CELab - Ep 166 - From Academia to AI: Building Scalable Partner Programs with April Trask

In this episode of CELab, host Dave Derington sits down with April Trask, a leader in partner enablement and enterprise AI at Writer. April unpacks the evolving landscape of partner enablement, exploring how AI and generative tools are reshaping the way organizations educate both partners and customers. April shares her unique journey from academia to tech, offering candid insights into building scalable programs at companies like Dropbox, Slack, CrowdStrike, and Writer. The conversation dives deep into the differences between customer education and partner enablement, the challenges of aligning cross-functional teams, and the importance of adaptability in a rapidly changing industry. April and Dave also discuss practical strategies for leveraging AI in learning, the critical role of collaboration with product and marketing, and advice for professionals navigating the pressures of pipeline and revenue.

Key Topics & Takeaways for Customer Education and Customer Success:

• The spectrum of partner enablement models and why “one size fits all” doesn’t work
• How AI and generative tools are transforming learning experiences for partners and customers
• The difference in motivations between partners and direct customers—and why it matters
• Building scalable enablement programs from scratch in fast-growing companies
• The importance of cross-functional collaboration (product, marketing, sales enablement)
• Why playbooks must be flexible: lessons learned from adapting to new environments
• Career advice for those moving from customer education to partner enablement