Business And Bourbon with Ronnell Richards

Craig Galbraith; journalist, longtime Channel Futures leader, “the voice of the channel,” and founder of Galbraith Multimedia. Ronnell sits down with Craig Galbraith for a long-overdue conversation about where the channel has been, where it’s going, and what’s quietly threatening growth in 2026 and beyond. They chop it up on the real evolution of the channel, why “community” often means cocktails not collaboration, why suppliers keep getting the channel wrong, and why M&A and private investment are changing everything. This is equal parts industry reality check and leadership challenge; stop chasing steak dinners and start doing the work. 00:00; Welcome back; why this conversation matters right now01:47; Meet Craig Galbraith; flipping the script from interviewer to guest03:57; College sports; Washington Huskies, Big Ten chaos, and favorite players08:51; Craig off-camera; crossword nerd, fitness, sports, and life outside the channel09:45; From local TV news to the channel; how Craig got started in journalism12:10; How Craig “fell into” the channel; Phone Plus, Channel Futures, and 17 years of change19:17; Then vs now; cloud, TSD consolidation, MSP/VAR convergence, and why no one can know everything anymore22:01; First Channel Partners Expo memories; from 2,500 people to 8,000 and beyond25:57; What Craig’s most proud of; building a team, the power of “People on the Move,” and why podcasts were the most fun30:16; The real threat inside the TA community; secrecy, distrust, and refusing to share numbers33:12; Ronnell’s take; “socializing isn’t community” and why collaboration still isn’t real for most37:38; External threats; complacency, being late to new tech, and running plays from 2015 in a 2025 channel39:08; What suppliers keep getting wrong; cookie-cutter programs, weak communication, and not doing homework42:59; Tactical advice for new suppliers; go to events, press the flesh, meet partners where they are47:12; The hot-button issue everyone cares about; M&A, layoffs, program disruption, and uncertainty49:13; Craig’s opinion on M&A; fewer choices, messy integrations, and partners paying the price54:21; Will the “big three” TSDs merge; culture vs money, and what might happen with smaller players59:01; Investment in the channel; exciting growth signal, but independence and choice get squeezed01:01:03; What successful TAs do differently; evolve, adopt tech, collaborate, and build consistency01:03:54; The channel job-hopping problem; two-year channel chief average and why it breaks trust01:06:31; Craig’s new venture; Galbraith Multimedia and the “five-tool player” approach01:10:42; How to reach Craig; LinkedIn, email, and his short-form video tips01:11:20; Closing; share the episode, comment, and keep the conversation moving forward “Steak dinners” don’t replace strategy; partners want competence, clarity, and real alignment. The channel grows faster when information moves faster; secrecy slows everyone down. Suppliers should stop copying other programs and start listening to partners in the field. M&A is not slowing down; integration pain and shifting models hit partners first. Consistency builds trust; churn destroys it, especially with the next generation of TAs. Craig Galbraith Galbraith Multimedia (writing, editing, video hosting, podcast support, and stage work) Email: GalbraithMultimedia@gmail.com Connect: LinkedIn; Craig Galbraith Channel Sales Gap Assessment (SayLess Academy) Channel Sales Blueprint (LinkedIn Learning trusted; 100,000+ learners referenced in the episode) If this episode hit you in the gut; do something with it: Share it with a channel leader who needs to hear it Drop a comment with the biggest blind spot you see in the ecosystem And if you’re still leading with perks instead of value; tighten up your playbook Episode Summary⏱ Timestamps & HighlightsKey TakeawaysGuest InfoResources MentionedCall to Action