A Shout Out to the Channel: You Did It!

Can I just say for the record that you guys are awesome! I am so excited to say that you have made our Chicago event the most successful and well-attended in our history. (In case you didn’t know, that’s 15 years!)

I am humbled by your tenacity in the face of a still-lagging economy and how you continue to invest in your businesses and in your professional development. Thanks for choosing Channel Partners and the Channel Partners Conference & Expo to be a major part of that effort.

When we are all heads-down, working long hours in our businesses, it’s easy to get caught up in our own stuff. At the show we get to look around and see how exciting the opportunities are for the IT and telecom channels.

I am not saying there are not challenges. One of the big ones is how to transform – step by step – to meet the needs of a next-generation customer that wants end-to-end solutions, not point products. This is on my to-do list!

I have been touched by your enthusiasm and also by your willingness to share your experiences and expertise with your peers. I expected this from the Women in the Channel group since “sisters" are just like that, but it’s not a gender trait. (I stand corrected.) Channel Partners of all genders and experience levels and types were sharing and collaborating throughout the event. The first-ever Selling Techniques Networking Luncheon was a great example. Another was the session, “Trading in the Transactional Model" as well as the Agent-VAR Partnering Workshop - Part II.

I personally could not attend every session, but these were a few that I had the opportunity to observe. Your candor about what you know – and what you don’t know – is refreshing. And, I think, critical to the advancement of your businesses individually and as a channel. I will look forward to sharing with you the results of these conversations and building on them for our future education programs and content.

If there was something in particular that you would like to learn, see, hear, please let me know. We want to be your go-to resource for all things channel. Don’t wait!!! The spring show is just around the corner: March 27-29, 2012, at Caeser’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Until then …