Frequently asked questions

Welcome to Young Channel Leaders!

Whether you're here to get involved, learn more, or support the mission, you're in the right place. Below are answers to the most common questions we get from new members, sponsors, and curious visitors. 

 

What is Young Channel Leaders? 

Young Channel Leaders (YCL) is a growing community for professionals under 40 working in the tech and telecom channel. We bring together the next generation of sellers, marketers, engineers, ops leaders, and more to connect, grow, and lead the future of the industry together. 

 

Who can join? 

If you’re under 40 and work in or around the technology channel, whether at a provider, distributor, master agent, VAR, MSP, or anything in between, this is your place. Sales, marketing, ops, engineering, product, customer success… all roles are welcome. 

 

How much does it cost to join? 

It’s totally free to join. We want to remove as many barriers as possible so every young leader has access to the community, events, and resources. 

 

What are the benefits of joining? 

Here’s what you get: 

  • Access to our community chats (Discord and WhatsApp) 

  • Monthly virtual meetups & fireside chats with industry leaders 

  • Opportunities to speak, volunteer, and lead within YCL 

  • Early access to event invites, mentorship opportunities, and more 

  • Visibility and networking across the channel ecosystem 

 

How do I get involved in leadership? 

We open up leadership applications a couple of times per year for board positions, committee roles, and project leads. If you’re ready to contribute, grow your skills, and help shape YCL’s future, this is a great way to do it. Keep an eye out for announcements or reach out and let us know you're interested! 

 

Are there local chapters? 

We’re currently building toward that! Right now, most of our programming is virtual, but we do host meetups and happy hours in cities during big industry events. Local chapters are on the roadmap, and we’re always looking for people who want to help lead them. 

 

Do I need to be in the U.S. to join? 

Not at all. While we’ve got a strong presence in North America, we’re open to young leaders from all over the world. If you're part of the channel and under 40, you belong here no matter where you live. 

 

What industries are included in “the channel”? 

If you’re involved in the world of IT, cloud, telecom, cybersecurity, managed services, networking, or SaaS and your company works with partners (or through a channel) you’re in the right industry. 
We’ve got folks from providers, agents, MSPs, ISPs, master agents, vendors, distributors, and more. 

How do I become a sponsor? 

We work with sponsors who want to support the next generation of channel talent while building meaningful visibility for their brand. For more information, click the button below to learn more about sponsorships.