In this episode of The Channel Zone Podcast, Mark Edwards is joined by Ed Renwick, Head of Strategic Service Provider Acquisition at Acronis—an experienced sales and partner leader whose career spans Oracle, Virgin Media, Exponential-e, and more.

Mark and Ed reconnect (with a bit of humour to kick things off, including the origin story of Ed’s beard) before getting into what really matters: how partner acquisition compares to new business sales, and why relationship-first selling still wins. Ed shares the simple commercial lens he uses in every conversation—revenue growth, cost avoidance, and cost reduction—and explains why product should come last, not first.

The discussion then turns to the role of in-person events in building real partnerships. Ed breaks down the difference between big, transactional exhibitions and smaller, “boutique” experiences that create trust and long-term alignment—complete with stories from Acronis partner events across Europe.

They also explore the post-COVID shift in sales culture: why face-to-face has come roaring back, what’s been lost for early-career sellers who started “virtual-first,” and how leaders are trying to rebuild momentum in the field.

To finish, Ed shares his grounded view on AI in cybersecurity—where it genuinely helps (automation, admin, efficiency) and where it shouldn’t be allowed to go (unchecked decision-making)—before picking his most memorable corporate hospitality experience: a rain-soaked Silverstone F1 race day, complete with pit access, celebrity moments, and partnerships strengthened for the long haul.

Topics covered: MSP partner acquisition • relationship-led selling • events vs experiences • post-COVID field sales revival • sales coaching foundations • AI in cyber & operational efficiency • corporate hospitality done right

In this episode of The Channel Zone Podcast, Mark Edwards is joined by Fiona McKenzie, CEO of digital marketing agency Revere (now part of MarketBridge), to unpack what “digital marketing” really means in the tech channel today—and why it’s become so complex.

Fiona explains how messy the modern buyer journey has become: more channels, more content, bigger buying groups, and more cautious decision-making. We explore how vendors, distributors, and partners each play a different role in reaching the end customer—and why partner marketing can’t be an afterthought when vendors go increasingly route-to-market via ecosystems.

A big theme is AI transformation—but with a reality check: many organisations still haven’t nailed the basics. Fiona shares why MarTech stacks often become “all the gear, no idea,” with tools that don’t connect, aren’t optimised, and fail to produce true attribution. Her message is simple: simplify the engine first, then use AI to accelerate the right outcomes—especially by eliminating “time drains” like endless feedback loops, stakeholder misalignment, and slow content cycles that lose sight of the customer.

We also dig into the classic sales vs marketing divide (yes, it’s still real), why the word “lead” causes chaos, and how leadership teams should rethink KPIs using more meaningful impact measures tied to growth. Fiona argues that marketing is fundamentally commercial—and that alignment works best when the C-suite unites sales and marketing around one shared growth strategy.

To close, Fiona shares a memorable channel hospitality story from her years running events—highlighting that the most powerful moments aren’t the PowerPoints… they’re the human connection, shared laughter, and camaraderie that keep people coming back year after year.

In this episode of The Channel Zone, Mark Edwards is joined by Chris Neal of InfoScale.com, to explore how modern sales organisations actually learn, change, and improve.

Drawing on a career spanning Novell, Symantec, Veritas, Blue Prism, Arctera, and now InfoScale.com, Chris shares practical, real-world insight into what effective enablement looks like today — and why traditional training models often fall short.

In this episode, we cover: The difference between sales training and sales enablement — and why training is only part of the story

The “know, feel, do” framework for designing effective enablement.

Why most training requests fail before delivery even begins.

How to make virtual training engaging and effective using Teams and Zoom.

The role of sales leader sponsorship and continuity in driving change.

How AI is already transforming enablement, from content creation to role-play coaching.

Memorable career moments, events, and lessons learned along the way.

Whether you’re a sales leader, enablement professional, trainer, or vendor working in the channel, this conversation offers practical insight you can apply immediately.

🎧 Listen, watch, and subscribe for more conversations on modern selling, enablement, and the tech channel.

What makes someone walk away from a lifelong dream of becoming a barrister and instead build a standout career in tech sales?

In this episode, Mark Edwards sits down with Alexandra Wilkinson, Sales Director for Microsoft. Alex shares how she went from a working-class, Northern, law graduate to leading major sales teams at Virgin Media, Vodafone, NTT and Microsoft – and why she believes her law degree, her accent and her “uniqueness” have all been secret weapons, not barriers.

They dive into:

• Why tech is one of the most powerful career paths for women who want both ambition and family life

• The reality behind “Women in Tech” – stats, stories, opportunities and what still needs to change

• The importance of role models and using your background (Northern, Welsh, working class, whatever it is) as an advantage, not something to hide

• Alex’s work with the National Literacy Trust and why literacy and digital skills are now make-or-break for opportunity

• Her favourite large-scale hospitality event (hint: 5,000 people and Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium)

• The changing world of hybrid work, travel, and what younger sellers might be missing if they never experience a buzzing sales office

If you’re in tech, in sales, a woman thinking about your next move – or a leader wondering how to support and keep great female talent – this conversation will give you a ton to think about (and probably make you smile).

In this episode, I’m joined by Simone Warren, Sales Director for Technology, Media & Telco at NCC Group, with a career spanning global names like Microsoft, BT, Siemens, Virgin Media, and Alibaba.

Simone shares her journey from telesales to leading international sales teams, offering powerful lessons on:

• How clarity, research, and genuine customer focus remain timeless sales principles.

• The evolving role of cybersecurity—shifting from fear and features to business outcomes and board-level conversations.

• Breaking barriers as an Asian woman in tech, and how she built credibility in a male-dominated industry.

• Coping with pressure and resilience, from growing up in Singapore’s high-stakes education system to leading teams through the intensity of enterprise sales.

Simone also discusses her memoir The Fate We Make—a planned trilogy exploring heartbreak, hurting, and healing—and how family, resilience, and perspective shape her outlook on business and life.

If you’re in sales, leadership, or simply fascinated by the intersection of tech, people, and resilience, this conversation is packed with practical insights and inspiration.

👉 Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Performance, Points Boards & the Power of People — with Nick Martin

In this episode of The Channel Zone, host Mark Edwards sits down with seasoned consultant Nick Martin to explore the evolution of sales, consulting, and collaboration in the tech world. From early career points boards to today’s AI-powered disruption, this candid conversation covers what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what really matters: people, performance, and perspective.

Nick shares insights from decades in tech—reflecting on the old-school motivation of public sales metrics, how the modern workplace is evolving to support mental health, and why transparency and teamwork beat private performance conversations every time.

The duo dives into:

• 🔍 The challenges of digital transformation as an ongoing mindset shift

• ⚖️ AI’s influence on legal services and other regulated industries

• 🤝 Why genuine networking still beats LinkedIn profiles

• 📉 How private equity’s grip on the MSP space is changing client relationships

• 📈 The role of creativity, strategy, and compliance in modern consulting

Whether you’re a veteran seller, a startup strategist, or just curious about how the tech and consulting landscape is shifting, this episode delivers sharp thinking with a human touch. The video version of this podcast can be found on our YouTube channel.

In this episode, Mark Edwards sits down with Roy Ferrari, SAP GTM Lead at HCLTech, for a wide-ranging conversation on what it takes to build a billion-pound partnership in the modern enterprise tech landscape. Roy shares insights from the recent SAP Sapphire event in Madrid, the importance of face-to-face interaction in today’s digital-first world, and HCLTech’s evolution from a systems integrator to a strategic SAP partner.

They dig into the rise of AI in sales—from proposal automation to RFP response generation—and what that means for the future of the sales profession. Roy also offers a candid take on the declining quality of sales qualification, the over-reliance on relationships, and why understanding the decision-making ecosystem is more important than ever.

Key Questions Explored:

- What is the role of a go-to-market lead in tech partnerships?

- How is AI reshaping the sales process?

- Why are in-person meetings still critical in an age of automation?

Whether you're in enterprise sales, partnerships, or tech strategy, this episode delivers valuable lessons on adaptation, alignment, and authenticity in modern selling.

In this episode, I interview Mark Shephard, or Shep, EMEA Cloud Alliances Leader at Okta, to explore a remarkable journey from the armed forces to the forefront of cloud sales strategy. We unpack the power of extensibility in tech platforms, the strategic value of collaboration with AWS, and how lessons from sports and the military shape leadership in high-performance environments.

Shep offers insight into the role of a cloud alliances leader, highlighting the trust, forecasting, and teamwork required to thrive in the fast-moving AWS marketplace. Whether it's aligning resellers, enabling regional partners, or simplifying customer transactions, this conversation is a masterclass in modern tech sales collaboration.

You’ll also discover how rugby and military discipline translate to business effectiveness, why Okta sponsors McLaren F1, and what it really means to conduct a sales orchestra.