How Leaders Lead with David Novak #244: Sanjit Biswas, Cofounder and CEO of Samsara – Big eyes, big ears
Jun 19, 2025
Sanjit Biswas, Cofounder and CEO of Samsara and former co-founder of Meraki, shares his transformative approach to leadership through a 'big eyes, big ears' mindset. He discusses how to make engineers love sales and the pivotal role of curiosity in innovation. Sanjit emphasizes simplifying technology for users and the importance of strategic timing in a fast-evolving market. He reflects on the emotional journey of building Samsara and the need for boredom to spark creativity, all while maintaining authentic leadership and company culture.
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Big Eyes, Big Ears Insight
- Staying close to your customer by observing and listening reveals real problems to solve.
- The "big eyes, big ears" mindset uncovers hidden needs beyond what customers explicitly say.
Early Tech Passion Sparked
- Sanjit’s early passion for technology was influenced by his father, a computer science professor.
- In high school, he enthusiastically spread internet access to peers, a formative moment for his career.
Youngest Engineer at Oracle
- At 15, Sanjit was hired by Oracle without them knowing his age initially.
- He learned the energizing impact of working with smart teams on exciting projects.
