Sarah Marsh, Advocate for Agent, VAR Programs, Leaving Verizon

Sarah Marsh, a 16-year Verizon alumna and a key figure in the carrier’s partner strategy, is moving to a new opportunity.

Verizon’s director of channel strategy and sales enablement told Channel Futures that she is leaving the company. During her tenure, Verizon expanded partners’ product portfolios and tackled channel conflict.

Verizon’s Sarah Marsh

“I’m incredibly passionate about the channel and unlocking the full potential of partnerships. I spent a lot of time educating leaders across the business, from product to finance to sales, on the unique capabilities, distribution and value our partners can provide both customers and our business,” Marsh said.

Marsh has been working in channel leadership for the last seven years at Verizon. Among her accomplishments is the launching of a two-tier agent channel for wireless in 2019. This program lets partners sell both wireless and wireline offerings, Marsh said.

Marsh from 2016-2020 led Verizon Business’ mobility channels, overseeing sales, operations, strategy and enablement. The company relaunched its distribution channel, which it now refers to as its Mobility Co-Sell Program. Marsh said the program grew 480% under her oversight and now represents Verizon’s largest channel program.

“I’m very grateful that I had such a unique opportunity to lead a ‘startup’ within such a large organization. Verizon enabled me to innovate, build and launch new programs and routes to market.”

Most recently Marsh oversaw Verizon’s internal partner roadshow, which emphasized collaboration between elite VAR partners and Verizon sales teams. This Elite VAR program came out of the Mobility Co-Sell Program.

Marsh joined Verizon as an account executive in 2006. She served in various sales teams serving different business customer segments. She made the company’s President Cabinet three times.

Evolving Verizon Partner Strategy

Marsh said 16 different Verizon channel programs have consolidated over the last two years. At the same time, Verizon launched the Verizon Partner Network as the flagship brand of its channel. She said Verizon’s partner ecosystem includes more than 5,000 companies, including distributors, resellers, systems integrators and agents.

Verizon in this time has also expanded MDF and introduced more partner enablement tools. In addition, the carrier launched a partner advisory council.

Marsh said indirect sales have risen in priority for the larger Verizon business organization.

“Verizon was historically a direct-centric company, but channel provides immense opportunities to reach more customers how and where they want to buy,” Marsh told Channel Futures. “It’s exciting to see the investments and the commitment to channel increase over the last several years. Channel is here to stay at Verizon, and I’m proud that I was able to be a part of that.”

Marsh also serves on the Channel Futures DE&I Advisory Board.