Partner Engine
Operational // Kevin Kline, Founder // Austin, TX // Accepting new engagements
Services

Six months to a producing channel.

Every engagement follows a defined structure: analyze the market, recruit the right partners, activate the pipeline, hand off a documented playbook. No mystery, no billable hours to figure out what to do next.

Engagement Structure

Every engagement I run follows a six-month arc. Front-loaded strategic work, followed by recruitment, then activation, then handoff. The structure is standard; the tactics inside each phase are shaped by your category and ICP.

Month 1 // Foundation
Ideal Partner Profile analysis and program design
Evaluate partner types (email/retention agencies, full-service, CRO/performance, tech partners, adjacent channels) against your ICP, deal velocity, and value exchange potential. Map the target list. Define program structure, tiers, incentives, and the value-first framework. Build the partner agreement template. Produce partner-facing pitch materials. Align the KPI framework with leadership.
Months 2-3 // Recruit
Outreach, qualification, and signing the first wave
Outbound outreach through the Partner Engine network to priority targets identified in the IPP analysis. Discovery and qualification calls, negotiation, and onboarding of the first wave of signed partners. Initiate the onboarding workflow for each partner.
Months 4-5 // Activate
Pipeline generation and joint motions
Drive partner-sourced pipeline through to close. Build joint motions including co-marketing and partner-led introductions. Activate value-first motions with signed partners. Establish cadenced check-ins. Stand up pipeline tracking and reporting. Continue knowledge transfer to the founding team.
Month 6 // Handoff
Documented playbook and hire-readiness
Operating playbook documented. Active partner relationships transitioned to the client team or a new hire. Hire-readiness assessment for the first full-time partner manager delivered. Final KPI report delivered. Renewal discussion, if applicable.
Where Is Your Channel Today?

Three starting points cover most companies. Pick the one that sounds like yours, or run the diagnostic and let the answers decide.

Nothing built yet
Partnerships matter, but the channel doesn't exist. No ICP for partners, no program, no motion. The foundation gets built before anything can produce.
Operator →
Signed but silent
Partners exist on paper. Referrals don't. The gap is almost always activation: value exchange, cadence, and follow-through with the roster you already have.
Operator or Advisor →
Producing, unowned
The motion works, but nobody owns it full time. The question is leadership, documentation, and what needs to exist before the first dedicated hire arrives.
Fractional VP →
Not sure? Run the Channel Check →
Tier Detail

Three tiers correspond to three depths of ownership. Same six-month arc, different level of Partner Engine's involvement inside your organization.

01
Advisor
Strategic guidance and program architecture. IPP analysis, program design, and cadenced advisory sessions with leadership. Best for founders who already have someone on the team executing but need a partnerships voice in the room.
Contact for pricing
02
Operator
Full build and ramp of the partner channel. IPP through signed partners and producing pipeline over six months. Includes outbound recruitment, joint motion design, pipeline tracking, and documented playbook handoff.
Contact for pricing
03
Fractional VP
End-to-end ownership of partnerships as an embedded leader. Includes everything in Operator plus board-level reporting, cross-functional integration with sales and CS, and executive-level partnership strategy.
Contact for pricing
Deliverables

Every engagement ships the same core artifacts. The specific content is shaped by your business, but the shape of what you receive is standard.

Signed roster of qualified partners
Documented partner program with tiers, agreements, incentives, and enablement materials
Partner-sourced pipeline producing against agreed KPIs
Operating playbook for internal continuation and hire-readiness
Hire-readiness assessment for first full-time partner manager
Final report against agreed KPIs and renewal discussion
Next Step
To discuss an engagement
kevin@thepartnerengine.com
About me →