2023 Educational Sessions Schedule
Click on any of the title boxes to reveal the details. And check back soon for updates and added panelists
Tuesday, November 14
Complimentary lunch & refreshments served in foyer outside of Redbird Meeting Rooms
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird K&L
Selling Security for Dummies
Partners don’t have to become security experts to make money in security
There’s no denying that selling cybersecurity can be complicated, only compounded by the need to build confidence within a prospect. The good news is that partners can still make money in security without becoming a certified expert. Identifying opportunities, knowing what to ask and look for – those are the real meat and potatoes for a partner looking to help their customers with their security needs. Our panel will provide color and examples into how partners uncover opportunity and deliver value to their customers without a certification.
Moderator: Peter Radizeski; President of RAD-INFO, Inc.
Panelists: Adam Burke, Vice President Sales & Partnerships, Quest Technology Management
Hilary Gadda, Head of National Partner Management, Coro
Scott Chille, Sr. Manager Cybersecurity Consultant, Telesystem
Chris Torbit, Managing Partner, Clarus Communications
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
Two-Part Session: Reseller Requirements MSPs Need to Know (Part 1)
The benefits of “owning the customer” versus partnering with a carrier that, in the end, “owns the customer” are pretty clear. In today’s world of managed infrastructures, MSP and VAR partners that are new to selling telecom can easily become a type of virtual carrier (at least from the technology and operations side of the business). But this doesn’t mean stepping into the world of white label business communications and data services resale can be taken lightly, for even the smallest of the small must contend with the quagmire of complex regulatory and tax compliance duties of a service provider.
Moderator: Tom Forte, President, Red Jacket Solutions, LLC
Panelists: Jonathan Marashlian, Managing Partner, Marashlian& Donahue
Robert Dumas, Owner & CEO, TaxConnex
Location: Meeting Room Redbird J
Accelerating the Channel Supply Chain –Part 1: Identify the Deficiencies
Two-part session on the digital transformation of indirect channels
A panel of representatives from the CVx expo hall’s Acceleration Avenue will come together to discuss and expose the breakdowns and deficiencies that must be solved in order to complete the digital transformation of the channel supply chain. These experts from up and down the supply chain will identify the pain points that must be addressed to accelerate sales, as well as the types of interactions, integrations, next-gen PRM, and marketplaces that are necessary for future success. This session includes the participants ability to offer input regarding supply chain pain points and topics of discussion for panelists to respond to in the “Part 2” session held the following day.
Moderator: Rick Beckers, CEO, XaaS1/Channel Sales.PRO
Panelists: Rick Figueiredo, General Manger, Pagealive
Sudhir Nambiar, CEO, xAmplify
Chris Ferriera, Founder, MSP Nation
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird K&L
Still $$ to Be Made in UCaaS
The rush to go remote accelerated the adoption of UCaaS, but with that went much of the addressable market. While the hype and hope around cloud communications may have diminished since pre-lockdown days, there is still plenty of money to be made selling UCaaS. This session will examine the current direction of the market and uncover what partners need to be successful selling cloud communications to SMBs in 2024. Panelists will discuss how their platforms help partners migrate SMBs that still prefer on-premises PBX and what their companies can do to empower partners, enable sales and make happy customers.
Moderator: Peter Radizeski, President of RAD-INFO, Inc.
Panelists: Eric Hammare, Vice President of Sales, NHC
David Snyder, Vice President of Sales, Wazo
Cary Stallings, Vice President of Solutions Engineering, Amplix
Jon Oest, Channel Sales Engineer, PanTerra Networks
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
Two-Part Session: Reseller Requirements MSPs Need to Know (Part 2)
Part two of this training seminar will cover the regulatory, tax and billing requirement boxes channel partners need to make sure are checked off when considering a transition from sales agency to carrier. Topic-expert panelists will discuss the differences between selling telecom and selling software, hardware and professional services, as well as the burdens and risks decision makers need to know.
