What's Inside

AireSpring Welcomes New VP of Channel Sales

AireSpring is excited to announce it has appointed Mike Sullivan Vice President of Channel Sales to advance growth with partners.

Mike brings 20 years of experience in the channel to the role, most recently serving as Vice President of Channel Sales at Windstream. Prior to joining Windstream, Mike held leadership roles at Birch Communications and Fusion Connect, as well as Nextel.

Throughout his career, Mike trained, developed, and led teams of highly successful channel managers that generated the largest per person revenue in the company’s history. Mike has specialized in solutions selling across a broad range of products such as UCaaS, SD-WAN, and POTS, as well as network security and SASE.

“I’m excited to be joining the AireSpring team,” said Mike Sullivan. “The company’s reputation has always been very customer-focused and growth-oriented. I really admire how the leadership at AireSpring operates, and it truly feels like we’re one big team.”

“We’re thrilled to have an experienced leader like Mike Sullivan join Team AireSpring,” said John Young, SVP Channel Sales, AireSpring. “As a 100% channel company, AireSpring stands to benefit from Mike’s depth of expertise in the channel and knowledge of crucial technologies, as well as the relationships he’s developed over the years, which will be key to our continued growth.”

AireSpring Announces Microsoft Teams

Direct Routing Solution

AireSpring is excited to announce the release of Microsoft Teams Direct Routing on its award-winning IP voice network. AireSpring’s Microsoft Teams Direct Routing solution leverages its nationwide SIP Trunking network to enable companies to make calls via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) directly from the Teams app--all while reducing costs and gaining features not available with the Microsoft Calling Plan.

AireSpring’s Direct Routing solution is powered by a Microsoft Teams certified session border controller (SBC) and integrates with the Microsoft Phone System to enable calling functionality natively in the Teams application. In addition to plans for domestic and international calls, Microsoft Teams Direct Routing from AireSpring offers an expanded feature set compared to Microsoft Calling Plans, including:

• 24/7/365 toll-free number for personalized service and support
• Widest list of local direct inward dialing numbers (DIDs) and toll-free numbers (TFNs) for the US and Canada
• Direct Termination Overflow (DTO) feature which automatically routes incoming calls during outages to another designated number
• Multiple Virtual Numbers and Outbound Caller IDs for over 70 countries--only one number can be assigned per Teams seat with Microsoft Calling Plans
• AireCare Customer Portal where customers can re-route calls to another number, including a cell phone, in real-time

"AireSpring prides itself on being a leader in the channel, offering our partners and customers cutting-edge solutions coupled with outstanding personalized service and support," said AireSpring CEO Avi Lonstein. “By leveraging our nationwide SIP Trunking and award-winning IP voice network, we enable companies to make and receive calls to and from the PSTN directly from the Teams app, all while reducing costs and gaining access to an expanded feature set not available with the Microsoft Calling Plan."

AireSpring is currently offering 10X MRC on MS Teams Direct Routing.

• Get up to speed on SD-WAN, the technology that improves control, management, up time, business agility, security, and data encryption of Wide Area Networks.
• Get an overview of VMware, Fortinet and Cisco-Meraki SD-WAN solutions.
• Take a deep dive into AireSpring’s Global Managed SD-WAN solution and Global Private Network (GPN).
• Learn more about AireSpring’s international expansion and internet circuit procurement.
• Discover how SASE can reduce your customers’ exposure to security risks.

Presented By:

Win a Luxurious Trip to Cancún!

+

Earn 10X MRC with Microsoft Teams Direct Routing from AireSpring!

Terms and Conditions

Dreaming of a luxurious vacation away from it all? Let AireSpring take you on an all-inclusive relaxing getaway in Cancún, Mexico. With private balconies, concierge services, and an extensive wine collection, Secrets Resort & Spa is designed for the ultimate escape from the daily grind. Activities include access to a host of great restaurants and spa services, a unique wine quest in the Yucatan Peninsula, and much more! Every $1,000 of MRC revenue you bring to AireSpring in Q3 2023 qualifies you for one entry into the drawing to win.

AireSpring has extended the 10X MRC Spiff on its Microsoft Teams Direct Routing solution through July 31, 2023. Microsoft Teams Direct Routing from AireSpring enables users to make and receive calls in Microsoft Teams using the AireSpring voice network and offers features not available in Microsoft Calling plans.

As always, AireSpring is committed to helping you win new clients, retain customers and close more business ahead of the competition. And we pledge to support you and your clients like no other supplier in the channel.

Our channel partners benefit from some of the highest evergreen commissions, spiffs, and bonuses in the industry. In fact, AireSpring is one of the only suppliers to offer Spiffs on Renewals:

• 10X MRC on MS Teams Direct Routing
• Up to 6X MRC on Voice/Cloud Services
• 1X MRC on SD-WAN and Global SD-WAN Services
• 1X on Managed Security
• 1.5X MRC on Connectivity Services & MPLS
• 2X Spiff on Wireless WAN
• 2X MRC on POTS Replacement
• $1,600 Cash Bonus on Toll-Free Services
• $800 Cash Bonus on Long-Distance Services
• Earn even more with 5% EXTRA Bonus Residual Commission on AireSpring Network & SIP LD (wholesale accounts do not qualify).

