Having successfully completed the requirements for the C4 approved Channel Leadership Certification, we would like to extend our congratulations to Deidre Deacon, the newest Accredited Channel Chief. To help celebrate this milestone master designation, we asked Deidre to share some information about her experience.
“The Channel Chief Designation showcases leadership, business acumen and the ability to grow, scale and extend your business through strategy partnerships. At C4, we love to celebrate and honour those who have exemplary channel leadership at the highest levels. Deidre, with her years of channel leadership, showed the adjudicator panel a wealth of creativity and success especially during these challenging pandemic years. Congratulations Deidre for earning your C4 Channel Chiefs Designation.” – Corinne Sharp, C4 President & adjudicator
A Brief Background
Beginning at ViewSonic in 1999, Deidre has managed segments of the business in various channels and regions in progressive sales and marketing roles. This experience prepared her for the role of General Manager for ViewSonic Canada, which she began in 2017. In this role, Deidre drives all aspects of the business, from charting the future growth of sales, to developing channels and the dealer distribution network, to leading overall strategic business planning.
Drawing on her 20+ years experience in sales and marketing roles has enabled Deidre to develop industry partnerships that have proven invaluable to carrying out go-to-market and channel strategies successfully. Along with these valued partnerships in place, Deidre leads a dynamic national team dedicated to accelerating growth for visual solutions across enterprise, education, consumer and commercial markets with a priority on hybrid work and education. While her expertise has always been in the IT channel, prior to joining ViewSonic Deidre held sales, management and operations roles with Apple and Epson.
The Certification Process
After participating on the Canadian Channel Chiefs Council for many years, working alongside peers on the front lines of solving today’s IT challenges, the Certified Channel Chief designation was an important next step for Deidre in order to continue to learn, and grow her career. The designation allows Deidre to affirm advanced understanding, and the core competencies that are essential in a leadership role working in today’s channel.
Deidre considers the designation a major growth milestone in the channel, and it was the right time for her to challenge herself. ViewSonic is supportive of the channel community and its importance in Canada, as well as the continued personal development of its leaders.
“Deidre’s demonstration of innovation, and “leadership in action” is truly inspiring. Whether it be leading with financial creativity to protect the health of the partner’s business, applying education as a tool to enable line of business selling, or thinking out of the box during times of supply constraints, Deidre is clearly a Channel Chief the community is fortunate to have.” – Mark Collins, C4 adjudicator
The Value of C4 Programs
The Pathways program is designed to help channel professionals learn and demonstrate an advanced understanding of the eight core competencies identified as essential by industry champions. These are the areas of focus and strategies channel leaders work on each and every day. By examining her experience in these key areas, Deidre was able to realize the depth of her channel knowledge, and use that to continue to grow and develop as a channel leader, while guiding her team.
Looking at where you started in the channel, the journey and where you are in your career today is an important and rewarding exercise. During the designation process, Deidre was able to reflect on her path and how she could continue to successfully move forward. This is an important step in her career growth, which in turn helps her to cultivate growth for her team while gaining the resilience to forge forward and make the most out of all aspects of our professional lives.
Deidre shared that the process was valuable in reminding her of missteps she may have forgotten along her channel path, and leverage those experiences as opportunities to learn and course-correct: gaining wisdom from hindsight. By slowing down from daily business to give herself space to reflect on her past actions and decisions, Deidre gained focus and clarity in what worked, and what didn’t; which can help her team to progress and move forward.