Moderator:Jonathan Marashlian, Managing Partner, Marashlian& Donahue
Panelists: Robert Dumas, Owner & CEO, TaxConnex
Tom Forte, President, Red Jacket Solutions, LLC
Jeff Lytle, Founder & President, Sandy Beaches Software
Brent Reeves, Chief Revenue Officer, Ceretax
Location: Meeting Room Redbird J
IoT Touches Everything: Driving Deeper into Tech Stack Dollars
IoT is about much more than cents-per-device and basic connectivity. Whether your company specializes in storage, backhaul, security, private wireless, data analytics, monitoring, managed connectivity, premises systems or integration, among other technologies, that expertise could prove critical to successful IoT deployments. Our panel of IoT experts will discuss how IoT drives partners deeper into customer tech stacks, the opportunities to land and expand, and how deals are getting done today.
Moderators: Martin Vilaboy, editor-in-chief, ChannelVision Magazine
Panelists: Vince Bradley, CEO, Abundant IoT
David Wright, Founder & CEO, Disruptive Innovations
Michael Cohen, Principal Software Engineer, Unified Office
Richard Halliday, Head of Ecosystems – Customers and Partners, Soracom
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird K&L
Performance, Pricing & Service – Know the Alternative to ‘Big Cloud’
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) – often referred to as “Big Cloud” – dominate the cloud services space with widespread brand awareness and massive marketing budgets. But the growth and success of “Big Cloud” often has come at the expense of its small- and medium-sized clients. In this session, attendees will learn about the thousands of smaller but equally capable “Alternative Cloud” providers, and the advantages that can be gained working with “Alternative Cloud” providers across performance, price, ease-of-use, service and flexibility.
Moderator: Ian McClarty, President, phoenixNAP
Panelists: Rick Mancinelli, Founder and CEO, C3 Complete
Jeffrey Gregor, General Manager, OVHcloud US
Dean Jordan, Co-Founder & President, Moruga
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
Saving Your Customers from SaaS Sprawl
It’s more than likely that the employees of your customers are using a variety of SaaS subscriptions on a daily basis. It’s almost as likely those customers are overspending on and underutilizing their SaaS subscriptions. All of which leaves your clients facing budget gaps, potential security concerns, waste and redundancies. At the core of this sprawl issue is a lack of visibility into company SaaS activity and centralized management. Our panel of experts will discuss why offering SaaS expense management may be more important to your customers than selling SaaS subscriptions, as well as how and where to seize the opportunities and reinforce your role as the trusted advisor.
Moderator: Warren Reyburn;senior vice president, Technology Division, SIB Fixed Cost Reduction, LLC
Panelists: Sam Valme, Senior Director, Channel Experience at AvePoint
Ritish Reddy, Co-Founder, Zluri
Location: Meeting Room Redbird J
Funding Your Company’s Growth in the Coming Year
Looking for insight into what to expect from interest rates in 2024, or the changes to expect to the SBA lending platform heading into next year? Join this panel of diverse financial experts as they share insight on these topics as well as what to expect from conventional lenders in 2024, the best alternative lending options and expectations for the M&A landscape moving forward.
Moderator: Chris Franz, Executive Business Consultant – Fractional CFO, CF Consults
Panelists: Jeff Fulcher, Vice President- Sales Executive, INTQ Financial
Seth Block, Executive Vice President, Thermo Credit, LLC
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird K&L
Keynote Conversation with Tim Basa: Recharge Channel Sales in 2024
Channel sales luminary and acclaimed sales trainer, Tim Basa, VP of sales and marketing for Telarus, brings his dynamic and entertaining speaking style to the CVx main stage for a fast-paced, tactic-laden Keynote Conversation that is sure to be a can’t miss for anyone who sells or manages a sales team. This high-energy session will be jampacked with modern, time-tested, practical strategies proven to help attract prospects rather than chase them down and persuasion techniques to advance confidently, master time management and improve your marketing message for maximum results. Get ready to buckle in and discover specific actions you can take to immediately advance record-setting sales results.
