On the road: Ani Hagopian, Microsoft

Join us in this captivating episode as we sit down with Ani Hagopian, Senior Partner Marketing Manager at Microsoft, to unravel the inspiring story of her rise to one of the tech industry’s giants. Ani shares her personal journey, from the early days of her career to the pivotal moments that led her to Microsoft’s forefront. Tune in for exclusive insights, advice, and the behind-the-scenes details of what it takes to make it in the competitive world of technology marketing.

Navigating partner marketing with Ani Hagopian

In a recent episode of “On the Road,” Rick Currier sat down with Ani Hagopian, a seasoned partner marketing manager at Microsoft, to delve into the intricacies of her role and career journey. The conversation offered a wealth of insights into the world of partner marketing, reflecting Ani’s extensive experience and unique background.

From tech beginnings to Microsoft

Ani’s career in tech marketing spans nearly two decades, with the latter half dedicated to partner marketing. She began her journey in direct-to-customer marketing roles, focusing on marcom and demand generation before transitioning into alliances and partner marketing about ten years ago. Reflecting on her journey, Ani remarked, “i’ve probably been in it for like I’d say 10 years now. But prior to that was in a direct to customer marketing role… It’s been kind of a journey for me because I was kind of born into tech marketing.”

Her transition to partner marketing was facilitated by her robust network, which played a crucial role in her landing a position at a startup. “I had the connection who vouched for me…they did take a risk…saying hey we’re gonna bring her in because she has a solid marketing background but we feel like she’s gonna do well around this partner marketing stuff,” Ani explained.

The essence of partner marketing

Ani’s current role at Microsoft involves building and nurturing alliances with various partners, a task that requires a unique blend of marketing skills and emotional intelligence. As she put it,

“Partner marketing is such a type of a role…there’s a lot of I think talent, some personality traits, some experience…that I think really make a strong partner marketer.”– Ani Hagopian

This role is not just about marketing; it’s about building and maintaining relationships, often acting as a bridge between different entities. “You are a bridge. You’re working with a completely different entity right outside of your own company…you need to partner with them to drive joint success,” Ani noted.

Cultural roots and personal drive

Ani’s background as the first American-born member of her Armenian immigrant family has significantly shaped her work ethic and approach. Her upbringing instilled a strong sense of independence and drive, traits that have been pivotal in her career success. “I saw my parents come to this country with little to nothing…it’s taught me a lot,” she shared.

Her Armenian heritage also contributes to her personality and professional demeanor. Ani humorously noted, “Armenians do tend to be loud. And we like to gather in large numbers and party and have a great time,” adding a touch of cultural color to her professional persona.

Advice for aspiring partner marketers

For those looking to break into partner marketing, Ani offers valuable advice: understand the maturity of the organization’s alliance strategy and central marketing function before jumping in. “Ask the questions around their alliance strategy…you really want to ask the questions around what is the organization already done today to build their alliances?” she advised.

Ani also emphasized the importance of having a budget in place for marketing activities, as financial resources are critical to executing successful campaigns. “If you don’t have money, it’s really hard to do marketing,” she stated bluntly.

Building relationships and advocating for partners

One of the key aspects of Ani’s role is building strong relationships both within and outside the organization. She stresses the importance of internal relationships, stating, “I often hear they don’t understand what we do…part of taking on an alliance marketing role is education. You are an advocate just as much as you’re a marketer.”

In large companies like Microsoft, where partner marketing involves collaboration with other major corporations, understanding both your own organization and your partner’s is crucial. “First of all, know who your people are…then you bring in the complexity of the partner,” she explained.

The path forward

Ani’s journey and insights provide a comprehensive view of what it takes to succeed in partner marketing. Her story is a testament to the importance of networking, cultural heritage, and a strong personal drive in shaping a successful career. As Ani continues to navigate her role at Microsoft, her experiences offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to embark on a similar path.

Ani Hagopian the Senior Partner Marketing Manager at Microsoft.

About Microsoft

Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Learn more at www.microsoft.com.