Building a Scalable Business - Holiday Re-Air with Eric Brooker - Channel Security Secrets - Ep. #23
What happens when the channel stops treating sales like transactions, and starts treating people like relationships that compound? As we wrap up the year, we’re bringing back one of the most talked-about episodes of Channel Security Secrets, a New Year holiday re-air with Eric Brooker, Founder & CEO of The Channel Standard.
In this conversation, Eric gets real about the gaps he sees every day in the channel: advisors reaching out with templated messages, sellers confusing activity with impact, and leaders underestimating just how far empathy and intentional relationship-building can take them. He explains why the most successful people in the channel are the ones who slow down, invest in others, and show up consistently, even when there’s nothing to sell.
Eric also shares how cybersecurity and AI are reshaping expectations for advisors, what newer sellers often get wrong when trying to break into security, and how planning, preparation, and personal integrity set the tone for long-term success.
Takeaways
- Deep, long-term relationships create more opportunity than any high-volume outreach strategy.
- AI and cybersecurity are merging fast, advisors who understand both will stand apart in the new year.
- Empathy, curiosity, and structured planning build trust faster than any script or sales sequence.
- Personal experiences, including setbacks, shape how leaders show up for both clients and teams.
- Integrity and consistency remain the quiet superpowers of top-performing channel professionals.
Quote of the Show
- “ The value of relationships is where I think many of us fail in sales, because we treat it like it's a transaction, and it's so much more than that.” - Eric Brooker
Find all episodes, show notes, and resources at: https://www.cdg.io/podcast/
Partner with us: https://www.cdg.io/partner-with-cyber-defense-group/
Links
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbrooker/
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/counsel-culture-with-eric-brooker/id1528802328
- Book: https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Enough-Overcoming-Worthiness/dp/B0CJF67ZTF
- Company website: https://www.thechannelstandard.com/
- Twitter: https://x.com/ericbrooker79
Ways to Tune In
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1gIKsOyorKMzQA7wxck4dH?si=ff617df387aa401c
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/channel-security-secrets/id1826825461
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8703d3a3-4128-4691-8862-cb847f53f776/channel-security-secrets
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChannelSecuritySecrets
