Work From Home Is Killing Opportunity (Return to Customers)

In this episode of The Channel Zone Podcast, Mark Edwards is joined by Mark Sumner, CEO of Robertson Sumner and host of the Channel Chat podcast, to unpack how podcasting, community, and in-person relationships are shaping the UK channel.

Mark shares the candid story behind Channel Chat — launched in 2019 as a business development tool, then accelerated dramatically during lockdown into a major industry platform. The conversation explores why Mark believes “return to office” is less important than “return to customers,” and how proximity to people and conversations creates opportunity that remote working often misses.

They also dig into the UK tech job market: recent turbulence and leadership churn, the rise of private equity investment in services-led MSPs, and the pressure on businesses overly reliant on hardware and renewals. On hiring, Mark outlines the traits he sees in top sales performers — from growth mindset and communication to discipline — and highlights a newer expectation showing up in job specs: real AI adoption and an AI-first mentality.

The episode closes with a look at why live events work in the channel — bringing competitors and partners into the same room to spark collaboration — plus a memorable nod to corporate hospitality and what makes in-person experiences stick.

In this episode of The Channel Zone Podcast, Mark Edwards is joined by Ed Renwick, Head of Strategic Service Provider Acquisition at Acronis—an experienced sales and partner leader whose career spans Oracle, Virgin Media, Exponential-e, and more.

Mark and Ed reconnect (with a bit of humour to kick things off, including the origin story of Ed’s beard) before getting into what really matters: how partner acquisition compares to new business sales, and why relationship-first selling still wins. Ed shares the simple commercial lens he uses in every conversation—revenue growth, cost avoidance, and cost reduction—and explains why product should come last, not first.

The discussion then turns to the role of in-person events in building real partnerships. Ed breaks down the difference between big, transactional exhibitions and smaller, “boutique” experiences that create trust and long-term alignment—complete with stories from Acronis partner events across Europe.

They also explore the post-COVID shift in sales culture: why face-to-face has come roaring back, what’s been lost for early-career sellers who started “virtual-first,” and how leaders are trying to rebuild momentum in the field.

To finish, Ed shares his grounded view on AI in cybersecurity—where it genuinely helps (automation, admin, efficiency) and where it shouldn’t be allowed to go (unchecked decision-making)—before picking his most memorable corporate hospitality experience: a rain-soaked Silverstone F1 race day, complete with pit access, celebrity moments, and partnerships strengthened for the long haul.

Topics covered: MSP partner acquisition • relationship-led selling • events vs experiences • post-COVID field sales revival • sales coaching foundations • AI in cyber & operational efficiency • corporate hospitality done right

In this episode of The Channel Zone Podcast, Mark Edwards is joined by Fiona McKenzie, CEO of digital marketing agency Revere (now part of MarketBridge), to unpack what “digital marketing” really means in the tech channel today—and why it’s become so complex.

Fiona explains how messy the modern buyer journey has become: more channels, more content, bigger buying groups, and more cautious decision-making. We explore how vendors, distributors, and partners each play a different role in reaching the end customer—and why partner marketing can’t be an afterthought when vendors go increasingly route-to-market via ecosystems.

A big theme is AI transformation—but with a reality check: many organisations still haven’t nailed the basics. Fiona shares why MarTech stacks often become “all the gear, no idea,” with tools that don’t connect, aren’t optimised, and fail to produce true attribution. Her message is simple: simplify the engine first, then use AI to accelerate the right outcomes—especially by eliminating “time drains” like endless feedback loops, stakeholder misalignment, and slow content cycles that lose sight of the customer.

We also dig into the classic sales vs marketing divide (yes, it’s still real), why the word “lead” causes chaos, and how leadership teams should rethink KPIs using more meaningful impact measures tied to growth. Fiona argues that marketing is fundamentally commercial—and that alignment works best when the C-suite unites sales and marketing around one shared growth strategy.

To close, Fiona shares a memorable channel hospitality story from her years running events—highlighting that the most powerful moments aren’t the PowerPoints… they’re the human connection, shared laughter, and camaraderie that keep people coming back year after year.