Grit

Latest Episodes:

#217 CEO & Co-Founder Codeium, Varun Mohan w/ Leigh Marie Braswell: Limitless Nov 18, 2024

Guests: Varun Mohan, CEO & Co-Founder of Codeium; and Leigh Marie Braswell, partner at Kleiner Perkins

“A lot of people are really bad at knowing what good is,” says Codeium CEO Varun Mohan. Specifically, he’s thinking of startups that hire based on a “logo” — a well-known company on the résumé — rather than exceptional talent. Codeium is based in Mountain View, CA, and Varun believes that it’s incumbent on any new startup to hire in the San Francisco Bay Area, because of how exceptional talent is concentrated there.

“When you hire someone that’s 10x better,” he says, “you can’t replace them with 10 1x people. Because the the 10x person is going to be thinking of ideas that none of these 1x people are ever going to think of.”

Chapters:

(01:05) - Ludicrous growth
(03:54) - Seizing opportunity
(07:29) - Product-market fit
(13:05) - Scale AI & MIT
(17:42) - Coding efficiency
(22:58) - Larger companies
(25:20) - Varun and Leigh Marie’s working relationship
(29:51) - Pivoting to Codeium
(34:00) - Giving away the product
(37:01) - The code-gen landscape
(42:20) - Annual reinvention
(45:00) - Picking a problem
(47:07) - Bipul Sinha’s help
(50:43) - Ambition
(53:13) - Building in Silicon Valley
(55:11) - Spotting talent
(59:11) - Who Codeium is hiring
(59:43) - What “grit” means to Varun

Mentioned in this episode: Graham Moreno, Wiz, ChatGPT, Google, Nuro, Goldman Sachs, Waymo, the DARPA Challenge, Alex Wang, Douglas Chen, Safeway, Equinox, Carlos Delatorre and MongoDB, The Qualified Sales Leader by John McMahon, GitHub Copilot, Microsoft, Exafunction, Mamoon Hamid, Figma, JPMorgan Chase, Starlink, SpaceX, Rubrik, Michael Dell, Stripe, and John Doerr.

Links:

Connect with Varun

Connect with Leigh Marie

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#216 Founder Khan Academy, Sal Khan: Dangerously Curious Nov 11, 2024

Guest: Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy

AI is poised to change nearly every business, but few are changing as quickly as education. And Sal Khan, who has spend more than a decade manually creating more than 7,000 educational videos, says that’s a good thing. He’s encouraged Khan Academy to focus on “disrupt[ing] ourselves ... more than almost any other organization that I know of.”

The reason is backed up by the data: Personalized tutors — designed to help students achieve mastery in a subject, but previously thought to be unscalable — could shift the educational bell curve “significantly to the right,” Sal says.

Chapters:

(00:52) - John and Ann Doerr
(05:20) - Khan Academy’s origins
(07:42) - What it is now
(12:43) - Emotional fortitude
(15:25) - Generating revenue
(19:36) - The two-sigma “problem”
(21:31) - OpenAI and Sam Altman
(24:47) - What AI can do
(27:56) - Cheating and other fears
(30:06) - Video production
(34:08) - Standardized tests
(38:36) - AI tutors’ tone
(40:22) - Not leaving the closet
(43:20) - Who Khan Academy is hiring
(45:58) - What “grit” means to Sal

Mentioned in this episode: Nasdaq, Dan Wohl, Vedic and Buddhist literature, Microsoft, Benjamin Bloom, ChatGPT, the Turing Test, Greg Brockman, Donald Trump, Bing Chat and Sydney, Khanmigo, the SAT and ACT, Schoolhouse.world, Craig Silverstein and Google, John Resig and jQuery, and Angela Duckworth.

Links:

Connect with Sal

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#215 COO Rippling Matt MacInnis: Learn the Engine Nov 04, 2024

Guest: Matt MacInnis, COO of Rippling

One of the most important things a non-founder can do, says Rippling COO Matt MacInnis, is to learn how to operate in the context of the company they’re joining. His CEO, Parker Conrad, “spikes” in certain skill areas, and the rest of the executive team needs to maximize his ability to thrive while “taking care of the rest of it.” Matt likened the work to being a hobbyist airplane pilot, who can’t get a license without knowing all the minute details about their plane’s engine and aerodynamics.

“You can’t be a good pilot if you don’t understand the engine, because if something goes wrong, you want to be able to troubleshoot it,” he says. “An executive coming in to fly your airplane better learn the engine.”

Chapters:

(01:08) - Telling Rippling’s story
(04:27) - Founding & failing at Inkling
(09:30) - Different types of hard
(13:55) - Discipline and stamina
(15:22) - Meeting with Steve Jobs
(19:20) - Definitely, give up!
(22:29) - Product-market fit
(27:15) - Founders and culture
(33:24) - Executive instincts
(36:06) - Talent Signal and AI
(40:06) - 150 former founders
(44:08) - Zero to one projects
(48:06) - The failure of Silicon Valley Bank
(55:25) - Routines and discipline
(59:37) - Disagreeing with Parker
(01:02:25) - Who Rippling is hiring
(01:03:37) - What “grit” means to Matt

Mentioned in this episode: Parker Conrad, London Breed, Apple, Sequoia Capital, Sapphire Ventures, Tenaya Capital, digital textbooks on iPad, Oricom, Netscape, Peter Cho, Eddy Cue, John Couch, iBooks, Slack, Airbnb, Paul Graham, Brian Chesky, “founder mode,” Larry Ellison, Ivan Zhao and Notion, Intel and ARM, Salesforce, United Airlines, LLMs, GitHub, DocuCharm, Peter Thiel, Mamoon Hamid, Expensify, Navan, Costco, Comcast, HBO’s Silicon Valley, Jensen Huang and NVIDIA, and Taylor Swift.

Links:

Connect with Matt

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#214 Former CEO Hulu & WarnerMedia Jason Kilar: No Labels Oct 28, 2024

Guest: Jason Kilar, former CEO & co-founder of Hulu and former CEO of WarnerMedia

When Jason Kilar was a child, he was obsessed with Walt Disney — not just as a filmmaker or the creator of Disneyland, but as an entrepreneur. He started his career at the Walt Disney Company (where else?) but then got his first opportunity to help build something new when a young startup entrepreneur from Seattle visited his business school classroom. Most of Jason’s classmates predicted the failure of this startup, Amazon.com, which elicited “this awesome laugh, the Jeff Bezos trademark laugh.” How a leader reacts to criticism or doubts, Jason learned, says a lot about their conviction and intelligence.

Chapters:

(01:08) - Bing Gordon and John Doerr
(04:11) - Warner Bros.
(06:12) - Walt Disney
(11:10) - Working at Disney
(14:32) - What makes it special
(18:31) - Meeting your heroes
(20:06) - “Walt’s folly,” Disneyland
(22:45) - Harvard and Amazon
(25:09) - Meeting Jeff Bezos
(29:10) - “Help people understand Amazon exists”
(33:25) - Amazon’s culture
(38:07) - What Warner Bros. makes
(40:55) - Obscurity and relevance
(45:53) - Feeling the lows
(50:09) - Launching Hulu
(53:36) - NewCo or ClownCo?
(59:13) - Over-communication
(01:03:14) - The future of TV memo
(01:06:46) - Innovator’s dilemma
(01:08:57) - No labels
(01:14:04) - Unfinished business
(01:16:22) - Staying present
(01:20:26) - The theatrical window
(01:26:19) - What’s next?

Mentioned in this episode: Amazon, The Matrix, Star Wars: A New Hope, Disney World, Diane Disney Miller, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Michael Eisner, Universal Studios and Harry Potter, Disney University, Jeffrey Rayport, Barnes & Noble, Joel Spiegel, David Risher, Joy Covey, Garry Trudeau and Doonesbury, Andy Jassy, Brian Birtwistle, Jim Kingsbury, Vessel and Verizon, HBO, Friends, Hogwarts Legacy, Sony, Netflix, NBCUniversal, Paramount, AT&T, Discovery, Richard Tom, Kara Swisher, Fox, YouTube and Google, Saturday Night Live, Peter Chernin, Jeff Zucker, Bob Iger, Andy Rachleff and Benchmark, CBS, Miracle on 34th Street, Marissa Mayer and Yahoo, Rony Abovitz and Magic Leap, House of the Dragon and Industry, Dune, Christopher Nolan, and the TSA.

Links:

Connect with Jason

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#213 CEO & Co-Founder Loom Joe Thomas w/ Ilya Fushman: After the Exit Oct 21, 2024

Guests: Joe Thomas, CEO and co-founder of Loom; and Ilya Fushman, partner at Kleiner Perkins

Loom CEO Joe Thomas had a lot of things to think about before he sold his company to Atlassian for $975 million: The impact an acquisition might have on the product, how to keep the Loom brand alive, the risk of remaining independent... but it wasn’t until after the deal was announced that he really understood what it meant for his team.

“I didn't know how emotional it'd be for me,” Joe says. “All of the Loom employees, current and former, that reached out when this was announced, they did their calculation and they're like, ‘Oh my God.’ That, to me, was the most emotionally transformative part of the process. I didn't fully recognize what that would be like, on the individual front.”

Chapters:

(01:34) - The Atlassian acquisition
(05:25) - The bittersweet moment
(08:15) - Transforming Loom
(13:30) - Ilya’s perspective
(18:04) - Life-changing
(22:55) - Doing it again
(25:00) - Loom’s early days
(28:26) - The Series A
(32:33) - Turning on monetization
(35:37) - The Series B
(37:05) - Loom AI
(43:13) - Revenue orientation
(48:18) - The acquisition landscape
(52:27) - Working inside Atlassian
(54:04) - Atlanta tech
(55:00) - Who Atlassian is hiring
(55:24) - What “grit” means to Joe

Mentioned in this episode: Wilson Sonsini, Vinay Hiremath, Andrew Reed and Sequoia Capital, Zoom, Mike Cannon-Brookes, Shahed Khan, COTU Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Scott Farquhar, the Lindy Effect, SVB, Google Chrome, Dropbox, Slack, Snapchat, HubSpot, the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter, Dylan Field and Figma, Atlassian Rovo, Palo Alto Networks, Salesforce, and Garrett Langley and Flock Safety.

Links:

Connect with Joe

Connect with Ilya

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#212 Founder Magic Leap & SynthBee Rony Abovitz: Underdog Oct 14, 2024

Guest: Rony Abovitz, founder & CEO of SynthBee

SynthBee CEO Rony Abovitz grew up “really believing” in Star Wars and the idea that there could be benevolent, artificially intelligent beings like R2-D2 and C-3PO.

“It wasn't a dystopian vision of the future,” he says. “It wasn't HAL from 2001. It wasn't the Terminator. It wasn't Skynet. It was this kind of friendly, empathetic, more utopian vision.”

George Lucas himself told Rony to tone it down and not “take it so literally” — but he was undeterred. The way he describes today’s leading AI powers sounds like an idealistic Rebel conceptualizing the Evil Empire.

“You’ve got companies that receive massive funding that want to take all the data in the world ... I feel that's a massive mistake,” Rony says. “We become serfs. They become the Lords. They become the Kings. I'm completely opposed to that. So I started to imagine for SynthBee what is a different form of computing intelligence, one that could help us, but have much more safety [and] human centrism.”

Chapters:

(01:12) - Fundraising
(02:27) - Meeting John Doerr
(07:05) - The Beast
(10:06) - Unfinished business
(11:47) - Apple and Meta
(15:20) - The COVID-19 pandemic
(21:12) - “Investors panicked”
(25:28) - Shaquille O’Neal vs. digital Shaq
(29:43) - Magic Leap alumni
(32:45) - Financial outcomes
(38:27) - Peggy Johnson
(40:27) - “A weird version of hell”
(44:08) - A strange intro to Google
(50:42) - Larry Page and Sergey Brin
(54:27) - Founder voting power
(01:00:40) - Mako Surgical
(01:03:04) - The 9/11 term sheet
(01:06:40) - The worst pitch ever
(01:09:55) - The 2008 IPO
(01:16:15) - Selling to Stryker
(01:18:30) - What is SynthBee?
(01:26:44) - Humility in tech
(01:31:44) - Who SynthBee is hiring

Mentioned in this episode: Scott Hassan, Bing Gordon, Chewy, Mary Meeker, Suitable Technologies and Beam, NASA, Mark Zuckerberg, Matthew Ball, NTT Docomo, Blade Runner, Wired Magazine, CES, Dow Jones, Tesla, Zoom, OpenAI and Anthropic, Adam Silver and the NBA, John Monos, the Apple Vision Pro, Madden NFL, McLaren, Satya Nadella and Microsoft, the HoloLens, Godzilla and King Kong, Willow Garage and ROS, Trading Places, Z-KAT, Frederic Moll, John Freund, Christopher Dewey, John and Christine Whitman, Sycamore Ventures, Andy Bechtelstein, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley, Kevin Lobo, Muhammad Ali, Star Wars and George Lucas, Yuval Noah Harari, and Infosys.

Links:

Connect with Rony

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#211 CEO & Co-Founder Klarna, Sebastian Siemiatkowski: Country Cousin Oct 07, 2024

Guest: Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and co-founder of Klarna

Living and working in Stockholm, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski thinks a lot about how he’s perceived in Silicon Valley: “I feel like here I am, I am the small, country cousin from Sweden.” And on top of that, he knew that someone like Sam Altman wouldn’t initially think of a European banking startup as an ideal partner for OpenAI — so, he made up an excuse to fly to San Francisco and meet with Altman.

“I felt like, OK, this is going to be the busiest man in the world very soon,” Sebastian recalls. “When I first booked it with Sam, I think I got threehours in his calendar. By the time I arrived in San Francisco, it was down to 30 minutes.”

Chapters:

(01:02) - Workday and Salesforce
(06:01) - Rolling your own
(08:45) - AI-driven customer service
(15:33) - Automation at scale for business
(19:28) - The Toyota way
(23:40) - Sam Altman
(25:36) - Playing offense
(28:25) - Reinventing Klarna
(31:44) - The startup journey
(35:37) - Common equity
(39:28) - Champions League
(42:24) - Hype cycles
(47:35) - Sebastian’s father
(52:28) - Control and stability
(57:23) - Comfort zone vs. stretch zone
(01:02:27) - Creating resilience
(01:06:23) - Why Klarna isn’t hiring

Mentioned in this episode: OpenAI, Seeking Alpha, Slack, Workday, ChatGPT, Stripe, CRMs, Mark Benioff, Twitter, Anthropic, Waymo, Devin AI, the Collison brothers and Stripe, Pieter van der Does and Adyen, Daniel Ek and Spotify, General Atlantic, DST Global, Anton Levy, Michael Moritz, Sequoia Capital, Niklas Adalberth, PayPal, CNBC, “Under Pressure” by Queen, Boris Johnson, Elon Musk, Google, Sam Walton, Made in America, Nina Siemiatkowski, and Snoop Dogg.

Links:

Connect with Sebastian

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#210 CEO & Co-Founder Huntress Kyle Hanslovan w/ Ev Randle: Deep Roots Sep 30, 2024

Guest: Kyle Hanslovan, CEO & co-founder of Huntress; and Ev Randle, partner at Kleiner Perkins

Talk is cheap, says Huntress CEO Kyle Hanslovan: “I learned real early on that integrity is like one of the very few things, if not the only thing, you can't buy.” En route to Huntress’ current status as a $1.5 billion firm with $100 million in ARR, he took a long time to hire new execs, or partner with VC firms.

Indeed, Kleiner Perkins partner Ev Randle recalls the deliberation Hanslovan underwent before signing KP’s term sheet. “It's pretty rare for a founder's diligence process on you to increase your conviction on them and the business that they're building,” he says. “You just saw that the effort extended across to so many different places and so many details that it's typically not.”

Chapters:

(01:03) - Learning how things work
(03:31) - Default trusting
(05:07) - Over-sharing
(10:50) - Kyle’s leadership style
(15:44) - Hiring for conflict
(19:24) - Scaling execs
(22:52) - Evaluating VCs
(28:55) - Pattern-matching
(32:13) - Why Huntress is worth $1.5 billion
(38:34) - Kyle’s childhood and early career
(42:00) - The 99 percent
(47:49) - Bootstrapping
(51:14) - Deep roots
(57:47) - Customer love
(01:01:14) - “Nothing will stop us”
(01:05:50) - Who Huntress is hiring
(01:07:22) - What “grit” means to Kyle

Mentioned in this episode: Sony, Sam Altman, Nike, Elad Gil andHigh Growth Handbook, Kim Scott and Radical Candor, JMI Equity, Vinod Khosla, Todd Park, Capterra, Reddit, FUBU, Rippling, the NSA, QuickBooks, Amazon AWS, and South Park.

Links:

Connect with Kyle

Connect with Ev

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#209 Former President & CEO Ford, Mark Fields: All Cylinders Sep 23, 2024

Guest: Mark Fields, former president & CEO of Ford Motor Company and chairperson at Planview

In 2005, Mark Fields was asked to run the Americas for the Ford Motor Company, a role he would serve in for 7 years, later becoming COO and then CEO. His wife and kids were used to relocating for Mark’s job, but had just put down roots in Florida. He told them that this time, they should stay put — he would commute between Florida and Detroit every week, and call home for an hour every night.

“I probably communicated more with [my wife] because we were apart, than if I was there,” Mark says. “Because if I was there, I'd come home for dinner, we'd spend a little bit of time together, I'd grunt at her, and then I'd go back to my emails, and ignore the kids. Whereas, by being away, I actually had really focused time every day to talk.”

Chapters:

(01:01) - The auto business in ‘89
(05:27) - The business now
(08:47) - Ford vs. Trump
(11:44) - Becoming a leader
(17:35) - The next chapter
(20:01) - Relocating the family
(24:45) - Bring the kids to work
(29:19) - “You have one life”
(33:52) - Ego and purpose
(42:06) - Retirement adrenaline
(45:10) - Leading with passion
(48:06) - Avoiding bankruptcy
(52:55) - Grading Mark’s CEO years
(55:12) - The board
(58:32) - Electric vehicles
(01:04:50) - 24 Hours of Le Mans
(01:11:36) - Selling a $580,000 car

Mentioned in this episode: Harvard Business School, Ronald Reagan, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, CNBC, Volkswagen, American Icon, Donald Trump, Rutgers University, Mazda, Hertz, the Range Rover, Michigan University and Michigan Stadium, Mamoon Hamid, work/life balance, Mark McLaughlin and Palo Alto Networks, the Great Recession, GM, Chrysler, the North American International Auto Show, Bill Ford, Argo AI, Chariot, autonomous vehicles, Ford v Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari, the Ford GT, Jaguar Racing, and De Beers.

Links:

Connect with Mark

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#208 CEO & Co-Founder Patreon, Jack Conte: Crowd Surfer Sep 16, 2024

Guest: Jack Conte, CEO & co-founder of Patreon

For many YouTube video creators, getting millions of views on your videos may seem like the goal. But when Jack Conte and his wife Nataly Dawn became YouTube stars through their band Pomplamoose, they didn’t automatically find gold at the end of the rainbow.

“You check your ad revenue and you make 48 bucks in ad revenue and you're like, ‘Oh my God, I'm worthless,’” Jack recalls. “And you check that dashboard every day ... and eventually you start to believe that you're worth $48 a month. That's a bad f**king feeling.”

That’s why in 2013, he co-founded the artist-funding platform Patreon, and discovered that there were a lot more creators like him out there. As of 2022, those creators have earned more than $3.5 billion from Patreon.

Chapters:

(01:06) - Barriers to entry
(03:04) - The creator economy
(08:36) - Patreon’s mission
(11:22) - Its name
(13:12) - Talking to artists
(17:26) - Detail obsession
(24:07) - “Nobody has an answer”
(27:17) - Playing empty rooms
(31:09) - Success feels like failure
(33:37) - “I’ll be happy when...”
(39:26) - Type one vs type two joy
(45:32) - Self-confidence
(48:30) - Obsession, humility, and kindness
(53:51) - Figuring out your sound
(56:18) - “I’m f**king terrified”
(01:00:33) - Pedals
(01:04:04) - Starting Patreon
(01:07:04) - Who Patreon is hiring

Mentioned in this episode: Jason Kilar, Spotify, YouTube, Pomplamoose, Google Docs, GoDaddy, LaCroix, James Freeman and Blue Bottle Coffee, Woody Allen, Medium, YCombinator, Apple and the App Store, MySpace, Matthew “The Oatmeal” Inman, AdSense, Home Depot, Skrillex and Fred Again, Matt Bunting, and Sam Yam.

Links:

Connect with Jack

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#207 Co-Founder & Chairman Zynga, Mark Pincus: Speed of Play Sep 09, 2024

Guest: Mark Pincus, founder & chairman of Zynga, and managing member & co-founder of Reinvent Capital

Before Zynga and Facebook made social gaming mainstream, the video game industry was “extreme on this being about art and crafting,” recalls Zynga founder Mark Pincus. He believes his winning instinct was the realization that games were “at least 50 percent science” — but it’s not enough to just have the instinct.

Mark says entrepreneurs like him have to quickly take multiple shots on the goal and “look for feedback loops that tell you your instinct is right ... you need to get to a minimum viable idea state and you need to find true signal around that idea state, that it’s right or wrong, and move on.”

Chapters:

(01:40) - Rubbing sticks together
(07:01) - Virtual businesses
(12:10) - Pre-Zynga companies
(13:51) - Setting the real intention
(17:44) - Internet treasures
(23:21) - Disrupting gaming
(30:14) - The chip on Mark’s shoulder
(33:19) - The end of Tribe
(37:24) - Zynga Poker
(42:59) - Explosive growth
(46:57) - Making the virtual real
(52:02) - The downturn
(58:12) - Stepping aside (sort of)
(01:01:50) - Back into the fire
(01:08:45) - In the abyss
(01:11:46) - What “grit” means to Mark

Mentioned in this episode: Dot Earth, Elon Musk and the Boring Company, Uber Eats and Dara Khosrowshahi, ChatGPT, Roblox, Madhappy, Reid Hoffman, Craigslist, Google, Napster and Sean Parker, the California Culinary Academy, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, Yahoo, John Doerr, Words with Friends, LinkedIn, Tribe.net, Supercell and Ilkka Paananen, FarmVille and Hay Day, Parker Conrad and Rippling, Bing Gordon, Fred Wilson, Brad Feld, the Game Developer’s Conference, CNET, Matt Cohler, Don Mattrick, Microsoft and the Xbox, Joe Biden, Jason Citron and Discord, Steve Jobs, Super Labs, Marcus Segal, Frank Gibeau, The Courage to Be Disliked, and Stewart Butterfield.

Links:

Connect with Mark

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#206 CEO & Founder Rivian, RJ Scaringe: Electrified Sep 02, 2024

Guest: RJ Scaringe, CEO and Founder of Rivian

“I’m very comfortable with things not being in their end state,” says Rivian CEO and founder RJ Scaringe. The company’s challenging mission — to help make 100% of the world’s cars electric — will take a long time, and a lot of willingness to build the metaphorical plane in midair.

As Rivian has grown from one person to seven to 17,000, though, RJ admits that there’s a lot more pressure to not screw up. “There’s all these conflicting emotions I had ... is this the right product?” he recalls. “Is it the right strategy? Am I capable of doing this? But at the end of the day, I try really hard not to let that be overly distracting.”

