The Paal15 Podcast

In this episode, Werner Moison sits down with Eric Duerr, VP of Strategy and Advisor to the CEO, Bentley Systems, to discuss the finer points of positioning in B2B tech marketing. They explore the distinction between positioning and messaging, the importance of understanding market segmentation, and the challenges that come with change in the tech industry. Eric shares his insights on how to achieve unique positioning that emphasises their core beliefs and arguments effectively. How can companies integrate positioning into company culture and maintain an edge in the fight for relevancy?

Jesse Muller sits down with Edie van den Berge, EMEA Director of Partnerships at Insight, to unpack what it really takes to build successful B2B technology partnerships. Drawing on nearly 25 years in the tech industry, Edie shares how Insight has evolved from a traditional reseller into an AI-first solution integrator, and why partnerships are more critical than ever in that journey. Jesse and Edie explore the strategic value of partnerships, the difference between transactional and strategic alliances, and how joint go-to-market execution drives real customer impact. Tune in for Edie's practical lessons on defining win-win outcomes, managing the lifecycle of partnerships, avoiding common pitfalls, and why trust and professional relationships remain at the heart of any successful ecosystem strategy.

_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> In this episode of the Paal15 Podcast, Jesse Muller sits down with Gøran Andersson, Microsoft's Director of Partner Development, to explore what makes partnerships truly successful in the B2B technology landscape. With 25 years in the IT industry and five years leading Microsoft's global partner practice for Modern Workplace and Teams, Gøran shares battle-tested insights on partnership strategy and execution. What You'll Learn: Listen in as Gøran shares Microsoft's journey building the Cloud Solution Provider program from their first European partner in 2013 to hundreds of thousands of partners today. Gøran explains how they shifted from a licensing model to a true partnership model, putting partner services at the center of the value chain. Gøran and Jesse discuss the importance of shared risk and mutual dependence in strong partnerships, how to navigate change management across large partner ecosystems, and why communication and transparency are non-negotiable when making disruptive changes. Gøran also breaks down different partnership models - from transactional project-based relationships to scalable platform economies - and explains how Microsoft adapts its approach for different partner types, whether they're MSPs, telecom providers, system integrators, or ISVs. Gøran's key piece of advice? Partnership isn't something you do on the side - it's a dedicated practice requiring specific skills, investment, and measurement. The strongest partnerships are symbiotic relationships where success and failure are truly shared. This epsidoe is essential listening for partnership professionals, business development leaders, and anyone building B2B ecosystems.

Ahead of the AWS Summit in Sydney on 4-5 June 2025, Matt is joined by Werner and Laila to run through the things every AWS partner needs to know. Why do AWS partnerships go wrong? How can you get them back on the right track? And what does a successful partnership look like? Are you a partner attending the AWS Summit in Sydney? Reach out to Laila Selener via LinkedIn, or through [email protected], to see how Paal15 can help you make the most of your own relationship with AWS.

Thinking of taking your B2B tech business into a new market? It's a big undertaking, where preparation is key. So who better to ask for advice than someone who's been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. On this episode, Matt and Laila were joined by Rob Hotchin who share his first-hand experience of leading digital identity provider Privy into Australia.  Together, they covered Rob's career so far, the exciting work of Privy in the digital identity market, and the companies journey from Indonesia to Australia. Rob explains h ow to navigate cultural differences between territories, the process of finding the right beachhead from which to grow in a new market, and why Australia is the perfect testbed for market adoption. For more information on Paal15, visit Paal15.com.

On this episode of the Paal15 podcast, Matt is joined by Paula and Werner to discuss why M&A programmes in the technology sector regularly fail to generate the results companies want. What are the challenges that are making things so hard? And what can companies embarking on M&A do to make sure their acquisitions create success for all parties? For more information on Paal15, visit Paal15.com or check us out on LinkedIn.  

On this episode of the Paal15 podcast, Matt is joined by Werner Moison and Jesse Muller to discuss why the portfolios of managed service providers have become so complex. Listen in as they delve into the key challenges MSPs encounter when structuring their portfolios and discuss effective strategies to overcome these hurdles. Discover how a well-structured service portfolio can not only streamline operations but also enhance communication, differentiate your offerings, and drive future growth. If you've enjoyed this podcast, make sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review. Connect with us on LinkedIn and visit Paal15.com for more information.

Matt's joined by Paal15 CEO, Maarten ten Broeke, to discuss one of our favourite topics: partnerships. There's plenty of opportunities in partnering up, but also a number of pitfalls that many growing organisations can succumb to if they aren't fully prepared.  Join Maarten and Matt as they look into the reasons why partnerships work, the reasons why they fail, and the ways in which your business can create a knockout partnership proposition that will set you on the route to success. If you enjoyed this podcast, please like and subscribe. Check out paal15.com to find out how we help B2B tech business launch partnerships that work for all parties.

