CRN Pipeline 2024 Day Three: Leadership, community and the channel's future

Leading under pressure, profitability and cyber risks, and a Microsoft Copilot workshop were on the agenda on Day Three of CRN Pipeline 2024.

Following an action-packed second day and lively evening at the Gold Coast’s Surfers Pavilion, the channel reconvened at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort for another day of sessions, panels and networking.

The final day kicked off with a panel discussion about leading a business under pressure – something many in the Australian channel are familiar with.

Nick Moran, who led his own MSP for almost 30 years before joining Connectwise as associate evangelism director, has certainly felt his fair share of external or technological pressure, the sort which often sees partners rapidly change their business models.

“When you change that in the business, you can really affect your culture internally,” he told the audience. “If you grow your business on gut feel, which I did for so many years, and then suddenly you are [making decision based on] the numbers. It affects you.”

Kate Hillman, Oceania people, place and culture leader at EY, also found herself in deep end four years ago.

“I find myself accidentally leading the covid response for the Oceania region for my business, which I accept is a much bigger business<” she explained. “But in that moment, I was really connected. And I think the thing that became very important to me, and I don't think it matters what size organisation you are, is in a crisis, be really clear about what your purpose: be really clear about what your values are.”

Leadership insights also were the focus of two subsequent panels that morning, with four seasoned founders and leaders sharing their own tips for business success.

Milan Rajkovic, CEO of Otto IT, for example shared that his approach is to keep things simple, but clear, regardless of the company’s size.

“The principle is to be really clear where you want to go; have a very simple vision, and then let people get the best out of themselves,” he explained. “The reality is, I didn't find any difference from going from 100 people to 1000 people. It's all the same. Keep it simple. Keep it consistent. Have a really clear vision.”

For Faith Rees, CEO at SixPivot, supporting her teams’ mental health has been of critical importance.

“We have a high-performance mental skills coach that works with our team,” she explained. “We have an organisational psychologist and then we also have a counseling psychologist, so predominantly my team, programs and developers, they probably have a higher rate of depression, anxiety and various other mental health conditions. So, understanding your team is super important, and it's something we really lean into. In the words of Richard Branson, I look after my staff, so they look after my customers.”

Team support also was the key message of Chris Johnson, senior director of cybersecurity compliance programs at CompTIA, and Wayne Small, CEO of SMBiT Professionals, who took to the stage to discuss the importance of peer-to-peer community-building among the channel.

Speaking about his experience prior to joining CopTIA, Johnson noted: “I said I would never be in a peer group, [but joining it] was the best decision I made, because that put me on the journey of being accountable to the things that I wasn't good at. It made me recognise that if you're not willing to be vulnerable, then you probably aren't going to grow.”

Changing topic, Rob Hotchin, country manager of Privy, unpacked the implications, challenges and opportunities around digital identity in Australia.

With the Digital ID Bill entering Australian legislation on December 1, Hotchin said: “But ultimately, every business in Australia who goes through this is going to have to think about this in some way, shape or form that creates a market for yourself going inside them. This value starts first in December.”

Ahead of lunchtime, partners managed to pack in more breakout sessions, spanning a Microsoft Copilot demonstration and a panel focused on channeling diversity.

However, before getting ready for the CRN Impact Awards that evening, partners packed the room to hear from NRL legend Wayne Bennett.

Regarded as one of the sport's greatest ever coaches, Bennett took to the stage to discuss leadership and team culture, before taking questions from an enthusiastic audience.

Bennett took the time to sign autographs before leaving partners to enjoy the night ahead at the CRN Impact Awards.