Have you dabbled with IT infrastructure in AWS? Have you been through the process of AWS partnership? Does being an AWS partner add value? Amazon seeks partners that helps drive its business, goals, and value. Today, we’re talking to Justin Brodley, the vice president of Cloud engineering at Ellie Mae. He has been through the AWS partnership process and shares his thoughts about it. He encourages you to find the right partner for your business! Some of the highlights of the show include: Different levels and types of AWS partnerships Shakedown vs. opportunity method for new leads; lead generation expectations Amazon’s improvements eroding business models Partners trying to pivot, but not exclusive to AWS Whether to invest in multi-Cloud Amazon can’t scale its sales team to handle everybody; views partner program as an extension of its salesforce Your company is important and you’re spending a lot of money, but Amazon may not care about you; partner market fills that gap and makes you feel important Corporate prisoner’s dilemma: Your tech company offers something that Amazon doesn’t; but what about when Amazon does offer it? Competitors’ horizontal move to become more diversified Amazon expects partners to offer products and services that it cannot offer yet If partners fail, Amazon decides to do it and do it better Is Amazon’s best interest geared toward its partners or you and your customers? Amazon needs to give incentives and support partners Links: Justin Brodley on Twitter Brodley Group Ellie Mae Digital Ocean AWS Partner Network Lambda API Gateway AWS re:Invent Salesforce Azure Rackspace