At Fusion-io, an early-stage startup with no major OEM partnerships in place, I was tasked with leading the technical and sales effort to convince Dell to integrate our flash storage technology into their server line—going head-to-head against entrenched incumbent vendors who already had established relationships and trust with Dell.
To win the deal, I led a go-to-market strategy centered on deep engagement with Dell's field sales organization. This included building a market development fund (MDF) program that supported a range of activities, from lunch-and-learns to sponsorship of major industry events, along with incentive structures designed to motivate Dell's sellers to champion our technology. This sustained, relationship-driven approach elevated our standing with Dell to the point that Fusion-io became the primary sponsor at Dell's global kickoff event in 2014.
The strategy paid off: Dell integrated our flash storage technology and became Fusion-io's largest OEM account, becoming a primary driver of the company's growth from $0 in revenue in 2010 to $48 million by 2013. Beyond the immediate revenue impact, this win established the credibility and playbook that laid the foundation for subsequent OEM partnerships with HP and IBM, extending the impact of this single design win across the company's broader go-to-market strategy.
