Hunters and Unicorns

Hunters + Unicorns: The 33 CxOs - Richard Rivera #020

“It comes down to the people in my belief and that is certainly no disrespect to the technology, but it doesn't sell itself. Big enterprises have so many options to solve their problems and there's a lot of mixed messages out there. I'm passionate about doing anything I can to help find and develop the hunters of the world, and the unicorns are a fun journey to be a part of.”  - Richard Rivera

Hunters and Unicorns shares the playbooks from leaders, founders, executives and investors from high growth technology companies. In this special edition series The 33 CXOs we investigate the greatest success story in the history of software sales. Discover how thirty-three sales execs from one organisation, BladeLogic, became CXOs in the world’s 100 fastest growing technology companies. We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most prolific sales leaders in the industry.

Episode 20 features Richard Rivera, Chief Revenue Officer at Vibes. Over the past two decades, Rivera has established a significant track record of success building and scaling multiple disruptive technologies and cloud-based SaaS businesses. He has held prominent revenue-generating leadership roles at firms such as Medallia, Monetate, Dialpad, Fuze, BMC Software and BladeLogic. During Rivera’s tenure, these tech companies have seen 200%+ average revenue spikes during their early to mid-stage growth phases. Richard is now elevating the vision, mission and identity of Vibes, the Gartner Leader in mobile engagement and taking this technology pioneer into its next phase of hyper growth. “I wasn't then and nor am I now a technologist. I'm just not that into it. For me, it was leaning into what I do - I came from a football and teaching background so I would just teach, and I would really pay attention to the individuals that I was working with. I got introduced to the concept of a champion and I knew that champion had to have criteria that aligned to my unique value proposition and differentiation, so I knew early on that it was about selling to people.” When Richard joined BladeLogic under the leadership of John McMahon, he was able to optimise his potential for the first time in his career. As a Sales Rep for leading edge software with zero passion for technology, he relied on his experience as a teacher and coach and connected with the simplicity of a strategy that focused on people and building champions. Even though he says he “wasn't the best salesperson on the planet and certainly not the best one in that salesforce,” he found a way to survive by connecting with the people he was selling to, having an open mindset, and learning from the elite sellers surrounding him. His dedication to the playbook, deep understanding of the concept of productivity and passion for operational excellence has enabled Richard to drive alignment and commitment throughout his career whilst developing and inspiring his teams, colleagues, and customers. “Leadership is establishing a vision of what good looks like, a plan of how they get there, and then developing them towards the plan, and then inspiring them every day. If you're only thinking about winning the next deal and you're not really passionate about serving the people on your team and making them better, your motivation is going to affect your habits and behaviours. Your mindset is what drives your habits and behaviours and if your mindset's not right for leadership, then your habits and behaviours will make a negative impact on your team.” In this vodcast you will discover: How a background in sports and teaching paved the way for Richard’s success in SaaS Sales. How the MEDDIC framework enabled Richard to transition from sales rep to CRO and beyond. Recruitment - what key traits Richard looks for in interviewees. Why Richard chose to return to operating after starting his own consultancy business and why he chose Vibes. In terms of the journey to becoming a successful growth company, Richard’s world begins and ends with people. His passion is for more than just sales execution, he believes that “if you expect something out of a leader you've got to train and coach it up,” and he is devoted to doing just that. He has taken risks, made mistakes and had a lot of success in his career due to his incredible ability to learn and evolve. We discuss the core pillars of Richard’s playbook, how a 15-minute interview with McMahon changed his whole life and ask him to answer our all-important question: does the hunter make the unicorn? This deep dive into the world of SaaS Sales from the perspective of proven growth technology executive with more than 20 years of experience is an absolute must for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the technology space. 

Hunters + Unicorns: The 33 CxOs - Tom Schmit #021

 

“How do we activate people's greatness? That’s what it’s all about. So many have it inside of them, but it hasn't come out. It's our job to develop the hell out of them and truly make them great. They signed up, they took a chance, now what are we going to do to make them great? If you focus on that and have the playbook in place - that's how you make something magical.” – Tom Schmit

Hunters and Unicorns shares the playbooks from leaders, founders, executives and investors from high growth technology companies. In this special edition series The 33 CXOs we investigate the greatest success story in the history of software sales. Discover how thirty-three sales execs from one organisation, BladeLogic, became CXOs in the world’s 100 fastest growing technology companies. We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most prolific sales leaders in the industry.

