GTIA ChannelCon 2025: A Field Report from the Frontlines of Cybersecurity and MSP Engagement
August 12, 2025
This year’s GTIA ChannelCon, held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, offered more than just a vibrant venue; it served as a nexus of innovation, collaboration, and strategic connection within the MSP and vendor ecosystem. Our team from Celerium attended with a focused objective: to deepen relationships, share insights, and reinforce our commitment to helping MSPs and small businesses defend against a growing threat landscape.
In this recap, our team members reflect on their experience through the lens of their role- Technical Sales, Business Development, and Customer Success- and how the event reinforced the value of Celerium’s Network Defender® in today’s cybersecurity landscape.
Jonathan Marinaro
Director of Technical Sales | Threat Landscape Strategist
Attending ChannelCon through the lens of a technical leader gave me the opportunity to validate our positioning in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. The event wasn’t just about vendor-to-MSP engagement—it was about vendor-to-vendor synergy and staying ahead of adversarial tactics.
One standout moment was a conversation with the SonicWall team about their upcoming 480 firewall series. The enhancements in blocklisting and threat visibility dovetail well with our early-stage detection and containment focus within Network Defender. These types of ecosystem alignments allow us to offer robust, layered defense strategies for MSPs and their clients.
I also had the opportunity to engage with Netzbahn's CEO and founder, who works on CJIS compliance across municipalities. His technical challenge pushed me to consider how our platform might evolve to meet emerging government compliance needs, proving, once again, that security solutions must be as adaptive as the threats we face.
From a trend perspective, the panels reinforced a clear message: small and mid-sized businesses are under siege. With cybercrime ballooning into a $9.5 trillion global economy, SMBs remain critically underserved. Celerium is stepping into that gap, and ChannelCon helped us sharpen the technical articulation of that mission.
Ian McCallum
Business Development Manager | Sales Strategist
As someone leading business development, ChannelCon was a masterclass in targeted engagement. Unlike broader conferences, GTIA curated a space where fewer interactions translated into higher-quality conversations—with decision-makers actively looking for solutions.
The panel “Cybersecurity for Main Street” hit home. The message was clear: MSPs need better tools and better narratives to help small businesses understand their cyber risk. That’s where Network Defender excels, by offering early-stage containment in a way that MSPs can easily operationalize and communicate.
In another panel, “Out of Your Mind: What MSPs Wish Vendors Knew,” I picked up something critical: vendors overload MSPs with noise. The emphasis now is on clarity, brevity, and value. That feedback has already influenced how I structure follow-ups with less volume, more precision, and more action-oriented communication.
The event also delivered on tangible ROI: I had a great conversation with Reya Gaines, who works in the healthcare field, providing tech solutions and security. I guided her, after a wonderful impromptu demo, to our no-cost program! Reya is now engaging in our no-cost hospital program, which is a direct outcome of attending.
ChannelCon reinforced that while flashy booths draw attention, real traction comes from being able to convey clearly how your solution solves a pressing problem. That’s where Celerium delivers. The amount of ‘easy rapport’ the name Network Defender brings is a fantastic communication tool and byproduct of our place and role in the community. Being a GTIA member makes the experience robust, not just for us but also for navigating the spans of potential clients and peers more fluidly. After all, our reputation precedes us!
Jenna Williams
Customer Success Manager | Client Engagement Expert
For me, ChannelCon was all about deepening relationships, both with our existing clients and new partners, and understanding how customer success can shape the cybersecurity narrative for MSPs and small businesses.
I participated in the “Cybersecurity on Main Street” panel, highlighting a staggering reality: while small businesses make up 99.9% of the U.S. economy, many still believe they’re not targets. My takeaway was that customer education remains one of our most effective weapons. That’s part of what we do at Celerium, we help MSPs translate threat data into client-facing language that resonates and inspires action.
One of my highlights was connecting in person with our partners at Forward Edge. Chris, one of their team leads, told me, “I love what you guys offer—my clients get it without any pushback.” That kind of feedback proves we’re on the right track. It’s about trust, clarity, and making sure the tools we deliver reduce operational friction for the people using them.
Preparing for ChannelCon, I focused on three things:
- Pre-Event Research: Knowing who would be there, what challenges they face, and how we can align.
- On-Site Engagement Strategy: Balancing approachability with value. No one wants to be sold to, they want to be helped.
- Post-Event Follow-Up: Meaningful, personalized follow-ups that build on the connection, not just check a box.
If you’re in Customer Success and attending events like this, my advice is simple: listen more than you speak, come with curiosity, and be prepared to educate, not just pitch.
Final Thoughts: Why ChannelCon Matters for Celerium and the Channel Ecosystem
Our presence at ChannelCon wasn’t just about brand visibility; it was about reaffirming Celerium’s role as a partner in threat defense. Events like these serve as temperature checks on how well we’re aligning with the evolving needs of MSPs and their clients.
We left Nashville with new partnerships, reinforced relationships, technical inspiration, and clarity on how to serve the channel better.
And yes, Jenna is now officially an Italian beef sandwich convert.
Join us at the next MSP channel event Celerium will attend, ChannelPro West in Irvine, CA. We can continue to deepen our conversations, knowledge, and security posture in an ever-evolving landscape, where staying ahead of the threats is what it’s all about!
If you are interested in finding out more about what Celerium is doing to help MSPs secure their clients, build a healthy security stack, and discuss just how secure you really are, please connect with any one of us. We would be happy to talk to you.
Built specifically to protect the SMB clients of MSPs and MSSPs, Celerium’s Network Defender® solution delivers automated network threat detection and blocking so you can protect clients effortlessly. Schedule a demo of Network Defender® here.