Mike Rich, Zscaler

This season features conversations with key decision-makers who have shaped the evolution of today's leading technology platforms and ecosystems. We talk to C-suite executives, board members, investors, and others who must be brought into the platform journey.

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In this episode, Avanish and Mike discuss:

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• Mike's journey from his early tech roots in Silicon Valley to his role as CRO at Zscaler, including his transformative work growing ServiceNow from $500M to $6B in the Americas region
• The importance of always viewing platform strategy through the customer's lens - helping them achieve outcomes rather than managing multiple point solutions
• How a successful platform requires breaking down silos not just within your own organization, but often within your customer's organization
• The "one team" concept of the three-legged stool: customer, vendor, and partner, all working together toward shared success
• Why ecosystem partners are mission-critical, providing industry expertise and customer insights that vendors can't replicate
• The role of security in enabling productive AI adoption, with Zscaler helping customers leverage generative AI safely at scale
• How to develop meaningful metrics with partners beyond just pipeline generation, focusing on mutual success plans and regular reviews
• The importance of playing the long game with partners - "It's not how you behave when things are going great, it's how you behave when things hit the fan"

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