WEBINAR

Are you over-invested in Gartner… and
under-leveraging the boutiques that can actually move the needle?

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 11am ET / 4pm UK

REGISTER

Many teams default to the “big basket” approach then wonder why they’re missing regional nuance, category-specific depth, or sharper differentiation. In this 30-minute session, we’ll cut through the noise and get practical about when boutique/specialist firms matter, why they matter, and how to engage them effectively – without wasting time or budget.
Join our co-founder Simon Levin and guest speaker, Carter Lusher of Lusher Advisory, to learn how to engage more effectively with smaller firms and walk away with a simple, repeatable way to decide where they fit in your analyst engagement strategy.

Through this 30 minute webinar, you'll be able to:


  • Identify what the boutique/specialist analyst landscape actually looks like (global vs. regional, industry-focused vs. tech-focused, etc.)
  • Decide when (and when not) to work with smaller firm and what “being a client” should mean in practice
  • Clarify the real benefits to target (and what actions tend to deliver them)
  • Reduce concentration risk by building a smarter, more diversified engagement approach so you’re not putting all your eggs in the Gartner basket
There will be time at the end of the session for any questions you have. 

Featured Presenters

Simon Levin

Co-founder, The Skills Connection

Simon spent the first 10 years of his career in software marketing before joining Gartner in Europe as a senior analyst. He led various Gartner research teams, including the global market research business of 380 professionals. After leaving Gartner, he led the global research organization for TowerGroup (a division of Mastercard) and established their overall European operations. Simon also served for 3 years as a board member for the Institute of Industry Analyst Relations (IIAR).

Carter Lusher

Founder, Lusher Advisory

Carter Lusher founded Lusher Advisory to bring uncommon clarity, strategic rigor, and decades of experience to clients navigating the analyst ecosystem. Carter is a recognized pioneer in analyst relations and one of the few professionals who has thrived on all sides of the analyst ecosystem: as an end-user client of Gartner to award-winning Gartner Research Fellow to tech vendor AR executive, and now a trusted advisor to analyst firms, AR professionals, and technology leaders alike.

About The Skills Connection

As a team of former senior analysts, with over 150 years of experience at Gartner, we offer our knowledge and expertise to help technology companies improve their relationships with the analyst community and better engage with the market.  Find out more.

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