In this episode of East Coast Elite, Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne sit down with Martin Mao, co-founder and CEO of Chronosphere.

From his early days at Uber to founding one of the most disruptive startups in observability, Martin shares what it takes to navigate uncertainty, build conviction, and win at scale. We dive into the mindset shifts behind leaving a tech giant to build something bold, how Martin sees the future of observability, and what it means to lead with clarity in a rapidly evolving market. If you're a founder, engineer, or operator seeking real insights from a builder at the top, this one’s for you.

Key Topics Covered

00:00 Intro

02:10 What Makes a Strong Founder

04:48 Why Martin Left Uber

09:22 Founding Chronosphere

13:41 Competing with Industry Giants

19:05 The Startup Learning Curve

26:38 Early GTM Decisions

33:20 Scaling with Intent

39:40 Balancing Vision and Feedback

46:14 Leadership Lessons in Hypergrowth

50:12 What’s Next for Chronosphere 52:49 Closing Reflections

3 Biggest Lessons

Leaving comfort for conviction: Martin’s leap from Uber shows that bold moves start with internal clarity, not external certainty.

Product-market fit is just the beginning: Real traction comes from execution, team culture, and continuous iteration.

Disruption requires ruthless focus: Be crystal clear on who you serve and why your product matters—then say no to everything else.

Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter:   / huntersun1corns  

Instagram:   / huntersandunicorns  

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

Notable Quotes “You don’t need to have all the answers before you start.” “It’s not about being better—it’s about being different in a meaningful way.” “Startups work when you're solving real pain, not just building cool tech.”

This episode is sponsored by SELR & PG:ai

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, East Coast Elite, we sit down with Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Rubrik. With a remarkable track record scaling high-performing teams and navigating through IPOs, Brian shares the foundational principles that shaped his leadership, putting people first, leading with love, and building structures that drive consistent performance. We explore how Brian transitioned from star seller to visionary leader, how he earned unshakeable team loyalty, and why systems like WANs can revolutionize your sales coaching. If you're serious about leading at scale with integrity, this is a must-watch.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai

Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered

00:00 – Intro & First Sales Job

04:20 – Choosing Leadership Over Sales

08:00 – WANs: Coaching with Metrics

12:10 – Building Loyalty Through Care

16:15 – Sales vs. Leadership Thinking

21:00 – IPO Learnings & Pressure

26:10 – Territory, Quota & Fairness

31:25 – Love-Driven Leadership

36:20 – Hiring for Intellect & Agility

42:05 – Structuring First-Line Teams

48:40 – Closing Advice & Reflections

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Real leadership is people-first – Helping someone grow, even if it means leaving your team, is true leadership.

2. Structure drives consistency – Weekly Activity Numbers (WANs) give both clarity and accountability to teams.

3. Love creates loyalty – When leaders genuinely will the best for their people, performance naturally follows.

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro.

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes “If this is better for you and your family, leave. I will help you get promoted.” “You either really care about people and their development, or you don’t.” “Love is willing the best for others—and that’s how I lead.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

In this episode of Sales SOS, Hunters & Unicorns co-founders Ollie and Simon go head-to-head on one of the most misunderstood, yet business-critical skills in sales leadership: how to consistently hire A-players. Drawing from two decades of experience working with the world's most elite sales teams, we break down the true mindset, mechanics, and strategy behind world-class recruitment — and why most leaders are getting it completely wrong. What we cover:

Whether you're a first-time hiring manager or a seasoned VP, this is your playbook for hiring without luck or guesswork.

🔗 Subscribe & Connect If this episode resonated, drop a comment, like the video, and hit subscribe. We’re here to help you build teams that win.

After 200+ episodes and thousands of hours with the world’s top SaaS sales leaders, Hunters & Unicorns presents Sales SOS raw, practical conversations that dive deep into the mindset, strategies, and frameworks behind elite career growth in tech sales.

