Why should you read it?
Thoughtful and practical guidance navigating large GSIs and technology alliances grounded in lived experience of an alliance expert whilst at Accenture.
What is the book about?
Powering go to market and revenue impact with large consulting and technology company alliances.
Best takeaway
Understand consulting personnel mindset to be successful harnessing their deep insight and relationships to add value to end customers.
Head of Strategic Partnerships at OpusClip
Former Strategic Partnerships at StreamYard and Hopin
Why should you read it?
This book is essential for partnership professionals because it provides a realistic, no-nonsense approach to building and managing partner ecosystems, especially for startups. Unlike generic partnership guides, it dives into the risks of premature partnerships, common misalignments, and the hidden costs of bad partner selection. Schrepf challenges the myth that partnerships are a shortcut to growth and instead provides a structured framework for evaluating when and how to engage partners effectively. Even for professionals in established partner programs, the book offers a fresh perspective on how startups think about partnerships and what that means for larger vendors working with them.
What is the book about?
The book covers the full partnership lifecycle, from deciding if partnerships are the right strategy to executing and scaling them. Schrepf introduces the 4C Framework (Customers, Capabilities, Culture, Commitment) to assess partner fit and explains when startups should prioritize direct sales over partnerships. Key topics include avoiding common partnership pitfalls, structuring agreements, ensuring partner enablement, and understanding how large tech companies evaluate startup partnerships. While primarily aimed at startups, the insights apply to any partnership professional responsible for building, managing, or optimizing partner relationships.
Best takeaway
The biggest insight is that timing matters—startups often enter partnerships too soon, before they have a repeatable sales motion or the capacity to support partners, leading to wasted resources and frustration. For professionals managing partner programs, this book is a reminder to scrutinize partner readiness before onboarding—ensuring that partnerships are built on real alignment rather than just good intentions.
VP Worldwide Sales at Channel Mechanics
Why should you read it?
This is a particularly great resource for anyone working in or new to the world of alliances and partnerships.
What is the book about?
This book was published in 2014 and the term “ecosystem” in relation to channel and partnering models was not as pervasive a term as it is today. In today’s globalized world cooperation and collaboration are critical drivers of business success. This book combines excellent academic research with real world company case studies across many different industry verticals to offer a “practitioners guide” to making Alliances in the real world work. It outlines several different alliances models that firms can adopt.
Best takeaway
How to define an Alliances strategy for your company. There are really good practitioner ideas to consider.
Author, Doctor in Cloud, AI, SaaS, & Marketplaces. PhD, MBA, BSc. Founder. Investor. Advisor. ex-Google, Amazon, HP, EMCDell, Teradata.
Why should you read it?
In today’s digital battleground, success isn’t just about having the best technology—it’s about mastering the ecosystem. War of the Ecosystems is a must-read for executives, entrepreneurs, and strategists who want to dominate the AI, Cloud, and SaaS platform wars. This book isn’t just theory—it’s a playbook. It reveals the battle-tested strategies that tech giants use to build, scale, and defend their platforms. If you’re leading a startup, managing partnerships, or investing in digital transformation, this book will change the way you think about ecosystems. What makes War of the Ecosystems different? It delivers practical insights—step-by-step frameworks, real-world case studies, and actionable strategies you can implement today. Whether you’re navigating partner networks, SaaS growth challenges, or competitive threats, this book will give you the edge you need. This book will change the way you see digital ecosystems and give you the tools to win the war.
What is the book about?
War of the Ecosystems is a battle plan for anyone navigating the high-stakes world of AI, Cloud, and SaaS platforms. This book breaks down the strategies that tech giants use to build, scale, and dominate digital ecosystems, offering a roadmap for businesses looking to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. At its core, the book explores: How ecosystems drive success—and why they’re the future of technology; winning partnership strategies—leveraging co-selling, integrations, and multi-partner collaborations; monetization tactics—how platforms generate revenue and sustain long-term growth; survival in the ecosystem war—adapting to shifting alliances, regulatory challenges, and market disruptions; lessons from industry leaders—real-world case studies from the biggest players in tech.
Best takeaway
If there’s one game-changing idea from War of the Ecosystems, it’s this: In today’s digital world, individual success is no longer enough—winning requires mastering the ecosystem. The biggest tech companies don’t just sell products or services; they build powerful networks of partners, developers, and customers that create self-sustaining growth. Whether you’re in SaaS, AI, or Cloud, your ability to align with the right partners, leverage platforms, and create value beyond your own offering is what separates winners from losers.
Co-Founder and CEO at Crossbeam
Why should you read it?
The book provides a strategic framework for leveraging partnerships to drive sales, marketing, and business growth. Bob Moore offers actionable insights on how to build, scale, and optimize partner ecosystems. The book moves beyond traditional channel sales and explores how partnerships can unlock new revenue streams, enhance customer acquisition, and improve retention. For professionals looking to future-proof their partnership strategies, this book serves as a practical guide to navigating the evolving landscape of ecosystem-led growth.
