Hunters and Unicorns

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Liam Mulcahy, Operating Partner at Kleiner Perkins. Having worked with over 100 startups, from first-ever sales rep to operating partner, Liam shares his unfiltered playbook for success in the chaotic world of early-stage companies. We cover how to identify the right opportunities, what a founder-led sales motion looks like, the red flags to watch for in an interview, and the mindset needed to thrive in a high-risk, high-reward environment. Liam also shares his famous cardboard cutout story that landed him a job at MongoDB, a company he helped take public. 🏹 Key Topics Covered 00:00 - Intro 01:53 - The Operating Partner Role at KP 05:18 - From Mongo to VC 09:34 - The Cardboard Cutout Story 11:53 - Product-Out vs. Customer-In 13:30 - Intrinsic Motivation for Startups 17:39 - The "Revenue-Generating PM" 19:53 - Qualifying a Startup as a Rep 23:26 - The Player-Coach Myth 27:49 - Scaling a Sales Team with Pods 30:34 - Evaluating Pre-Revenue Companies 35:22 - Finding the Right Company 40:30 - Red Flags when Interviewing Founders 48:09 - Faster Enterprise Buying Cycles 50:13 - The Future of Sales and AI 55:16 - The Value of Sales Training 💥 3 Biggest Lessons: The DNA of a Founder: Look for founders who see sales as a first-class citizen and have a high emotional resonance with the problem they are solving, not just a homework assignment from a board. The "Player-Coach" Myth: The idea of a single person acting as both a top rep and a team leader is a "misnomer" that often leads to failure at an early-stage startup. It's better to hire great reps first, and then bring in a leader once the sales motion is proven. Bet on Yourself: The best early-stage hires have an intrinsic motivation to prove they can succeed in a chaotic environment. They are not just looking for a prestigious role but for a chance to build something from the ground up. 🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel! 🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog   💬 Notable Quotes "What is the condition where a company would be so desperate and in pain they'd want what we have? And if that's the case, will they pay us anything?". "I bought a cardboard cutout of myself... It just said, can you see me working here?". "If I'm going to hire you as a founding sales rep, I need you to walk through the door on day one as a great sales rep. I can't have to enable you to do the actual function.". "The best early stage hires I've made is they're like revenue-generating product managers.". "If you ask me in 10 years, there're going to be more or less salespeople, I'd say less... the markets are getting exponentially larger... and the models are getting better, faster to be able to do full jobs.". #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse #EastCoastElite

Join Paul Cap, Chief Revenue Officer at MongoDB, as he reveals his journey from finance to tech sales. He discusses the vital mindset shifts that fuel MongoDB's growth and shares insights on building high-performance teams. Paul emphasizes the importance of nurturing future CRO talent and the role of culture in hypergrowth. He also reflects on leadership during crises, advocating for empathy and mission-driven approaches. This conversation is packed with actionable lessons for both emerging leaders and seasoned pros.

In this episode of the East Coase Elite series, we sit down with Yotam Segev, co-founder and CEO of Cyera, to explore the incredible journey of building a cybersecurity unicorn. From the early days of a "B-minus" idea, Yotam shares how a relentless focus on customer feedback, not internal opinions, became the company’s compass. He reveals the difficult but essential pivot from founder-led sales to building a world-class team, the qualities he looks for in top-tier sellers, curiosity, paranoia, and hunger and the mindset that propelled Cyera to nearly $100M ARR and a $6B valuation in just four years. 🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors! PGAI: https://www.getpg.ai & Selr: https://selr.ai 🏹 Key Topics Covered 00:00 - Intro 01:55 - From the military to founding Cyera 05:30 - Why *** is the only compass that matters 08:02 - How top salespeople act 09:16 - The importance of a humble approach 12:22 - The hardest part of the early stages 16:01 - Validating a hypothesis with "dollars" 20:00 - The impact of moving to the U.S. 20:31 - From founder-led sales to building the first team 29:19 - The market transition 32:39 - The three characteristics of a great seller 37:05 - The balance between a playbook and excitement 40:02 - The importance of energy and mindset 49:43 - The core dynamic of the co-founder relationship 52:17 - Cyera's North Sta 54:47 - Why top talent should join Cyera   💥 3 Biggest Lessons: Your Compass is the Customer: Your opinions don't matter; building a great product means constantly listening to and learning from your customers' pain points. Sales is a Team Sport: In an early-stage company, a founder must stay engaged in the sales process to build trust, as a salesperson alone can't provide the same assurance. Mindset is Everything: The difference between an average and exceptional performer is often their attitude. Bring energy, curiosity, and a relentless drive to everything you do. 🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel! 🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog 💬 Notable Quotes "Your idea sounds like a B-minus and that's a compliment. We're investing in the team, and if the customers tell us they want to buy that, we'll build it". "We don't build products according to those opinions. Maybe your mother. We build products according to the customers with a very attentive view to the customers' pain and to the guidance they're providing us". "A company only exists, the oxygen for a company is business. It's a net new ARR. That's the oxygen for these companies that we're all playing in". "The journey itself is the price. And it's not a full lack of ambition. Like we want to take over the world if we could and we're walking towards it". "The best sellers... are curious, genuinely interested, caring about the customers, the challenges, the pains, what they're trying to accomplish, why they're trying to accomplish it, why have they not accomplished it yet again and again and again". #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Austin Stefani, Chief Revenue Officer at DBT Labs, discusses transforming sales leadership by inverting the org chart to empower team members. He shares insights on skill acquisition and the significance of empathy in leadership and client relations. Austin emphasizes the importance of frameworks for problem identification, fostering productivity through metrics, and the value of learning from setbacks. He also highlights the need for authentic communication within teams and maintaining resilience to thrive amidst challenges.

