GTM 171: How to Build a Partner Ecosystem That Sells for You | Brian Weinberger

Brian Weinberger is the Chief Revenue Officer at Sisense, a leading analytics platform helping companies embed intelligence into every product experience. With over 30 years in sales leadership across New York’s tech scene, Brian has built and scaled go-to-market teams at every stage—from early-stage startups to category-defining giants like Yext, Segment, and Salesforce.Discussed in this episodeThe evolution of partner selling — from VARs to SIs to ecosystemsHow to know if partner selling fits your GTM modelThe delivery-first mindset that drives retentionDirect vs. partner motion: Microsoft vs. SalesforceWhy enablement is the #1 green flag for partner successPartner marketing: how to make resellers self-sustainingUsing AI to power future-ready GTM modelsThe case for hybrid work in high-performance sales culturesEpisode Highlights00:00 — The “year four” moment when partners are selling for you01:07 — 30 years of selling through partners in New York03:22 — Start partner strategy with delivery, not distribution06:32 — Why partner selling creates “superhuman” sellers09:59 — Salesforce vs. Microsoft: direct vs. reseller — and why the future is hybrid12:13 — The startup hack: sell delivery on your paper, subcontract partners17:16 — A 90-day playbook for integration partnerships21:39 — Hiring the right people to build a partner business27:18 — How Sisense runs delivery partners and an Australian reseller29:55 — White-labeling Snowflake: using resell to get the giant’s attentionThis episode is brought to you by our sponsor: BoomPopWe’re deep in event planning right now, as no doubt many of you are.Whether it’s an offsite, conference, or any other kind of event, BoomPop makes that happen with end-to-end planning all in one place.They handle everything from venues to experiences, so you can focus on the delights of meeting in person, not the logistics.Being part of GTMnow, you’re eligible for full-service event planning for just $99 per person (terms apply). Head to boompop.com/gtmfund to explore seamless support for your events.Follow Brian WeinbergerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianweinbergerRecommended BooksWhat Great Salespeople Do by Michael Bosworth & Ben Zoldan — The power of storytelling in salesThe Power of Nice by Linda Kaplan Thaler & Robin Koval — Why kindness compounds in businessSacred Hoops by Phil Jackson — Coaching and leadership lessons from the Bulls dynastyReferencedSisense: https://www.sisense.comSnowflake: https://www.snowflake.comAWS: https://aws.amazon.comSalesforce: https://www.salesforce.comMicrosoft: https://www.microsoft.comAccenture (SI example): https://www.accenture.comThe GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.