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In this Inside Partnering episode, I sit down with Asher Mathew, CEO and Co-Founder of Partnership Leaders, at my home in Belmont, CA. We talk about the origin of PL, its growth to 2,200 members across 70+ countries, and how it has become a global hub for partner professionals. Asher shares advice for new partnership leaders, insights on the rise of the Chief Partner Officer role, and why internal advocacy is as important as partner advocacy. If you lead partnerships — or want to — this is a must-watch conversation packed with actionable lessons.
Chapters
00:00 – No glory in signing up for the wrong number
00:25 – Inside Partnering kicks off
01:24 – Touring the world together
02:01 – How Partnership Leaders began
04:26 – From email list to Slack to community
06:00 – Growth to 2,200 members in 70+ countries
06:43 – Why PL is more than a community
07:21 – Advice for new partner leaders
09:16 – Rise of the Chief Partner Officer
12:00 – Assessing organizational maturity
14:52 – Identifying the ideal partner profile
16:40 – From pilots to programs
17:42 – Don’t commit to a number without evidence
19:18 – Internal advocacy as a success driver
21:20 – Top challenges facing partner leaders today
25:17 – Organizational design for partner success
27:24 – AI in partnerships
27:46 – Catalyst Summits and global events
34:33 – Looking ahead for Partnership Leaders
37:00 – Reflections and gratitude
Key Takeaways
Start by assessing readiness – Use a maturity model to understand your company’s partnership capability before committing.
Define your ideal partner profile – Avoid the “spray and pray” approach; focus on one partner type first.
Internal advocacy is critical – Programatize communication to executives so partnerships stay visible and resourced.
The CPO role is growing – Chief Partner Officer is becoming a recognized executive seat with budget and authority.
Community + content = impact – PL combines networking, events, research, and advisory to elevate the profession.
Key Quotes
“There’s no glory in signing up for a number if the infrastructure isn’t ready.”
“Our hero is the partnership leader — everything we build is for them.”
“Internal advocacy should be as programmatic as external partner advocacy.”
“Start with observation and assessment before making bold moves.”
Final Thoughts
This episode is for partnership leaders, partner marketers, partner success managers, and anyone building partner strategy inside a company. Asher’s journey from a small email group to a global network offers lessons in community building, leadership, and operational excellence in the partner world.
#Partnerships #PartnerEcosystem #PartnershipLeaders #ChannelPartners #BusinessDevelopment #PartnerMarketing #Ecosystem #B2BPartnerships #InsidePartnering #ChiefPartnerOfficer
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit insidepartnering.substack.com