In this episode, Hunters and Unicorns very own Simon and Ollie answer four critical questions every ambitious sales professional should be asking:

1. What’s the common thread among top-tier CROs? Discover the power of “Career Champions” and why no one gets to the top alone.

2. Why are you being overlooked for promotions? It’s not always about performance. We unpack how alignment, visibility, and internal champions dictate career momentum.

3. How do you position yourself as the irresistible first pick? We share hard-earned insights into how the best salespeople get fast-tracked for leadership roles.

4. How do you break the glass ceiling — and stay there? From skill mastery to the right strategic choices, we talk about what it really takes to go all the way.

This episode is for ambitious AEs, aspiring leaders, and current managers ready to level up with clarity, intent, and strategy. If this episode hit home, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. We drop practical gold every week.

#SaaSSales #CROCareer #TechSalesLeadership #SalesSOS #HuntersAndUnicorns

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Marina Ayton, VP UK&I at Wiz and co-author of The Female Sales Leader, to explore her remarkable journey from first-line to second-line leadership and back again.

Marina shares hard-won lessons on building and recruiting world-class teams, navigating rapid promotions, overcoming imposter syndrome, leveraging EQ alongside IQ, and championing diversity in sales. Whether you’re an aspiring sales leader or a seasoned executive, Marina’s playbook offers actionable insights to elevate your career and drive lasting impact.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai

Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered

00:00 – Intro & Career Beginnings

01:30 – Transitioning from first line to VP

06:00 – Building the First Enterprise Team

12:00 – Transition to Major Deals Leadership

18:00 – Stepping into Second-Line Role

24:00 – Crafting Vision & Enabling Teams

30:00 – When to Step Back & Pivot

36:00 – Imposter Syndrome as Superpower

42:00 – EQ vs. IQ in Modern Sales

48:00 – Writing The Female Sales Leader

54:00 – Reflections & Future Outlook

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Embrace Humility & Listen First – Early listening builds credibility; understand before imposing change.

2. Leverage EQ to Drive Trust – Emotional intelligence is irreplaceable; it underpins long-term partnerships and diverse teams.

3. Purposeful Career Moves – Stepping back into roles refines understanding of where you add value at scale.

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this deep dive, please like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes “Imposter syndrome can be a superpower if you let it drive you to earn your seat at the table.” “Leaders must give teams the tools to imagine the art of the possible.” “EQ is never replaceable by AI; it’s what builds genuine partnerships.” #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

In this episode of Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Alice Carlisle, VP UK&I at Wiz, to uncover how she rose from first-line leader to one of the most sought-after roles in the cybersecurity industry.

From taking a struggling ZScaler team and transforming it in under three quarters, to embodying Wiz’s values of confidence and humility, Alice’s journey is proof that authenticity and unrelenting work ethic drive lasting impact. She delves into the hard lessons of leading through fear-based tactics early in her career, learning the Force Management Playbook at AppDynamics, and then applying it to close LogicMonitor’s largest deal ever. Ultimately, we focus on how Alice builds culture, leading by example, caring genuinely for people, and creating internal champions, so that teams win together, not just as individuals.

Whether you’re scaling a hyper-growth sales org, building a new culture, or simply looking to be a better human in leadership, Alice’s playbook is packed with actionable insights on driving growth through customer success and winning with authenticity.

🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors!

PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai

Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered

00:00 – Intro

05:00 – Why Alice Was Chosen for Wiz

10:00 – Wiz Values: Humility & Authenticity

15:00 – Leadership Evolution: Leading Without Fear

20:00 – Early Work Ethic & Foundations

25:00 – Learning the Playbook at AppDynamics

30:00 – Applying Playbook at LogicMonitor

35:00 – Career Pivots & Decision to Join Zscaler

40:00 – Turning Around the Zscaler Team

45:00 – Building Culture & Final Reflections

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

Authenticity Over Authority – Leading by fear alienates; leading by genuine care and humility builds lasting loyalty.

