Ron Piovesan is back on Groundwork, this time to share why Okta is going deep with fewer partners instead of going wide. In this episode, Ron unpacks the strategic shift from managing a broad ecosystem to focusing on a small number of high-impact partnerships. He shares how his team aligns long-term product roadmaps and go-to-market strategies with just six partners, while still supporting a vibrant integration ecosystem.

Our favorite takeaways:

- Focusing on fewer, high-impact partners enables deeper collaboration and better returns

- Empathy is essential for navigating internal alignment and sustaining long-term partnerships

- Scalable ecosystems require delightful, self-serve partner experiences

- Developer relations and partnerships are converging, and companies need to adapt

- Data-driven signals from sales and product can reveal the next strategic partner

Timestamps:

03:01 - Why Okta Is Prioritizing Fewer Partners

06:28 - The Business Case for Going Deep

10:03 - The Risk of Missing the Next Big Partner

12:17 - Managing a Massive Integration Ecosystem

14:43 - What Makes a “Delightful” Partner Experience

17:05 - Developer Relations vs. Partnerships

19:06 - How Small Companies Can Get on Okta’s Radar

25:10 - Using Data to Identify Emerging Partners

27:53 - Ron’s Ideal Internal AI Tool

30:49 - Why Customers Are the Best Advocates

33:01 - Avoiding the Novelty Trap

35:02 - How Empathy Drives Internal Alignment

#Partnerships #EcosystemStrategy #TechPartnerships #DeveloperRelations #SaaSGrowth #B2BMarketing #PartnerPrograms #IntegrationStrategy #GoToMarket #ChannelPartners #StrategicAlliances

Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 2,000+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual and in-person events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development.

In this episode, Roman Lobas, Head of Partnerships at Fuelfinance, joins Tai Rattigan to explore the dynamics of venture partnerships. Roman breaks down how to build trust with VCs, align incentives, and craft a value proposition that gets remembered. Drawing from his experience at Deel, Roman shares actionable strategies for scaling partnerships and fostering long-term relationships with investors. Our favorite takeaways: - Building trust with venture capitalists - Aligning incentives with VC goals - Simplifying your value proposition for clarity and impact - Leveraging success stories to strengthen relationships - Creating partnerships with non-investor VCs Timestamps: 2:30 Lessons from Katalista Ventures 5:34 How corporate innovation teams connect with startups 9:32 Aligning your product with VC portfolio needs 15:59 Turning investors into advocates 19:12 Simplifying your pitch for VCs 25:41 Building trust and long-term relationships 33:23 Partnering with non-investor VCs 38:34 Insights from Roman’s new role at Fuelfinance Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,850+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. #VenturePartnerships #PartnershipStrategy #BuildingTrust #VCInsights #ScalingStartups #StartupEcosystem #CorporateInnovation #PartnershipLeaders #VentureCapital #BusinessGrowth Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnershipleaders/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/groundwork/id1743254291 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/groundwork-by-pl

In this episode, Andrey Lipattsev, from Google's Chrome Privacy Partnerships team, shares his journey from trust and safety roles to leading product partnerships at Google. He discusses the Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aims to update outdated technologies and enhance user privacy. Here are some of our favorite takeaways: - Overview of the Privacy Sandbox initiative - Importance of ecosystem connectivity and communication - Role of developer relations in partnerships - Strategies for building internal advocacy - Collaboration with developer relations teams Timestamps: 10:02 Chrome Privacy Sandbox 17:20 Partnering with Google 24:01 Open Web and Ecosystem Responsibility 31:25 Empowering Developer Advocates 39:17 Role of Developer Relations Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,850+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. #ProductPartnerships #PrivacySandbox #Ecosystem #DeveloperRelations #Google #Innovation #TechLeadership Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnershipleaders/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/groundwork/id1743254291 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/groundwork-by-pl

In this episode, Jen Waltz, Founding VP of Global Alternate Channel Sales at Kron Technologies, shares her extensive experience in business development, focusing on digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and cybersecurity. Here are some key highlights of our conversation: - The evolution and importance of OEM partnerships in SaaS and software. - AI's impact on OEM manufacturing and predictive analytics. - Strategies for managing channel conflict and partner ecosystems. - The significant role of cybersecurity in partner-driven revenue generation. - Importance of clear joint value propositions in partnerships. - Tips for effective partner engagement and lead generation. Timestamps: 2:05 OEM Partnerships 7:05 AI and OEMs 11:45 Managing Channel Conflict 18:03 Partner Ecosystem Management 25:17 Channel Leaders and Lead Generation 27:58 Cybersecurity Market 34:19 Cybersecurity Partnerships Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,850+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. #businessdevelopment #cybersecurity #oem #partnerships #ai #saas #software #channelsales #digitaltransformation #partnerships Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnershipleaders/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/groundwork/id1743254291 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/groundwork-by-pl

