Lessons from Sentry on scaling DevTools and finding product market fit (again) | Milin Desai (Sentry, VMware, Riverbed)
May 16, 2024
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Milin Desai, CEO at Sentry and former GM at VMware, discusses Sentry's success factors, developer-centric approach, lessons on pricing from VMware, and being an external CEO. They touch on forging successful relationships, transitioning to a BSL license, value-based pricing, targeting forward-thinking developers, building for scale, and reflections on influential figures and lessons learned.
Product managers should embrace saying no to stay focused on broader audience needs.
Successful CEO transition emphasizes adaptability and collaboration for growth.
Sentry's B2D model prioritizes product excellence, affordability, and developer community engagement.
Deep dives
The Importance of Saying No and Sticking to Long-Term Plans
It is crucial for product managers to embrace the art of saying no and staying true to their long-term vision. By not compromising on their strategic direction, they can focus on building products that cater to a wider audience rather than individual preferences.
Success of Non-Founder CEO Transition at Century
Millen Desat's successful transition as the CEO of Century highlights the importance of intellectual honesty and adaptability. He joined the company at a pivotal point, leveraging his background in product management to drive growth. The mutual respect and collaboration between the non-founder CEO and the founder bring a unique dynamic, fostering innovation and continuous improvement within the organization.
Building a Developer-First Company with Open Source Philosophy
Century's dedication to serving developers with an open-source approach reflects a commitment to accessibility and community engagement. Their B2D (Business to Developer) model focuses on delivering value and affordability to users. By prioritizing product excellence, affordability, and community contributions, Century has scaled its business successfully while maintaining a strong developer-centric ethos.
Philosophy of Pricing and Packaging
The podcast delves into the company's philosophy around pricing and packaging, emphasizing the importance of delivering value at the right price point for developers. By focusing on enabling individual developers to easily use the product to achieve their outcomes, the company aims to differentiate itself in the market. This approach contrasts the traditional top-down sales strategy, highlighting the significance of catering to developers' needs and preferences.
Product Strategy and Market Expansion
The discussion shifts towards the company's evolution in developing additional products beyond its core offering. Emphasizing the necessity for each product to stand out independently and excel in the market, the company adopts a strategy that prioritizes standalone product success. The podcast highlights the importance of continuous iteration and enhancement to move from initial success to capturing broader market opportunities successfully. This iterative approach involves building on the core product while exploring adjacent opportunities to meet the needs of the target developer audience.
Milin Desai is the CEO at Sentry, an application monitoring tool for developers. Sentry has recently passed two key milestones: 100K customers and over $100M in ARR. Before Sentry, Milin was a GM at VMware and scaled their cloud networking into a billion-dollar business. Prior to stepping into leadership roles, Milin was a PM at Riverbed and a software engineer at Veritas.
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In today’s episode, we discuss:
The key ingredients of Sentry’s success
Sentry’s developer-centric approach
Lessons on pricing, packaging, and product from VMware
