Filament

Filament is a digital performance agency specialising in B2B growth for tech businesses and vendor channel programs.

Managing Director

Volt Lab

Volt Lab is a plug-in strategic partner with a clear mission to help our clients spark growth. Working at the intersection of organisational strategy, marketing strategy and sales strategy, we take a whole of customer value approach to create insight-led customer conversations.

OM ThreeSixty

OM ThreeSixty was a Fremantle WA based agency creating value for businesses across Asia-Pacific region through strategy, creativity, engaging lead generation and lead nurturing.

Strategic Specialists Group

Building sustainable growth and accelerating progress towards a succession or successful exit for business owners and leaders, in partnership with Strategic Specialists Group. Developing and delivering customised plans of action, to manage risk and grow the business.

Strategy & Marketing Director

Black Rider Press

Black Rider Press was a groundbreaking literary hootenanny celebrating Australian and international poets and authors with much hootin’ and hollerin’. Look homeward, angels!

Founder & CEO

Evolve Leadership

Senior Consultant - Strategy & Communication

Vose College of Higher Education

Business Communication, Marketing Lecturer

(various)

Various Marketing, Corporate Affairs & Comms Management Roles in Finance Sector

I'm the Managing Director and co-founder of Filament, a digital agency specialising in Go-to-Market strategy and partner marketing for B2B tech companies and vendor channel programs.

Over the last 17 years, I've worked with diverse companies to build and expand marketing frameworks, deploy demand gen and lead gen programs, enter new markets, unlock support from tech vendors, and increase market share. 

Tech companies and vendor channel programs I’ve supported include VMware, Microsoft, Dell, Cisco, HPE, AWS, Google, IBM, NetApp, Veeam, Tata, Zerto, Dropbox, Nutanix, Symantec and Splunk.

This has meant I’m experienced in working with a variety of B2B tech company and channel partner types, including:

👉 Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)
👉 Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs)
👉 Cloud-based service providers, including IaaS, PaaS and SaaS companies
👉 Cybersecurity and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)
👉 Edge infrastructure and IoT providers
👉 Virtualization and application deployment specialists
👉 Data centres, and
👉 Distributors and Aggregators.

Prior to leading agencies I was primarily leading marketing and communications programs in the finance and investment sector.

Key career highlights I’m proud of include:

✅ Articulating the state of mobile marketing for Google SE Asia, in partnership with Capitalis
✅ Supporting Australian tech companies to enter and expand in the US
✅ Significantly growing a channel program by 4x in 12 months
✅ Leading the corporate communications on a $47.1 million off-market transaction of an investment firm with $3 billion FUM
✅ Expanding a SaaS multinational's footprint in SE Asia

What does a fractional CRO really bring to the table?

In my latest TechExec Insight with Arabind Coomaraswamy, who spent more than a decade at Microsoft and several years at Salesforce, he unpacks the unique value of that background for ISVs and scaling tech companies.

Bindi uses a powerful analogy: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬.

You don’t just master the craft. 

You build the playbook, the discipline, and the connections that make every future “kitchen” better.

For founder-led or scaling tech companies, this kind of fractional CRO expertise means you don’t just get advice. You get decades of proven enterprise playbooks and partnerships applied directly to your growth journey.

DM me if you'd like me to connect you with Bindi. 

#TechExecInsights #FractionalCRO #GoToMarket #SalesLeadership #B2BSales #Microsoft #Salesforce

Jeremy Balius

I help B2B tech companies go to market faster. Founder with 1 exit.

Partner marketing sounds simple: "We're better together."
But in practice? It’s hard.

Shivam Wadhawan invited me onto the Insights in Action podcast powered by Orange 142 to talk about B2B tech, partner marketing and agency life. 

Multiple brands. Potentially conflicting agendas. No clear owner for the combined GTM motion. 

Everyone’s meant to collaborate, but no one owns the combined story.

That’s where Filament comes in.

We facilitate and co-create shared go-to-market motions that actually resonate.

Because prospects don’t care about partner politics. They care about what the combined value does for the problems they face.

The best partnerships aren't just co-branded. They're intertwined.

And that requires trust, clarity, and alignment.

It’s hard, but when done right, unlocks more opportunity.

#partnermarketing #channelmarketing #B2BTech #GoToMarket #podcast

AI is fundamentally changing Enterprise Tech go to market.

In this new episode of Go-to-Market Playmakers, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Mark Vigoroso, MBA from The Enterprise Edge and one of the most insightful enterprise tech minds I’ve met.

In the conversation Mark unpacked how the SAP + NVIDIA partnership is so much more than just a tech integration. 

It’s a strategic pivot that’s rewriting the enterprise AI playbook. 

Mark's description of "Local AI" really resonated with me.

Regulated industries like healthcare and finance can finally scale AI while staying compliant. 

It’s enabling faster time-to-value, re-architecting GTM strategies, and most of all, it's earning trust in an increasingly skeptical market.

This is a must-listen for anyone leading go-to-market in B2B tech.

#GTMplaymakers #podcast #gotomarket #enterprisetech #AIinGTM #SAP #NVIDIA #localAI #datasovereignty Filament

Kicking off the new series Tech Exec Insights in conversation with Arabind Coomaraswamy, fractional CRO with over 26+ years in enterprise sales initiatives and go-to-market success.

His background is top tier with some of the world’s most respected technology companies, including Microsoft, Salesforce, Heroku, Datacom, and Data#3.

We're here talking about the real mistakes tech companies make when chasing enterprise customers.

Too often, smaller vendors rush in with a generic pitch, without the deep industry focus, panel approval, and backend readiness these deals demand.

Bindi’s insights include:
 - Enterprise buyers already have massive dev teams — they look to smaller, specialist providers for speed, agility, and proven expertise.
 - If you can’t demonstrate that from the first conversation, you won’t make it through the gates.
 - The real value isn’t what you sell, it’s how quickly and precisely you can solve their problems.

For founder-led or scaling teams, this is where a fractional CRO can change the game, shaping your positioning, building trust with C-suite buyers, and accelerating outcomes.

Watch the clip here to hear how Bindi frames this for enterprise success.

#TechExecInsights #gotomarket #enterprisesales #fractionalCRO #B2Bsales #salesleadership

In conversation with Brad Clarke and Nick Horton yesterday inspired me to start writing more about this:

There's a lot of talk about the underutilisation of MDF. This is, of course, true and a real issue / opportunity for Partners. 

I also think there are specific inhibitors that hold Partners back from starting an MDF journey with a vendor that are not easy to overcome and can't (or won't) get solved. I have a lot of empathy for Partners, especially when it comes to trust and the risks associated with partnering with vendors. 

The less talked about and significantly more challenging conundrum is that Partners have 12-20+ vendors in their stack.

For Telcos, SIs and VARs especially, the question very quickly moves from 'how to access vendor funds' to 'how do we strategically deploy funds across our vendor stack at the same time'?

How do you construct a Go-to-Market strategy that engages each vendor individually, while ensuring zero overlap of MDF funds across your campaigns? While ensuring your brand's GTM is unified?

The answer isn't quarterly monolithic GTM motions.

I believe the strategic pathway lies in getting more granular with your targeting and running multiple parallel campaigns for different audiences. 

Generating demand for solutions by going to market together with a vendor into verticals, subsets, users who share similar pain points. 

The winning Partners figure out how to meaningfully orchestrate multi-vendor GTM.

It would be a win-win:

➞ For the Vendor: Each Channel Account Manager can clearly see how their support moved the needle, giving them tangible wins to report internally.

➞ For the Partner: You're able to effectively drive demand across multiple verticals or regions, maximising the impact of your entire vendor catalogue.

The goal here isn't to push out tactical, feature-based content that buyers don’t care about. 

It's about translating the complexity of a multi-vendor catalogue into a meaningful, value-driven story for your ICP, target buyers and/or buying committees.

This is just the start of a critical conversation that partners need to get right: mastering multi-vendor MDF management across their entire portfolio. 

More on this to come!

So many teams fall into the trap of buying more tools to solve their problems. I've done it as well.

But as Jasz Rae Joseph put it in our conversation: “It’s so important to have a strategy in place before you try to bring in your tools. Tools aren’t the strategy.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Layering on MarTech, new CRM plugins, more automation platforms, shiny integrations, apps etc etc, without first defining the revenue strategy doesn't play out. Not even accidentally. 