Episode 21 features Tom Schmit, Chief Revenue Officer at AuditBoard. Schmit is a SaaS master with extensive leadership experience in customer acquisition and retention at fast-growing enterprise software companies. Prior to AuditBoard, Tom served as Chief Revenue Officer for AppDynamics where he led and scaled a global team of over one thousand people and was instrumental in driving annual recurring revenue growth from less than $50M to more than $500M. Before his tenure at AppDynamics, Tom rose through BMC's sales leadership ranks over 5 years post the acquisition of BladeLogic, where he was originally introduced to the art and science of enterprise platform sales. In January 2021, Tom “followed his passion” and joined the executive team at AuditBoard to help scale and unlock the full potential of their customer-first sales approach. Building on an already successful model, Tom intends to drive evolution as the platform’s products and solutions continue to expand, using his expertise to enhance customer value and relationships and create a “legendary” company. “What is your why? It's amazing what you can get out when you lead with that - you build this relationship with your team where it's so much bigger than just the deal and everything that we talk about in the playbook which is really critical, but now there's this emotional attachment that when they're having success, it's based on something bigger than that. If you don't have that connection, I think you're a dying breed as a leader. I don't think it matters what playbook you have.”

Schmit’s natural sales ability was apparent before he joined BladeLogic but John McMahon’s commitment to the development of his teams, training and MEDDIC gave Tom the compass he needed to understand why he had been so successful in the past and how to develop his skills to transition into leadership roles. Tom became a student of the sales process and learnt how to build top-performing teams by focussing on recruitment and development— critical capabilities required for his future positions leading world-class enterprise sales organizations through rapid growth. “It's more than just accepting who you are, it's finding your own style and your own way to inspire and develop. Be authentic, be real, be vulnerable. It's not about being perfect, just truly own it. I think that's so critical especially in today's day and age. People don't have time for bullshit.” In this vodcast you will discover: What it takes to be a leader in the SaaS industry How to develop a team of selfless high performers by unlocking the “why?” How the MEDDIC framework gave Tom the compass he needed to transition from sales to leadership The secrets to Tom’s success and his current mission at AuditBoard Tom Schmit is a builder of top-performing teams. His reputation for generating strong sustained revenue growth while scaling teams is a testament to the unique energy he brings to leadership which is fuelled by his passion for recruiting talented individuals, developing them and witnessing their success. We discuss the highs and lows of Tom’s experiences in this fast-paced industry and find out what key ingredients are required in this day and age to build a unicorn. This insightful discussion is essential listening for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the technology space.

Hunters + Unicorns: The 33 CxOs - Vance Loiselle #019

“I was never a six-foot, four-point shooter, I always played a lot of sports and was good at the sports that I played, but at the end of the day I was a grinder. You put me in something, and I will grind my way out of it and figure it out and work as hard if not harder than anybody to make it successful.” - Vance Loiselle

 

Hunters and Unicorns shares the playbooks from leaders, founders, executives and investors from high growth technology companies. In this special edition series The 33 CXOs we investigate the greatest success story in the history of software sales. Discover how thirty-three sales execs from one organisation, BladeLogic, became CXOs in the world’s 100 fastest growing technology companies. We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most prolific sales leaders in the industry.

