Show Notes
Partnerships have always been important in enterprise technology. But according to Shobana Shankar, Head of ISV Sales for Data Analytics at Google Cloud, they are no longer optional. Partnerships are foundational to how modern cloud platforms deliver value to customers. In this episode of Inside Partnering, Shankar shares how Google Cloud approaches ISV partnerships - from joint business planning and co-sell execution to the role of marketplace and AI in shaping the next generation of ecosystems. Her message is clear. Partnerships are evolving from opportunistic relationships to deeply integrated go-to-market motions. Inside Partnering is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
From “Partners, Who?” to Embedded in Every Account Plan Shankar joined Google Cloud about eight years ago after spending a decade working in the Cisco ecosystem. At the time, cloud partnerships were still early. “I remember talking to sales teams and we were like, partners, who? It was so early at that time for cloud to be thinking about partners.” Today, the picture is very different. Partners are now embedded in Google Cloud’s sales and account planning processes. “Partners are absolutely ingrained in every single account plan and business plan that our direct sellers have.” That shift required more than enthusiasm for partnerships. It required structure. Partner programs, incentives, and enablement have become the mechanism that transforms the intent to partner into a repeatable system. The Three Pillars of a Successful ISV Partnership Shankar describes Google Cloud’s ISV partnerships through three core motions. * Co-build * Co-marketing * Co-sell Each ISV partnership includes a joint business plan that outlines how those three pillars will work together. “There has to be the co build, there has to be the co marketing, and there has to be a co sell.” The goal is to create solutions that neither company could deliver alone. “We’re always with ISVs chasing that better together story. What is that 1 plus 1 equals 3?” When the partnership works, the combined solution solves a customer problem more effectively than either product independently. That outcome becomes the North Star for the partnership. Quality Over Quantity in the Partner Ecosystem One of the challenges of ecosystem strategy is deciding how broadly to expand the partner base. Shankar says Google Cloud has become more selective. “Our core focus is going deeper with a more select group of partners where we can have a material impact.” That does not mean ignoring innovation. In fast-moving areas like AI, new partners are constantly emerging. The strategy is to balance structure with agility. Google Cloud supports established partners while remaining ready to identify emerging companies that may become key ecosystem players. Marketplace as a Strategic Differentiator One of the most interesting shifts Shankar describes is how Google Cloud thinks about marketplace. Marketplace is no longer viewed simply as a transaction layer. “We don’t want marketplace to be a transaction vehicle anymore. We want it to be a strategic differentiator.” That shift changes how partnerships are structured. Joint business plans increasingly focus on how Google Cloud can help partners: * accelerate deals * increase deal size * source new opportunities Shankar’s team now has compensation tied to generating opportunities for ISV partners. “My team’s compensation has a component where they have a target to source opportunity for our ISVs.” In other words, the hyperscaler is expected to actively help drive partner revenue. The Evolution of the Partner Sales Role One of the biggest changes in Google Cloud’s ISV organization is how the partner sales team is built. Early on, the team hired primarily for alliance experience. That has evolved. “Our hiring has evolved significantly. Hire for folks with direct sales acumen and individuals who have tha
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At Sage FUTURE in San Francisco, I sat down with Dan Miller, EVP of Financials and ERP at Sage, to talk about how Sage is thinking about AI, ecosystem partnerships, and the future of ERP platforms. One of the clearest themes from the conversation was this: finance leaders are not resisting AI. They simply want transparency, accountability, and confidence in the outputs. For partner leaders, ISVs, and ecosystem builders, that creates a very different opportunity than the generic “AI transformation” messaging dominating the market right now. Dan framed it around trust. “What finance and operations professionals really want is confidence in the tools that they’re deploying are doing exactly what they are expected to do.” That requirement shapes how Sage is building both its AI capabilities and its broader partner ecosystem. Inside Partnering is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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