The result? Over-engineered stacks, under-utilised systems, and frustrated teams. All for what? The silver bullet? The magic pill, as Jasz calls it?

The winning play is strategy first, tools second.
 ✅ Define your sales & marketing motion
 ✅ Align it to revenue goals
 ✅ THEN configure your tech stack to support that motion

Infrastructure needs to amplify the strategy already in place.

This clip with Jasz is one of my favourite takeaways from our episode.

What does a virtual or fractional CISO actually do for a business? 
I sat down with Luke Irwin - CISSP, CISM, GCERT Cybersecurity, Founder of Aegis Cyber Security, who explained it to me in plain business terms.

A fractional CISO isn’t there to sell you software or hardware. They step into your organisation as an independent adviser (part-time, fixed-fee) to:

 ✔️ Assess your cyber risks and priorities
 ✔️ Translate security into business language (risk, ROI, reputation)
 ✔️ Guide your IT team or MSP on the right decisions
 ✔️ Help you meet compliance and procurement requirements
 ✔️ Ensure your security strategy aligns with your size, budget, and risk appetite

For most SMBs, hiring a full-time CISO just isn’t realistic. 

But 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥, and being unprepared is no longer an option. 

A fractional CISO bridges that gap, protecting not just your systems, but your reputation, tenders, and ultimately your revenue.

What stood out to me most in this conversation was Luke’s ability to advocate for the business first, making cyber risk something leadership can actually understand and act on!

Awesome conversation! Thanks Luke for joining me on Tech Exec Insights.

#cybersecurity

“You have to make them feel like they’re the most special partner in your network. Because otherwise? You’ll die on the vine. Out of sight, out of mind.” – John Golden

That line from John hit me hard and we opened the episode with it for a reason. I see a lot of channel programs and partner networks that aren't high touch.

Channel pitch decks and partner playbooks gloss over this, but it defines whether your channel program thrives or not.

In this episode of 𝐆𝐨-𝐭𝐨-𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬, John Golden from Pipeliner CRM provides insights on:

➞ Why most partner programs fail before they even start
➞ Why recruiting partners is only step one—and the real work starts after
➞ How to treat partners like an extension of your sales team, not an afterthought
➞ Where CRMs fall short in co-selling and how AI agents are changing that

We also dove into Pipeliner’s “salesperson-first” philosophy, the power of enabling your reps and your partners, and how to run a partner program with empathy, clarity, and accountability.

If you lead partnerships, channels, or GTM strategy, this one’s for you.

#GTMplaymakers #podcast #GoToMarket #partnerships #partnermarketing 
#partnerecosystems #channelsales #strategy #crm

We’re not talking about cut-through enough.

Whether it’s a GTM motion, a channel, distie or partner play, or just trying to ramp up net new leads, people 'do' lots of stuff. 

And a lot of stuff goes unseen. But why?

Is it a content problem? Are the hooks consistently not compelling? Is ongoing content too sales-y and uninteresting for people?

Or is it a distribution problem? 

If you’re reading this here on LinkedIn, you’re one of about 10-20% of my followers who will be shown this post. 

In some cases, you’re reading this 3 weeks after I posted it (not sure why the algo is showing posts that delayed right now…)

80% of the people who have connected with me won’t see this. 

But this post might reach more people depending on if it picks up engagement from that initial ~10% of people. 

It’s a hard question: how do you reach more people on here?

Ads is one way. Sponsoring or boosting posts and thought leadership ads to target audiences work and need constant investment to keep fresh content reaching the right people. 

It's not about selling directly, but about ensuring your valuable insights are seen by the right people. As Canalys says, you need 20-30 meaningful interactions. 

Note: they don't say touch points... meaningful interactions.

However, advertising is only part of the equation.

But beyond paying for it, how do you earn attention for B2B tech on here? Especially attention from your target ICP?

I’ll put it another way, why does anyone care?

I’ll put that right back on me… why should anyone care about this post right here? 

Because I’m asking the questions that aren’t getting asked enough. Because I’m thinking about this in a causal chain of how to go-to-market effectively, efficiently and with impact.

Can content be so compelling or interesting that your audience engages with it even when they aren't actively looking for it?