AireSpring’s Channel Managers and Solutions Engineering Team are committed to providing you with expert guidance and concierge service so you can easily deliver the best products to your customers and gain a competitive edge. AireSpring has always been 100% channel and has everything you need to provide the best customer service to your clients:

• Dedicated project coordinators and managed services engineers assigned to each order
• Free consultations with solutions engineering team
• 24/7/365 NOC Network Monitoring
• 20-second response time on support calls
• Escalation list up to our CEO

Ready to win a luxurious trip to Cancún? Contact your AireSpring Channel Manager for details.

Telarus Anchor-In

July 13, 2023

San Francisco, CA

REGISTER HERE

Sandler Xtreme Xperience

July 14, 2023

REGISTER HERE

AireSpring SD-WAN & SASE Virtual Bootcamp

Thursday, July 20, 2023

REGISTER HERE

Sandler Sales Engineering HQ

Deep Dive

Monday, July 24, 2023

Redondo Beach, CA

AppDirect Golf Tournament

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Chicago, IL

AireSpring Partner Training

Thursday, July 27, 2023

REGISTER HERE

Telarus Partner Summit

July 30 - August 2, 2023

Grapevine, TX

REGISTER HERE

Supercharge Your Managed Firewall Services with Fortinet and AireSpring 

By participating in this event, you can learn how to enhance your MSSP services and unlock numerous benefits for both you and your clients. Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of cybersecurity.

Mike Chase

Dante Mercurio

Senior VP Solutions Engineering

CISSP Director of Systems Engineering MSSP & Service Enablement, Fortinet

What: July Partner Training Webinar

Date: Thursday July 27, 2023

Time: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM (ET)

Presenter: Mike Chase, SVP Solutions Engineering, AireSpring & Dante Mercurio, CISSP Director of Systems Engineering MSSP & Service Enablement, Fortinet

Please complete the survey after the webinar for a chance to win a

$100 Amazon gift card

To begin, please tell us a little about yourself and your agency.

LAVA Technology Services was founded in 2020 as a trusted advisor for all things “as a service” and managed services solutions.

Jake Jansen and I, the two cofounders, collectively have over 30 years of experience selling to the enterprise from an IT perspective and a lot of that initially came from working with value-added resellers (VARs).

We worked with the top VARs in the industry, selling products like Cisco, NetApp, Pure Storage, and Dell, and we decided that there was an entire ecosystem in a customer’s environment that they don’t have a champion for. When you’re working with a customer and you ask the CIO what their top three “spend” priorities are, it is usually people, Microsoft, and telecom. We realized that these customers didn’t have anyone helping them out with these issues internally, so we decided to provide the solutions.

At LAVA, we work with everyone within the client’s IT organization but a lot of the processes for us are all about getting the CIO armed with every bit of information they could possibly need. We’ve seen a lot of success in the enterprise space and have Fortune 50 customers as well as Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 customers. We started in the communications world with connectivity and then the business morphed into one that included communications as a service and everything that sits beyond the edge of the network. If you're looking for something that you're going to consume “as a service,” we’ll step in and make sure the customers are going to make the right decision. We can help guide them in some ways that they're not traditionally used to, and most of the time our consulting services are at no charge to the customer.

What do you like about working with AireSpring?

"The response time from AireSpring is incredibly fast...AireSpring also has some of the best pricing I’ve seen, especially when compared with some of the major players in the industry."

AireSpring Regional Channel Manager John Hirshberger introduced us to AireSpring, and we’ve been working together a little over a year. We really love working with John. The response time from AireSpring is incredibly fast, with quotes delivered in less than 24 hours. Other carriers take much longer. John and the team have done a really good job of advocating for my customers when we need to get things done. AireSpring also has some of the best pricing I’ve seen, especially when compared with some of the major players in the industry.

What would you say is the secret to being a successful trusted advisor/sales agent in today’s marketplace?

Put your customer before profits and always advocate for your customer, first and foremost. The same goes for partners. Whether it’s Cisco, Net App, AireSpring, or any of the other partners in our ecosystem today, we treat our partners like we would our customers. It’s important to go above and beyond to make sure that you're doing everything you possibly can so that your partner will also go to bat for you whenever it's needed. If you are absolutely putting your customers and your partners and your vendors first, you're going to succeed over the majority of competitors out there because many of them are out for themselves.

"If you are absolutely putting your customers and your partners and your vendors first, you're going to succeed over the majority of competitors out there."

What do you foresee happening in the channel in 2023/2024 (or, what is the “next big thing” or “things” you think people should be aware of or get involved in, etc.)?

