155 – Microsoft Partner CMO, Inspires Partners to Unlock Their Greatest Results in 2023

A Marketing Leader Joins Ultimate Guide to Partnering®

For this episode of Ultimate Guide of Partnering®, I was so excited to welcome Julie Sanford, Microsoft’s Vice President for Go to Market Strategy & Programs for the Microsoft Global Partner Solutions organization. Julie joins us on the heels of the big Inspire Conference to share with our listeners how they can align for success in 2023 by taking advantage of all that Microsoft offers to help partners achieve their greatest success. I hope you join as this Microsoft Partner CMO, Inspires Partners, to unlock their greatest results in 2023.

In Julie’s Words

As Vice President, Partner GTM, Programs & Experiences team within Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft, Julie is responsible for the end-to-end go-to-market strategy across Microsoft’s commercial services partner ecosystem, including ISVs, GSIs, devices, and services partners around the World. The team collaborates across Microsoft’s Customer Solution Area business and engineering groups to develop GTM strategy, planning, and plays for partner development on the Microsoft cloud and then activates the system for GTM execution in concert with partners and the Microsoft field on a global basis.

What You’ll Learn

  • Her Mission and Mandate as the New GTM Leader for Microsoft’s Global Partner Solutions Organization (2:51)
  • Highlights from Microsoft Inspire Conference t (5:19)
  • Evolution and core components of the NEW Microsoft Cloud Partner Program (9:47)
  • Why do Partners need a clear Marketplace Strategy? (14:41)
  • What makes the best of the best partnerships? (18:50)
  • Julie’s Career Journey (21:35)
  • How Partners can optimize for success in 2023? (33:53)

Why Listen?

On the heels of Microsoft’s Inspire Conference, this Global Partner Leader shares clarity and the path to how partners can benefit from the announcements, priorities, and strategy of Microsoft’s Global Partner organization to optimize their businesses for success and achieve their greatest results in Microsoft’s new fiscal year.

WARNING – This episode is exclusively for leaders who care about the Microsoft Partner Ecosystem, the evolution of Microsoft’s Cloud Partner Program, Industry Solutions, and other business priorities from Microsoft. This is a MUST LISTEN for any and all of the 400,000+ Microsoft Partners.

I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I enjoyed welcoming Julie Sanford as a guest on Ultimate Guide to Partnering®.

Quote From This Episode

What kind of leader do I want to be? And how can I make sure I’m as focused on the journey or the process as I am on the outcome and just be very purposeful because no one’s gonna manage your career for you.”

Related Inspire Sessions:

Related Program Resources:

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub 

A growing list of MASTERCLASS episodes decodes working with Microsoft

  1. The Functional Areas of Partnering with Microsoft Global Partners Solutions with Vince Menzione.
  2. Creating Innovative Routes to Market – Oguo Atuanya.
  3. With a Servant Leader’s Mindset, Microsoft Asks How it Can Help? Carlos DeTorres.
  4. How the GTM Organization Accelerates Partner Growth to Capture Market Share – Heather Deegan’s.
  5. How Partners Can Achieve Their Greatest Results with Marketplaces with Jake Swenson.
  6. How Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) is Investing in Partners with Jim Lee.
  7. The Role of Customer Success in Partner Success with David Lochridge.
  8. How Microsoft’s Top Seller Engages Partners with Carson Heady.
  9. The $30B+ Partner Opportunity Co-Selling with Microsoft with Lani Phillips.

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Transcription – by Otter.ai – Expect Typos – Email me @vincem@ultimate-partnerships.com to receive a copy of this week’s transcription.