B2B Tech Marketing Talks

8. Channel Strategy with Harald Horgen (The York Group)

The theme of our eighth podcast episode is Channel Strategy. Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things channel strategy is Harald Horgen, Founder of The York Group.
Summary
In this conversation, Harald Horgen discusses his background in channel development and the evolution of the channel business model. He highlights the importance of cultural transformation in channel strategy and the challenges of navigating different business models in the channel. Horgen emphasizes the risk and reward of channel partnerships and the need for strategic alignment between vendors and partners. He also explores the concept of opportunity versus risk in channel relationships. He highlights the rapid and radical changes that can occur in the channel, as well as the importance of strategic partnerships.
Key Takeaways
- Channel partners are often reluctant to take on the risk of promoting new products, as it can disrupt their existing business models and relationships.
- Understanding the different business models in the channel is essential for vendors to identify the most suitable partners for their products.
- Opportunity and risk are inherent in channel partnerships, and vendors must provide support and value to their partners to mitigate risk and foster success. Channel partners are expected to create value for their vendors, but they are at risk of being replaced or marginalized.
- Recent events have shown that changes in the channel can be swift and radical, highlighting the risks that channel partners carry. ISVs should be cautious of opportunistic channel partners who may only be interested in a single opportunity.
- Analyzing partner performance is crucial for ISVs to identify and address non-performing partners.
- Developing strategic partnerships requires designated salespeople, activities-based marketing plans, and becoming an important part of the partner's business.
About Harald Horgen
Harald Horgen is an acknowledged expert on the challenges of building a successful international channel for technology products.
As the President and founder of The York Group, an international business development organization with partners across all major geographies, Harald has been opening new markets for his clients since 1993.  He has been personally involved in setting up channels in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. He has worked with clients of all sizes, from small start-ups to industry giants such as Microsoft, Symantec, HP and Dell. 
His clients have come from more than 20 countries, including the U.S., Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and India. A native and citizen of Norway, Harald attended high school in Canada, business school in Oslo and graduate school in Arizona.   
Fluent in English, Norwegian and French, he lived in France for 14 years, which by itself makes him an expert on overcoming cultural challenges! This is often a make-or-break strategy for companies as they expand beyond their domestic markets, and as is often the case, the difference between success and failure usually comes down to understanding a few basic principles that drive the business model.
Connect with Harald on LinkedIn.
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

7. Market Development Funds (MDF) with Liliana Grisales (Schneider Electric)

The theme of our seventh podcast episode is Market Development Funds (MDF). Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things MDF is Liliana Grisales, Global MDF Business Owner at Schneider Electric.
Summary
In this conversation, Liliana Grisales shares insights into the world of MDF programs and channel incentives. Liliana discusses her background and career journey, highlighting her diverse roles at Schneider Electric. She emphasizes the importance of aligning MDF programs globally and complying with legal and financial regulations. Liliana also explores the complexity of channel strategy and the challenges of justifying ROI in MDF programs. She provides best practices for collaboration and strategic planning in partner programs, focusing on uniqueness and customer attraction. The conversation concludes with key takeaways for successful MDF programs.
Key Takeaways
- Aligning MDF programs globally is crucial to ensure compliance with legal and financial regulations.
- Justifying ROI in MDF programs can be complex, but it is essential to measure the success of activities and optimize the program.
- Collaboration between vendors and partners is key to developing effective MDF programs, with regular reviews and strategic planning.
- Partners should focus on their uniqueness and develop a strategic marketing plan to attract and retain customers.
About Liliana Grisales
Liliana Grisales is the Global MDF Business Owner at Schneider Electric, where she spearheads the transformation of Market Development Funds (MDF) across all channels. As a recognized subject matter expert in MDF, Liliana has played a pivotal role in crafting commercial rules in alignment with new global and company policies. Her responsibilities extend to driving the digitization of processes, education, and fostering the adoption of the MDF program to ensure compliance, efficient fund utilization, and program effectiveness. With an impressive 28-year track record in global IT companies, she has demonstrated expertise in Sales, Business Development, Strategic Marketing, Channel Marketing, and Programs. A native of Colombia, Liliana has called Miami, US home for the past 21 years. She holds a degree in Electronic Engineering and a Master's in International Business from South Eastern University in Miami.
Connect with Liliana on LinkedIn.
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