Learn & Apply Fast – When you join a Playbook organization, absorb everything like a sponge and execute immediately – that’s how you prove its value.

Culture Eats Strategy – Even in hyper-growth, small ritualistic acts (e.g., cleaning up after yourself) set the tone for accountability, trust, and team unity.

🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this deep episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes “People see through it as much as you might think they don’t. You have to genuinely care.” “Being right is not very valuable. It’s more important to be valuable than be right.” “The most important thing for me is I genuinely give a shit about people more than anything.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

We dive deep into the strategic thinking and tough decisions that shaped her journey—from running toward the fire in Saleslofts' early days to scaling operations and rebuilding customer teams at Hook. Natasha unpacks what it really takes to align customer growth with revenue in today’s high-velocity SaaS environment.

If you're navigating messy growth, operational debt, or building CS from scratch, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insights.

🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors!

🏹 Key Topics Covered

From MongoDB to Founder: How Deirdre Spillane bet on Herself

Description

We dive into the power of coaching, the danger of drowning in data, and why understanding the “why” behind people’s actions is everything. If you're in sales, leadership, or considering your next bold career move—this is your playbook.

🙌  Thanks to our Sponsors!

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💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Trust Before Tactics: Effective coaching doesn't begin with playbooks—it starts by understanding and trusting your people.

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🙌 Thanks for listening!

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🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

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💬 Borrow these quotes from Deirdre!

“Once you get this opportunity, you take it with both hands… and you leave nothing on the field.”

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Description

From selling boat party tickets in Ibiza to leading with data and empathy at some of the UK’s fastest-growing startups, Libby shares the pivotal moment that changed everything — and the power of combining gut instinct with hard analytics.

We explore her early experiences in sales, how Jeremy Duggan and Steve McCluskey shaped her development, what it means to build inclusive teams, and how she balances motherhood with high-performance leadership.

Raw, inspiring, and deeply insightful, this is a masterclass in becoming more than the sum of your parts.

🙌 Thanks to our Sponsors!

In this new episode of Hunters & Unicorns, we sit down with Shakira Talbot, the Group Vice President at ServiceNow, for one of the most inspiring conversations we've ever had.

From growing up in foster care to leading revenue responsibility for over $10B at one of the most influential enterprise software companies, Shakira’s story is a masterclass in grit, champion building, and unapologetic ambition. She shares how she developed her tenacity, why she dropped out of university, and how she found her path through selling timeshares at 14 to leading massive enterprise deals. We dive deep into her early influences, her playbook for high-performance sales leadership, and what truly drives her to never settle. This is not just about sales. It’s about identity, impact, and proving you belong—on your own terms. 

Thanks to our Sponsors! PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai Selr: https://selr.ai 🏹

Key Topics Covered

00:00 In this episode...

01:25 Intro and backstory

03:24 Why she never wanted to be like her boss

06:33 Getting recruited by Jeremy Duggan

11:22 Champion-building as a life skill

15:01 Her biggest deal (and what it taught her)

19:47 What makes a great sales leader

24:08 Owning your ambition unapologetically

28:34 From maternity policy to mindset shifts

31:10 Advice to her younger self

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

Champion-building isn’t just for sales – It’s how you win people over in life and career, especially when you come from a non-traditional background.

Authenticity scales – Shakira’s leadership works because she leads as herself, not as a copy of what leadership is “supposed” to look like.

You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful – She’s made mistakes, changed direction, and still kept rising—all while carrying massive responsibilities at home and work. 

Thanks for listening!

This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns

Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes from Shak! "I didn’t want to be a psychologist. I wanted to sell stuff." "You don’t have a deal until you have a champion who passes the test." "I am the only provider in my house. That’s the role we’ve landed on. So I have a duty of care to make it work." "I’m not going to pretend to be something I’m not to make people comfortable." "Would I change things? Yeah—I would’ve done it sooner."

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse