Company name: DBC Technologies, Ltd.
Website: https://dbctechnology.com/
Number of employees: 11
2024 growth: 120%
Headquarter location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Year founded: 2020
Vertical markets: Cannabis, Enterprise Business, RestaurantAssociation memberships: RSPA
For many B2B software developers, creating a cutting-edge application is only the first step of a long journey. The next challenge is often the most daunting: selling it. Direct sales models can be resource-intensive. Marketing and selling your software to a geographically dispersed audience requires people and significant financial investments. Still, many developers don’t think they have a choice, especially when they see their VC-backed competitors using the go-to-market strategy successfully.
Another option is to leverage value-added resellers (VARs). Dennis Wilson, CEO of DBC Technologies, embodies the potential of this approach. By leveraging the power of VARs through a strategic association partnership, Wilson transformed his company from stagnant to thriving.
The Direct Sales Struggle and a Driver Network Detour
DBC Technologies, founded in 2020 (though its parent company boasts 27 years of experience), offers AI-powered solutions for enterprise businesses. It specializes in boosting sales and profits through creative applications of artificial intelligence. Solutions range from AI voice agents for tech support to sophisticated systems for optimizing marketing efforts. Wilson’s journey, however, wasn’t paved with instant success. Despite reaching 120% revenue growth in 2024, he struggled to find a scalable and effective sales model.
Wilson’s initial approach was direct sales, a route many developers attempt, only to find themselves bogged down in the time-consuming and resource-intensive process of lead generation, cold calling, and direct selling. His primary approach to gathering leads was through affiliate or referral partners. One particularly unconventional, yet intriguing, tactic involved leveraging the burgeoning gig economy. “My business partner, Craig Peloquin, is sitting in a restaurant one day and keeps seeing the same food delivery drivers coming in to pick up orders,” recalls Wilson. “He calls me up and says, Dennis, I just found our lead generation source.” DBC began recruiting drivers from food delivery services like Uber Eats and Skip (a popular Canadian delivery app), paying them to distribute DBC brochures to the restaurant owners they visited when picking up their orders. This creative strategy, while initially successful, eventually proved unsustainable. “Keeping that driver network alive was crushing us,” Wilson admits. “We ran Facebook ads to recruit drivers, but in the end the logistical challenges, combined with the inherent instability of this workforce led us to seek something more effective.”
The RSPA Revelation
The real game-changer for DBC Technologies came with its involvement in the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA). Wilson’s introduction to the RSPA was almost accidental, and initially met with skepticism. “I had bad experiences with trade shows that promise the world and then don’t deliver,” says Wilson. “Back in 2022 while we were exhibiting at an event, the president of the RSPA, Jim Roddy, came by our booth and introduced himself and the RSPA. I pretty much gave him the virtual middle finger. I was like, ‘Nah, we’ve signed up to three of these networking things that promise us the world. Five-hundred dollars here. A thousand there. None of them have done a damn thing. You’re just another one. Carry on.’”
A year later, Wilson’s business partner came across the RSPA and, with a more open mind, could see the potential. He urged Wilson to take another look. The RSPA proved to be more than just another networking group. It provided a structured ecosystem for connecting with value-added resellers (VARs), the missing piece of DBC’s sales puzzle. “When we found this reseller channel and learned that they are technology experts who specialize in niche markets and resell other people’s stuff, our mind was blown,” Wilson exclaims. This revelation opened up a world of possibilities. Instead of struggling to reach individual customers, DBC could partner with established VARs that already had strong relationships within his target markets.
Understanding the Value of VARs
A Value-Added Reseller (VAR) is a company that enhances existing products, often software, by adding value before reselling them to end-users. This added value can take many forms. A VAR might install the software on hardware, customize it to fit a specific client’s needs, or integrate it with other systems or applications to create a comprehensive solution.
