The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 20Sales: $0-$3.7BN: The Databricks CRO’s Playbook to Build the Fastest GTM Engine in SaaS History | How Databricks Beat Snowflake | How To Build a Sales Org of 5,000 and Close $190M Deals with Ron Gabrisko
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Aug 4, 2025 
Ron Gabrisko, the Chief Revenue Officer at Databricks, shares his remarkable journey in scaling the company from $0 to over $4 billion in revenue. He discusses the importance of a structured sales playbook and the secret behind their innovative pricing model. Ron also dives into the dynamics of building a massive sales organization, revealing insights on hiring top talent and fostering a supportive culture. Additionally, he gives a brutally honest take on AI’s role in sales and explains how Databricks strategically positioned itself ahead of competitors like Snowflake.
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Teaching Ali Sales Skills
- Ron Gabrisko met founders Ali and others who were technical PhDs with a vision to change the world.
- Ali, then transitioning to CEO, eagerly learned sales from Ron to build the business.
Founder-Led Sales Early Stage
- Founders should lead early sales for passion and customer insights.
- Then hire smart, trustworthy salespeople willing to learn and work hard to find what customers will pay for.
Weekly Team Prospecting Days
- Hold regular prospecting days where the entire sales team collectively researches and makes outreach calls.
- Make it fun and competitive to build a strong pipeline and sales muscle for scaling.