🔥 Episode Summary:We’re live from Channel Partners with Brandon Knight and Sam Islam—two powerhouses from opposite sides of the table: vendor and partner. And they’re not holding back. In this episode of *Shut the Hell Up & Sell: Unfiltered*, we get into the *real* gaps in the channel community—why we’re still operating like it’s 2005, who’s responsible for partner development, and what it’s really going to take to evolve how we sell.This conversation is raw, uncomfortable, and absolutely necessary if we want to move this industry forward. So if you’re tired of “networking” events that don’t lead to anything meaningful, and you’re ready to stop buying loyalty and start building *real* value—this one’s for you.💡 Spoiler: If you're asking who’s responsible for improving this ecosystem, look in the mirror. Because the answer is YOU.---🎙️ Featured Guests:**Brandon Knight** – Zoom, Partner Enablement Leader**Sam Islam** – Partner, Vega Cloud, Trusted Advisor & Community Builder---🧠 Key Topics:* Why the channel is stuck in old habits—and how to fix it* The myth of vendor-provided value vs. true strategic support* What TSDs, vendors, and partners must *all* do better* Relationship building vs. transactional selling* Who owns the responsibility for evolving the channel?---⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – Live at Channel Partners: Real talk kicks off01:52 – What's really missing in the channel?03:20 – Why we’re not evolving fast enough06:40 – Bridging the customer journey gap09:18 – Learning ≠ Development11:05 – Sam keeps it 100: “We don’t do enough as a community”15:30 – Buying loyalty vs. building value18:22 – Whose job is it to fix this mess?21:45 – Sales 101: If you sell on price, you lose on price23:55 – Community builders don’t wait—they create26:48 – Final thoughts & shoutout to LinkedIn Learning🚀 Ready to level up your sales game?Check out my full library of online sales training courses and get access to tools, gap assessments, and tactical training for modern sellers:👉 [SayLess Academy – Try it FREE](https://ronnellrichards.com/sayless-academy)📬 For speaking, workshops, or consulting:👉 [RonnellRichards.com](https://ronnellrichards.com)---🙌 Like what you heard?Rate ★★★★★, subscribe, and drop a comment. Then…Shut the hell up & sell.