Episode 19 features Vance Loiselle, President & CEO Propertybase. Vance is an accomplished enterprise software leader with more than 20 years of experience building high-tech companies into market leaders. As co-founder of BladeLogic, he helped lead the company from an idea and initial funding to IPO and subsequent $900 million acquisition by BMC Software. After BMC Software acquired BladeLogic in 2008, he remained with the company for four years serving in various executive positions, including Worldwide Vice President of Global Services, sales operations, field marketing and software consulting. After BMC, Loiselle was president and CEO of Sumo Logic, leading the company from launch through multiple years of hyper-growth in employees, customers, and revenue. In 2017, he made the transition into real estate, joining Boston Logic as President and Chief Executive Officer and becoming responsible for driving company strategy and expansion. Now, categorised as a “Software Champion,” Loiselle is applying his vast experience in cloud, data analytics and machine learning software companies to Propertybase, driving growth, and enabling brokers, teams and agents to embrace technology at an accelerated rate. “Not all of the companies that I've been affiliated with had a great product and great sales. We used both of those things, the product that we were building coupled with trying to figure out how to get even a sliver of the John McMahon playbook into what we were doing. You learn a lot, but boy it was great to fall back on the playbook that I had learned at BladeLogic. Hiring John McMahon to lead the BladeLogic sale force marked the beginning of a new era of progression and accomplishment for Vance and the entire BladeLogic team. Witnessing John and Dev Ittycheria’s absolute confidence in a playbook centred around number-driven sales strategies and a dedication to the success of others, Vance discovered the “science to sales,” and learnt how to adapt and develop the proven formula to achieve huge success in his career thereafter. Since co-founding BladeLogic, where he gained a deep understanding of how to address application and infrastructure problems at large scale, Vance has developed a unique skill set. He has impeccable instincts and a proven track record in taking a compelling technology that solves the biggest enterprise problems and transforming it into a high-growth company primed for rapid expansion. “The same things that I learned at BladeLogic and the playbook I apply here, everything from, how do you recruit folks? How do you enable and train them? How do you move on from decisions quickly? How do you make sure you put your team ahead of yourself when you're coaching and figure out what their personal wins are? I apply all that stuff here with both people that I've worked with in the past and new people that I have in the organization.”

In this vodcast you will discover:

The genesis of BladeLogic – a behind-the-scenes story from the co-founder.

John McMahon’s influence - how he transformed BladeLogic with his playbook and mindset.

The pillars of Vance’s playbook. How and why Vance transitioned into the real estate industry and what the future holds. Vance has deep experience in not only founding and growing start-up technology companies but running large-scale enterprise businesses and building unicorns. We discuss the genesis of BladeLogic and Vance’s incredible journey through the SaaS landscape from his initial indoctrination at Andersen Consulting to management and leadership roles, through to his current position as President and CEO of the leading software provider to the real estate industry. This is a truly inspirational conversation for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the technology space.

Hunters + Unicorns: The 33 CxOs - The Dev Ittycheria Interview #022

“The lesson I've learned the hard way is that the only way you build a great business is by marrying a great product with a great distribution channel. That's essentially what we did at BladeLogic and that's what we're trying to do at MongoDB and when I look at all the great software companies, I can't think of one who doesn't have those two elements.”  - Dev Ittycheria

Hunters and Unicorns shares the playbooks from leaders, founders, executives and investors from high growth technology companies. In this special edition series The 33 CXOs we investigate the greatest success story in the history of software sales. Discover how thirty-three sales execs from one organisation, BladeLogic, became CXOs in the world’s 100 fastest growing technology companies. We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most prolific sales leaders in the industry. The final episode of this series features Dev Ittycheria, CEO Of MongoDB. Dev has over two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and leader, specialising in high-growth software companies. Dev joined MongoDB in 2014 and has led the company through some of its highest growth years. Before MongoDB, Dev founded and IPOed two companies—Breakaway Solutions, which went public in 1999 and was acquired by Verizon in 2001, and BladeLogic, which had one of the most successful IPOs of 2007 and was later acquired by BMC Software for $900 million. He has also invested in and served on the boards of many successful software companies including AppDynamics, Athenahealth, and Datadog. “I’ve seen many execs fail or stop scaling because they feel like they've mastered the system and all of a sudden, they hit a wall. The best people always have some degree of doubt and are constantly trying to understand and adapt to what's happening. You can’t cut and paste from a past experience. Every company has its own unique issues and needs different things as it grows and as a leader, you need to be able to adapt.” Dev’s philosophy is simple – always be a student of the game.

In reference to his earlier career, Dev discusses experiencing imposter syndrome, feeling “caught in a trap of trying to portray that you’re on top of everything” and his inspiring realisation that vulnerability can actually be strength, not a weakness. “You don't need to have the answers to everything, you just need to be able to ask good questions and surround yourself with good people.” Dev accredits his astounding success to having a learning mindset and to the incredible teams and mentors who have helped shape his management philosophy over the years, especially Steve Walski and John McMahon. He is a true believer in the importance of building trust across an organization and creating a strong culture of communication by providing a safe space for teams to discuss, experiment, and give candid feedback. As a leader, he understands that people mirror how he behaves and is therefore very intentional about the values he sets and creating a meritocratic environment in order to attract and retain great people.

