PARTNER SUCCESS STORY
From Referrals to Revenue: How Resonant Technology Partners Turned MDF Into a Scalable Growth Engine Through the ConnectWise Partner Program
Resonant Technology Partners, based in San Antonio, is a managed services provider delivering IT support, cloud services, cybersecurity, backup and disaster recovery, and voice solutions. Founded in 2006, the company serves healthcare, financial services, energy, engineering, nonprofit, and legal organizations. With 24/7 monitoring across networks and systems, Resonant focuses on reliability and security. Their shift from referral-based growth to structured, event-led marketing has strengthened their ability to generate consistent, scalable demand.
Challenge
Resonant Technology Partners had long relied on referrals as its primary source of new business, but this approach led to unpredictable pipeline swings and limited the company’s ability to scale. Without consistent marketing development funds (MDF) or dedicated marketing staff, launching events or structured demand generation campaigns felt out of reach. Most vendors offered little support, leaving Resonant without the necessary financial and operational resources to build a repeatable growth engine. Leadership recognized that relying solely on word-of-mouth was no longer sustainable. They needed a partner who could provide accessible MDF, strategic guidance, and hands-on support to help them execute high-impact, event-driven marketing.
Solution
Joining the ConnectWise Partner Program provided Resonant with the structure, funding, and strategic support it had been lacking. Through the program, they gained access to MDF, streamlined marketing workflows, and GlassHive automation that simplified planning, branding, and reimbursement. A dedicated ConnectWise Marketing Consultant became an extension of their team—helping shape event strategies, navigate MDF processes, and advocate internally for additional funding as results grew. With ConnectWise providing both financial backing and operational guidance, Resonant could confidently shift from ad hoc marketing to a structured, event-led approach designed to generate a consistent pipeline and accelerate long-term growth.
Results
The impact of the ConnectWise Partner Program was immediate and measurable. Resonant closed eight to nine new deals in a single year, all directly tied to MDF-funded events—an unprecedented level of attribution for the company. Reliable reimbursements enabled swift execution, while ongoing advocacy from their dedicated Marketing Consultant secured additional MDF to scale what worked. Beyond revenue, Resonant built a mature marketing operating system with standardized event workflows, clear attribution models, and stronger sales marketing alignment. What began as a shift away from referrals evolved into a repeatable, event-driven growth engine powered by partnership, process, and consistent investment.
Resonant Technology Partners (Resonant), a San Antonio–based managed services provider (MSP) founded in 2006, delivers proactive IT support, cloud services, backup and disaster recovery, cybersecurity, and voice solutions designed to maximize reliability and security. The company serves a range of industries, including healthcare, financial services, energy, engineering, nonprofit, and legal, with 24/7 monitoring across networks, servers, telephony, workstations, and printers.
For years, Resonant grew almost exclusively through referrals. The strategy worked—until it didn’t. Pipeline volatility increased, and leadership recognized the need for a consistent and scalable approach to generating demand. As VP of Growth, David Walter explained, “Referrals are great, but they don’t scale. We needed a real engine behind our marketing.” The challenge wasn’t a lack of ideas or strategy—it was a lack of funding. Most vendors offered little to no MDF, and without a dedicated marketing staff, launching events or campaigns felt unattainable. Walter summed up a common MSP struggle: “You can have the best ideas in the world, but without MDF, nothing gets off the ground.”
Resonant needed a partner willing to invest, simplify MDF access, and collaborate on events that could reliably convert.
A Turning Point: Joining the ConnectWise Partner Program
Everything changed when Resonant joined the ConnectWise Partner Program. The company gained access to MDF, strategic guidance, and an ecosystem designed to help MSPs grow. GlassHive brought visibility into available funds, automated marketing tasks, and streamlined reimbursement workflows. But the real catalyst was the human partnership: ConnectWise Marketing Consultant Tyler Benberry. “For the first time, we had a partner who wasn’t just giving us MDF—they were helping us use it the right way,” Walter said.
Benberry championed Resonant internally, advocating for additional MDF as the company’s results accelerated. “Tyler fought for us. He made sure our success translated into more support.” New announcements around deeper ConnectWise and GlassHive integrations further validated that Resonant was building on a future-proof foundation.
The Impact: Predictable Revenue Through Event-Led Growth
The results were immediate and undeniable. Resonant closed eight to nine new deals in a single year—traced directly to MDF-funded events. “Every deal we closed this year came from our events. Every single one,” Walter emphasized. Fast, reliable reimbursements kept execution smooth and encouraged ongoing investment. “The reimbursements came through quickly, which gave us the confidence to keep investing.”
As outcomes improved, ConnectWise increased its MDF support, creating a momentum loop: strong results unlocked more MDF, which in turn funded more events, generating a larger pipeline.
But revenue wasn’t the only transformation—Resonant built operational maturity along the way. “We went from ad hoc marketing to a real system,” Walter said. “Planning, attribution, follow-up—it all became repeatable.” Today, the team runs events with confidence and clarity, supported by a proven playbook.
