprise cloud communications and collaboration provider. Jones discusses his company's new partner-first initiative. He also touches on how Fuze goes to battle in the competitive UCaaS industry. Then, Joyce Mullen, a channel legend from her days with Dell's channel, joins the show. Now president of Insight North America, she reflects on her company landing the top spot on the 2021 MSP 501 list. Mullen also tackles the partner opportunity as "as a service" takes off in the industry. Speaking of guests, Craig and James have some cameos from the entertainment world wishing them well on their milestone. All that, plus the latest on the fast-growing agenda for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo and collocated MSP Summit.

Craig got a little summer R&R, meaning a bit longer of a break than usual between podcasts. But we think it'll be worth the wait. First up is Ken Presti, the stats guru at Avant Analytics. He's out with a new report that takes a deep dive into contact center as a service. Presti uncovered some interesting trends that partners should know before their next customer conversation. Then we hear from Jon Groves, CEO of Logicalis, the IT service provider. He offers insight into what it's like to become chief executive of a tech company the same month that a pandemic breaks out. He'll also dive into important industry trends impacting our managed service provider friends. Speaking of MSPs, Channel Futures released our annual MSP 501 list since we last spoke. We'll break it down. And the agenda is starting to take shape for the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in November. We promise a great lineup for the channel's biggest in-person bash in two years. Finally, we'll tell you what's coming next time in our 100t

Craig and James return with another podcast for the ages! It all starts with some "cloudification" featuring Tony Safoian of SADA. The company's president and CEO talks about the cloud wars and what it's like to be exclusive to Google. Furthermore, he explains why Google's third-place position among hyperscalers is nothing to shake a stick at. Later, Vince Menzione, founder of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering, shares his methodologies around good business partnerships. He'll offer some significant takeaways for both the partner and vendor audience. That, plus the guys dig into what's become an internet phenomenon--the "Florida Man" craze.

Gavriella Schuster of Microsoft. Michelle McBain of JS Group. Need we say more? These two powerhouses join Craig and James to preview the upcoming Channel Futures workshop on DE&I. We're hosting the event in coordination with the Alliance of Channel Women and the Allies of the Channel Council. Diversity, equity and inclusion are hugely important to these ladies who will share their DE&I experiences in technology. They're also supremely qualified to discuss the topic, as they are participating in our June 8 workshop. The 97th episode of Coffee with Craig and James touches on a topic that's critical to the future success of the channel.

The number of powerhouse guests wanting time with Craig and James on their podcast is growing rapidly. We're almost as surprised as you are! In this episode, the guys welcome Tech Data SVP of marketing Catherine Solazzo to the show. Just a little more than a month on the job, this is the IBM vet's first big channel interview. Solazzo talks about the differences in marketing for a distribution giant and a traditional hardware behemoth. She also offers advice for partner firms that are struggling with their marketing efforts. Of course, we wouldn't let her get away without asking her about the company's pending merger with Synnex. She discusses marketing's typical role when two big companies come together. Then David Nour, CEO of the Nour Group, chats with the guys about business relationships. The author and executive coach explains what partners can do to improve their relationships internally, and with vendors and other partners. Finally, 2021 seems to be the year of the conspiracy theory. So for a litt

The Channel Futures MSP 501 application deadline is just days away, so we've dedicated this podcast to our prestigious awards. First, the guys welcome Craig Weir, director, global cybersecurity, Ingram Micro Cloud. He'll get Craig and James caught up on the latest security trends and what's new with Ingram's channel. Ingram is a proud sponsor of the Channel Futures MSP 501 and of this episode of the podcast. Also on the show is Paco Lebron, CEO of ProdigyTeks, No. 4 on last year's MSP 501 list. He talks with Channel Futures MSP 501 editor Allison Francis about M&A and other trends impacting MSPs. Finally, the guys take a creative approach to ranking technologies in the channel. Ever wonder what order they would be selected if part of a sports draft?

The guys are breaking news on this week's podcast. Nadir Merchant, general manager of IT Glue, joins the fray to discuss the Kaseya company's just-announced acquisition of TruMethods. Merchant will explain how the tie-up will make MSPs more effective and efficient. Also on the show is Buffy Naylor, managing editor of Channel Futures. She's also the manager of Channel Futures' new diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) community. Buffy will talk about our DE&I efforts, which include an upcoming channel workshop on June 8 and a DE&I 101 list of influencers in the channel. All that, plus it's Craig who heads to the game lab this time. He'll challenge James to identify some quirky Guinness Book record setters.

Craig and James welcome well-known industry insider Tiffani Bova of Salesforce to the podcast. Bova, the global growth and innovation evangelist for the company, predicts what the "new normal" will look like for channel partners. She also discusses important business trends for the near future. Furthermore, Bova offers an interesting take on diversity, equity and inclusion in business. Also on the show is Jolene Langford, owner of Athenium Technology Group, a telecom and cloud agency. She gives us some insight into how she and her fellow agents are faring. One question she raised got our interest: "Are channel managers reaching out less than they did before?" We'll explore. Plus, the battles she has faced as a woman in technology. Beyond our two rockstar guests, it's round three of our generational clash. Can James represent millennials well and tie things up with Craig? Or will a clip from "Murder, She Wrote" be his downfall? The guys tackle TV shows in this edition of their pop culture face-off.

