Emerging Leaders Channel Certification

Emerging Leaders Channel Certification

Channel-aligned education, leadership development, and industry networking—built to grow the next generation of leaders.

NOW ENROLLING FOR 2025

Enroll About the Program

Preparing the Next Generation to Lead.

Who Is This Certification For?

Designed to develop the future leaders of the industrial supply channel, ISA’s Emerging Leaders Channel Certification (ELCC) program is for high-potential, next-gen professionals who are driven, looking to advance their careers, and already demonstrating the qualities of leadership.

Enrollment is open to all company types across the industrial MROP channel including manufacturers, distributors, IMRs, and service providers. Participants must be employed by an ISA member company.

There’s no age limit – everyone’s leadership journey looks different. ELCC welcomes individuals at various stages in their careers, from early-career professionals to those stepping into leadership roles later in life.

About
the ELCC Program

View Course Curriculum

ISA’s Emerging Leaders Channel Certification (ELCC) program is a one-year, hybrid experience designed to build the next generation of channel leaders—accelerating leadership readiness, deepening industry knowledge, and closing the growing talent and knowledge gap across the industrial supply channel.

Designed for rising stars in your organization, ELCC blends interactive virtual coursework with in-person leadership development, peer networking, and instruction from seasoned industry experts. The virtual courses are taught by former Texas A&M University professors from the Industrial Distribution Master’s Program, bringing academic rigor and real-world application to every session. The curriculum is grounded in ISA’s Channel 2.0 and Channel Alignment Frameworks, ensuring every lesson is directly relevant to the challenges and opportunities in today’s channel environment.

Students walk away with more than just theory – they gain practical tools, strategic insights, and a powerful cross-company network that drives personal and organizational growth.

For companies, ELCC strengthens your leadership pipeline, enhances retention and engagement, and equips your team to navigate the industry and lead with confidence.

For the individual, ELCC delivers industry-specific education and leadership development designed to help you grow, lead, and succeed in the industrial supply channel. You’ll build a strong network of peers, gain real-world insights, and grow both personally and professionally – equipping you with the skills, confidence, and connections to take the next step in your career.

What’s Included?

✔︎ 8-week LIVE virtual course taught by former Texas A&M Industrial Distribution professors (1.5-2 hours/week)
✔︎ Registration to two ISA Fall Summits for in-person leadership development and networking
✔︎ Access to ISA’s learning platform with on-demand skill-building courses
✔︎ ELCC Book Club for new ideas, discussion, and professional growth
✔︎ Virtual networking meetups with peers across the channel
✔︎ Digital badge for LinkedIn and email signature
✔︎ Frameable printed certificate recognizing your achievement
✔︎ A strong, cross-company peer network built for long-term success

The Value of Emerging Leaders Channel Certification Program

Industry-Specific
Professional Development

Channel-focused education, training, and networking found nowhere else.

Build a Strong
Network

Grow your network and build relationships that will last a lifetime with like-minded peers.

Education From
Industry Experts

Program content developed in partnership with top industry experts from Texas A&M.

Stand Out to
Top Talent

Attract, win, and retain qualified candidates for your team with this career development program.

Succession
Planning

Providing the competencies, skills, and institutional knowledge that are critical for long-term success.

Supplemental
Training

Empower and upskill employees by building on your existing training and education programs.