Chapters:

(01:58) - Starting from scratch
(05:35) - Auto tech innovation
(08:03) - The supply chain
(09:52) - Rivian’s deal with Volkswagen
(14:28) - Outsourcing
(16:10) - Capable EVs
(19:06) - Brand and customer satisfaction
(21:05) - That nagging feeling
(27:26) - Raising capital
(31:31) - RJ’s father
(32:35) - The dark side of cars
(34:43) - Tesla’s influence
(37:13) - Financial challenges
(42:38) - Entrepreneurial mindset
(44:59) - Hard decisions
(46:46) - Don’t screw this up
(49:56) - 25,000 decisions a day
(52:16) - Daily routines
(54:57) - Who Rivian is hiring
(55:34) - What “grit” means to RJ

Mentioned in this episode: Porsche,Alex Honnold, Amazon AWS, Mercedes, Elon Musk, Lotus, U.S. News and World Report, MotorTrend, J.D. Power, Ford, Blue Origin, SpaceX, MIT, Jeff Bezos, and the Tesla Roadster.

Links:

Connect with RJ

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#205 CEO Snowflake, Sridhar Ramaswamy: Visibility Aug 26, 2024

Guest: Sridhar Ramaswamy, CEO of Snowflake

“People underestimate what it is to go through a complete reset,” says Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy. And he knows it: After an incredible 15-year run at Google, he started over from zero with an AI search startup, Neeva. And in hindsight, he regrets not trying to port over more of the skills that had made him a successful leader before. “You should be truthful with yourself about what is it that you know that you're really good at,” he says.

In this episode, Sridhar and Joubin discuss Morgan Stanley, working with urgency, avoiding comparisons, following your passions, Steph Curry, summer school, the Google bubble, axes of improvement, Vivek Raghunathan, Bill Coughran, Bell Labs, Mark McLaughlin, Nikesh Arora, daily emails, Chris Degnan, competitiveness, aircraft carriers, and size 31 pants.

Chapters:

(01:05) - Travel challenges
(03:55) - Crisis mangement
(08:59) - Parenting
(14:01) - Defining success
(20:37) - From Google to Neeva
(27:57) - Transition troubles
(31:06) - Glean vs. Neeva
(34:08) - Becoming Snowflake’s CEO
(38:41) - Authority
(39:58) - Frank Slootman
(44:24) - Palo Alto Networks
(48:27) - Transparent culture
(50:56) - Sridhar’s morning ritual
(54:23) - Complete visibility
(57:49) - Priorities
(01:00:10) - Snowflake’s stock price
(01:02:33) - Who it’s hiring

Links:

Connect with Sridhar

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#204 Founder & Former CEO Blue Bottle, James Freeman: After the Exit Aug 19, 2024

Guest: James Freeman, Founder and Former CEO of Blue Bottle Coffee

In the six or so years since he sold his last shares of Blue Bottle Coffee to Nestlé, James Freeman has had a lot of time to ruminate — about how he succeeded in creating a unique café experience, and also the ways he failed his workers as a manager. But he’s already thinking about how he’ll be better in round 2. “I've changed so much — physically, mentally, emotionally — I feel like I could be a better collaborator,” James says.

In this episode, James and Joubin discuss All About Coffee by William Ukers, Oliver Strand, performance anxiety, MongoMusic, farmers’ markets, “first touch” design, Parisian cafés, self-deception, Facebook ads, “great exits,” The Picture of Dorian Gray, “frictionless” coffee, Zeno’s Paradox, Yoda, iced oat lattes, espresso machines, The Devil Wears Prada, Steve Jobs, Angela Duckworth, and sandpaper.

Chapters:

(02:25) - Coffee is culture
(07:10) - James’ music career
(11:20) - Moving into business
(15:17) - Starting Blue Bottle
(17:55) - “Fun until it wasn’t”
(21:09) - Food vs. tech in San Francisco
(23:15) - The coffee shop experience
(29:18) - Dissatisfaction and bad management
(33:42) - Exhaustion
(36:22) - Exit
(37:39) - Anxiety and falling apart
(40:31) - Paying the bills vs. the high life
(44:08) - Visiting Blue Bottle today
(46:53) - The decision to sell
(51:35) - Could he have stayed?
(54:01) - The next coffee shop(s)
(57:35) - Returning to the ring
(01:01:39) - What if it works out?
(01:03:30) - What “grit” means to James

Links:

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This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#203 CEO Niantic, John Hanke: Buried Ships Aug 12, 2024

Guest: John Hanke, CEO of Niantic

When Pokémon Go launched, Niantic CEO John Hanke was enjoying a tranquil walk through a bamboo forest near Kyoto with his son. When he got back, it was all hands on deck: Building on a platform Niantic had developed for its previous game, Ingress, Pokémon Go was a runaway success story, earning $100 million dollars in revenue in its first week, and $1 billion in its first seven months. “I had a huge amount of anxiety that this is just too good to be true,” John recalls. “When are the wheels going to come off? What’s going to go wrong?”

In this episode, John and Joubin discuss San Francisco’s history, Noam Bardin, Google Street View, David Lawee, AR glasses, Field Trip and Ingress, Tsunekazu Ishihara, gaming outside, Gilman Louie, Frank Slootman, mellowing out, Thomas Kurian, Jay Chaudhry, commute burnout, daily yoga, Xerox PARC, Mark Zuckerberg, Apple Vision Pro, the history of gaming, and talking to computers.

Chapters:

(02:17) - Waze and Google Maps
(05:39) - John’s childhood heroes
(07:38) - Pokémon Go’s first week
(10:13) - Maps as a platform
(13:56) - Spinning Niantic off of Google
(17:36) - Hyperscaling
(19:05) - Finding Niantic’s mission
(22:45) - Startups and families
(24:15) - Adrenaline and gas
(30:17) - Drive without desperation
(34:42) - Negotiating with the Pokémon Company
(38:25) - Zero to a million
(41:28) - Relief and responsibility
(43:44) - Sustaining engagement
(47:18) - Enjoying the ride more
(50:57) - Rules for balance
(55:42) - Augmented reality and wearables
(01:01:38) - Social games
(01:04:14) - LLMs and the voice UI
(01:06:52) - Who Niantic is hiring

Links:

Connect with John

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Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#202 Chairman of Qualcomm, Mark McLaughlin: The Right Pitch Aug 05, 2024

Guest: Mark McLaughlin, chairman of the board at Qualcomm

When he was 24, Mark McLaughlin thought his career was over. Since childhood, he had dreamed of attending West Point and joining the Army, but a helicopter crash left him unable to serve, with a medical discharge. However, the crash also let him stay closer to his then-girlfriend Karen. They married and raised three children, and Mark found success in his new career, serving as CEO of Palo Alto Networks and now chairman of the board at Qualcomm. “In hindsight,” he says, “I would tell you the worst thing that ever happened in my life was the best thing that ever happened in my life.”

In this episode, Mark and Joubin discuss semi-retirement, Palo Alto Networks, identity crises, West Point, homeschooling, self-awareness, working on the plane, Walter Reed Hospital, Nikesh Arora, Cristiano Amon, non-founder CEOs, Paul Jacobs, Verisign, reference interviews, rising to the occasion, and fortitude.

Chapters:

(00:57) - Mark’s reputation and family
(09:40) - “What am I doing?”
(14:58) - Deciding to step away
(16:55) - Overcoming work addiction
(22:15) - Mandatory sacrifice
(24:25) - Carl Eschenbach
(27:12) - The people who matter
(32:11) - Energy vs. adrenaline
(37:31) - The helicopter crash
(44:02) - Leaving Palo Alto Networks
(50:05) - Bungled CEO transitions
(54:24) - “Detox” time off
(57:32) - Waiting for the right pitch
(01:04:48) - The at-home interview
(01:08:59) - Work in perspective
(01:12:10) - What “grit” means to Mark

Links:

Connect with Mark

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This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#201 CEO Lyft, David Risher: The Ride Jul 29, 2024

Guest: David Risher, CEO of Lyft

David Risher can measure his career in phone calls, from the one that introduced him to Jeff Bezos in 1995, to the call from the Lyft board in 2023, asking him to vie for the CEO job. But initially, he believed his life’s legacy might be the nonprofit Worldreader, which has brought books to more than 22 million readers around the globe; he had to convince himself that turning Lyft around during one of its most difficult eras was also a call worth answering.

In this episode, David and Joubin discuss reliable exercise, pickleball, Sean Aggarwal, John Zimmer and Logan Green, return to office, Women+ Connect, reference checks, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, Adam Bosworth, interracial marriages, children of divorce, powdered wigs, Barnes & Noble, the University of Washington, Barcelona, the Galapagos Islands, Amazon’s Kindle, Steve Kessel, expat talent, Bucky Moore, rideshare insurance, robo-taxis, Elon Musk, and data science.

Chapters:

(00:45) - Biking to work — and across the US
(03:44) - Lyft Bikes
(07:35) - How David became CEO
(12:18) - 14 months later...
(15:28) - Customer obsession
(17:40) - Jeff Bezos
(21:00) - Leaving Microsoft
(24:28) - Drive + empathy
(27:39) - David’s parents
(30:38) - Being straightforward
(36:20) - Loving the Work
(38:42) - Amazon’s early days
(40:49) - Bezos’ farewell easter egg
(43:44) - “What else is out there?”
(48:36) - Ariel Cohen
(49:56) - Living overseas
(53:06) - Starting Worldreader
(58:15) - The lifelong journey
(01:00:40) - Growing profitably
(01:04:09) - Waymo and driverless cars
(01:10:45) - Physical businesses at scale
(01:14:03) - Who Lyft is hiring
(01:15:19) - What “grit” means to David

Links:

Connect with David

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Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#200 CEO & Co-Founder Together AI, Vipul Ved Prakash w/ Bucky Moore: Super Cycle Jul 22, 2024

Guests: Vipul Ved Prakash, CEO and co-founder of Together AI; and Bucky Moore, partner at Kleiner Perkins

No one knows for sure whether the future of AI will be driven more by research labs and AI-native companies, or by enterprises applying the technology to their own data sets. But one thing is for sure, says Together AI CEO and co-founder Vipul Ved Prakash: It’s going to be a lot bigger. “If you look at the next 10 years or the next 20 years, we are doing maybe 0.1 percent of [the] AI that we’ll be doing 10 years from now.”

In this episode, Vipul, Bucky, and Joubin discuss startup table stakes, Tri Dao, tentpole features, open-source AI, non-financial investors, Meta Llama, deep learning researchers, WeWork, “Attention is All You Need,” create vs. capture, Databricks, Docker, scaling laws, Ilya Sutskever, IRC, and Jordan Ritter and Napster.

Chapters:

(00:53) - Executive hiring
(04:40) - How Vipul and Bucky met
(06:54) - Six years at Apple
(08:19) - Together and the AI landscape
(12:47) - Apple’s deal with OpenAI
(14:27) - Open vs. closed AI
(17:32) - Nvidia GPUs and capital expenditures
(22:48) - Fame and reputation
(24:17) - Planning for an uncertain future
(27:00) - Stress and attention
(30:18) - AI research
(34:58) - Challenges for AI businesses
(39:02) - Frequent disagreements
(43:05) - Vipul’s first startups, Cloudmark and Topsy
(47:55) - Taking time off
(50:09) - The crypto-AI connection
(53:20) - Who Together AI is hiring
(54:37) - What “grit” means to Vipul

Links:

Connect with Vipul

Connect with Bucky

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#199 CEO & Co-Founder Klaviyo, Andrew Bialecki: High Slope Jul 15, 2024

Guest: Andrew Bialecki, CEO of Klaviyo

Whenever the marketing platform Klaviyo is hiring, says CEO Andrew Bialecki, “we sort of don't care so much what skills you have.” Instead, the company looks for “high slope” individuals who are curious and able to continually learn new things. “A big turnoff for me is [when] somebody says, ‘Oh, well, I was never good at that when I was growing up,’” Andrew explains. “You know, ‘I'm not a good writer’ or ‘I'm not good with numbers.’ And it's like, well, OK, but anybody can learn anything.”

In this episode, Andrew and Joubin discuss WeCrashed, Paul Graham, vertical integration, automating sales, Ed Hallen, The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle, child prodigies, interview questions, public speaking and decompression, taking ownership, hiring engineers, burnout, and productivity habits.

Chapters:

(00:51) - Klaviyo's office
(02:36) - Attention to detail
(06:32) - Big decisions
(12:23) - What Klaviyo does
(14:50) - Its 2023 IPO
(20:35) - The founding story
(25:06) - Nature or nurture?
(28:47) - Science and hockey
(31:02) - Hiring for slope
(33:57) - Extroversion
(37:00) - Culture as product
(39:53) - Owning your success
(46:24) - “The algorithms of humanity”
(50:55) - Why Andrew runs
(52:35) - Sports psychology for startups
(55:34) - Richard Feynman
(58:27) - Who Klaviyo is hiring
(59:20) - What “grit” means to Andrew

Links:

Connect with Andrew

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#198 CEO & Co-Founder Wayfair, Niraj Shah: Homeward Jul 08, 2024

Guest: Niraj Shah, CEO and co-founder of Wayfair

Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah caught the entrepreneurship bug in his mid-20s, when he and his longtime co-founder Steve Conine sold their first company just a few years out of college. They left the acquirer and independently realized “we absolutely wanted to start something else,” Niraj recalls. “Once you’ve done that, if you enjoy that, it’s very hard to pursue something more traditional.” But the “if you enjoy that” bit really matters: Whenever he’s counseling younger people, Niraj tells them to pursue something they’re genuinely excited about. Otherwise, “it’s going to be very hard for you to do your best work.”

In this episode, Niraj and Joubin discuss shopping malls, employee discounts, working in Boston, family time, Jay Chaudhry, Cornell University, pursuing what you enjoy, fostering trust, family vacations, over-hiring corporate staff, taking market share, the power of ecommerce, ownership mentality, setting priorities, and rapid hiring.

Chapters:

(00:51) - Wayfair’s first retail stores
(05:35) - Buying from other stores
(08:59) - Immigrant entrepreneurship and Niraj’s dad
(12:57) - Building the flywheel
(15:32) - Structuring your calendar
(17:59) - Success and attention
(21:47) - Niraj’s first business
(25:54) - His co-founder, Steve Conine
(29:58) - Wayfair’s operations and the COVID surge
(33:52) - The home goods market
(37:50) - Optimizing SKUs
(41:21) - Specializing, focusing, and problem-solving
(44:42) - Sustainable work ethic
(48:05) - AI and personalization
(52:42) - Who Wayfair is hiring
(53:56) - What “grit” means to Niraj

Links:

Connect with Niraj

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#197 CEO, Chairman & Founder Zscaler, Jay Chaudhry: No Attachment Jul 01, 2024

Guest: Jay Chaudhry, CEO, chairman, and founder of Zscaler

Much of the media coverage of Zscaler CEO Jay Chaudhry is quick to identify him as the wealthiest Indian-American person, with a net worth of $10.8 billion. But to hear Jay himself tell it, that number has never been very important to him: “My family had no money,” he says of his childhood in India. “I had no attachment for money. There was no feeling of ‘I must buy this, buy this.’ ... And it hasn’t changed a bit.” Perhaps surprisingly, he says not caring about money is one of the big reasons for his financial success: With no attachment to money, “I could take risks.”

In this episode, Jay and Joubin discuss startup “gambling,” Jay’s wife Jyoti, scarcity and risk, wasting time, “bonding walks,” family vacations, self-confidence and self-criticism, gardening, seven-minute aerobics, Marc Andreessen and Netscape, and IBM.

Chapters:

(01:54) - Selling SecureIT to Verisign
(06:49) - Jay’s humble beginnings
(09:12) - The worst way to describe him
(11:42) - Working harder than ever
(14:15) - Authenticity and selflessness
(16:36) - Family time
(18:53) - Happy childhood
(21:33) - Setting an example
(24:48) - Customer meetings
(27:30) - Conviction and execution
(31:07) - Do your best
(33:16) - Turning off your brain
(38:23) - Getting experience
(40:17) - Who Zscaler is hiring
(41:12) - What “grit” means to Jay

Links:

Connect with Jay

Connect with Joubin

Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#196 CEO & Co-Founder Braze, Bill Magnuson: Principles of Change Jun 24, 2024

Guest: Bill Magnuson, CEO and co-founder of Braze

The deployment of smartphones around the world was more impactful than any other technology to date, says Braze CEO Bill Magnuson — and that has big implications for emerging fields like generative AI. “If we get to the point where they [LLMs] really can be useful, human-like companions ... they will be usable by everyone that has smartphone technology.” In other words, the question is not business opportunity or scale: It’s capability.

In this episode, Bill and Joubin discuss earnings days, Aaron Levie, MIT, customer churn, shower thoughts, technical co-founders, lacking context, AGI, “hands on keyboard,” the T-Mobile G1, app marketing, the 2008 financial crisis, Bob Iger, World War II, Peter Reinhardt, Watershed, and international offices.

Chapters:

(00:51) - Morning people
(05:09) - What Braze does
(06:59) - From CTO to CEO
(08:17) - Waking up and commuting
(10:49) - Leading vs. engineering
(12:35) - Cognizant of believability
(19:52) - LLMs and the human brain
(25:46) - The AI ceiling
(28:43) - The historic deployment of smartphones
(37:58) - The benefits of youth
(40:18) - Taking the leap
(43:35) - Read more sci-fi
(46:38) - Survivor bias
(48:55) - Big risks at scale
(52:30) - Who Braze is hiring around the world
(55:32) - What “grit” means to Bill

Links:

Connect with Bill

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Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#195 CEO Salesforce AI, Clara Shih: Above the Clouds Jun 17, 2024

Guest: Clara Shih, CEO of Salesforce AI

In 2020, Clara Shih quit Hearsay, the company she founded and ran for 11 years; in hindsight, she says “I probably should have quit a little bit sooner.” But at the time, she cared a lot — too much — about what everyone else thought. “There's a lot of guilt around leaving initially and feeling bad for feeling bad,” Clara says. But her worries subsided when her replacement and former COO, Mike Boese, guided the company with “class and grace” to an exit: A $125 million+ acquisition just this week by Yext.

In this episode, Clara meets Joubin on the top level of Salesforce Tower to discuss Sarah Friar, AI “frenemies,” practice and discipline, quantifying hard work, burnout, turning off, Intercom, elite operators, “Serviceforce,” ChatGPT, hiring for hunger, kids and achivement, Thomas “TK” Kurian, Slack, David Schmeier, Juan Perez, Nvidia GPUs, Silvio Savarese and Frontier AI, Starbucks, and Sheryl Sandberg.

Chapters:

(01:04) - Apple’s OpenAI partnership
(03:18) - Organizing your life
(04:45) - Working smarter
(07:49) - Hindsight
(08:58) - Hearsay’s acquisition by Yext
(11:23) - What everyone else thinks
(14:25) - Productive worry
(17:27) - Coming (back) to Salesforce
(20:47) - Paranoia and immigrant hustle
(25:42) - Quitting
(26:39) - Meetings and infusing AI
(29:38) - Internal time savings
(31:48) - The Matthew McConaughey ads
(33:48) - Different horizons
(37:35) - France and sovereign AI
(38:46) - How Clara uses AI to keep up
(40:33) - Dis-intermediating Netflix
(41:27) - Who Salesforce AI is hiring
(42:05) - Advice from Howard Schultz and Marc Benioff

Links:

Connect with Clara
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#194 CEO & Founder Sunshine, Marissa Mayer: Innovative Instincts Jun 10, 2024

Guest: Marissa Mayer, CEO and Founder of Sunshine and former CEO of Yahoo

When Marissa Mayer was first hired as the CEO of Yahoo, the company had lost nearly a quarter of its workforce in the preceding six months. Early on, she was chatting with employees in the cafeteria and one of them got her attention by smacking her tray. “Is it go time?” he asked. He was asking if the board and C-suite were ready to lead the company forward, but Marissa thought he had one foot out the door. “I had just come out of this meeting where they were like, ‘Everyone’s leaving!’” she recalled. “And I was like, ‘Oh no, please don’t go, I’ve only been here for four days!’”

In this episode, Marissa and Joubin discuss the number 12, contacts and photo sharing, fear of AI, soccer moms, maternity as a “disability,” mothers’ rooms, Jim Citrin, Project Cardinal, HTML5 vs. native apps, Ross Levinsohn, Lori Puccinelli Stern, Joe Montana, David Karp, Mark Zuckerberg, Taylor Swift, hiring at Google, Amit Patel, Hamilton, John Doerr, and the Google APM program.

Chapters:

(00:52) - Reading your own press
(04:55) - Marissa’s lucky number
(07:19) - Her latest startup, Sunshine
(15:03) - Burnout, resentment, and rhythm
(21:46) - The opportunity to become CEO of Yahoo
(27:00) - Inverting maternity leave
(31:14) - The big interview
(36:44) - An epic dinner party
(42:51) - The voicemail
(47:18) - Farzad “Zod” Nazem and David Philo
(50:25) - Last day at Google
(53:52) - “Is it go time?”
(59:03) - Buying Tumblr
(01:04:46) - Alibaba and Verizon
(01:06:24) - Larry and Sergey bucks
(01:11:05) - Eric Schmidt’s advice
(01:12:59) - In the room at Google
(01:18:36) - Teaching and identifying talent
(01:24:32) - Who Sunshine is hiring

Links:

Connect with Marissa
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#193 Former CEO Nextdoor, Sarah Friar: Four Circles Jun 03, 2024

Guest: Sarah Friar, former CEO of Nextdoor

Sarah Friar has worked with some of the top leaders in Silicon Valley, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Block CEO Jack Dorsey, and most recently Nextdoor founder Nirav Tolia, who just replaced her as CEO in May. And one of the things that sets top performers apart from the rest, she argues, is their compassion and their responsiveness. When her former EA’s husband was diagnosed with cancer, Sarah texted Benioff — who she had just left behind to work at Square — for help. Within seconds, she recalls, he arranged an appointment at UCSF. “That is an amazing moment of compassion,” she says, “where he did not need to take that time.”

In this episode, Sarah and Joubin discuss public markets vs. VC, George Floyd, working with the board, singular focus, Goldman Sachs, being in “flow,” the freedom of not getting the thing you want, Walmart, Steph Curry, Graham Smith, Charlie Rose and Donald Trump, ugly babies, Elon Musk, Ladies Who Lunch, CNBC, commuting from home, white noise, “frequent Friars,” @TechEmails on Twitter, and the “zone of gratefulness.”

