The Channel Zone Podcast

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.

In this episode of The Channel Zone Podcast, I’m joined by Al Stephens, founder of Darwin Technology Solutions, for a powerful conversation about shaking up the traditional IT procurement model.
Al shares how Darwin is helping IT leaders cut through complexity, connect with the right vendors, and make smarter technology decisions—fast. We dive into what’s broken in the old buying process, why so many organizations end up with overlapping solutions, and how Darwin’s collaborative, data-informed approach is changing the game.
We also touch on the real-world challenges of founding and running a tech business, the importance of delegation, and how emerging technologies like AI are accelerating everything.
👉 If you’re in tech leadership, channel sales, or just wrestling with vendor overload, this one’s for you.

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, we’re joined by Earl Talbot, a seasoned tech sales professional turned solopreneur, consultant, coach, and best-selling author. Earl shares his journey from the frontline of sales to building Creative Muscle Ltd, where he now helps individuals and teams unlock their true potential.
Together, we dive deep into the human side of sales—the grit, the grind, and the resilience it takes to keep showing up. Earl opens up about the mental and emotional toll that sales can take, the importance of building inner strength, and how neurodiversity plays a crucial role in navigating professional and personal challenges.
Whether you're in sales, leadership, or simply looking for an honest conversation about growth and self-awareness, this episode offers insights, inspiration, and plenty of real talk.
🎧 Listen now and strengthen your creative muscle.

🎙️ In this episode, we’re joined by Harrison Kauffman – Account Director at boxxe and a rising star in the world of social selling. If you’ve spent any time on LinkedIn or TikTok, chances are you’ve seen one of Harrison’s energetic, insightful videos.
A natural-born salesman with a passion for storytelling through social media and video, Harrison shares the journey that sparked his interest in content creation. He also breaks down why building your social presence isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s becoming essential in today’s sales landscape.
Whether you're a seasoned seller or just starting out, Harrison’s perspective is packed with practical advice and contagious enthusiasm. Don’t miss it.

In this episode, I sit down with Dan Archer of Cactus to explore the evolving landscape of sales, marketing, and social selling—specifically within the agency ecosystem. We dive into the strategies that drive revenue growth, how agencies can leverage social platforms for sales success, and the intersection of marketing and business development in today’s competitive environment. Whether you're in the agency world or looking to refine your sales and marketing approach, this conversation is packed with practical insights and actionable takeaways.
Tune in now! 🎧🚀

In this episode, we sit down with Jon Kane, Senior Sales Director at Gigamon, a seasoned industry leader with an unmatched perspective on cybersecurity and the evolving threat landscape.
A quick thinker with deep expertise, Jon’s insights into the current state of play are not to be missed. With 25 years in the cybersecurity world, Jon has also held key roles at RSA, VMware, Trend Micro, McAfee, FireEye, and more—engaging with nearly every facet of the cybersecurity ecosystem.
As we kick off 2025, Jon shares his thoughts on the business of cybersecurity, emerging technologies, the rise of AI, and what’s next for the industry. If you’re looking for expert analysis on where cybersecurity is headed, this episode is a must-listen.

Having known one another for over a decade, Colin and Mark discuss how things differ between Japan and the UK tech marketplaces. 

The episode features an interview with Charlie Haynes, an Account Director at Veritas Technologies LLC. Charlie discusses his career journey, from transitioning from university into professional selling, to working at companies like Symantec and Veritas. He reflects on how the sales landscape has evolved, with changes in the buyer-seller knowledge dynamic and the rise of cloud service provider marketplaces. Charlie emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships in sales, and how the COVID-19 lockdowns significantly impacted his work. A key focus of the conversation is Charlie's involvement with Toastmasters International, which he credits with helping him improve his public speaking and presentation skills, particularly in addressing the overuse of ineffective PowerPoint presentations that he sees as a common issue. Overall, the episode provides insights into Charlie's experiences and perspectives on the evolving world of B2B sales.

In the latest episode kicking off season two of the podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stuart Brinicombe, a seasoned veteran in the tech industry. With an impressive career spanning companies like Novell, PCT, and Oracle, Stuart shared his unique perspective on the evolving landscape of tech sales.
We delved into the significant changes brought about by the global pandemic and lockdowns, exploring how the tech sales process has adapted to the new remote and digital-first environment. Stuart provided valuable insights on the growing influence and adoption of AI technologies, and how they are shaping the way sales professionals approach their work.
A key theme that emerged from our conversation was the continued importance of "curiosity" for successful sellers in the tech industry. Stuart emphasized that even as AI and automation become more prevalent, the ability to ask thoughtful questions, understand customer needs, and continuously learn remains essential for sales professionals to thrive.
With his wealth of experience and industry knowledge, Stuart offered a compelling perspective on the current state of the tech sector and the skills and mindset required for sales teams to excel in this dynamic landscape. This episode provides listeners with a unique and insightful look into the evolving world of tech sales.

Social Media? Social Selling? Are they the same? Does one contribute or conflict with the other?
In this series finale we get to spend some time with Lena Weber-Reed, a social media strategist, and a firm believer in the potential for social media to help generate demand and leads in a B2B environment.
Right now, social media and social selling are hot topics in the IT eco-system, with most end-to-end resellers and MSPs feeling that they are not quite where they should be on this point. I feel like telling them that they're not alone. Indeed, it's likely that we all feel that we could be doing more, or doing better with our social media efforts. Or is it just me...?
Anyway, in this conversation, Lena sheds some light on how social media in general, and LinkedIn in particular, can be effectively used to build brand, establish credibility in your market, and drive revenues. One or two useful ideas or recommendations is sometimes all we need to transform our results - and hopefully, you'll find some in this podcast.