Stop Blaming Partners: What’s Really Holding Your Program Back

Many companies invest heavily in partner programs only to find themselves asking the same question months later: Why isn't this working?In this episode of The Channel Buzz Podcast, Amiee Keenan sits down with Bart Dirksen, Director of Strategic Solution Partners and founder of Partner Impact, to unpack what separates successful partner programs from those that struggle to gain traction.Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across sales, consulting, leadership, and partner management, Bart explains why partnerships often fail when they're treated as an add-on rather than a core business strategy. He shares the seven-layer framework behind high-performing partner ecosystems, the importance of executive ownership, why data matters more than most companies realize, and the common mistakes organizations make when trying to "fix" underperforming programs.The conversation also explores key concepts from Bart's newly released book, The Partnership Operating System, which provides a practical framework for building partnership programs that align strategy, operations, leadership, and growth.If you're building a partner ecosystem, scaling a channel strategy, or trying to get more value from your existing partner investments, this episode offers practical lessons and a fresh perspective on what actually drives long-term partner success.Buy the book🔗 Connect with Amiee on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 🎧 Listen & follow to get future episodes on marketing, partnerships, and channel growth.Learn more about ⁠The ISV Society⁠