Images: Channel Convenes at C3 Tech Summit

C3 TECH SUMMIT — IT professionals gathered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this week for conversations about AI, customer experience (CX) and tech leadership.

C3 Technology Advisors hosted its annual C3 Tech Summit, bringing together a group of clients and supplier partners. With more than 500 attendees, the event is arguably the largest conference run by a company like C3. And that category is technology advisors, who guide business customers through IT and telecom purchasing decisions with a variety of service and software vendors.

"You're in this era of hyper change now right now, and it's one of the reasons why I think a partner like us, exists to help you make sense of this era," C3 founder and president Matthew Toth told customers.

C3's Matthew Toth

C3, founded in 2008, has organically built one of the largest customer bases in its market — more than 1,000 businesses like Bissell and Penske. Ian Kieninger, CEO of Avant Communications (which functions as a distributor for C3), credited C3's strong referral base. In addition, he praised C3's local-based go-to-market approach.

"Many TAs are very scattered in a shotgun approach. Matthew has been very disciplined in saying, 'I'm gonna own my backyard, and then we're going to keep growing and creeping out from there without extending too far.' I think that focus is something that is a strength of theirs, and also why they're able to get so many people together," Kieninger said.

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Due to the local approach, many of the clients in the room already know each other, Kieninger said.

"They bring them together in a room, and there's a ton of collaboration. That collaboration continues to compound. People want to be a part of this trusted advisor movement that Matthew and [director of operations] Taylor [Vossler] and team have been driving here in western Michigan and beyond. It's contagious, and it's one of the only events of its kind where people are talking about where technology is going, without a ton of big brand vendor bias. It's a neutral-led conference around technology and how to help decision makers advance their careers, make better decisions for their businesses and build relationships with everyone in his ecosystem," Kieninger said.

C3 introduced its new platform at the conference and hosted a variety of panels.

See the slideshow above for images and highlights from the event.