Hunters and Unicorns

Hunters and Unicorns | The Playbook Universe - Chris Mahoney #011

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe.   

We’re here to showcase leaders within the Playbook Community and explore their formulas for success.  

We aim to uncover:  

• Why the ICE formula is imperative. 

• The criticality of the Economic Buyer. 
• How to elevate your Execution whether that be selling consumer side or enterprise software. 

  

Today we are joined by Chris Mahoney, SVP for the Worldwide Sales Team at LaunchDarkly.  

In this Hunters and Unicorns podcast, Chris shares his professional journey with us including examples of his application of the Playbook. 

He also discusses how he’s building the global sales team at LaunchDarkly with rapid scale. You don’t want to miss this exciting episode with one the industry’s titans! 

Chris has consistently operated within the elite playbook space, with experiences at prestigious companies including ServiceNow, BMC Software and Phase 1.  

Amongst his plethora of achievements, he was the most successful Solution Sales leader at ServiceNow, he lead the first product line from under $50M to more than $1B, scaled teams from less than 10 to over 650 and helped grow the market capital from £12B to a  staggering $125B.  

Whilst at BMC, Chris built the number one performing sales team globally and at Phase 1, he went through 27 mergers and acquisitions in consumer software.  

Prior to enterprise software, Chris spent 10 years in consumer software working in operations and sales.  

Under strong leadership and immersing himself in absorbing as much knowledge as possible, Chris navigated the enterprise software space with cadence and agility.  

He thrived in learning not just the solutions but also the processes. Chris discusses with us the role of the Beginner’s Mindset and how maintaining a strong degree of curiosity throughout your career will directly contribute to success.  

Chris also discusses times in his career where the focus was not on performance and numbers, but in fact on character and drive.  

Hunters and Unicorns loved hearing about Chris’ formidable career, accented with pivotal conversations with the likes of A-players such as Tom Schmidt, John Donahoe, Frank Slootman, Andy Byron, Keith Butler and Bill McDermott. 

Make sure you tune in! 

Hunters and Unicorns | The Playbook Universe - Seth Olsen #010

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe. We’re here to showcase leaders within the Playbook Community and explore their formulas for success.

We aim to uncover:

• Strategic Pipeline Principles

• Lessons derived from the Customer Engagement Model

• The role of Culture. How does an environment which nurtures learning directly facilitate tangible success?

Today we are joined by Seth Olsen, Country Manager for the Northern European region for MicroStrategy. His role includes leading GTM teams for six countries with focussed disciplines including sales, marketing, partner and business development. Seth champions the MEDDPICC playbook and also focuses on PG and net-new focus.

In this Hunters and Unicorns podcast, Seth reflects on his pinnacle moments at high calibre playbook-centric companies such as MicroStrategy, Snowflake and Birst. Don’t miss it! Seth is a renowned and proven leader, with successes as both an individual contributor and as a senior leader.

When discussing his journey as an Account Executive, Seth shares with us his average attainment of over 200%, including his best year which saw him achieve over 470% of his target. Seth also touches upon closing large seven-figure deals - The largest in excess of $4M!

As a Senior Leader, Seth discusses how he rebuilt an underperforming region - over just three quarters, he transformed the results from 30% of the quarterly achievement to 210%. The period of transition between being a SDR for EMEA to being a Leader for the EMEA and APAC regions was a space for exponential learning and growth for Seth. He shares his lessons regarding people strategy, business tactics, quotas and targets whilst also making an impact on peoples’ careers.

Seth also discusses his quest for operating in an environment where he can continuously learn more. Amidst numerous seven-figure deals, it was his thirst for knowledge that kept propelling forward his phenomenal career. In this insightful episode, Seth discusses what the future looks like for him at MicroStrategy. From a product perspective, with new products released moments ago to more coming out imminently, to their evolved GTM global strategy, Seth discusses the sophisticated style MicroStrategy will continue to add huge value to their clients moving forward.

Hunters and Unicorns | The Playbook Universe - Jason Eubanks #009

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe.

We’re here to showcase leaders within the Playbook Community and explore their formulas for success.

We aim to uncover:

· How to apply an enterprise playbook motion to product lead and viral lead growth strategies

· Working with second time founders

· How science and nurture can generate world class high performing sales teams

Today we are joined by Jason Eubanks, CRO of Harness.

In this episode, we explore Jason’s astronomical career trajectory, from a first line leader to a CRO in just ten years. We also get invaluable insight into Harness’ formula for success. Since it was founded six years ago, Harness has seen phenomenal valuation growth of over 1000%.

His first exposure to the Playbook goes back to BMC, where under the leadership of John McMahon and his formidable leaders, he experienced profound impact on every aspect of his career. Jason shares how he was able to apply his learning within Meraki which went onto be acquired by Cisco. He shares the importance of adaptability to the go-to-market rhythm he inherited and company culture.

