Not too long ago, no one knew what Google was. It was a small company that did one thing very well, but its future as the world’s most pervasive brand was far from cemented. History shows Google owes much of its early growth to channel partnerships. Ironically, these partners included better-known sites AOL and Yahoo, which it would go on to dwarf — and now it makes billions as a channel partner for thousands of smaller brands. When it comes to leveraging partnerships for revenue and exposure, Google is the ultimate success story. It’s also a testament to the opportunity younger companies have to grow exponentially and gain exposure by partnering with the right brands. But finding the right partners and landing the right deals isn’t so easy. And if it’s done wrong, it can be fatal, maybe even turning an erstwhile partner into a potent competitor. TrialPay is a prime example of a company that nailed this challenge. Led by CEO Alex Rampell, it gives consumers the chance to try out other products or services for free when they are buying something else. Several key channel partnerships allowed TrialPay to sprint from zero to 10,000 clients in two years, and fend off a number of competitors. To win in some categories, you often need to win the longtail, says Rampell. That’s where channel partners come in, powering up distribution to reach the customers who would never find you otherwise, and who are too expensive to reach through conventional sales and marketing models.