The Channel Buzz

AI Isn’t Replacing Partner Teams — It’s Making Them Effective

AI is everywhere right now — but what does it actually look like inside real partnership teams? In this episode of The Channel Buzz, Amiee Keenan sits down with Justin Baryza, Director of Channel Partners at PointFive, to talk about the practical ways AI is transforming partnerships, co-sell motions, sales alignment, and partner operations across the ERP and ISV ecosystem. Justin shares the real workflows he uses every day to eliminate manual reporting, improve partner collaboration, automate follow-ups, and create highly personalized account outreach at scale. The conversation also explores why smaller ISVs may actually have an advantage in the AI race — despite larger vendors investing heavily in AI initiatives. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest Justin Baryza 01:45 Justin's background and experience with AI in partnerships 02:26 AI's impact on daily operational tasks in partnership roles 03:36 Top AI workflows for partnership teams: pipeline analysis, email follow-ups, co-sell account mapping 07:24 How AI improves alignment between sales, marketing, and partnerships 08:48 Building AI-powered workflows for tailored account outreach 10:42 Strategies for smaller ISVs to compete with larger vendors in AI adoption If you’re a partnership leader, channel marketer, ERP vendor, SaaS company, or ISV trying to understand how AI can improve efficiency without replacing human relationships, this episode is packed with actionable ideas you can start using immediately. 🔗 Connect with Justin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbaryza/] 🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amieekeenan/]  🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth. Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠ [https://www.theisvsociety.com/]

Negative One. No Proof. And You Want Partners to Sell?

What if the reason your partner program isn’t working… is because it never had a chance to? In this episode of The Channel Buzz, Amiee Keenan sits down with Daniel Eliasi from Gong to break down the hard truths behind building successful ecosystems. One of the biggest takeaways: Most partner marketing isn’t driving ecosystems—it’s creating the illusion of progress. Webinars, campaigns, events, and co-marketing efforts may look like momentum… But they’re often just activity—not impact. Because real ecosystems aren’t measured by how much you do with partners. They’re measured by: * Partner-generated revenue * Partner growth * And whether partners are actually winning Chapters: 0:00 – Why Partner Programs Fail Early3:30 – What Great Ecosystems Have in Common7:00 – Trust Is the Real Infrastructure11:30 – The 3 Stages of Partner Growth13:00 – Starting at Negative One17:30 – The PMF Problem20:00 – Co-Marketing vs Real Impact21:30 – Metrics That Actually Matter25:30 – AI and Partner Enablement26:15 – Lessons from Hyperscalers This episode is a must-listen for ISVs, SaaS leaders, and ecosystem builders who want to move beyond vanity metrics and build partnerships that actually scale. 🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amieekeenan/]  🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth. Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠ [https://www.theisvsociety.com/]

Last Takeaways from Directions NA: Where AI & ISVs Are Driving Change

In this final episode from Directions NA, Amiee Keenan sits down with David Laster of GraVoc to unpack what’s actually changing inside the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. With 27 years of experience spanning Great Plains to Business Central, David brings a grounded, practitioner perspective on how ERP partners are evolving and where ISVs fit into that equation. The conversation explores: * Why ISVs are essential for filling industry-specific gaps * How AI is shifting from hype to practical application * What’s changing in reporting, analytics, and day-to-day workflows * Why community and openness remain the foundation of the ecosystem Chapters 00:00 – Welcome + David’s Background 01:10 – The Role of ISVs in ERP 02:30 – The Shift to AI-First Thinking 04:00 – Reporting Improvements & Small Wins 06:10 – Community, Openness & Final Takeaways As the final episode in the Directions NA series, this conversation brings both reflection and forward-looking insight into what partners should focus on next. 🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amieekeenan/]  🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth. Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠ [https://www.theisvsociety.com/]

Why Speed to Insight Is Winning - Live at Directions NA

Live from Directions North America in Orlando, Amiee Keenan sits down with Craig from Business Central Insights to unpack a major shift happening across the ecosystem: the move toward faster, more accessible data insights. Craig shares how partners and customers are increasingly turning to Power BI to gain deeper visibility into their operations—without the long development cycles traditionally required. With prebuilt, plug-and-play reports that connect in minutes, the conversation highlights how speed, usability, and decision-making are becoming non-negotiable. They also explore a growing opportunity in warehouse management reporting, a gap many partners are actively looking to fill, and why momentum—not just innovation—is shaping success in today’s partner ecosystem. If you're building, selling, or supporting Business Central solutions, this episode offers a clear look at where reporting—and partner value—is headed next. Chapters: 00:00 – Live from Directions NA + Guest Intro 00:45 – The Shift Toward Power BI & Faster Insights 01:45 – Why Speed to Value Is Driving Adoption 02:40 – Warehouse Reporting Gap & New Opportunities 03:30 – Momentum at Directions & Closing Thoughts 🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amieekeenan/]  🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth. Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠ [https://www.theisvsociety.com/]

Growth, Guidance, and Getting Commerce Right in the Channel - Live at Directions

Recorded live at Directions North America, this episode of The Channel Buzz features Chris de Visser, CEO of commerecebuild, sharing insights from 15 years in the ecosystem and what’s changing fast. From the surge of AI conversations to the evolving role of commerce platforms like Shopify and Business Central, Chris breaks down what partners are really asking, where opportunities are emerging, and how to guide customers toward the right solutions. But beyond the tech, this episode highlights something just as important: the power of relationships. Directions isn’t just an event—it’s a community that continues to drive collaboration long after the conference ends. And that’s exactly what The Channel Buzz is doing—keeping the momentum going by bringing these conversations directly to you. Chapters 00:00 – Live from Directions NA & Meet Chris 01:30 – 15 Years in the Directions Community 03:30 – AI: What Partners Are Really Asking 06:00 – Shopify vs. B2B Commerce Platforms 08:30 – Community, Relationships & What Comes Next 🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amieekeenan/]  🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth. Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠ [https://www.theisvsociety.com/]