Chapters:

(02:04) - Why Sarah left Nextdoor
(08:18) - The stock market and success
(10:21) - Going through hell
(14:48) - Life is not an A/B test
(16:09) - Multiple tours of duty
(19:21) - Ikigai
(22:02) - Perfectionism and drive
(25:54) - Sarah’s next operating role
(28:35) - Big transitions
(30:35) - Personal burn rate
(35:34) - “Are people gonna take my call?”
(38:40) - Leaving Salesforce for Square
(41:27) - Loyalty
(45:33) - Leaving the right way
(47:44) - Square and Swiss cheese companies
(50:03) - Growth companies
(52:38) - Apolitical workplaces
(53:42) - Leaving Square
(55:38) - Loneliness
(57:18) - Daily routines
(01:05:03) - Working on weekends
(01:08:30) - Hyper-responsiveness
(01:11:47) - Resumé virtues and eulogy virtues
(01:15:33) - What “grit” means to Sarah

Links:

Connect with Sarah
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#192 CTO & Co-Founder Discord, Stanislav Vishnevskiy: Ship It May 27, 2024

Guest: Stanislav Vishnevskiy, CTO and co-founder of Discord

For many years, the conventional wisdom was the gaming was not social because it was something you usually did at home. “But people who play games are often the most social,” says Discord CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy. “They’re spending 10, 20 hours with other people online, hanging out.” As a teenager, Stanislav logged more than 1,000 days playing his favorite video game and socializing with friends around the world, but with 200 million monthly active users, the social platform is appealing to a lot more than hardcore gamers. “People online who need to get together and collaborate ... [want] tp have control and create a place,” he says. “That’s not just a gaming need, right? That’s pretty much any community.”

In this episode, Stanislav and Joubin discuss “Discord moments,” hanging out online, IRC and AIM, Fates Forever, good and bad stress, leadership coaches, Claire Hughes Johnson, socializing online, heart surgery, Slack, Jason Citron, in-browser voice chat, Reddit, authentic CX, hiring slowly, Mitch Lasky, “playing moneyball,” React, content moderation, deprecation plans, and collaborative projects.

Chapters:

(02:09) - Discord’s scale and importance
(07:35) - What is Discord?
(09:43) - Hammer and Chisel
(13:18) - How Stanislav’s role has changed
(15:17) - Imposter syndrome
(17:47) - Doing stuff for the first time
(21:22) - Final Fantasy XI and Stanislav’s parents
(25:12) - YOLO
(27:02) - Games as social networks
(30:49) - The evolution of Discord
(35:58) - Inherent virality
(39:04) - Building the company
(41:39) - The COVID effect
(43:08) - Hiring for slope
(46:43) - Pivoting back to gaming
(51:27) - The Discord Store and Nitro
(54:30) - Emotional stakes
(56:09) - Midjourney and AI art
(59:58) - Virtual worlds
(01:01:30) - Who Discord is hiring and what “grit” means to Stanislav

Links:

Connect with Stanislav
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#191 CEO & Co-Founder Intercom, Eoghan McCabe: Second Beginning May 20, 2024

Guest: Eoghan McCabe, CEO, Chairman, and Co-Founder of Intercom

“We are not ready for the degree to which our world is going to change,” says Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe, “in insane and incredible ways.” When he co-founded the company in 2011, the Irish-born entrepreneur was making it easier for companies to offer human customer service to their customers. But Eoghan believes “every single type of knowledge work” will soon be done by AI, and Intercom is well on its way to that destination: 45 percent of all tickets are being answered by bots now, and he expects that number to climb to 70 percent by 2026. “The agents no longer have to do the repetitive, painful, boring work,” Eoghan says. “They can focus on the more human, creative, interesting work that requires their empathy and creativity.”

In this episode, Eoghan and Joubin discuss fitting in, Archana Agrawal, authentic comms, taking risks, returning to the company you founded, politics at work, celebrating innovation, therapy for founders, and Ram Dass.

Chapters:

(01:04) - Insecurity and success
(06:16) - What Intercom does
(08:20) - Reinvention and “big company values”
(15:50) - Becoming an AI company
(16:53) - 2011 vs. 2024 in San Francisco
(21:03) - AI for customer service — and more
(25:07) - “The shitty gift that being attacked brings”
(30:25) - Expectations vs. reality, part one
(33:16) - What success means now
(36:08) - Running away
(39:56) - Coming back
(41:58) - Being busy is BS
(44:10) - Expectations vs. reality, part two
(45:44) - Self-mastery
(50:38) - Sanding off the rough edges
(55:08) - Who Intercom is hiring and what “grit” means to Eoghan

Links:

Connect with Eoghan
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#190 Co-Founder Cost Plus Drugs, Mark Cuban: Mavs to Meds May 13, 2024

Guest: Mark Cuban, co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs and costar, Shark Tank

“I just love to compete,” says Mark Cuban. “And the day I stop is the day I’m dead.” Previously the co-founder of MicroSolutions and Broadcast.com, Cuban is probably best known to the public today for competing with the likes of Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran on the reality TV show Shark Tank. But his real focus — and his real enemy — these days is the pharmaceutical industry. His latest company, Cost Plus Drugs, aims to be far more transparent than established PBMs, or Pharmacy Benefit Managers, and Mark clearly relishes eating their margin. “Everybody talks about disrupting healthcare,” he says. “This is the easiest motherf**king industry I've ever tried to disrupt because it is so opaque, and everybody is so captured by the scale of these big companies.”

In this episode, Mark and Joubin discuss Luka Dončić, Synthesia, the Sony hack, the American Dream, TikTok propaganda, MicroSolutions, throwing away watches, keeping kids grounded, Black Mirror, keeping up, Ali Ghodsi, the NBA, MGM, gambling in Dallas, the Adelson family, CES, transparency, and Alex Oshmyansky.

Chapters:

(00:55) - Game day and superstitions
(03:08) - Email responsiveness
(05:48) - Shark Tank
(09:21) - Retiring young
(10:57) - American Airlines’ lifetime pass
(12:55) - Sports and blue-collar work
(16:02) - Compete or die
(17:43) - Why Mark hates meetings
(19:57) - Immortality through AI
(23:05) - The new AI wave
(25:07) - Startup founders and low-hanging fruit
(29:24) - Selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo
(31:35) - The Dallas Mavericks
(34:52) - Selling his majority stake
(37:08) - The missing link in pharma
(41:27) - Disrupting a huge industry
(43:57) - The problem with debt
(44:59) - What “grit” means to Mark

Links:

Connect with Mark
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#189 Co-Founder Watershed, Taylor Francis: Worthy Missions May 06, 2024

Guest: Taylor Francis, co-founder of Watershed

One day when he was 13, Taylor Francis walked out of the movie theater, and he was pissed off. He had just seen Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth and internalized a “generational call to arms, that my parents had screwed our generation” by causing the climate crisis, he says. 14 years later, he was working at Stripe and felt another call to arms: The 2020s would be a crucial decade for slashing carbon emissions and combating global warming. So, he and his co-founders Avi Itskovich and Christian Anderson all left Stripe to start Watershed, which helps companies measure and reduce their emissions.

In this episode, Taylor and Joubin discuss Patrick Collison, Dan Miller-Smith, hiring challenges, Jonathan Neman, “golden age syndrome,” John Doerr and Mike Moritz, the Climate Reality Project, steady partnerships, DRI cultures, shared context, social distancing, information sprawl, and the founders’ “woe is me” narrative.

Chapters:

(01:02) - Magnetic missions
(06:40) - How enterprise sustainability works
(08:40) - Watershed’s first client, Sweetgreen
(11:04) - Reflecting on the early days
(16:36) - Al Gore and An Inconvenient Truth
(18:53) - Mobilizing teenagers
(22:16) - The origins of Watershed
(27:04) - Leaving Stripe and raising money
(31:41) - Interchangeable co-founders
(33:06) - The ground truth
(35:25) - The Dunbar Number
(38:22) - Watershed’s operating principles
(41:56) - Intensity, priorities, and sacrifice
(47:37) - Moving faster
(50:26) - Sustainability is a part of business
(52:21) - The topology of emissions
(58:08) - Who Watershed is hiring

Links:

Connect with Taylor
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#188 CEO & Co-Founder Synthesia, Victor Riparbelli w/ Josh Coyne: Gorilla in the Room Apr 29, 2024

Guests: Victor Riparbelli, CEO and co-founder of Synthesia; and Josh Coyne, partner at Kleiner Perkins

When Victor Riparbelli wants to learn something, he’ll start with a YouTube video or a podcast: “I maybe buy the book on Amazon as like the fifth step,” the Synthesia CEO says. His company is trying to change the text-first (or text-only) way information is conveyed at work, making AI avatar-narrated videos to replace documents like customer profiles and HR manuals. Victor says that as the technology improves over many years, it could replace text entirely. “I think for most people, if they had a choice, they would probably prefer to watch video and listen to audio.”

In this episode, Victor, Josh, and Joubin discuss Seedcamp, Annie Case, Rubik’s Cubes, AI video dubbing, Instagram filters, emotive avatars, Ilya Fushman, Atlassian, Grammarly, the Gutenberg Parenthesis, European startups, email responsiveness, acqui-hires, and being “lonely at the top.”

Chapters:

(01:33) - Loose screws
(02:45) - How Victor and Josh met
(04:35) - AI hype cycles
(06:57) - What Synthesia does
(08:22) - Copycats and competition
(14:34) - Winner take all
(16:38) - Synthesia’s origin story
(21:36) - Category creation
(23:41) - The next era of AI video
(28:51) - The uncanny valley
(30:07) - Watching videos at work
(33:17) - Scaling video and audio content
(37:45) - Emailing with Mark Cuban
(45:15) - Battle scars
(48:47) - Customer obsession
(50:54) - Pressure to succeed
(54:41) - Deep passion
(57:16) - Who Synthesia is hiring

Links:

Connect with Victor
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Josh
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#187 President & COO of AG1, Kat Cole: Wings to Supplements Apr 22, 2024

Guest: Kat Cole, COO of Athletic Greens

You can’t make smart decisions if you don’t know the truth — the “true truth,” as Athletic Greens COO Kat Cole puts it. “As you get bigger and you have success, innovator’s dilemma, you end up talking to yourself instead of really being rooted in what’s going on.” That’s why she has embraced the anxiety of the unknown, channeling what she doesn’t know about the market into productive questions for her team and her customers. Anxiety can be harmful, she concedes, but “there’s a healthy version of believing you never really know what’s going on, and you never really know the true truth, because things change so quickly.”

In this episode, Kat and Joubin discuss Huberman Lab, ultra-endurance athletes, Chris Ashenden, founder-owned businesses, “fancy jobs,” international trips, unplanned succession, private equity, the Atkins diet, inheriting a bad situation, omni-channel marketing, working with franchisees, fully remote companies, “if not for...,” and why Athletic Greens has only one SKU.

Chapters:

(01:04) - Podcast superfans
(06:54) - AG1 and Kat’s professional journey
(11:14) - Her “Jerry Springer childhood”
(14:31) - Learning, moving, thriving
(16:18) - The Hooters business school
(24:05) - Leaving Hooters and joining Rourke Capital
(28:46) - Cinnabon’s dark years
(35:55) - The three questions
(41:11) - MiniBons
(45:37) - Anxiety and uncertainty
(48:40) - The wad of paper story
(50:26) - Favorite interview questions
(54:49) - The temptation to do more

Links:

Connect with Kat
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#186 COO Asana, Anne Raimondi: Recovering Perfectionist Apr 15, 2024

Guest: Anne Raimondi, COO and Head of Business at Asana

Asana COO Anne Raimondi feels pressure to perform in her job “every day, all the time.” But that pressure doesn’t come from her fellow executives; she imposes it on herself, trying to think carefully about how much each of her decisions will impact her team. “I have a lot of privilege and choice,” Anne says, “of how I spend my time, the resources available to me, and am I doing enough? ... Am I doing the most with the opportunities I have, and making as positive an impact as I can?”

In this episode, Anne and Joubin discuss returning to the office, Scott McNealy, the dotcom bust, Myers-Briggs, Star Trek: The Next Generation, empowering leaders, Blue Nile, Robert, Chatwani, tech leaders with children, Bain Capital, time management, being “in the moment,” Dave Goldberg, Dustin Moskovitz, staying curious, and being prescriptive.

Chapters:

(01:05) - Hybrid remote policies
(05:34) - Employees’ emotional journey
(09:39) - Thoughtful answers and betazoids
(13:17) - Anne’s immigrant parents
(14:50) - Regrettable feedback
(17:46) - Leaders who cast a shadow
(19:36) - Company-hopping
(24:14) - Startups and stability
(28:42) - Pressure to perform
(31:08) - Insecurity and parenthood
(37:12) - Allocating your time
(39:43) - Co-founding One Jackson
(45:36) - Amanda Kleha
(47:01) - Great founders
(52:18) - “It is not glamorous”
(54:03) - From board to operating at Asana
(57:10) - Feedback for founders
(01:00:25) - Recurring meetings
(01:03:07) - Who Asana is hiring

Links:

Connect with Anne
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#185 CEO & Founder Netskope, Sanjay Beri: The Trenches Apr 08, 2024

Guest: Sanjay Beri, CEO and Founder of Netskope

“You can be waiting your whole life to do something, and then your life’s over,” says Sanjay Beri. After nine years at Juniper Networks, he left his comfortable job, moved his family to a house with a pricier mortgage, and launched the cloud security firm Netskope. His entrepreneurial story would make anyone stressed, he acknowledges, but “at some level, you have to be wired to enjoy it… that's why I tell everybody who joins, ‘It's not for the faint of heart.’”

In this episode, Sanjay and Joubin discuss Reddit, banker friends, professional legacies, the wrong way to raise capital, authenticity, Ponzi schemes, “fool’s gold,” high-risk hiring, hitting pause, your “other family,” and changing roles.

Chapters:

(00:54) - 2024 IPOs
(05:43) - Long on cybersecurity
(07:59) - Netskope’s mission
(10:22) - Sanjay’s first company, Ingrian
(12:07) - The writing on the wall
(15:02) - Mamoon Hamid
(20:21) - Stress and perspective
(24:53) - Sanjay’s mother
(28:41) - The trenches vs. the clouds
(30:53) - Guts, Resolve, Integrity, Tenacity
(32:10) - Hiring for grit
(38:06) - The lowest point
(41:18) - “Always on”
(43:49) - The hot desk office
(46:13) - Scaling people
(49:30) - Politics and integrity
(53:03) - Who Netskope is hiring

Links:

Connect with Sanjay
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#184 Former CEO & Co-Founder Sun, Scott McNealy: In the Piñata Apr 01, 2024

Guest: Scott McNealy, former CEO and co-founder of Sun Microsystems & co-founder of Curriki

Scott McNealy never wanted to be CEO of Sun, and in his 22-year tenure before selling to Oracle, he knows there were times he failed to execute, or to rein in the once-iconic Silicon Valley firm’s worst impulses. But like his pro golfer son, Maverick, Scott doesn’t like to look back: “Golfers will always look back and blame the wind, a divot that wasn't repaired, a bad rake job, a mower cut that wasn't done properly, a gust of wind,” he explains. “If you blame yourself for all of the mistakes you make. You will hate yourself ... I look forward.”

In this episode, Scott and Joubin discuss Scott Cook, Maverick McNealy, why big companies are riskier than startups, Al Gore, Marc Andreessen, Mark Zuckerberg, Kodak, Dick Kleinhans, Harvard University, “bozo invasions,” Myers-Briggs, making an example, Motorola car phones, the Moscone Center, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, NVIDIA’s valuation, farewell letters, “you have no privacy,” open-source education, and toothpaste.com.

In this episode, we cover:

(01:00) - John Doerr
(02:47) - Fathers, sons, and sports
(07:29) - Living in the piñata
(10:48) - Why Scott left Sun
(13:49) - The heyday of Sun Microsystems
(18:24) - Vinod Khosla and founding Sun
(21:24) - How Scott became CEO
(27:21) - Profitable in three months
(30:02) - Inferiority complex
(32:20) - Executive exits and fun at work
(35:49) - Managers and recognition
(38:18) - “HR hero” Crawford Beveridge
(40:35) - How Carol Bartz became VP of marketing
(43:07) - Sharing in success
(45:25) - Scott’s love life & meeting Susan
(50:54) - The dotcom boom and crash
(53:45) - Unicorn CEOs and IBM’s offer
(55:49) - Competitors and hindsight
(58:20) - “The planet system”
(01:00:13) - Too many employees
(01:04:06) - Larry Ellison and selling to Oracle
(01:07:01) - Blaming yourself and looking forward
(01:10:11) - Curriki
(01:12:12) - The AI boom
(01:14:42) - “Grit” and insecurity

Links:

Connect with Scott
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#183 CEO & Co-Founder Harness, Jyoti Bansal: Three-Layered Cake Mar 25, 2024

Guest: Jyoti Bansal, CEO and co-founder of Harness

Cisco bought Jyoti Bansal’s first company AppDynamics for $3.7 billion, making him a very wealthy man. But after two African safaris, a week of Michelin-starred meals in Tokyo, and more adventures all around the world, he realized that spending his money didn’t truly make him happy. After some soul-searching, he realized what he really enjoyed: “I liked to build companies. That is my craft ... If someone enjoys playing gold for six hours, I would enjoy working on a startup for six hours.”

In this episode, Jyoti and Joubin discuss the evolution of Grit, Carlos Delatorre, Tom Mendoza, Glean, growing up in India, traveling the world, three-star restaurants, soul-searching, automating gruntwork, paying for nice hotels, red-eye flights, product-market fit, Jeff Bezos, the “three-layered cake,” Frank Slootman, raising the bar for distribution, technical debt, structural efficiency, and taking pride in your work.

In this episode, we cover:

(00:59) - Top-tier CROs
(04:18) - The video game levels of startups
(07:24) - Selling AppDynamics to Cisco
(09:16) - Keeping up with high-growth companies
(12:10) - The chip on Jyoti’s shoulder
(16:15) - How he thinks about money
(18:02) - Do what you enjoy every day
(22:32) - “What would make me happy?”
(24:56) - Starting BIG Labs and Harness
(29:16) - Adjusting to a new reality
(34:13) - Work-life balance
(36:30) - What gets easier — and harder — over time
(41:44) - Product vs. distribution
(46:46) - Paying it forward
(48:29) - The next level
(50:24) - The four lists
(53:45) - Assigning clear responsibilities
(56:06) - Jyoti’s favorite interview question
(57:41) - Who Harness is hiring

Links:

Connect with Jyoti
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#182 CEO & Co-Founder Cribl, Clint Sharp: Finding Traction Mar 18, 2024

Guest: Clint Sharp, CEO and co-founder of Cribl

New employees are joining the remote data platform Cribl every week, and as the staff grows, CEO Clint Sharp has noticed a problem: He can’t file a bug report without a lot of caveats. When there were a handful of users, no one would bat an eye at the CEO posting a bug on Slack, but now he has had to learn how to phrase things because people assume he’s “irate and we should change everything we’re doing,” Clint says. “I’ll post something and there’s a flurry of DMs that are happening in the background, like ‘Oh my God.’” Unless the tone of his bug report is clear, workers with more experience at Cribl then have to reassure the newbies: “Calm down. When he does this, he’s not upset. He’s one of the power users of the product.”

In this episode, Clint and Joubin discuss being on the road, niche audiences, top-of-funnel problems, “come to Jesus” meetings, moving the goalposts, building for building’s sake, “down and to the right,” mediating re-orgs, flat organizations, filing bugs as the CEO, setting the example, Henry Schuck, Baldur’s Gate III, legal narratives, Hacker News, Cisco, Doug Merritt, Gary Steele, Rippling, and dead trends.

In this episode, we cover:

(01:08) - Running a remote company
(02:57) - Cribl’s management meetings
(05:56) - Looking back and recognition
(08:08) - Growing quickly and what Cribl does
(11:21) - Traction
(14:53) - Solving a new problem
(17:56) - Friends and family funding
(21:45) - Why not shut it all down?
(24:36) - Healthy arrogance and control
(31:02) - Serial entrepreneurs and founder-CEOs
(33:38) - What Clint loves about the job
(35:31) - The hardest parts
(38:41) - Core values
(41:43) - Favorite interview questions
(44:26) - Drawing boundaries
(47:18) - Vacation and work-life balance
(52:53) - Splunk’s lawsuit against Clint
(56:26) - “Their brand is synonymous with expensive”
(58:41) - Who owns the data?
(01:01:59) - Building platforms
(01:07:35) - “I’m so sick of AI”
(01:11:25) - Who Cribl is hiring

Links:

Connect with Clint
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#181 CEO Transcarent, Glen Tullman: Problem Solving Mar 11, 2024

Guest: Glen Tullman, CEO of Transcarent

Before he was CEO of Transcarent, Glen Tullman presided over the biggest digital health merger of all time: His previous company Livongo was acquired in 2020 by Teledoc for $18.5 billion. Over his decades of experience in health tech, he has developed saying: Hire low, fire high. When one of his friends was offered a job and said he wanted to consider another offer, Glen withdrew Transcarent’s offer because he didn’t want to be the highest bidder — in other words, hire low. But whenever he has to let someone go, he sees it as his responsibility to “help them go off and do something else that’s great, and be successful.” Firing and replacing executives, he said, is “just part of growing ... it doesn’t have to be ugly.”

In this episode, Glen and Joubin discuss conservative values, John Doerr, Teledoc, failures of leadership, Steve Case, Bill Gates, changing expectations, Travis Kalanick, incentive bonuses, Bucknell University, massive layoffs, criticizing in public, anonymous charity, cycling events, Michael Jordan, Bill McDermott, Barack Obama, private jets, and hiring without titles.

In this episode, we cover:

(01:11) - How Glen splits his time
(03:55) - Looking back and leaving Livongo
(09:03) - Would he do it again differently?
(13:42) - Energy at work
(18:00) - Failure and starting over
(21:16) - What Transcarent does
(25:29) - Taking on the system and stress
(30:33) - Turning Allscripts around
(33:48) - “We educated you to make a difference”
(38:06) - The birth of electronic prescriptions
(42:52) - Hire low, fire high
(47:47) - Radical honesty
(53:04) - Charitable efforts
(57:55) - Glen’s competitive childhood
(01:00:55) - His family and priorities
(01:08:24) - Would Glen go into politics?
(01:12:32) - “I hate to sleep”
(01:15:06) - Peloton meetings
(01:17:32) - Trading money for time
(01:24:11) - Sharing credit
(01:25:54) - Who Transcarent is hiring
(01:28:05) - What “grit” means to Glen

Links:

Connect with Glen
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#180 CEO & Co-Founder Verkada, Filip Kaliszan: Outlier Mar 04, 2024

Guest: Filip Kaliszan, CEO and co-founder of Verkada

Great founders try to grow personally at least as fast as their companies do — but sometimes, says Verkada CEO Filip Kaliszan, that’s just not possible. By the time the company had about 200 employees, he says, “the scale of the business and the rate of the growth of the business ... outpaced my rate of learning, or my ability to consult the right people.” But over time, he has worked to fix past errors and earn everyone’s trust: “I can be only as good as the rate at which I fix my mistakes,” Filip says.

In this episode, Filip and Joubin discuss “the good old days,” first principle thinking, the business impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bay Area bubble, going public, Aaron Levie, going down rabbit holes, power dynamics, idea validation, Brian Long, Hans Robertson, DIY entrepreneurship, commercial kitchens, cash efficiency, VR headsets, zeitgeist-y platform shifts, Mark Zuckerberg, and John Doerr.

