In the next few editions, Channel Marketing Journal will be sharing some fun, motivational videos from Cisco Partner Summit 2019 featuring interviews with top channel execs on how they’re driving growth in their partner organizations. What do Queen, Bon Jovi and M&M have to do with motivation and channel enablement? You’ll learn that, too!
But in today’s edition, I’d like to share some top take-aways from the event.
In a Q& A with Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and c-suite execs Gerri Elliott (Chief CMO) and Oliver Tuszik (Global Partner Organization SVP), I learned about the channel team’s focus on helping partners build more outcome-driven software models on top of Cisco infrastructure. They’re doing it with new API’s and DevNet certifications. These are exciting opportunities for the channel when you consider Cisco’s massive footprint. (The Cisco installed base is larger than any company out there, according to Chuck.)
I was also struck by Cisco’s smart, results-driven approach to global citizenship. The company’s Global Problem Solver Challenge is now in its fourth year — an opportunity for student entrepreneurs to win funding for innovations aimed at driving economic growth and/or solving social or environmental problems. This year, Cisco launched a variation of the contest for partners — yet another example of the company’s win-win approach to channel enablement and paying it forward.
Cisco’s commitment to drive success to and through partners by serving the greater good goes beyond just annual contests. Through the Cisco Network Academy, over 2 million people in schools, orphanages and even prisons can take advantage of game-changing opportunities to develop valuable career and life skills.
Companies like Cisco, Microsoft and Apple recognize that employees are more productive and creative when their work benefits their own goals and interests in addition to the company’s. It’s a lot like partner enablement. For more on partner enablement at Cisco, check out the video of my interview with John Moses, VP of Americas Partner Organization.
The Channel Marketing Journal video playlist continues in coming weeks with interviews of channel rock stars like Boon Lai, Dave Cope, Thimaya Subaiya and Marc Surplus. We hope you’ll tune in!