“I consider myself almost like the conductor of an orchestra. I don't really make the music, I don't even necessarily write the music, but I make sure that all the different people in the orchestra work well together and that together, we make beautiful music.”

In this vodcast you will discover: Dev’s reflection on the success and impact of BladeLogic How Dev manages the huge pressure and decision processes attached to the role of CEO How to recruit the right people and lead by influence, not fear Dev’s operating rhythm – how he views his role and is able to focus on the right areas MongoDB’s powerful position in the evolving digital world Dev Ittycheria is an inspiration for all concerned in today's transformational environment of business technology. As the visionary founder behind BladeLogic, he has immense pride for the achievements of his teams and mentors both past and present and continues to redefine great leadership at MongoDB by aiming to create a “company for the ages” by putting a foundation in place so that the company can continue to soar even in his absence. We discuss Dev’s path into tech, leadership and investing, and gain a unique insight into the behind-the-scenes journey of a company from start-up to unicorn status. This one-off discussion has been a true honour for us and is essential listening for anyone with an interest in sales strategy, as well as a passion for the technology space.

Hunters + Unicorns: The 33 CxOs - Adam Aarons #018

“Great leaders make great teams. There are great sales reps in the world, and they are absolutely a key component, but they work for great leaders - you need great leadership to build great teams.”  - Adam Aarons

Hunters and Unicorns shares the playbooks from leaders, founders, executives and investors from high growth technology companies. In this special edition series The 33 CXOs we investigate the greatest success story in the history of software sales. Discover how thirty-three sales execs from one organisation, BladeLogic, became CXOs in the world’s 100 fastest growing technology companies. We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most prolific sales leaders in the industry.

Episode 18 features Adam Aarons, Independent Field Operations Executive, Advisor and Investor. A software-as-a-service veteran, Adam has spent his career focused on the deployment of cloud infrastructure, SaaS, and enterprise solutions and has over 20 years of experience in this industry. He started out selling knives for Cutco Cutlery in the 90’s where he immediately discovered his flair for process-driven sales and became a “student of the game”. It was during a Cutco sales pitch to John McMahon’s wife that Adam’s unique ability to sell caught the attention of the legendary sales leader himself - John purchased the “Homemaker + Set” and offered him a job on the spot. Determined to finish college, Adam turned him down but pledged that if ever John were to call in the future, he would go. After great success at Cutco, John McMahon hired Adam as a Sales Representative at PTC where he was a consistent top revenue producer and over-achiever. He then went on to hold leadership positions at Agile Software, OpenPages, BladeLogic, BMC Software (where revenues under his purview grew more than 300 percent) and later joined Okta, Inc. where he served as Chief Revenue Officer and grew revenue from $1 million to more than $300 million, eventually leading the team through an IPO in March 2017. Now in an advisory role at Classy.org, Adam is enjoying doing exactly what he loves - building great sales organizations and doing great things for the world in the process. “I like to make things simple. The beauty of what I bring to the enterprise is, I have a way to simplify the sale. I do that through figuring out the fastest, best, easiest ways to sell into an organization, and then map that to a sales process and refine it. It's an ever-growing, breathing thing, and as you scale, you have to grow and change with that process.” Under John McMahon’s mentorship at PTC, Adam learnt the playbook and followed the processes as part of a team, “High tides raise all boats” and there were no mercenaries – everyone worked together for the good of the company and Adam thrived in a competitive environment centred around meritocracy and overachieving. He devoted himself to the “tried and true” methodologies, learnt the “recipe” to great success and began to apply it wherever he went, building processes around it, finding ways to apply it to the masses, and using it to scale businesses at an unprecedented rate. “The ticket is expensive to play in this game. It's a high bar and you have to be fully dedicated to it. You didn't just say these things to your team, you lived it, because you have to lead from the front, and it has to be authentic. You ask people to do extraordinary things and it takes extraordinary people to be successful in these roles. You have to be willing to lead from the front to do that.” In this vodcast you will discover: How Adam worked his way up from selling knives to becoming a leader and advisor for world-leading organisations. How the environment and culture at PTC shaped Adam’s career. Adam’s Playbook elements– a breakdown of the key pillars that have enabled his success in the industry. Making sacrifices to be successful – how to get the work-life balance right when you’re fully dedicated to your role. With a mantra of, “Be the very best we can be as a team”, Adam leads from the front with a willingness to grow and change. He is part of a “movement” of people who were together because they wanted to do great things and his incredible career and current position in life is a testament to that. We discuss Adam’s deep experience in this cut-throat industry, his enduring commitment to playbook, and ask, “Does the hunter make the unicorn?” This extensive discussion is essential listening for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the technology space.

