Telarus Welcomes AT&T's New Channel Leader and Reveals Vision
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Introduction to the Interview
Hello, everyone. I’m Richard Murray, chief commercial officer at Telarus. And today for our executive interview, I am joined by Jush Danielson of AT&T. Jush, welcome to the program today.
Thank you. Hi, Richard. How are you?
I’m I’m excellent. So we we’re in Telarus headquarters. We we welcome you. It’s, your your first opportunity to come and visit us here in Sandy.
We’ve we’ve had a couple of, good fruitful meetings. Mhmm. I’m I’m super excited by the the conversations that we’ve been able to have, and I’m I’m really excited today to kinda be able to take the opportunity to have our our broader audience, our the advisers get to know a bit about you and and some of your philosophies around, the the channel and AT&T in particular. And so let’s kinda take this opportunity.
Background of Jush Danielson
Let’s start with really just, you know, let me ask you. Jush introduce yourself a little bit.
Sure. So, first off, you got my name correct. Thank you. Jush Danielson.
I’ve been in the industry for almost three decades. Can’t believe it’s been that long. I’ve been with AT&T for twenty three years.
I’ve done a number of different things, primarily on the sales side, both direct and indirect, and then I’ve done a number of rotations. And the reason why I’m sharing this with you is because I believe it’s one of the reasons why I was selected to take over, the role. So I’ve done operations, so understand back end systems. I’ve done marketing. I did strategy for a little bit.
I ran direct sales forces. I ran technical teams. And then most recently, I, ran the indirect technology center of excellence.
So what that is is it is if you think the presales teams, the engineering teams, post sales teams, and some of the transformation initiatives, that was all in my organization.
So now I’m moving from that into, you know, back out in the marketplace, which I love, because I consider myself a sales gal at heart.
And, I think it’s a very natural fit, because I can leverage some of those existing relationships, partnerships, and experience to hopefully, you know, get us to move quicker and faster.
The Evolution of AT&T’s Channel Program
Yeah. So let’s let’s talk about that. I mean, there’s reality. You know, the the AT&T program, has been very strong for the last five, six six years, but it hasn’t always been.
Mhmm. And look, no no supplier is perfect. No channel is perfect. There are always issues.
But the AT&T channel has grown leaps and bounds. Mhmm.
We’ve grown together We have.
A a ton over the last five or six years. I think there’s an element of you know, there’s a reality. A lot of that was built during the Chris Jones time, who you are replacing.
Mhmm.
And, look, I I think everyone at this point knows, Chris and I I’m a big Chris Jones fan, and so I think there’s there there’s the opportunity maybe for people to have sadness or worry For sure.
About what that means that that Chris has decided to go do other things.
So I I would say for myself Mhmm. That I had a moment of that.
However, it’s been replaced by, because of our interactions, with with a lot of excitement for for what you’re able to bring Thank you. For your background, for these things. So let let’s talk a little bit about as you come into this role and and you observe the the the things that AT&T can improve on, Mhmm. What are some of the early things that you feel like you’ve been able to come in and make a difference on?
Opportunities for Improvement in AT&T
Sure. You know, so what I would say is, first off, thank you for recognizing the great work that Chris did because I I agree with you. He really you know, when you think about AT&T, he is he created, our channel distribution, program and did a phenomenal job with it.
That being said, and I should say, I acknowledge and I’ve said over it over and over again, I know I’ve got big shoes to to fill.
But that being said, you know, being here for a little less than two months, I do truly agree that there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity for us. And the opportunity is in us partnering a little bit better.
So we should have you know, we have direct, alignment in front of the market. So my sales organization and your sales organization are very well aligned in the marketplace in front of our end customers. I think where we could probably improve is behind the scenes. So it’s behind the curtain, which is, you know, you take a look at, like, our life cycle teams.
My life cycle team should be hand in hand with your life cycle team without having to run through, you know, any go any salespeople, any channel managers, anything like that. It should be direct alignment. You think about compensation.
You know, I’m not saying something that is gonna be shocking to anyone. I’d rather just get it out there. At this point, I think you know the way I work. I’m I’m pretty transparent.
AT&T has had some, challenges around compensation over the course of the last few years. We’ve certainly improved quite a bit.
We’re planning on closing out some of the issues by the end of the first quarter. But how do we make sure that we don’t continue to have, challenges in the future? I think the way to do it is to get us directly aligned behind the scenes. Meaning, again, let’s not run through this channel managers in the sales organization.
Let our comp team have discussions with your compensation team to address the issues, because we’ll move a lot faster in the market.
And and and I love what I’ve seen with some of your approach on this because you’ve been able to pivot some resources. Because you have a different background, you know other areas of of a very large organization.
