Like It’s Your Job: Building Strategic Partnerships in Business and Beyond

DS
David Shields
Jun 1, 2021
business insights Business Leaders Ecoglo Entrepreneurs mobility safety negotiation pedestrian safety Robin Steel strategic partnerships Thought Leadership

Astute entrepreneur, start-up advisor, business owner and expert negotiator Melethia Campbell Tuggle is the Owner and President of Robin Steel, LLC. She knows the value of strategic partnerships in setting a business up for success, and she shared her insights and experiences with Matt and David Shields on this episode of Like It’s Your Job.

Tuggle’s 15 years at Microsoft provided her with a lot of experience in forming strategic partnerships and pioneering deals that positioned Microsoft as the preferred platform for first-rate advertisers and publishers. But, before Microsoft and straight out of college, Tuggle learned how to negotiate at Lockheed Martin.

“The first job that I had was to be a negotiator for the F16 fighter program,” Tuggle said. “And that’s where I discovered my love for negotiation. It was an absolute perfect fit for me. So, that’s when I knew I was really meant to be a negotiator.”

When Tuggle moved over to Microsoft, it was to work in their gaming division, where she helped launch the Xbox and cemented her love and passion for entrepreneurship and building strategic partnerships.

So, what are strategic partnerships, and how can businesses benefit from forming such unions?
“A strategic business partnership occurs when two non-competing businesses agree to leverage their complementary strengths for mutual benefit,” Tuggle said. “And one of the things to remember about this is these businesses are independent. And this can have a tremendously positive impact on any companies looking expedite growth.”

Tuggle believes winning partnerships result in synergy. According to Tuggle, synergy is a term used in the 17th century to describe the cooperation between human will and divine grace. “I think it is so interesting that such a popular business buzzword isn’t rooted in business at all.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

AI adoption strategy
The AI Reality Check: Why AI Adoption Strategy, Not Tools, Will Decide the Winners
May 5, 2026

Artificial intelligence has moved from novelty to necessity almost overnight. Since generative AI tools entered the mainstream just a few years ago, organizations across every industry have felt pressure to “do something” with AI—often before they fully understand what that something should be. Research shows that while most companies are experimenting with AI, very…

Read More
Volvo
Inside the Next Era of Trucking: Volvo’s Vision for Autonomous Tech, Driver Experience, and Global Logistics
May 5, 2026

Supply chains are under pressure like never before—fuel prices are volatile, driver shortages persist, and new technologies are rewriting the rules in real time. In fact, at major U.S. truckload carriers, driver turnover has historically exceeded 90% annually—highlighting just how urgent it is to improve both efficiency and the driver experience. Trucking isn’t just…

Read More
healthcare
The Best Healthcare Platforms Are Built on Clear Communication, AI-Human Collaboration, and a Deep Understanding of the “Why”
May 4, 2026

Healthcare is being pushed to modernize faster than ever, as AI tools, virtual care, and digital patient experiences shift from innovation to expectation. Recent survey data from McKinsey & Company indicates that about half of U.S. healthcare leaders say their organizations have already put generative AI into practice, underscoring how quickly the technology is…

Read More
Texas
Policy, Patients, and the Future of Healthcare: How Texas Plans to Fix a Strained System
May 4, 2026

The U.S. healthcare system is under real strain—and it’s something both patients and physicians are feeling in everyday care. In Texas, those pressures are even more visible, where rapid population growth, rural access challenges, and regulatory complexity are making it harder for patients to get timely care and for doctors to focus on medicine…

Read More
Related
faith
Software & Technology
Crafted Journey How To: Aligning Faith, Leadership and Career Purpose Without Losing Sight of What Matters Most
May 5, 2026
career
Healthcare
What to Do When Your Career Feels Stuck: Invest in Yourself, Stay Intentional, and Build the Right Network
April 29, 2026

Work doesn’t feel the way it used to. Between new tech, changing expectations, and the constant pressure to keep up, a lot of people—even those who look successful on paper—are quietly wondering what’s next. In fact, recent workforce studies suggest a large share of employees feel disengaged or uncertain about their next move, despite…

Read More
promoted
Healthcare
How to Succeed After Getting Promoted: Seeking Feedback, Acting with Intention, and Leading with Perspective
April 16, 2026

Stepping into a leadership role today isn’t just a step up—it’s a shift into constant visibility, where expectations arrive immediately and the margin for error narrows. As organizations flatten structures and demand faster decisions, newly promoted leaders are expected to deliver impact from the outset, often without the space to fully adjust. According to…

Read More