Wednesday, November 15
Complimentary breakfast & coffee served in foyer outside of Redbird Meeting Rooms
Location: Room Red Bird K&L
SD-WAN on the Street
Well past both its ‘inflated peak of expectations’ and the ‘trough of disillusionment,’ SD-WAN is ascending into Gartner’s ‘plateau of productivity.’ Of course, along the way, not all the hype came true, but the opportunities and customer outcomes are becoming clearer and still growing. Our panel of SD-WAN experts will relate the sales stories of selling SD-WAN for customer success.
Moderator: Peter Radizeski; President of RAD-INFO, Inc.
Panelists: Jason Swann, Channel Director, NHC
Mark Palmer, Vice President of Managed Services, Granite Telecommunications
Cary Stallings, Vice President of Solutions Engineering, Amplix
John Muscarella, Vice President Channel Sales, Cox Business
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
Monetizing Voice and SMS Compliance in the Digital Age
As digital communications rapidly evolve, organizations are increasingly relying on voice and SMS as critical tools for their operations. However, the complexities of regulatory compliance and identity verification have become daunting obstacles. In this presentation, we unveil an innovative solution: Identity and Compliance as a Service (ICaaS), tailored specifically for voice and SMS compliance. Join us as we navigate the labyrinth of identity verification and compliance, demonstrating how your customers can leverage this powerful knowledge to meet today’s challenges and seize tomorrow’s opportunities.
Presenter: Noah Rafalko; CEO, TSG Global
Location: Meeting Room Redbird J
Accelerating the Channel Supply Chain– Part 2: Discover the Solutions
Two-part session on the digital transformation of indirect channels
Our panel of supply chain experts representing Acceleration Avenue reconvenes its discussion on the digital transformation of the supply chain with insight and advice on how the deficiencies of the legacy supply chain (see Part 1: Identifying the Deficiencies) can be solved using existing, on-the-horizon and road-mapped platforms and solutions. Audience input from “Part 1” will have been analyzed. Our panelists will provide responses and recommendations to those inputs during this session.
Moderator: Rick Beckers, CEO, XaaS1/Channel Sales.PRO
Panelists: Billy Robbins, CEO, Intent Company
Gopalan Shankar, CEO, VARStreet
Andrew Down, Director of Sales – IT Channel, Vendasta
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird K&L
Your Customers Need Your AI Advice: Early Steps to Selling AI
Chances are your customers and prospects are considering where investment in AI-enabled technologies can reap the most return. And in most cases, they still have lots to figure out. As with previous “emerging” technologies, the AI infusion provides channel partners an opportunity to reinforce their role as trusted advisor and/or provider. Our expert AI panel will provide channel partners with strategies and solutions that help prospects discover where AI can address their issues, provide impactful outcomes and deliver healthy ROIs.
Moderator: Martin Vilaboy, editor-in-chief, ChannelVision Magazine
Panelists: Matt Whitmer, CRO and SVP of Sales and Marketing, Mosaicx
David Wright, Founder & CEO, Disruptive Innovations
Olen Scott, Head of Channels, Nextiva
Michael Cohen, Principal Software Engineer, Unified Office
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
Crushin’ It with … SASE
The increasing complexity, diversity and dispersion of corporate network endpoints precipitate a clear need for SASE networking, and the vast amount of sales opportunity surrounding SASE is still to be realized. By 2025, Gartner expects at least 60 percent of enterprises will have explicit strategies and timelines for SASE adoption encompassing users, branches and edge access, up from the 10 percent that had it in the works in 2020. This panel of experts onpartner-delivered SASE solutions will break down the current opportunities for partners looking to capitalize on the shift to SASE anddive into the details of how, where and whychannel partners are ‘Crushin’ It with SASE.’
Moderator: Dan Maier, Chief Marketing Officer, Versa Networks
Panelists: Matt Hiles, Chief Operating Officer, Mosaic NetworX, LLC
Mason Miles, Executive Vice President of Sales, CommandLink
Kelly Rein, Senior Director of Product Management, Claro Enterprise Solutions
Shane Gledhill, Sr. Lead Consultant – Platform Adoption, Lumen
Location: Meeting Room Redbird J
Real-World Cloud Repatriation
After years of rapidly shifting resources to the cloud, organizations are realizing that they may have made some mistakes. Big cloud, it turns out, is not the best fit for every use case and application and often comes with downsides in terms of cost, performance, security and availability. The upshot has been an accelerating trend toward workloads being repatriated from the cloud back to on-premises systems or other alternative deployments such as colocation, bare metal and private/hybrid cloud. Through actual use cases and partner experiences with cloud repatriation deals, the session will offer insight into the growing opportunities, help partners identify markets and prospects and understand the sales process of cloud and data repatriation.