In this episode, Daisy shares her unconventional journey from a background in child development to becoming a leader in cloud partnerships. She offers insights into balancing internal and external partnership efforts and the strategic role of SI partners in cloud ecosystems. Here are some key highlights of our conversation: - The role of transferable skills in career transitions. - Complexities and strategies in managing cloud partnerships. - Importance of participating in cloud provider programs. - Best practices for maintaining marketplace listings. - Balancing internal collaboration with external partnership efforts. - Strategic involvement of SI partners in cloud ecosystems. Timestamps: 2:49 Building Partnerships in the Tech Ecosystem 10:01 Belief in the Product as a Key to Success 11:39 Daisy's Award-Winning Leadership 13:17 The Complexity of Cloud Partnerships 15:28 Measuring Success in Cloud Marketplaces 16:54 Crowdstrike's Billion-Dollar Achievement 18:29 Optimizing Cloud Marketplace Listings 21:13 Collaborative Product Marketing in Cloud Marketplaces 31:49 Navigating Product Team Buy-In for Cloud Partnerships 36:52 Importance of Discovery in Sales 40:47 Balancing Internal and External Work in Partnerships Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,850+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. #Partnerships #CloudEcosystems #CareerTransition #TechLeadership #MarketplaceStrategy #SalesEnablement #CloudPartnerships #SIPartners #TechInnovation #ProfessionalGrowth Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnershipleaders Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/groundwork/id1743254291 Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/groundwork-by-pl

In this episode, Rachel Fefer shares her extensive experience in partnerships and channel sales. She shares insights from her journey in notable companies like Bloomreach and Magento, the transition to partner-led services, the importance of executive buy-in, and the unique dynamics of the Israeli tech ecosystem. Key takeaways include: - Strategies for ensuring partner quality and client satisfaction. - Navigating acquisitions and the impact on company culture and operations. - The role of partnerships in driving operational efficiency and growth in competitive markets. Timestamps 6:56 Business Strategy at Bloomreach 11:30 Partner Services Compensation Change 13:52 Challenges with Partner Contracting 17:27 Importance of Internal Services for Partner Training 19:33 Partner Management at Bloomreach 25:28 Investment in Partner Success 27:07 Business Partnerships in Tech Companies 36:48 Operational Efficiency Wave 38:34 Navigating Acquisitions 40:38 Transitioning from Small to Large Organizations Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,850+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnership-leaders Apple Podcasts: https://link.partnershipleaders.com/gw-applepodcasts Spotify: https://link.partnershipleaders.com/gw-spotify #partnerships #channelsales #ecommerce #bloomreach #magento #crossbeam

In this episode, Jennifer Rhima, Director of Partnerships at Apollo.io, discusses her journey in building successful partnerships across the globe. From her early days as a congressional intern to leading partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa, Jennifer shares insights on adapting to diverse business cultures, proving the value of partnerships, and scaling teams from scratch. She and Tai cover the following: - Sales experience as the foundation to become a good partnerships manager - Leveraging in-person connections to build effective partnerships in international markets. - The importance of collaboration between partnerships and revenue operation teams to enhance strategic impact. - How to scale programs effectively across industries like tourism boards and financial institutions 4:59 Living and Working in the Middle East 8:03 Partnerships in Dubai 16:21 Sizing Partnership Opportunities in the MENA Region 18:24 Building Partnerships from Scratch 23:48 Structuring Team Roles 25:06 Scaling Team Capacity 26:30 Apollo's Sales Engagement Tool 29:36 Partner Programs at Apollo 32:22 Affiliate Personas for Apollo 37:01 Startup Ecosystem Program Discounts 40:02 Technology Partnerships and Integrations 47:32 Partner Ops Support 50:35 Agency Partnerships 52:46 Unique Challenges of Partnering with Agencies Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,850+ members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnership-leaders Apple Podcasts: https://link.partnershipleaders.com/gw-applepodcasts Spotify: https://link.partnershipleaders.com/gw-spotify #partnerships #businessgrowth #startups #sales #apollo

In this episode, Kyle shares his career journey in partnerships from an intern at ExactTarget to his current role. We covered the importance of structured partnerships, the transition from ExactTarget to Salesforce, and the strategic role of partnerships at Movable Ink. (movableink.com) Kyle explains how his team supports sales regions, measures success through partner involvement in revenue, and the significance of building long-term relationships. Here are our favorite takeaways: - Strategies for securing resources and aligning partnership goals with company objectives. - The role of storytelling and data in demonstrating the value of partnerships. - The benefits of having a dedicated strategic partner management function. Timestamps 05:06: Structured Partnerships at ExactTarget 07:20: Advanced Partnership Strategies at ExactTarget 09:43: Measuring Partnership Value and Incrementality 11:29: Transition to Salesforce and Cultural Integration 14:43: Integrating ExactTarget Partners into the Salesforce Ecosystem 17:32: Current Role and Team Structure at Movable Ink 20:03: Measuring Success and Attach Rate at Movable Ink 22:07: Balancing Partner Influence and Internal Perception 24:53: Compensation Structure for Partner Teams 27:28: Strategic Partner Management and Goal Setting 30:48: Transition from Director to VP at Movable Ink 34:15: Articulating Business Case for Additional Resources 37:38: Longevity in Partnerships Role and Career Growth 40:10: Navigating Internal Relationships and Friction 43:13: Strategic Partnerships and Executive-Level Conversations Partnership Leaders is a premier industry association for partnership, channel, and business development professionals. As a leading community, it connects over 1,000 members worldwide, facilitating virtual events, sharing insights, and promoting personal and professional development. Find us on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnership-leaders Apple Podcasts: https://link.partnershipleaders.com/gw-applepodcasts Spotify: https://link.partnershipleaders.com/gw-spotify #partnerships #marketingtech #movableink