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Procurement: Treat suppliers as extensions of your enterprise, not transactions. Procurement Excellence | 23 NOV 2025 - In complex global markets, resilient supply chains demand partnerships built on shared destiny, not just contracts. Here are 9 Steps to Create Long-Term Supplier Partnerships: #1. Transparent Communication ↳ Co-develop comms protocols e.g. QBR ↳ Clearly share expectations, goals & challenges #2. Long-Term Contracts ↳ Replace short-term with multi year agreements. ↳ Share long-term roadmaps & cost-savings initiatives. #3. Shared Performance Metrics ↳ Jointly agree and track SMART KPIs. ↳ Define escalation paths & RCA templates #4. Early Supplier Involvement ↳ Involve and recognize vendor’s contributions. ↳ Include key suppliers in product development cycles. #5. Guarantee Timely Payments ↳ Automate payment & consider early payment discounts. ↳ Audit internal processes for bottlenecks. #6. Co-Create Innovation ↳ Create supplier ideation portals & protect IP collaboratively. ↳ Fund joint proof-of-concept projects. #7. Recognize & Reward Excellence ↳Formally acknowledge & reward outstanding suppliers. ↳Bronze (Operational Excellence), Silver (Innovation), Gold (Strategic Impact). #8. Uphold Fairness & Ethics ↳ Interactions & contractual terms are mutually beneficial. ↳ Ensure cost pressures don't force unethical labor. #9. Jointly Manage Risks ↳ Jointly identify risks & develop contingency plans. ↳ Map tier-2/3 suppliers collaboratively. In today's volatile market, Resilient supply chains are built on deep, strategic supplier partnerships. Achieving lasting, mutually beneficial supplier partnerships requires: ✅️ Deliberate strategy ✅️ Centered on trust ✅️ Shared objectives ✅️ Continuous collaboration ♻️ Repost if you find this helpful. ➕️ Follow Frederick for Procurement insights. #ProcurementExcellence #SupplierCollaboration

The state of co-selling, as told through a partner lens. The team at Omdia just concluded several global surveys targeting the "traditional" channel; The close to 500,000 resellers (VARs) and managed services providers (MSPs) who would have structured their early business economics around a point-of-sale (resell) motions with vendors. What we learned --> co-selling isn’t optional anymore. Fifty percent of partners say they co-sell with vendors frequently or very frequently. Another 23% do so sometimes. That means nearly three-quarters of the channel is engaging in some level of coordinated selling motion. But the real story is in the outcomes: --> When partners co-sell, deal sizes expand. Nearly 60% report larger average deal sizes, with 30% saying deals are significantly larger. Only 7% see deal sizes reduced. That’s not incremental lift — that’s structural upside. --> The close rates tell an even stronger story. 58% percent of partners report higher win rates when co-selling, with 30% seeing significantly higher conversion. Coordinated account mapping, shared data, executive alignment, and joint value propositions aren’t theoretical advantages — they’re measurable accelerants. In today’s buying environment — with an average of 13 stakeholders on the client side, longer cycles, and ecosystem-led decisions — no single seller wins alone. Customers buy from constellations, not companies. The takeaway for vendors? If your co-sell motion is unclear, underfunded, or overly manual, you’re leaving revenue on the table. The takeaway for partners? Proximity to the vendor sales engine drives pipeline gravity. Every partner (regardless of legacy type) is looking to grow pipeline, win larger deals faster, and with a much higher yield. Co-selling isn’t a tactic. It’s a multiplier.

The New Face of Procurement Procurement professionals have been conditioned to hide behind emails and RFPs. But true influence lives in conversations, not clauses. Imagine procurement as the ultimate networker—the department that understands stakeholders’ pain points before they even articulate them. The Procurement Leader of Tomorrow is Part Diplomat, Part Futurist. By aligning supplier expertise with corporate goals, procurement becomes the bridge between ambition and execution. In forward-thinking organizations procurement teams embed members directly into cross-functional hubs, like R&D labs. Here, they co-create solutions with suppliers. Vendor management transforms into innovation partnerships. This isn’t transactional procurement. This is  about strategic curiosity and proactive symbiosis: •Listen like a therapist. •Translate jargon into impact. •Prototype together. Ask questions like: “What keeps your stakeholders up at night?” “How can we turn their operational headache into a value opportunity?” Be the department stakeholders say, ‘We couldn’t have done this without you.’

