In this episode of Partnerships Unraveled, we dive into the career journey and channel philosophy of Ty Smith, founder of Optical Diversity Telecom and 2023 Channel Manager of the Year at Intellisys. From redefining what it means to be a proactive channel leader to launching his own agency, Ty brings unmatched insights from the trenches of indirect sales and partner enablement.

We unpack Ty’s award-winning approach to distributor collaboration, technical training, and network-first channel growth. He also introduces his thought-provoking SPICE framework, an actionable model for driving diversity across Suppliers, Partners, Investors, Customers, and Employees and explains why a more inclusive channel isn’t just fair, it’s essential for scale.

You’ll also hear:

What most channel managers misunderstand about switching to the partner side
Why brand equity matters more than ever, and how new partners can build it
How to bring the channel to overlooked regions and underrepresented talent pools
Ty’s bold vision to make channel roles as mainstream as real estate agents

Whether you're leading partner strategy or just discovering the power of the channel, this episode offers a fresh, human, and forward-thinking lens on what’s next for our ecosystem.

Connect with Ty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrellsmith/

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Ty Smith - Driving Diversity in the Channel