

How to Build a Successful Company in an Era of Disruption
353 snips Aug 6, 2025
Join Jeetu Patel, President and CPO at Cisco, and Raghu Raghuram, former CEO of VMware, as they discuss navigating disruption in the tech world. They delve into how large companies can maintain a startup spirit, emphasizing the importance of innovation and agile leadership. Topics include storytelling as a strategy, ideal customer profiles, and the challenges of competing in the AI landscape. Learn how Cisco is adapting its culture to thrive amid significant technological shifts, giving listeners invaluable insights into building successful companies.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Disruption Through Software Abstraction
- Disruptive companies initially create new software abstractions and associated software-based business models.
- These changes shift user behavior and lock in disruption, as seen with VMware's virtualization and cloud challenges.
Operate Like a Startup
- Large companies must operate with founder-like impatience and reset when innovation stalls.
- Build products leveraging existing routes to market and double down on what works for faster growth.
Fence-Off Innovation or Acquire
- Use a fence-off approach or acquisitions to target new customer bases with different needs.
- Tailor go-to-market strategies according to the new disruption's nature and targeted users.