The Channel Community “has come a long way” since its first informal meeting in a pub four years ago, Chair Yvonne Matzk noted as she addressed the audience at its first-ever annual awards.
2024 has seen the free-mentoring initiative run three physical events (including a speed mentoring session), three virtual events, and become a Community Interest Company.
Its aim is to help like-minded industry executives give back to the next generation of talent, as well as those in solitary roles.
“The purpose of The Channel Community is really simple, which is to help as many people as we can by way of mentoring,” Matzk said on stage.
“There are also a lot of events in this industry that can be quite intimidating, and we wanted to be an alternative to that.”
The evening saw compere Toni Kent dish out six awards (see winners, bottom), including a special award for ‘Influencer of the Year’ run in collaboration with IT Channel Oxygen.
IT Channel Oxygen managed to grab five attendees – including Matzk herself – to get their highlight of the year.
Here’s what they said:
“We can double down on an area in dire need of help”
Yvonne Matzk, Founder and Chair, The Channel Community
What’s been your Channel Community highlight of 2024?
It has to be becoming a Community Interest Company. We’ve now got a dedicated charity partner, which means we can really double down and support an area which is in dire need of help – using our experience and knowledge across the channel to help bridge this 9% gap [the proportion of people in the IT sector from low socio-economic or disadvantaged backrounds]. But it also means I have an amazing team that are all supporting the development and progress of the community.
“This has become a bit of a pressure release”
Richard Eglon, CMO, Nebula Global Services
What’s been your Channel Community highlight of 2024?
For me it’s been the increase in engagement. With the market in the current state it’s in, [The Channel Community] seems to be more relevant as a sounding board than ever.
Mentees are approaching me, but not necessarily in a structured way. They’re saying ‘I just need to run this idea past you’. A lot of people are under pressure, so I think this has become a bit of a pressure release. It gives someone a safe place to express how they’re feeling and actually be comfortable to say how they’re feeling. There’s nothing else like this.
“Because I’ve seen value from it, I’ve introduced more people to it”
Louise Mahrra, Marketing Director, CloudInteract
What’s been your Channel Community highlight of 2024?
Being able to bring people into it. Because I’ve seen value from it, I wanted to give back to other people I know or work with to say ‘I’ve benefited from this group of people that can give a little bit of advice; why don’t you come along as well?’
I’ve introduced more people to it, which is what this community is about: how can we help other people gain that knowledge from networking? Networking is so important and it’s the cornerstone of what we’re trying to do.
“I love having a conversation that’s not emotionally attached to anyone in my business”
Ian Turnbull, Founder, Cyber Vantage
What’s been your Channel Community highlight of 2024?
For me personally, just being able to make contacts in different areas has been really helpful. I love being able to pick the phone up and have a conversation that is not emotionally attached to anyone in my business. There is a selection of people in this room that I do that to off the back of joining the community.
I look back at the start of my career and I would have ripped someone’s arms and legs off to get access to the people in this room
I’ve probably got as much from the other mentors as a mentee would have done if I was mentoring them, because there’s so much experience to draw from in different areas.
“The evolution has been huge”
Francesca Beddow, Director, Strategy Lead, Ice Blue Sky
What’s been your Channel Community highlight of 2024?
I think the evolution of The Channel Community has been huge. When I first came to an event it was literally two or three people in a pub, to now having 60 people registered for an event.
The one thing that hasn’t changed, which I think is a highlight, is that it’s such a welcoming community. You can come here to network, talk to like-minded people and just feel part of something. You can get some genuine advice and camaraderie, and share your challenges – that continues to be a high point. Everyone here is authentic in their attention to help others.
The Winners
Community Individual of the Year – Francesca Beddow
Community Organisation of the Year – Logoyo
Mentee of the Year – Rupinder Kaur
Channel Buddy of the Year – Gina Hough
Social Mobility Initiative of the Year – Titan Data Solutions
Influencer of the Year – Daisy Pike
Doug Woodburn is editor of IT Channel Oxygen
