The Channel Surfers

- The episode dives into building repeatable revenue machines and modern channel orchestration, featuring Leland Morris—founder and “revenue architect” behind ChannelBridge. - Core message: eliminate manual friction and architect clear, continuously updated, syndicated content across partner ecosystems; systems and execution beat one-off heroics. - Why it’s valuable: blends strategic foresight (AI...

A lively, field-tested masterclass in channel presence and partnership craft. Hosts John McCabe and Jeff Lennon welcome Mitch Simon —known on LinkedIn as “#MitchOnTheRoad”—for a candid, humorous, and deeply practical conversation about life “in the field” as a channel leader. The trio covers what it really takes to operate in the trenches with partners, the mindset shift from direct sales to chann...

In this deeply insightful and practical conversation, guest Will Taylor of AudienceLed joins hosts Jeff and John to deliver a masterclass on executing effective and scalable co-marketing strategies. The discussion, characterized by its conversational yet professional tone, moves from high-level principles to granular, actionable advice for businesses of all sizes. The hosts express profound apprec...

This episode of the Channel Surfers podcast features the return of Andreas Geamanu, CEO of Introw, for a warm, conversational, and business-focused discussion with hosts John McCabe and Jeff Lennon. The conversation covers the "crazy" growth and new AI-powered features at Introw, and the potential for powerful collaborations between their respective companies. The tone is enthusiastic and opportun...

In this multi-faceted episode of "Channel Surfers," hosts John McCabe and Jeff Lennon, dive deep into "SKO season," the pivotal time of year dominated by Sales Kickoffs. With their signature conversational, practical, and insightful style, they offer a comprehensive playbook for maximizing the value of these industry gatherings. They emphasize that SKOs are critical work opportunities requiring a...

Jeff and John sit down with Entrepreneur Raj Skrezyna of CONNECTIVEAI to talk about new ways to partner utilizing Gen AI to help run your partner business. Raj can be reached at raj@runconnective.ai or her website www.runconnective.ai

Jeff and John sit down with Jessica Simon of Google to discuss the world of Distribution partners. Jessica's experience in the Disti space is unmatched and we learn about treading the waves of working with Disti. Major Takeaways - Distribution has shifted from logistics and financing to strategic enablement, platform development, and hyperscaler navigation. - Even for software-first organizations,...

This isn’t a recap episode—it’s a surf session across the 12 biggest waves that shaped the channel in 2024. In this fast-paced, value-packed year-end special, Jeff and John stitch together the most impactful insights, debates, and field-tested truths from the past year of The Channel Surfers. From nearbound and ecosystem economics to revenue reality, operator grit, AI execution, and the rise of fr...

In this conversational and insightful episode of The Channel Surfers, hosts John McCabe and Jeff Lennon welcome Pat Ferdig, founder and principal consultant of The Power of Partnering. The discussion, which flows like an extension of a recent AI workshop Pat hosted, centers on the critical role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern channel partnerships, from foundational program elements to ne...

On this episode, John and Jeff sit down with Quarq.ai CEO Chris Messina to discuss how Quarq.ai can help forensically uncover the true value of your partner program. Here are some of the highlights: Proving Partnership Value Partnership teams struggle to prove their value to leadership because their impact is non-linear and spread across other departments' KPIs. - Partnership value extends beyond...

In this week's episode, Jeff and John discuss how to empower Channel Partners with AI Solutions. Here is a summary of the show: AI as a Strategic Imperative AI is shifting from a tool for automation to a strategic advisor that elevates user performance and ecosystem integration. - Failure to adopt AI will result in losing market position to faster, more effective competitors. - The primary barrier...

This week, Jeff and John sit down to talk about Leveraging AI Initiatives for Channel Sales & Alliances. Here are some key points from the show: AI Priorities Focus AI on efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, knowledge, and growth to guide investments and measure impact. - Automate repetitive CRM and PRM tasks to cut time-to-revenue and accelerate deal velocity. - Favor pre-built LLM applicatio...

