The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

SaaStr 784: From $1M to $3B ARR: Databricks CRO Ron Gabrisko on Scaling a Revenue Rocket Ship

23 snips
Feb 7, 2025
Ron Gabrisko, CRO of Databricks, shares his expertise in scaling companies, transitioning Databricks from $1M to a projected $3B ARR. He emphasizes the need for technical knowledge in sales to meet customer needs effectively. Discussion includes the importance of strategic hiring, building community ties for exponential growth, and evolving pricing models that align with customer value. Gabrisko's insights on creating strong customer relationships and fostering collaboration within sales teams provide valuable lessons for revenue leaders and founders alike.
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ADVICE

Technical CROs for Technical Sales

  • Consider a technical CRO for technical products, as technical buyers often distrust salespeople.
  • Value technical expertise in sales teams, especially when selling to technical buyers.
ANECDOTE

Databricks Sales Team Composition

  • Databricks hires mostly technical salespeople, but also includes business-strategic account managers for larger clients.
  • Their solution architects are highly technical, often capable of coding and conducting POCs.
ANECDOTE

Early Customer Acquisition at Databricks

  • Databricks acquired early customers by leveraging its open-source user base.
  • Ron Gabrisko hired from his network and focused on understanding user needs and pain points.
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