Mhmm.
I feel like you’ve brought in some additional resources to help move these conversations forward a little bit faster than what what we’ve experienced before. Is that something that, like, you’ve you’ve purposefully tried to reach out to other areas to to bring the resources in?
Absolutely. So, you know, one thing I should share with you is that moving forward and we’ve had this approach for the last year, but I don’t think that the market has really felt it yet.
AT&T’s Focus on Indirect Partnerships
But I do believe in twenty five, they’re gonna feel it. And what that is is AT&T recognizes that in order for us to get the growth that we need, we have to leverage partners such as yourself.
Our focus, our distribution strategy at this point is indirect. We will, of course, continue to, leverage our direct resources, but we can’t get to the market by the limited amount of direct resources that we have. And so we’re focusing on making sure that this partnership, grows tremendously over the future.
Over the course of, I think it was, like, last April, we have actually increased our support structure three x for indirect.
It’s something that you have probably started to feel, in the last couple of months, but in the next quarters, q one and q two, you’ll definitely, feel that impact.
And and the reality is many of the people that are watching this probably haven’t seen it yet because because it takes time for those, oh, hey. This really is getting better. It’s getting faster. And so those changes that that we’re seeing Mhmm.
I’m I’m really glad that we have this opportunity for the advisory community to see. Oh, yeah. Okay. AT&T is investing.
I love the the, you know, the the statement of of how AT&T views the channel and views distribution, as being critical, and and you’re putting the investments behind it. You know? Patrick always talks about, you can judge people by where they put their money.
Mhmm. Very true.
And and you guys are are getting behind it. So as you’ve come in and you’ve been able to, address some legacy issues and and try to work on some things, there’s also an incredible amount of just opportunity.
Mhmm.
So where do you see, you know, the early paths of opportunity that you really want to drive the the channel towards?
Mhmm.
Leveraging Network Opportunities
You know, when you take a look at AT&T, I I think you would agree that from a network standpoint, we are a best in class network.
We continue to build on our, you know, our fiber assets. One of the things that you may not realize is that we there are over thirteen million business customer locations across the country where we have fiber, and AT&T is not the provider.
So that’s a tremendous amount of opportunity for us to, again, to partner together and, you know, get out there in the marketplace. Where I see the opportunity is it’s exactly that. It’s for us to be tied at the hip, for us to share exactly where is our network, and for you to leverage the phenomenal relationships that our advisers that your advisers have to actually get in front of those clients.
Yes. We’ve talked before.
Our we’re we’re out training and teaching advisers on how to have security conversations Mhmm.
And AI conversations and contact center converse. You see all of these other things that AT&T is now just critically focused on on broadband. Mhmm.
And and so we’ve talked about the need for hey. The advisers in talking about AI and and and these other products, security, it’s all driven by broadband. Yep. It’s all driven by the circuit. It’s all necessary to have that there.
So what are some of the things that that you think when when a when an adviser is in talking to a customer Mhmm.
About some of these other things, what’s the transition as to why AT&T in that conversation to help facilitate?
Yeah. So when you think about, you know, having discussions around technology, connectivity is the underpinning that actually enables any of it. And so from a network standpoint, we have the most reliable network across the country by far, whether it is wire wireline or wireless. I think one of the opportunities and you and I have talked about this a little bit. One of the opportunities that’s untapped, that I’m hoping we can kinda crack the code on this year is from a network standpoint, whenever you’re talking about you know, you mentioned broadband. Fantastic.
Well, broadband should always be linked with fixed wireless.
Yeah.
I was gonna say we do more fiber with you guys than anybody, but not near Not near what we should be doing with fixed wireless.
How do we crack that? What, like, what should advisors be looking for and talking about with the opportunity around that?
Well, if you know, the good news on this front is, one of the stints that I did was actually in marketing, and I supported, the enterprise space in marketing.
And the market’s already there. And what I mean by that is there are, certain verticals. So you think the manufacturing vertical, you think the retail vertical, you think the finance vertical that are already there. And what I mean by that is they understand that broadband fiber is, from a network standpoint, is superior, but they also understand the opportunity in fixed wireless, whether it’s for backup, it’s for temporary, meaning they’re moving locations and they need to get, you know, a site up and running really quickly, fixed wireless is is perfect for that. Or in some cases, there are industries that are actually leveraging fixed wireless as, as their main, connection. So I think, you know, you think about our advisers.
It should be a very natural conversation where you’re talking about technology. You’re talking about, you know, fiber on network connectivity.
The next sentence should be, well, how about backup? Or how about a secondary?
Fixed wireless is a perfect, inexpensive way to address that need.
