Intro

I’m Jesse Pujji and today we’re breaking down MongoDB. The MongoDB story traces back to 2007 when the founding team was running DoubleClick, a large adtech business now owned by Google. They could not find an existing database software with the agility and scalability that the internet requires. Today, MongoDB has over 25,000 customers across 100 countries. 

To help break down Mongo, I'm joined by Ro Nagpal, an investor at Holocene Advisors. Listeners will recognize Ro from our breakdown of Twilio earlier this year. During our conversation, we get a 101 on database software, talk through Mongo’s creative approach to R&D, learn about how database product advantages compound, and look at what protects Mongo from larger players like Microsoft and Amazon. Please enjoy this business breakdown of MongoDB. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

[00:03:51] - [First question] - What MongoDB is, what they do, and their scale today

[00:05:03] - The functions of a database and why they’re important

[00:07:37] - The unmet market need that led to founding MongoDB and the history of the space leading up to today

[00:11:13] - What big data means and how it applies to MongoDB

[00:12:42] - Things that would lead customers of Oracle to leave them for MongoDB

[00:13:42] - The technology stack behind a company like weather.com

[00:14:52] - Types of companies and services that couldn’t exist without MongoDB

[00:16:40] - State of the database marketplace today and where they fit into it

[00:17:51] - How big the new market of big data is and current competitors

[00:19:22] - What makes MongoDB so distinct and why they’re winning

[00:21:34] - The most important metrics and numbers for the business

[00:23:28] - Gross margins and why they spend so much on sales and marketing

[00:24:55] - How investors can justify a company spending so much on marketing

[00:26:19] - The P&L and unit economics of the business

[00:26:47] - How a customer grows after they’ve been acquired

[00:27:21] - Clever ways that MongoDB spends and uses their resources

[00:29:26] - Different types of open source models and how they use it to their advantage

[00:31:22] - One thing MongoDB does exceptionally well and something they could improve

[00:34:19] - What MongoDB has managed to get so right compared to their competitors

[00:36:04] - Their unique go-to-market strategy and why it worked

[00:37:15] - The things that would have to go right for MongoDB to compound over a decade

[00:39:00] - Market factors that may impact their future growth and potential M&A opportunities

[00:40:27] - Biggest risks that may affect MongoDB’s growth trajectory over the next few years

[00:41:01] - What allows them to exist in a world dominated by Google and Microsoft

[00:42:34] - Lessons for builders and investors when studying MongoDB’s story

[00:44:17] - Why changing their CEO was necessary and helped the company recover and thrive