The Channel Zone Podcast - #2-009 with Mark Shephard of Okta

In this episode, I interview Mark Shephard, or Shep, EMEA Cloud Alliances Leader at Okta, to explore a remarkable journey from the armed forces to the forefront of cloud sales strategy. We unpack the power of extensibility in tech platforms, the strategic value of collaboration with AWS, and how lessons from sports and the military shape leadership in high-performance environments.

Shep offers insight into the role of a cloud alliances leader, highlighting the trust, forecasting, and teamwork required to thrive in the fast-moving AWS marketplace. Whether it's aligning resellers, enabling regional partners, or simplifying customer transactions, this conversation is a masterclass in modern tech sales collaboration.

You’ll also discover how rugby and military discipline translate to business effectiveness, why Okta sponsors McLaren F1, and what it really means to conduct a sales orchestra.