Excellent. So as you as you look at that opportunity, and within connectivity as a whole Mhmm. What are some of the other things that our advisers should be thinking of of adding to that conversation? The eight AT&T is not just doing connectivity. Yes. You’re focused on it, but you have other products that you’re layering into that conversation that are absolutely still, you know, value add conversations. What should they still be thinking about and adding to for their customers?
Expanding Beyond Connectivity
Yeah. So when you think about, our dedicated Internet services, another thing that we wanna be louder about in twenty twenty five is we have, we have security built into our network.
And then we have a a product or a solution called dynamic defense, which can actually be just naturally it’s built into, our dedicated Internet services, but then you can actually, enhance it and add even more security, within the circuit itself. So, again, it’s educating the marketplace. It’s educating the advisers on not only, our, our network, but then also the capabilities that we can layer on top of it.
Observations on Leadership Changes
Excellent. I wanna pivot us away for a minute, away from product. Mhmm. Maybe even away just directly from AT&T and just get really candid for a minute around some of your early observations.
Like, I very often, including myself, there are there are occasions that when leadership changes or we have people that maybe don’t understand you know, don’t come from our modern distribution channel, there’s that early fear of, hey. They’re going to ruin it. I’ve seen it at some Right? I’ve seen some come in.
Mhmm. You’re not. Let me just say Okay. I feel like no. No. No. I I don’t have that fear because of the the your your I’ve I’ve observed your willingness to learn, your willingness to listen, your willingness to measure, and and then go go forward.
But I just wanna acknowledge the fear that is very often there of people coming from outside. That said Mhmm.
There’s also an incredible goodness that comes from people coming in Mhmm.
That have ran larger organizations, have seen things done differently. Mhmm. And you come to it from a a a unique perspective.
Mhmm.
And so I’m really curious. What are some of your early observations about this channel, about modern distribution that that have have really impressed you and maybe even surprised you?
Mhmm.
So first off, I’ll say you’re right. I’m I’m still learning.
I’m trying to, you know, grasp it all as quickly as I can, but I still have a lot to learn. And thank you for you know, you’ve been wonderful with kinda ramping me up, so I appreciate that.
The Importance of Advisers in Modern Distribution
I think, you know, what I would say is what I’m most impressed with is it’s it’s the opportunity for us in you and through you. And what I mean by that is when you take a look at AT&T and our legacy, there was a time when we did anything and everything for everyone. Meaning, you know, a customer could come to us and we would you know, we we did it all.
When you take a look at AT&T today, we are much more streamlined.
We focus on our core competency, which is network, but that’s not what the customer is always looking for. The customer is looking for that holistic approach of, all things technology coming through one provider or one adviser.
We don’t do that anymore today, but you do. And so I think the big for me is that my opportunity, AT&T’s opportunity is it’s through you.
There have been so many studies done.
I think even your twenty twenty four, twenty twenty five tech trends report stated dope.
You’re reading.
I’m reading up. I’m reading up. Stated that, it’s above ninety percent. Ninety percent of end customers need and want to work through an adviser.
They don’t wanna work through me directly. They wanna work through you. And I think that’s the big light bulb that’s gone on, not only in my head, because candidly, I mean, yes, Jush Danielson matters, but it’s gone AT&T has opened our eyes, and we recognize that it is you that is going to help us get to those get to those thirteen million, customer locations that I mentioned a little bit ago. I can’t do it on my own.
I need you to help me get there.
Well, in our advisers, you know, I I’ve done this twenty four years now, and you would think that I wouldn’t continue to be amazed, but I am. The relationships these guys develop, you you just can’t replicate it. And and, look, I carried a bag for a short time at the very beginning of my career.
I could close sales. I hated cold calling. I was not a good hunter. There is a reason I’m more of an operational guys.
Our advisers are the best hunters and closers in the entire world. And it’s it’s amazing to me to watch their incredible relationships and and, you know, you’ve seen that early on, and it’s really kinda neat to see a big company like AT&T recognize the value of those relationships and the scale that the channel can bring.
That said Mhmm. We as a channel have have changed a ton over over my time. We continue to grow, to evolve, to learn, to sell new technologies.
We, as a channel, probably stubbed our toes on things over the years. Mhmm.
But we’re always trying to get better because we do believe, to your point, more and more customers are wanting to buy Mhmm. Through this area. I think that’s why our advisors have challenged themselves to to learn as much as they do. They show up to trainings and education.
They show up to Telarus University at a level I don’t think I ever really believed that they would. Mhmm. So they’re challenged. They’re working to get better.
They’re working to build businesses. Mhmm. With your perspective coming in, what are some of the things that you’ve seen at the adviser level that you think, okay. This channel needs to continue to improve to get better at?