A company rejected our proposal three times. Today they’re our longest-standing partner. We were entering a new market in Asia. A major energy company there had worked with the same suppliers for over a decade. We were the outsiders. First proposal: “Your solution looks good, but we’re satisfied with our current vendor.” Second proposal: “Still not the right time. Maybe next year.” Third proposal: “We appreciate your persistence, but no.” Most companies would walk away. We didn’t. Here’s what we did instead: We stopped selling and started serving. → Shared industry insights relevant to their operations. No pitch attached. → Connected them with technical experts when they faced challenges. No strings. → Invited them to see our installations in neighboring markets. No pressure. Six months later, their primary vendor failed to deliver on a critical project. They called us. Not because we had the best proposal. Because we had earned their trust when we had nothing to gain. That project led to a partnership that’s now in its 15th year. Traditional sales thinking: → Three rejections = move on → Persistence = repeated pitches → Winning = convincing them you’re better However, strategic market entry works differently. You don’t convince markets. You earn them. Here are 3 principles for turning rejection into long-term partnerships: 1. Rejection Often Means “Not Yet,” Not “Never” Markets need time to trust outsiders. Especially in regions where relationships matter more than RFPs. Your job isn’t to force the timeline. It’s to stay present and valuable until the timing aligns. 1. Value Before Transactions When you share expertise, make introductions, and solve problems without expecting immediate returns—you build equity. That equity converts when they’re ready to buy, not when you’re ready to sell. 1. Patience Compounds Into Position While competitors chase quick wins and move on after rejection, your consistent presence makes you the obvious choice when opportunity opens. You’re not just another vendor. You’re the partner who was there before they needed you. When expanding into new markets, remember this: Market entry isn’t won in the first meeting. It’s won in the months and years of showing up, adding value, and proving you’re invested in their success—not just your sale. The best partnerships don’t start with “yes.” They start with “not yet”—and your willingness to earn what others try to close. 💬 What’s the longest you’ve pursued a client before earning their partnership? ♻️ Repost to help someone rethink rejection. ➕ Follow me for insights on global market expansion and strategic partnerships. #GlobalBusiness #MarketExpansion #StrategicPartnerships #B2BSales #Persistence #EnergyIndustry #BusinessDevelopment

📣To the vendor partner community: 📣 Let’s move from ‘how many seats you will need’ ➡️ ‘how much value you can actually derive, and we won't get paid until the outcomes are achieved and value is created.' The smart vendors are quietly shifting from traditional per‑seat licenses to outcome‑based models and winning more deals due to: ✅ Less focus on logins and MAUs, more focus on cost saved, revenue created, or time back to the business ✅ Contracts that tie their upside to your KPIs, not just your headcount ✅ Hybrid structures (small base + upside for results) are becoming the norm, especially in AI and SaaS On paper, this is exactly what your CIOs, CTOs, and tech leaders have been asking for: aligned incentives and clear ROI. In practice, it raises new questions: ☑️ Who owns the data and instrumentation required to prove the outcome? ☑️ How do we attribute impact when multiple tools and teams touch the same metric? ☑️ What guardrails keep “success fees” from blowing up the budget when things go better than expected? As an operator, I’m less interested in vendors who talk about “AI agents” and more interested in vendors willing to carry real performance risk with me. If you want buyers' attention in 2026, don’t show me another seat matrix—show me: 🎯The one or two outcomes you’re willing to get paid on. 🎯How you’ll measure them in my environment without creating a science experiment. 🎯The cap, floor, and escape hatches when reality doesn’t match the model. Outcome‑based pricing won’t replace every subscription, but it will separate “software I rent” from “partners I trust.” Curious how others are handling this: ❓What vendors are actively pivoting to this model? ❓What tech leaders are you actively pushing vendors toward outcome‑based deals, or are the complexity and attribution risk still a non‑starter in your world? #leadership #software #AI

