Ryan Azus, CRO of Zoom, has been selling all his life, from baseball cards as a kid to ads in the school newspaper to — crucially — books every summer in college. Every year, he and and thousands of other young people would be dispersed around the country to sell books door-to-door as part of an entrepreneurial program called Southwestern Advantage. That experience taught him valuable lessons about his own strengths and weaknesses as a salesperson, the diversity of people’s needs, and the joys o...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 77
Instabase’s Ozge Ozcan believes that many women have been fed a false story about motherhood: That it can be seen as a “decelerator” to one’s career. Instead, she’s found that raising two daughters has made her more competent in the chaotic, fast-paced world of early-stage startups. Through this experience, she’s had to learn how to be an “amazing leader” at home and in the office. In this episode, Ozge and Joubin talk about her experience as an immigrant to the US from Turkey; the surprises she...
Mar 07, 2022•55 min•Ep. 76
Sarah Patterson, CMO of Samsara , doesn’t believe in keeping your armor up around your coworkers: “You’ve got something else on your mind, it’s going to come through,” she says. While working at Salesforce, she worked with a career coach and discovered that opening up about her personal and professional struggles brought her team closer. And that has also held true in her current role at Samsara, a fast-growing fleet management company that went public in December. In this episode, Sarah and Jou...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 75
Kate Ahlering might be the perfect guest for this podcast. She eventually worked her way up to Chief Sales Officer of Glassdoor, but when she joined in 2013, she helped define the company’s leadership framework as GRIT: Growth, Results, Integrity, and Team. Glassdoor has continued using those values since her departure in 2020, and now as the CRO of Calendly, she is applying a similar framework to another fast-growing enterprise. In this episode, Kate and Joubin discuss her first leadership expe...
Feb 21, 2022•54 min•Ep. 74
When Rippling CEO Parker Conrad was raising a massive $250 million round last year, he didn’t start by presenting his deck to venture capitalists in person. Instead, he sent a 39-minute demo of his product, recorded on the video app Loom. And, Loom’s CEO Joe Thomas says, “That was the most pleasant surprise.” In this episode, Joe and Joubin discuss how Loom “stands on the shoulders of giants” like Google, Instagram, and Snap; Joe’s preparations to become a father for the first time; Loom’s overn...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 73
When Andy Kofoid was growing up in the working-class town of Joliet, Illinois, he dreamed of getting to college and — like a lot of his relatives — worked in construction. Today, Andy is laying digital foundations at Databricks, a data analytics and AI company that works with enterprise brands including Adobe, NBCUniversal, and Starbucks. Previously the COO of ExactTarget, which Salesforce acquired for $2.6 billion in 2013, Andy thought his career might end there. “I wasn’t looking” for another ...
Feb 07, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 72
Doug Merritt joins this episode on the tail end of his impressive run as Splunk’s CEO. With decades of leadership in what can be described as an “exploratory career,” Doug breaks down his professional roadmap and provides insight on how he was able to transform companies and the cultures that hold them together. In this episode, Doug shares his perspective on the new wave of innovation as a seasoned executive and how he stays relevant in a “world of teenagers.” He talks about his 8-year evolutio...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 71
Stord, a Kleiner portfolio company, and its co-founder/CEO, Sean Henry, are defying a multitude of limits. While Sean is ranked as the youngest unicorn founder, he refuses to let his age define him. Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit from a very young age, he’s always angling for the advantage. Sean has undoubtedly found a crucial advantage with Stord, as it continues to rise as a leading cloud supply chain platform and pioneer in the industry. In this episode, Sean discusses his Stord jour...
Jan 24, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 70
Tom Mendoza, former President at NetApp, knows that there is a way to do business while bringing out the good in it. Tom has embedded this throughout his career and continues to make it a philosophical and practical focus. While Tom’s incredible journey may speak for itself, we take a deeper look at his core leadership values, how it has inspired his generosity and resilience, and the impact it continues to have on others. In this episode, Tom discusses his humble beginnings in Long Island durin...
Jan 17, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 69
Jim Steele, President of Global Strategic Customers at Salesforce, is the man, the myth, and the legend who helped increase Salesforce’s revenue from $22 million to over $5 billion. Working since he was 10 years old to support his family, Jim’s drive and ambition are still just as strong today as he views new challenges and opportunities with a “beginner’s mindset.” As Jim puts it, his 43-year career in sales is a series of stories–in this episode, he reflects on poignant moments that helped sha...
Jan 10, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 68
B2B marketing powerhouse, Sara Varni joins this episode on her final day at Twilio to discuss her journey and what lies ahead as she steps into her new role as Chief Marketing Officer at Attentive. Sara demonstrates a stellar track record of marketing know-how and creativity and has a refreshing take on the ever-changing marketing landscape. In this episode, Sara shares insight on what it means to speak to your audience and uses an example from her Twitter to show how products can market themsel...
Jan 03, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 67
Many people run from uncomfortable situations. Heidi Andersen, CRO at Nextdoor, isn’t like most, as she embraces new challenges and makes mental toughness a centrality to her approach. From the very beginning of her story, Heidi has been rooted in hard work and the personal gratification of earning her success. Known as a corporate athlete, Heidi stands out from the pack and proudly holds the torch for women in tech. In this episode, Heidi shares her perspective on leaving Denmark to join Google...
Dec 27, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 66
Sometimes social media works and sometimes it doesn’t. For Matt Epstein, Chief Marketing Officer at Rippling, it is a little bit of both. In 2011, Matt went viral after uploading a Youtube video detailing why Google should hire him. It was also accompanied by a propeller plane with his URL attached, flying over the Google campus. Apparently, Google was not impressed, however, this bold decision ultimately worked in his favor. The video attracted many companies, which eventually led to the beginn...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 65
There is a litany of analogies for marketing. An art, a technique, a skill. Yet few strive to combine a multitude of approaches. For Meagen Eisenberg, Chief Marketing Officer at TripActions, she synthesizes a combination of art, science, and the essential ingredient–joy–to form a unique marketing strategy. Meagen is a no BS go-getter who demonstrates an encompassing approach to how she conducts business. She hones in on her own efficiency and ability to think quickly and adapt, and expresses how...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 64
For some, expanding their horizons is something that they, as individuals, strive to do. Fortunately, Philip Lacor, CRO at Unqork, takes those expansions to another level. Philip thrives as a cross-functional leader and leaves his own stamp by creating challenging and diverse environments for a wide variety of people. From his philosophy on building global teams, to how he rears his own children, diversity is the center of how Philip builds his approaches. Join the conversation as Philip takes u...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 63
Language is without doubt the single most valuable tool we use, and in its use, it ironically builds barriers. Fortunately in recent years with the rise of companies like Duolingo, those barriers are becoming more opaque. In this episode, Bob Meese, Chief Business Officer at Duolingo, joins the show to discuss all the innovative ways that Duolingo is making language learning a more feasible aspect of our lives. Bob started at Google with a solid 8-year stretch that served as a proving ground for...
Nov 29, 2021•56 min•Ep. 62
To make the leap from HR to sales may seem like a significant obstacle to surmount. For Jennifer Brannigan, CRO at Pendo, it was an easy choice to make. Her decision to pursue her own interests and passion over a high salary set her on a path toward where she is today. And for her, the journey still continues. As she puts it, her professional roadmap is much like a jungle gym, as it is varied and intriguing. In this episode, Jennifer shares why she transitioned to sales in the midst of an accele...
Nov 22, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 61
Integrity and humility barely begin to describe Brian McCarthy, CRO at Rubrik. Brian’s story is one of hard-won progress that is bound to inspire anyone who listens. Coming from a blue-collar household, Brian has always viewed work as a gift and now takes advantage of what it has afforded him and turns it back to building strong communities. Brian’s humble beginnings set the stage for his inspiring life story. What his family did not have in money, they made up for in an abundance of love. For t...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 60
"Crypto" is a term that has recently re-shaped the way the world thinks about money. For Emilie Choi, President and COO at Coinbase, it has been at the forefront of her work and mind for quite some time. Emilie is a true workplace warrior and that is reflected in her leadership at Coinbase as she has cultivated an ethos that endears her entire organization and those she works alongside. In this episode, Emilie doesn’t pull the punches as she divulges her own strengths and weaknesses and how she ...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 59
Carving her own path is certainly one way to describe how Christina Augustine, COO at Bloomreach, has chosen to do her work. With a distinct set of experiences, beginning with a unique college thesis, to owning her own patent, and eventually leading Bloomreach through successful product launches, Christina has held her own over the course of her career. And her fortitude is now paying off. Christina’s natural competitiveness has not only helped her shape her own leadership abilities, but she con...
Nov 01, 2021•59 min•Ep. 58
Mark Anderson, CEO at Alteryx, joins Joubin to talk about how he crafted his leadership ethos, which he often compares to a great game of golf. While Mark is currently at Alteryx, it is his foundation at Palo Alto Networks that serves as the bedrock for how he approaches his work. In this episode, Mark reflects on his time at Palo Alto and offers insight that anyone would be wise to pay close attention to; close attention being an essential part of Mark’s ethos, as he says the “absence of a plan...
Oct 25, 2021•53 min•Ep. 57
Mike Gamson, CEO of Relativity, has joined the show this week to provide his take on leadership, sales, and the evolution of his career leading up to Relativity. Mike’s path into becoming a CEO is a varied one and his diverse range of experiences has helped him hone in on essential insights, which he very humbly shares. With a background in liberal arts, Mike has an interesting story about how he became a leader in the world of sales and technology. It all began when he made the decision to move...
Oct 18, 2021•57 min•Ep. 56
Mike Clayville, CRO at Stripe, joins this week’s conversation to discuss what it's like to turn companies into forces of nature, using Mike’s chosen metaphor, the tornado. While Mike might be the first guest to compare company growth to a natural phenomenon, his insight is invaluable. Mike comes from a small town outside of Declo, Idaho, and grew up working on the family farm and ranch. It was there that Mike gained the hard work ethic that has catapulted him into the worlds of engineering and t...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 55
Rob Lehman, Chief Business Officer at Compass, has an entrepreneurial spirit that has already set him forward in a burgeoning and exciting career at a young age. Rob’s path has come by no accident. His determination to be at the innovative edge and his unconventional approach to finding his bearing at Compass speak to Rob’s unique take. Rob’s business-focused mindset developed early on in his childhood. In the fourth grade, Rob started a basketball camp with an all too original name. As Rob adva...
Oct 04, 2021•52 min•Ep. 54
To say that Brian Frank, Chief Operating Officer of Cameo, comes from a non-traditional background into the career field of sales might be an understatement. Brain’s career began in law and he spent nearly a full career there before transitioning to sales in 2008, where he has been exceedingly active. Brian’s multifaceted background has given him a wide range of skillsets and a deep wisdom that has become invaluable to the organizations where Brian has worked. His focus on constantly learning th...
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 53
Marc Maloy’s storied career with IPOs and acquisitions has helped him develop essential insights into career success, leading him to become President of Field Ops at BetterUp. While Marc’s history is steeped with successful transitions, at each step he never failed to stay focused on the people. Marc remains focused on empathy, developing leaders first, and helping everyone in an organization reach their objectives. In this episode of Go to Market Grit Marc and Joubin go into the details on Marc...
Sep 20, 2021•59 min•Ep. 52
Since the 1990s, Scott Jones has had a successful career working in sales at technology companies including SAP, Tableau, and Alteryx. In early 2021, Scott took a job that had never before appeared on his resume — the role of Chief Executive Officer at Incorta, a company creating direct data analytics software. On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Scott talk about Scott’s career, the value of making relationships with others in business, and the questions Scott had as he settled into...
Sep 13, 2021•48 min•Ep. 51
Ever wonder how McDonald’s came up with its famous “I’m Lovin’ It” tagline? Brandon Snow knows all about it — in fact, he worked for the German advertising agency Heye & Partner when it pitched the winning slogan years ago. With an impressive career that took him to live in Poland, Germany and China, Brandon has worked for not only Heye & Partner, but also the NBA as a senior marketing leader. Now, Brandon works as head of Activision Blizzard Esports — where he leads the effort to levera...
Sep 06, 2021•55 min•Ep. 50
When Oliver Jay worked for venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates in the late 2000s, he found that the most rewarding aspect for him was working with portfolio companies and watching the beginnings of sales operations. “But as an associate, let’s be honest, I was there to crunch numbers, and write memos, and source deals,” Oliver said. “That’s why I decided to leave. Even though I loved the job intellectually, I just wanted a piece of the action.” Soon after, Oliver earned an MBA from Ha...
Aug 30, 2021•46 min•Ep. 49
Eric Morse is unabashedly a “super nerd.” With a degree in physics from Duke University, Eric taught himself how to program and joined a consulting firm where he worked at implementing PeopleSoft, a human resource management system. Eventually, Eric found his way into sales — working at Google, NetSuite, and Ayden — until he eventually and most recently became SVP of Sales at Affirm, Inc. in 2018. On this episode of Go to Market Grit , Joubin and Eric talk about Eric’s interest in technology, co...
Aug 23, 2021•49 min•Ep. 48