What is the book about?
The book presents the concept of Ecosystem-Led Growth (ELG) as a modern approach to scaling businesses through partnerships. It emphasizes how companies can harness partner networks, data-sharing, and co-marketing strategies to expand their reach and create value. Moore breaks down the key components of a successful ecosystem-led strategy, including identifying the right partners, measuring partnership impact, and integrating partnerships into core business functions. Through case studies and real-world examples, the book illustrates how organizations can move from traditional sales and marketing tactics to a more collaborative and scalable growth model.
Best takeaway
Partnerships are no longer just an add-on to sales and marketing—they are a growth engine. One of the most valuable insights is the emphasis on data-driven partnership strategies, where companies can leverage partner insights to optimize targeting, improve conversion rates, and increase customer lifetime value. If you’re in the partnerships space, this book will shift your perspective on how to drive revenue and growth through collaboration.
CEO at Partnernomics
Why should you read it?
Dr. Brigman emphasizes that the business environment is becoming increasingly complex, with companies relying more on partnerships to drive innovation and growth. He highlights the need for professionals to develop a deep understanding of strategic partnering to navigate this complexity effectively. Reading “Partnernomics” equips partner ecosystem professionals with the knowledge and frameworks necessary to build and manage successful partnerships in today’s dynamic market.
What is the book about?
“Partnernomics” delves into the art and science of forming strategic partnerships. Dr. Brigman discusses the importance of trust, alignment, and shared vision between partners. He also covers the processes and methodologies that can help organizations create value through effective collaboration. The book provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the dynamics of partnerships and offers practical tools for implementation
Best takeaway
A key takeaway from the book is its emphasis on replacing traditional transactional approaches with strategic concepts such as trust, esprit de corps, and the Partnership Pyramid. This shift in perspective encourages viewing partnerships as collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships, which can lead to transformative success for businesses.
Founder & CEO at AchieveUnite
Why should you read it?
This book is a must-read for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem professionals aiming to harness the power of partnerships for significant growth. It offers practical strategies and insights on creating and sustaining successful partnerships, which are essential for innovation and maintaining a competitive edge in today’s interconnected business environment.
What is the book about?
The book delves into the strategic role of partnerships in business. It explains how to establish and enhance partnerships, implement systems for success, and customize approaches for different types of partnerships. Theresa also highlights the importance of fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and mutual success, making it an invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve their business through strategic alliances.
Best takeaway
One of the principles stated in the book for partnering success is that “partnering starts at the top”. This means that highest levels of your organization must be onboard with your partner strategy. Although this may appear an obvious or simple statement, it’s not always like that. If you are running a partner ecosystem and your leadership team isn’t in the same boat and rowing towards the same direction, you are on path to fail in your job. Be bold and ensure your focus starts from the top.
Founder and CEO at Partner Insight
Why should you read it?
Given we are in a new and developing space, there aren’t that many great books about partnerships, channels and ecosystems which include very practical advice. I liked this book since offers a good range of articles on ecosystems from multiple authors and analysts which are current to the business.
What is the book about?
Ecosystems Inc. examines how modern organizations transition from traditional, hierarchical structures to dynamic ecosystems characterized by interconnected networks of trust, technology, and collaboration. Highlighting examples like Amazon, Alibaba and Tencent, the book explores how businesses create value by fostering customer-centric strategies, adaptive frameworks, and partnerships. The compilation incles articles by Rita McGrath from Columbia Business School, Julian Birkinshaw of London Business School, Karolin Frankenberger of the University of St. Gallen, Alessandro Di Fiore of ECSI Consulting and Mark Greeven of IMD.
Book recommended by
Founder and CEO at PARTNER2B
Why should you read it?
In this book, the author acknowledges that people seek power and discusses it openly without portraying it negatively. He emphasizes that no leader can remain in power without possessing it.
What is the book about?
This book openly discusses how to gain power as a leader. It provides historical examples and outlines 48 practical laws for achieving power. You’ll find that partnerships and networks are frequently highlighted as powerful tools.
Best takeaway
Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies…
Book recommended by
Global Partner Programs and Operations at Bird
Why should you read it?
This was a very pivotal book for me when it comes to meeting new people whether it’s in a professional or personal setting, and finding a way to quickly connect in a genuine way. As a project / program / partnerships professional, I always had to work cross-functionally and frequently influence others not directly reporting to me, and this book has some great nuggets of wisdom around influencing others.
What is the book about?
The title says it all. I think it’s one of the best books out there for sales and partnerships professionals as it focuses on how to quickly build favorable rapport.
Best takeaway
In order to be perceived as a good conversationalist and increase your likeability, you should demonstrate genuine interest in what others have to share and ensure the other person speaks more than you do.