Program Blueprint
Build 1 of six. Cloud Cruz had no partner program. I designed one from zero: who to recruit, how they earn, the eight stages every partner goes through, and the systems that run it. Every rule traces to one of 110 logged decisions.
- Services pathAgencies, consultancies and SIs, from launch on Apr 1, 2027
- Technology pathISVs and technology partners, from Oct 1, 2027
- The lifecycleEvery partner, whichever path it joined on
- Marketplace co-sellDeals through AWS, Google Cloud and Azure, from Oct 1, 2027
- The moneyCommissions, earned when the customer pays and held 60 days
Cloud Cruz is fictional. Every partner and number here is synthetic.
Eight stages, one owner each.
| Stage | Owner | Clock | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0Develop | Partner development rep | Handoff within 1 business day; hot leads the same day | Qualified meetings held |
| 1Acquire | Partner development rep, with a partner manager | A decision within 5 business days of the meeting | Fit score of accepted partners |
| 2Onboard | Partner manager, or automation for the long tail | Builder 14 days, Specialist 30, Scale and Anchor 45 | Days to onboarded |
| 3Activate | Partner account manager (managed); head of partner ecosystem (long tail) | A first live joint customer within 90 days of signing | Share activated within 90 days |
| 4Enable | Enablement lead | Credentials valid 12 months | Active certified people |
| 5Co-sell | Partner account manager, with the AE | Deal registrations answered in 2 business days | Win rate on co-sold deals |
| 6Maintain | Partner account manager (managed); head of partner ecosystem (long tail) | Touch cadence by segment | Partners with no red on health |
| 7Optimize | Head of partner ecosystem | Reviews Jan 1 and Jul 1; rules hold 12 months | Customers live through partners |
The modeled Year 1, against its targets.
Synthetic results from the program's data generator, on a fictional calendar.
Customers live through partners, the north star
400Target445Year 1Partners activated with a live joint customer
250Target264Year 1Partners activated within 90 days of signing
20%First cohorts40%Latest cohortsPeople on the partner team, for about 1,000 partners
9Apr 20279Mar 2028
The launch, as a line.
- Jan 1, 202790-day beta, 25 design partners
- Mar 15Go/no-go check on four must-haves
- Apr 1Launch: the Services path opens
- JunAdvisory board meets
- Jul 1First review; confirms the October openings
- Oct 1Technology, resellers, marketplace
- Jan 1, 2028Second review; package budget topped up
- Mar 31Year 1 ends
Ten documents, each answering one question.
- 01ScenarioWhat does Cloud Cruz sell, and why partners?
- 02Customer profileWho does Cloud Cruz sell to?
- 03Partner profileWhich partners do we want, and how do we score them?
- 04EconomicsHow do partners earn, and what qualifies them for a tier?
- 05LifecycleWhat happens to a partner at each of the eight stages?
- 06CredentialsWhat does each certification prove?
- 07SystemsWhich tools run the program, and how do they connect?
- 08Salesforce setupHow is the system of record set up?
- 09Launch planHow does the beta become a launch?
- 10RolesWho owns what?
Words and data, defined.
So nobody has to guess: the program's vocabulary in plain words, the outside research behind it, and every table and metric in the Year-1 data.
- GlossaryWhat do the program's words mean?
- Research and sourcesWhich outside numbers back the program, and how solid are they?
- Data dictionaryWhat is in every table, column and metric?
How it was decided.
Every call is logged with the options on the table and why. The biggest ones went through a leadership room first: role archetypes that argue, then I decide.
- Decision logEvery call, the options on the table, and why.
- Year-1 targets on a flat teamWhat should Year 1 promise with nine people?
- The intent score and scaling the automationHow do we rank partner leads, and how far should automation go?
- Commission rates and partner incentivesWhat do partners earn, and what does Cloud Cruz invest?