I believe most companies have someone on the team who is a go-to person…the one who gets it done, leads by example, and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. If not, I feel sorry for them! I’ve had the privilege of working with Joshua (Josh) Felicetti, Director of National Partners for the Americas, at Pure Storage for almost eight years…and he’s definitely “that guy” who gets it done for our partners and our team without expecting fanfare or confetti. I’m excited to share that he’s recently been recognized by CRN as part of their 100 People You Don’t Know But Should list for 2023 and it’s an honor that is well-deserved.
A Channel Aficionado
CRN defines this recognition as an “…exclusive honor that highlights those working tirelessly behind the scenes to support not only their partners, but the broader channel network as well.” This describes Josh to a T. One of the greatest strengths that Josh brings to Pure and our partner ecosystem is his firsthand experience working at a partner company and at a manufacturer. Earlier in his career, Josh carried a bag for a couple of his employers. At Pure, he’s using that muscle memory to build and lead an exceptional, partner-focused team to drive business from quote to close better than most in the industry.
During his tenure, he’s been instrumental in optimizing the coverage model for our strategic partners while supporting the successful expansion of portfolio solutions within each partner organization. I think we can all agree that growing a business successfully is always good for the owners and employees; however, Josh’s leadership has ultimately been a win for customers who get to work with their partner of choice for products, solutions, and services. He knows it takes a team to win in the market today, and his collaborative leadership approach makes winning look easy, even when it’s not.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Josh is climbing his way up the Orange ladder by helping those on his team be successful. He recognizes that a team that learns together wins together. His experience in the channel underscores this philosophy. He encourages each member of his team, and all the organizations with which he collaborates, to work together. Life is about perpetual learning, and Josh understands that most people learn from the successes they experience. He also embraces the belief that failing to work with others in the channel will result in failing to influence partners, failing to win deals, and failing to achieve personal goals and objectives. Who wants that on their résumé?
It’s critical to Josh to understand the entire process required to work with partners successfully. His advice to anyone just beginning a career in a channel-based role is to get ingrained in the sales culture. Learn it. Live it. Love it. Understanding what makes a sale happen is the best way to know how to influence others and to work collaboratively toward a common goal…scoring that next deal and growing mindshare with partners and customers. It’s not a “win at all costs” mentality, but it’s doing what’s right for partners, customers, colleagues, and the company that sets Josh apart from, and ahead of, his peers in other channel organizations. His personal goal is to establish Pure Storage as the gold standard for working with partners across all routes to market. And he’s doing a great job at it!
Better than Yesterday
Josh Felicetti came to Pure because of our products, our culture, and the opportunity to help our partners be successful. He’s also gaining great professional success at the same time. He thrives on tackling new challenges and experiences across the partner ecosystem. While he looks great in Orange, his favorite job is that of being a dad to his children. He is passing along his teamwork philosophy to each one by encouraging them to be good people, learn something new every day, and be a better person than they were the day before. In my opinion, those kids have a great example to follow as they grow up.
What about you? Can you see yourself working with leaders like Josh Felicetti at Pure Storage?
