Today’s guest is a seasoned partnership leader with experience in building and managing strategic alliances with top technology and service companies. Samantha Yarborough is the Chief Growth Officer, Salesforce at Invisory, Co-Host of the Friends with Benefits Podcast, and a proud member of the Women in Partnerships community. Sam joins Hosts Justin Gray and Sean Kester to dive into the challenging yet rewarding world of forming strategic partnerships and navigating complex ecosystems like Salesforce, AWS, and Azure. Sam shares the critical importance of executive buy-in, strategic alignment, and nurturing one-to-one relationships to actualize the potential of partnerships fully.
Takeaways:
- Executive buy-in is crucial. Achieving executive sponsorship and support is non-negotiable. It differentiates companies that are merely "partner-curious" from those that are "partner-led." Executive buy-in accelerates initiatives and ensures alignment across departments.
- Understand that partnerships must be rooted in strategic alignment between the companies involved. This means aligning on goals, customer segments, and values from the outset to ensure mutual success and avoid missteps down the line.
- Even in vast ecosystems, success starts with individual relationships. Personal connections with strategic players within partner ecosystems can lead to referral networks, which eventually snowball into broader engagement.
- Entering and succeeding in partnership ecosystems demand commitment and consistent effort. Tailoring your approach to the specific language and needs of the ecosystem, like that of Salesforce, and persistently engaging with relevant stakeholders are keys to visibility and success.
- Knowing how to articulate the value proposition of the partnership to top executives on both sides is essential. This includes making a compelling case for the allocation of resources towards integration and collaboration initiatives.
- Adopt an entrepreneurial mindset for partnership roles. Successful partnership managers wear multiple hats and can skillfully negotiate and strategize internally and externally. This includes being agile in responding to changes and opportunities.
- Leverage internal success stories. Sharing internal wins, such as deal closures or successful integrations resulting from partnerships, can boost internal buy-in and demonstrate the tangible benefits of the partnership program across the organization.
- While foundational strategies are critical, staying open to evolving partnership landscapes and being flexible enough to pivot as needed are vital for long-term success.
Quote of the Show:
- “Having executive buy-in is crucial” - Samantha Yarborough
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