Hunters + Unicorns: The Presales Edition - Phil Pergola #004

In the Presales Edition of The 33 CXOs we explore the crucial role of the presales organisation in what is regarded as the greatest success story in software sales.  

When John McMahon took over as the Head of Sales within BladeLogic, he had a clear vision to create a sales and presales organisation that was in complete unison. What transpired became a sales rhythm which remains the golden standard for best practice within the most successful technology companies in the world.  

The effects of a value-driven, technical sales function transcended the boundaries of presales. The playbook has helped trailblaze best practice within Customer Success, Value Engineering, Professional Services and even Product Management.  

We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most talented technical sales leaders in the industry who are driving the technology companies of the future. 

Episode 4 features Phil Pergola, Global Customer Success Leader for Success 360 at VMWare Success 360. Phil started his career as a Senior Consultant at Accenture and was originally introduced to some of the future leaders of BladeLogic when he moved to become Director and Solutions Architect at Eggrock Partners in 1999. Proving himself in this role, he stood out as a key player who could assist and add value to a pioneering SaaS start-up and was approached to join the founding team at BladeLogic in 2002 as DirectorHead of Client Services. From there began Phil’s upward career trajectory of strategic transitions and professional advancements that have led him to become the accomplished enterprise software leader that he is today. 

“At the end of the day, what I’ve found in my career is that diversity of experience is huge because every role that I go to, I'm even better because of the diverse experience that I've had and the perspective that I can bring to those roles.” 

With a process-centric mindset and a background in enterprise SaaS, Phil already had many of the foundational skills he needed to tackle challenges and solve problems whilst simultaneously building Professional Services and Support divisions at a start-up experiencing huge growth. However, a new era of innovation within the software space transpired as a result of the thought leaders at BladeLogic. In order to succeed in his role there, Phil needed to develop new skills. Under the leadership of Steve Strachan and John McMahon, Phil learnt and mastered the sales playbook.  He was not only taught how to sell and scale a global organisation, but also how to incorporate this methodology into his practice areas, enabling him to take his professional development to a new level.  

“It's one thing to read a book on methodologies but it's another thing to experience it and really learn how to apply it. You don't learn how to drive a car by reading a manual. You learn to drive a car through hours of experience and making mistakes, and I think the experience of working with those leaders was profound in my ability to not only apply that, but also refine my craft.” 

In this vodcast you will discover: 

• How MEDDIC methodologies can enhance your career in Professional Services or Customer Success 
• How Phil is defining the Customer Success playbook for the next generation 
• Phil’s role at VMWare and the importance of Customer Success to subscription and SaaS business 
• The role of diversity in delivering a positive experience for customers 

 

Phil Pergola understands exactly how to drive positive business outcomes across the entire customer lifecycle. His diverse background of engagement with the expansion and development of systems and processes in world-class SaaS organisations is a testament to his versatility and readiness to constantly adapt. We discuss the pillars of Phil’s playbook, what advice he would give to anyone considering a role in Customer Success and find out which technology or area of innovation he thinks is going to have the biggest impact on business in the next decade. This in-depth discussion is essential listening for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for making customers successful withthe technology space. 

 

Hunters + Unicorns: The Presales Edition - Tim Fessenden #010

In the Presales Edition of The 33 CXOs we explore the crucial role of the presales organisation in what is regarded as the greatest success story in software sales. 

When John McMahon took over as the Head of Sales within BladeLogic, he had a clear vision to create a sales and presales organisation that was in complete unison. What transpired became a sales rhythm which remains the golden standard for best practice within the most successful technology companies in the world. 

