National Women’s History Month: Channel Women on Getting Good Advice
Not all advice is good advice. But here is some of the best for women working in the channel.
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Kelly Danziger
General Manager & Vice President of Channel
Informa Tech
The channel is all about relationships. Take the time to participate while at industry events and get to know key members of the community. The channel is very welcoming and everyone is willing to make introductions to someone you may not know. People tend to never leave the channel but will move from company to company which will help extend your relationships with different organizations and community members.
Hilary Gadda
Co-Founder
Alliance of Channel Women
Say “yes” to opportunities that come your way whether it is a project, promotion, speaking opportunity or an exciting new role.
Sarah Marsh
Director, Partner Channels
Workday
Be where your feet are – both personally and professionally. Instead of multitasking your way through calls, be intentional with your time and really show up. And at home, put down your phone and ask your child about his or her day. Ask questions and make every moment count. Time is your most precious resource.
Jasmina Muller
Vice President, Global Channel Sales
ScienceLogic
That’s an easy one: Be yourself, stay true to yourself, be honest and be an advocate. Create a partnership that is mutually beneficial for both sides, that will succeed for both. Never take advantage of your partnerships, because we all take care of one another for the common good.
Darcee Nelan
CEO
IQ Wired
Being in the channel means you are playing the long game. That means you take small, necessary steps to set yourself up for success by staying ahead of the curve. You must enjoy continuous learning and be prepared for constant change. The channel is a very collaborative industry where everyone knows everyone, and your word must be your bond. Be authentic and take care yourself of your customers. The rest will take care of itself.
Michelle Ragusa-McBain
Provider Elevate, Leader for the Global Partner Organization
Cisco
Always be a “go giver” with no expectations. You never know when it will pay itself back.
Mayka Rosales-Peterson
Senior Manager, Partner Marketing
Intelisys
The channel is a special place that is closely linked by professional relationships.
Work very hard, be a good person and guard your reputation as much as you can because any negative experience with you will definitely get around.
Heather Tenuto
Chief Revenue Officer
Zift Solutions
My boss once told me that my lack of financial acumen was holding me back, and he was right. Channel is about relationships, sure. But it’s mostly about creating the most efficient go to market path for your company. Understanding and then improving the return on channel investments is the way to create partnering success and achieve a leadership position in your organization.
Heather Tenuto
Chief Revenue Officer
Zift Solutions
My boss once told me that my lack of financial acumen was holding me back, and he was right. Channel is about relationships, sure. But it’s mostly about creating the most efficient go to market path for your company. Understanding and then improving the return on channel investments is the way to create partnering success and achieve a leadership position in your organization.
Advice is easy to come by; good advice is a rare commodity. The right advice given at the right time can change the course of a life.
When we asked women in the communications and IT channel about the best advice they’d ever received, they presented us with a surprising range of answers. And to us, all of it looked sounded like good advice, indeed.
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We asked, “What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about working in the channel?” Scroll through the slideshow above to see how channel women responded.
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