Grit

Dave Wilner joined Auth0 in November of 2014, and has played an instrumental role in growing the company to $1 billion in valuation.

In this episode of Go to Market, Joubin and Dave discuss Dave’s unique career journey, including his background as a former lawyer. They also discuss the pressures and expectations of succeeding in a high profile sales role and how Dave has managed to be so successful.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

• How and why Dave made the transition from law partner to sales rep at an eight person startup.
• Why top sales performers tend to have a broad range of experiences, and how it’s helped Dave succeed. 
• The role that perspective plays in driving sales.
• The importance of picking the right companies to acquire — and what Dave tends to look for during the vetting process.
• Dave’s strategy for vetting private companies when he has limited data available. 
• How Dave has thrived in his role, despite the fact that most first time sales leaders don’t last very long. Dave opens up about how he’s working to buck the trend.
• The evolution of sales, marketing and the customer experience — and why they’re starting to blend together. 
• How Dave defines grit.

Links: 

• Connect with Dave Wilner
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected]
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Atlassian is one of the most unorthodox technology companies in the world. Almost everything the company does is completely different than what you would expect. And yet, the organization has been massively successful and efficient in achieving growth.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Cameron discuss how Cameron built a $44 billion business without a sales team, and some of the company’s key growth levers.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Cameron’s role as CRO of Atlassian, and what he does on a daily basis.
• Some of the factors that make Atlassian unique. For example, the company spends more on R&D than sales and marketing. 
• Why price transparency plays a key role in Atlassian
• The various positions that Greg has held at Atlassian, and how they influence his current role as CRO.
• The difference between customer advocacy and sales at Atlassian.
• How Atlassian defines success across various roles.
• Why Atlassian has one of the most efficient go to market strategies in the history of go to market enterprise software.
• Atlassian’s workflow, and how the company drives customers forward.
• Cameron’s thoughts on product-led growth models, and why it works for Atlassian.
• Atlassian’s strategic approach to managing around target numbers — and why the company is firm about not giving discounts to drive deals.
• How geographic location tends to impact software purchasing.
• How Atlassian manages to navigate and manage risk, and operate with a very unorthodox business model — and how their leadership helps ensure success. Cameron also talks about how the company maintains this model as a publicly traded organization.
• Atlassian’s primary growth levers — and why there will most likely never be another Atlassian.
• Some key failures that Cameron and his team have worked through — including how they turned a massive failure into one of their biggest successes. 
• The ethos that exists in Silicon Valley around building products from within, and how Atlassian has bucked that trend through M&A.
• The characteristics that have made Cameron so successful.
• How Cameron defines grit.

Links: 

• Connect with Cameron Deatsch
  • LinkedIn
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Marc Boroditisky brings a unique perspective to the table as CRO of Twilio, as a founder and builder who has led several companies. 

In this episode of Go to Market, Joubin and Marc discuss his unique background and journey that led him to Twilio, and how his experience and passions — like his love of startups and discovering product-market fit — have shaped his revenue leadership strategy. Joubin and Marc also discuss Twilio’s go to market motion, and their approach to customer service.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Marc’s winding career path, which has largely centered around authentication and identity/ access — and how that helped him land at Twilio.
• Marc’s pay it forward mindset in business, and why he likes to give back and help other organizations grow. Marc also explains why he loves working with smaller companies. 
• Marc’s thoughts on Oracle’s acquisition of PassLogix, and why the experience was a positive one for him.
• Marc’s 15 year run at PassLogix, and what it was like running a company independently for that long — including how they made it through the .com bubble burst, the mortgage meltdown, and intense contraction.
• A key lesson that Marc and his team at PassLogix learned during the mortgage crisis, which was discovering the place that they filled in the market. Marc explains how this lesson has shaped his outlook on business today.
• The key factors that led Twilio to buy Authy.
• What Twilio does, and some common use cases. 
• The functions that roll up to Marc as CRO of Twilio.
• What it’s like going to market with a product like Twilio, that’s relatively simple and lacks an extreme focus.
• The strategy of having specialization across different product lines. Marc explains how Twilio uses specialization.
• How Marc enabled Twilio to sell to large enterprise accounts. 
• The biggest challenge that Marc has faced since joining Twilio four years ago.
• Why Twilio prioritizes hiring the best and brightest talent in the industry. Marc also talks about why the company is looking for people with grit, how he defines grit, and why grit is necessary for building a strong customer-centric culture.

Links: 

• Connect with Marc Boroditsky
  • LinkedIn
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Mar Brandt is a sales veteran and ad tech expert who has spent time at leading organizations including Experian, Sitecore, and most recently AppsFlyer. Mar is also a founding member and senior executive sponsor of Leadership Connections Women, an Experian Women's Network group.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Mar discuss Mar’s sales evolution as a sales leader. They also explore what it's like to be a woman in sales and what it takes to be a leader in a competitive environment.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Mar’s decision to leave Sitecore for AppsFlyer, a company that’s now valued at $1.6 billion.
• AppsFlyer’s value proposition, and why customers use the company.
• Why Mar chose to make the leap into sales leadership.
• Mar’s perspective on Apple’s new identifier for advertisers (IDFA) update in iOS 14, and what’s next.  Mar also explains how the new rule will impact consumers.
• Why mobile advertising spend is skyrocketing right now.
• Mar’s dedication to building leadership groups for women and empowering women in the workplace.
• The motivational concept of “making failure your fuel.” Mar also talks about why she gives her team permission to fail.
• The idea of leading from the bench, and being a supportive team player.
• Championing each other.
• Demanding the ball.
• Mar’s definition of grit, and how her teams apply it.

Links: 

• Connect with Mar
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Imagine taking a company like LinkedIn to a billion dollars in sales in just a few years, only to leave at the top of your game to rebuild your career and pursue a different path in product.

That’s exactly what Dan Shapero did — and in this episode of Go to Market Grit, he explains his perspective, along with some can’t-miss insight on business and leadership. Joubin and Dan discuss two key topics including the future of sales leadership and go to market leadership.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Dan’s career journey from his undergrad at Johns Hopkins University to chief business officer of LinkedIn. Dan also talks about his early difficult experiences working for startups, and the lessons that he learned.
• How Dan landed a dream job working for LinkedIn, and took the company to $1 billion in revenue in roughly four years.
• The defining moment that led Dan to change his career path and go into product development.
• What it takes to be an effective salesperson, and an effective sales leader. 
• Why the role of a salesperson is increasingly becoming a problem solver in partnership with the customer to help them move forward.
• New dynamics that are occurring in sales today.
• How selling is becoming more of a team sport than it was in the past.
• The three pillars that sales leaders should always think about.
• The number one skill that a leader should have, according to Dan.
• Why an effective organization carries a lot of traits of its leader.
• The concept of living life as a victim, versus living life as an active player — and why Dan chooses to live life in the player state.

Links: 

• Connect with Dan
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Jim Herbold played an instrumental role in scaling Box, growing the company from $600k to $200m over the course of seven years — only to pivot and leave the company a year before their IPO.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Jim discuss Jim’s background and role at Box, his new position at mental fitness  app Calm, and the real meaning of “unicorn meat.”

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Why Jim prefers hyper collaboration over autonomy when building companies. 
• Box’s unique market position, which allowed the company to skyrocket their sales without much competition.
• The  true meaning of the acronym OFB — something all growing businesses should take to heart. 
• Jim’s reasoning for taking Box from $600k to $200m of ARR, and leaving one year before their IPO. Jim also explains how he lasted so long at Box. 
• Why it’s important to hire a great team, built with people who are more talented than you.
• Why egoless leadership is next to impossible, but reducing the amount of ego that you bring to the table is attainable. 
• The meaning of “unicorn meat” — including customer inputs, self disruption, dirty fingernails, small doses of structure, cultural cohesion, BHAGs, testing, a Goliath opponent, banter, only A-plus lieutenants, and KPIs.
• The idea that there’s often more to learn in your losses than your wins in the early days of company building.
• Jim’s philosophy that if you’re doing things in six months like you’re doing them today, you’re doomed for failure. 
• Jim’s current rolle at meditation app Calm, and how he is working to take the company from a B2C product to B2B. 

Links: 

• Connect with Jim on LinkedIn
• Follow Jim on Twitter @jimherbold
• Ever Tasted Grilled Unicorn? Lessons Forged In Hyper-Growth Fires
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Sales is full of doctrines, or commonly shared beliefs, that are repeated over and over again, often without question — from hiring to business development. And blindly following can inhibit growth and lead to missed opportunities.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Shopify VP and GM Loren Padelford points out some of these doctrines and explains why he recommends avoiding them. Loren also sheds some light on Shopify’s unique approach to sourcing talent and driving sales. 

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Shopify’s rapid ascent to a $120 billion organization. Loren also provides an overview of Shopify.
• What contributed to Shopify’s growth.
• Why sales is science, not magic — and why the best salespeople are always math junkies and hard workers. 
• The idea that someone’s past sales performance may not guarantee future success, or justify their hiring. Joubin and Loren debate the idea. 
• Why companies shouldn’t necessarily go where there are a lot of salespeople. Loren also explains the belief that it doesn’t make sense to hire salespeople. 
• The five behaviors that determine whether someone will be successful, and why companies should look for these traits when filling sales positions.
• Common doctrines that exist in sales. For example, Loren explains the doctrine of getting customers to say yes — and why he disagrees with that approach.

Links

• Follow Loren on Twitter 
• Connect with Loren on LinkedIn
• Shopify
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Modern Health VP of Sales Hannah Willson explains how Modern Health is working to normalize and de-stigmatize cognitive wellbeing health in the workplace.  

According to the CDC, depression interferes with a person’s ability to complete physical job tasks about 20 percent of the time, and reduces cognitive performance about 35 percent of the time. What’s more, only 57 percent of employees who report moderate depression, while 40 percent of those who report severe depression receive treatment to control their symptoms. 

