Image Gallery: #CPExpo Preconference, Networking Events
What a first day at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo.
Tuesday kicked off with the Business Success Symposium preconference, sponsored by Vonage. Attendees with an all-access pass got their money’s worth, getting advice in sales, marketing, technology and more to get an edge on their competition. The educational session ended with a networking event.
Then, more networking, as more attendees descended on Las Vegas.
The cable companies held their semiannual gathering for partners at the Canonita in the Palazzo Hotel. The Alliance of Channel Women – which just recently changed its name from Women in the Channel – packed a room for networking and an inspiring keynote panel.
The night finished on a high note, as first-time Channel Partners attendees – and there were a lot of them – gathered at the Palazzo’s Public House for a good time. That event was sponsored by AT&T.
Scroll through the gallery below to see highlights from all of these outstanding events. We bet you’ll see people you know.
Tony Safoian, president and CEO of SADA Systems, shared his strategies for making strategic investments in cloud, artificial intelligence and IoT in his opening keynote at the Business Success Symposium.
Don't be afraid to dedicate resources to business opportunities that haven't yet fully developed, he said. And remember — customers want business outcomes; they aren't asking specifically for the latest technology. They want to know what the technology can do for them.
Vonage's channel chief looked upon a nice crowd for his presentation at the Business Success Symposium.
After the keynote presentations, the BSS broke up into three conference tracks: executive; sales and marketing; and technology.
Pictured above, Mike Schmidtmann, head of sales leadership group Trans4mers, leads a session called "5 Secrets for Selling Big MRR Opportunities." His message: There's never been a better time to win new logos and sell massive MRR contracts.
He offered up practical ways you can compete for, and more importantly, win big, margin-rich, sustainable sales.
At the BSS closing reception, Vonage CEO Alan Masarek thanked people for coming and shared some thoughts on the huge opportunity in UCaaS.
The cable companies held their traditional pre-event party at the Canonita in the Grand Shoppes in the Palazzo. Hundreds of partners packed into the Mexican restaurant and networked with sponsoring cablecos Spectrum, Comcast, Cox, Mediacom, Altice and Shaw.
Telegration's Tim Basa, the "tallest man in telecom," strikes up a conversation at the cable party.
The group, formerly known as Women in the Channel, is a nonprofit that advocates for women in technology.
The Alliance of Channel Women hosts a preconference networking event and program in conjunction with Channel Partners shows in the spring and fall.
Here, Channel Partners editor-in-chief Lorna Garey provides an update on the "State of the Channel."
The Alliance of Channel Women event featured a keynote panel highlighting the theme, "Stand Up. Be Bold. Take Action.” Women channel leaders offered inspiration and advice for how to cultivate change from the top down and the bottom up inside every tech organization.
Here, ACW President Stacy Conrad, whose day job is VP of channel sales at Fusion, shared what's new with the organization — most notably, its rebranding.
Hundreds of Channel Partners newbies got together at the Public House in the Palazzo to mingle, get to know fellow first-time attendees, meet Channel Partners staff and reps from sponsor AT&T.
The traditional First-Time Attendee Reception is one of the first opportunities for show participants to grab a drink and chat with colleagues and make new friends.
