Channelnomics at 13 (and Counting)

As technology transformation accelerates, we’ll continue to provide the best analytical strategy, analysis, and support in the business.

By Larry Walsh

Thirteen years ago today, Channelnomics was founded with the mission of providing solutions and perspective for channel professionals. We believed then, as we do now, that channels are complex, require deeper understanding and support for effective navigation, and are dynamic in that they’re always changing and evolving while preserving core fundamentals. Most of all, Channelnomics aimed to provide the channel community with the best insights and direction from an economic perspective.

As we mark Channelnomics turning 13, it’s amazing to reflect on the technological transformations and channel evolutions witnessed over the past decade.

When Channelnomics launched, managed services were overtaking traditional reseller models, cloud computing was still in its infancy, and SaaS was just beginning its ascent. The iPhone was only 3 years old. Social media marketing was still an emerging opportunity. And things like artificial intelligence and deep data analytics were lab projects. All the while, the role of partners was to help customers select products, build systems through value-added services, and foster superior ROI.

Fast forward to today. Here we are in 2023, and the pace of digital change has been staggering. The cloud is now ubiquitous. Mobile computing drives experiences. AI and machine learning are explosive and transformative. Vendors still create opportunities through their products and services. Partners deliver as-a-service solutions built on cloud infrastructure and XaaS models. Marketing has become account-based, cross-channel, and hyper-targeted. And the partner role is evolving to drive superior customer outcomes and experiences.

As we look ahead over Channelnomics’ next 13 years, the rate of transformation will only accelerate as technologies like Web 3.0, the metaverse, quantum computing, robotics, and ambient computing take hold. Go-to-market models are changing as automated digital sales and marketplaces continue to grow, specialists and influencers gain greater sway over customer decision-making, and integrated systems based on multiple products and multiple brands become the norm.

Adapting to constant change will separate channel leaders from laggards. Customers will expect hyper-personalized, predictive, and prescriptive solution experiences. Partners will differentiate themselves through vertical expertise and highly automated delivery models. Vendors and partners will leverage advanced analytics, bots, and AI capabilities to optimize relationships.

Underneath it all is the core: economics and data-based evidence. Channelnomics provides, and will continue to provide, the best analytical strategy, analysis, and support in the business. We truly believe in W. Edwards Deming’s edict, “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” Channelnomics backs everything it does with empirical evidence.

Thank you to our clients, partners, and friends for the years of support and collaboration. Without your patronage, guidance, and contributions to our craft, Channelnomics would not be the independent analyst and intelligence provider that it is today.

Of course, Channelnomics wouldn’t be what it is without the people behind the brand. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to have some of the best minds in the channel work with us and contribute to our development. Today’s Channelnomics team is the best in the business, bar none. That shines through in the work they do, day in and day out.

While future tech shifts are hard to predict, the mission of Channelnomics remains constant: We provide our clients with the ability to capitalize on channel opportunities amid innovation and disruption through strategic guidance, research, and education.

We feel privileged to serve as the trusted advisor to the channel community — vendors, distributors, and solution providers — in their journeys for 13 years and counting. The future promises endless opportunities for innovation and transformation. Channelnomics will be here to help our clients and friends embrace them both and achieve higher levels of success.

Larry Walsh is the CEO, chief analyst, and founder of Channelnomics. He’s an expert on the development and execution of channel programs, disruptive sales models, and growth strategies for companies worldwide. Follow him on Twitter at @lmwalsh_CN.