Most MSPs approach partnerships backwards. Here's the channel revenue playbook I've used to generate over $1B in partner revenue—condensed into a 90-day action plan.

After scaling partner programs at Insight (from $5M to $80M ARR) and building global enablement at Ingram Micro across 20,000+ partners, I've learned one thing: the companies that win aren't the ones with the best strategy decks. They're the ones who actually SEE what's happening and ACT ON IT.

Let me show you how to build a million-dollar partner pipeline in 90 days.

Why Most Partner Programs Fail

The typical approach:

• Sign up for every vendor partner program
• Get some certifications
• Wait for leads to come in
• Wonder why revenue isn't growing

This is backwards. Partnerships aren't a passive strategy—they're an active sales motion.

The 90-Day Partner Pipeline Framework

Days 1-30: Foundation & Targeting

Week 1: Define Your Ideal Partner Profile (IPP)

Not all partners are equal. Define who drives real revenue:

• What size clients do they serve?
• What verticals are they strong in?
• What services do they already offer?
• What's their security maturity level?
• Are they a Channel Accelerant or Channel Participant?

Week 2-3: Build Your Target List

• Identify 100 partners matching your IPP
• Research their current vendor relationships
• Find the decision-makers (hint: it's not always the owner)
• Map their pain points and growth goals

Week 4: Create Your Value Proposition

Partners don't care about your product. They care about:

• How you'll help them make money
• How you'll make their lives easier
• How you'll help them win against competitors

Days 31-60: Engagement & Qualification

Week 5-6: Launch Outreach Campaign

• Personalized emails (not templates)
• LinkedIn connection + value-add content
• Phone calls (yes, actually call people)
• Industry event networking

Target: 50 meaningful conversations from your 100-partner list.

Week 7-8: Qualification Meetings

In every meeting, uncover:

• Current security offerings and gaps
• Revenue goals for the next 12 months
• Client base and average deal size
• Decision-making process and timeline
• Willingness to invest in enablement

Target: 20 qualified partners with real opportunity.

Days 61-90: Conversion & Activation

Week 9-10: Partnership Proposals

For each qualified partner, create a custom success plan:

• Revenue projections (their numbers, not yours)
• Enablement and training roadmap
• Marketing support and co-sell opportunities
• Success metrics and check-in schedule

Week 11-12: Close & Launch

• Sign partnership agreements
• Onboard to platform and tools
• Schedule first co-sell opportunities
• Set 30-60-90 day activation goals

Target: 10 active partners with pipeline in motion.

The Math Behind $1M Pipeline

Here's how 10 partners generate $1M in pipeline:

• 10 active partners
• Each partner has 50+ clients
• 20% of clients are security upgrade candidates
• Average security deal: $2,000/month MRR
• 10 partners × 10 opportunities × $24K ACV = $2.4M pipeline

Even at 40% close rate, that's nearly $1M in new annual revenue.

The Enablement Difference

Pipeline without enablement is just wishful thinking. For each partner, provide:

• Sales training: How to identify and qualify security opportunities
• Technical training: Product knowledge and demo skills
• Marketing assets: Co-branded materials and campaigns
• Deal support: SE resources for complex opportunities
• Success tracking: Dashboard visibility into pipeline and revenue

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Casting too wide a net: Focus on 100 right partners, not 1,000 random ones
• Leading with product: Lead with partner business outcomes
• Ignoring activation: A signed partner with no pipeline is worthless
• No accountability: Set clear metrics and review them weekly
• Forgetting the long game: Best partners take 6-12 months to ramp fully

Your Week 1 Action Items

1. Define your Ideal Partner Profile (write it down)
2. List 25 partners who match the profile
3. Research 5 of them deeply
4. Draft your partner value proposition
5. Schedule 3 outreach calls for next week

The partners who win aren't waiting for revenue to find them. They're building systematic pipelines that compound over time.

Start your 90 days today.

Want help accelerating your partner program? Let's talk.

Scott M. Jonasz is Head of Americas at Fortress Cyber, a channel revenue architect with $1B+ in partner revenue across his career. Former executive at Insight and Ingram Micro, he leads go-to-market strategy and partner acceleration at Fortress.