The effects of a value-driven, technical sales function transcended the boundaries of presales. The playbook has helped trailblaze best practice within Customer Success, Value Engineering, Professional Services and even Product Management. 

We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most talented technical sales leaders in the industry who are driving the technology companies of the future. 

Episode 10 features Tim Fessenden, President at Propertybase. Tim has over 20 years of SaaS and enterprise software experience and a proven track record of effective leadership at fast-moving, global SaaS-based software companies. Prior to joining Propertybase, Tim was Vice President of Products at Yottaa, a SaaS-eCommerce acceleration platform, and previously held senior positions including General Manager at BMC Software, and Director of Sales Engineering & Product Management at BladeLogic. Tim originally joined the founders of BladeLogic in 2001 to grow a services practice but quickly transitioned to become a key player in the development of their initial product and customer base. His professional achievements and career progression have led him to become the versatile leader that he is today, driving the next stage of development at the world’s leading real estate software platform.  

“I never thought of myself as a technologist. I thought of myself as an intelligent businessperson looking at large macroeconomic shifts and figuring out who were going to be the winners and who were going to be the losers. I saw technology as a clear tailwind in the market, so I said, how do I get there? I never had any training in technology, I just identified that that was the place I wanted to live and breathe.” 

With an innate ability to look at situations through a macroscopic lens, as well always engaging with the customer experience, Tim was already practicing some of the key principles of John Kaplan’s value framework even before being introduced to a physical playbook.  Therefore, when the extensive training and methodologies were implemented at BladeLogic, Tim naturally stepped into a leadership position. Owning the roadmap and being able to communicate the WHY behind what was being built allowed Tim to train, enable and strategically position sales engineers to execute the product strategy and generate revenue faster than ever before. He understood the importance of technical depth through the sales process and became a translation engine, bridging communication gaps between all functions and building the foundations for his future career.  

“A lot of people have a myopic view of just the part that impacts them, but we all know that it's a continuum - if you push in one area, it's going to pop in the other. It’s all interconnected. A discussion around pain ultimately needs to translate to something actionable on the back end and vice versa, if something is innovative on the backend, you need to make sure that that message gets out on the front end. That translation engine is the number one thing I hang my hat on and the most important thing that's attributed to my success.” 

In this vodcast you will discover: 

• Building BladeLogic from the ground up – Tim’s experiences in the early days of product development 
• The key personality traits that enable transition from presales into management and leadership  
• The transformative effect of the playbook and how this propelled Tim’s career into leadership 
• How to scale an organisation by leading with the WHY 

Fluent in the language of value, Tim Fessenden is a strategic leader who knows from experience what it takes to build a sales machine to grow revenue. With a mindset attuned to innovation, Tim has learnt the value of customer engagement and his playbook reflects his primary focus on the WHY - what are we doing here and why will people buy? We discuss his journey through the ranks from Software Consultant to President at Propertybase and find out which area of innovation he thinks will have the biggest impact on business over the next decade. A wide-ranging discussion steeped in valuable advice, this episode is essential listening for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the technology space. 

 

Hunters + Unicorns: The Presales Edition - Diwakar Prabhakar #007

In the Presales Edition of The 33 CXOs we explore the crucial role of the presales organisation in what is regarded as the greatest success story in software sales.  

When John McMahon took the reins at BladeLogic, he had a clear vision to create a sales and presales organisation that was in complete unison. What transpired became a sales rhythm which remains the gold standard for best practice within the most successful technology companies in the world.  

The effects of a value-driven, technical sales function transcended the boundaries of presales. The playbook has helped trailblaze best practice within Customer Success, Value Engineering, Professional Services and even Product Management.  

We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most talented technical sales leaders in the industry who are driving the technology companies of the future. 

 

Episode 7 features Diwakar Prabhakar, Vice President of Solutions Consulting at Sprinklr. With over 20 years of experience scaling diverse teams for high growth companies in the SaaS industry, Diwakar is a presales powerhouse. Working with global software leaders including BladeLogic, BMC, Medallia and AppDynamics, Diwakar has built an impressive career portfolio and has continually developed his skills to progress from unpacking boxes as a Customer Support Engineer straight out of college, to using his experience and credibility to drive and evolve business as Vice President of Solutions Consulting at the world’s leading Customer Experience Management platform. 