The most successful tech companies I see are leading with value by consistently:
- Solving a genuine problem for their audience and talking about the problem, rather than tech features and benefits
- Providing unique insights they can't find anywhere else
- Making content immediately and genuinely useful to the reader, not ‘bait ’n switch’ pitching
- Going personal with stories and commentary from their founder or leader

They’re not just making more content. They're getting seen. They’re being discovered. 

But to get there takes effort and time. And that’s the real kicker because to achieve this it becomes about the long-term commitment even when it feels like there’s no short term pay off........

When you actually have clean, connected data across your GTM teams, everything changes.

In this awesome conversation with Jasz Rae Joseph, she nailed it:
 ➞ You can see exactly what’s driving revenue.
 ➞ You can see what’s not.
 ➞ And then you can confidently cut the noise and double down on the plays that work.

It sounds simple, but in reality, most teams I meet aren't dialled in like this. Either chasing inconsequential metrics, juggling disconnected tools, or making guesses about what’s working.

This is why HubSpot Marketing Operations can be such a critical (and often underestimated) discipline. 

When it’s done right, it creates momentum because everyone, marketing, sales, leadership, can see the same truth in the numbers.

Episode 29 of 𝐆𝐨-𝐭𝐨-𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 is themed "HubSpot Marketing Operations: How to Align your RevOps Systems for Effective Go-to Market".

Selling into MSPs is one of the toughest go-to-market challenges out there.

They’re time-poor, constantly pitched by vendors, and often skeptical of change and of companies they don't yet trust.

In this week’s episode of Go-to-Market Playmakers, I sit down with Greg Sharp, MSP veteran and founder of ZenContract, to explore what it really takes to break through the noise.

Greg’s story resonated deeply with me: from building MSPs over decades, to pivoting into SaaS, to creating a platform that helps MSPs run more professional, risk-mitigated, and scalable businesses.

If you’re a SaaS founder or vendor targeting MSPs as your ICP, this episode is packed with practical insights.

#GTMplaymakers #podcast #gotomarket #SaaS #SaaSsales #MSPs #ICP

"Cybersecurity isn’t just a technical issue."

In my conversation with Luke Irwin, he made a powerful analogy: 𝐈𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬. 

They might work side-by-side, but cybersecurity requires its own specialist skill set. 

This is especially so when framed through governance, leadership, and culture.

For executives and boards, this isn’t optional. Under the Corporations Act, you have an obligation to consider cyber risk as part of your overall risk portfolio. 

And it’s not enough to say “we’re covered.” You need evidence that your frameworks, policies, and controls are actually working.

What really stood out was Luke’s perspective on right-sizing cybersecurity:

👉 Banking-grade security on a 10-person SMB is overkill.
👉 But as you scale, so too must your security posture.

It’s about matching governance, risk, and compliance to your organisation’s size, maturity, and risk profile so security enables growth instead of stifling it.


#cybersecurity #fractionalCISO #virtualCISO #vCISO #riskmanagement #cyberresilience #governance #TechExecInsights

Was fantastic to join Sam Palazzolo 🟢 on the 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 series to unpack what B2B leaders are facing in 2025 and beyond.

I really appreciate how Sam framed this conversation and it was such a pleasure to get his insights on this as well. 

Teaser clip and links below 👇

Thanks so much for having me on the show Sam!

NEW Executive Espresso Break Episode - Here's a clip!

What happens when digital marketing strategy meets execution in the real world?

I sat down with Jeremy Balius, Founder & MD of Filament, to talk about the four biggest barriers B2B leaders face in digital marketing — and how to overcome them:

1️⃣ Tackling long & complex sales cycles
2️⃣ Closing the strategy-to-execution gap
3️⃣ Revitalizing partner & channel performance
4️⃣ Cutting through noise in crowded markets

That’s the promise of the Espresso Break — and this conversation delivers!

Sam Palazzolo 🟢
Real Strategies. Real Results.

Want more ways to scale smarter?
~ Register for my Scaling Strategy Newsletter + get my “50 Scaling Strategies” eBook ($50 value) → sampalazzolo.com
~ Learn about my Executive Coaching Programs → sampalazzolo.com/coaching
~ Book your complimentary Executive Espresso Break Strategy Session → https://lnkd.in/gbGwwf34

Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gtHUW9eX

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