Breaking Free from the Referral Trap
Referrals had served Resonant well, but they could no longer support the company’s growth goals. “We realized we were waiting for the phone to ring,” Walter said. “That’s not a strategy.” ConnectWise provided the structure, resources, and support needed to escape that cycle.
Turning MDF Into a Repeatable Marketing Engine
With ConnectWise and GlassHive aligned, Resonant gained full visibility into MDF, automated its outreach and branding, and simplified reimbursement workflows. What once felt opaque suddenly became accessible. “Before ConnectWise, MDF felt like a mystery. After ConnectWise, it felt like a tool,” Walter said. Benberry amplified that transformation. “Tyler wasn’t just checking boxes—he was helping us build a real plan.”
Event Led Growth: Why It Works
Resonant leaned into in-person events, crafting experiences that blended education, entertainment, and meaningful engagement. “People want to connect again,” Walter noted. “Events give us the perfect environment to build trust.” These weren’t generic lunch and learns—they were curated encounters that naturally opened the door to deeper sales conversations.
Beyond new deals, Resonant established a stronger marketing foundation:
- Clear attribution models
- Standardized event workflows
- Integrated sales and marketing data
- Consistent, repeatable follow-up
Walter summarized the shift simply: “We finally have a marketing system we can trust.”
Validation at IT Nation Connect™ Global
Attending IT Nation Connect™ Global reinforced Resonant’s strategy. “It’s the biggest vendor gathering in our industry,” Walter said. “Every time I go, I walk away with new ideas and new MDF opportunities.” The event also helped deepen relationships—critical currency in the MSP world.
Lessons Learned:
- MDF is a growth multiplier—secure it early.
- Operational simplicity accelerates execution.
- A dedicated Marketing Consultant dramatically increases MDF ROI.
- In-person events remain one of the highest converting MSP tactics.
- Attribution and reporting unlock additional MDF and vendor support.
Actionable Advice for MSPs
Walter’s advice for MSPs was simple and straightforward: “Start with one well-structured, MDF-funded event. Align with your ConnectWise Marketing Consultant on goals, audience, and follow-up strategy. Use GlassHive to automate outreach and track engagement. Measure everything. Share wins. Then scale.”
Resonant Technology Partners shows what’s possible when an MSP pairs ambition with the right partner ecosystem. By leveraging the ConnectWise Partner Program, prioritizing MDF, and embracing event led marketing, Resonant fundamentally transformed its growth trajectory. Walter captured the journey best: “ConnectWise didn’t just give us MDF—they gave us a path to real, repeatable growth.”
Key Takeaways
- Referrals Alone Can’t Sustain Growth: Resonant had long relied on referrals, but the approach became unpredictable and insufficient for scaling. Leadership recognized that growth required a structured, repeatable demand-generation engine—not word of mouth.
- MDF Access Was the Missing Link: The biggest barrier wasn’t strategy—it was funding. Limited access to marketing development funds (MDF) prevented Resonant from running events or campaigns, leaving strong ideas unexecuted.
- The ConnectWise Partner Program: Provided the Breakthrough: By joining the ConnectWise Partner Program, Resonant gained: Reliable MDF, clear visibility into funding, streamlined workflows through GlassHive, fast reimbursements and structured marketing guidance
- A Dedicated Partner Manager Made a Major Difference: ConnectWise Marketing Consultant Tyler Benberry became a hands-on strategic ally—helping plan events, navigate MDF, advocate for additional funding, and support Resonant’s overall growth strategy. His involvement significantly amplified MDF impact.
- Event Led Growth Became a Scalable Engine: Resonant shifted to a highly effective event led strategy that combined education, engagement, and relationship building. The results were dramatic: 8–9 new deals in one year, 100% directly attributable to MDF funded events; events became their highest-performing demand-generation channel.
- Repeatable Marketing Systems Drove Operational Maturity: With consistent MDF, automation, and partner support, Resonant built: standardized event workflows, clear attribution and reporting, integrated sales and marketing data, reliable follow-up processes. The company moved from inconsistent activity to a repeatable, data-driven marketing engine.
- Momentum Created a Virtuous Cycle: Strong event performance unlocked additional MDF, which funded more events, which drove more pipeline—creating a sustainable growth loop powered by partnership and measurable results.
- Industry Events Reinforced Strategy: Attending IT Nation Connect™ Global provided validation, new ideas, and additional MDF opportunities—further strengthening Resonant’s marketing strategy and vendor relationships.
- Lessons for MSPs: Secure MDF early—it's a growth accelerant, operational simplicity enables consistent execution, a strong Marketing Consultant dramatically enhances results, in-person events remain among the highest-converting tactics, and attribution and reporting unlock more vendor investment.
- A Transformative Growth Trajectory: With ConnectWise, Resonant shifted its marketing from reactive to strategic, replacing reliance on referrals with a scalable, event-powered growth engine.