Jason talks about the alignment of the sales leadership and the business executives, the collaboration to work with founders with established go-to-market operating rhythms, and how an investment in sales enables scale at pace.

Jason places huge significance on iterating feedback along the way with his teams and why the early alignment of big goals is crucial to a harmonious and successful working dynamic. From a conversation about trust with John McMahon early on in his career to his current working relationship with Jyoti – CEO and Founder of Harness, Jason shares with us the conversations which accented his professional journey.

Hunters and Unicorns | The Playbook Universe - Pete Agresta #008

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe. We’re here to showcase leaders within the Playbook Community and explore their formulas for success. We aim to uncover: · The Importance of value selling within the sales motion · How to focus more on real growth · The skills required to excel in the sales space Today we are joined by Pete Agresta, CRO at Nasuni. Pete is responsible for growing and scaling the revenue-generating organization for Nasuni including worldwide Sales and Solution Engineering, Channel Sales and Strategic Business Development. His notable achievements include being Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Americas for Pure Storage. Whilst there, Pete led a team that more than doubled the business to over $1B during his 4-year tenure. Prior to that, he was CRO for LookingGlass Cyber, where he helped recapitalize the company, acquired and commercialized a threat intel platform, and grew the business over 50%. In this Hunters and Unicorns episode, Pete shares with us his journey including the earlier stages where he spent a decade with Cisco Systems, which was pivotal in his career. He recalls fondly working closely with John Chambers and on some of the largest deals within the space at the time. As CEO of the company at the time, John’s influence on Pete was hugely significant. Stemming from his inherent curiosity, Pete also shared his chapter whereby he embarked on a career in Wall Street and how he transferred his sales skills into this different domain. Upon his return to the GTM space, Pete thrived at LookingGlass and then transitioned to Pure Storage. Pete shares with us the enterprise and business solutions lessons learned along the way. In this exciting episode, Pete also discusses the fantastic opportunity which presented itself with Nasuni and how his role contributes to the company innovating and disrupting the market.

Hunters and Unicorns | The Playbook Universe - Chris Singletary #007

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe. We’re here to showcase leaders within the Playbook Community and explore their formulas for success.

We aim to uncover:

· The Evolution of the Playbook

· Leading indicators that are proven in SaaS to create sustained success

· The changing landscape of sales cycles

Today we are joined by Chris Singletary, RVP-East at Coralogix. In this episode, we dive into Chris’ impressive sales career which began after his time with the US military – an experience which has shaped him profoundly. Chris has worked at many industry powerhouses including; Oracle, Opsware, BMC, Cisco, AppDynamics, Lacework and Coralogix. His career trajectory has always been aligned to the Playbook community – join us in listening to his experience and lessons learned! Chris shares with us his perspective on the Playbook Mindset and MEDDIC principles – at a time where buyers and sellers’ needs may have changed, the principles of the Playbook Mindset still ring true today. On the theme of today’s changing landscape, Chris also shares the challenges involved with remote working, the ever-evolving length of sales cycles and how to curate successful sales executions in today’s market for the individual, team and organisation. Chris places huge importance on empathy and making genuine connections within the sales space. He also shares the characteristics of strong leaders. At what point does support and guidance become rigid oversight? How does accountability feed directly into account progression? Chris also discusses the importance of leaders spending time with their reps to nurture progression not revenue. Chris distils the core principles of identifying pain and hunting for champions. As a keen advocate of following the playbook fundamentals, Chris also shares why research is a critical pillar in the sales process. He shares his insight in how to launch a great sales campaign. Understanding what’s changed in this software sales space, as well as what still stands strong, Chris offers views and phenomenal insight into the Playbook universe.

DEAR FUTURE CRO | by Culture Crunch x GrowthQ - Kelly O. Kay

Welcome to Dear Future CRO, bought to you by GrowthQ and Culture Crunch. We’re here to showcase leaders within the tech space and explore their guiding principles for future leaders. Today we are joined by Kelly O. Kay, Co-founder of the Sales Officer practice at Heidrick & Struggles, specialising in sales leadership roles within the tech space. As a thought leader featured in numerous prestigious publications such as Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, we’re thrilled to understand Kelly’s insight on the ever-evolving role of the CRO. He shares how the current economic climate has impacted demand for the CRO as well as which relationships are critical for the successful CRO. Kelly also shares tangible tips for progressing your career – from interview tips, best practice and lessons learned. His insight truly transcends all industry parameters and will help our viewers whether or not they’re on the CRO path.

Hunters and Unicorns | The Playbook Universe - Philip van der Wilt #006

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns: The Playbook Universe.  