VARs frequently provide essential services like training, installation, support, and consulting, ensuring clients can use and benefit from the software effectively. Often, VARs specialize in a particular industry or niche market, developing a deep understanding of that sector and its specific challenges. This expertise allows them to effectively target and serve clients within that market, acting as trusted advisors who help clients choose the right software and guide them through successful implementation.
Partnering with VARs offers a powerful strategy for increasing sales for a software company. VARs provide access to a broader audience through their established networks of clients within their target markets. They actively promote and sell the software, driving sales growth and revenue. Furthermore, the value-added services provided by VARs lead to greater client success and satisfaction with the software, boosting retention rates.
Partnering with VARs also allows software companies to concentrate on their core strengths: developing and enhancing their products. By delegating sales and implementation to the VARs, the software company can focus its resources on innovation and product improvement. This way, strategically leveraging VARs allows software companies to expand their market presence, accelerate sales growth, and cultivate stronger, more productive customer relationships.
The RSPA Advantage: Multiple Avenues for Growth
The RSPA facilitated DBC’s growth in several key ways:
Trade Shows: Participating in annual RSPA events (Inspire in the winter and RetailNow in the summer), provided invaluable opportunities to connect with potential VARs. These events allowed DBC to showcase its technology and build relationships with resellers eager to add new solutions to their portfolios and other vendors who could benefit from AI integrations. “One often unnoticed value of having a booth at a trade show is that it allows you to connect with other exhibitors more easily,” he notes. “Investing in a booth shows other vendors that you’re serious and makes them more willing to talk to you.”
Exhibiting at RetailNOW enabled Wilson to forge essential industry contacts, significantly expanding his business network. “In my second year at RetailNOW, I was barely at my booth because I was always being introduced to new people,” he says, reflecting on how the event multiplied his network exponentially.
Speaking Opportunities: During one of his first RSPA events, Wilson approached RSPA leadership with concerns about how speakers and panelists were downplaying AI. In response, Wilson was invited to participate in webinars and podcasts where he could showcase the power of AI and his vast knowledge within the field. Wilson’s expertise in AI quickly gained recognition within the RSPA community. “Within months, the RSPA invited me to speak on stage at Inspire, their premier event,” he recounts. “They gave me 45 minutes, center stage in front of all the VAR and vendor attendees who are the best of the best.”
These speaking engagements not only raised DBC’s profile but also solidified Wilson’s reputation as the AI expert within the RSPA network. In fact, today Wilson is more commonly known within the RSPA circle as “AI Dennis.” Make no mistake, Wilson has earned his reputation and newfound success through hard work, countless hours of research, and a willingness to help educate others.
Networking Power: The RSPA fosters a strong sense of community, creating an environment where members can connect, collaborate, and learn from each other. Networking through RSPA events played a critical role in Wilson’s strategic pivot. The association facilitated introductions to key industry figures, helping DBC transition from its arduous direct sales methods to a more efficient network-based approach. “The RSPA team introduced me to people and opportunities I didn’t know I needed,” Wilson says, highlighting his trust in RSPA’s networking recommendations. “If the RSPA says I need to talk to someone, I do it.”
Additionally, Wilson takes a proactive approach to meeting new people. “These events have breakfast in the morning and, even though I don’t eat breakfast, I’m there every day sitting at a new table to meet people,” he says. “I do the same thing in education sessions, always sitting with different groups of people. I may not be able to remember everyone I meet, but they seem to remember me.”
Building a Reseller Network
Wilson’s story offers a valuable lesson for B2B software developers struggling to crack the code to sales. By joining a relevant industry association like the RSPA, developers can gain access to a network of potential resellers, opening up new avenues for growth and scalability. The key is actively engaging with the community and leveraging available resources.
Ultimately, connections made through the RSPA have enabled DBC to build a thriving reseller network and forge many new integration opportunities with other vendors, leading to significant growth. “I expect we should see a lot more than 120 percent growth this year,” Wilson predicts.
