ESET is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Hope McCluskey, our Director of Channel Marketing, who has been recognized on the esteemed 2023 Women of the Channel Power 100 list by CRN®. This prestigious accolade underscores Hope's remarkable dedication to the IT channel community and her unwavering commitment to driving the success of ESET's partners and customers. As the leader of ESET North America’s Channel Marketing team, Hope plays a crucial role in enabling our partners to effectively market to existing and prospective customers through innovative strategies.
In this exclusive Q&A session, we delve into the significance of the channel for ESET and the strategic investments we make in our valued channel partners[JB1] .
Q: As we reach the midpoint of 2023, can you talk to me about how important the channel is to ESET and how are you investing in channel partners?
Hope McCluskey: ESET is truly 100% focused on the channel, and my team works closely with the partner community, delivering innovative marketing and demand generation programs and go-to-market support that translates into financial results and new market opportunities. We also provide assistance with training and certification, delivering a gamified approach that helps partners navigate the certification process while equipping them with battle cards, competitive information, and anything else they need to quickly get up to speed and hit the ground running.
When we look at investment, Progress Protected is our brand promise. ESET is pouring our money into R&D to ensure that our solutions are preventative in nature and protecting our customers not just against the cyber threats of today, but those of tomorrow. ESET Security Centers are set up all over the globe, constantly searching to find, identify, and neutralize the latest threats, ensuring that users worldwide are protected. For our partners, we continue to invest in programs and offerings that focus on protecting their time, their reputation, and most importantly, their profitability.
Q: I see that you recently won the Power 100 award for CRN. Can you tell me a little bit more about what that award means to you and to the rest of the channel community?
Hope McCluskey: The Power 100 is a notable recognition in the channel community and I’m thrilled to be honored this year alongside an all-star lineup of female executives who are helping drive channel success.
This award also speaks to ESET’s company culture. At ESET, we firmly believe that innovation is the cornerstone of progress, and we strive to foster an environment that encourages creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and the pursuit of new ideas.
My team is 100% focused on our channel partners. We work alongside our sales teams and partners to support our partners’ needs on an individual basis. We also recognize that collaboration and transparency is key and our goal is to help partners understand market trends, security solutions, and the threat landscape. Lastly, the team takes the time to provide education so our partners can lean on ESET to do the heavy lifting and educate our partners’ customers on their behalf.
Q: What do you think helped you achieve this award?
Hope McCluskey: I always say it takes a village, and I could never have received this award without the support and exceptional teamwork at ESET. This award honestly goes out to the entire team that supports our channel and our partners every day. From the content we receive, including creative campaigns, to the channel team that works with our partners in planning and executing lead generation campaigns, to the flawless events the team puts on, to the sales team that works alongside us every day – all of these colleagues bring incredible commitment and passion to their work, which our partners benefit from.
ESET remains committed to its partner-centric approach, leveraging the expertise of professionals like Hope McCluskey to propel channel initiatives and deliver unparalleled support to partners worldwide. Thanks to Hope and her team for showing up each day on behalf of ESET’s channel partner community.