Tackling the Tough Reality of Partnerships and Emerging Triumphant

The final session of the 2025 Women in Alliances Summit was a powerful close. Led by Zhenya Winter and featuring a lineup of seasoned partnership leaders, Mike Nevin, Nicki Jarvis, Amandip Jheeta, Carrie White, and myself. The panel turned the spotlight onto a tough but crucial truth: Partnerships are messy, political, and often misunderstood, but they are also worth it.

🔑 Key Themes:

1. The Messiness Is the Job

Each panellist shared stories that resonated with anyone who has tried to launch, grow, or fix a partner program. Nicki spoke about Political hurdles, misalignment with sales, or underappreciation from leadership are not outliers, they're part of the partnership journey. I emphasized that part of your job is often to *teach* others what good partnerships look like, even inside your own company.

2. Challenge = Opportunity

Amandip shared that the most defining moments in her career came from being dropped into chaotic or failing programs. Instead of backing away, she leaned in and used the chaos as fuel for clarity and change.

“When you walk into a fire, you have a choice: put it out or build something stronger from the ashes.”

3. Build Influence Before You Need It

Nicki highlighted that partnerships are a horizontal function in a vertical world. The most successful leaders build coalitions across marketing, sales, product, and customer success long before a conflict arises.

4. Know the Business, Not Just the Partnership

Mike urged attendees to ground their ideas in company metrics. When you speak the language of revenue, pipeline, and retention, your ideas get attention. When you only speak in “relationship value,” you risk being sidelined.

5. Your Network is Your Lifeline

Carrie closed with a deeply personal note about resilience. Having navigated multiple industries and leadership roles, she stressed the value of staying connected, asking for help, and being unafraid to pivot, even when it’s uncomfortable.

💬 Final Word: This session didn’t sugarcoat the work of partnerships. It was raw, real, and uplifting. The message was clear: success in this space demands grit, strategy, and a willingness to lead through uncertainty. But when you do? You emerge not just successful but transformed.

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