Some conferences ease you in. Beyond doesn’t. And the partners who arrived on Sunday weren’t looking to ease into anything. They came early. Showed up on purpose. And were ready to get to work. It was clear they decided that intention, not inspiration, is how transformation actually starts. And in the MIP era, that’s the whole game. Here are the top three takeaways from Sunday at Beyond.
1. AI Skilling Requires Doing, Not Just Listening
Day One opened with a challenge: don’t just learn about AI agents. Build them. Our newly added pre-day sessions gave partners the chance to level up from the get-go.
The Microsoft Agent Build Lab — From MSP to MIP was an instructor-led, hands-on technical skilling session designed specifically for partners responsible for building, deploying and operating AI solutions in real environments. Attendees didn’t watch a demo. They built. Working through guided, practical exercises, they learned how agents co-work with Copilot across real technical workflows — extending Copilot experiences, automating tasks, orchestrating processes and integrating into service delivery environments at scale. The goal was job-ready skills: applied agent creation and management experience, a defined AI skilling roadmap aligned to Microsoft’s agentic AI strategy and eligibility for Microsoft certification exam vouchers.
Everyone Says You Need GTM. What Is It, Really? took the same hands-on philosophy and applied it to the growth side of the business. This three-hour workshop made no apologies for the directness of its premise: if your growth still depends on referrals and founder hustle, you don’t have a GTM strategy. You have momentum — and momentum eventually runs out. Hiring a salesperson won’t fix it. A marketing agency won’t fix it. What fixes it is building a predictable growth engine grounded in a clearly defined market. The workshop broke down where MSPs most often go wrong and gave attendees the framework to build something that doesn’t require the founder to be the engine.
Together, these two sessions made the same argument from opposite ends of the business: the gap between where most MSPs are and where MIPs need to be isn’t closed by attending the right sessions. It’s closed by doing the right work. The partners in those rooms on Sunday came ready to do exactly that.
2. A Stronger Channel Starts with More Voices
Not every moment at Beyond is about strategy decks and go-to-market frameworks. Some of the most important work happens in the conversations that don’t have an agenda, and some of it happens on a stage that gives a platform to voices the channel has historically underinvested in.
The International Partner Meet Up brought the global dimension of the Pax8 community into focus. Non-USA-based partners gathered off-site at Ivy and Varley Restaurant for a reception and happy hour. It was an evening built for the relationships that don’t fit neatly into a session format; the ones that start over a drink and turn into something that lasts well beyond the event.
Access Denied: Women Rewriting the Rules of Tech saw CJ Fairfield, Senior Associate Editor at CRN lead a panel of industry leaders featuring Mary Summerell, CEO of Revenge Technologies, Samantha Walker, Manager of Sales at Pax8 and Kimber Duke, President of 801 Labs. They started by talking about how they each built unconventional paths into tech and leadership through curiosity, resilience and human connection while crediting their success to persistence, mentorship and a willingness to fail forward. A clear theme emerged: empathy is a business advantage in an AI-driven world, where warmth, creativity and strong relationships still set you apart. They also stressed fostering curiosity, creating inclusive learning environments and embracing diverse ways of thinking. The conversation touched on overcoming imposter syndrome, balancing personal values with career growth and modeling what’s possible for the next generation. Ultimately, they defined leadership as authentic, people-first and grounded in using technology to expand opportunity.
The panel also carried a special distinction: the announcement of the 2026 Women in Technology Award, recognizing Mary Summerell as a trailblazer who demonstrates professional excellence and a commitment to mentoring others.
3. The Show Starts in the Expo Hall
hanks to all our sponsors, Beyond 2026 officially opened with the Welcome Reception and Vendor Expo. The Exhibit Hall came alive the moment the doors opened with vendors showcasing what’s next, partners scoping what’s possible and the kind of electricity in the air that only exists at the start of something big.
Day One set the tone. The mainstage is still 18 hours away, but the work had already begun. That’s the spirit Beyond 2026 was built on. Just wait until you see what Day One holds!
What’s Ahead for Day Two?
Hosted by Pax8 CVP of Community and Ecosystems Rob Rae, Beyond 2026 is set to deliver a game-changing experience. Tomorrow’s agenda is stacked with powerhouse keynotes that will shape the conversation — and the future — of the tech industry. Pax8 President Nick Heddy will take the stage to speak on the way culture, process and technology debt is slowing down partners. He’ll be joined by heavyweights from Microsoft, FlexPoint and SentinelOne, who will share forward-thinking insights into cutting-edge tech and market evolution.
Then comes the moment everyone’s waiting for: Pax8 CEO Scott Chasin will talk about how the world is racing into a managed intelligence era where AI is reallocating value across the economy.
Buckle up! There’s always much more to come when you’re moving at the Speed of Ambition. And be sure to watch our Beyond 2026 keynotes live – stream them here!
