Hunters and Unicorns

**Finding Product-Market Fit and Building a Successful Company** Laurent Gil, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of cast.ai, shares his insights on finding product-market fit and how it drives organizational success. Discover how elite sales, combined with product-market fit, create a successful company. **Journey as an Entrepreneur** Laurent recounts his entrepreneurial journey, from his 2005 startup using facial recognition technology acquired by Google to founding a cybersecurity company leveraging GPUs for machine learning. Learn how he overcame skepticism and demonstrated the potential of facial recognition, paving the way for digital sharing and social media. **From Idea to Success** Laurent emphasizes that commercial viability comes from solving real problems, not just building cool products. He underscores the importance of understanding issues and developing effective solutions. **Cast AI: Optimizing Cloud Costs** Laurent's company, Cast AI, tackles the problem of cloud over-provisioning, where 87% of machine utilization is wasted. Cast AI's engine dynamically adjusts resources in real-time to optimize costs, especially for applications with variable user traffic. **Key Insights** - Over-provisioning wastes 87% of machine utilization. - Cast AI dynamically adjusts cloud resources to optimize costs. - Beneficial for applications with variable user traffic. **Case Study: Bank Client** Learn how a bank client used Cast AI to scale compute resources based on user activity, minimizing waste and reducing costs during off-peak hours. **Challenges in Selecting Machine Types** Laurent discusses the difficulty of choosing the right machine type from numerous options. Cast AI automates this process, selecting the most efficient machine based on real-time usage and cloud provider availability. **Traction and Scalability** Discover how Cast AI developed its technology with a California client, optimized their compute resources, and gained traction with other clients, becoming a scalable solution for cloud optimization. **Actionable Insights** - Understand and solve real problems. - Optimize cloud costs to reduce waste. - Utilize technology like Cast AI for real-time resource adjustment. Laurent's experiences offer valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and tech professionals on finding product-market fit and building successful companies.

The Journey of a Founding Entrepreneur: Leveraging Experience and Data to Build a Successful E-commerce Solution Background and Motivation Eli Finkelshteyn, CEO and founder of Constructor, has a background in computational linguistics and data science, which led him to work in search technology. His experience in search algorithms and his observation of e-commerce companies re-reinventing the wheel sparked the idea to build a specialized search solution for e-commerce. The Founding Journey Finkelshteyn saved for years and gained industry understanding before starting his company. He spent three months building the product before starting testing in different environments. The early stages of the business were a rollercoaster, but he remained driven to prove the value of his solution. Product-Market Fit and ROI The company's goal is to provide a search technology that ecommerce businesses can use to improve their customer experience and increase revenue. Finkelshteyn emphasizes the importance of finding product-market fit, creating a compelling event that customers need, and mapping that to a clear return on investment. Case Study: Solving a Problem for a Client The company's co-founder shares the story of how they founded their company by solving a problem for a client. The company started by solving a problem for an e-commerce company, focusing on metrics that the business cared about, such as revenue, conversions, and profit. The product improved the search functionality for the client, leading to a 2% increase in conversions and a significant return on investment. Overcoming Sales Challenges Eli emphasizes how the focus was on building a product that solved a problem which in turn enabled them to rely on the data to speak for itself. They would convince a customer to try their product and demonstrate the value of their product by showcasing the results in the customer's own data. Revenue Growth and Partnerships The company has seen significant growth, with data showing that they are generating an additional $10-20 million in revenue due to their product. The speaker notes that they are working with big companies and that even a small percentage lift in revenue can result in significant gains. The company has also partnered with Bernd Mahrlein, a respected expert in the field, to improve their marketing and sales approach. Unique Sales Process The company's sales process is focused on providing proof to customers within their own data before they pay. They use a unique process that involves installing two lines of JavaScript on a customer's website to collect anonymized clickstream data. This data is then used to identify areas where the customer's product discovery is falling down and where customers are not finding what they are looking for. Actionable Insights 1. Focus on data-driven decision making: Rely on your product's capabilities to speak for themselves, rather than relying solely on sales and marketing efforts. 2. Focus on solving a specific problem: Identify a specific problem that your product solves and tailor your marketing and sales efforts to that specific need. 3. Collaborate with industry experts: Partner with respected experts in your field to improve your marketing and sales approach. 4. Focus on ROI: Emphasize the clear return on investment that your product provides to customers. By following these actionable insights, entrepreneurs can learn from Eli Finkelshteyn's journey and gain valuable insights into building a successful e-commerce solution.

Mike Earnest, VP of Worldwide Sales at Wiz, shares insights on leadership, sales, and management. He emphasizes understanding customer pain points, building high-performing sales teams, and coaching conversations. His journey from sales rep to leader in 4-5 years showcases the power of hard work and dedication.

Carlos Delatorre, a successful serial entrepreneur, discusses his talent development philosophy, evaluating growth opportunities, prioritizing inclusive cultures, and insights on scaling to $1B revenue. He highlights nurturing grit, commitment, learning from failures, and optimizing processes through data-driven priorities.