The guys are psyched for another pair of great guests. First up is Rick Ribas, new channel chief at Fusion Connect. He tells our Edward Gately about his plans for Fusion's channel and where his company's fits with both UCaaS and SD-WAN. Then, M&A expert Seth Penland of Evergreen Technology Partners takes Craig and James on a deep dive into recent channel mergers and acquisitions. He offers some insider knowledge into how the M&A frenzy among master agents is impacting these companies as well as their subagents. Plus, have you heard? Channel Futures and Channel Partners Online are now one! Craig and James will highlight some of the content you'll want to check out. And far from done, James wanders into the Coffee with Craig and James "game lab" and convinces Craig to play a game of Channel Mad Libs. Oh yeah, we're going there. Finally, it's a long-ish edition of the podcast, but you won't want to drop off early. The guys will welcome a special guest to close things out.

The guys are feeling the love as the Channel Futures and Channel Partners Online websites prepare to come together. Convergence, y'all! The 91st episode of the podcast is dedicated to the 2021 Channel Futures MSP 501. We're now taking applications for this prestigious list of managed service providers from around the world. We'll hear from MSP 501 editor Allison Francis about what goes into the ranking and how you can get your partner business listed. Also on the show is Karl Fahrbach, chief partner officer with SAP. He'll talk about how the company's channel is evolving. He'll also respond to a recent challenge from Oracle which claims to be stealing its ERP share. Plus, we're already looking ahead to CP Expo Homecoming, Nov. 1-4, in Las Vegas. And Craig and James celebrate their entry onto a variety of new podcast platforms. That includes one in Sweden. Who knew the guys were big in Scandinavia?

Craig and James are here just in the nick of time to get you fired up for Channel Partners Virtual 2021! As day one of the event gets underway, the guys welcome Janet Schijns and Meredith Caram into the coffeehouse. Schijns, CEO of channel consultancy JS Group, was instrumental in helping with the content lineup at CPV. Caram just signed on with Schijns as her new chief revenue officer. The pair will discuss hot business trends, preview CP Virtual and explain how longtime Verizon and AT&T rivals can work together! In conjunction with Channel Partners Virtual, Craig and James break down a slew of important announcements from Channel Partners/Channel Futures. It's all breaking news around channel convergence, diversity and inclusion and a new live event for MSPs.

In this edition of the podcast, the guys recognize Channel Partners/Channel Futures Influencer of the Year, Jay McBain. The CP/CF editorial team named McBain its Influencer of the Year in their annual digital issue, released this week. Alongside McBain are nine more channel influencers who had a big 2020, and are poised for greatness in 2021. In the interview, McBain, the Forrester analyst, talks about his impact helping to guide partners through a difficult year. He also touches on his recently published channel trends for 2021 and the marketplaces debate he will host at Channel Partners Virtual. Speaking of influence, the team at Telesystem has a whole lot of it in the new year. Bruce Wirt and Mayka Rosales-Peterson join the podcast to talk about their new podcast centered around leadership topics. They're also taking big strides to promote diversity and inclusion at their company, providing an example for other channel businesses. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Channel Partners Virtual is just two weeks

With Channel Partners Virtual just a month away, the guys are gearing up for an event packed with great speakers. One of those speakers is Erick Simpson, founder and chief strategist at ErickSimpson.com. Simpson will preview his presentation on setting up a business plan, which is even more critical as we start to emerge from the pandemic. He'll offer up a few tips to get your partner business on the right track. Also on the show is Matthew Toth, who leads C3 Technology Advisors. Toth has a partner's perspective on some of the hottest technologies, including UCaaS, SD-WAN and security. He'll also get inside the head of the customer and share his experiences from those conversations. All of that, plus Craig and James engage in a "generational clash" to prove which is stronger -- Gen X or Gen Y.

It's 2021, and the podcast is back with a couple of powerhouse guests. First up is Bob DeMarzo, new content lead for events and media at Channel Partners and Channel Futures. He talks with the guys about some of his goals in his new gig; plus, all three gents discuss what they think is coming for the channel in the new year. Then, it spawned from a mission to protect telco agents getting shut out of rural health care deals. Now, organizers want it to blossom into a full-blown regulatory watchdog group for the agent community. Bill Power of the Alliance Partners and Darcee Nelan of IQ Wired explain the importance of the new Technology Channel Sales Professionals organization. You'll want to find out how you can get involved in this budding industry association. All that, plus the guys dig into what they're looking forward in the new year; particularly what's around the corner at Channel Partners Virtual and this fall's live, in-person "Homecoming" channel event.

It's a new era for the Channel Partners podcast. We just got an infusion of youth, as news editor and resident millennial James Anderson jumps into the co-hosting chair. He replaces Gen X'er Kevin Morris, who recently moved on to start his own partner business. You get to meet James and learn about his goals for the podcast going forward. Of course, one thing remains the same -- our affinity for great guests. In this episode, we welcome Zane Long, channel chief at RingCentral. The cloud-based communication and collaboration provider has been on of the channel's biggest newsmakers in the past year. You'll hear about how RingCentral's bevy of new industry partnerships are paying off big for its channel partners. The podcast also is committed to bringing more of the partner voice to our loyal "casties." To wit, you'll hear from Ben Niernberg, executive vice president of MNJ Technologies. Niernberg, who has expertise in SD-WAN, shares tips on what customers want--and how you can best approach them about a sa