6. B2B Tech Sales Enablement with Ed Badawi (Sales Inc)

The theme of our sixth podcast episode is B2B Tech Sales Enablement.
Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things sales enablement is Ed Badawi, Founder & CEO of Sales Inc.
Summary
In this conversation, Ed Badawi, shares insights on understanding sales cycles, content deployment, and the mindset of salespeople. He emphasizes the importance of aligning sales and marketing teams and tells the story of his journey in the sales industry.
Ed also discusses the challenges faced by salespeople and the need for empathy and problem-solving. He highlights the significance of storytelling and the role of content in sales, emphasizing the need for a cohesive and strategic approach.
The conversation explores the importance of aligning success metrics, the pitfalls of hiring more salespeople without a clear strategy, and the role of empathy and humility in achieving high performance.
Key Takeaways
Aligning sales and marketing teams is crucial for success.
Understanding and addressing customer problems is key in sales.
Telling a meaningful story and creating relevant content is essential.
Salespeople face challenges and rejection, requiring empathy and problem-solving skills Aligning success metrics between sales and marketing is crucial for effective collaboration and achieving business goals.
Hiring more salespeople without a clear strategy and structure can lead to chaos and high turnover.
Empathy and humility are essential qualities for building strong relationships with customers and creating a positive sales experience.
About Ed Badawi
Ed is the Founder & CEO of Sales Inc, a Sydney-based company that provides businesses with the proven strategy & practical support required to generate more sales. We do this by offering Sales as a Service for companies and practical sales strategy workshops for business leaders across all industries (B2B & B2C). Their unique approach to generating and consolidating commercial outcomes has been 'forged in the fire' and is 100% scalable.
Ed is passionate about raising the selling standards of businesses and the sales experience of consumers. He and his team know that business leaders and their sales teams can influence consumers in a customer-centric manner that creates a win-win-win outcome that simultaneously improves the financial, physical and emotional health of everyone involved. Sales Inc works with start-ups through to global enterprises across APAC and North America.
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

5. Content Marketing and the CTO with Anthony Spiteri (Veeam Software)

The theme of our fifth podcast episode is Content Marketing and the CTO.
Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things content marketing in the context of the CTO's role is Anthony Spiteri, Regional CTO for APJ, Product Strategy, and Lead Cloud and Service Provider Technologist for Veeam Software.
Summary
Anthony Spiteri shares his origin story and career progression, from starting in tech support to becoming a regional CTO for Veeam. He discusses the early days of blogging and content creation, as well as the importance of authenticity in communication.
Anthony also talks about the challenges of communicating complex topics and the rollout of Veeam's V12 release. He provides insights into how B2B tech marketers can approach CTOs and build relationships. Finally, Anthony shares his future focus and big bets for 2024.
Key Takeaways
Authenticity is key in content marketing, allowing for a more personal and relatable approach.
Communicating complex topics requires distilling information into digestible presentations and easy-to-understand statements.
Building relationships with CTOs involves understanding their interests and needs, and offering compelling technology solutions.
Approaching CTOs with a sales-focused mindset is not effective; instead, focus on forming genuine connections and providing value.
About Anthony Spiteri
Anthony works in Product Strategy, the Office of the CTO at Veeam Software, leading the technical engagement with Analyst and Media in APJ as Regional CTO and official spokesperson, which extends globally. As Lead Cloud and Service Provider Technologist, Anthony focuses on customer and partner engagement on all aspects of technology relating to modern data platforms, automation, IaaS, BasS, DRaaS, Public Cloud, storage, networking and compute.
Anthony also generates content, evangelizes and participate as a keynote speaker at major industry events while also collecting product feedback and engaging with Product Management and R&D.
Anthony previously held engineering and architectural lead roles at leading Cloud providers and have a Master’s Degree in Network and System Administration (Distinction) from Charles Sturt.
He can be found blogging at https://anthonyspiteri.net or hosting the Great Things with Great Tech Podcast at https://gtwgt.com
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

