How Partners Are Building Alliances to Win Bigger Microsoft Deals
What if your biggest competitors could become your greatest growth lever? In this episode of IAMCP Profiles in Partnership, Devesh Aggarwal shares how strategic alliances, not transactional partnerships, help Microsoft partners scale, win global deals, and compete with larger firms. Learn how trust, transparency, and clear roles enabled a multi-partner alliance to deliver complex Dynamics projects across regions. If you're looking to grow through P2P collaboration, this episode delivers practical insights you can apply immediately.
Top 5 Intriguing Takeaways for IAMCP Partners:
- Partnerships must be long-term, not transactional
Sustainable growth comes from strategic alliances—not one-off deals.
- Transparency builds trust and wins deals
Being upfront about capabilities (and gaps) strengthens credibility with both partners and customers.
- Define clear roles (“swim lanes”) across partners
Each partner must own specific expertise to avoid overlap and confusion.
- Involve partners early in pre-sales
Most failed partnerships happen because alignment starts too late.
- AI must be sold as a solution, not a product
Partners who understand business processes win more AI opportunities.
Guest:
Devesh Aggarwal, CEO at Compusoft Advisors
LinkedIn: Devesh Aggarwal
Company: Compusoft Advisors
Hosts:
Anthony Carrano
LinkedIn: Anthony Carrano
Managing Partner at Dunamis Marketing
Rudy Rodriguez
LinkedIn: Rudy Rodriguez
Managing Partner at Dunamis Marketing
International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners: IAMCP | Website
Notable Quotes:
- “Partnerships that last are not transaction-based—they have to be long-term and strategic.”
- “Transparency was very key. The customer knew they were working with two partners—but saw one team.”
- “A partnership is no different than a marriage—somebody has to compromise.”
- “The biggest challenge is when partners are not involved from the pre-sales stage.”
- “AI is not a transactional product—it’s a solution.”
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview
Introduction to IAMCP Profiles in Partnership and guest Devesh Aggarwal
01:40 – The Award-Winning Partnership Story
How a global IT services deployment led to strategic collaboration
03:46 – Building a Successful Partner Framework
Governance, roles, and transparency in multi-partner delivery
05:32 – Expanding the Model Across Use Cases
Applying the alliance approach to manufacturing and global expansion
07:40 – The Birth of a Formal Alliance
How three partners combined into a 500+ person Dynamics powerhouse
09:52 – The Pivotal Moment: Competing with Big Firms
Why smaller partners must collaborate to survive and grow
12:05 – Why Most Partnerships Fail
The dangers of transactional relationships and lack of trust
14:03 – The Importance of Pre-Sales Alignment
How early collaboration prevents downstream failure
16:07 – Keys to Building a Strong Alliance
Leadership alignment, trust, and shared vision
17:29 – AI Strategy for Microsoft Partners
Why AI must be positioned as a solution—not a product
20:47 – Managing Global Delivery Challenges
Handling cultural, language, and communication barriers
22:45 – Delivering a Seamless Customer Experience
Operating as one unified team across multiple partners
24:11 – Navigating Conflict and Ownership
How leadership resolves overlap and maintains balance
26:38 – Advice to Younger Partners
Build expertise first, then pursue strategic partnerships
29:00 – Closing Thoughts & How to Connect
Final insights and ways to reach Devesh
