Groundwork

Episode 53 - The Case for Fewer, Deeper Tech Partnerships

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.

Episode 52 - Roman Lobas of Fuelfinance

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

Episode 51 - Andrey Lipattsev of Google

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

Episode 50 - Jen Waltz of Kron Technologies

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

Episode 49 - Daisy Urfer of Algolia

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