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In Part 2 of this Channel Insider: Partner POV interview, Dawn Sizer, CEO of managed service provider and IT consulting business 3rd Element, discusses how the strength of trust has enabled her business to offer new services and driven vendors to give partners more reason to go to market with them. Sizer says many long-time clients are now asking for services outside of IT, including media and marketing as well as business consulting, because they would rather invest in trusted existing relationships than look elsewhere. As for vendors, Sizer names some of the IT companies she feels have brought more resources to their partner programs since the events of the pandemic showed how valuable managed service providers really are to client businesses. By adding training programs, business acumen courses, improved communication, and better go-to-market tools, Sizer says vendors like Lenovo, ThreatLocker, Axcient, INFIMA Security, and Blackpoint Cyber have really listened to what channel partners have been asking for. These investments, Sizer says, are empowering MSPs with better choices and giving them reasons to move on from other technology vendors with confidence. The CEO also offers her advice on how to begin your growth or maturity journey as a solution provider, and it starts with finding a community or mentor to support you. She says other similar businesses are not competition, but more “co-opetition,” ready to collaborate and guide.
Katie Bavoso is an Emmy-nominated broadcaster with a decade of professional content creation, production, hosting, and interviewing experience. Starting her career off as a TV news reporter and anchor in Maine, she pivoted to the IT channel to help connect vendors, solutions and services providers, and IT buyers through exciting video content and storytelling. Katie is now the host of Channel Insider: Partner POV, a video and podcast series shining a light on the the most innovative solution providers of the IT channel.