In this conversation, Josh Reiner, VP of EMEA at Wiz, shares his journey from BMC to leading teams in the SaaS space. He emphasizes the significance of clear goals and open communication to unify remote teams, especially during market transitions. Josh reveals how coaching and accountability can drive performance and highlights the value of diversity in fostering innovative ideas. He also discusses navigating cross-cultural leadership challenges, stressing the importance of adaptability and understanding local nuances for success.

Sales and leadership expert Sam Costello shares his journey from landscaping to tech sales, emphasizing customer-first mindset. He discusses success at Oracle, pivot to startups, and MEDDIC sales approach. Mentoring from sales gurus shaped his perspective on customer success. Seeking feedback and remaining coachable are key for continual growth. Joining Harness reflects his dedication to making an impact. Building a foundation for philanthropy motivates his broader purpose.

The conversation between Ollie, Simon, and Rick covers the evolving landscape of sales enablement and its crucial role in driving revenue growth. Rick emphasizes the need for sales teams to adapt to changes in technology and buyer behaviour, leveraging data and insights effectively to succeed in a competitive market. He discusses the productive capacity model, highlighting key components such as hiring, onboarding, pipeline generation, conversion, and customer expansion. Rick also shares insights into Rev-Logic's approach to providing revenue enablement as a service, leveraging technology and industry expertise to drive sales effectiveness. Throughout the conversation, there's an emphasis on the importance of continuous learning and collaboration within the sales community to stay ahead in a rapidly changing environment. The discussion concludes with reflections on the impact of enablement in driving predictable and repeatable success in sales and the value of learning from industry experts and peers through platforms like podcasts. Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into the critical role of enablement in driving sales success and supporting continuous learning and adaptation within sales organizations. Key Takeaways from the Entire Podcast: 1. **Introduction and Background**: Rick Kickert, co-founder of Rev-Logic, brings extensive experience in revenue enablement, having worked with influential leaders such as Dali Rajic. Simon and Ollie, introduce Rick, highlighting his energy and promise for an insightful discussion. 2. **Enablement Dynamics**: Enablement is defined as aligning with business goals and integrating them into the company's DNA. Rick's journey from a buyer to an enablement expert was driven by the opportunity to expand his skill set and professional network. 3. **Sales Evolution**: The focus should shift towards buyer enablement, adapting to changing buying behaviors, leveraging technology, and emphasizing product-led growth to provide unique and context-rich communication. 4. **Enablement's Role**: Establishing robust enablement programs, even in early-stage organizations, is crucial for scalability and long-term success. Continuous evaluation and adaptation are necessary to maintain productivity and reduce attrition. 5. **The Formula for Success**: Rick emphasizes making the go-to-market team as productive as possible to achieve revenue goals. The productive capacity model includes hiring, onboarding, pipeline generation, conversion, and customer expansion or consumption. 6. **Rev-Logic's Approach**: Rev-Logic aims to provide revenue enablement as a service, leveraging experienced operators in the field to help companies achieve their revenue goals. Continuous learning and collaboration within the sales community are emphasized for shared knowledge and insights. Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights into the critical role of enablement in driving predictable and repeatable success in sales, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and collaboration within the sales community.

Alex Varel shares insights on purpose-driven leadership, remote work challenges, and the evolution of leadership playbook. From traditional to modern leadership, balancing hard work with purpose-driven strategies is key. Discussion on recruiting strategies, navigating personal/professional challenges, and nurturing talent for leadership success.

Join Spencer Tuttle, the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Redis, as he shares insights on building and scaling organizations. Discover the evolution of the sales playbook in subscription software, the importance of embracing pressure for personal growth, and the criticality of transparency and team-building as a first-line leader. Explore Spencer's experiences in expanding into international markets, transitioning from being a sales rep to a CRO, and the art of developing personality and artistry while embracing data in the role of a CRO.

In this Special Edition episode from Hunters and Unicorns, we're treated to an engaging chat with Casey Ellis (Founder) and Dave Gerry (CEO) from the innovative cybersecurity company Bugcrowd. Casey, the pioneering brain behind Bugcrowd, takes us from his days of cracking codes to building a platform that empowers the good-guy hackers. Dave brings his rich tapestry of cybersecurity experiences to the table, painting a picture of how his past roles carved the path to his CEO position. The duo dive into the story of how Bugcrowd transitioned from its founder-focused roots to a broader leadership horizon, unpacking the wins and hurdles of growing a company. Their camaraderie is a testament to how trust, respect, and diverse strengths can forge a strong leadership bond. They also peel back the curtain on the art of cybersecurity sales, shedding light on the intricate dance of pitching to top security chiefs and the journey from the sales floor to the corner office. Both Casey and Dave are champions for cultivating a team spirit and a culture where everyone pulls together. Looking ahead, Bugcrowd's blueprint is all about upscaling the business, pushing the growth pedal to the metal, and branching out into untapped territories—all while honing their message to showcase their full suite of cyber-defenses beyond just bug bounties. It's clear that for Bugcrowd, the future's not just bright; it's groundbreaking.