Presenter: Dany Bouchedid, Founder & CEO, COLOTRAQ
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird K&L
Crushin’ It with … Wireless Business Internet
Business internet is taking over corporate WANs, and the current and increasing speeds and reliability of LTE& 5G have made wireless access a compelling solution for more secondary and primary line scenarios. The relative ease and quickness of deployment make wireless business internet particularly interesting for home-based and remote workers on the edge. Our panel of partner sales organizations that are “Crushin’ it with wireless business internet” will share their first-hand insights into creating and developing a lucrative wireless internet customer base.
Moderator: Martin Vilaboy, editor-in-chief, ChannelVision Magazine
Panelists: Glen Nelson, Partner, Vice President – Marketing & Business Development, NHC
Toby Forman, CEO, SmartCIC
Don Douglas, President & CEO, Liquid Networx
Neil Farquharson, Sales Engineering and Marketing Director, ConectUS Wireless
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
The FTC Safeguards Rule: An Executive Guide
This summer, the FTC enacted a significant set of changes to the original Safeguards Rule. Given continuous technological advancement and an equally evolving threat landscape, the new requirements are much more rigorous. The surprise is that the new rule significantly broadens the definition of “Financial Institution” and thereby the organization types to which the rule applies. Under these new rules, you or your customers may be beholden to strict compliance standards — ranging from the designation of a Qualified Individual to the complexities of maintaining and testing a comprehensive Incident Response plan – and failure to comply could be costly. Join us to learn what the new Safeguards Rule means to you and your clients and gain help outlining a strategy to maintain compliance.
Presenter: Rick Mancinelli, CEO, C3 Complete
Location: Meeting Room Redbird J
The value proposition for unified communications is changing dramatically. As the world evolves towards hybrid work, customers increasingly expect instant access to companies and the pace of business accelerates. Learn how channel partners can thrive in this new ecosystem by offering solutions that are adaptable, scalable and minimize the dreaded “rip and replace.” Whether it’s modernizing a hotel system without tossing room phones or replacing aging POTS lines, partners need a broad portfolio of services – not just rigid one-size-fits-all products – to stay ahead of the pack.
Presenter: Kathy Mazza, Head of Channel Sales, Ooma
Location: Meeting Room Dove I
Earning Your Unfair Share: MSP Revenue Tactics
Whether you’re an established MSP seeking to boost revenue or an aspiring entrepreneur looking to enter the market, this live training session will offer invaluable insights, expert guidance and a chance to learn from real-world, success stories. For those looking to unlock the secrets of success in the Managed Service Provider (MSP) industry, this session promises to unveil cutting-edge strategies and tactics that go beyond the ordinary, providing attendees with a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving field. Join us for an immersive experience that will empower you to seize your share of the MSP market in extraordinary ways.
Presenter: Ira Feuerstein, Manager, Channel Strategy, Telesystem
Location: Meeting Room Red Bird J
Reboot Your Sales with Granite edgeboot
Join us for an exciting session exploring how Granite’s innovative edgeboot solution can increase sales and retain customers with a high-demand solution that cost-effectively simplifies network management for distributed enterprises. We’ll discuss how edgeboot’s automatic reboots and advanced monitoring capabilities drastically reduce network downtime, lower operational costs, and optimize productivity. Attendees will learn how to sell a managed service that resolves Layer 1 issues before they become major outages, highlight the key features of edgeboot and how its AI-powered reboot algorithms and granular configuration options provide unparalleled network reliability, and how to confidently position edgeboot’s benefits to boost close rates.
Presenter: Mark Palmer, Vice President of Managed Services, Granite Telecommunications
