Partnership Mastermind Podcast

Partnership Mastermind
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Hosted by Chris Lavoie, each episode dives deep with the sharpest minds in partnerships—from founders to channel leaders—to uncover what’s actually working. No fluff, no theory. Tactical playbooks, real stories, and battle-tested lessons from the front lines of ecosystem growth.

  1. Dan Caldwell on scaling Klaviyo’s Tech Partner Ecosystem

    2D AGO

    Dan Caldwell on scaling Klaviyo’s Tech Partner Ecosystem

    In this episode of Partnership Mastermind, host Chris Lavoie sits down with Dan Caldwell, Technology Partnerships leader at Klaviyo, to unpack what it truly takes to scale tech partnerships inside a major platform ecosystem. Dan shares hard-earned lessons from building a partner function that grew from early-stage motion to a reputable global engine — including partner prioritization, enablement strategy, and how to avoid the common traps that destroy internal credibility. They explore why customer intros rarely scale, what standout partners do in their first 90 days, and how AI is reshaping enablement and referral discovery through smarter signal detection (without sacrificing trust with CS and Sales). This episode is a tactical blueprint for partnership leaders focused on scalable, outcome-driven growth. Dan Caldwell--------------- Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/ Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    54 min
  2. The CEO's Playbook: How AI and Ecosystems are Reshaping B2B SaaS Growth | Bryn Jones (PartnerStack)

    FEB 4

    The CEO's Playbook: How AI and Ecosystems are Reshaping B2B SaaS Growth | Bryn Jones (PartnerStack)

    Join Partnership Mastermind for this exclusive, candid conversation with Bryn Jones, CEO and Co-Founder of PartnerStack, the world's largest B2B partner ecosystem platform. In this exclusive episode of Partnership Mastermind, Bryn Jones, CEO and Co-Founder of PartnerStack, breaks down what’s really driving the next era of B2B SaaS growth. As one of the original pioneers of the partner led movement (founding PartnerStack out of Y Combinator in 2015), Bryn shares a rare CEO-level perspective on Go-to-Market strategy, AI, and why partnerships are emerging as the most efficient growth engine in the modern GTM stack. Listeners will hear why traditional playbooks are no longer enough, how LLM ranking is becoming the new SEO, and what partnership leaders must do to earn executive trust, budget, and longterm career leverage. From the evolution of PRMs into AI powered “systems of action” to the reality of multi-partner attribution in today’s messy buyer journey, this episode delivers a clear blueprint for anyone serious about building, or scaling a partner-led business. Press play to learn directly from a CEO who has spent over a decade building the infrastructure behind the global partner economy. Bryn Jones Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/

    40 min
  3. Billy McClennan on Building Partner Programs from $0 to $100M

    JAN 28

    Billy McClennan on Building Partner Programs from $0 to $100M

    Billy McLennan, Director of Partnerships at Attentive and the first partnerships hire at Gorgias, joins Partnership Mastermind to share what it really takes to build and scale an agency partner ecosystem with revenue accountability. He unpacks the early Gorgias playbook (events + partner marketing as the scalable value lever), explains why “go deep with a few” is often a lazy default, and outlines how deal size, ICP, and partner economics determine whether volume or depth is the right strategy. The episode also covers partnership KPIs (including a contrarian take on influence revenue), the operational foundations needed for high-volume partner programs (CRM/PRM, tiering, automation, commissions), and the leadership habits that make transparency, performance management, and promotion conversations more effective. Billy McClennan --------------- Learn more about Partnership Mastermind Connect with Chris Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    53 min
  4. Cory Snyder on Building Partner Engines CROs Can’t Ignore

    JAN 14

    Cory Snyder on Building Partner Engines CROs Can’t Ignore

    Most B2B SaaS partner programs don’t fail because partnerships “don’t work.” They fail because the IPP is fuzzy, the onboarding is soft, and the forecast is fantasy. In this episode of Partnership Mastermind, I sit down with Cory Snyder, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Outbound Funnel, 2x exit leader, former partnerships builder at Sendoso and Teamwork.com, CSA board alum, and PartnerStack Partnership Leader of the Year (2022), to break down what sales-led partnerships really look like when you’re building for pipeline, not applause. Cory walks through how he pressure-tests partner motions, why partner interest is the fastest early pipeline signal, and how to engineer time to value before a partner is even fully recruited. We also get tactical about the stuff most teams avoid: longer partner applications, discovery questions that surface real demand, and how to build partner programs that become predictable enough to earn trust with CROs and CFOs. Cory Snyder Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/ Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    52 min
  5. Marco De Paulis on the Journey to Becoming the Partnerships Pipeline King

