In a recent Kiflo-hosted Q&A live session, Peter Fogelsanger, a veteran in partnership and enablement with over 30 years of experience in B2B SaaS and enterprise software, unpacked one of the toughest questions facing Partner and Channel Managers today: why isn't my partnership program generating results?
Peter’s career spans key roles at companies like Uniform, Contentstack, and Thunderhead (now Salesforce Interactive Studio), with foundational experience from Sitecore and SDL. In his own words, he’s picked up a lot of scars along the way, and in this session, he shared the lessons that matter most.
Misplaced Priorities at the Start
Most partnership programs follow a similar journey: you recruit a partner, pitch your product, sign an agreement, maybe do some account mapping, onboard the partner’s delivery team, and then hope for results. The problem? This typical approach stacks on complexity and friction before any revenue is proven.
Peter argues that agreements, onboarding, and joint value propositions are often premature if you haven't even landed the first deal. These activities are time-consuming and costly, especially when done without evidence that the partnership will work.
Focus First on the First Deal
The most critical insight Peter shared is this: always orient the partnership conversation around finding and winning the first joint deal. Instead of chasing paperwork or detailed enablement plans, focus on identifying a real business opportunity. He calls it the “risk triangle” between the customer, the partner, and you, the ISV (Independent Software Vendor). If all three sides are unfamiliar with each other, the deal will almost always fall apart.
The fastest path to results is getting the partner to bring you into a customer relationship they already own. That drastically lowers risk and accelerates trust on all sides. Instead of building from scratch, you're embedding into a known environment.
Timing Is Everything: Agreements Can Wait
Legal agreements are important, but not right away. Peter recommends starting with a simple NDA or confidentiality agreement. Once the first joint win happens, then you negotiate a full partner agreement based on real context and a working relationship.
When partners demand an agreement upfront, consider pushing back by explaining the mutual benefit of delaying. If legal work is unavoidable, let the partner know that the costs (lawyers, time, resources) might reduce their initial referral incentives. It’s all about transparency and shared investment.
Reduce Effort by Reordering the Process
By removing legal back-and-forth, heavy onboarding, and broad account mapping from the early stages, you free up time and mental space—for both sides. This streamlined path to partnership makes it easier to start working together and reduces wasted cycles on partnerships that may never perform.
Peter encourages a more agile approach to onboarding too. Instead of training an entire team from day one, focus on enablement tied to the first real deal. Not only is this more effective, but it’s also respectful of the partner’s time and resources.
Communication Is Key, But It Needs Structure
Strong partner communication doesn’t just happen, it’s intentional. Peter emphasizes building habits that make it easier for partners to engage with you. That includes using your PRM platform not just for deal registration but as the central hub for updates, resources, and shared goals.
Use gamified elements and tiered incentives to keep engagement high. Partners are more likely to log in and interact if the portal helps them win, not just fill out forms.
Set the Right Outcome from Day One
Success isn't signing an agreement. It’s closing that first deal. From there, you build. The onboarding, enablement, and planning all happen more naturally and effectively when both sides are already invested in success.
For Partner Managers and Heads of Partnerships looking to drive results, this means shifting your mindset. Instead of measuring early success by how many partners sign up, start measuring how many bring you into real opportunities. Build your activation process around those wins, and your partner ecosystem will grow stronger and more profitable.