There are two ways to run a channel program, but only one of them has a future. Most vendors, especially large brands with market leverage, fall into the trap of Approach 1: The Extractor. Their mindset is: "What can this partner do for ME?" You know this program when you see it. It feels like a one-way street. They believe the partner needs them more than they need the partner. They dictate terms, demand complex forecasts, and treat partners like coin-operated sales reps. It’s transactional, it’s arrogant, and it’s counter-productive. Then there is Approach 2: The Enabler. These vendors flip the script. Their starting point is: "What can WE do for our partners?" They understand that the partner has their own business model, their own P&L, and their own goals. Instead of forcing the partner to adapt to them, they align their solution to fit the partner's existing motion. To win in 2026, you must aggressively shift from Extractor to Enabler. Here is how you do it: 👉 Understand their Business Model: Don't just train them on your product features. Learn how they make money. Service revenue? Managed services? Hardware pull-through? If you don't know, you can't help. 👉 Align, Don't Disrupt: If your sales process conflicts with how they sell to their customers, you are just adding friction. Adapt your operational requirements to smooth out their road. 👉 Enablement over Demands: Stop nagging for pipeline updates if you aren't providing the resources—marketing funds, pre-sales engineering, and leads—to help build it. 👉 Define Shared Success: Move beyond "meeting quota." Build a joint business plan where your technology is the lever that helps them achieve their company goals. When you help your partner be more successful, your revenue becomes a byproduct of their growth. Stop extracting value. Start adding it. #ChannelStrategy #Partnerships #B2B #GrowthMindset #PartnerSuccess

Every B2B company wants great channel partners in 2025: resellers, system integrators, and referrals who help expand their reach. But actually finding and onboarding the right partners? That’s a different story. The reason? → Every partner wants to build their brand, not yours. If your partner program is just about pushing your product, it won’t attract the right people. The best partners look for ways to grow their own business, not just resell another vendor’s solution. Why is it so hard to get this right? 1️⃣ Poor Brand Recognition If partners don’t know who you are, why would they invest their time? SAP had this challenge when expanding its mid-market channel. To fix it, they didn’t just promote SAP, they gave partners the tools to position themselves as ERP experts, making SAP a natural choice for their customers. 2️⃣ No Clear Value for Partners “Sell our product and earn commissions” isn’t enough. Partners need to see how your solution fits into their business. PandaDoc solved this by helping partners bundle e-signatures with their existing services, adding real value to their customers while increasing their own revenue. 3️⃣ Lack of Support If partners feel like they’re on their own, they’ll focus on vendors that give them more help. SAP invests in training, certifications, and co-marketing. Smaller companies can’t match that, but they can provide clear sales materials, quick support, and strong deal incentives. 4️⃣ Complicated Onboarding The longer it takes to get started, the less likely partners will stick around. PandaDoc made onboarding simple with on-demand training, sales playbooks, and ready-to-use marketing materials. The faster partners can sell, the more engaged they’ll be. 💡 The bottom line? The right partners aren’t just looking for a product to sell. They want a way to grow their own brand and revenue. If your program doesn’t help them do that, they’ll move on. What’s been your biggest challenge in building a strong partner ecosystem?

True partnership is the clear path to scale. As a former health system executive turned CMO of a health tech startup, I've sat on both sides of the decision-making process to bring a solution in. As a result, I've tuned up my "spidey-sense" of what types of engagements have legs.🕷️ Of course, this "spidey-intuition" didn't develop overnight. Any health system exec leading tech and innovation has their stories of being burned. Most of us have championed solutions to the front lines that didn't stick, stalled perpetually or just flat out failed. This is where the pilot graveyard lives, and most health systems have a pile of accumulated vendor headstones to remind them of the risks of making the wrong decision. But the reality is that both the health system and the vendor waste scarce resources if there is not a good fit. This is why true partnership is critical to achieving scale. I recently sat down with a health tech braintrust - Kaitlyn Torrence (Wellspan/formerly MUSC) and Camille Bradley (Baylor Scott and White) on the AMDIS Beyond the Blueprint - Healthtech Podcast - to discuss the non-negotiable factors that have interested us in championing a solution to be scaled in a health system. Here are some non-nonsense approaches to partnership: Stop Selling, Start Solving: Clinicians and clinical leaders are lifelong learners, passionate about improving care. We are looking for credible partners who can help us solve complex problems in a sustainable and scalable manner. We don't like being sold to; the solution should sell itself. Do Your Homework: Don't ask us "what problems are top of mind for you..." (eyeroll). Leverage tools to understand the stakeholder's existing problems and priorities. If your solution isn't a priority, you are wasting everyone's time. Take Risk: Put your money where your mouth is. Health systems don't have free cash flow; risk-based contracting is a must to prove you truly believe in your solution and your outcomes. Reputation is Everything: Healthcare is a relationship-oriented industry. We backchannel. We don't expect perfection, but we do expect integrity and responsive remediation. Speak the Lingo: Amateurism is not well tolerated. Demonstrate a fluent, sophisticated understanding of clinical, operational, regulatory, and financial terminology in the context of an advanced technology solution. Measure with Diligence: Align your study results and outcomes with evidence-based practice and clinical research standards. We are not fools to fancy websites with infographics that lack hard data. Trust Over Time: Sometimes a "no" just means "not yet." Cultivate relationships. Many seasoned digital health leaders will follow along with solutions they are interested in, even if deployment isn't possible yet. Keep them informed of progress. Hear our collective thoughts on strategy to move past the pilot graveyard and achieve enterprise scale. 🚀

