On this episode of the Unlearn podcast, hosts Asher Mathew and Kelly Sarabyn connect with Eron Sunando, Asana's Head of Channels & Alliances. Fresh from Asana's Partner Summit, Eron brings a unique perspective on how partnerships can simplify the increasingly complex world of business technology.
Drawing from his globe-trotting career that spans from UBS to Salesforce, Eron unpacks the challenges facing today's businesses – from overwhelmed SMB owners to sales teams juggling multiple tools. He shares an insider's look at Asana's fresh approach to partnerships, including their new partner program and the game-changing AI Studio. Join us for a practical conversation about reducing tech complexity, building meaningful partnerships, and finding the sweet spot between AI automation and the human touch in partner management.
00:00 - Introduction and Eron’s career journey
04:20 - Complexity of modern tech stacks
10:00 - Reducing Complexities for SMBs
16:00 - Asana's Partner Summit and Program Relaunch
22:00 - Partnerships with MasterCard and Other Ecosystem Players
28:00 - Balancing Competency-Based and Outcome-Based Partner Programs
34:00 - Asana's Use of AI and the Launch of AI Studio
40:00 - Managing Partner Relationships with Asana's Internal Tools
45:00 - AI and Partner Management
50:00 - Asana's AI Studio and the Shift Towards Customizable AI Workflows
52:00 - Evolving Partner Program Structure
Eron shares his career journey, highlighting his moves from banking to Salesforce and Converse. He recounts his career, including his time at UBS, Barclays Capital, IBM, Salesforce, and his extensive experience in Asia Pacific. Eron mentions his family life, including his kids born in different countries and his supportive wife. Eron describes his career as T-shaped, with deep industry knowledge in financial services and a broad spectrum of experience.
Eron discusses the growing complexity of the technology stack that customers, particularly salespeople, have to navigate. He explains that a typical salesperson may have to use a variety of tools, from forecasting in Clarity to call scripting in Gong, as well as Zoom, Salesforce, and other outbound messaging tools. This fragmentation and the need to be proficient in multiple applications can be overwhelming for customers, especially small and medium-sized businesses. Eron believes that partners can play a crucial role in helping to simplify this complexity and allow customers to focus on their core business activities.
Eron shares his experience from a recent workshop with HubSpot, where the discussion focused on how to reduce complexities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). He explains that SMB owners often just want to run their businesses, such as baking cakes, without having to deal with the intricacies of managing various software applications. Eron suggests that partners can help by bundling and integrating different tools, such as Zoom, Miro, and Asana, into a cohesive solution that SMBs can easily adopt and use.
Eron discusses Asana's recent Partner Summit, where the company shared plans to relaunch its partner program starting on February 1st. This includes the introduction of a new partner directory, partner academy, and a focus on investing in the programs and infrastructure to better support partners. He mentions that Asana's partner program will have distinct paths for different types of partners, such as solution partners, services partners, tech partners, and referral partners.
Eron shares examples of Asana's partnerships, including a recent deal with MasterCard to offer discounts on Asana subscriptions to MasterCard's small business and entrepreneur customers. He also discusses the potential for partnerships with venture capitalists (VCs) and private equity firms that invest in startups, as these ecosystem players can help Asana reach new markets and customers.
The discussion touches on Asana's approach to structuring its partner program, specifically the decision to adopt a competency-based model rather than an outcome-based one. Eron explains that while the team considered an outcome-based approach, they ultimately opted for the former due to the complexity involved in implementing the latter. He notes that an outcome-based model would require more sophisticated backend systems and processes to accurately track and reward partner contributions.
Eron delves into Asana's use of AI, including the recently launched AI Studio. He explains that Asana's AI is integrated throughout the platform, with features like smart summaries and task prioritization. The AI Studio, in particular, allows users to create customized AI-powered workflows, in contrast with more prescriptive AI tools offered by some competitors. Eron emphasizes the importance of citizen developers and the role of partners in helping customers design and implement these AI-driven solutions.
The conversation explores how Asana leverages its own platform to manage partner relationships and activities. Eron explains that Asana uses its collaborative work management solution to facilitate communication, task tracking, and coordination with its partner ecosystem. He highlights the benefits of this approach, as it allows Asana to maintain a centralized system for managing partner-related workflows and information.
The discussion centers on using AI to streamline partner management tasks. Eron shares his experience at Conversica, where AI handled routine SDR and BDR duties, and suggests that AI can automate functions like screening partner applications, routing inquiries, and personalizing recommendations. However, he believes the human touch remains essential for relationship-building, complex deal-making, and tailored support. The key takeaway is finding a balance between AI-driven automation and human-led partnership management.
Eron discusses Asana's new AI Studio, a flexible platform that allows users, including partners, to create custom AI-driven workflows tailored to their specific needs. Unlike more rigid AI solutions from competitors, Asana’s approach empowers “citizen developers” without technical expertise to build personalized tools. Eron highlights this democratization of AI as a key shift, enabling partners to leverage their expertise to enhance productivity and simplify complex processes. The discussion emphasizes Asana's commitment to customizable, user-centric AI solutions, aligning with the broader trend toward personalization in enterprise software.
The conversation covers Asana's choice of a competency-based model for its partner program over an outcome-based one. Eron explains that while outcome-based models, which reward partners based on metrics like revenue and customer acquisition, could better align incentives, they’re complex to implement. Thus, Asana opted for the more straightforward competency-based approach.
"I was excited to talk with you because, traditionally, a partnership leader’s worst nightmare is working with a CRO. Few people have experienced both roles firsthand, but you’ve done exactly that." - Asher Mathew
"What's top of mind for me is that, as you know, AI is everywhere. But what I often hear from our customers is that their tech stack has become very complex." - Eron Sunando
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