Channel Maven Relaunches as Part of Channel360 Ecosystem

When the new 360insights |Ecosystems debuts next month, it will highlight the relaunch of the Channel Maven agency as a strategic partner.

360insights is initiating their new ecosystem next month under the banner 360insights | Ecosystems. The debut of the ecosystem will highlight the relaunch of Channel Maven in the role of strategic partner. Founded in 2009 by Heather K. Margolis as a channel marketing and engagement agency, Channel Maven was acquired by 360insights in November 2021. The goal of the acquisition was to bolster 360insights’ data-driven capabilities in the areas of channel engagement and marketing, the company’s founder and CEO, Jason Atkins, said at the time.

Channel Maven became a new division of 360insights and Margolis stepped into the role of senior vice president of marketing for the firm. Now, two and one-half years later, Margolis is reclaiming the Channel Maven name and relaunching the business as an enablement and marketing consulting, coaching, training and advisory practice.

“Our overarching strategy at 360insights involves constructing a business framework centered on partnerships,” Atkins said. “Under the banner 360insights | Ecosystems we will be establishing a vibrant solution provider community where we offer opportunities for partnerships with our clients while they, in turn, introduce us to new clients and deliver services utilizing our platform.

“Heather, being an entrepreneur in this space for over 20 years and having been a member of our team who understands our strategy, is well poised to step into our ecosystem on day one.”

For Margolis, the move is “bittersweet.” She explained that “360insights has been such an amazing experience — the culture, the team and just the way people work together.” But while she enjoyed working with her team on 360insights’ marketing, she missed her first love: consulting.

Channel Maven's Heather Margolis

“The stuff that I love, the stuff that really gets me excited and waking up at 5:00 in the morning wanting to work is helping people figure out their ecosystem,” she said. “I like helping people transform their channel, their marketing ecosystem, their communications with partners and demand-gen with partners.”

Margolis is excited about the opportunity to relaunch Channel Maven and to “focus on advisory services and consulting projects around channel marketing and channel enablement.” She is also looking forward to moving into an area new to her, executive coaching.

“In the last year and a half, I have been working with a lot of channel chiefs who have been laid off and are trying to find their next gig,” she said. “There is truly an art in getting a new role. It used to be they just submitted their name and got a call back. That’s not the case anymore.

“There’s a lot that needs to be done, such as customizing the resume for every single role they go after. There has to be networking both online and in person. They have to build their brand so that they stand out and stand apart as the best person for the available role.”

As a strategic partner in the 360insights ecosystem, Channel Maven will take on consultative advisory engagements, advising on strategy, educating, coaching and more. The legacy agency team, now called 360insights Channel Marketing, will continue to handle what Margolis calls “agency-like” engagements such as creating content and doing promotions.

“I’m thrilled to lead Channel Maven into this new chapter of growth and innovation,” Margolis said. “Our expanded services will empower channel/ecosystem/partnership professionals and their partners to navigate the ever-changing landscape of channel marketing, enablement and effective co-selling. I could not be more thrilled to partner with 360insights from this vantage point and be able to continue to work side by side with this amazing team, now as a partner.”