In this episode, we cover:

(00:50) - Verkada’s office culture
(04:37) - The loss of community
(10:37) - Not going remote during COVID
(16:37) - Palo Alto Networks
(22:15) - Does Filip like being CEO?
(26:02) - Time management and flow state
(29:47) - The problem with huge meetings
(31:59) - Fundraising for Verkada
(34:02) - Building a “camera company”
(37:29) - Zero to one
(41:17) - The first 10 people
(42:48) - Allocating capital wisely
(46:19) - Hiring in-house
(51:17) - Biggest screw-ups
(54:00) - The feeling of failure
(55:05) - Customer therapy
(56:39) - Divide and conquer
(01:00:47) - The Apple Vision Pro
(01:05:05) - Mark Zuckerberg’s response
(01:09:25) - Who Verkada is hiring and what “grit” means to Filip

Links:

Connect with Filip
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#179 CEO & Co-Founder Zapier, Wade Foster: Missouri’s Connector Feb 26, 2024

Guest: Wade Foster, CEO and co-founder of Zapier

When Wade Foster and his co-founders launched Zapier, he was 24, and doubted himself constantly. He consulted mentors like Paul Graham and Jay Simons, studied entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs, and also took inspiration from an unlikely source: Actor and martial artist Bruce Lee. “[He] had this fighting style, ‘The Way of No Way,’” Wade says. “He would study all the different fighting styles, and he would say, ‘None of them is the best or the worst ... My job was to take the best of each and then discard the rest, and make it my own.’”

In this episode, Wade and Joubin discuss fully remote companies, long-term thinking, hyperscaling, product-market fit, broken products, secondary offerings, “delocation packages,” interview questions, mind-breaking growth, doubting yourself, LLMs, hackathons, and adding a sales team (eventually).

In this episode, we cover:

(01:10) - Living in central Missouri
(04:15) - Will Wade do this forever?
(10:23) - Startup envy
(13:09) - “Do people actually want this?”
(18:44) - What Zapier does
(20:15) - Taking outside capital
(22:43) - Why Zapier is fully remote
(28:01) - The pace of hiring
(30:35) - Why résumés can be a trap
(37:09) - When to promote from within
(41:06) - Scaling problems
(43:47) - Self-confidence and mentors
(47:37) - Reacting to ChatGPT
(53:43) - How Zapier’s team uses AI
(58:12) - Who Zapier is hiring

Links:

Connect with Wade
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#178 Author of “Radical Candor,” Kim Scott: Uncommon Sense Feb 19, 2024

Guest: Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity and Radical Respect: How To Work Together Better

After her first management book Radical Candor became a worldwide bestseller, Kim Scott found herself giving talks to all kinds of companies about how they could apply her advice and build a stronger, kinder culture. But then, after one such talk, the CEO — a longtime friend and former coworker — came up to Kim with an asterisk. As a Black woman, she explained, “as soon as I offer anyone even the most compassionate, gentle criticism, I get assigned the ‘angry Black woman’ stereotype.” Kim realized in that moment that her book needed a prequel of sorts, explaining what you need to have before you can create radical candor: “You're not going to care about people who you don't respect,” she says.

In this episode, Kim and Joubin discuss regret minimization, Juice Software, Sheryl Sandberg, saying “um,” moments of connection, Dick Costolo, negative truths, James March, snobbery, Charles Ferguson, Shona Brown, Fred Kofman, Christa Quarles, Jason Rosoff, Andy Grove, founders as outliers, Jack Dorsey, Steve Jobs, glows and grows, the Post Ranch Inn, failing your colleagues, sexual harassment, DEI, and intellectual honesty.

In this episode, we cover:

(01:04) - Loud voices
(03:59) - Writing a bestseller
(07:48) - Why Kim wrote Radical Candor
(14:21) - How to show you care
(18:04) - Coaching tech CEOs
(21:24) - Ruinous empathy and obnoxious aggression
(25:40) - Leaving things unsaid
(30:30) - Not an academic
(35:21) - Learning from failed startups
(38:55) - Performance reviews
(42:30) - Why feedback feels risky
(49:21) - How to reject feedback
(53:11) - Creating space for feedback at home
(56:08) - Running and sleeping
(59:45) - Radical Respect and Kim’s other books
(01:04:27) - The hardest story to share
(01:06:44) - Optimism about the future

Links:

Connect with Kim
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#177 President & Co-Founder Anthropic, Daniela Amodei: AI Hurricane Feb 12, 2024

Guest: Daniela Amodei, President and co-founder of Anthropic

With a reported valuation of as much as $18 billion, Anthropic has the resources to be one of the dominant AI companies in Silicon Valley; however, it was conceived as a public benefit corporation and always tries to strike a balance between hypergrowth and responsibility. Anthropic’s flagship LLM, Claude, must adhere to a “constitution” of values that prioritize the good of humanity. And even though every company wants to “do AI” right now, President Daniela Amodei says some of them should slow down. “I keep coming back to this idea of, ‘How much are you buying the hype?’” she says. “’How grounded are you in the reality of what's actually happening?’ And sometimes in business conversations, we tell a potential customer, ‘We don't think we're right for you.’”

In this episode, Daniela and Joubin discuss her brother Dario, staying grounded, hypergrowth startups, Claire Hughes Johnson, mechanistic interpretability, Paul Graham, AI training, what AI companies can learn from social media, Stripe, the pool of venture capital in the Bay Area, leading people, giving feedback to all your coworkers, interview questions, and Sheryl Sandberg.

In this episode, we cover:

Holidays with the Amodei family (01:15)
The tech industry bubble (05:35)
Inside the AI hurricane (09:53)
Scaling as a superpower (14:39)
Complementary abilities (16:39)
Claude 2 and constitutional AI (20:05)
Making AI trustworthy, safe, and powerful (28:58)
Generative AI’s high cost (31:03)
Anthropic and OpenAI’s massive responsibility (37:50)
The impact of new technology (42:32)
Public benefit companies (46:55)
Extremely lean go to market (53:36)
AI as a business-led industry (01:00:37)
Customer obsession (01:06:58)
Where do you want to use your innovation? (01:11:31)
Who shouldn’t use AI? (01:14:33)
“Everything to everyone” (01:18:15)
Working with Daniela (01:22:26)
Interviews at Anthropic (01:25:38)
Intense performance reviews (01:29:47)
Middle managers are underrated (01:35:46)
“Tell me about yourself” (01:39:47)
Who Anthropic is hiring (01:42:33)

Links:

Connect with Daniela
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#176 CEO MongoDB, Dev Ittycheria: Edge Feb 05, 2024

Guest: Dev Ittycheria, CEO and President of MongoDB

When you think about who you were and the decisions you made two, or four, or eight years ago ... how do you feel? Dev Ittycheria, the President and CEO of MongoDB, says he’s embarrassed about certain things he did — and that’s a good thing. “If you’re not [embarrassed], that means you’re not really growing that fast,” he says. He recalled one of his mentors, former BladeLogic chairman Steve Walske, explaining that everyone has an overinflated opinion of themselves, and the great leaders keep the gap between that opinion and reality narrow. One of the hallmarks of such a leader, Dev says, is that they have the intellectually honesty to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, which others perceive.

In this episode, Dev and Joubin discuss looking for bad news, chips on your shoulder, Ivy League schools, being an outsider, highly educated parents, “aging out,” Bruce Springsteen, Chief People Officers, Frank Slootman and John McMahon, passive aggression, vulnerability as strength, imposter syndrome, open-source licenses, introverts, and time management.

In this episode, we cover:

Shlomo Kramer and the “burden of persona” (00:59)
Why BladeLogic started in Boston (04:30)
The psychological edge (07:08)
Dev’s family and education (08:56)
“Am I good enough?” (13:11)
“Do not squander this opportunity” (16:22)
Dev’s wife (19:32)
Fear of irrelevance (21:23)
Relevance after retirement (26:06)
Why CEO is a lonely job (28:14)
Trusting your team (31:43)
The meaning of life (35:16)
Judgment and introspection (38:16)
Taking people to the woodshed (40:54)
What matters to other people (44:39)
Taking risks at MongoDB (51:08)
Founder-led businesses (53:26)
What type of company is MongoDB? (57:39)
Work-life harmony (01:00:20)
Who MongoDB is hiring (01:03:17)

Links:

Connect with Dev
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#175 CEO Snowflake, Frank Slootman: Amped Jan 29, 2024

Guest: Frank Slootman, CEO and Chairman of Snowflake and author of Amp It Up

Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman doesn’t recall a time in his childhood where new achievements were celebrated — because, according to his father, putting everything into your work and “leaving it all on the field” was the only choice. “The problem with it,” Frank says, is that “it becomes a ‘never enough’ dynamic, because when is it enough?” To this day, he comes home on Friday night and asks himself, “Did it mater that I was there? ... If I’m just a passenger on the ship, that’s my nightmare.”

In this episode, Frank and Joubin discuss acting with urgency, Shlomo Kramer, negative role models, Elon Musk, Teddy Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” speech, aptitudes and weaknesses, ServiceNow, and the life spark of business.

In this episode, we cover:

Being tough on yourself (00:59)
Sailing and inner peace (03:00)
Confronting your demons (09:07)
Scaling Data Domain (11:15)
Judging talent (15:20)
That gnawing feeling (18:16)
Daring greatly and rejecting pride (21:04)
“Did it matter that I was there?” (25:02)
How you play the game (27:59)
The best version of yourself (29:59)
Learning from the best (34:06)
Sales as inspiration (37:52)
Retirement and Tom Brady (39:09)
The fog of war (41:16)
Snowflake vs. Data Domain (44:31)
Respect for luck (48:48)
Who Snowflake is hiring (50:42)

Links:

Connect with Frank
- LinkedIn
- Buy Frank’s book, Amp It Up: Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#174 CEO & Co-Founder Ginkgo Bioworks, Jason Kelly: Life Finds a Way Jan 22, 2024

Guest: Jason Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks

Almost everyone in the second generation of biotechnology entrepreneurs, says Ginkgo Bioworks CEO Jason Kelly, works in that field because of one thing: Jurassic Park. The Michael Crichton novel-turned-Steven Spielberg movie captured both the wonder and beauty of bioengineering, and the challenges of bending DNA to your own ends. “You didn’t invent biology,” Jason says. “You need to have humility in the face of it ... because life will find a way. It will do things you don’t expect. It’s not a computer.”

In this episode, Jason and Joubin discuss the Wall Street rollercoaster, designer cells, the history of biotech, Herbert Boyer and Genentech, ChatGPT, extinct flowers, Sam Altman and YCombinator, first principles thinking, compounding risk, Patrick Collison, super-voting shares, capital intensive businesses, Pets.com, and why biology is like “freakishly powerful alien technology.”

In this episode, we cover:

Being private vs. being public (00:58)
How bioengineering works (04:27)
Jurassic Park (08:51)
Biotech breakthroughs (12:15)
Why this field is not well-known yet (16:57)
“The ChatGPT moment for biotech” (22:05)
Meaningful stuff takes forever (26:23)
Ginkgo’s first five years (29:02)
Why the company went public (36:20)
Short sellers, Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk (42:08)
Applying AI to DNA engineering (47:57)
The long-term future (55:57)
Who Ginkgo is hiring (58:39)

Links:

Connect with Jason
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#173 Author of “The Qualified Sales Leader,” John McMahon: The Five-Time CRO Jan 15, 2024

Guest: John McMahon, author of The Qualified Sales Leader: Proven Lessons from a Five Time CRO

A hell of a lot of people work in sales. But until recently, says five-time CRO and The Qualified Sales Leader author John McMahon, it was rare for colleges and universities to offer a sales degree. Salespeople had to learn on the job from experienced coaches, and adapt. And their bosses, John explains, had to themselves as agents of transformation. “If somebody’s really smart, they’re going to pick up the knowledge,” he says. “If they have what I call a PHD — persistence, heart, and desire — they’re going to learn the skills ... You’re going to have to do thousands and thousands of repetitions before you’re going to get good.”

In this episode, John and Joubin discuss lazy LinkedIn cold calls, Tom Brady’s retirement, being “married to your job,” Carl Eschenbach, crying, sales as a calling, corporate culture vs. coaching culture, adaptable workers, opportunity vs. title, Bob Muglia, transactional leaders, sad rich people, cookie-cutter advice, handshake evaluations, and David Cancel.

In this episode, we cover:

CRO to CEO? (02:21)
Ego and relevance (04:25)
Escaping the 90-day grind (06:25)
Persistence and physical discipline (09:05)
Daily habits and positive energy (14:12)
Why John quit BMC (17:09)
Poor communication (21:17)
Was there another way? (24:37)
Identifying sales talent (28:36)
Showing that you care (32:58)
Sales leaders as hockey coaches (39:46)
Firing people (44:25)
Interviewing the right type of salesperson (49:14)
Snowflake and Chris Degnan (51:22)
“What’s the book on you?” (56:03)
Managing from a position of power (58:01)
The three “whys” (01:00:31)
Why John never went VC (01:04:33)
Is he really done? (01:07:17)
Shlomo Kramer (01:10:20)
Having impact (01:13:11)
Bad advice (01:16:19)
Working with marketing (01:19:32)
Sizing people up (01:21:26)
Can CEOs give up? (01:26:51)
Coaching sales “artists” (01:28:29)
What “grit” means to John (01:30:48)

Links:

Connect with John
- LinkedIn
- Buy The Qualified Sales Leader: Proven Lessons from a Five Time CRO
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#172 Professor at UPenn & Author, Angela Duckworth: Grit Jan 08, 2024

Guest: Angela Duckworth, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

“There’s got to be a cost” when you pursue your passions, says University of Pennsylvania professor Angela Duckworth; in fact, the word “passion” comes from the Latin word for “suffering.” But that doesn’t mean that gritty people are unhappy. After the time needed for sleep, daily exercise, friends, and family, Dr. Duckworth explains, “what’s left is more than 40 hours.” Informed by her research and her own happiness, she tries to discourage her students from settling for a 9 to 5 life: “There’s so many people that exemplify a life of dedication, and hard work, and of happiness, and humor, and friends, and family, that I think we should tell young people, ‘Look, don't assume that's not possible.’”

In this episode, Angela and Joubin discuss being punctual, Danny Kahneman, AP Calculus, moving the finish line, teaching grit to children, Arthur Ashe, Diana Nyad, passion and sacrifice, hiring gritty people, “change your situation,” Marc Leder and Rodger Krouse, Invictus, ChatGPT, neural autopilot, and Steve Jobs.

In this episode, we cover:

“I have a thing with time” (01:36)
Being the GOAT (06:37)
Mr. Yom (09:27)
Chef Marc Vetri (14:15)
The Devil Wears Prada (16:03)
Talking about grit (18:12)
Satisfaction, loneliness, and happiness (20:24)
Success as a journey (28:23)
The cost of hard work (32:52)
Angela’s 70-hour work week (36:31)
Charisma and loving what you do (40:55)
Why high achievers have supportive partners (47:07)
The next book (55:25)
Pick the right market (57:45)
Therapy questions (59:53)
The Incredible Hulk vs. James Bond (01:02:45)
Automating decisions (01:05:43)
What “grit” means to Angela (01:09:39)

Links:

Connect with Angela
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Additional reading:
- Redefining Success: Adopt the Journey Mindset to Move Forward
- Buy Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#171 Founder & Former CEO Drift, David Cancel: Never Trapped Jan 01, 2024

Guest: David Cancel, founder and former CEO of Drift; founder of Rey

After HubSpot acquired his company Performable in 2011, David Cancel became his acquirer’s Chief Product Officer — and didn’t give any thought to how long he’d be in that role. When he started eyeing the exit a few years later, he was told that wasn’t an option: HubSpot had already filed to go public, and an officer of the company leaving in the first 18 months would raise major red flags. “Maybe this is what’s led me to be an entrepreneur,” David recalls. “I can never feel trapped … Someone telling me, ‘you can’t leave,’ I was like, boom. Switch went off in my head … and I was like, ‘I’m out.’” The filing was ultimately delayed and David was able to quit just before the IPO; one day later, he started his next company, Drift.

In this episode, David and Joubin discuss the accountability of doing something, creating constraints, the Whitney Museum, imposter syndrome, Tony Hawk, John Romero, wandering without a map, conservative spending, Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, Phil Jackson, the voices in your head, Shlomo Kramer, righteous independence, cancel culture and diversity, gut vs. data, and killing ideas with discipline.

In this episode, we cover:

Action and distractions (00:50)
Observer and outsider (05:36)
Advising entrepreneurs (11:18)
“It has to be bigger” (13:23)
David’s new company, Rey (16:38)
Remote vs. in-person work (21:24)
Who David will hire first (25:39)
Fundraising and bootstrapping (27:39)
The timeline for Rey (31:48)
Rebuilding Hubspot’s code base (33:36)
Leaving HubSpot at the IPO (42:54)
“You’re not done” (48:19)
HubSpot’s infamous exec meetings (54:44)
David’s hardest year and selling Drift (59:26)
The upmarket mistake (01:03:13)
Saying no to good ideas (01:08:12)
What “grit” means to David (01:11:52)

Links:

Connect with David
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#170 Chairman of Kleiner Perkins, John Doerr: Getting Into Trouble with Disruptors (Encore) Dec 25, 2023

Guest: John Doerr, chairman of Kleiner Perkins

After Kleiner Perkins chairman John Doerr first invested in Google — $12.8 million for 13 percent of the company — he told co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin that they needed to hire a CEO to help them build the business. After they took meetings with a variety of successful tech execs, they came back to Doerr and told him “We’ve got some good news and some bad news.” The good news was that they agreed on the need for a CEO; the bad news, Doerr recalls, is that they believed there was only one person qualified for the role: The then-CEO of Pixar and interim CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs.

In this encore presentation of the 100th episode of Grit, John and Joubin discuss the urgent need to act on the climate crisis, getting turned down by Kleiner Perkins, CEOs as sales leaders, the microprocessor revolution, balancing between work and family, the opportunity of AI and sustainability, what makes Jeff Bezos special, Bing Gordon and the invention of Amazon Prime, the Google CEO search, how the iPhone nearly killed Apple, Steve Jobs’ greatest gift, Bill Gates’ philanthropy, and how Doerr divides his time.

In this episode, we cover:

John’s two books — Measure What Matters and Speed & Scale — and applying OKRs to the climate crisis (02:39)
How John got to Silicon Valley and what he learned from his entrepreneurial father, Lou (08:55)
“I didn’t want to be in venture capital” (16:27)
Joining Kleiner Perkins at the dawn of personal computing (20:03)
The internet, cloud computing, smartphones, and the next big tech wave: AI (24:41)
How John met Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (29:46)
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and teaming up with Mike Moritz from Sequoia (38:26)
John’s friendship with Steve Jobs and the creation of the $100 million iFund for iPhone apps (45:12)
“Family first” and setting personal OKRs (50:10)
Working with Bill Gates outside of Kleiner Perkins (52:51)
Brian Roberts, Comcast, and hustling to make at-home broadband nationwide (59:28)

Links:

Connect with John
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#169 CEO & Founder Cato Networks, Shlomo Kramer: The Burden of Persona Dec 18, 2023

Guest: Shlomo Kramer, founder and CEO of Cato Networks

Shlomo Kramer has founded three companies to date — Check Point, Imperva, and most recently Cato Networks — and taken the first two public, with plans to do the same with Cato. By any measure, he is a successful entrepreneur, but he defines “success” as “a burden you need to shake off every day.” And the easiest way to do that he’s found is to keep moving, keep failing, and keep creating. The material wealth he’s created, he explains, was never the goal: “It was never about things. It was about ideas and making them real.”

In this episode, Shlomo and Joubin discuss the contexts of our actions, the IDF, taking three companies public, ideas vs. things, kibbutzes, Gong, Sumo Logic, serial entrepreneurs, leading by example, consumer cybersecurity, trusting others, Albert Einstein, “making it to the pass before winter,” and Israeli directness.

In this episode, we cover:

The delta between micro and macro (00:54)
Working in wartime Israel (03:18)
The burden of persona (06:37)
Shlomo’s family (13:19)
The time between startups (16:30)
Self-fulfillment (18:31)
“What am I going to do next?” (21:14)
Rebelliousness (24:58)
Palo Alto Networks (29:42)
Loyalty and competition (31:32)
Building trust relationships (35:02)
“The last one” (37:41)
Shaq, Tom Brady, and Carl Eschenbach (42:15)
Tough feedback (46:50)
Shlomo’s friends (48:18)
Intellectual honesty (50:14)
What Cato does (52:37)
Hiring and work culture (55:23)
Ignoring startup advice (58:15)
Ideation and being present (59:22)

Links:

Connect with Shlomo
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#168 CEO & Founder Glean, Arvind Jain w/ Mamoon Hamid: New Playbook Dec 11, 2023

Guest: Arvind Jain, Founder and CEO of Glean, and Mamoon Hamid, partner at Kleiner Perkins

“I’m an engineer, so I have doubts about everything,” says Glean founder and CEO Arvind Jain. Well ... almost everything. Since launching Glean in 2019, he has held to the belief that “all of us are going to have really powerful AI assistants” in the future. With a several-year lead on generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Glean has built a growing club of CIO fans. With the broad acceptance of AI over the past year, Arvind says, “the level of confidence is higher than ever before.”

In this episode, Arvind, Mamoon, and Joubin discuss golfer hats, ideas vs. execution, X1, energy audits, small towns in India, IIT, proving yourself, Rubrik, rejecting product-led growth, “workplace assistants,” CIO fans, internet ’94, Parker Conrad, and work as a hobby.

In this episode, we cover:

Arvind’s newfound fame (01:08)
The state of the AI business (03:42)
“Why now?” (06:05)
Building great products (09:16)
Company-building (11:27)
Arvind’s childhood (14:37)
Competition and hard work (16:44)
Leaving Google (18:46)
Glean vs. Rubrik (20:53)
The future of work (27:22)
“Holy shit” moments (29:25)
Finding positivity (32:51)
AI hype (34:31)
How to pick a venture capitalist (38:55)
Turning off (42:24)
Hiring and the meaning of “grit” (44:41)

Links:

Connect with Arvind
- LinkedIn
Connect with Mamoon
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#167 CEO StockX, Scott Cutler: Detroit’s First Unicorn Dec 04, 2023

Guest: Scott Cutler, CEO of StockX

What’s the point of climbing a mountain, or heli-skiing in the Swiss Alps, or biking in the Tour de France? StockX CEO Scott Cutler has done all three, and for him, the answer is momentary perspective. “When you’re descending, you don’t see, but you know what is above,” he says. “You have experienced and have seen what you saw at the peak and you take that with you into the next experience.” He stressed that the pleasure of being at the top is a fleeting incentive to do it again, not the destination; in life, and in our careers, he argues, the journey is about continually facing new challenges and getting brief glimpses from the top.

In this episode, Scott and Joubin discuss out-of-touch VCs, the challenges of marketplaces, Josh Luber, Dan Gilbert, almost missing flights, gaining perspective, scary blackberry bushes, work-family balance, daily workouts, sleeping on planes, e-commerce in the U.S. vs. China, and digital ownership.

