“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” That was the message Tiffani Bova, Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Growth IQ and The Experience Mindset and former Chief Growth Evangelist at Salesforce, brought to her keynote at the 2026 Sandler Partners National Summit. She challenged Partners to set aside what past shifts like the early internet and Cloud taught them and approach AI with a beginner’s mind.
Bova explained that buyers now lean on AI at nearly every stage of a purchase, which makes the experience a Partner delivers harder to replace. She outlined five skills Partners need heading into 2027:
- Storytelling: Share why your business exists and the outcomes you deliver.
- Asking Questions: Uncover pain points and growth goals.
- Active Listening: Let clients guide the conversation.
- Technical Fluency: Explain AI concepts in plain language.
- Client and Industry Research: Know your accounts and the trends shaping their industries.
She also pointed to onboarding and proactive outreach as ways to grow wallet share, comparing customer loyalty to a favorite restaurant: one bad meal won’t drive you away if every visit before it was good.
“If you ask the right questions, the clients will lead you right to the water.”
– Tiffani Bova
Bova closed by encouraging Partners to experiment, even when it feels uncomfortable, and to rethink how they go to market in the year ahead.
The Sandler Partners National Summit
The annual Sandler Partners National Summit is the largest independent technology community channel event held each year. It brings together Partners from across the US and Canada – influential leaders, and Providers – sharing information on solutions, selling approaches, and personal development. The atmosphere is always energetic, reinforcing the family “safe home” reputation Sandler Partners has developed over two decades. While other TSDs may focus on private equity plays, Sandler Partners continues to help solve problems that encourage trust, deeper long-term customer relationships, and ultimately success.