Bridging the IT Channel: Building Community, Scaling Marketplaces, and Harnessing AI for Growth

Highlights

• Kevin Lancaster’s Channel Program connects fragmented IT channel marketplaces through a two-sided platform.
• Navistack, a technology stack visualization tool, became a pivotal feature by solving an unanticipated customer pain point.
• Community-building and customer feedback drive Channel Program’s growth and product evolution.
• AI is central to accelerating product development, sales, marketing, and operational efficiencies at Channel Program.
• Hiring smarter people and fostering strong team culture are vital to company success.
• Kevin emphasizes continuous reinvention and overcoming imposter syndrome as keys to entrepreneurial longevity.
• Channel Program offers solutions both for IT service providers and vendors to optimize channel engagement and technology management.

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Summary

In this episode of The Innovators and Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Kevin Lancaster, founder and CEO of Channel Program, about his entrepreneurial journey and the vision behind his current company. Kevin shares his experience founding and exiting two successful companies—a government IT services firm and ID Agent, a cybersecurity company focused on dark web monitoring. He emphasizes the fragmented nature of the global IT channel marketplace, describing it as a collection of “kingdoms” that are difficult for vendors to access and scale through. Channel Program was born out of the desire to bridge this gap by creating a two-sided marketplace where managed service providers (MSPs) and IT service companies can discover, evaluate, and visualize technology stacks more efficiently, while vendors gain streamlined access to the channel.

Kevin discusses the iterative nature of building Channel Program, highlighting the importance of continuous listening, customer engagement, and community-building as foundational aspects of their growth strategy. He explains how an unexpected customer request for a technology stack visualization tool led to the development of Navistack, a key feature that significantly expanded the platform’s value. Kevin also reflects on lessons learned from his earlier ventures, such as the importance of hiring smarter people and delegating effectively.

The conversation shifts to how Channel Program approaches hiring, team culture, and the difficult balance between nurturing talent and making tough decisions to maintain organizational health. Kevin candidly shares the challenges of remote work culture and his efforts to bring the team together physically to strengthen collaboration and morale.

Artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a major theme, with Kevin revealing that AI integration is central to their product roadmap and operational strategy. He describes how AI tools have accelerated product development, improved sales and marketing efforts, and are poised to transform hiring and internal processes. He discusses the evolving landscape of IT management software, where AI is enabling the consolidation of formerly distinct product categories into broader platforms, intensifying competition and changing buy-vs-build dynamics.

Kevin offers insight into how niche startups can thrive by focusing on specific problems even as incumbents leverage AI to expand capabilities. He also shares personal reflections on imposter syndrome, confidence, and the value of reinventing oneself through different stages of an entrepreneurial career. Finally, he acknowledges the critical support of his wife and family in his journey and invites listeners to explore Channel Program’s offerings.

Key Insights

• Fragmentation in the IT Channel Market Presents a Unique Opportunity: Kevin identifies the IT channel as highly fragmented, with numerous independent MSPs and IT service providers acting as isolated “kingdoms.” This fragmentation creates significant barriers for vendors trying to scale through the channel, highlighting the need for a centralized marketplace that can unify these disparate players. Channel Program’s two-sided marketplace model addresses this by facilitating discovery, evaluation, and engagement, enabling both vendors and service providers to operate more efficiently. This insight underscores the importance of platforms that reduce friction in complex ecosystems.
• Iterative Product Development Driven by Customer Feedback: Unlike Kevin’s previous ventures with more linear problem-solving approaches, Channel Program’s evolution involved multiple pivots informed by deep listening to both sides of the marketplace. The discovery of Navistack, the technology stack visualization tool, exemplifies the power of staying agile and responsive to real user needs, which can lead to unexpected yet transformative product features. This reflects a broader lesson in entrepreneurship: success often depends on flexibility and continuous engagement rather than rigid initial plans.
• Community as a Growth Engine in B2B SaaS: Kevin highlights the strategic choice to focus on building a community first rather than a purely product-led growth model. Growing thousands of engaged users organically before layering in monetized vendor services allowed Channel Program to create a trusted ecosystem. This community-centric approach is especially challenging in free platforms but can generate durable network effects that enhance platform value and vendor interest, showing the potential payoff of prioritizing user engagement over immediate monetization.
• Hiring and Culture Are Foundational to Scaling: The discussion on hiring reveals a nuanced approach balancing patience and decisiveness. Kevin stresses hiring competent, culturally aligned individuals who are committed to supporting the channel ecosystem. He recognizes that prolonged tolerance of poor fit or performance is costly, emphasizing the importance of timely decisions to maintain momentum. Additionally, he candidly shares the challenges of remote work culture and the irreplaceable value of in-person collaboration for morale and creativity, highlighting that culture building is an active, ongoing process critical to organizational health.
• AI as a Transformational Force Across Product and Operations: AI permeates Channel Program’s roadmap and internal operations, from accelerating software development through generative tools to optimizing sales, marketing, and hiring workflows. Kevin’s experience shows how AI adoption can create competitive advantages by speeding time-to-market and improving productivity. However, he also notes the existential concerns among developers and the broader competitive pressures AI introduces, suggesting that embracing AI thoughtfully is essential for companies aiming to stay relevant and scale efficiently.
• Market Consolidation and Buy vs. Build Dynamics Are Shifting Rapidly: Kevin observes that AI-enabled capabilities are causing formerly discrete product categories to be absorbed into larger platforms, accelerating consolidation in IT management software. This dynamic complicates traditional build-versus-buy decisions for companies, as building internally with AI tools might be faster and more effective than acquisition in some cases. This insight signals a changing M&A environment where startups and incumbents must carefully evaluate strategic options in a rapidly evolving landscape.
• Entrepreneurial Resilience Requires Confidence and Reinvention: Kevin candidly discusses imposter syndrome and the necessity of reinventing oneself across industries and roles. From government contracting to cybersecurity to channel marketplaces, his journey highlights that success often depends on embracing change, continuous learning, and building confidence despite uncertainty. He credits collaboration with smarter people and a supportive personal network as vital to sustained growth, offering valuable perspective on the mindset needed for long-term entrepreneurial success.

Kevin Lancaster’s story and insights provide a rich case study in navigating a fragmented market with a community-driven platform, leveraging AI to accelerate innovation, and balancing human factors like culture and hiring with technological advancement. Channel Program’s evolution from concept to a thriving two-sided marketplace underscores the value of listening, agility, and strategic focus in building scalable B2B solutions. His reflections on entrepreneurship, team dynamics, and AI adoption offer practical lessons for founders and executives aiming to lead in complex, fast-changing industries.

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