Welcome back to The Hot Seat Podcast—the no-nonsense show for Microsoft partners.
In this episode, I sat down with Liz Hallen, Co-Owner of PartnerIn , to discuss one of the biggest shifts happening in the Microsoft ecosystem: success is no longer about going it alone. It's about learning faster, collaborating better, and building the right partner relationships.
With more than 26 years in the Microsoft channel, Liz has seen every major technology wave—from the early days of the internet, to cloud, security, and now AI. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: change. And today's pace of change is faster than ever.
Why the Traditional Partner Playbook Is Changing
Microsoft continues to evolve how partners build, market, and sell solutions. New technologies, new incentives, and new go-to-market motions mean partners are constantly adapting.
Rather than trying to keep up alone, Liz believes partners should be learning directly from one another.
That's the thinking behind PartnerIn and the VIBE conference—a Microsoft-partner-only event focused on real conversations, practical lessons, and peer-to-peer learning instead of product pitches.
Collaboration Is the Competitive Advantage
One of the biggest myths in the Microsoft ecosystem is that partners shouldn't share ideas because they're competitors.
Liz sees the opposite.
Today's most successful partners recognize they can't be experts in everything. Azure, AI, Dynamics 365, Security, Fabric, Copilot, industry expertise—no single organization can master it all. Strategic partnerships have become essential as Microsoft increasingly emphasizes co-sell and partner collaboration.
The result is better customer outcomes, stronger Microsoft relationships, and more opportunities for everyone involved.
Better Conversations. Better Businesses.
Rather than focusing on product demonstrations, VIBE is designed around the business challenges partners actually face.
Topics include:
- Lessons CEOs wish they'd known earlier
- Whether the billable hour still makes sense
- Building stronger Microsoft relationships
- Creating successful co-sell strategies
- Growing a modern Microsoft practice
It's less about presentations—and more about conversations.
The Hot Seat is a proud media sponsor of the Vibe 2.0 conference. For more information and to register click here: https://partnerin.io/vibe/register
