Biography:
Ryan has over 18 years of experience enabling businesses with internet-based IT solutions. Before moving into his current role, Ryan spent nine years as Chief Product Officer and Channel Chief at Pax8, leading its product strategies and IT channel program. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Colorado College. He is an award-winning speaker and a CompTIA Channel Advisory Board member.
Current Role: Start Date:
Dec 2020
When was your company founded?
2012
How many years have you been in the channel?
16
Is the Channel Leader the highest ranking channel executive in your company?
No
Who does the Channel Leader executive report to?
John Street, CEO
What are the top services/products sold through the channel:
The top Pax8 products/services sold through our partners include Microsoft cloud products (Microsoft 365, Dynamics, and Azure), Acronis, Amazon Web Services, Bitdefender, Dropsuite, IBM, Ironscales, Proofpoint, SentinelOne, StorageCraft, Veeam, and WatchGuard.
What are your top channel accomplishments:
In 2021, Pax8 grew its partner base by over 7,000 partners. Through its acquisitions and international expansion, Pax8 has 20,000+ partners globally, with 2,800 active European partners supporting millions of businesses worldwide. As Chief Operating Officer, Ryan directed the Vendor Product Management and Platform Development teams, which were critical in the deployment of the Pax8 Marketplace platform in over 50 countries. Now, Pax8 partners worldwide are empowered to succeed.
What is your largest channel challenge in 2022?
As customer buying behaviors evolve, we will see more marketplaces emerge, connecting the channel ecosystem. It will be crucial for partners to incorporate a marketplace strategy into their go-to-market approach for new and existing customers. Partners should also embrace marketplaces as a way to enhance their customer experience while driving more engagement. Finding the right balance between automation and personal service will also be crucial in creating an exceptional customer experience.
How much do you expect to grow your channel in 2022?
Grow >30%
How much do you expect to grow your MDF (Marketing Development Funds) in 2022?
Grow 5% to 10%
What are your top channel goals for 2022?
We will add more qualified partners, increase the number of new accounts coming through partners, and encourage partners to sell parts of our portfolio more broadly. By acquiring Sea-Level Operations, Pax8 partners have access to world-class one-on-one professional coaching to help them achieve operational and financial maturity. We also introduced peer groups, allowing partners to learn and grow with their peers. Educating partners on customer experience and security remains a top priority.
What else should we know about the Channel Leader or Channel Program?
As Chief Operating Officer, Ryan develops strategic initiatives and processes to ensure Pax8’s personnel and operational functions are efficient, effective, and innovative. He is responsible for several departments: Vendor Product Management, Product Strategy, Platform Development, Internal Operations, Strategy Sourcing, and Technical Operations. Under his leadership, these teams build the technologies, solutions, and programs that drive the innovative ways Pax8 serves partners and vendors.
