10 Lessons from 7 Channel Champions - CJ181

Host Rob Spee shares a tribute to 7 years of Channel Journeys with powerful clips from ten prior guests on this last episode as Rob transitions to Bold Journeys.

Seven years ago, in December 2018, I launched Channel Journeys, on a mission to explore the stories behind the partnerships and partner leaders who shape our industry. My goal was to help all of us become better partnering professionals. Over the past 7 years, I’ve had so many incredible guests who’ve shared so much channel wisdom. This episode is a tribute to all of my guests who’ve joined me over the past 180 episodes. It’s a celebration of the voices that made this journey unforgettable. 

I enjoyed meeting all of my guests. And what I found getting to know them was often something deeper than their channel story. I heard stories of grit, grace, and transformation. And that’s where I’m being pulled, to dig more into those stories of perseverance, endurance and coming out of failure and challenges stronger than ever.  

Today, as I prepare to launch Bold Journeys, I want to pause and say thank you. Thank you to the guests who shared their wins and losses, challenges and successes. And thank you to all of you listeners who’ve joined me on this awesome journey.  

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Here are the top 10 lessons from the distinguished guests featured in this episode:

1. Visionary Ecosystems – Jay McBain : Jay highlights the shift from transactional partnerships to transformational ecosystems. His insights remind us that modern channel programs are comprehensive ecosystems accommodating a diverse array of partnerships.

2. Agile Collaboration – Rich Blakeman : Rich’s metaphor of ‘seagull behavior’ in sales emphasizes the need to embrace a hybrid approach. Collaborating with partners is essential to overcoming classic sales challenges.

3. Relational Leadership – Theresa Caragol : Theresa’s belief in the exponential growth factor through trust and internal cultural transformation reshapes our approach to partnership growth.

4. Cultural Alignment – Timm Hoyt : Tim emphasizes the importance of aligning leadership around a shared vision before executing the mission. This cultural foundation drives successful channel outcomes.

5. Strategic Reinvention – Rajnikant Gupta : Raj teaches us that reinvention in channel strategy isn’t failure, but faith in motion. Building mind share and heart share within enterprises is essential.

6. Embracing Change – Louise McEvoy : Louise shows us how courageously embracing change leads to growth and innovation. Her insights inspire leaders to face risks head-on and learn from experiences.

7. Coachability – Bart Fanelli : Bart reminds us that being coachable is key to effective leadership. Collaboration and openness to learning facilitate stronger team dynamics.

8. Ecosystem Leadership – Janet Schijns : Janet stresses targeting future-oriented connections to influence tomorrow’s behaviors, encouraging leaders to look beyond traditional networks.

9. AI Leadership – Noelle Russell (Microsoft MVP, AI): Noel emphasizes the modern leader’s role in managing AI systems, highlighting clarity in communication and results-driven strategies in AI adoption.

10. Empowering Partners – Jessica Baker : Jessica showcases how empowering partners with knowledge in AI and prompting skills enhances loyalty and trust, enriching partnership dynamics.

Thank you for being a part of this journey and for contributing to its success. As we transition to Bold Journeys, we hope to delve into deeper stories of grit, adventure, and faith, drawing on all the invaluable lessons learned here. Until next time, be bold and have a great channel journey!