    JAN 7

    Marco De Paulis on the Journey to Becoming the Partnerships Pipeline King

    In this episode of the Partnership Mastermind podcast, I sit down with Marco De Paulis, Senior Director of Partnerships at Loop Returns, someone I’ve respected for years as the "Pipeline King." Marco is the definition of anti-fluff, and in this conversation, we strip away the vanity metrics to talk about what actually drives revenue and retention. We dive deep into the specific mechanics of Partner Influence, a topic that often gets fuzzy in our industry. Marco opens up his playbook to share his three-part influence framework, Endorsement, Active, and Verbal, and explains exactly how he gets Sales, RevOps, and Finance to trust the data by demanding "receipts" and proof. We also unpack the hard lessons he learned about scaling too fast, his "Sandwich Approach" to winning internal buy-in from both AEs and Executives, and why he believes that deep human connection is the one thing we should never automate. Whether you are an aspiring leader or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with the practical, honest advice you need to elevate your game. Marco De Paulis --------------- Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/ Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    51 min
  6. Jennifer Rhima on Building Apollo’s Partner Engine

    12/17/2025

    Jennifer Rhima on Building Apollo’s Partner Engine

    What does it really take to build a world-class SaaS partner program from scratch? In this episode of Partnership Mastermind, I sit down with Jennifer Rima, Director of Partnerships at Apollo.io, to unpack how she built Apollo’s entire partner ecosystem—starting as a literal team of one and scaling it into one of the most respected partner engines in SaaS today. We dive deep into the real work behind partnerships: from scrappy LinkedIn outreach and early mistakes, to designing affiliate, agency, tech, and startup ecosystem programs that actually drive revenue. Jennifer shares how Apollo turned partnerships into a serious growth lever at $150M+ in ARR, why process beats brute force, and how automation, discipline, and internal education helped partnerships earn credibility across sales, product, and leadership. If you’re a partner manager, partnerships leader, or founder trying to scale partnerships the right way, this episode is packed with hard-won insights on prioritization, co-selling, agency partnerships, internal alignment, and playing the long game. Jennifer Rhima https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferrhima/ --------------- Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/ Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    48 min

  7. 12/10/2025

    Scott Brinker on MarTech Maps to Platform Mastery

    In this episode of Partnership Mastermind, host Chris Lavoie sits down with Scott Brinker, creator of the MarTech Landscape and one of the most influential voices in platform strategy. Together, they explore the mechanics of moving from product to platform, the power of long-tail partners, and the organizational rewiring required to build a truly customer-centric ecosystem. Brinker also shares his perspective on how AI will reshape partner dynamics, developer experience, and the next decade of platform growth. A must-listen for ecosystem leaders, partner operators, and SaaS execs navigating platform maturity. Scott Brinker --------------- Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/ Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    53 min
  8. Bryan Williams on the Myth of “Just Add More Partners”

    12/03/2025

    Bryan Williams on the Myth of “Just Add More Partners”

    In this episode of Partnership Mastermind, host Chris Lavoie sits down with Bryan Williams, founder of Hockey Stick Advisory and former ecosystem leader at Vend and Xero, for a masterclass on B2B SaaS partnerships and partner ecosystem strategy. Bryan shares how he went from building referral engines in UK gyms to running one of the most respected partnership advisory firms in APAC. He and Chris unpack the most expensive myths in partnerships (including “just recruit more partners”), the shift from partner acquisition to partner productivity, and the five-pillar framework Bryan uses to help 60+ companies build predictable, partner-led revenue. They also dig into leadership alignment with the CEO and CRO, redefining KPIs for sales and success, and how to operationalize partnerships so they’re embedded across the entire go-to-market motion. Bryan Williams --------------- Learn more about Partnership Mastermind https://partnershipmastermind.com/ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lavoie-phd-aaaa4111b/ Chris Lavoie is a leading voice in B2B SaaS partnerships, known for building programs that deliver real, measurable results. As the founder of Partnership Mastermind, he equips professionals with actionable tools, training, and mentorship. After building multiple partnership programs, he launched Partnership Mastermind.

    48 min
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Hosted by Chris Lavoie, each episode dives deep with the sharpest minds in partnerships—from founders to channel leaders—to uncover what’s actually working. No fluff, no theory. Tactical playbooks, real stories, and battle-tested lessons from the front lines of ecosystem growth.

Information

  • Creator
    Partnership Mastermind
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Partnership Mastermind
  • Show Website
    Partnership Mastermind Podcast