Jay McBain, principal analyst, global channels, with Forrester, kicked off the first full day of the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, April 18, 2018, with a warning about “shadow IT.”

“Today, two-thirds of [all] technology decisions [are] made outside the IT department, and this number will be 80 percent in the next couple of years,” McBain said. “In a third of these cases, [LOBs] are blocking IT from even being involved.”

That’s one significant threat to the traditional channel partner who doesn’t pay heed. Also significant: Traditional channel partners are “aging out” as millennials begin to comprise more and more of the tech and tech sales workforce.

Watch his keynote below for more on these trends and others that will impact your business now and in the future. Then read our recap of his presentation here.