Of course, depression is just one type of mental obstacle that workers struggle with on a daily basis. Anxiety, chronic stress, substance abuse, and family issues are all common as well. Up until recently, the topic of mental health has been somewhat of a taboo in the workplace. Yet, this is starting to change thanks to the work of Modern Health, which offers an innovative mental well-being platform for workers. Thanks to Modern Health, companies now have a framework for guiding employees through their personal challenges.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Modern Health’s mission to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health.
• Why there is still a stigma about mental health in sales, due to a lack of resources and understanding — and how Modern Health is working to change it.
• How addressing and prioritizing mental health can lead to direct productivity gains, and lower turnover. 
• Viewing sales as a marathon and not a sprint, and why it’s important to have mental resilience and stamina. Hannah also talks about remembering to monitor your mental health during busy and challenging times.
• The challenges and rewards of selling for a startup versus selling for an established enterprise, and why thriving in a startup role requires having a different mindset and approach. 
• Taking time to prioritize the foundational aspects of mental health, like getting enough sleep and exercising. 
• Advice for maintaining mental stability and balance during especially stressful times, such as the end of quarter sales crunch.
• The power of gratitude, even during challenging times, and how it can be energizing.
• Why it’s better to achieve work-life harmony, instead of work-life balance. Hannah also explains her perspective on balance, and adapting to remote work.
• The process of talking about work with family members, and why it can be both healthy and rewarding. Hannah also talks about the pressure and demands that come with being a female sales leader, and how she has adapted. 

Links: 

• Modern Health
• Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

If there’s one person who knows a thing or two about sales growth, it’s Brex Chief Sales Officer Sam Blond, who has been a part of some legendary sales runs during his career. Sam joined Zenefits in 2013, and helped transform the company into the fastest SaaS business of all time. Then, he left and joined Brex, and was part of a team that scaled from 46 to 455 employees in just two years. 

Was it luck that led Sam to these companies, or is Sam naturally gifted in discovering opportunities? In this episode, Sam explains his approach to sales and growth, while also explaining how to scale effectively from the inside. 

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover: 

• Sorting through the noise, and recognizing greatness  when interviewing.
• Sam’s advice for advancing and bettering yourself at a company, and capitalizing on luck when it happens.
• Sam’s thoughts on determining good reps versus good leaders. 
• How companies like Brex are using the pandemic to refocus and rebuild, while planning to scale again in 2021.
• The importance of trying to hire the best possible people for sales roles.
• Sam’s thoughts on why he is a strong recruiter, and why he has been so successful in building high performance sales teams. 
• The strategy of using above market compensation to attract and retain top talent.
• Sam’s philosophy on quota, and why he likes 70 percent of his team to be over 100 percent of quota.
• Creating a winning sales culture, and why it’s one of the most important things to strive for.
• The challenge of scaling a sales team without chopping up territories or lowering quotas, and how businesses can avoid this pitfall.
• Why company leaders need to temper growth expectations. 
• How Sam goes about setting future growth targets. 
• Earning respect through performance and taking on leadership roles. 
• Why it’s everyone’s job to recruit. Sam talks about the strategy of using internal recruiting, and only bringing aboard new team members who can be vouched for — and why this helps mitigate risk.

Links

• Connect with Sam
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
• Brex 
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

In a study from Red Hat, 95 percent of respondents said open source was strategically important to their organization, while 77 percent agreed that open source will continue to grow. Yet, that doesn’t guarantee an easy sell. Selling open source software at the enterprise level requires an entirely different strategy than traditional software. For insight, we turned to open source sales expert Jeff Miller. 

Joubin and Jeff discuss two topics, including Jeff’s career journey, and how open source sales teams can build and execute effective go to market strategies.

This conversation covers:

• Jeff’s early experiences in sales, where he cut his teeth selling long distance service door to door — learning how to handle rejection and building an aggressive work ethic.
• How Jeff made the leap into software sales, where he learned the meaning of software and how to approach customers and sell them solutions that help solve problems. Jeff also explains what motivated him to move into enterprise software. 
• The value of having a strong mentor, and how it can open doors to greater opportunities.
• The key difference between open source and open core computing, and how it changes the sales process.
• The challenge of building an open source go to market strategy, when there is virtually no control over the sales cycle. 
• Why open source software requires a tight marriage between marketing and sales.
• The critical role that education and documentation play in the sales process, in addition to having an inside SDR/ LDR team to work with the customer, identify new use cases, and guide the customer in their journey. 
• How good, qualified leads can make all the difference, and make sales associates far more effective.
• Viewing developers are influencers, not decision makers when making open source sales.
• WhyJeff loves working with early stage startups, where you can make a huge impact fast without dealing with a lot of the red tape that comes with larger organizations. 
• Key metrics that Jeff looks for when qualifying early stage startup opportunities, where there is a lot of risk

Links

• Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: 
  • LinkedIn
• Cockroach Labs
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: [email protected] 
• Host Twitter
  • https://twitter.com/Joubinmir
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins