Congratulations! You’ve just stepped into the role of Channel Chief, a position that can be incredibly rewarding but also brutally unforgiving. The harsh reality?
*80% of new Channel Chiefs fail within their first 18 months.
(Where does that number come from? I'll explain at the end of the blog.)
If you’re not careful, you’ll be next.
I don’t say this to scare you; I say it because I’ve spent 25 years in the channel, building, breaking, and rebuilding programs. I’ve watched too many new leaders walk in with confidence, only to get chewed up and spit out within a year.
So, what goes wrong? And more importantly, how can you avoid becoming another statistic?
Let’s walk through the next 12 months of your life as a new Channel Chief.
Month 1: “I’m in Over My Head.”
That feeling? It’s normal. In fact, if you don’t feel this way, you should be worried. Growth happens in discomfort.
The problem? You’ve never done this before. So, your first move?
You hire five or six “experienced” channel people—industry veterans who have bounced between vendors. You pay top dollar because your company says, “We’re all in on this channel thing!” and why wouldn’t they be? Getting other people to sell your product while you only pay them on results? Sounds like a dream.
But the honeymoon phase doesn’t last long.
Month 6: “This is Harder Than I Thought.”
Your channel managers are flying all over the country.Buying dinners.Sponsoring events.Telling your story.
Burning through cash.
And here’s the kicker partners like you, but they’re not selling your products at the rates you thought they would.
.
Now, the pressure starts to build.
Month 12: “Where’s the Revenue?”
You’ve burned through a million dollars plus.
Your leadership team, once excited about the channel, is now getting cold feet.
And guess who they’re looking at?
You.
This is when the hard conversation happens. Maybe you get another six months to “turn it around.” Maybe you don’t.
What You Should Have Done 12 Months Ago
Let’s be blunt—relationships and experience aren’t enough.
The channel isn’t what it was 10 years ago. What worked then won’t cut it today.
You need structure, frameworks, and accountability.
You need a Blueprint for building a channel that actually delivers revenue—not just “exposure.”
That’s exactly why I built The Blueprint Program because I got sick of seeing talented leaders thrown into the fire and failing themselves and their Channel Managers.
Lots of assumptions get made and far too much autonomy without structure and planning best on Channel 2.0 objectives and realities.
To help you get started, here are three free tips straight from the Blueprint. Implement these now, and you’ll start to set yourself up for success.
Three Free Tips from The Blueprint
1. Focus on the Right Partners—Not the Most Partners
Most new Channel Chiefs think, “The more partners I recruit, the better!” This is a rookie mistake.
Not all partners are created equal. Some will bring you zero revenue despite their enthusiasm. Others will promise the world and deliver nothing.
Instead of trying to onboard as many partners as possible, focus on quality over quantity. Ask yourself:
Do they sell to the same customers we do?
Do they have a history of success with other vendors?
Are they willing to commit resources to selling our solution?
A small, engaged group of high-performing partners will always outperform a large, unengaged network.
2. Make It Easy for Partners to Sell Your Product
Many vendors make the mistake of thinking, “Our product is great, so of course, partners will want to sell it!”
Wrong.
Partners don’t wake up thinking about your product. They wake up thinking about their customers, their sales, and their commissions.
If you want partners to prioritize your solution, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to sell it. That means:
Providing clear, easy-to-access training that doesn’t waste their time.
Giving them simple, compelling messaging that resonates with their customers.
Offering real sales support—not just a portal full of PDFs they’ll never read.
If selling your product feels complicated, guess what? They won’t sell it.
3. Measure the Right Metrics—Not Just Partner Count
Many new Channel Chiefs obsess over partner count as their key metric. But here’s the truth:
Having 500 partners means nothing if only 10 are actively selling.
Instead, track metrics that actually impact revenue, such as:
Partner engagement (Are they attending training? Asking questions? Using sales resources?)
Pipeline contribution (How many opportunities are partners actually generating?)
Win rate per partner (Are the deals they bring in actually closing?)
If you focus on engagement and results rather than just sign-ups, you’ll build a channel that actually performs.
Do It Right, or Do It Over
If you’re stepping into this role, do it right.
Build a Channel 2.0 program that actually wins.
Because 12 months from now, I want you thriving—not updating your LinkedIn profile with “Open to Work.”
Need help building a channel that delivers real revenue? Let’s talk. Drop a comment or message me—I’ll help you get it right the first time.
Channel Chief Failure Rate
*The 80% failure rate for new Channel Chiefs isn’t an officially published statistic from a single source, but rather an estimate based on industry observations, executive turnover data, and common trends in channel leadership.
Here’s why this number is reasonable:
1. High Turnover in Channel Leadership
Multiple studies show that executive turnover rates in sales and channel roles are extremely high, often within 12 to 18 months if performance expectations aren’t met.
According to CSO Insights and Forrester, most companies expect channel programs to deliver significant revenue within 12-24 months, and if they don’t, leadership changes happen fast.
2. Challenges Unique to the Channel
Many new Channel Chiefs come from direct sales backgrounds and struggle to shift from selling to customers to selling through partners.
The complexity of partner relationships, incentives, and enablement often catches new leaders off guard, leading to underperformance and eventual turnover.
3. Real-World Observations
Based on anecdotal data from industry veterans, many new Channel Chiefs don’t last beyond 18 months because they fail to generate measurable revenue growth.
Vendors frequently restructure their channel programs, meaning leadership turnover is common when strategies don’t produce quick wins.
LOOK AT LINKEDIN
Anyone with two eyes who is paying attention has seen the increased turnover in Channel Sales. Channel Managers are frequently changing companies and Channel Chiefs are rarely in the same role past 12 months.
About Ronnell Richards
Ronnell Richards is a seasoned entrepreneur, sales leader, and channel expert with over 25 years of experience building, scaling, and revitalizing channel programs. As the author of The Blueprint For Channel Manager Success, he has helped countless Channel Leaders and sales professionals navigate the complexities of partner ecosystems, transforming struggling programs into revenue-generating machines.
A dynamic speaker, author of Shut The Hell Up and Sell, and mentor to high-performing sales leaders, Ronnell is passionate about simplifying sales, eliminating excuses, and helping businesses build channels that actually work.
Want to connect with Ronnell and build a channel strategy that delivers real revenue? Reach out today.
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