10 Years! Turns out that an audacious vision combined with a gifted team and world class execution…WITH world class partners…can deliver incredible customer and market value! Pure Storage celebrates our 10 year anniversary this month…the month after our annual Pure//Accelerate conference and Global Partner Forum.
Using these two milestones, I reached out to long time Pure partner…and career channel entrepreneur, Steve Johnson from Corus360, to chat about the changing expectations of customers, the infrastructure market and how he thinks we’re doing as a vendor. Check it out here and let us know what you think.
Sot (Pure): In my view there is no room for suspense or drama in business … how is Pure doing as a partner? Are you winning with us and are we valuable to your company?
SJ (Corus360): Pure is 100 percent partner centric and that sets you apart from our other vendors. There is great trust between our teams – at every level – and you care about my Orange Juice!
Sot (Pure): Orange Juice?
SJ (Corus360): Haha – thought you might ask that. Orange Juice is a phrase we use internally when discussing the differentiation beyond technology that impacts our financial partnership and profits associated with Pure. It’s a big deal. First, we must deliver solutions that delight customers and Pure is outstanding in this regard…both technically and backed by a tremendous support experience. Pure takes ‘simple’ to a new and unmatched level. Beyond the product, this is clear with your messaging, the Evergreen model, non-disruptive upgrades, TCO, pricing and quoting, and much more.
Sot (Pure): You joined us at our recent Pure//Accelerate conference and the Global Partner Forum. What were your three biggest takeaways from the event?
Johnson (Corus360):
First, Pure’s commitment to continuous innovation of solutions that are simple, seamless and sustainable. This is directly in line with our focus at Corus360 and how we engage with customers. Second is how your new offerings are opening new doors for us in hybrid cloud, containers, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Finally, your organization’s competitive intensity resonates with me and my team louder than any other vendor. Competing the right way delivers a superior outcome to the customer and when we are in a fight with Pure we know you have our back and we’ll do everything in our collective power to win.
Sot: What are your plans with the range of innovation announced at the conference?
Johnson: First, this innovation allows us to expand our business with our current customers. The new FlashArray//C is a game-changer and reinforces the ‘all-flash data center’ vision Pure has always led with in the market.
Sot: What about new customer acquisition?
Johnson: My team took note of the target account incentives Pure has delivered to the partner community. We’re combining these with the expanded portfolio and taking a workload centric message to prospective customers. We must educate customers on how to leverage technology for improved business outcomes. Customers are seeing and feeling disruption in every corner of their business and we can help. Pure is a key ally in these pursuits.
Sot: Last question for you (you have been an amazing guest!) As we approach 2020, what do you think will be the biggest disruptor in the data center next year?
SJ: Analytics – In 2020 organizations will fully tap into analytics on a mainstream level and understand how to take advantage of analytics for their business. This also means a massive increase in the amount of data that is required for organizations to keep and a shift in thinking about the best architecture and solutions. I predict that our partnership with Pure will thrive in 2020 and the OJ will be flowing!