Live Instructor-led Online Course Curriculum

8-Week Lesson Schedule


1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Growth Part 1: Supplier Perspective Friday, August 15 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Growth Part 1: Supplier Perspective Week one starts with the key objective of all channel partners: GROWTH. The lesson will focus on determining channel goals (financial and business) and metrics from the supplier’s perspective. The lesson will highlight the best practices in translating firm-level financial goals into channel goals and corresponding critical success factors. The class will focus on 5 financial drivers – growth, market share, profitability, cash flow, and asset efficiency. Course objectives: Assess your current channel goal-setting process. Translate firm-level financial goals to channel goals. Identify channel-level critical success factors (CSFs) for achieving channel goals. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Growth Part 2: Distributor Perspective Friday, August 22 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Growth Part 2: Distributor Perspective Week two presents the distributor perspective to channel growth. The lesson will highlight nine growth strategies found across distributors of various sizes. The instructors will present growth strategies with real-world examples and key performance indicators (KPIs). The growth strategies include leveraging existing customers, penetrating new customers in existing marketing segments, broadening the product and service portfolio, adding new sales and marketing channels to reach customers, and more. Course objectives: Learn to diagnose distributor growth challenges. Comprehend the key elements of the generating growth framework. Learn about nine growth strategies used by distributors. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Focus: Identify the Right Partner and Assess Existing Partner Performance Friday, August 29 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Focus: Identify the Right Partner and Assess Existing Partner Performance Week three dives deep into leveraging purchase order data to identify, assess, and maintain channel partner performance. The session will help you select backup suppliers and channel partners based on a data-driven performance model. The model will assess suppliers based on four key dimensions: spend (volume and growth), channel profitability, alignment, and supply chain performance. Course objectives: Learn to identify the right channel partners. Assess existing channel partner performance. Leverage purchase order data for channel relationships. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Value Proposition Part 1: Critical Elements of Channel Value Creation & More Friday, September 5 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Value Proposition Part 1: Critical Elements of Channel Value Creation & More Manufacturers and distributors expend resources on developing customer value propositions but do not necessarily apply the same principles to channel relationships. The channel value proposition encompasses how each entity creates and captures value from the other while serving end customers. This lesson focuses on the two balancing elements of the channel value proposition: (1) value creation and (2) value capture. Course objectives: Understand the trade-off of the channel value proposition. Discover the critical elements of channel value creation. Learn about channel compensation comprehensively using 11 forms of capital. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Value Proposition Part 2: Compensation Elements & Channel Data Friday, September 12 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Value Proposition Part 2: Compensation Elements & Channel Data One of the significant challenges in channel compensation is that the distributor’s engagement level may be low across many channel incentives. Five channel effectiveness metrics represent the criteria by which distributors assess the attractiveness of channel incentives. The metrics include relevance, magnitude, immediacy, equity, and complexity. This lesson focuses on these metrics and explains how channel partners may leverage the same. Course objectives: Measure the effectiveness of channel compensation elements. Assess current channel compensation elements. Harness the power of channel data. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Alignment Framework: Connecting All Stakeholder Interests Friday, September 19 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Alignment Framework: Connecting All Stakeholder Interests Channel alignment is the holy grail of channel partners. This lesson takes an analytical approach to define and assess channel alignment. It shows how to connect inventory mix, supplier performance, and customer profitability. It concludes by linking suppliers’ and distributors’ goals through various channel incentive mechanisms. Students will learn best practices to map profitable business at the intersection of CORE customers, PROFITABLE inventory, and CORE supplier mix with robust benchmarking to increase accountability and break down data silos. Course objectives: Assess your current channel alignment process. Connect all channel stakeholders’ interests to create channel alignment. Apply the channel alignment framework as a channel relationship tool. Understand how to quantitatively measure channel alignment. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Evolution: The 4 Phases of Implementing Channel Performance Analytics Friday, September 26 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Evolution: The 4 Phases of Implementing Channel Performance Analytics Many manufacturers and distributors consider channel management a necessary evil. They manage the channel with a loaded preconceived mindset driven by past experiences (both good and not-so-great). The mindset of top executives should shift toward leveraging the channel as a competitive advantage. This shift is critical to igniting cultural change across the organization and channel. This lesson examines essential elements of implementation and how channel partners can adapt. Course objectives: Understand the implementation factors for channel management processes. Learn four phases of implementing channel performance analytics. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Roadmap for Implementation: A Blueprint for Execution Friday, October 3 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Roadmap for Implementation: A Blueprint for Execution Now that the students have seen the channel alignment framework, assessment details, applications, implementation components, and how others have applied it in the real world, you may be asking how to start implementing these practices in your firm and channel. This lesson provides a blueprint for execution. Course objectives: Learn to adapt to channel forces. Comprehend the five principles of channel advantage. Put together a roadmap for implementation. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More

More Than Just a Course Curriculum… the ELCC Program Includes:

Registration to Two
Fall Summit Events

The channel's best leadership development and networking event

Book
Club

Gain fresh perspectives, learn, and grow with other Emerging Leaders

Virtual Networking Meetups

Connect with other driven peers and build lasting industry relationships

Conference attendees getting a photo taken.

Conference attendees doing an ice breaker.

Group of attendees taking a photo together.

Enroll Now!