4. Podcasting for B2B Tech with Alisa Manjarrez (Stories Bureau)

The theme of our fourth podcast episode is Podcasting for B2B Tech.
Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things B2B podcasting is Alisa Manjarrez, Managing Director of Stories Bureau.
As a former marketing executive and current Managing Director of Stories Bureau, a B2B creative agency, Alisa specializes in award-winning digital storytelling, brand strategy, podcasts, and product launch campaigns.
At Stories Bureau, she’s shaped and amplified the voice of brands like Mars Wrigley, Equinix, and Collibra. Her team has turned their business stories into impactful narratives that resonate with audiences and strengthen brand values.
Alisa has a passion for multicultural leaders, as demonstrated on her What Rules!? Podcast, where she interviews successful multicultural women by asking them how they’ve broken the rules to get ahead in their careers. To date, they’ve spoken to over 80 women in the C-suite and other senior leadership roles, discussing their rule-breaking strategies for career advancement.
Alisa has a bachelor’s in Communication Studies from Vanguard University, and a master’s in Organizational Management and Leadership from Fielding University with a concentration in Executive Coaching. She lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Discover more about Stories Bureau. 
Connect with Alisa on LinkedIn.
Get in touch with Alisa to brainstorm your next podcast.
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

3. Opportunities in the Channel with Jay McBain (Canalys)

The theme of this third episode is Opportunities in the Channel. Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things channel landscape is Jay McBain, Chief Analyst at Canalys. Canalys is the world's leading analyst firm with a distinct focus on channels, partnerships, alliances, and ecosystems. The 24-year-old market analysis firm strives to guide clients on the technology industry's future and to think beyond the business models of the past - delivering smart, timely, and actionable market insights to IT, channel and service provider professionals. Prior to Canalys, Jay was the Principal Analyst of Channels, Partnerships and Ecosystems at Forrester, has held leadership positions in channel SaaS companies, and got his start at IBM and Lenovo. In this conversation, Jay brings extensive insights to topics including the recent announcements made at Microsoft Inspired, how AI will be embedded in future partner services, how routes to market are diversifying rapidly and many other important topics relevant to channel and partner leaders. Enjoy the conversation! Connect with Jay McBain on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymcbain/ Discover Canalys: https://canalys.com/
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

2. Selling To And Through Partners with Bryan Williams (Hockey Stick Advisory)

Welcome to the second episode of B2B Tech Marketing Talks, presented by Filament.
The theme of this second episode is Selling To And Through Partners.
Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things partner sales is Bryan Williams, Founder of Hockey Stick Advisory and the Co-Head of APAC for Partner Leaders.
Bryan works with ambitious Tech Founders, C-Suites and Partner Leaders to develop and deploy effective partner-led growth motions, as well as establish partnership ecosystems to enable revenue growth through network effects.
Prior to Hockey Stick Advisory, Bryan was the Director of Partnerships, Ecosystems, and Apps at accounting software Xero, where he was responsible for the growth of ecosystem partnerships in Australia and New Zealand.
With such significant experience, Bryan brings a wealth of expertise and valuable insights for anyone building partner programs or looking to expand on their partner networks, as well as for partner marketers who are selling to and through partners.
Enjoy the conversation!
Connect with Bryan Williams on LinkedIn.
Discover Hockey Stick Advisory and Partner Leaders.
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services. 
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.  
Connect with Jeremy Balius.  

1. Partner Enablement with James Davis (Pax8)

Welcome to the first episode of B2B Tech Marketing Talks, presented by Filament.
The theme of this first episode is Partner Enablement.
Joining our host Jeremy Balius to discuss all things partner enablement is James Davis, Director of Academy Asia at Pax8.
James brings a refreshing view and deep insight on what it means to build and deliver partner enablement programs in channel programs or in a cloud marketplace ecosystem.
Enjoy the conversation!
Connect with James Davis on LinkedIn.  
Discover the Pax8 Academy.  
Find out more about Pax8.   
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B2B Tech Marketing Talks is a podcast bringing you insightful conversations with leading marketing and channel leaders about B2B tech marketing. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights, fresh perspectives and practical advice from experienced marketing leaders who have successfully navigated the challenges you face daily as a B2B tech marketer.
For more about Filament, visit our B2B tech marketing agency and discover our digital marketing services.  
Follow Filament on LinkedIn.
Connect with Jeremy Balius.