Success in your home market should be easy to replicate abroad... right? The reality isn't so simple. In this episode of the Paal15 Podcast, Matt, Werner and Bas go through discuss the different approaches B2B tech companies can take to make international expansions work for them. Whether it's understanding new market dynamics, getting boots on the ground, or adapting a distribution model, there's plenty to think about. If you've enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe to the Paal15 channel. If you want to find our more about Paal15, visit paal15.com, follow us across social media, or connect with Werner Moison and Bas Paumen on LinkedIn.

On this edition of C-Series by the Paal15 Podcast, Maarten and Matt are joined by Mark Johnston, CMO at Matillion. Mark's career has taken him from developer to c-suite and from enterprise to start-ups. His 14 years at Microsoft saw him become a rising star at the company, before he traded the hyperscaler world for fast-growing technology companies like Domo and now Matillion, where he has spent two years as CMO. In this episode, Matt and Maarten find out why he left the large enterprise arena, what lessons he's learnt from his time across the technology sector, his opinion of what makes a great CMO, and his formula for growth in a time of changing market conditions. Make sure to like and subscribe to the Paal15 channel. If you want to find our more about Paal15, visit Paal15.com, follow us across social media, or connect with Maarten ten Broeke on LinkedIn.

For smaller technology companies, partnering can be an effective way to accelerate growth and unlock access to potential end customers. Yet many might not know where to start, what partnerships entail, or the effort that needs to be taken to ensure they work. On this week's Paal15 Podcast, Matt, Maarten and Paula are your guides through the fundamentals of partnerships for businesses looking to scale. What kind of partnerships are available? What do you need to consider when building an effective partner proposition? And what commitments should you get in place to ensure your partnership works in the long run? Listen in to find out. If you've enjoyed this episode, please make sure to like and subscribe to the Paal15 channel. If you want to find our more about Paal15, visit Paal15.com, follow us across social media, or connect with Maarten ten Broeke and Paula Lopez on LinkedIn.

On this episode of the Paal15 Podcast, Matt Gray is joined by Werner Moison and Jesse Muller to discuss all the things that can impact an MSP as they launch a proposition to market. Technology companies might be tempted to go fully into "new year, new proposition" mode. But it pays to look further into the future, making sure your proposition launches are properly accounting for new trends, industry changes or upcoming regulatory frameworks. In this episode, we discuss what MSPs and technology companies should be looking out for before they go to market. Where can they spot opportunities to launch before anyone else? What can they learn from the surprise availability of Copilot for MSPs? How should they build upon what hyperscalers provide them to ensure their launches are beating the competition? If you've enjoyed this episode, please do subscribe so you never miss a future edition. And if you want to find out more about Paal15, head to paal15.com

In this episode of the Paal15 Podcast, Matt is joined by Jesse Muller and Paula Lopez to discuss the importance of storytelling for technology companies. How does a brand's story align with its strategy? What's the difference between a good story and a bad story? And what steps can technology companies take when crafting their own? Found this podcast useful? Make sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss a future episode.  To find out how Paal15 is helping technology companies succeed, check us out on LinkedIn or visit our website: paal15.com.

On this week's Paal15 Podcast, Matt Gray and Maarten ten Broeke are joined by special guest Jop de Bakker. Having founded Paal15 together with Maarten in 2012, Jop is now CEO at software automation company, Yarado. Under Jop's leadership, Yarado has made waves as one of the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands. It's on a mission to free people from the burden of repetitive work through the use of work automation, saving millions of useless work hours a year. Listen as we discover the journey Jop and Yarado have been on, the business lessons he's learnt along the way, and how the future of automation in the workplace is being shaped. paal15.com yarado.com

In this episode of the Paal15 Podcast, Matt is joined by Paal15 CEO, Maarten ten Broeke, and Partner, Werner Moison, to discuss what makes a strong and effective technology partnership. The technology industry has seen a recent wave of strategic partnerships between service providers and hyperscalers, as companies search for ways to launch their products and services to market more effectively. That's the theory, at least. In practice, it can be harder than expected to get partnerships right. So what do organisations undergoing partnerships need to consider to ensure they're as powerful as possible? Listen now to find out. Found this podcast useful? Make sure to like and subscribe so you never miss a future episode. To find out how Paal15 is helping technology companies succeed, check us out on LinkedIn or visit our website: paal15.com.

Matt is joined by Paal15 CEO, Maarten ten Broeke, and Strategic Consultant, Jesse Muller, to dive into one of the hottest topics in business technology, AI. Together, they explore the reasons why more software companies are adding AI into their narrative, how those who want to follow suit can begin to do so, and how AI is shaking up the existing partner ecosystem for B2B technology companies.