We’re here to showcase leaders within the Playbook Community and explore their formulas for success. We aim to uncover: 

 

·         How best to optimise sales within EMEA for scaling companies

·         The role of self-awareness when driving your own career trajectory

·         Why amplifying strong leadership over management is critical to success.

 

Today we are joined by Philip van der Wilt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA, Samsara.

In this episode, Philip shares his inspiring professional journey. From a sales role in the Netherlands, to phenomenal success on the international platform.

He shares his insight on how the current economic climate, similar to the financial downturns in the past, will inevitably lead to future opportunities. Philip’s time at Data Domain ignited his passion for implementing European strategy to success. Whilst at CommVault,

Philip further developed his leadership skills, identifying the gulf between a good leader as opposed to a good manager.

Philip’s perspective on seeing challenges as opportunities to develop rather than opposed to isolated problems to solve, is incredibly thought provoking.

Philip discusses his experience at ServiceNow. From understanding the importance of cross-functionality for scaling, to understanding when to expand your product portfolio.

Now at Samsara, he shares with us his vision, mission and purpose.

Throughout the discussion, Philip talks to us about the role of self-awareness throughout the successes and learning points which have peppered his illustrious career. Make sure you tune in!

DEAR FUTURE CRO | by Culture Crunch x GrowthQ - Carolyn Henry

Welcome to Dear Future CRO, bought to you by GrowthQ and Culture Crunch. We’re here to showcase leaders within the tech space and explore their guiding principles for future leaders. Today we are joined by Carolyn Henry, VP CMO of Americas Regional Marketing at Intel Corporation. We explore Carolyn’s exponential career trajectory within the tech marketing space. Although she began her professional journey with a liberal arts foundation, Carolyn made the decision after working for a VC firm to return to grad school and qualify in Technical Communications. She explains that a career in STEM can begin slightly later but can still demonstrate exponential cadence. Carolyn discusses her time with IBM where she really learnt the importance of marketers working in synergy with the selling partners. She shares her perspective on the role of empathy for marketers aiming to grow these successful partnerships and scale their careers. Now in a senior leadership position at Intel, Carolyn’s gives us invaluable insight into Intel’s formula for success regarding diverse hires and propelling forward underrepresented minorities for leadership. She also discusses her unwavering passion for marketing – specifically reaching new audiences and connecting generations. Carolyn also talks about the ‘Marketing Wheel’ – a spectrum of different disciplines, areas of focus and wide-ranging skill sets which fall under the marketing umbrella. She shares with us her perspective on the huge significance of mentoring, sponsoring and structured job rotations in contributing to positive business culture and individual career growth.

DEAR FUTURE CRO | by Culture Crunch x GrowthQ - Dr Molly

Welcome to Dear Future CRO, bought to you by GrowthQ and Culture Crunch. We’re here to showcase leaders and thought innovators within the tech and sales space and explore their guiding principles for future leaders.

Today we are joined by Dr Molly Maloof, physician, entrepreneur, university lecturer and best-selling author. Working with a plethora of individuals and entities including executives from the VC and tech space, Dr Molly shares with us her insights regarding optimizing high performing individuals and teams via healthy best practices. She addresses the topic of burnout head on – an issue which is very much on the rise amongst sales professionals and executive leaders. From a psychological perspective, Dr Molly addresses the correlation between a safe psychological work environment and strong engagement with tangible results. Does remote working impact our need for human connection? Do we prioritise money over the mission? Dr Molly discusses these key points and shares more insights from her new book “The Spark Factor”.

DEAR FUTURE CRO | by Culture Crunch x GrowthQ - Gerri Elliott

The team at Hunters and Unicorns is excited to announce their pop-up podcast collaboration bought to you by Culture Crunch and GrowthQ. 

Titled ‘Dear Future CRO’, we talk to dynamic and diverse sales leaders and listen to their advice for tomorrow’s CROs. 

“Forget the R. The revenue comes from your customers and you better focus on them or that revenue and growth will never come. I chose to be Chief Customer Officer. I never wanted a Chief Revenue Officer title because I thought it was the wrong emphasis. So, forget the R, go focus on your customers. Go make them successful. Go ensure that they trust you. Whether you're just starting out in that first quota role, think about those customers. Make sure that they are first and foremost. Customers first, company second, your unit third, you, a distant fourth.” 

Today we are joined by Gerri Elliott, Tech & GTM Senior Advisor for BCG and former Chief Customer and Partner Officer at Cisco, to talk about her incredible career trajectory. We look back on Gerri’s 42 years in the technology industry and how the diverse chapters of her global experience paved the way for life-changing opportunities, shaped her as a leader and led her to her current role.  

Listen to discover how to rethink and revitalize your approach mentorship and sponsorship opportunities to scale your career as a future leader as well as Gerri’s strategies on how to actively increase the level of diversity, inclusivity, and collaboration in your workplace to give your company the edge it needs to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment.