Building tech partner programs from scratch
Contact Me

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About Me

I've worked in Partnerships for over a decade, and I love helping Vertical SaaS Companies with partner strategies that are easy to execute. I'm an honest, direct, and neutral third-party that can help validate whether to not an investment in a partnership program makes sense for your org!

LinkedIn

About Me

I’ve had a special interest in technology partnerships since my very first tech job working at Shopatron (acquired by Vista Equity Partners and rebranded to Kibo Commerce) an eCommerce SaaS company in San Luis Obispo, CA. I went on to manage a tech partner portfolio at MINDBODY, learning all about go-to-market. I had a front row seat to wathcing over five companies get acquired. I loved tech partners so much that I went on to join the team of one of my tech partners, BrandBot. We were acquired in 2020, and since then I have been starting or scaling tech partner programs across several verticals. My latest obsession in partnerships is the embeddable and white-label approach.I spend my time in Boston and Charlotte where I am raising two daughters and taking all the boutique fitness classes I can squeeze in. I spent several years instructing at Boston fitness studios and pouring into the fitness community through events, education, and 1000s of classes. I'm a huge supporter of startups and love getting involved and getting to work!

Enabling Growth

Tech Partner Programs are absolutely necessary as you scale your vertical SaaS company. The sooner you lay the foundation with open, well-documented APIs, and a friendly developer process, the quicker your other SaaS metrics fall into place. Focusing your product and engineering teams on core features will unlock success. There is a network of developers that can and want to make your platform more valuable.

Innovate faster

Partners can bolster your market positioning with innovative and robust integrations. Open up your platform to experts in categories like data, AI, marketing and operations. Adapt to the market, new trends, and the growing list of customer needs much quicker.

Cost Savings

Revenue Expansion - protect precious R&D with more efficient ways to ship product. Open up a new segment or market through strategic integrations. Set your organization up to save on R&D for years to come without sacrificing new development. You can even monetize your API with compounding revenue share that contributes to the bottom line.

Testimonials

Clients testimonials

Sunil Saha

Sunil Saha CEO and Founder of Perkville

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Michelle across multiple companies, and she is truly one of the best in the business when it comes to partnerships. Trust is at the core of any successful partnership, and Michelle embodies this principle—she does not just look out for her side’s interests but is genuinely invested in creating long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.

Eric McClure

Eric McClure Co-Founder, MAINN

“Michelle is one of the most effective partnership leaders I’ve worked with, combining strategic vision with focused execution to create win-win relationships that drive real results. She has built and scaled programs for some of the biggest names in vertical SaaS, aligning incentives in ways that create real value for both sides. The result? Partner ecosystems that deliver measurable growth and lasting impact.

Reid Carver,

Reid Carver, Founder and CEO, IPStudios

“Working with Michelle Van Horn has been a game-changer for us at IPSTUDIO. As Xplor’s Tech Partnerships Lead, she has been professional, supportive, and truly invested in our mutual success. Her deep understanding of the integrated tech partnerships space has helped us grow and navigate new opportunities together. We’re grateful for the partnership and look forward to continuing to build with her!”

Community and Professional
Involvement

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Bloomberg Radio Clip Fitness Industry Trends

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General Assembly Speaker
GA Speaker

Xplor Industry Expert
Bio at Xplor

Press Publications On Launching Embedded Capital