The Science of Scaling

In this engaging discussion, Frederic Kerrest, co-founder of Okta, shares insights on why every founder must embrace sales. He stresses the importance of founders being hands-on in selling even after building a team. Frederic recounts Okta's journey through fundraising challenges and the value of proactive customer engagement. He discusses building personal relationships and the role of AI in sales, while also touching on his philanthropic efforts to support underrepresented youth. This conversation is packed with actionable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Mark Wayland, the CRO at Box, brings a wealth of experience from his time at Salesforce and discusses the shift from a 'grow at all costs' approach to the 'Rule of 40.' He emphasizes the need for strategic evolution in tight budgets, highlighting how activist investors can impact company direction. The conversation covers the dangers of aggressive expansion, advocating for a balanced, data-driven growth strategy. Wayland also stresses the importance of collaboration between sales and marketing for sustainable success and aligning investments with measurable outcomes.

Carina Brockl, former CRO of Aurora Solar, played a pivotal role in steering her company to unicorn status and is now exploring AI opportunities. In this engaging discussion, she shares strategies for pivoting business models in response to macroeconomic changes. Carina highlights the importance of customer-driven growth when scaling from small to enterprise clients. She also addresses challenges in the solar industry, emphasizing adaptive leadership and the need for transparent communication during turbulent times.

Andy Shorkey, CRO and Writer, dives into the evolving landscape of AI and its impact on go-to-market strategies. He discusses the importance of Ideal Customer Profiles in leveraging AI for targeted growth and efficiency. Shorkey highlights the need for collaboration between CIOs and CMOs to enhance AI adoption. He also shares insights on adapting traditional business strategies for modern challenges and streamlining legal processes for quicker contract turnaround. Tune in for a fresh perspective on scaling in the AI era!

Cold calling is a daunting task, but effective strategies can make a difference. Discover a proven framework that even Harvard Business students utilize! Learn why sounding a bit nervous can actually work in your favor. The importance of a strong opening line and managing objections is emphasized. From a roleplay selling pizza to tackling real-world rejections, resilience is key. Prepare to engage prospects authentically and improve your outreach skills!

Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer at Perplexity, shares insights from his journey in tech and sales. He discusses Perplexity's bold mission to challenge Google's search dominance and reflects on the shift from founder-led sales to professional selling. Dmitry emphasizes the importance of innovative growth strategies, like partnerships and subscription models, and how AI is shaping future career paths. He also highlights the value of real-time data in meetings for enhanced engagement and the role of CRM tools in driving revenue growth.

Imagine passing $5 million with three customers. That is whale hunting. Going after big customers with big deals from day one isn't advisable. But sometimes it's the only path. Today, Ed Calnan (Co-Founder and Fmr. CRO, Seismic) walks us through how to get big account's attention, get through procurement, get through security, all solve for all the things that kill the startups that try this path. Get our Database! Real Playbooks from Billion-Dollar Companies: ⁠https://clickhubspot.com/scienceofscaling⁠ The Science of Scaling is a HubSpot Media podcast // ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about HubSpot for Startups⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ // Produced by Matthew Brown

In this discussion, Dan Sperring, Founder of AlignICP, shares insights on how a tightly defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) can drastically reduce sales and marketing costs. He reveals that companies with clear ICPs enjoy shorter customer acquisition payback periods and higher expansion rates. Sperring challenges the traditional approach of targeting broad markets, emphasizing the importance of focusing on specific use cases to drive product success. The conversation also touches on customer retention analysis and the transformative role of AI in refining acquisition strategies.

Discover the unique challenges of enterprise sales when aiming for million-dollar deals. Learn how to navigate complex decision-making units and the importance of personalization in sales strategies. Advanced frameworks like the MEDIC qualifying matrix redefine traditional methods, helping sellers engage multiple stakeholders. Gain insights from top experts on what truly drives success in closing these high-stake deals and transform your approach to sales!

In this engaging discussion, Chris Merritt, the Founding CRO at Cloudflare, reveals how he revolutionized sales by building a team that acts as equals to technical buyers, focusing entirely on addressing their questions. He shares insights on using the company’s blog to shape the sales culture and hiring strategies. Chris emphasizes the importance of genuine customer interactions over traditional sales tactics, the role of solutions engineers in enhancing relationships, and adapting sales processes as the business scales.