Win with ecosystems: make partnerships a core growth strategy

PartnerReady co-founder Ed Sullivan explains why partnerships can’t be a side hustle and how to turn them into a repeatable growth engine. His playbook starts with the customer’s value chain (not your org chart), maps real partner opportunities, prioritises ruthlessly, and builds programmes that deliver mutual value at scale. Expect concrete guidance on partner types, team design, prioritisation, tooling, and how to start small (even on a shoestring) without skipping the critical steps.

Key themes include:

1. Strategy, not tactics
   Treat partnerships like product, sales, or marketing: build a plan, roadmap, and success metrics.

2. Ecosystem-first: map the customer’s value chain
   Put your ideal customer profile (ICP) at the centre. Who do they buy from? Who influences/authorises? What people/processes/tech do they use? Mapping this reveals paths to market you won’t see from an “inside-out” view.

3. Prioritise and categorize where you’ll play
   Use the value chain to identify ecosystems (platforms, tools, services) and rank them. Build clear value propositions per category/partner before you engage.

4. Know your partner types and design the right motions
   Four major buckets cover most partnerships: strategic GTM, technology, channel/referral and R&D/innovation

5. Build the right team (and keep tech separate)
   Partner functions span business development, corporate development, partnerships and solution partners. 

6. Start small, even on a shoestring
   A whiteboard, customer calls, and focus can surface 2–3 high‑leverage plays. You can also “join” mature ecosystems to piggyback on their tools.

Key takeaways

• Map value chains for each ICP: use this to identify 3–6 paths to market you haven’t tried.

• Prioritise and build a thesis: categorise partner opportunities, rank by impact/effort and craft a clear value proposal before outreach.

• Design your team for scale: assign owners, targets, and governance; treat partnerships like enterprise sales (long cycles, rigorous qualification).

• Start with the customer’s ecosystem, not your org. Build one repeatable motion, prove it, and scale with discipline.

Learn more by watching the complete session with all insights.