Stop Being Nice, Start Being Kind: The Cultural Shift That Built Kong
Hunters and Unicorns
Open Source Challenges and Validation
Carl explains open source dynamics, who to sell to, and validation via landing major enterprise logos.
In this episode, we sit down with Carl Mattsson, VP & GM EMEA at Kong, to discuss one of the most remarkable scaling journeys in the industry. Carl joined Kong when it was at just $1M ARR in the EMEA market and has since spearheaded its growth to nearly $100M ARR. We explore the unique sales principles that shaped the organization, the "heart surrounded by science" culture, and how Carl navigated the transition from a single-product company to a dominant AI-governance platform. Carl also shares the incredible story of a founderâs personal commitment that kept him at the company during a critical turning point.
đ Thanks To Our Sponsor! Aurasell AI: https://www.aurasell.ai
đč Key Topics Covered
00:00 - intro
02:30 - Joining Kong at $1M ARR
04:34 - Pivoting from Family to Team Culture
07:42 - Hiring for Character over Industry Experience
17:22 - The Open Source to Enterprise Transition
22:31 - The Pasta Story: A Founder's Commitment
31:46 - Kongâs Role as the AI Governance Layer
50:39 - Scaling Careers in 4-Year Increments
đ„ 3 Biggest Lessons:
Hire Character, Teach Technology: In the early stages of a high-growth startup, it is more effective to hire for sales character and drive than for specific industry knowledge. Carl emphasizes that while API technology can be taught, the innate curiosity and grit required to traverse from developers to the C-suite cannot be coached. Heart Surrounded by Science: While many elite sales organizations focus 99% on "science" (metrics and process), Carl advocates for a culture of kindness over niceness. This means having the "heart" to challenge each other uncomfortably and care for the human, while using "science" to provide the repeatable structure needed for scale. The "Because Of" Journey: Carl encourages leaders and reps to seek out roles where their personal contribution leaves a visible mark on the company's trajectory. Success in a "because of you" environment sharpens a salesperson more than a fully-oiled machine, preparing them for the highest levels of business leadership.
đŹ Notable Quotes
"Our culture should be: weâre not going to be nice every day, but weâre going to be kind".
"I can teach it (the playbook), but I can't teach you character".
"If you're in something you believe in... I don't tend to pick up the phone, even when great people like you call in". "We put the customers first, the company second, and ourselves last".
"I look at my career in four-year increments... thatâs always helped me be pretty focused about where I need to go and learn".
đ Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Oli 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! đŠ Connect with Hunters & Unicorns Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com Twitter: / huntersun1corns Instagram: / huntersandunicorns Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse
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