DSO Insiders & Industry Partners: It’s Time We Closed the Gap Adding additional thoughts and insights to my last post - having sat on "both sides" of the table: 🧩 DSOs and Vendor-Partners are often speaking different languages: + Operators are overwhelmed with growth goals, compliance pressures, staffing issues, and systems that don’t talk to each other. + Vendors are trying to land meetings, hit quota, and get a foot in the door. The result? Missed opportunities and surface-level partnerships that don’t last. Let’s work to fix that. 💭 Here’s what BOTH sides can do to build better outcomes: FOR VENDOR-PARTNERS SELLING INTO DSOs: 💠Stop Selling Products—Start Solving Problems Before you pitch, ask yourself: “What business objective does this align to? Who wins if this works?” 💠Match Their Speed and Complexity DSOs don’t move fast on purpose. There are layers. Respect the decision flow and build allies inside. 💠Support Beyond the Sale Implementation is where trust is either built or lost. Be the partner that stays in the room once the ink dries. FOR DSO LEADERS WORKING WITH VENDOR-PARTNERS: 💠Communicate Your True North Most reps want to help—but they need context. Share your goals, pain points, and initiatives upfront. 💠 Invite Collaboration, Not Just Procurement Bring your best vendor-partners into the strategy early. They can’t solve what they can’t see. 💠Reward Long-Term Thinking Shift incentives toward sustainable impact, not short-term savings. Strategic vendors rise when given the chance. 💡 The best outcomes happen when both sides treat each other like true partners, not opponents. In today’s DSO environment, alignment is everything. Complexity demands collaboration. Let’s move past the transactional and build something transformational! #DSO #Dentistry #DentalSales #VendorStrategy #HealthcareLeadership #DSOGrowth #SalesLeadership #DentalConsulting

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞d Last month, I shared thoughts on one of the biggest challenges solution providers face: clarifying their unique value propositions to carriers. The post sparked meaningful conversations, with many reaching out via DMs and requesting meetings to dive deeper. A recurring theme emerged in these discussions: solution providers often struggle to align with carriers because they lack visibility into carrier pain points. Carriers, by closely guarding their core challenges, might believe they’re protecting their competitive advantage. While this is understandable, the unintended consequence is often misalignment, wasted proof-of-concept efforts (POCs), and underutilized solutions that could otherwise deliver measurable value. Many solution providers genuinely want to position themselves as strategic partners, not just vendors. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲: carriers, by openly sharing what you are trying to solve, can empower solution providers to craft offerings that hit the mark. Sharing pain points is not about giving away strategy; it’s about fostering alignment that allows both sides to thrive. When solution providers understand the “why” behind carrier needs, they can tailor their approach to support long-term goals, streamlining POCs, and improving ROI for both parties. Carriers, what if sharing your pain points could lead to fewer wasted POCs, more actionable insights, and a partner network that truly understands your mission? Here’s a quick playbook for carriers that will help close that gap: 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Before you engage with solution providers, take time to outline the pain points and overarching goals you aim to achieve. This vision inspires providers to craft solutions that meet your most critical needs. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲: Embrace transparency about the challenges you’re facing and the “why” behind each one. When solution providers understand the story behind the need, they can bring solutions that are more aligned, fostering partnerships built on mutual insight and respect. 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: Collaborate with providers to set KPIs and milestones that capture meaningful outcomes, like improved customer satisfaction, efficiency gains, or strategic growth. 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲: Treat providers as collaborators whose success is interwoven with your own. When solution providers feel valued, they bring their best ideas and energy to the table. As carriers and solution providers, we have the power to build partnerships that are more than business agreements—they are engines for change, resilience, and growth in our industry.