277 – Decoding the 22 Billion Dollar Secret to Partnership Success in 2026!

AI is changing everything: Are you ready? 

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Is your business ready for 2026?

Welcome back to the Ultimate Partner® Podcast.

As we kick off Thanksgiving in the United States this week, I’m incredibly grateful for this exclusive interview with Craig Abod, President of Carahsoft, which reveals the mindset and unique market strategy that fueled the company’s astronomical growth, hitting over $22 billion in bookings.

Craig discusses the crucial role of the channel in serving the government and public sectors, how Carahsoft built its foundation by partnering with emerging technology companies like Salesforce and Splunk before they were giants, and how they balance massive $30 million deals with tiny $30 orders.

He also shares his vision for the next chapter, including expansion into a $10 billion hardware business and a focus on accelerating partner implementation services, alongside his perspective on the inevitable, fast-approaching ‘aha moment’ for AI transformation across all industries.

Craig shared this journey as we kicked of Ultimate Partner LIVE. This was the second LIVE event we hosted this year and the fourth Ultimate Partner Event of 2025, including Winter Retreat, UP Live Spring, and our Executive Breakfast at Microsoft Ignite.

Through our events and community, you have access to exclusive content, workshops, and strategies that help you achieve more and stay ahead of what’s next.

The buzz around our community is simply astounding. We are building something I couldn’t even dream of when we started a simple podcast almost 9 years ago out of my spare bedroom.

If you haven’t already, please consider joining our Ultimate Partner Community, where the most compelling leaders in the technology partnership world come to experience, share, learn, and grow.

Thanks for being on this journey with us.

— Vince

Key Takeaways

• Carahsoft has grown by roughly $3 billion annually for the last three years, reaching over $22 billion in bookings.
• The company’s strategy involves centralizing vendor ecosystems to help partners and government customers find, acquire, and deploy technology successfully.
• Carahsoft established early success by partnering with emerging tech companies like Salesforce and VMware before they became major franchises.
• A key element of their philosophy is operational excellence, taking the same care of the smallest customers as the biggest ones.
• The company is focused on expanding into a $10 billion hardware market and growing its services/MSP capability, which currently processes $1.5 billion in implementation services.
• Craig Abod believes AI will lead to an “aha moment” in the next few years where the value of self-driving cars and automated systems will become undeniable.

If you’re ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins.

Key Tags

Carahsoft, Craig Abod, public sector, government IT, channel ecosystem, technology distribution, VMware franchise, Salesforce, Splunk, emerging tech, hyper-growth, AI adoption, self-driving cars, Max CPV, MSP, implementation services, deal registration, long tail work, verticalization, enterprise healthcare, education market, Google Ads, Ultimate Partnering, Menzione.

https://youtu.be/5uhSY9BydrM

Ultimate Partner is the independent community for technology leaders navigating the tectonic shifts in cloud, AI, marketplaces, and co-selling. Through live events, UPX membership, advisory, and the Ultimate Partner® podcast, we help organizations align with hyperscalers, accelerate growth, and achieve their greatest results through successful partnering.

Transcript

[00:00:00] Craig Abod: We’re all gonna wa