Areas for Improvement in the Channel
And I this may be uncomfortable because you may have to say something that that may hurt a feeling or two, but that’s how we get better. Yeah. What do you think that we Mhmm. As a channel need to do better?
Yeah. So, I would say two things. The first is, quality matters. And what I mean by quality is, integrity. So, have integrity with, the way that you position with us, have integrity with the way that you position with the end customer.
I love that.
Yeah. Good. And the second thing would be it’s transparency.
You know, when you take a look at our history, and I and I will say especially with AT&T, because that’s really all I know, is it was a we’re we’re best friends, and then the next year, you know, we’re cautious about each other.
Right.
Then we’re best friends again, and then, you know, we’re cautious about each other. And what that’s created, the dynamic it’s created in the marketplace is there is a there’s a lack of trust.
Hopefully, not between us at this point, but there is a lack of trust with, AT&T and some of the advisers.
And we have to be able to take the risk and say, I don’t care what’s happened in the past, but I am going to trust the other partner, the other individual, AT&T. We are gonna trust you. You are gonna trust us, and let’s go into this opportunity together.
And that looks a great lesson in life, but I think it applies in this business as well. Suppliers ebb and flow. Mhmm. I’ve seen it over and over again. Things cycle.
And I I do I I agree with you that the the best way to handle it is to be transparent about your concerns. Don’t just retreat. Yep. People can’t get better if you don’t talk about it.
Maturing Conversations in the Channel
And I I do think that we have matured as a channel in how we handle that. We don’t just screen. Mhmm. Right?
We have business conversations. But I do think, to your point, we continue to all get better at at how do we improve each other together by having candid conversations.
I I agree with you. And and and I’ll have to tell you, in the last couple of months, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to a number of advisers, your advisers, you know, just advisers in the marketplace.
And when you asked me earlier, what am I seeing, what I’m what I’m recognizing is, first off, the relationships that the advisers have with the customers is incredible.
And when we are able to put down, you know, our walls or history or whatever and just speak directly, things happen. Like, we are able to together figure out, alright, what does the end customer need and go get it done and go get it done very quickly.
So, you know, I think that’s one of the things that I would ask of you and the and the advisers is just be transparent with us, and then give us a, you know, give us a grace of a little bit of a time to fix it.
But, you know It’s a big ship Yeah. That that you’re It’s a big ship. But I think to your point, and and maybe to pull out a thread of maybe some of the side conversations we’ve had over the last day Mhmm.
Is don’t I’ll tie it into the your previous observation. Don’t just focus on the past. Some of the past was, hey. AT&T may have been hard to work with.
Mhmm. There are segmentation rules. I can’t work in this account. Mhmm. You guys are changing.
We are.
You’re working towards a a new focus of valuing the partners and their relationships, so maybe I shouldn’t talk about it. Talk about that change that you’re seeing and and the ability for advisers to work in accounts that maybe were difficult in the past.
Evolving Partnerships and Simplifying Processes
Yeah. So, you know, what I would say is we we have been evolving with that. We made great strides, then we kinda took a little bit of a hiccup back.
When you look at twenty twenty five, we’re trying to make things simple, because what what we kept hearing is you’re you’re too complex to work with AT&T. You know? With any customer, I need to essentially, you know, get a decoder ring to figure out what can I sell, can I sell it, when can I sell it, how much do I get paid, blah blah blah blah blah? And so what we’ve done is we’ve taken all of that and we’ve oversimplified it. In twenty five and beyond, what the concept is is there will be a very small number of house accounts.
So these are customers where, where we own, the line share of the business. We own, we have very good relationships, and we believe we’re good. It’s a very, very small number. I think you’d be shocked. Couple thousand across all of business.
Everything else is Open Yay.
It’s exciting opportunity for everybody. Alright. So as as we wrap up today Uh-huh. This has been a great conversation. I think a great introduction for you to our to our broader audience, to our advisors. Are there any final takeaways you wanna make sure that they know?
Yeah.
A Call to Trust and Collaborate with AT&T
I would say a couple things. The first is, I am super excited, about the opportunity, to work, in this organization to partner with all of you.
And then the second is is, you know, I don’t know how better to put it, but come back to AT&T. Trust us.
We are doing a lot to make sure that we enable the distributors, the advisers, the indirect channel.
And, so give us a try because I’m I’m confident that we will be able to, fulfill whatever it is we need to fulfill to be successful in the market.
Excellent. I think that’s a great way to put it. Thank you. Thank you for, your your approach to the channel. We welcome you. We’ve been super excited, and, I’d I I’m looking forward to great things to come, in in the relationship and growth that that that we have together and in the broader channel altogether.
Well, that’s all that we have here today. Everyone, I’m Richard Murray with Telarus. Thank you for joining us. Take care.