“Revenue is a really good indicator of how well the company and the product is doing. I would almost say that the technology is secondary. It's about the value that you can deliver, but the real proof is, are they willing to write the cheque? I think the revenue, the value and the technology are all of equal importance.” 

With enough IP operations experience to let the customer know "I've been in your shoes before", Diwakar brought an abundance of credibility and experience when he joined the BladeLogic pre-sales org. He was skilled in his field and confident in the product, but he soon realised that it was going to take more than a technological solution to win deals. For customers to buy the BladeLogic product in higher quantities, Diwakar recognised the need for enhancing the sales approach. Following the high-profile appointments of Steve Strachan and John McMahon, the thorough implementation of the MEDDIC framework began. At this point he realised “the process around selling the technology is more important than the technology itself.” Diwakar witnessed a huge upward trajectory from his continuously improving ability to communicate value, find pain points and build champions. He attached himself to critical business needs and has continued to trust, develop and adapt these core playbook principles throughout his career. This has enabled him to drive revenue and scale organisations at an astonishing rate. 

“It's the drive, the desire to learn, the ability to take risks and being honest with yourself about what you know and what you don't know. No one at Medallia ever confused me for a subject matter expert. Every one of those 85 SEs that I hired knew more about the industry than I did. I learned from them and I wasn't embarrassed to admit that I didn't know much about the industry. So, be honest about what you don't know and willing to put in the effort, I think goes a long way.” 

In this vodcast you will discover: 

• The early days of BladeLogic - how the playbook transformed the company and defined Diwakar’s career  
• How to adjust the playbook to fit new organisations and industries 
• Diwakar’s transparent approach to recruitment and advice for anyone entering the world of pre-sales 
• The vital importance of a strong relationship between sales and pre-sales 

 

Leading with transparency and integrity, Diwakar Prabhakar is an expert in building high performing, adaptable presales teams that can drive revenue in an industry that continues to innovate at an ever-increasing pace. We discuss his career path, lessons he has learnt, his recruitment strategy and ask him what area of technology or innovation he thinks will have the biggest impact on business over the next decade. This insightful discussion brings a new perspective to our understanding of pre-sales and is essential listening for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for technology. 

 

Hunters + Unicorns: The Presales Edition - Frank Lamprea #002

In the Presales Edition of The 33 CXOs we explore the crucial role of the presales organisation in what is regarded as the greatest success story in software sales.  

When John McMahon took over as the Head of Sales within BladeLogic, he had a clear vision to create a sales and presales organisation that was in complete unison. What transpired became a sales rhythm which remains the golden standard for best practice within the most successful technology companies in the world.  

The effects of a value-driven, technical sales function transcended the boundaries of presales. The playbook has helped trailblaze best practice within Customer Success, Value Engineering, Professional Services and even Product Management.  

We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most talented technical sales leaders in the industry who are driving the technology companies of the future. 

Episode 2 features Frank Lamprea, Sales Engineering Leader at ThoughtSpot. Frank started his journey into presales at BladeLogic in 2006, having originally built his career in the end-user space. His adaptability, deep-rooted passion for technology and profound insight into the customer experience gave him the raw materials he needed to enter and evolve in a pioneering, high-growth, aggressive software space, and subsequently launch an incredible career trajectory. With a consistent focus on progression and “sharpening the sword”, Frank has continued to excel in this field, climbing the ranks as part of world class sales teams.  He has played key roles in the growth of market leaders including BMC, AppDynamics and most recently, ThoughtSpot. 

“Most successful presales people have an interesting mix of skills that makes them who they are. You need that mix of technical expertise and a good set of soft skills, communication skills, savviness with the business and an ability to build champions and connect with people.” 

In a powerful sales organization built on rigor and methodology, and surrounded by like-minded individuals, Frank wanted to win. He recognised that the only marker for success in this industry is performance. His technical expertise already equipped him with the skills required to make it as an engineer, but the training and ground-breaking approach to presales enablement at BladeLogic added new dimensions to the role. This enabled him to optimise and expand his skills, establishing foundations to support his development into the multifaceted leader he is today. 

“There are two ways that sales engineers are categorized - you're either a tool or you're a partner. Unfortunately, a lot of companies treat sales engineers as a tool. I've always strived to have it be a partnership of equals and I think big part of why we would win at BladeLogic is that we maximized the value of the resources that we had by developing relationships like that and by not letting somebody be idle when they could be contributing.” 

In this vodcast you will discover: 

• Which aspects of MEDDIC are most beneficial in presales 
• The mindset and methodology required to build and scale high-performance pre-sales teams 
• Hiring right - the importance of recruitment and how to find the right people for your company 
• How to prepare for a change of rank or position 

 

Frank Lamprea believes in building a culture that adapts positively to continuous change and innovation. He is a leader with a fierce work ethic and an unwavering commitment to learning, evolving and remaining at the forefront of the technology landscape. Through thought leadership and creative problem solving, he has created an enviable track record of success stories. Find out Frank’s views on which area of innovation is going to have the biggest impact on business over the next 10 years, as we talk about the mechanics of his playbook and what advice he would give to anyone aspiring to succeed in presales. This insightful discussion is essential listening for those with an interest in sales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the technology space. 

 

Hunters + Unicorns: The Presales Edition - Damon Miller #005

In the Presales Edition of The 33 CXOs we explore the crucial role of the presales organisation in what is regarded as the greatest success story in software sales.  

When John McMahon took over as the Head of Sales within BladeLogic, he had a clear vision to create a sales and presales organisation that was in complete unison. What transpired became a sales rhythm which remains the golden standard for best practice within the most successful technology companies in the world.  

The effects of a value-driven, technical sales function transcended the boundaries of presales. The playbook has helped trailblaze best practice within Customer Success, Value Engineering, Professional Services and even Product Management.  

We uncover the stories and playbooks of the most talented technical sales leaders in the industry who are driving the technology companies of the future. 

Episode 5 features Damon Miller, Senior Vice President of Field Technical Operations at Lacework. Originally drawn to a career in tech due to his innate inclination to “tinker” and through a passion for understanding the way things work, Damon started out in the software industry as an IT Administrator. His mindset and unique skillset would pave the way for an upward trajectory in the enterprise software space. He joined the founding team at BladeLogic in 2001 as a Sales Engineering Manager Engineer and has since scaled his career in numerous high profile leadership roles. He has taken key positions in start-ups such as CloudSwitch, Sumo Logic, CloudHealth and is now thrilled to have recently “come home” to Lacework. 

“I've had the good fortune of being in touch with people who have demonstrated an ability to identify growth opportunities, . I’m very fortunate in that regard. It's tough to time the market, but you can take an educated guess, put your trust in people that have succeeded in the past and who are willing to work hard for you and with you. That's what I've always tried to do, and it's worked out well.” 

The unpredictability and excitement of the start-up came as second nature to Damon, whilst his hands-on technical experience enabled him to add value and offer guidance to the dynamic BladeLogic team.  However, in order to increase product sales, the team required further direction. Under the leadership of Steve Strachan and John McMahon, methodologies and processes were created and moulded, that enabled the business to scale at an unprecedented rate. With support from his mentors, Damon was given the freedom to innovate his role, push boundaries and develop his own strategies to evolve as a leader.  

“Lead with compassion and heart as much as fist and operate with urgency. If you feel something is nagging you, don't wait, just take care of it, because this industry is a game of inches and that tiny little difference might will make a huge impact later in ways that you might not realize.” 

In this vodcast you will discover: 

• How the MEDDIC methodology enabled Damon to develop as a presales leader 
• The challenges of building a presales team in the early days – Damon’s non-traditional approach to recruitment  
• What key character traits are required for a career in presales 
• Damon’s role at Lacework – a new era with the old team.  

Damon Miller has an innate knowledge of how to drive team success. From the very beginning, he has operated like a shareholder as opposed to an employee.  His success in the industry is a testament to his dedication, passion and instinctive desire to “figure things out”. We discuss Damon’s career progression from BladeLogic to Lacework, his advice for anyone entering the tech industry and find out which area of technology he believes will have the biggest impact on business in the next decade. This insightful discussion is essential listening for those with an interest in sales and presales strategy, as well as anyone with a passion for the software industry.