"Whether it’s security, SASE, or SD-WAN, you need to be able to pivot...Be willing to understand and invest in change and help your customers identify when those changes are happening."

With the next big thing, whether it’s security, SASE, or SD-WAN, you need to be able to pivot. If you can’t pivot, you’ll be in the same situation as some VARs, where layoffs have occurred. That’s why at LAVA we’re always looking for what is out there now, helping customers stay at the forefront and doing our research. IT changes constantly, and you have to be willing to adapt with the times. If you think you’re going to be able to only sell internet connectivity, it’s likely that things will not work out for you in the long run. Diversification is key.

Be willing to understand and invest in change and help your customers identify when those changes are happening and be proactive to ward off problems before they happen. Many VARs have had issues with embracing the “as a service” model and MRC. Traditionally, they have been paid upfront on their commission for selling hardware and software and SaaS has changed this traditional model that existed for over 30 -40 years. They need to pivot and follow the market or risk being overtaken by firms like LAVA.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of telecom?

My wife Holly and I, have a 13-year-old and twin 12-year-old boys, so I don't really have a lot of free time between work and the kids. My twins are on hockey teams and I’m coaching my older son in baseball and flag football. One of my twins is on the flag football team too. The kids are finally getting to the stage in sports where it’s a lot of fun, so I want to spend time with them there. When they go off to college, I’m going to be pretty bored! I’ll have to find other hobbies to get into. I play a lot of cornhole with my friends on the weekends. Once the kids’ sports are done, we’ll have a couple of beers and throw the bag around.

I’m also big into CrossFit and I try to get on the golf course, but the only time I can do that is during the business day, so I try to go with the CIO when we can and have some fun. We play a ton of ping pong at the office, and you should see some of the scores.

Tell us about your professional background and roles you’ve held prior to joining AireSpring.

I have been in central and south Florida since 2001 and bring over 20 years of experience to my current role here at AireSpring. I started out at AT&T, then moved to MCI WorldCom, where I served as Senior Account Manager. I then spent 13 years at Qwest/CenturyLink (now Lumen ) in Global Account Manager and Sales Manager roles. Before joining AireSpring, I served as Regional Channel Director at Nitel, where I specialized in network, security, Global SD-WAN, and cloud connectivity. During my time at Nitel and CenturyLink, I helped implement solution-based sales strategies to drive and manage growth opportunities around SD-WAN, UCaaS, network, and hosted technologies.

What do you like about working at AireSpring?

I ran into AireSpring often in the marketplace and partners have always spoken highly of AireSpring. I was always interested in what was happening at the company, so when the chance came to work here, I went for it. I wanted to stay with an aggregator that had a more mature product set, including global internet and SD-WAN capabilities. I think that’s huge with partners--to be able to go to an aggregator who can handle international business, and I’m really excited about AireSpring’s future in the industry.

I also like the fact that AireSpring has been in business 22 years and is family owned and operated. The management is really great to work with. From my first conversation with AireSpring President & CRO Daniel Lonstein and AireSpring SVP Channel Sales John Young, I knew this was a place I wanted to work. The culture here is one that makes you want to come to work every day; AireSpring is extremely collaborative. To be able to get immediate answers and work with others on my team the way that we do here is an extremely unique experience.

Tell us about your new role at AireSpring and your goals for the channel team.

My goal is to serve my partners like they were the customer and make sure that I’m as proactive as possible in giving them the tools they need to represent AireSpring to their clients and win business. It’s so important to try to anticipate what partners are strong at and where they need a little coaching. When a partner brings you a deal, you try to anticipate all aspects of it, and you give them what they need to win the deal.

Another major goal I have is to garner more strategic partners that do repeat business monthly. Once I get to that level, the goal is to recruit additional partners, and coach transactional partners to make them more strategic. I’m focused on getting them engaged and making sure they get information on what we’re doing on a quarterly and monthly basis, so they know what’s going on with our product set. We have spiffs and commissions in the industry that you don’t see anywhere else, and I think it’s crucial to make partners aware of that.

Working with the different technology service brokers (TSBs), their pricing teams, and channel managers is something I try to do daily and weekly as well. It’s part of my job to educate my peers at the TSBs, and there’s always something new to tell them.

Tell us about your hobbies outside of work.

I like to offroad in my Jeep, and I like to fix it when I break it! I have a classic car that I like to work on and drive around. I also have three kids. One of my daughters is on the crew team, a national championship winner, and their team is headed to the world championship in two weeks, so that keeps me pretty busy. We’re excited to possibly have a world champion in the house! I like to fish in the ocean, and of course, there’s great fishing anywhere you are in Florida. I love to cook, I love to smoke things on my smoker (my “Big Green Egg”), and golf. I also like to spend time with my French Bulldog, Frankie; she’s not too bright but really cute!

sales@airespring.com | 888.389.2899 | www.airespring.com