Building tech partner programs from scratch
Contact Me

Let’s Talk Partnerships.

Are you a Vertical SaaS company in the $0-10M range without a technology partner program? Have you made it this far managing partnerships without a dedicated strategy or program, but know you're missing opportunities? Do you need more conviction about the value of technology partner programs and the impact these programs have for your org?

Let me help you evaluate the opportunity, build the business case, and unlock your first five integration partners. I’ve been developing technology partner programs for twelve years and scaling them into roadmap-protecting, revenue-generating and churn-preventing systems. I've seen companies skip over partner strategy, but realize they need one when it's too late! Healthy Partnership Programs enable all of your functions to hit the core SaaS metrics.

Enabling Growth

Tech Partner Programs are necessary as you scale your vertical SaaS company. The sooner you lay the foundation with open, well-documented APIs, and a friendly developer process, the quicker your other SaaS metrics fall into place. Focusing your product and engineering teams on core features will unlock success. There is a network of developers that can and want to make your platform more valuable.

Innovate faster

Partners can bolster your market positioning with innovative and robust integrations. Open up your platform to experts in categories like data, AI, marketing and operations. Adapt to the market, new trends, and the growing list of customer needs much quicker.

Cost Savings

Revenue Expansion - protect precious R&D with more efficient ways to ship product. Open up a new segment or market through strategic integrations. Set your organization up to save on R&D for years to come without sacrificing new development. You can even monetize your API with compounding revenue share that contributes to the bottom line.

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About Me

I’ve had a special interest in technology partnerships since my very first tech job working at Shopatron (acquired by Vista Equity Partners and rebranded to Kibo Commerce) an eCommerce SaaS company in San Luis Obispo, CA. I went on to manage a tech partner portfolio at MINDBODY, learning all about go-to-market. I had a front row seat at watching more than five partners get acquired. I loved working with tech partners so much that I left to join the team of one of those partners, BrandBot. We were acquired in 2020, and since then I have been scaling and tech partnership programs in different verticals. My latest obsession in partnerships is all around the embeddable approach.

Community and Professional
Involvement

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Bloomberg Radio Clip

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General Assembly Speaker
GA Speaker

Xplor Industry Expert
Bio at Xplor

Press Publications On Launching an Embedded Capital Program

My Services

First Five

Get an honest evaluation of your business’s readiness for partnerships. I’ll outline essential prerequisites and steps to successfully onboard your first integration partners.

Partnership Projects

Reach out for partner KPI templates, business case presentations, developer journey diagrams, Go-to-Market plans, Program Tiers, and creative contract approaches.

The Case for Embedded Partnerships

As one of the early adopters of embedded value-adds, I can walk you through what Vertical SaaS Compaies need and are looking for when it comes to embedded features.

TECH PARTNERSHIP CONSULTING

I help you build powerful partnership programs
for your growing SaaS company.

I help Vertical SaaS Companies kickstart their partner strategy in a way that is simple, fun and impactful. My expertise focuses on the foundation, strategy, and straightforward execution.

Testimonials

Testimonials

Sunil Saha

Sunil Saha CEO and Founder of Perkville

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Michelle across multiple companies, and she is truly one of the best in the business when it comes to partnerships. Trust is at the core of any successful partnership, and Michelle embodies this principle—she does not just look out for her side’s interests but is genuinely invested in creating long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.

Eric McClure

Eric McClure Co-Founder, MAINN

“Michelle is one of the most effective partnership leaders I’ve worked with, combining strategic vision with focused execution to create win-win relationships that drive real results. She has built and scaled programs for some of the biggest names in vertical SaaS, aligning incentives in ways that create real value for both sides. The result? Partner ecosystems that deliver measurable growth and lasting impact.

Reid Carver,

Reid Carver, Founder and CEO, IPStudios

“Working with Michelle Van Horn has been a game-changer for us at IPSTUDIO. As Xplor’s Tech Partnerships Lead, she has been professional, supportive, and truly invested in our mutual success. Her deep understanding of the integrated tech partnerships space has helped us grow and navigate new opportunities together. We’re grateful for the partnership and look forward to continuing to build with her!”

Get to know ME!

Have a project in mind?
Let’s talk.

If you’re ready to apply programming, strategy, and organization to tech partnerships at your organization, let’s chat. I’m eager to help as many SaaS companies as possible launch their first five integration partnerships!

  • MichelleLVanHorn@gmail.com
  • (618) 910.8227
  • Based in Boston and Charlotte
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