In this episode, we cover:

Special shoes (01:07)
Scott’s past jobs at the NYSE, StubHub, and eBay (05:47)
Detroit and frequent flying (10:02)
Over-optimizing your time (15:25)
Why do you climb a mountain? (18:00)
Scott’s childhood and his own kids (22:39)
Routines and energy (30:15)
StockX and the future of e-commerce (36:52)
Going public (43:24)
SPACs and NFTs (46:21)
What’s next? (50:11)
Persistence (52:06)
Who StockX is hiring (54:34)

Links:

Connect with Scott
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#166 Executive Chairman & Former CEO Attentive, Brian Long: Problem Hunting Nov 27, 2023

Guest: Brian Long, former CEO of Attentive and author of Problem Hunting: The Tech Startup Textbook

Brian Long’s most recent company, Attentive, was originally designed to help clients communicate with their distributed workforce — but about six months in, he and his co-founder realized that that business would not grow as quickly as they had hoped. So, they decided to pivot to SMS marketing, at the cost of a few dubious employees and a well-known Fortune 500 client. The successful pivot confirmed Brian’s belief that it’s possible to over-commit to one solution, when in fact there may be bigger and better problems to solve. “I’ve just seen so many entrepreneurs spend years of their life building something being stuck with it,” he says, “and then trying to figure out how to fit it into something that doesn’t work.”

In this episode, Brian and Joubin discuss zero to one building, the problem with how entrepreneurs solve problems, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Matt Mochary, Tom Mendoza, transactional relationships, the dangers of ego, optimists and realists, best man speeches, defining a unique culture, reverse selling, Lunar Holdings, Peter Reinhardt, marketing conservatively, and business book sales.

In this episode, we cover:

New York vs LA (00:54)
How Brian feels, six months after stepping away from the CEO role (02:37)
Product-market fit and TAM modeling (06:07)
Build last (09:05)
The qualities of great entrepreneurs (13:24)
Tap Commerce and starting in sales (15:49)
Listening and remembering names (20:40)
The day after selling Tap Commerce (23:32)
Starting another company, Attentive (25:07)
Resilience and optimism (29:21)
Fear, doubt, and the worst-case outcome (32:50)
What Brian would tell his 29 year old self (37:13)
Hiring and pivoting at Attentive (41:17)
Text message marketing (45:49)
How Brian interviews people (50:12)
His new holding company, Lunar and its first startup (51:52)
Don’t go social (55:21)
What Brian is personally excited about and what “grit” means to him (01:01:57)

Links:

Connect with Brian
- LinkedIn
- Buy Brian’s book, Problem Hunting: The Tech Startup Textbook
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#165 Former CEO & Co-Founder of Zillow, Spencer Rascoff: Real Estate Voyeurism Nov 20, 2023

Guest: Spencer Rascoff, co-founder and former CEO of Zillow + co-founder and general partner at 75 & Sunny

When terrorists attacked the US on 9/11, Hotwire co-founder Spencer Rascoff and his colleagues had to put their own trauma aside and “spring into action” — the travel site had sold tens of millions of dollars’ worth of non-refundable flights and hotel rooms and customers who wouldn’t be traveling wanted their money back. Now a visiting professor at Harvard Business School, Spencer teaches this case to his students because this dilemma was not unique to 2001: “What the hell do you do when you’re running a company ... and all of a sudden, a pandemic happens? Or SVB shuts down?”

In this episode, Spencer and Joubin discuss Zestimates, context switching, Tom Brady, reinvention, Shaq, the live music business, beating pain, personal connection to tragedies, the structure of rounds, Juul, the qualities of success, Stewart Butterfield, Travis Kalanick, second homes, two-way doors, overstating risk, “Dad, I Have a Question,” management by walking around, and Carl Eschenbach.

In this episode, we cover:

Spencer’s post-Zillow life (00:57)
From player to coach (03:47)
“The Forrest Gump of technology” (08:21)
Joseph Rascoff and the Rolling Stones (10:56)
Teaching grit to kids (14:43)
Spencer’s brother (18:55)
Channeling pain into achievement (21:35)
Co-founding Hotwire (24:37)
The impact of 9/11 (27:51)
Re-capitalization and selling to Expedia (35:17)
“Let’s build a real estate website” (38:05)
Office Hours and founder-product fit (45:12)
How Pacaso works (53:22)
Career mirrors and leaving big companies (57:01)
Staying organized (01:04:20)
Dinner with the family (01:07:43)
What “grit” means to him (01:09:14)

Links:

Connect with Spencer
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#164 CEO & Co-Founder Duolingo, Luis von Ahn: "The Pitch Was Never Pittsburgh" Nov 13, 2023

Guest: Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of Duolingo

When Luis von Ahn wanted to go to college in the United States, he had to take a standardized test called the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language. But there was nowhere in his home country of Guatemala that could accommodate another test-taker, so he flew to war-torn El Salvador, just to take the TOEFL. Many years later, as the co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, Luis and his team “decided this type of thing, we could do a lot better.” Today, more than 4,500 universities accept the results of the online Duolingo English Test — a boon for the estimated 2 billion people currently learning English around the world.

In this episode, Luis and Joubin discuss returning to the office, Carnegie Mellon, identifying strivers, the “Luis dashboard,” ignoring Reddit, pre-meetings, the hardest part of learning, sounding dumb, private security, the job of a professor, digitizing books,
working out every day, April Fools’ campaigns, Duo the owl, and hiring nice people.

In this episode, we cover:

Working in Pittsburgh, in-person (00:57)
How Duolingo hires (06:48)
Growing up in Guatemala (10:29)
Luis’ parents, intelligence, and drive (12:09)
His morning routine (16:56)
Ground truth (19:39)
“The smaller the team, the better” (22:29)
Language education and human behavior (24:32)
Learning English (28:53)
Back to Guatemala (32:03)
CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA (36:10)
Money vs. impact (41:26)
Luis’ TEDx Talk and public speaking tips (44:46)
Love Language and nontraditional marketing (48:46)
Doubling down on what works (53:27)
Slow hiring (56:44)
Would Luis ever start something new? (59:28)
Who Duolingo is hiring and what “grit” means to Luis (01:01:46)

Links:

Connect with Luis
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#163 CEO Bill, René Lacerte: Hourglass Leadership Nov 06, 2023

Guest: René Lacerte, CEO of Bill

René Lacerte co-founded the online payroll firm PayCycle in 1999, and led it for six years until he was asked by the board to step down. Today, with 17 years as the CEO of Bill under his belt, he’s able to look back on that time with clearer eyes. “The title on my card is ‘CEO and Founder,’” he says. “At Paycycle, it was ‘Co-Founder and CEO.’” The order matters, because once you’ve become a founder or co-founder, you are one no matter what — and in hindsight, René believes he failed to keep up with how PayCycle was changing. “My job as a CEO, it changes every freaking day,” he says of Bill. “We’ve 10x’d in four years. My job today has far more responsibilities and requirements than it had four years ago. So how do you get ready for that?”

In this episode, René and Joubin discuss Silicon Valley OGs, the office environment, taking care of yourself, memorizing acronyms, Christmas presents, 11-finger jazz, intentionality and spontaneity, ordering your job titles, problem-solving at night, understanding insecurities, and measuring success.

In this episode, we cover:

Why René did not want a corner office (02:22)
The weight of being CEO (04:40)
Dinner with the kids (08:50)
Prioritizing, energy, and fitness (11:05)
Music and René’s parents (17:31)
His father and pride (23:13)
Empathy for small businesses (28:00)
Family values (32:46)
“Legacy, I don’t care about that” (36:15)
Stepping down from PayCycle (41:16)
Starting Bill (46:58)
Leading in hyper-growth (50:10)
The early years (53:07)
Conventional wisdom (56:08)
Who Bill is hiring and what “grit” means to René (01:01:02)

Links:

Connect with René
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#162 CEO & Co-Founder Rippling, Parker Conrad w/ Mamoon Hamid: Compounding Oct 30, 2023

Guests: Parker Conrad, CEO of Rippling, and Mamoon Hamid, partner at Kleiner Perkins

How long did it take for Parker Conrad to stop wanting revenge? “I’ll let you know when it switches over,” the Rippling CEO and co-founder jokes. He resigned from his last company, the buzzy HR unicorn Zenefits, in 2016 and then quickly realized that the company’s new leaders would never return it to its former glory. He still loved the problems he had been trying to solve, and launched Rippling because “there was an opportunity there, [and] if it works ... it’s going to be fundamentally and foundationally better as a product.” It worked. As of March, Rippling has been valued at more than $11 billion, more than double Zenefits’ peak.

In this episode, Parker, Mamoon, and Joubin discuss what happened at Zenefits, avoiding press coverage, FOMO and expectations, Paul Graham, fixing corporate insurance, Ryan Peterson’s “revenge portfolio,” CEO coaches, Mike Vernal, approving expenses, anecdata, and the Costco of SaaS.

In this episode, we cover:

How Parker and Mamoon met (00:56)
The Zenefits Series B (06:29)
“Stuck in a nightmare” (09:20)
Entrepreneurship is “soul-destroying” (12:46)
Parker’s first company, SigFig (17:17)
Starting a company for the right reasons (21:02)
Starting over after Zenefits (27:06)
Avenging Zenefits (31:57)
Rippling’s unusual Series A (38:40)
What it does well (43:13)
“Go and see” (46:35)
The compound startup (51:44)
Who Rippling is hiring and what “grit” means to Parker (01:00:39)

Links:

Connect with Parker
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#161 Founder & EVP of Oracle NetSuite, Evan Goldberg: Endless Possibilities Oct 23, 2023

Guest: Evan Goldberg, founder and EVP of Oracle Netsuite

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Evan Goldberg working at Oracle, helping to bring its database software to the Mac. He left in 1995 because “I always wanted to do my own thing” and — with Larry Ellison’s support — launched his first startup, Embed. When it failed, he told Larry that he wanted another bite of the apple. “It’s the most exciting, it’s the most satisfying,” Evan said of startups. “It’s the highest risk, but ... even though I did just get married and we were going to have a kid, I still had this real appetite for risk.” The gamble paid off: In 2016, Oracle bought Netsuite for $9.3 billion, and he’s been back “home” ever since.

In this episode, Evan and Joubin discuss overestimating and underestimating, rose-colored glasses, collaborative partnerships, Marc Benioff, Larry Ellison’s superpowers, AI skepticism, Rise of the Resistance, energy vs. focus, supportive partners, Zach Nelson and Jim McGeever, and building the cloud.

In this episode, we cover:

Eighteen years to $9.3 billion (00:47)
Startups and failure (03:36)
CEO vs. CTO vs. technical founder (06:38)
Growing up and moving to California (10:08)
Eight years at Oracle (12:30)
Introversion (16:12)
AI is the new internet (17:38)
The incumbents’ advantage in AI (23:30)
Inspiration to start something new (25:30)
Leaving Oracle in 1995 & starting Embed (28:17)
When to cut and run (32:16)
Evan’s wife, Cindy (36:05)
Starting NetSuite (40:18)
Going public and the stock rollercoaster (43:46)
OneWorld and fighter jets (47:17)
Oracle’s acquisition of NetSuite (50:48)
Co-founder and family cohesion (56:58)
Do-overs (59:25)
What would Evan do if not Netsuite? (01:02:29)
Who Netsuite is hiring and what “grit” means to him (01:03:41)

Links:

Connect with Evan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#160 CEO Grammarly, Rahul Roy-Chowdhury: Better, Not More Oct 16, 2023

Guest: Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, CEO of Grammarly

Driven by generative tools like ChatGPT, artificial intelligence is hot — but Grammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury wishes that “AI” stood for something else: “Augmented Intelligence.” A longtime Googler and lifelong believer in using technology to make peoples’ lives better at scale, Roy-Chowdhury now leads a company well-positioned to do exactly that. “In the early days, Grammarly was all about the rules of language,” he says. “Now, with generative AI, we can actually help people across a much broader swath of communication tasks.”

In this episode, Rahul and Joubin discuss digital distraction, responsible AI, John Oliver, Ali Ghodsi, the hype cycle, fragmentation, being kind to yourself, Amp It Up, intentional strategy, candid dialogue, Google Chrome, and Dancing with the Butterfly.

In this episode, we cover:

Growing up in India (01:05)
Meaningful, impactful work (07:12)
The potential of AI (13:09)
Invisible AI (19:53)
Would Grammarly go public? (23:51)
What drives the business (28:19)
Too many emails (31:05)
Being an introvert CEO (35:11)
How Rahul got the top job (37:36)
Insecurity (39:48)
Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman (41:57)
Rahul’s decision-making framework (45:40)
“I deprecated the thing I built” (54:12)
The dino game (56:28)
The book on Rahul’s desk (59:49)
Who Grammarly is hiring and what “grit” means to Rahul (01:01:06)

Links:

Connect with Rahul
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#159 CEO 1Password, Jeff Shiner: Chief Eliminator of Obstacles Oct 09, 2023

Guest: Jeff Shiner, CEO of 1Password

Far from the Silicon Valley bubble, in Waterloo, Ontario, they try to do things a bit differently, says 1Password CEO Jeff Shiner. “Our mantra has been, build a good product, support the heck out of your customers,” he says. Some businesses and VCs in the Valley, he argues, don’t draw enough of a distinction between customers and users, spending all their time chasing the latter. For many years, the whole team at 1Password — including the co-founders — would try to empty out the customer support queue every day. If the company hadn’t waited 14 years to raise outside funding, Jeff says, it would have been a lot harder to listen to them and build the best product.

In this episode, Jeff and Joubin discuss PowerPoint slides, LEGO sorting, early computers, artificial general intelligence, e-commerce, users vs. customers, loss of control, outsourcing, managers and team leads, OKRs, password schemes, Polish food, Ryan Reynolds, and live TV hits.

In this episode, we cover:

Abnormal sleeping patterns (02:39)
“Playing farmer” (05:00)
Running and competition (07:05)
Fear of failure & the speed of technology (10:14)
Jeff’s pre-1Password jobs (14:46)
The Silicon Valley bubble (17:05)
Raising $920 million (19:47)
Hiring after the signals (23:44)
Chief Eliminator of Obstacles (30:52)
“We need to do less” (33:32)
Could 1Password have grown differently? (38:22)
1Password vs. the competition (41:43)
Customer Support Monday (43:57)
Hiring by doubling (46:23)
Thinking about exits (49:16)
Imposter syndrome (54:29)
“Do I have any real skills left?” (57:04)
Speed and confidence (59:26)
Who 1Password is hiring and what “grit” means to Jeff (01:03:02)

Links:

Connect with Jeff
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#158 CRO Anduril Industries, Matt Steckman: On Defense Oct 02, 2023

Guest: Matt Steckman, CRO of Anduril Industries

Walk into one of Anduril Industries’ offices and it might take a minute for you to realize: This is a defense contractor. “It feels like a tech company, stylistically,” says CRO Matt Steckman, “because we know we have to recruit the best software talent in the world.” Matt says the executive team spends a “comical” amount of time on recruiting, one of his personal passions, and especially works to minimize the number of people who turn down offers. “That’s something that a lot of companies, both tech and non-tech, miss ... Are you losing candidates at the very end, where you spent a tremendous amount of time and resources getting to that decision?”

In this episode, Matt and Joubin discuss security clearance, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, politics vs. technology, Palantir, consensus building, border security, command and control technology, the qualities of great defense tech workers, and long-term thinking.

In this episode, we cover:

The importance of defense tech (02:37)
What Anduril does (04:33)
Barriers to entry (07:58)
How the government picks winners (11:56)
Matt’s path to the defense industry (17:04)
Why he left Palantir (19:57)
Low moments and self-awareness (22:17)
What you can control (27:36)
Joining Anduril (30:14)
Surveillance towers (33:26)
Dive Technologies (37:30)
Risk mitigation (39:24)
Kinetic warfare (42:43)
Recruiting top talent (45:26)
Performance against expectations (48:34)
Caring and empathy (51:25)
Hitting revenue goals (52:31)
How Matt manages his calendar (54:38)
The economics of defense (56:26)
Who Anduril is hiring and what “grit” means to Matt (58:11)

Links:

Connect with Matt
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#157 CEO Udemy, Greg Brown: The Plunge Sep 25, 2023

Guest: Greg Brown, CEO of Udemy

Every night before he goes to bed, Greg Brown makes a to-do list. He has to because, as the CEO of the online learning platform Udemy, setting his priorities helps ensure that he makes the most of the scarce time on his calendar. “If I’m meeting with employees, what’s the message I want them to walk away with?” he asks. He also wants to make sure his team isn’t getting distracted by Udemy’s stock price. “Where it be sports, or life, or in business, you’ve got to be able to block out the noise,” Greg says. “Focus on what you can control and maniacally execute against those objectives.”

In this episode, Greg and Joubin discuss fitness routines, VO₂ max, multi-athletes, Webex, the dotcom bust, Gregg Coccari, streamlining, setting priorities, listening to analysts, and being intentional with family.

In this episode, we cover:

Cold plunges and healthspan (00:42)
Finding time for fitness (07:48)
Greg’s father (10:04)
From sports to business (15:55)
Two-year investments in companies (18:15)
Achievers and motivation data (22:57)
Becoming CEO of Reflektive (26:07)
Why Greg joined Udemy and what it does (28:40)
The distraction of a stock price (34:54)
Daily to-do lists (39:20)
Back to growth (41:45)
Go to market CEOs (48:25)
Coachability (50:49)
Applying AI to customer solutions (52:16)
At-home office hours (56:09)
Who Udemy is hiring and what “grit” means to Greg (58:12)

Links:

Connect with Greg
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#156 CRO Snowflake, Chris Degnan: Part 2 Sep 18, 2023

Guest: Chris Degnan, CRO of Snowflake

Chris Degnan was a teenager when his world got turned upside-down: His stockbroker father was revealed to be a serial liar & fraudster and was sent to prison; the wealth he thought his family had evaporated; and their house was foreclosed on by the IRS. The traumatic experience gave him both an “insane drive” and a slew of anxieties, which shaped the person he became as an adult ... and led him, eventually, to the C-Suite of Snowflake. “Those things have built character,” Chris says. “I’m super proud of the person I am… That’s what matters to me.”

In this episode, Chris and Joubin discuss adjusting to tech fame, holding onto perspective, detecting lies, being the monster, paranoia, talking about anxiety, fear of flying, living your values, Mike Scarpelli, trimming down meeting sizes, sales calls, being abrasive, Mike Speiser, succession plans, and Mark McLaughlin.

In this episode, we cover:

Defining yourself by your job (01:04)
The origin of Chris’ insecurities (06:25)
Passion for the sport (11:11)
Dinner-table conversation (15:41)
“If I stop working, I’m going to die” (17:22)
Changing history (20:34)
Snowflake and its competitors (24:29)
Bob Muglia and hiring big-company people (27:10)
Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman (31:53)
Getting the truth (37:42)
Denise Persson (41:58)
Therapy and support systems (48:37)
Bringing your friends (51:52)

Links:

Connect with Chris
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#155 CEO Yahoo, Jim Lanzone: Brand Rejuvenation Sep 11, 2023

Guest: Jim Lanzone, CEO of Yahoo

Jim Lanzone doesn’t waste time thinking about what other people think of him ... or the companies he has run. After helping to rejuvenate Ask.com in the early 2000s, he has more recently served as CEO of Tinder, and now Yahoo. As an expert in brand turnarounds, he says, “don’t worry about what the world thinks ... worry about your growth versus yourself.” With a focus on people and product, Jim believes, “not only can you accomplish a lot, you’re going to make a lot of money at doing it.”

In this episode, Jim and Joubin discuss being bicoastal, downtown San Francisco, supportive partners, Garret Camp and StumbleUpon, “co-opetition,” Walt Mossberg, Redpoint Ventures, Dave Goldberg, Clicker, taking punches, Apollo Global Management, loyalty to the cause, high-EQ people, and user goals vs. company goals.

In this episode, we cover:

Growing up in Silicon Valley (00:53)
Long-lasting marriages (07:26)
Jim’s first company, eTour (13:18)
The Web 1.0 boom (17:33)
Joining Ask.com & partnering with Google (20:40)
Rejuvenating a brand (24:11)
Back in the mud with Clicker (28:05)
CBS All Access (34:02)
14 months at Tinder (37:25)
What people get wrong about Jim (39:05)
Becoming the CEO of Yahoo (42:45)
How Jim hires great teams (49:54)
Top priorities and Yahoo’s verticals (55:10)
First principles & making decisions (01:02:26)
Hiring & what “grit” means to Jim (01:05:02)

Links:

Connect with Jim
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#154 Remix: Tornadoes, Unicorn Meat, and Hypergrowth Sales Sep 04, 2023

In this special episode of Grit, Joubin looks back at what five past guests had to say about building a sales operation inside rapidly-growing companies:

Intro (00:30)
Stripe’s Mike Clayville on first principles & “tornado companies” (01:02)
Former Paypal VP Marcy Campbell on establishing a successful sales motion (11:37)
LinkedIn COO Dan Shapero on effective sales leadership during hypergrowth (20:16)
Herbold Consulting CEO Jim Herbold on “unicorn meat” (32:32)
CRO Chris Degnan on the pivotal moments in Snowflake’s history (50:02)

Links:

Connect with the guests
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#153 COO & CRO Weights & Biases, Yan-David Erlich: ML’s Moment Aug 28, 2023

Guest: Yan-David Erlich, COO and CRO of Weights & Biases

After starting four companies, Yan-David Erlich had found happiness and success as a GP in Coatue’s venture fund — but then, after investing in the AI developer platform Weights & Biases, he realized the time was right to get back into operating. That was not a decision he made lightly, consulting with his wife before he became the startup’s COO. The challenges of entrepreneurship get easier, he explains, when you have a supportive partner in your corner. That’s why he believes he could roll with the loss of his home or his job or his money — but not her.

In this episode, Yan-David and Joubin discuss Snowflake vs. Amazon, Slack vs. Microsoft Teams, Donald Trump, charting your own destiny, regret minimization, alternate selves, Michael Dearing, chips on your shoulder, Google Glass, industrial sales, the AI & ML window, hairball problems, fixing giant messes, and fighting a bear.

In this episode, we cover:

The advantage of speed (01:06)
Competing against a massive business (05:24)
Idiocy and secrets (09:45)
Yan-David’s past companies (12:34)
His philosophy on life (17:17)
Leaving LinkedIn (22:14)
Anxiety and regret (26:27)
The failure of Happiness Engines (34:43)
Why Yan-David left Parsable after five years (38:05)
Coatue’s venture fund (46:13)
Weights & Biases and the ML moment (48:08)
Why AI is still underhyped (51:05)
From investor to board member to COO to CRO (55:20)
Being a good lieutenant (58:51)
The hidden costs of operating (01:01:33)
Successful entrepreneurs and happy relationships (01:05:55)
Who Weights & Biases is hiring & what “grit” means to Yan-David (01:10:26)

Links:

Connect with Yan-David
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#152 CEO Gainsight, Nick Mehta: Human-First Aug 21, 2023

Guest: Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight

Gainsight CEO Nick Mehta describes himself as “the person who goes all in, on whatever.” So when he had a personally difficult year, he didn’t just go to therapy — he also talked to a professional coach, and read about religion, and experimented with (legal) ketamine therapy. All of that led to him “better understanding the inner self ... [and] helping to find ways to suppress the exterior.” In other words, even though Gainsight’s culture is suffused with Nick’s values, he is consciously trying to unpack a “new version of myself” that is greater than his company: “There’s a lot more to me than I realized,” he says.

