Relationships Can Make or Break Entrepreneurs

Anyone who’s been around the Channel for any length of time knows about ISVs or Independent Software Vendors. A decade ago, these solutions were value-adds to help mover hardware. For today’s Managed Service Providers, they might be the heart of the deal.

Part of what makes these particular entrepreneurs so interesting is directly tied to how fundamental trends like recurring monthly revenue, subscription-based solutions, and software-defined infrastructure have continued to grow.?

At TD SYNNEX SMB Connect, we work with SMB technology resellers of every kind, but especially with MSPs. We’ve even created a dedicated MSP Sales Team. Channel Futures is one of my go-to sources for MSP news, from their 501 list to their trend research. Jason Beal’s recent article, “3 Essential Things All MSPs Must Demand from an ISV Partnership,” laid out a compelling case for exactly how important the MSP-ISV relationship can be. As AvePoint’s Senior VP Global Channels, Beal is well positioned to speak with authority on this dynamic. Here are three considerations I hope my MSP customers take time to understand:

1) It’s a partnership.

Beal begins by looking at the relationship alignment. Does the vendor’s roadmap fit with yours? Do they have similar values, commitments to quality, and market focuses? Essentially, if you’re stretching trying to make a solution fit your specific use-case, you’re going to create a lot more work for yourself. It can be tempting to rush your research and evaluation in this post-pandemic, first-to-market race for digital transformation. Your ideal partner is going to be a good fit today and an innovation-driving asset tomorrow.?

2) It’s technical.

The questions entrepreneurs should be asking of these relationships go beyond values and vision. They need technical alignment too - specifically with your tech stack. Whether you’re aligned with Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, or any other major platform, your ISV solutions should also be native to those platforms. If they’re not confident on your platform, how can you be confident deploying to your customers? Dig deep on their API integrations, their cybersecurity protocols, and their knowledge of how to drive platform-oriented value through your solution.

?3) It’s business.

As an entrepreneur specializing in technology services, you might think you’re thorough in your service level agreements. If you’re setting up a long-term relationship with an ISV though, you need to double down on the business mindset. What’s the total cost of ownership for their solution? What’s the rate of ROI? When both parties are clear on expectations, and take the time to document that relationship contractually, it gives you both more trust, security, and confidence in what outcomes to expect. Not only do you need to build the relationship from the mindset of a CTO, you need the heart of a CFO in protecting your margins, the imagination of a CMO in go-to-market storytelling, and the calculating efficiency of a COO in execution. This is where you put on every hat in your entrepreneurial closet and make sure the deal is going to advance your business immediately and over time.?

We can all agree that the opportunities for MSPs to drive innovation through unique ISV partnerships is only going to continue to grow. If you can identify partners who match your technology stack, company ethos, and IT roadmap, you will be better prepared to navigate any uncertainty in the market and maximize your potential gains from the relationship. And, you’ll become a great customer for an ISV that’s one of many vital parts of the channel ecosystem.?