(limited class sizes)

$3,995 per person

What’s Included:

✔︎ 8-week LIVE online instructor-led course focused on Channel Dynamics

✔︎ Registration to the next 2 Fall Summit events (a nearly $2,000 value!)

✔︎ Inclusion in the ELCC Book Club (plus shipment of book)

✔︎ Access to On-Demand Training & Development LMS

✔︎ Invitation to Regional Networking Meet Ups

✔︎ Exclusive networking opportunities

✔︎ Badge for LinkedIn profile and email signature

✔︎ Printable certificate suitable for framing

✔︎ Lasting new connections with channel peers

Enroll Now

FAQs

What are the requirements to obtain the ELCC certification?

To earn your ELCC, students must:
• Attend 6 of the 8 live online courses
• Attend two (2) ISA Fall Summit events (event registration is included in the ELCC enrollment fee, however, hotel and airfare is not)
• Watch 10 On-Demand Training and Development videos, successfully passing the accompanying quiz
• Participate in the ELCC book club (attend 3 of 4 meetings) OR attend one (1) regional networking meetup

What are the qualifications for the ELCC program?

To qualify for the program, students must be next-gen professionals and employed by an ISA member company in good standing.

What does enrollment include?

• 8-week LIVE online instructor-led course
• Registration to the next 2 ISA Fall Summit events (a nearly $2,000 value!)
• Access to the on-demand training and development LMS
• Inclusion in the ELCC book club
• Invitation to regional networking meetups
• Exclusive networking opportunities
• A digital badge for LinkedIn and email signature
• A printable certificate suitable for framing
• Lasting new connections with channel peers

What type of certificate will I receive?

Students who complete the certification course will receive a digital badge for LinkedIn and email signature, and a printable certificate suitable for framing.

How long is access to the learning materials available?

Students will have access to the ELCC online portal for 1 year after the program starts.

What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?

Students are required to have a computer, internet access, and Zoom conferencing capabilities that include the use of video. The program is very interactive so conferencing videos must be on!

What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?

Investment into the program is $3,995 USD. Payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) is accepted. If needing to pay by another method, please email us at info@isapartners.org with the subject line: ELCC Payment Processing.

What is the policy on refunds and cancellations?

Cancellations made prior to July 1 will incur a $250 cancellation fee. No refunds will be issued on cancellations received after this date.

What happens if I enroll but don’t complete all program requirements?

Students who do not complete all certification requirements will not receive the digital badge or printable certificate. Refunds will not be provided to students who are unable to complete the program.

Who can I contact with questions?

Reach out to Christina Bertino, ISA’s Director of Marketing and Communications and Emerging Leaders Staff Champion, at cbertino@isapartners.org.

About the Emerging Leaders Network

A community of young professionals and high-potential individuals looking to develop their leadership skills and professional networks. This energetic group spans the entire MROP channel, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, and IMRs from companies large and small. This winning combination exists nowhere else in the industry.

