Channel Partners Virtual 2021 Is the Hottest Ticket in Town
And that means any town, since it’s 100% online. Will you be there?
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Janet Schijns, our 2019 Channel Influencer of the Year, a Top 10 Women in Technology and CEO of JS Group, will kick things off by sharing her secrets for facing down the challenges in today’s channel. After a year in which many would like to hit CTRL-ALT-DEL, Schijns will inspire everyone to take control, alternate their approach and go on the warpath to compete. Attend this session to find out the results of JS Group’s year-long analysis of the difference between those channel organizations that will compete and win and those that will not.
Everyone loves a good debate, and this one will be outstanding. Jay McBain, our 2021 Channel Influencer of the Year and principal analyst at Forrester, will moderate a debate on whether or not marketplaces are even good for channel partners, much less key to their survival. Team Yes will be composed of George Leith, CCO and executive vice president of sales for Vendasta and Lincoln Lincoln, vice president and head of sales for CloudBlue. Serving as Team No will be Juan Fernandez, vice president of managed IT services for ImageNet Consulting, and Ryan Walsh, chief channel officer for Pax8.
AI is making smart devices intelligent and edge servers the center of mission-critical industrial applications. Stephen DiFranco, principal of IoT Advisory Group, explores how the next generation of IoT applications are opening opportunities for partners to launch AI practices to transform their customers’ business models. Find out why today’s MSP models will be the channel model for IoT and AI.
With a tip of the hat to all you Elvis fans, Nancy Sabino, CEO and co-founder of SabinoCompTech (you may recognize that name from the MSP 501) explains why the stars are aligned in 2021 and pointing to monthly renewable revenue (MRR). During the pandemic, partners already operating on MRR business models were able to better predict their outcome and needs. This motivated many transactional partners to start looking at their current business models for fear of being left behind. The timing couldn’t be better, given the maturing MSP market, competition and the XaaS movement.
Although the buying process has in some ways returned to normal, Ali Niroo, founding partner of CNSG, said his company and its partners still live in a virtual world. For Niroo, video meetings can’t replace the value he found in face-to-face interaction. He said you can never underestimate the conversations that you have with suppliers and customers in the elevator or parking lot after a meeting.
“When you’re there onsite, you can detect a little bit more of body language and things of that nature,” Niroo said.
What would a Channel Partners Conference be without some networking? We close out Day 1 with a display of Alexander Boyce’s unique skills as a magician. Boyce combines sophisticated magic with a millennial twist. His virtual show is designed to create memorable moments that will be talked about for years to come. Join him and your fellow Channel Partners attendees for an entertaining, interactive and comical magic show unlike any you’ve seen before! And the show is interactive, so be sure to have a deck of cards on hard to be able to participate. Hosted by Iron Mountain Data Centers.
Our second day starts with Pat Watkins, vice president, IoT and channel sales for T-Mobile. She’ll discuss the 5G revolution and the huge role channel partners will play in the adoption of this technology for customers of all sizes. The foundation of the 5G network has been set and the opportunity for the channel is now!
The second day, the second debate. This time, Craig Galbraith, content director for Channel Partners, leads a panel of experts discussing the pressing issues surrounding the adoption of 5G. A slower-than-anticipated rollout of 5G and some of the challenges around it have some questioning just how urgent it is for the channel to get on board. Is the time for 5G in the channel now or sometime in the future? Ian Khan, founder and CEO of Futuracy, Nermin Mohammed, head of telecommunications solutions for Wind River, Max Silber, vice president of mobility and IoT for MetTel, and Phillip Walker, customer advocate leader for Network Solutions Provider will offer their insights.
Join Kris Blackmon, chief channel officer for JS Group, Bobby DeMarzo, head of content for Channel Partners, Kelli McMillan, channel sales manager and partner advocate for Five9, and Mayka Rosales-Peterson, channel strategy manager for Telesystem, for the second Channel Partners Conference networking event. This one is all about organizations dedicated to stepping up and speaking up. You will be introduced to some of the organizations that are leading D&I awareness and change within the channel. Representatives from the Allies of the Channel Council, the Xposure Inclusion & Diversity Council and the Alliance of Channel Women will be discussing their guiding missions, joint collaborations and ways you can get involved. Already a member? Then join us for virtual coffee and networking!
Last year, Forrester estimated that organizations spent $15 billion per week on technologies to move to the cloud and adapt to remote work. Customers want an integrated communications stack across the office and the contact center to create more seamless, personalized experiences and to benefit from deep analytics, AI and other innovations. John DeLozier, senior vice president and global channel chief for 8×8 and last year’s Channel Influencer of the Year, examines how this desire makes moving business communications to the cloud one of the largest SaaS market opportunities for the channel.
