From Partner to Vendor: One Channel Leader's Journey

What happens when a partner crosses to the vendor side? Brian Hibner brings a refreshingly honest perspective on channel leadership from his journey as a former Deloitte partner who now leads Flexera's global alliance strategy.Brian's guiding principle—"customer first, partner second, Flexera third"—stems from his firsthand experience as a partner dealing with vendors who prioritised their own interests. He reveals how this customer-centric approach has transformed Flexera's partnerships, creating genuine trust that directly translates to business growth. One European partner recently told him, "The stuff you said you would change last year based on our feedback—you actually did it. That's why we're doing more together."The conversation explores the evolving partner ecosystem spanning traditional resellers (who face margin pressure), pure services organisations, and technology platform alliances. Brian details Flexera's investments in dedicated engineering resources for partner-specific capabilities, enabling rapid development cycles that demonstrate their commitment to partner success.Perhaps most fascinating is Brian's insight into Flexera's recent acquisition of NetApp's Spot. Instead of disrupting the existing partner network, Flexera adopted a "don't break anything" philosophy that prioritises stability and understanding before integration. This approach has turned concerned Spot partners into enthusiastic advocates exploring Flexera's broader portfolio.For channel professionals at any stage, Brian's journey highlights the crucial importance of continuous learning. Despite extensive consulting experience, he had to quickly adapt to the unique rhythms of software business cycles and diverse partner models. His advice? Listen more than you talk, and show up consistently as the partner who genuinely supports your partners' business success.Subscribe now to hear more conversations with channel leaders who are transforming how partnerships drive business growth!Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