Learn More


1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Growth Part 1: Supplier Perspective Friday, August 15 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Growth Part 1: Supplier Perspective Week one starts with the key objective of all channel partners: GROWTH. The lesson will focus on determining channel goals (financial and business) and metrics from the supplier’s perspective. The lesson will highlight the best practices in translating firm-level financial goals into channel goals and corresponding critical success factors. The class will focus on 5 financial drivers – growth, market share, profitability, cash flow, and asset efficiency. Course objectives: Assess your current channel goal-setting process. Translate firm-level financial goals to channel goals. Identify channel-level critical success factors (CSFs) for achieving channel goals. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Growth Part 2: Distributor Perspective Friday, August 22 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Growth Part 2: Distributor Perspective Week two presents the distributor perspective to channel growth. The lesson will highlight nine growth strategies found across distributors of various sizes. The instructors will present growth strategies with real-world examples and key performance indicators (KPIs). The growth strategies include leveraging existing customers, penetrating new customers in existing marketing segments, broadening the product and service portfolio, adding new sales and marketing channels to reach customers, and more. Course objectives: Learn to diagnose distributor growth challenges. Comprehend the key elements of the generating growth framework. Learn about nine growth strategies used by distributors. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Focus: Identify the Right Partner and Assess Existing Partner Performance Friday, August 29 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Focus: Identify the Right Partner and Assess Existing Partner Performance Week three dives deep into leveraging purchase order data to identify, assess, and maintain channel partner performance. The session will help you select backup suppliers and channel partners based on a data-driven performance model. The model will assess suppliers based on four key dimensions: spend (volume and growth), channel profitability, alignment, and supply chain performance. Course objectives: Learn to identify the right channel partners. Assess existing channel partner performance. Leverage purchase order data for channel relationships. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Value Proposition Part 1: Critical Elements of Channel Value Creation & More Friday, September 5 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Value Proposition Part 1: Critical Elements of Channel Value Creation & More Manufacturers and distributors expend resources on developing customer value propositions but do not necessarily apply the same principles to channel relationships. The channel value proposition encompasses how each entity creates and captures value from the other while serving end customers. This lesson focuses on the two balancing elements of the channel value proposition: (1) value creation and (2) value capture. Course objectives: Understand the trade-off of the channel value proposition. Discover the critical elements of channel value creation. Learn about channel compensation comprehensively using 11 forms of capital. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Value Proposition Part 2: Compensation Elements & Channel Data Friday, September 12 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Value Proposition Part 2: Compensation Elements & Channel Data One of the significant challenges in channel compensation is that the distributor’s engagement level may be low across many channel incentives. Five channel effectiveness metrics represent the criteria by which distributors assess the attractiveness of channel incentives. The metrics include relevance, magnitude, immediacy, equity, and complexity. This lesson focuses on these metrics and explains how channel partners may leverage the same. Course objectives: Measure the effectiveness of channel compensation elements. Assess current channel compensation elements. Harness the power of channel data. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Alignment Framework: Connecting All Stakeholder Interests Friday, September 19 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Alignment Framework: Connecting All Stakeholder Interests Channel alignment is the holy grail of channel partners. This lesson takes an analytical approach to define and assess channel alignment. It shows how to connect inventory mix, supplier performance, and customer profitability. It concludes by linking suppliers’ and distributors’ goals through various channel incentive mechanisms. Students will learn best practices to map profitable business at the intersection of CORE customers, PROFITABLE inventory, and CORE supplier mix with robust benchmarking to increase accountability and break down data silos. Course objectives: Assess your current channel alignment process. Connect all channel stakeholders’ interests to create channel alignment. Apply the channel alignment framework as a channel relationship tool. Understand how to quantitatively measure channel alignment. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Channel Evolution: The 4 Phases of Implementing Channel Performance Analytics Friday, September 26 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Channel Evolution: The 4 Phases of Implementing Channel Performance Analytics Many manufacturers and distributors consider channel management a necessary evil. They manage the channel with a loaded preconceived mindset driven by past experiences (both good and not-so-great). The mindset of top executives should shift toward leveraging the channel as a competitive advantage. This shift is critical to igniting cultural change across the organization and channel. This lesson examines essential elements of implementation and how channel partners can adapt. Course objectives: Understand the implementation factors for channel management processes. Learn four phases of implementing channel performance analytics. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More
1:00PM–2:30PM EST Roadmap for Implementation: A Blueprint for Execution Friday, October 3 \| 1:00 PM ET from 1:00PM — 2:30PM Roadmap for Implementation: A Blueprint for Execution Now that the students have seen the channel alignment framework, assessment details, applications, implementation components, and how others have applied it in the real world, you may be asking how to start implementing these practices in your firm and channel. This lesson provides a blueprint for execution. Course objectives: Learn to adapt to channel forces. Comprehend the five principles of channel advantage. Put together a roadmap for implementation. Senthil Gunasekaran Senthil is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Senthil has worked within the industry for 20+ years and brings a quantitative approach to business challenges. Having deployed best practices across hundreds of distributors over two decades, he believes in the critical role of people in making or breaking analytics. His solutions & frameworks are part of his seven best-selling books at NAW. Pradip Krishnadevarajan Pradip is a Co-Founder of ActVantage, a company that helps distributors drive profitable growth through analytics and talent development. He formerly worked at Texas A&M University as a Professor for the Industrial Distribution Masters Program. Pradip is recognized in the industry as a thought leader, with 17 plus years of experience assisting hundreds of companies directly while co-authoring seven inspiring books that are consistently among the NAW Institute’s Top 10 Best Sellers. He has led workshops for over 4,000+ industry professionals over the years and is passionate about using a combination approach (data-driven and training) to help companies drive profitable growth. Learn More