The world has changed dramatically and quickly over the past year, disrupting the entire MSP community. Leaders of the Channel Futures MSP 501 had to rewrite their go-to-market strategies, accelerate cloud adoption and respond to customer needs in innovative ways. The result was a fundamental change in business models and practices. MSPs and channel vendors alike now want to get a feel for what’s coming next. In this session, Allison Francis, editor for Channel Partners and Channel Futures, joins Tom Bowles, president of Alltek Services, and Joe McCartney, founder and CEO of Pioneer-360, to discuss the critical issues they are facing, their plans for accelerating growth and what the future holds for their customers and partners.
Day 2 ends with a trifecta of awards ceremonies. Allison Francis and Craig Galbraith will take the lead in Celebrating the NextGen 101 Awards, an MSP 501 List. Meanwhile, Bobby DeMarzo of Channel Partners and Amy Bailey of Telarus will host Channel Partners Circle of Excellence — 2020 in Review. And somehow Craig Galbraith will also be appearing with James Anderson, editor at Channel Partners, to present the Channel Partners Excellence in Digital Services Awards.
Conversations between channel partners and their strategic suppliers need to include the topic of financial performance and expectations. In this session, Tracy Pound, managing director of Maximity Ltd., will explore why vendors and partners need to understand what fear-based decisions look like and how to avoid them, especially around short-term financials. Business leaders need to improve their financial acuity so they can learn how to spot the signs when quality is being sacrificed for cost and how to buck trends that can damage the business and customer relationships. For channel vendors and partners alike, it is time to get over it.
Each year, the editors of Channel Partners and Channel Futures select an extraordinary group of senior leaders who, by their words and actions, are moving the channel forward. In this session, Bobby DeMarzo, head of content for Channel Partners, introduces us to three of this year’s influencers — Scott Barlow, vice president of global MSP for Sophos; Heather Murray, vice president of transformation and customer journey for Tech Data; and Jay McBain, principal analyst for Forrester and the 2021 Channel Influencer of the Year. They will share their thoughts on what makes them so influential and what the future holds for technology suppliers, MSPs, agents and service providers of all sizes. This session is a don’t-miss, offering insights that could change the course of your business.
In today’s economy, it’s crucial to have a full understanding of how the economy, the market, and your investments (such as a 401k) work together to provide financial security. In this collaborative session, Will Huston and Ekenna Anya-Gafu of Bay Street Capital Holdings will provide an overview of recent market events while contextualizing the current environment with historical perspectives that may offer insights into how HR fiduciaries should responsibly navigate the volatility.
The managed services market is going through unprecedented changes as MSPs prepare for life in a post-pandemic world. Undoubtedly, some pandemic-related revenue gains will subside, and SMB customers will struggle with economic blows to that sector. This is the time to assess the business, employee skill sets, strategic partnerships and the competitive landscape and plot a strategy that will sustain the business and enable it to grow. Bobby DeMarzo, head of content for Channel Partners, joins with Gary Pica, president of TruMethods, and Chris Wiser, CEO of 7 Figure MSP, to provide insights on building successful businesses and working with large networks of channel leaders.
You may have thought you had a grip on digital transformation going into 2020, but it’s nothing compared to what you have to adjust to now. Everything has changed, from customer needs and measuring customer experience to vendor sales pitches and what partners actually need from providers. Just to prove that there are no hard feelings, we’ve invited Kris Blackmon — our former senior editor and now chief channel officer for JS Group — to talk about what is different and what has stayed the same, albeit with a few tweaks.
For our Channel Partners Virtual 2021 finale, Chicago’s funniest comedy talent, The Second City, is providing a fun-filled event. You can even join them in creating a singular online experience, as your suggestions will influence every aspect of this interactive, playful, hilarious performance. Be sure to get in on the laughs!
For our Channel Partners Virtual 2021 finale, Chicago’s funniest comedy talent, The Second City, is providing a fun-filled event. You can even join them in creating a singular online experience, as your suggestions will influence every aspect of this interactive, playful, hilarious performance. Be sure to get in on the laughs!
Channel Partners Virtual 2021, March 2-4, is the hottest ticket in town. The 100% online channel event will most definitely bring March in like a lion — with a roar. March Madness pales in comparison.
For nearly 25 years, Channel Partners has been the leader in bringing together the best of the best and enabling the channel to build relationships, showcase top solutions and stay up to date on the latest trends.
While 2020 may have been a disruptive year, Channel Partners Virtual 2021 aims to help partners persevere, overcome and progress.
From keynotes and a virtual expo to awards and educational sessions, #CPVirtual will include some familiar features, plus plenty of new and exciting elements as well. There’s even a special online improv performance by The Second City.
We’ll also announce some exciting new initiatives you’ll want to know about. And, of course, there will be some teasers about our Homecoming event this fall, Nov. 1-4, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
If you haven’t registered yet for this don’t-miss event, do it now!
Can’t wait until everything starts on Tuesday? Take a look through the slideshow above for details on some of the outstanding sessions we have in store.
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