In this episode of Cutting Through the Clutter, host Cyndee Woolley sits down with Asher Matthew, Co-founder and CEO of Partnership Leaders, to explore how partnerships have become the secret weapon for scaling modern businesses. With over two decades of experience in business partnerships and a community of 2,200 paid members across 90+ countries, Asher has built the definitive platform for partnership professionals worldwide.
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Asher shares the origin story of Partnership Leaders—born from a simple observation at Dreamforce that technology partner professionals lacked a dedicated space for best practices and peer learning. What started as a solution for himself and co-founder Chris has evolved into a thriving ecosystem serving everyone from high-growth startups like Anthropic to tech giants like AWS, Microsoft, and Google Cloud, plus investment firms and consulting powerhouses like BCG and Bain.
The conversation explores why partnerships can’t be outsourced, revealing three core partnership strategies: building products together (like Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI), leveraging distribution channels, and driving consumption through strategic alliances. Asher emphasizes that in today’s economy, companies can build, buy, or partner—and the smartest leaders know when to choose partnerships over going it alone.
From navigating cross-border challenges to understanding the emerging role of Chief Partnership Officer, Asher provides actionable insights on how businesses can identify partnership opportunities, vet the right partners, and build sustainable long-term alliances that mitigate risk and accelerate growth.
Links and Resources:
- Connect with Asher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashermathew/
- Partnership Leaders Website: https://partnershipleaders.com/home-2/
- Unlearn Podcast: https://www.unlearnnpodcast.com/
- Partnership Leaders LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnershipleaders/posts/
Perfect for: Business leaders, entrepreneurs, partnership professionals, and anyone looking to leverage strategic alliances for competitive advantage.
