Alliance Aces

Strong partnerships don’t magically form overnight. “It takes work to effectively manage a partnership.” So says Chris Selland,the Vice President of Strategic Alliances & Corporate Development at Unifi. Chris has been in his role for about 18 months, and he oversees three specific types of alliances: Technology partners, Professional Service partners, and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) partners.   Chris has learned to pay the most attention to partnerships that are driving the most business.  He has found the traditional 80/20 rule to be more like 95/5 for Unifi right now in terms of the percentage of business coming from a small amount of partners. He’s also learned the importance of figuring out what makes a great partner from the get-go.  The companies that ask the right questions in meetings early on are going to be the best long-term strategic partners.Chris joins us for this episode of Alliance Aces to discuss his role at Unifi, OEM Partnership challenges, lessons he’s learned along the way,