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian Trowbridge, VP of Sales at FireHydrant, to explore the brutal truths of startup life. From making high-stakes decisions with limited runway to navigating board dynamics and founder alignment, Brian unpacks what it really takes to succeed in an early-stage company. We dive deep into how he evaluated FireHydrant before joining, what he looks for in founders and boards, and how sales leaders should think about burn rate, valuations, and growth expectations. If you're in sales and considering a startup role, this episode is a must-watch.   🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors! PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai Selr: https://selr.ai   🏹 Key Topics Covered 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - Startup chaos 05:00 From Startup Grind to Scalable Sales 09:17 The Hardest Hiring Lessons 13:46 Selling Without a Playbook 18:24 Coaching Reps to Think Critically 22:40 Building Repeatable Pipeline 29:03 Staying Grounded as a Sales Leader 35:17 Career Advice for Aspiring CROs 42:00 The Power of Humility in Leadership 50:30 The Role of Curiosity and Grit   💥 3 Biggest Lessons: Chaos is a Feature, Not a Bug: Embrace early-stage ambiguity—true sales leadership is forged in unpredictability. Hiring is Everything: The reps you bring on will define your success. Make every hire count. Ask the Bigger Questions: Scaling isn’t just tactics—it’s teaching your team how to think.   🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!   🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com Twitter:   / huntersun1corns   Instagram:   / huntersandunicorns   Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog   💬 Notable Quotes “If you have a mediocre RD, avoid it. I would even avoid a good company if I didn’t have a good RD.” “You’re not just asking ‘did I make my number?’ You’re asking: does this company even exist in 12 months?” “There’s no bigger mistake than hiring the wrong person—it costs you a year.” “Some founders just burn through VPs. You need to know that before you join.” “You’re wearing a hundred hats and trying to hit growth targets with minimal runway. It’s not for everyone.”   Tags #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Martin Mao, co-founder and CEO of Chronosphere, shares his journey from Uber to launching a game-changing startup in observability. He discusses the bold move of leaving a tech giant to pursue conviction, emphasizing the necessity of internal clarity. Martin highlights the importance of execution and team culture in achieving true product-market fit. He also delves into the challenges of navigating sales dynamics and scaling effectively, providing valuable insights for founders and operators on focusing on their audience and refining their vision.

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, East Coast Elite, we sit down with Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Rubrik. With a remarkable track record scaling high-performing teams and navigating through IPOs, Brian shares the foundational principles that shaped his leadership, putting people first, leading with love, and building structures that drive consistent performance. We explore how Brian transitioned from star seller to visionary leader, how he earned unshakeable team loyalty, and why systems like WANs can revolutionize your sales coaching. If you're serious about leading at scale with integrity, this is a must-watch. 🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors! PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai Selr: https://selr.ai 🏹 Key Topics Covered 00:00 – Intro & First Sales Job 04:20 – Choosing Leadership Over Sales 08:00 – WANs: Coaching with Metrics 12:10 – Building Loyalty Through Care 16:15 – Sales vs. Leadership Thinking 21:00 – IPO Learnings & Pressure 26:10 – Territory, Quota & Fairness 31:25 – Love-Driven Leadership 36:20 – Hiring for Intellect & Agility 42:05 – Structuring First-Line Teams 48:40 – Closing Advice & Reflections 💥 3 Biggest Lessons 1. Real leadership is people-first – Helping someone grow, even if it means leaving your team, is true leadership. 2. Structure drives consistency – Weekly Activity Numbers (WANs) give both clarity and accountability to teams. 3. Love creates loyalty – When leaders genuinely will the best for their people, performance naturally follows. 🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel! 🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog 💬 Notable Quotes “If this is better for you and your family, leave. I will help you get promoted.” “You either really care about people and their development, or you don’t.” “Love is willing the best for others—and that’s how I lead.” #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse

Discover the secrets to hiring A-players in sales leadership! Learn why focusing on super-rep mindsets can sabotage your recruiting efforts. Dive into a structured three-stage hiring process designed to enhance candidate engagement. Uncover the critical importance of feedback loops and how to ensure candidates are ready to say yes before extending offers. Explore backchannel hiring techniques employed by top executives to identify hidden talent. This insightful conversation is a must for anyone aiming to build winning teams!

Dive into the secrets behind career advancement in tech sales. Discover the power of 'Career Champions' and how they can elevate your path. Learn why promotions often hinge not just on performance, but on visibility and alignment. Find out how to become the top choice for leadership positions with insightful strategies. Plus, unearth the essentials for breaking the glass ceiling and thriving in executive roles. It's all about mastering skills and making strategic choices!

Marina Ayton, VP UK&I at Wiz and co-author of The Female Sales Leader, shares her journey through leadership in the tech industry. She discusses navigating transitions between leadership levels and the importance of emotional intelligence in sales. Marina emphasizes the necessity of embracing humility, overcoming imposter syndrome, and making purposeful career moves. With insights on building diverse teams and strategies to empower women in sales, she offers a playbook for aspiring leaders to thrive and make a lasting impact.