Brian Berlin, President

Brian Berlin is founder and President of Straightline Strategies, Inc., a management consulting firm focused on helping its clients cover gaps in their go-to-market plans. The foundation, philosophy and practice of Straightline is built upon on his lengthy tenure as a senior sales and marketing executive in the technology industry. 

Prior to founding Straightline Strategies, Brian served as Sr. Consultant for Mansfield Sales Partners (MSP), a firm that specializes in providing outsourced sales management to early stage companies and firms going through significant product portfolio changes. MSP was established by a team of senior sales executives who use their extensive sales and sales management experience to help companies develop and test go-to-market and market penetration strategies. 

Brian was Vice President of Sales and General Manager of the Americas Region for Phoenix Technologies Ltd. prior to joining Mansfield. Phoenix is the worldwide leader in Core System Software (BIOS), tools and applications for delivering software solutions that protect corporate assets by securing the devices that attach to networks. 

During his tenure at Phoenix, Brian led the development of a robust distribution channel for the company's PC desktop end point security solutions to serve SMB, mid-size and enterprise companies. Concurrently he turned around the region's OEM business following two years of decline, helped staff and lead the Federal sales team, set up distribution in South America and aided in the development of the energy vertical for security solutions. He created the company's first Channel Advisory Council and hosted numerous partner events.  During this period he was recognized as one of the Top 100 Channel Executives by VARBusiness Magazine.

Brian has also held senior level sales management positions in the interactive digital media industry. He was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Interactive Video Technologies (IVT), an early-stage software company offering an interactive digital media platform for webcasting product launches and corporate communications. Brian was also VP Sales for Digital Lava Inc., helping lead the company's successful IPO in 1999. Digital Lava was acquired by IVT in 2001.

He has served in senior-level sales management positions for global PC companies Hitachi and NEC. Brian's teams at Hitachi led the company in sales of laser printer engines for pre-press system integrators. His reseller channel at NEC outsold the largest computer resellers in the country, including Computerland and BusinessLand.

Brian is a distinguished communicator, and has been a keynote speaker and presenter at numerous industry events. He has a Bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University.