314 – The Brutal Truth: Why Most MSPs Leave Microsoft Money on the Table — Ultimate Partner®

Stop Begging Microsoft for Leads: The Proven Playbook Top MSPs Actually Use

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In this insightful episode, Vince Menzione sits down with Chuck Kiessling of Partner Development Group (PDG), Tahmid Ahmed of Lenovo, and Paul Freeman of Pulse One to decode the complexities of the Microsoft partner ecosystem. The panel explores the transition of traditional MSPs into technology integration companies, the importance of operationalizing your Microsoft practice across all internal departments, and the critical need to adapt to generative AI. They also unpack the strategic collaboration between hardware giants, partner development experts, and integration companies to unlock co-sell referrals, optimize licensing, and leverage the Microsoft Marketplace for scalable mid-market growth.

https://youtu.be/MHqENEk64S4

Key Takeaways

MSPs should evolve into technology integration companies to stay relevant in the changing ecosystem.
Success in the Microsoft channel relies on strategic behavior and engaging around the sale, not just asking for direct leads.
A Microsoft practice should not be siloed but integrated across marketing, finance, and operations.
Partners must focus on solving specific customer problems, such as providing automation and security, rather than just selling technology for its own sake.
Optimizing enterprise licensing and moving customers to CSP can create stickiness and immediate ROI.
Engaging with end users like HR and marketing provides better feedback on tools like Copilot than stopping at the IT manager level.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:50 Meet the panel: PDG, Lenovo, and Pulse One

03:12 From MSP to technology integration company

04:39 Stop asking Microsoft for leads

07:32 The old days of the Microsoft channel

09:05 How PDG, Lenovo, and Pulse One work together

12:32 The PDG playbook: structured, not scripted

15:46 Orchestrating the partnership

17:21 Partner Center is a beast: the value left on the table

19:27 Outcomes and Microsoft Marketplace strategy

21:49 Advice for MSPs

25:05 Customers buy from people they trust

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Tags

Microsoft partner, Microsoft channel, MSP, Microsoft CSP, co-sell referral, Microsoft Marketplace, Microsoft Partner Center, solution designations, generative AI, Copilot, Lenovo, Partner Development Group, Pulse One, technology integration company, EA to CSP, mid-market, hyperscalers, Ultimate Partner Podcast, Vince Menzione

Transcript

Chuck Kiessling, Tahmid Ahmed, and Paul Freeman on the Ultimate Partner Podcast

[00:00:00] Paul Freeman: You know, when, uh, generative AI came out a couple years ago, we kind of saw the writing on the wall like, this is the direction we have to get ready for.

[00:00:08] Vince Menzione: You can feel it happening. The ecosystem is shifting beneath us, the way hyperscalers are partnering, how AI is remaking the channel and what it means to win in 2026.

[00:00:19] Vince Menzione: Welcome to the Ultimate Partner Podcast. I’m Vince Menzione, your host. And each week I sit down with leaders at the intersection of technology, partnerships and outcomes. The voices shaping how ecosystems actually work. We talk about what’s real, what’s changing, and what it takes to lead in this era where the partner channel isn’t just part of the strategy.

[00:00:42] Vince Menzione: It is the strategy, because being in the room changes everything. Let’s start.

[00:00:50] Vince Menzione: So we actually have, I’m gonna invite them up here and have ’em introduce themselves. We went from