In this milestone episode, John and Jeff explore how to Navigate the AI Landscape. Show highlights include: Strategic AI Integration Focus AI initiatives on core business goals to ensure successful adoption and tangible ROI. - Anchor all AI projects to one of five key business drivers: efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, expertise scaling, or growth. - Prioritize automating repetitive, manual...

In this episode of The Channel Surfers, Jeff and John sit down with Nelson Wang—founder of Partner Principles—to break down the frameworks that are reshaping how modern go-to-market teams scale. Nelson shares how to apply strategic filters to focus on founders, products, and channels that actually compound value. He dives into the systems that turn clarity, generosity, and time discipline into fly...

John and Jeff sit down with Vaughn Mordecai, CRO of Mindmatrix to discuss Strategy, Partnerships, and Sales Performance. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation with Vaughn: Strategic Alignment of Partnerships Our partnership strategy is hampered by structural and incentive misalignments that require immediate attention. - Integrate the channel organization directly within the core reven...

Jeff and John sit down with Scott Strubel to share lessons from a five-decade career in global channel leadership—from enterprise IT giants to SaaS disruptors—and provide listeners with actionable ideas on how to lead with partners, build scalable ecosystems, and evolve in a rapidly changing channel world. You can find Scott's book "Simple, but Hard" here (https://www.amazon.com/Simple-but-HARD-Na...

This episode is a reflective and tactical discussion on how the channel is changing, why the old models no longer work, and what professionals can do to adapt. It’s about re-framing mindset, strategy, and action in the modern partner-driven world.

In this episode, Jeff and John talk about understanding and navigating the technology partner ecosystem, including the roles of consultants, MSPs, GSIs, resellers, and the importance of ecosystem collaboration. ## Key Points Discussed: * The distinctions and overlaps between consultants/advisory firms, MSPs, GSIs, MSSPs, resellers, VARs, and distributors. * The importance of operational execution,...

On this episode of The Channel Surfers, we welcome Rick Sears — a Career Readiness Expert, Executive Transition Coach, Award-Winning Author, and Motivational Speaker who has helped countless leaders successfully navigate career pivots. With deep expertise in resume strategy, executive coaching, and job market positioning, Rick has become a trusted guide for professionals looking to take the next s...

🎙️ New Episode: Building and Scaling Successful Partner Programs In this episode of The Channel Surfers, we sit down with Helene to dive deep into the world of channel and partner operations—the “engine room” that keeps partner programs running smoothly. We explore: ✅ What partner operations really is (and why it’s critical to make it easy to do business with you). ✅ The three pillars for buildi...

In this episode of The Channel Surfers, hosts John McCabe and Jeff Lennon sit down with Nick Nicholas, Channel & Alliances Executive at Armis, to dive deep into the evolving world of partnerships and cybersecurity. Nick shares his career journey and the pivotal moments that shaped his path in channel leadership. He breaks down the current state of the channel—what’s working, what’s not, and the tr...

Jeff and John dive into a comprehensive discussion on the current state of the job market for channel executives, including challenges, trends, actionable advice, and preparation for a follow-up episode featuring resume and LinkedIn expert Rick Sears. Key Points Discussed: * The job market for channel executives is currently difficult, with fewer roles, increased layoffs, and companies hesitant to...

Jeff and John welcome Rob Cohen from Lyzr to the show. Rob shares his insight and the evolution and current state of channel partnerships in the tech industry, with a focus on leveraging AI and automation, building effective partner ecosystems, and lessons learned from a career in channel management. Key Takaways: ## Key Points Discussed: * Rob's career journThe evolution and current state of chan...

The Channel Trenches: A View from a Channel Manager with Ross Kemp In this episode of The Channel Surfers, we go straight into the front lines of channel sales with Ross Kemp, an experienced Channel Manager who knows the realities of building and sustaining partner relationships day-to-day. Ross shares candid insights into what it really takes to manage a territory, balance partner expectations wi...

In this episode of The Channel Surfers, we sit down with Jay McBain, Chief Analyst for Channels, Partnerships, and Ecosystems at Canalys, to explore where the channel is headed in 2025 and beyond. Jay shares his latest insights on the evolving partner landscape, from the rise of ecosystem-driven sales to the critical role of marketplaces, alliances, and non-traditional partners. We discuss how dat...