In this episode, Nick and Joubin discuss Mike Moritz, golf clubs, Don Valentine, eclectic fashion, loneliness, Enneagram types, setting the tone, moments of vulnerability, Vista Equity Partners, talking to customers, Jack Dorsey, building others’ brands, startups as kids, Marc Benioff, and the ship of Theseus.

In this episode, we cover:

The mystique of Sand Hill Road (00:58)
Un-measurable marketing (05:07)
Launching Chipshot.com (09:17)
I-banking culture and fitting in (13:14)
Getting help after a rough year (19:48)
Immigrant achievers and the meaning of work (21:32)
Fueling success and belief in institutions (24:44)
Winning while being human-first (30:19)
Founder-defined values and culture (3 5:41)
What happened to Chipshot? (40:46)
Empathy for all entrepreneurs (44:11)
Growing & selling LiveOffice (46:03)
The new Nick (48:53)
Selling Gainsight for $1.1 billion (51:56)
Coda and time management (55:20)
Ghost notes (59:01)
When the spotlight goes away (01:02:17)
Philosophy and science books (01:05:45)
Deleting work apps every weekend (01:09:23)
Who Gainsight is hiring and what “grit” means to Nick (01:10:26)

Links:

Connect with Nick
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#151 CEO Outreach, Manny Medina: 10M or Die Aug 14, 2023

Guest: Manny Medina, CEO of Outreach

In its Seattle headquarters, the sales execution platform Outreach has at least one wall covered in AI diagrams and architectural flows. CEO Manny Medina says that’s because he believes “there’s no world in which reps don’t have an assistant the way that coders do.” The AI revolution has also given Manny — who got his M.A. in computer science at Penn — a chance to be more hands-on than your average CEO of a $4 billion company. “I try not to think myself as a CEO,” he says. “I try to think myself as a team member that is doing something useful.”

In this episode, Manny and Joubin discuss northern New Jersey, American opportunity, going to the future, crossing the chasm, jujitsu, Tony Robbins, winning on your own terms, shifting motivations, inspiration through transparency, Moonwalking with Einstein, Lululemon, hands-on CEOs, and “been there, done that.”

In this episode, we cover:

Leaving Ecuador for the US (02:21)
Would Manny do it all again? (07:45)
Finding product-market fit (10:09)
Scaling, scarcity, and stability (14:41)
AI-assisted sales reps (18:59)
Winner takes most (24:20)
Placing long-term bets (26:42)
Imposter syndrome and chips on your shoulder (32:59)
“Ten million or die” (35:15)
Irrational forces (42:33)
Manny’s weekly internal emails (44:17)
Memorizing names and making sacrifices (48:00)
Personal and professional goals (52:23)
“All the other jobs were taken” (56:53)
Do-overs (01:00:18)
Bad and good startup advice (01:03:24)
Who Outreach is hiring and what “grit” means to Manny (01:05:58)

Links:

Connect with Manny
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#150 CEO Box, Aaron Levie w/ Mamoon Hamid: Open For Business Aug 07, 2023

Guest: Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, and Mamoon Hamid, partner at Kleiner Perkins

When he was a newly minted venture capitalist at USVP, Mamoon Hamid got a tip that he should meet a young entrepreneur named Aaron Levie, and fought for the right to invest in his cloud storage startup, Box. For years after that initial investment, the two men say, Box’s fate was precarious: “We could have died any day,” Mamoon says, and Aaron recalled several times he had to be talked “down from a ledge.” Today, they tell us how Box established itself as “open for business” — a concept Mamoon hounded Aaron with in the early years — and grew into success.

In this episode, Aaron, Mamoon, and Joubin discuss Box socks, authenticity at work, Josh Stein, living in the office, over-diligence, Google Platypus, the 2008 crash, nostalgia, everything is personal, the ten-person test, burnout, Dan Levin, ChatGPT, Parker Conrad, and Silicon Valley as “technology town.”

In this episode, we cover:

“Make mom proud, unless she’s evil” (01:59)
How Mamoon and Aaron met (04:38)
Mamoon’s first investment in Box (11:15)
Pausing the term sheet (16:08)
“We could have died any day” (19:01)
What is company-building? (23:23)
Open For Business (25:27)
Getting to cash flow positive (27:52)
Slow growth with no burn vs. fast growth, high burn (31:15)
Tough feedback (34:31)
Overcoming challenges around the Box IPO (36:31)
Growing as CEO (38:35)
The Apple Vision Pro and AI (44:15)
Investing in cutting-edge companies (49:15)
Using AI to re-juice growth (51:48)
How Aaron educates himself (54:22)
Business as a sport (57:14)
Who Box is hiring and what “grit” means to Aaron (01:00:44)

Links:

Connect with Aaron
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Mamoon
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#149 Co-CEO Workday, Carl Eschenbach: A Life of Significance Jul 31, 2023

Guest: Carl Eschenbach, co-CEO of Workday

When Carl Eschenbach decided to leave VMWare after more than 14 years as COO, no one believed it: Not chairman Joe Tucci, not CEO Pat Gelsinger, and maybe not Carl himself. But he needed a more predictable work-life balance to help raise his teenage children. For the next seven years, he served as a partner at Sequoia Capital. And every day, he thought — and to his wife’s chagrin, talked — about going back: “It was always on the back of my mind,” he says. After the kids were out of the house, in late 2022, he jumped back into operating and became co-CEO of Workday. “It’s what I love to do,” he says. “I feel like I’ve been called to do it.”

In this episode, Carl and Joubin discuss jumping rope, Mike Clayville, the Flowbee, focusing on the family, wrestling, commuting cross-country, servant leadership, Sequoia Capital, Aneel Bhusri, co-CEOs, and Palo Alto Networks.

In this episode, we cover:

Working on Sand Hill Road (00:55)
Carl’s workout routine (03:15)
Staying humble and grounded (08:04)
Carl’s family and dinner table conversation (11:41)
Drive and ambition (16:08)
College vs. trade school (19:53)
3Com, Inktomi, and EMC (24:33)
Deciding to join VMware (28:02)
Virtualizing the data center (31:48)
The pressure of an incredible ride (35:54)
The infamous CFO story (40:14)
Eyeing the CEO job (46:00)
Carl’s one “big regret” (47:40)
Refocusing after a tragedy (52:05)
A left turn into venture (55:37)
The “itch” to go back to operating (01:00:17)
Joining the Workday board (01:04:37)
Building an enduring business (01:07:15)
“End[ing] my career in an operating role” (01:09:09)
Transitioning out of venture (01:15:56)
Who Workday is hiring and what “grit” means to Carl (01:18:01)

Links:

Connect with Carl
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#148 Former Snowflake CEO, Bob Muglia: The Datapreneurs Jul 24, 2023

Guest: Bob Muglia, “The Datapreneurs” Co-Author and Former Snowflake CEO

Longtime Microsoft executive and former Snowflake CEO Bob Muglia was done with his book about using data to drive the digital economy — and then ChatGPT came out. “The timeline for artificial intelligence moved in by 50 years in my head,” he recalls. Bob then told his co-author Steve Hamm that they needed to update “The Datapreneurs” to focus more on AI. “For the first time, we have intelligence in a computer,” he says. “English has become the primary programming interface of 2023!”

In this episode, Bob and Joubin discuss weekly meetings, Amazon’s values, the tech industry’s Yoda, antitrust lawsuits, the media and Bill Gates, tangling with Andy Jassy, gold rush times, FoundationDB, executive coaches, firing people faster, leaders vs. managers, deepfakes, and the zeroth law of robotics.

In this episode, we cover:

Bob’s post-Snowflake career (00:57)
How he advises startup CEOs (04:12)
Getting fired by Steve Ballmer, twice (09:36)
Why didn’t he quit? (14:09)
Satya Nadella (16:09)
Immigrant families and early jobs (17:21)
United States v. Microsoft Corp. (21:14)
“It may be shit, but it’s compliant shit” (25:26)
Antitrust is not about the law (29:18)
Rose-colored memories (33:01)
Competing with Microsoft and Amazon (34:41)
Two years at Juniper (37:45)
Transitioning into Snowflake (39:38)
Earning credibility (42:32)
Chris Degnan, Snowflake’s first sales rep (45:07)
Near-death experiences (50:05)
Finding traction & taking off (55:33)
Surprising challenges (01:00:55)
Fired, again (01:02:16)
Tough feedback (01:07:01)
“The Datapreneurs” and the AI acceleration (01:09:19)
Optimism about the future (01:13:36)
The Terminator and Isaac Asimov (01:17:48)

Links:

Connect with Bob
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#147 Ex-Waze CEO & Founder of Post News, Noam Bardin: Hockey Sticks and Plateaus Jul 17, 2023

Guest: Noam Bardin, founder of Post News

One of the “aha” moments that could sway a dubious Waze user, recalls former CEO Noam Bardin, was navigating around “all those idiots sitting in traffic... and you’re like, ‘I’m a genius.’” Now, at the social news app Post, Noam says the “aha” is avoiding partisan gridlock and paywalls. Social incumbents boost engagement by making users angry, while Post just wants you to read. “If we can remove friction and give you the right articles at the right time, so you feel smarter when you walk away,” he says, “that’s the aha moment.”

In this episode, Noam and Joubin discuss stories vs. execution, ROFRs, culture clash, timing an acquisition, corporate tags, fear of going bigger, joining big companies, mobile app retention, big tech monopolies, competing against Foursquare, and not optimizing for “culture warriors.”

In this episode, we cover:

Putting your opinions out there (01:15)
Waze almost sold to Facebook (06:10)
Getting in the room with Google (13:04)
How the first Google deal fell apart (15:10)
Back to Facebook — briefly (17:15)
The news begins to leak, and Google returns (20:26)
Grinding for five years at a startup (23:57)
“Hockey sticks” are never smooth (28:32)
The personal impact of volatility (31:37)
“Everything is a mess in startups” (34:38)
The worst day of Noam’s life (38:22)
How Waze started, and how Noam joined (42:22)
The failure of Intercast Networks (45:07)
Brave faces and “corp-speak” (48:33)
Integrating into Google’s culture (53:13)
No constraints and too much money (01:01:08)
Defining metrics that matter (01:04:11)
Maps and social (01:06:46)
Silicon Valley’s worst invention: “Pivoting” (01:09:56)
The social news problem Post solves (01:14:51)
Misinformation and authoritarianism (01:18:42)
Post’s microtransactions (01:21:08)
Being misunderstood and the “aha” moment (01:23:58)
Who Post is hiring and what “grit” means to Noam (01:27:09)

Links:

Connect with Noam
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#146 Co-founder & CEO Rubrik, Bipul Sinha: Authenticity Reigns Jul 10, 2023

Guest: Bipul Sinha, co-founder and CEO of Rubrik

When Bipul Sinha graduated from the Indian Insitute of Technology and came to America to work in tech, his mother told him: Don’t start a company. His ambitious father was a failed pharma entrepreneur, and Bipul was content for most of a decade to hold a steady job at Oracle. But in his early 30s, he began to shed his risk aversion, pursuing a part-time MBA and more difficult jobs, and by the time he co-founded the data security firm Rubrik in 2014, he had gone through an epiphany: “Only make decisions that you truly believe is the right thing to do,” he says. “If you are here, at the moment of truth, you want to succeed or lose based on your own terms, not what others feel.”

In this episode, Bipul and Joubin discuss how debate moves business forward, companies as living systems, growing up poor, refusing to compromise, risk aversion, finding your own potential, paying tuition, context matters, psychological safety, and smelling the roses.

In this episode, we cover:

Joubin’s interview with Ali Ghodsi (00:51)
The importance of authenticity (02:33)
Extreme voices (05:10)
Being yourself at work (08:14)
Reducing blind spots (11:08)
Tough feedback (13:09)
Learning entrepreneurship through osmosis (14:41)
IIT or bust (19:40)
Setbacks and reorienting (23:35)
Leaving India for America (26:53)
From Oracle to Blumberg Capital (30:21)
Prioritizing his own happiness (34:36)
“This is a career” (37:08)
Dissatisfaction and the next thing (40:37)
Creating an enduring institution (45:02)
No one knows what they’re doing (49:32)
Open board meetings (53:39)
Hiring and firing (55:37)
Good and bad startup advice (57:58)
Working forever (01:01:16)
Positive feedback and empathy (01:04:19)
Who Rubrik is hiring and what “grit” means to Bipul (01:08:55)

Links:

Connect with Bipul
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#145 CRO Tealium, Ted Purcell: Snap Into It Jul 03, 2023

Guest: Ted Purcell, CRO of Tealium

The biggest difference between small companies and big companies, says Tealium CRO Ted Purcell, is that at untested early-stage firms, you have to convince workers “to truly believe in what they believe... It’s not just ‘do this’ or ‘do that.’” To unlock high performers, Ted explains, you need to give them a “religious level” of belief in the company and the value it delivers to customers, which will carry over into every aspect of their jobs. And this is even more important in a market downturn: “That becomes the main job because the winning is not as evenly spread,” he says.

In this episode, Ted and Joubin discuss empty-nesters, resisting leadership, liking to win vs. hating to lose, complete commitment, commitment to culture, hardcore accountability, Israeli conversations, Day-Timers, and endurance battles.

In this episode, we cover:

Growing up and raising kids in Silicon Valley (00:56)
From individual contributor to management (05:03)
The appreciation for the grind (08:45)
Ted’s father and his sudden passing (10:33)
Stepping up to take care of the family (14:40)
The Purcell family dinner table conversation (18:22)
Working with Bill McDermott at SAP (20:50)
Ted’s favorite Bill story (26:00)
Getting comfortable as a leader (28:35)
(Over-) Optimizing for lifestyle (34:02)
How to spot greatness in interviews (37:25)
A startup guy at big companies (39:48)
Clarizen and corporate culture in Israel (42:10)
Tealium and the “pressure cooker” environment (47:36)
Believing in the “why” (51:13)
Tough feedback and misconceptions (53:47)
Recording ideas and daily habits (55:33)
Pushing to achieve your potential (57:38)
Gaining perspective (01:02:05)
Who Tealium is hiring and what “grit” means to Ted (01:05:55)

Links:

Connect with Ted
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#144 CEO Lacework, Jay Parikh: Quiet Intensity Jun 26, 2023

Guest: Jay Parikh, CEO of Lacework

Jay Parikh describes himself as a “stickler” for meetings that start and end on time, and holds himself to the same expectations as his workers. “It’s just really important as a leader to set the standard for how everybody else should be respected,” the Lacework CEO says. “Too often in our industry, executives think that they can show up late, hold a meeting late, and everybody will adjust.” No one will complain, he says, to the person on top of the org chart when they are 10 minutes late, but they should: “I’m like, no, I disrespected 10 minutes of your time. So I take that really seriously.”

In this episode, Jay and Joubin discuss non-traditional CEOs, surviving Facebook’s early days, disrupting yourself, Akamai co-founder Danny Lewin, cultivating culture, applying restless energy, the loneliness of leaders, brushing your teeth, the love of the game, and being approachable.

In this episode, we cover:

The “S-curve of learning” (01:04)
Finding new challenges (05:10)
“Is this too big of a job?” (07:33)
Intensity and zen (11:00)
Jay’s first jobs (15:07)
Akamai’s post-IPO pop and crash (16:31)
9/11 and Danny Lewin’s legacy (19:56)
Facebook’s pivot to mobile (24:58)
Managing morale when the share price drops (27:16)
Learning from Mark Zuckerberg (30:13)
Being on time (34:44)
Security in the cloud (37:58)
Leaving Facebook (40:01)
What has surprised Jay about becoming a CEO (45:00)
Hiring, onboarding, and unlocking people (49:34)
Jay’s favorite interview questions (54:34)
Refusing to compromise on greatness (01:00:44)
Balancing work and family (01:07:02)
Who Lacework is hiring and what “grit” means to Jay (01:09:06)

Links:

Connect with Jay
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#143 CEO HashiCorp, Dave McJannet: Phase Shifts Jun 19, 2023

Guest: Dave McJannet, CEO of HashiCorp

To scale a company effectively, says HashiCorp CEO Dave McJannet, you will have to make something like 10 decisions every single day. “There’s generally one that really needs to be right, but there are eight that if you get them wrong, you will cause real damage to yourself,” he says. “It won’t be fatal, and a lot of times, it’s cultural damage.” Sometimes, he adds, these decisions can seem innocuous, like deciding how to run internal town halls with workers. But even small choices can create a “cultural crater” that you’ll have to dig yourself out of three months later.

In this episode, Dave and Joubin discuss returning to the office, the sales data flow, unstructured problem-solving, why companies grow like trees, anonymous town halls entrepreneurs-in-residence, go to market vs. product, committing to the job, the executive “CPU tax,” and the 30-to-100 phase shift.

In this episode, we cover:

In-person vs. remote collaboration (00:43)
How to build any kind of business (05:26)
The value of being in the sales motion (07:30)
Thinking like a venture capitalist (11:51)
Commiserating with other CEOs (13:28)
Systems-based thinking (17:37)
Administrators vs. builders (20:25)
The daily 10 decisions (22:29)
Staving off decision fatigue (24:17)
Dave’s past jobs and the path to CEO (26:01)
The reluctant CEO (28:46)
Rapid change vs. high-profile maintenance (32:20)
The pressure of being at the top (35:12)
The state of HashiCorp when Dave arrived (37:39)
How he got the CEO job (40:38)
Product-building POV (45:50)
The first “oh shit” moment (48:48)
Being motivated by competition (50:47)
Laddered time horizons (53:47)
Paul Moritz and empathy (55:17)
Misconceptions about CEOs (57:10)
Deciding to go public (59:45)
Time and energy management (01:03:10)
Anticipating phase shifts (01:06:12)
Fierce independence (01:08:12)
Getting the right feedback (01:09:13)
Who HashiCorp is hiring and what “grit” means to Dave (01:12:30)

Links:

Connect with Dave
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#142 President of DocuSign, Robert Chatwani: Get Uncomfortable Jun 12, 2023

Guest: Robert Chatwani, President and General Manager of Growth at DocuSign

Robert Chatwani’s first reinvention was in his early 20s, when he left McKinsey & Company to start a people-powered commerce startup called MonkeyBin. And in the ensuing decades, his entrepreneurial energy hasn’t slowed down, with hops to eBay, Spring, Atlassian, and now DocuSign, where he is the President and General Manager of Growth. He cites a “healthy anxiety” that comes from getting too comfortable in any role, where he finds himself solving the same problems over and over again; but when you’re in a little bit over your head, Robert explains, “that’s a good place to be, because that’s where the best learning comes from.”

In this episode, Robert and Joubin discuss trusting your intuition, reinventing yourself, personal boards of advisors, people-powered commerce, betting on people, career coaching, taking time for family, being the same person in every room, bone marrow donors, energy takers vs. creators, and leading with empathy.

In this episode, we cover:

Networking through venture capitalists (02:18)
Leaving high-profile jobs (04:29)
How to know when it’s time to leave (07:55)
12 years at eBay (11:05)
The seeds of doubt (15:10)
Finding purpose in company-building (17:51)
Robert’s personal mission statement (21:01)
Growing up in Chicago and his parents (24:40)
Losing a parent (27:16)
True North by Bill George (29:35)
Finding ways to be human (32:45)
What accomplishment Robert is most proud of (34:35)
MonkeyBin and meeting eBay (36:08)
Sameer Bhatia’s battle with leukemia (38:30)
Building a global bone marrow campaign (42:38)
“You can’t control every outcome” (48:07)
Unexpected side effects (52:56)
Business is a force for good (56:26)
Working at Spring, and then Atlassian (01:00:01)
Self-doubt and leaving Atlassian (01:06:29)
Making tough calls with IQ & EQ (01:10:24)
Who DocuSign is hiring, and what “grit” means to Robert (01:13:48)

Links:

Connect with Robert
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#141 CEO Navan, Ariel Cohen: Be Naive! Jun 05, 2023

Guest: Ariel Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Navan

As a business travel-focused startup, Navan (previously known as TripActions) was heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020; after laying off 24% of the staff, CEO Ariel Cohen says he became a “wartime CEO,” spending three months in “complete denial and just executing.” By June, employees were leaving and he was depressed — but he still believed that business travel would come back. “You cannot just look at a moment and say that it will change everything,” he says. “... I disconnected from the news and from some of our investors and from ... negativity and started to lead the company again.” In a way, he explains, it was like a reset to the earliest days of the business, because the only people left were long-term believers like him.

In this episode, Ariel and Joubin discuss “tier one” VCs, developing goodwill, company money vs. employee money, wartime CEOs, putting handcuffs on founders, staying dynamic, returning to the office, scuba diving, shared values, Macallan whisky, believing in startups, losing employees, in-person connections, secondary liquidity, and “deposits and withdrawals.”

In this episode, we cover:

Picking the right investors (01:22)
Connecting to the Matrix (04:04)
Obsessing over failure (10:29)
Reflecting on an eight-year journey (14:56)
The benefits of naïveté (17:50)
Ariel’s entrepreneur father and early jobs (20:45)
Older startup founders (23:03)
Getting out of large companies (25:35)
Personal burn rate (28:03)
Becoming the big company (30:11)
Pivoting into AI (32:44)
Project Reset and personally resetting (34:12)
Making controversial decisions (39:55)
“What could I have done better?” (45:43)
Ariel’s co-founder Ilan Twig (47:04)
What makes a co-founder relationship work? (48:50)
Running out of cash (51:18)
Being a travel startup during COVID (55:53)
The depression quarter (01:00:12)
Long-term believers (01:02:54)
Why Navan would go public (01:07:55)
Startup advice and hard-charging CEOs (01:11:27)
What “grit” means to Ariel and who Navan is hiring (01:15:24)

Links:

Connect with Ariel
- LinkedIn
- Email: ariel@navan.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#140 CRO Walmart, Seth Dallaire: How You Show Up May 29, 2023

Guest: Seth Dallaire, CRO at Walmart

When Seth Dallaire was approached by Walmart about joining their team as CRO, he had one question: Are they serious? Seth knew that Walmart wanted him for his digital experience, having worked at Instacart and Amazon, but he also knew that building alternative revenue streams at a traditional retailer could be an uphill battle. “I knew I was gonna have to [fight the fight], it was just whether I’d have the air cover from up top to say, ‘This is strategic,’” Seth recalls. “And they obviously convinced me of that and we’re making really good progress.”

In this episode, Seth and Joubin discuss startup success, advertising attribution, “maintenance mode,” online grocery shopping, “the ultimate tailwind,” over-buying, digital vs. traditional retail, founder-led businesses, John Furner and Doug McMillon, sentiment vs. data, getting told “no,” the theory of constraints, and why you should visit Bentonville.

In this episode, we cover:

Seth’s unique career path (00:59)
Amazon’s elite team in 2000 (05:24)
Growing up & dinner table conversations (08:25)
Work-life balance (10:53)
Ambition and achievement (12:08)
Investing in yourself (16:04)
Recommitting to a role (17:38)
Leaving Amazon for Instacart (20:14)
Grocery stores are underrated (23:56)
Transitioning to a much smaller company (25:33)
How COVID accelerated Instacart’s business (27:54)
Advertising is a full-contact industry (32:03)
Getting recruited by Walmart (34:06)
Visiting Walmart stores with other execs (40:08)
A leadership lesson from Doug McMillon (43:10)
Product orientation (45:40)
Compounding knowledge capital (47:57)
Tough feedback (50:19)
Leaving a team behind (54:34)
Hand-written notes (56:04)
The Goal and On the Shortness of Life (57:35)
Relocating and refueling (01:00:40)
Who Seth is hiring and what “grit” means to him (01:02:25)

Links:

Connect with Seth
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#139 CEO Coach, Matt Mochary: Coaching Greatness May 22, 2023

Guest: Matt Mochary, CEO of Mochary Method

Matt Mochary was only 31 when he sold the company he co-founded, Totality, to Verizon, “and I made enough money that that was it,” he recalls. “I didn’t have to make more money anymore.” Instead, he decided to pursue projects that in one way or another would help other people, including a documentary about the slums of Rio de Janeiro and a program to train ex-convicts in the skills of legitimate work. Today, he coaches tech and finance leaders such as Brian Armstrong (CEO Coinbase), Bastian Lehmann (CEO Postmates), Sam Altman (CEO OpenAI), and Steve Huffman (CEO Reddit). All the money earned from that work, he says, bypasses his bank account and is funding the development of software that will teach tech workers the “Mochary Method.”

In this episode, Matt and Joubin discuss information asymmetry, GPT-4, focusing on fun, coaching software, saving people, the slums of Rio and the South Bronx, surfing vs. friends, the merits of crappy solutions, why companies fail, shadowing the CEO, feedback and resentment, pissing people off, the danger of “excellence,” and energy audits.

In this episode, we cover:

Putting in effort, finding value (01:11)
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (05:43)
Immediate responsiveness (09:48)
“Mount Rushmore” referrals (11:54)
When Matt’s coaching was free (15:08)
His Hungarian grandfather and World War II (19:56)
The hero complex (25:12)
Stepping away from the game (31:30)
Billionaires and inner peace (38:45)
The phases of company-building (40:54)
The problems Matt helps leaders solve (47:48)
“It’s fun to be a founder!” (54:35)
Craving feedback (56:48)
The zones of excellence and genius (01:02:19)
“Today, what went right?” (01:09:12)
Growing too early (01:12:32)
Who Matt is hiring and what “grit” means to him (01:15:00)

Links:

Connect with Matt
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#138 CEO Motive, Shoaib Makani w/ Ilya Fushman: Powering the Physical Economy May 15, 2023

Guest: Shoaib Makani, CEO of Motive

“When we fail,” says Shoaib Makani, “it is because we have not understood the customer problem deeply and allowed them to guide us.” This wisdom is hard-won: Motive’s first product, an app for fleet management of trucks, idled for four years before becoming a runaway success story. Emboldened by this, the CEO tried to make an orthogonal push into all kinds of freight, “guns blazing,” only to realize six months in that he had way overestimated Motive’s competitive advantage. Retreating from freight was “painful,” Shoaib recalls, but helped the company extend its existing lead in trucking — and may have saved the whole business.

In this episode — joined by special guest Ilya Fushman from Kleiner Perkins — Shoaib and Joubin discuss curiosity for the world, first impressions, reorienting yourself, electronic logging devices, directly connecting with customers, growing up as a CEO, waiting for the market, having a “low discount rate on the future,” the physical economy TAM, AI dash cams, and pricing in risk, and running out of runway.

In this episode, we cover:

Shoaib’s Pakistani parents and doing extra homework (01:17)
Explaining and experiencing startups (04:26)
“High standards are infectious” (08:15)
What Motive does (10:08)
How Shoaib and Ilya met (10:54)
The origins of Motive as “Keep Truckin’” (14:06)
Working with friends (17:27)
First-time founders (21:56)
Deep empathy for users (24:01)
Monetization and second-guessing (25:48)
Sudden success and scale (29:12)
Recruiting top talent (31:04)
Shoaib and Ilya’s personal-professional relationship (32:07)
“I knew the board I wanted” (34:32)
Motive’s failed expansion into freight (36:21)
Realizing and correcting the error (39:26)
How to make smarter future bets (44:09)
Second and third products (47:29)
Back to the core mission (50:36)
Autonomous driving vs. AI assistants (52:17)
Thinking about competition (55:05)
A tough conversation about runway (58:52)
Sticking your neck out for your partner (01:04:09)
Losing Ilya as a board member (01:06:23)
Who Motive is hiring (01:08:32)
What “grit” means to Shoaib (01:09:32)

Links:

Connect with Shoaib
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Ilya
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#137 CEO Oura, Tom Hale: Business & Backgammon May 08, 2023

Guest: Tom Hale, CEO of Oura

When he was growing up, Tom Hale’s family had pretty ordinary dinner-table conversations: What happened today, how was school, etc. But every day after dinner, Tom and his father would play backgammon, an experience that indirectly taught him a lot about business. Now the CEO of wearable health company Oura, he recalls that the game helped him understand risk-taking, strategy, pattern recognition, and more. Tom’s father also insisted they play for money: “If I could win 20 bucks, I could go down to the store and get something. But when I lost, I felt the sting of it. That’s the best teacher, because you’re learning the preciousness of the decisions you make.”

In this episode, Tom and Joubin discuss Tom’s radio voice, games of chance and skill, vacation rentals pre- and post-Airbnb, “irritant” service fees, health tracking, the psychology of rebranding, the consumerization of healthcare, personalized medicine, the myth of the founder-hero, rowing machines, and the meaning of work.

In this episode, we cover:

Returning to the office (00:50)
John Doerr and Macromedia (05:15)
Post-dinner backgammon (08:01)
Tom’s past jobs and HomeAway (11:31)
Competing against private startups (16:09)
How Airbnb captured demand (18:55)
Being acquired by Expedia (24:26)
What Oura’s smart rings do (26:13)
Rebranding SurveyMonkey to Momentive (29:55)
Leaving Momentive for Oura (31:54)
Making the case for himself (34:59)
The future of public health, data, and wearables (37:10)
“Sleep is strategic” (42:32)
Why Oura is an AI company (44:48)
The health impact of a taxing job (47:16)
Being a non-founder CEO (49:39)
Working with people (53:38)
What would be in a “working with Tom” doc? (54:52)
Managing the psychology of a 10-year-old startup (56:48)
Being there for family & colleagues (59:18)
Who Oura is hiring, and what “grit” means to Tom (01:02:54)

Links:

Connect with Tom
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#136 COO Modern Treasury, Rachel Pike: Golden Ticket May 01, 2023

Guest: Rachel Pike, COO at Modern Treasury

Payment operations startup Modern Treasury is not afraid to do things in “our own weird way,” says COO Rachel Pike. Its values statement is a 150 word essay, it has gone viral by writing about nerdy ACH payments minutiae, and it has an unusual rule for quarterly internal reviews: No slides. Instead, departments have to write one to two page essay, which are packaged together and then shared company-wide, and with the board. In previous jobs, Rachel laments, she and her coworkers would waste time “pushing pixels” around 50-slide decks. “It [the essay] actually takes more thinking and less hours to put together a summary of, ‘where have we been?’” she says.

In this episode, Rachel and Joubin discuss the state of San Francisco, the value of tradition, hunger to learn, the Draper Fisher Jurvetson split, the opportunity cost of staying put, HIPAA and startups, two-entrepreneur households, career transition coaching, “try before you buy” hiring, learning to be remote, the downside of grasping, and fixing inequalities in compensation.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Rachel doesn’t like talking about herself (01:20)
Job-hopping and the Bay Area (02:38)
Early adopters vs. brilliant innovators (05:16)
Why Rachel left academia (07:44)
“I got a phD in startups” (10:24)
The “nights and weekends” gig at AngelList (14:05)
Describing startups to aliens (16:50)
Four years at Grand Rounds (18:28)
What makes Modern Treasury “modern” (21:51)
How she got hired as employee #1 (24:16)
Advice for wannabe early-stage startup workers (30:18)
“Wonder is contagious” (32:00)
“Do it right the first time” (35:09)
Hacker News and other growth levers (38:20)
The excitement of scaling (40:49)
Advisors and quarterly planning essays (44:02)
Forced prioritization (49:20)
Hard feedback (51:50)
The working with Rachel doc (54:19)
How Modern Treasury does comp and bonuses (57:21)
What’s past is prologue (59:43)
Who Modern Treasury is hiring and what “Grit” means to Rachel (01:02:00)

Links:

Connect with Rachel
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#135 CMO & CSO GitLab, Ashley Kramer: The Three Ps Apr 24, 2023

Guest: Ashley Kramer, CMO & CSO of GitLab

One day, when Ashley Kramer was an SVP at Alteryx, one of her direct reports hit her with a dose of reality: “She said, ‘I think you are trying to put me on a path to be you, and to have your job. I don’t want any of that.’” Now the CMO and CSO of GitLab, Kramer — who has been a perfectionist since childhood — used to hold her team to the same high bar. But as she’s learned over time, “Not everybody’s gonna have your same ambition. Not everybody’s gonna work as hard as you. It doesn’t mean they’re not good at their job. It just means different things are important to them.”

In this episode, Ashley and Joubin discuss what companies get wrong in CEO interviews, “the three P’s” of company values, loosely held disasters, thinking about the future, “everybody does not want to be like me”, how GitLab does meetings, pre-speech nervousness, context switching, skip-level meetings, credibility with the customer, setting the bar too high, and Naval Ravikant.

In this episode, we cover:

People, Passion, and Product (04:36)
Joining companies right after they IPO (07:16)
Scaling questions (10:28)
Job-hoppers and ambition (12:06)
Parents and dinner-table conversations (16:35)
Coping with perfectionism (19:17)
Coaching and demotivators (21:36)
Confident public speaking (26:21)
How Ashley got out of engineering (32:08)
Being CPO and CMO of Sisense at the same time (35:49)
Representing “two constituencies” (38:54)
Why Ashley has two titles again (44:59)
The radical transparency of GitLab (47:20)
Growing pains and becoming interim CTO (51:28)
Working with founder-CEOs (56:08)
Tough feedback (58:20)
Personal and professional OKRs (01:01:15)
Work-life balance (01:03:33)
How to network (01:06:10)
Who GitLab is hiring and the meaning of “Grit” (01:08:58)

Links:

Connect with Ashley
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#134 Chief Bizdev Officer at Uber, Jen Vescio: Buy, Build, or Partner Apr 17, 2023

Guest: Jen Vescio, Chief Business Development Officer at Uber and founder of Awestruck Ventures

If you were to look at Jen Vescio’s calendar, it might look like a pack of Skittles: Every single one of her meetings is color-coded according to the Insights Color Focus system, which assigns the colors red, blue, yellow, and green based on what methods they emphasize in their work. As the chief business development officer of Uber, Jen has to work with people across that spectrum, and preps for each meeting accordingly.

In this episode, Jen and Joubin discuss the pros and cons of media training, Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, “semi-pro” soccer, how to ruin your Uber rating, the “fluorescent light” journey, working at “it” companies before they were disrupted, the art and science of business development, self-awareness vs. understanding others, Sean Bratches, what is your motive?, side letter PTSD, “speed and silence are your two worst enemies,” forced time off, getting buy-in, and why “Uber is wired for trauma.”

In this episode, we cover:

“Dancing in the moment” (00:54)
The Olympic Development Program (03:22)
Jen’s parents (08:15)
DJing and music in Ubers (10:40)
Talking to Uber drivers (12:48)
Retiring from soccer (15:04)
“The big transition” (17:22)
The dotcom boom and Jen’s first jobs (20:04)
Innovation and disruption (22:15)
Buy, build, or partner (27:24)
Understanding the “color” of others (35:27)
How to talk to a “double red” (38:38)
Insights Color Focus and the color of companies (41:16)
The Trust Quotient (46:45)
The biggest deal Jen has brokered (50:17)
The pressure of big deals (51:46)
The $350 million deal she botched (55:14)
Getting burned out on corporate jobs (58:22)
Big, shiny brands like Uber (01:00:38)
Mental contracts and taking time off (01:05:07)
Tough feedback (01:08:24)
Developing trust internally vs. externally (01:09:48)
How COVID impacted Uber (01:13:08)
Where Uber is hiring and what Jen thinks of when she hears the word “Grit” (01:18:16)

Links:

Connect with Jen
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#133 CEO Palo Alto Networks, Nikesh Arora: Create Certainty Apr 10, 2023

Guest: Nikesh Arora, CEO and Chairman of Palo Alto Networks

Nikesh Arora has been in the C-Suite for more than two decades, including a 10-year stint as Google’s chief business officer and — most recently — five years as Palo Alto Networks’ CEO. But the COVID-19 pandemic made him radically reconsider the gap between the executive floor and the rest of the company. “There was a tremendous amount of anxiety and fear and uncertainty,” he says, “and this person I was talking to says, ‘Listen, your job as a leader is to create certainty.’ [...] It’s simple: Tell your employees you have their back.” That’s why, for the past 30 months, Nikesh has been making time to virtually meet thousands of Palo Alto Networks employees on Zoom; he gets candid feedback, communicates company goals, and provides a safe space for everyone to bond.

In this episode, Nikesh and Joubin discuss honest CEOs, not having a career plan, process vs. outcomes, remaining independent inside Google, organizational superpowers, understanding your competitors, “evergreen companies,” the ChatGPT disruption, integrating product and sales, blindfolded communication, Evian water, cloud vs. on-prem security, and problem solvers vs. problem representers.

In this episode, we cover:

Amazing people at Google (02:15)
T-Motion and T-Mobile (04:05)
“You cannot control the outcome” (07:36)
Growing up in India (11:12)
400+ rejection letters (14:38)
Loving what you do (18:26)
Joining Google (19:55)
Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt (24:16)
Relocating to “the mothership” (27:01)
“He’s not Googly enough” (28:26)
Profit, innovation, and paranoia (31:12)
Cybersecurity and AI (34:04)
SoftBank CEO Masa Son (38:54)
Joining Palo Alto Networks (43:04)
Hiring as home-building (47:04)
“Nobody comes to work to screw up” (50:25)
Product and the power of marketing (53:28)
Cybersecurity “swim lanes” (56:36)
M&A strategy (01:01:14)
The two schools of due diligence (01:05:05)
Moving past problems (01:07:42)
Creating certainty for employees (01:10:59)

Links:

Connect with Nikesh
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#132 Former 49ers Quarterback Alex Smith and Former Warriors Guard Shaun Livingston: Hard Steps Apr 03, 2023

Guests: Alex Smith and Shaun Livingston, former players for the San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors

“I just thought, the best of my life is behind me.” That’s what former NFL quarterback Alex Smith recalls of a devastating leg fracture in 2018 that threatened to end his football career forever. Former NBA guard Shaun Livingston suffered a similar injury early in his career, and both men were told the only way forward might be leg amputation & retirement. They endured through depression, surgeries, and painful physical therapy, and both of them found their way back to pro sports. “I hopped on a bike,” Shaun says. “’Oh, I can do this!’ All right, I hopped on a treadmill. ‘Okay, I can do this.’ You give yourself these small victories that, over time, end up adding up.”

In this episode, Alex, Shaun, and Joubin discuss going pro out of high school, the pressure of expectations, talking about emotions, Joe Namath, gratitude for life, military medical care and “group suck”, the D-League, competing against yourself, losing well, “rah-rah guys,” no-look slants, Tom Brady, Kevin Garnett, and the difference between winning and losing.

In this episode, we cover:

Alex Smith’s background (01:15)
Shaun Livingston’s background (02:07)
Alex on the fear of failure (03:23)
Shaun on “the opportunity of a lifetime” (07:03)
Imposter syndrome and burying emotions (10:44)
Anxiety as motivation (13:41)
Dysfunctional early seasons (16:10)
Alex and Shaun’s leg injuries (18:57)
Depression vs. “small victories” (23:51)
Alex’s recovery process (25:45)
Shaun’s stint in the NBA Development League (29:51)
Teaching yourself to walk (31:58)
Steph Curry and great leadership (36:19)
Pat Mahomes and the “final shot” (41:05)
Tough feedback (44:32)
Recharging in the off-season (47:09)
Daily consistency (49:41)
Who Alex and Shaun think of when they hear the word “grit” (54:05)

Links:

Connect with Shaun
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#131 Golden State Warriors Forward Andre Iguodala: The Sixth Man Mar 27, 2023

Guest: Andre Iguodala, forward for the Golden State Warriors

The average professional basketball career lasts around four years. By the first time Andre Iguodala came to play for the Golden State Warriors, in 2013, he was already on year 10 in the NBA. “All I wanted to do was get somewhere where I just truly enjoy going to work every day,” he says. And on his podcast with Evan Turner, Point Forward, he doesn’t shy away from the fact that being a famous and successful player comes with trade-offs. “When you make it ... you’re lifted up, like ‘you’re here to save us all,’” he explains. “There's so many things that go on with us as athletes that people don't get a opportunity to truly understand because there's two sides.”

In this episode, Andre and Joubin discuss the law of attraction, daily practice, former head coach Mark Jackson, Allen Iverson, the value of sports media, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf’s Tourette Syndrome, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, the lowest point in Andre’s career, and pivoting to stay alive.

In this episode, we cover:

What goes through Andre’s head when the game rests on his shoulders (01:17)
Enjoying work every day and playing under head coach Steve Kerr (05:31)
Avoiding the newspaper, and why he started a podcast (09:59)
The trauma of success and basketball as a sanctuary (14:07)
Playing against LeBron James and with Steph Curry (17:59)
Being addicted to success and finding joy on the court (21:24)
Kevin Durant’s work ethic (25:41)
Are the wins or losses more memorable? (28:30)
Being a student of the game (32:02)
Why Andre’s memoir is called The Sixth Man, and what changes in the playoffs (35:34)
His final season in the NBA, and being a part of the tech ecosystem (42:04)
The qualities of great players, and the most memorable game of his career (45:50)

Links:

Connect with Andre
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- His podcast, Point Forward
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#130 Former Vice President Al Gore: Relentless Mar 20, 2023

Guest: Al Gore, Former Vice President and chairman of The Climate Reality Project

Al Gore has been talking about all kinds of renewable energy for decades. The former U.S. Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and star of An Inconvenient Truth says it’s “thrilling” to see things like wind power and sustainable forestry becoming the norm. But as humanity continues its struggle against the climate crisis, he says, it’s worth remembering that political will is also a renewable resource. Effective storytellers and political organizers can overcome the entrenched political power of the oil and gas industry, and young people are flocking to work for climate-conscious companies that share their values.

In this episode, Al and Joubin discuss Abraham Lincoln, Silent Spring, “father of the United Nations” Cordell Hull, downhill skiing, “pursuing a grail,” Watershed, An Inconvenient Truth, the Inflation Reduction Act, trolling Newt Gingrich, former CIA director Bob Gates, “let the glory out,” and Greta Thunberg.

In this episode, we cover:

Which of Al’s many accomplishments is he proudest of? (01:52)
What he learned from his parents, a pioneering lawyer and a U.S. Senator — and why he decided to get into politics (05:32)
Being an underdog and finding the energy to fight injustice (16:15)
The distinction between work and play, and commitments of the heart (19:28)
The “hidden truth about human endeavors” (28:05)
Becoming a great storyteller and getting instant, actionable feedback (31:25)
Al’s “close as brothers” partnership with President Bill Clinton (36:44)
Accepting hardship and renewing political will (48:08)
How does Al renew his own energy? (53:57)

Links:

Connect with Al
- Twitter
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#129 CRO Zapier, Giancarlo “GC” Lionetti: Recheck, Rebalance Mar 13, 2023

Guest: Giancarlo “GC” Lionetti, CRO of Zapier

“I live in a constant state of paranoia,” says Zapier CRO Giancarlo “GC” Lionetti, “which I guess is healthy and unhealthy.” A lifelong hard worker who shows up early and stays late, GC could have kept his job at team collaboration company Atlassian, which he joined before the company even offered stock options to employees. But his hunger for new experiences — and desire to learn things about new disciplines, like sales — took him away to unexpected new roles at Dropbox, Confluent and now Zapier. “If you asked me in every single experience what my next experience was gonna be ... I wouldn’t have guessed the one that I ended up doing,” he says.

In this episode, GC and Joubin discuss in-person retreats, the problem with “hybrid” cultures, in-office perks, dyslexia and ChatGPT, Atlassian as a “mini-MBA,” re-directing energy to find happiness, self-service businesses, “fitting the mold,” the space for meetings, and dinner at home with the kids.

In this episode, we cover:

The Grit tip jar and being an “anti-remote” person at a fully remote company (00:47)
How GC compensates for not being able to walk & talk around the office (06:13)
The dying art of being early, and GC’s brand of hard work (09:03)
His father’s exhausting work life, and his first summer job (16:18)
Is GC a “pusher” or a “puller,” and some crucial advice from Atlassian CEO Scott Farquhar (21:15)
What he thought in the early days of Atlassian’s ride to the top (27:48)
What Zapier does and how it has helped GC and his wife as parents (31:29)
“It was hard to take advice, because nobody understood this world” (34:25)
Why did GC leave Atlassian for Dropbox? (38:04)
Passing on paranoia, and is balance required for happiness? (41:16)
Marketing vs. sales, and the danger of re-running the same playbook in different companies (48:46)
Fitting into a box, and learning from people with different backgrounds (56:28)
Why GC doesn’t like traveling very much, and the place of meetings in Zapier’s GTM organization (01:01:09)
Separating the “church and state” of work and personal life (01:07:38)

Links:

Connect with GC
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#128 Former COO & Corporate Officer at Stripe, Claire Hughes Johnson: Scaling People Mar 06, 2023

Guest: Claire Hughes Johnson, author of Scaling People and Corporate Officer at Stripe

Former Stripe COO Claire Hughes Johnson’s new book, Scaling People, is not your typical business book: Informed by her experience scaling one of the most valuable private companies in the world, it’s a tactical reference manual, “almost like a textbook,” aimed at helping managers wrestling with a variety of problems. And one of the big uniting themes is that, to solve anything, they’re going to have to look inwards. “Leadership does not start with the other people in the room,” she says. “It starts with you ... if you don’t know yourself, you are not gonna be very successful, because you have to understand your work style preferences, your habits, your blind spots.”

In this episode, Claire and Joubin discuss in-demand books, Google pre-IPO, headcount as a proxy for success, paranoid mentality, self-driving cars, honoring commitments, the illusion of time, customer insights, “act like a founder,” asking for feedback, prioritizing and saying no, “steady Eddies,” imposter syndrome, fruit on the counter, layering titles, and making time for family.

In this episode, we cover:

Who should read Claire’s new book, Scaling People, and how she expects them to read it(00:57)
The challenges of building Stripe in its early days: “It was just consumed by it” (04:51)
Why she left Google to become Stripe’s COO, and what she did for them as the business was starting to take off (12:34)
How Stripe hired the best people — including Claire — and how they could have done it even better (17:25)
Leadership starts with self-awareness (26:05)
Honest criticism that rocks your world, and taking feedback well (29:43)
The “unauthorized guide” to working with Claire (36:18)
Getting hired at Google by Sheryl Sandberg, and why Claire didn’t follow her to Facebook (40:26)
“Pushers and pullers,” a framework for working with top talent (46:43)
What entrepreneurs can learn from Condoleezza Rice about impact, passion, and ability (58:33)
Putting your (imperfect) expertise out into the world (01:02:03)
Implementing Stripe’s first performance feedback process, and why it still doesn’t “do” titles (01:07:06)
Having a life outside of work, and the “clarifying moment” of a surprise birthday party (01:15:26)

Links:

Buy Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building
Connect with Claire
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#127 CEO Intuit Mailchimp, Rania Succar: Consistent Inner Equilibrium Feb 27, 2023

Guest: Rania Succar, CEO of Intuit Mailchimp

Ten years out of college, and with two advanced degrees under her belt, Rania Succar knew she wanted to be an operator. Taking a job at Google taught her a lot, but she chafed under the limitations imposed on her control and personal impact. At Intuit, she finally found what she had been searching for: “We really do have a structure that's set up to give you massive amounts of accountability and responsibility.” For seven years, Rania worked across the Quickbooks team before becoming the CEO of Mailchimp in August 2022. And along the way, she also discovered the “beauty” in jointly owning some functions with her teammates: “It can actually be brilliant.”

In this episode, Rania and Joubin discuss immigrant culture, boundless energy, the search for meaning, the illusion of control, getting back to equilibrium, registering your ambition, “Mailkimp,” prioritizing family, sleep experiments, passing the baton, finding problem-solvers, and meetings that give you energy.

In this episode, we cover:

The importance of family to Syrians, Persians, and immigrants (00:43)
Navigating two cultures at the dinner table, and Rania’s entrepreneurial father (04:48)
The arc of her career, and figuring out where she wanted to put her energy (08:59)
What motivates & energizes her, and what takes energy away (14:28)
The need to own things end to end, and the beauty of sharing the controls (18:32)
What Rania has learned over seven years at Intuit, and how she pushes to do more (24:32)
Mailchimp’s “genius” sponsorship of Serial, and preserving its scrappy culture (30:46)
How Rania allocates her time every week, and finding “30% more efficiency” (34:13)
Learning about the importance of sleep “the hard way” (38:45)
Getting through the early months of COVID and being authentic with her team (43:30)
Learning from leaders like Intuit’s Bill Campbell and Scott Cook, and defining the “next chapter of exceptional” (46:51)
How a visual impairment became a source of strength (52:54)
Setting priorities and being a prisoner of one’s calendar (57:16)

Links:

Connect with Rania
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#126 CRO Gem, Lesley Young: Hard Yards Feb 20, 2023

Guest: Lesley Young, CRO of Gem

Lesley Young’s favorite book is “The Obstacle Is The Way,” in which Ryan Holiday argues that the process of working hard to achieve something is more important than the achievement itself. When you find yourself in a position of leadership, the Gem CRO says, “you realize there’s a lot of wisdom that you’ve gained in those experiences that you’ve had.” One of her passions is helping other people develop in the careers, which includes convincing them that “that hard yards are going to be the ones that are gonna grow them the most.”

In this episode, Lesley and Joubin discuss speaking vs. observing, meeting your heroes, the Great Depression mindset, developing people, Workplace by Facebook, the power of discontent, choosing to show up, controlling the controllable, repeatable success, being “open for business,” getting fired up, remote work, “only the paranoid survive,” and hard feedback.

In this episode, we cover:

Prepping for public presentations (00:59)
Meeting Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and working with Snowflake CRO Chris Degnan (04:44)
Fear of everything evaporating, and becoming resourceful (09:28)
The “purpose statement” Lesley wrote for her career, and why she loves to learn (14:16)
Choosing to not be *the* leader all the time, and taking a risk on Facebook (20:35)
Her relationship with her parents and being motivated by unfinished work (25:45)
Ryan Holiday’s “The Obstacle Is The Way” and the journey to the achievement (29:32)
How to work with founders such as Box CEO Aaron Levie (35:58)
Former Segment CEO Peter Reinhardt and asking the right question (41:03)
Why Lesley joined Gem on the eve of a hiring downturn: The long-term play (47:26)
Why Gem CEO Steve Bartel is an “amazing recruiter,” and the return of in-person collaboration (52:14)
The toughest feedback Lesley has ever gotten about herself (59:42)
Why delivering tough feedback is harder than receiving it (01:03:49)

Links:

Connect with Lesley
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#125 CRO Starburst, Javier Molina: Reading Cues Feb 13, 2023

Guest: Javier Molina, CRO of Starburst

Starburst CRO Javier Molina’s peers, former colleagues, and even his wife often tell him the same thing: He’s difficult to read. That doesn’t mean he’s not listening, though. In fact, he’s focusing on many different things such as speech patterns, the words being used, and the priority of those words while simultaneously keeping a pulse on social cues as well. This uncontrolled habit he describes as both a superpower and his achilles heel. “It allows me to interview really well and assess talent,” says Javier, who describes himself as a social introvert. “It allows me to read situations … understand room dynamics… It helps me understand my customers [but] I think a lot of people like extroverts because of how they’re so expressive and flashy ... and that’s not me.”

In this episode, Javier and Joubin discuss Austin culture, making eye contact, social introverts, living in the future, self-awareness, betting on yourself, workhorse culture, reverse job interviews, short-term wins, in-car WiFi, great partners, and world-class interviewing.

In this episode, we cover:

San Francisco vs. Austin and the flood of techies moving to Texas (01:08)
The “movie that you can’t turn off” and assessing people quickly (05:49)
Patience, focus, and being present (14:10)
“What is a common misconception of you?” (19:53)
Self-awareness as a proxy for potential, and feeling different from the crowd (25:04)
Buying houses, and betting on yourself (32:00)
Being hired as an executive, and the culture of teams at bootstrapped companies (39:00)
What Starburst does and turning the tables on CEO Justin Borgman (45:44)
Being intentional, celebrating wins, and “enjoying the climb” (50:31)
Getting away from work, and the strength of entrepreneurs’ relationships (57:22)
The little things in interviews, and why “a problem well stated is half solved” (01:02:50)
How to screen for grit (01:07:41)

Links:

Connect with Javier
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#124 Founding CRO at Procore, Dennis Lyandres: Defining "Winning" Feb 06, 2023

All of Dennis Lyandres’ mentors — and even his parents — thought he was making a mistake when he joined Procore in 2014. At the time, he was working at the “it” company in Silicon Valley, Cloudera, and the startup was more than 10 years old without any major wins under its belt. But he knew someone “was gonna build a massive company” in construction software, and he found out that Procore’s team was uniquely obsessive about making its customers successful: “It felt like a culture that wouldn’t lose,” he says.

In this episode, Dennis and Joubin discuss the power of food, being a “prep maniac,” finding satisfaction, the potential for greatness, the tickle of urgency, imposter syndrome, construction software, magical CEOs, internal pep talks, learning from failure, the wisdom of others, strong relationships, the Procore IPO, and life partners.

In this episode, we cover:

The Procore campus and employee experience (01:03)
How Dennis prepped for this podcast and lifelong learning (05:00)
“Have I plateaued? Is this it?” (11:31)
Channeling energy into your work, and knowing what you can change (17:42)
Dennis’ parents and how he thought about work for most of his career (22:30)
His first jobs and why he left Cloudera for Procore (27:11)
The first “oh shit” moment and the 10-year success story (34:25)
The winning culture and what Dennis would do with a second chance (39:47)
Scaling to nine-figure revenue and personal growth through failure (43:20)
Great vs. terrible leadership and finding the right mentors (48:21)
Procore CEO Tooey Courtemanche and relationships built on trust (55:08)
Fixing the technology in construction (58:19)
Powerful advice about ethics and interpersonal relationships (01:02:49)
Thoughtful gifts and making space for another person in your life (01:08:58)

Links:

Connect with Dennis
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#123 CEO GitHub, Thomas Dohmke: Open-Source Values Jan 30, 2023

In the middle of the Great Recession, Thomas Dohmke quit a stable job at a good company because “I wanted to build stuff again.” Specifically, he was inspired by the release of the first software development kit for iOS, and wanted to be part of the mobile revolution. Two companies later and halfway around the world, he is the CEO of software development powerhouse Github and on the precipice of another revolution — that of AI tools such as Github Copilot. Up to 40 percent of Copilot users’ code is already being autocompleted by AI, and Thomas predicts that number could get to 80 percent in the next five years. “We are heading into a world where developers are much more architecture and system designers,” he says.

In this episode, Thomas and Joubin discuss staying excited, A/B tests for life, triggering emails, “the toys you can’t have,” self-driving car sensors, the first iPhone SDK, app testing, US work visas, life-changing money, Xamarin, is Github a social network?, being ultra-transparent, ghost text, ChatGPT and Midjourney, generating passion, rehearsing forever, Mittelstand companies, and the zen of LEGO.

In this episode, we cover:

Titles at Microsoft and working with CEO Satya Nadella (00:58)
Being “85% happy” and the temptation to leave big companies for a startup (05:33)
How Thomas went from early user to CEO of GitHub (09:22)
Growing up in East Germany and the fall of the Berlin Wall (13:19)
Why Thomas quit his job at the height of the financial crisis: “I wanna build stuff again” (22:28)
Being acquired by Microsoft and coming to America (27:26)
The startup mindset and “open-source” values (34:09)
How Github’s “AI programmer,” Copilot, will change everything for developers (40:32)
When will generative AI have its “iPhone moment?” (45:44)
Exponential change and preparing your kids for the unknown future (50:57)
Communicating in English, and whether Thomas’ family would ever go back to Germany (57:21)
Tech culture in Europe vs. Silicon Valley and the pressure of “more” (01:01:19)
The “LEGO room” in Thomas’ house (01:07:18)

Links:

Connect with Thomas
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#122 President & Board Member at Freshworks, Dennis Woodside: What If This Goes Really Well? Jan 23, 2023

Freshworks president Dennis Woodside copes with stress by running as often as he can, a habit that began when he was CEO of Motorola Mobility. So far, he has run “16 to 17” Ironman triathlons. He’s also continually challenging himself in his professional life, leaving Motorola in 2014 to advise the founder-CEOs: Dropbox’s Drew Houston, Impossible Foods’ Pat Brown, and now Freshworks’ Girish Mathrubootham. Dennis’ advice for anyone working with founders is to “have empathy” for what they’re going through, and to understand what motivates them. Without that understanding, he says, you won’t be able to arrive at a shared vision for the company.

In this episode, Dennis and Joubin discuss mega-acquisitions, the smartphone paradigm shift, triathlons and competitiveness, winning every category, “softening up,” global cities, Google interview questions, spreading Silicon Valley culture, the “chrome panda moment,” hiring the right people, “Where do you want to be in five years?”, evaluating new opportunities, and building trust with founders.

In this episode, we cover:

Google’s acquisition of Motorola and how Dennis went from ad exec to first-time CEO (02:00)
Did Dennis like being the CEO of Motorola? (08:04)
The stress of the new job and dealing with it through exercise (13:02)
Dennis’ impressive résumé and what dinner conversation was like growing up (18:37)
Going to Korea and choosing the harder path (23:00)
Joining Google in 2003 as a general problem-solver (26:23)
Hiring “scouts” all around the world to better understand the internet (30:41)
Leaving Motorola to mentor Dropbox CEO Drew Houston (39:12)
Checking your ego and the listening tour that wasn’t (42:20)
Dropbox’s IPO and why the stock has been relatively flat (48:38)
Changing jobs without breaks, and spotting new opportunities like Freshworks (52:19)
Tips for working with founders and interrogating the status quo (58:02)
Dennis’ most unique OKR at Dropbox (01:02:39)

Links:

Connect with Dennis
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#121 Founder & Co-CEO Brex, Henrique Dubugras: Pivot or Else Jan 16, 2023

The best advice Brex founder and co-CEO Henrique Dubugras ever received came from Snap CEO Evan Spiegel: The best CEOs, Spiegel told him, are “extremely authentic to themselves ... If you try to emulate being Elon Musk and you’re not like that, you’re just gonna fail.” This wisdom has empowered Dubugras and his co-founder, Pedro Franceschi, to focus on the places where they can be most effective at Brex, and to be more authentic with their coworkers.

In this episode, Henrique and Joubin discuss coaches vs. therapy, mutual crushes, “hacker famous,” big egos, why missions are overrated, dropping out of college, CEO’s identities, the “Silicon Valley mold,” trojan-horsing Max Levchin, pivoting after two years, going to the ground, compensation and hiring myths, core customers, fixing expense report policies, and joining the Expedia board.

In this episode, we cover:

Growing up in Brazil and Henrique’s relationship with his mom (01:07)
The first company he sold, Pagar.me, and his co-founder Pedro Franceschi (07:11)
Becoming “successful” and why it’s fine to have a “f**ked up motivation” (10:35)
ADHD, dueling superpowers, and focusing on the right things (15:56)
Being an authentic CEO and not reading books (19:51)
The radical changes Brex has experienced in the past three years (24:40)
Brex’s new spend management product and landing initial customers (30:30)
The messages sent by how Brex structures its employee compensation (34:07)
How Henrique and Pedro recruited top talent when they were just getting started (38:57)
Pivoting a $12 billion company: “We can’t do all these things” (43:33)
The challenges of becoming more of an enterprise company than a Fintech one (50:34)

Links:

Connect with Henrique
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#120 Chairman & CEO ServiceNow, Bill McDermott: Full Speed Ahead Jan 09, 2023

“When you create something,” says ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott, “that gives you the ability to help and do good and achieve for the most people possible.” Bill left his first corporate job at Xerox for a short stint at Gartner, then served as CEO of SAP for nearly a decade. He made one more transition three years ago because he saw a great opportunity to help make ServiceNow a defining enterprise software company. “I knew it could happen,” he says. “What I didn’t know is just how unbelievably right I was.”

In this episode, Bill and Joubin discuss fist-pumps, shoplifting teens, Bill’s superpowers, needing to be needed, marriage as a partnership, why every relationship matters, difficult relocations, breast cancer, the FDNY’s chaplain, and the Medal of Honor.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Bill bought a deli when he was in high school — and how he competed against 7-Eleven (04:00)
Interviewing at Xerox and wanting it more than anyone else (08:17)
Unwavering optimism and being a source of strength for others (12:34)
How a love of work has shaped Bill as a person (16:44)
Facing challenges and keeping a promise to his father (22:00)
Enjoying the present and keeping an eye on the future (30:01)
Leaving Xerox for Gartner and learning from a tough experience (33:29)
Sloan Kettering and Father Michael Judge (39:22)
Following the “original dream” vs. building something new at ServiceNow (44:59)
Losing an eye and getting a pep talk from two Medal of Honor winners (51:15)
Why Bill started and ended his book with quotes from two Kennedys (01:01:21)

Links:

Connect with Bill
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#119 Co-founder & CEO Gong, Amit Bendov: No Royalty Jan 02, 2023

With more than 1,200 employees, it isn’t easy for Gong co-founder and CEO Amit Bendov to stay in touch with everyone. So, his team has established a series of regular programs to communicate the company’s priorities and give workers a chance to ask questions. And despite the revenue intelligence company’s scale, they’ve established a core value called No Royalty: “You’re supposed to be able to communicate with anybody in the company,” Amit says. “You’re no better than anybody.”

In this episode, Amit and Joubin discuss name pronunciation, education and culture, communicating in English, family as pseudo-co-founders, remote work, AI customer management, missing the quarter, “Google for enterprise,” drinking your Kool-Aid, “win as a team,” GPTChat and other AI breakthroughs, and solving problems vs. pursuing opportunities.

In this episode, we cover:

The “captain’s table” and spreading company priorities (02:12)
Amit’s first jobs and splitting his time between the US and Israel (06:47)
The differences in work culture between the two countries, and returning to the office (14:19)
Amit’s pre-gong jobs at Click Software, Panaya, and Sisense, and how he got the idea for Gong (18:40)
Starting a new company in your 50s and why “nobody wanted to invest in us” (24:58)
Gong’s brand, its culture, and the lines before personal and professional (32:15)
The art of company-building and enjoying the ride (34:59)
Professional struggles and two embarrassing stories about cars (39:57)
Being on autopilot, and the pros & cons of letting your mind wander (45:05)
Automation vs. personal human relationships, and what AI can do that humans can’t (48:04)
If Amit were starting Gong over from scratch, what would he do differently? (55:08)

Links:

Connect with Amit
- Twitter
- Linkedin
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#118 Dean of Stanford GSB, Jonathan Levin: Innovation Engines Dec 26, 2022

Jon Levin has been teaching at Stanford for more than 20 years, and has been the dean of the famous Graduate School of Business since 2016. Although teaching at Stanford puts him in contact with some of the most promising future entrepreneurs in tech, he says he hasn’t yet been tempted to leave academia for a startup because “I actually love being part of an institution that’s gonna be around for hundreds of years.” As public trust in institutions has eroded in recent years, Jon and his colleagues have had to make changes. For example: Proactively challenging GSB students to think about “What does it mean to be a leader of an organization in today’s world?”

In this episode, Jon and Joubin discuss honorific names, applying research in the real world, matching med school students, the “endless frontier,” the globalization of innovation, the entrepreneurial “itch,” the erosion of trust in institutions, US-China relations, students from Ukraine and Russia, what the GSB admissions staff looks for, self-awareness, the “Touchy Feely” class, and the serendipity of in-person classes.

In this episode, we cover:

The John Bates Clark Medal, and researching economic topics like auction design (01:56)
Nobel Prize winners at the Stanford GSB and the uniqueness of the US university system (10:15)
Teaching entrepreneurial students and the value of institutions (16:30)
Being affirmative vs. reactive and how Jon measures success (23:07)
International MBA students and the importance of geographic diversity (27:27)
Growing up in an academic family and how Jon’s theory of teaching (34:47)
The qualities that “great” GSB alumni have in common, and the gradual changes to business school cohorts (39:12)
The qualities of “great” faculty and what was lost when classes moved to Zoom during COVID (47:06)

Links:

Connect with Jon
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#117 Co-founder & COO Cloudflare, Michelle Zatlyn: A Better Internet Dec 19, 2022

“Think about the pandemic without the internet,” says Cloudflare co-founder and COO Michelle Zatlyn. The world’s sudden shift to doing almost everything online only worked because network engineers, IT administrators, and internet infrastructure companies like Cloudflare had done the work. Michelle says that, both personally and professionally, she’s fine being under the radar because she doesn’t need to be publicly reminded of the importance of her job: “It's like all the roads, the tunnels, the bridges ... when it works, it's magic. Really, you don't even know we exist.”

In this episode, Michelle and Joubin discuss the pressure of success, advice for founders, low-drama startups, the power of the Cloudflare blog, internet security, the cross-country U-Haul trip, sweating the details, San Francisco as a “power center,” helping the next generation of founders, “the airplane effect,” injecting tension, why learning is a superpower, and choosing to feel the bumps in the road.

In this episode, we cover:

Carrying the torch for women in infrastructure and “just getting started” (01:15)
Being under the radar and the over-glamorization of founders (07:19)
Why it’s so hard to hire & empower a great team (15:35)
How Cloudflare is building a better internet (22:08)
How Michelle, Matthew Prince, and Lee Holloway met and why they started Cloudflare (28:23)
“Losing” at TechCrunch Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield — and turning it into a win (34:10)
Building remote vs. choosing to be in the SF Bay Area (40:54)
“I don’t understand why anyone starts companies” (46:28)
How to run the best board meeting ever (55:31)
Why Michelle brought her kids to the New York Stock Exchange for “Mom’s Special Day” (01:00:51)
The skill that sets good founders apart from great ones (01:02:34)
How a back injury took away a year of Michelle’s life (01:10:16)

Links:

Connect with Michelle
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#116 Grit Recap: 9 Intersections of Personal and Professional Dec 12, 2022

Grit has never been just about business, and success is not a vaccine against stress, anxiety, or depression. On today’s special episode, Joubin looks back at nine past interviews and the advice shared by guests who have been through difficult personal challenges. You can find links to the full interviews these clips came from below.

In this episode:

CCO Forter, Ozge Ozcan on burning out like a phoenix and the “dark side” of grit (01:05)
CMO Samsara, Sarah Patterson on the value of being vulnerable — and specific — with your employees (06:14)
Co-Founder & CEO Clari, Andy Byrne on his “dark year” and reframing big problems as moments in time (11:00)
Former CRO at Notion, Olivia Nottebohm on accountability, empathy, and what people will remember when you’re dead (21:28)
Former CRO at HubSpot, Mark Roberge on crippling anxiety attacks and the importance of finding time for your own health (28:25)
Founder & CEO Thrive, Arianna Huffington on the growing cultural acceptance of talking about burnout, stress, and sleep (37:13)
Co-founder of Intuit, Scott Cook on spending time with family and recording your memories (44:11)
Former President at NetApp, Tom Mendoza on how to find out who your real friends are (49:15)
CRO Snowflake, Chris Degnan on the motivating power of fear (55:53)

Links:

Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#115 Executive Board Member at SAP, Scott Russell: Chief Optimist Officer Dec 05, 2022

SAP Executive Board Member Scott Russell used to avoid talking about his personal life with coworkers. But “we want to understand and relate to each other,” he says, and being more open has made people more willing to trust and follow him. “Authenticity, you cannot manufacture that,” Scott says. “When you’re only showing a part of who you are to your team, you’re not showing your true, authentic self.”

In this episode, Scott and Joubin discuss European business structures, three-year contracts, creating a positive impact, informed feedback loops, maintaining a good emotional quotient, too much optimism, tough phone calls, playing the movie forward, helping your community, life balance, implicit trust and authenticity, finding new opportunities, considering other points of view, and speedboats vs. load-bearers.

In this episode, we cover:

Living around the world and away from HQ (01:05)
Signing a three-year contract with yourself (08:09)
The responsibility of delivering $1 billion in revenue every week (11:55)
Getting to the truth when you’re near the top of a huge organization (14:07)
The unintended consequences of optimism (17:11)
Missing earnings and “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” (20:11)
Scott’s childhood in Australia and his lifelong passion for basketball (26:21)
Why the “work version” of Scott isn’t the best version (30:15)
Being authentic with coworkers and how to drive outcomes in your personal life (33:53)
The one place Scott’s family hasn’t been able to relocate happily (38:47)
Loyalty to your work and your family (42:42)
How competition drives better performance and keeps you honest (47:45)
Finding discipline in your schedule and forcing yourself to relax (54:46)
Where SAP is hiring, and Scott’s view of potential M&A or strategic partnerships (57:08)

Links:

Connect with Scott
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#114 CMO GE, Linda Boff: Play ‘Til the Whistle Nov 28, 2022

In Silicon Valley when business is good, it's normal for top talent to hop from company to company to company. But GE's Linda Boff, described by at least one of her peers as the "Beyoncé of CMOs," has stayed at the 130-year-old conglomerate for nearly 20 years, through radical changes to the business structure, and with plans to split into three public companies on the horizon. She attributes her longevity to the fact that four out of five days of any week, she's excited to come in: "I believe in this company," Linda says. "I would have the hardest time if that went away, and it never has."

In this episode, Linda and Joubin discuss helping young people succeed, finding your passion, the 1980 Winter Olympics, Thomas Edison, Twitter advertising, sticktoitiveness, being excited for work, being impatient, trying to please everybody, and calendar time management.

In this episode, we cover:

How a chance encounter with Video Monitoring Systems founder Robert Cohen changed Linda's life (03:17)
Where Linda's work ethic came from, and her serial internships (06:21)
Elon Musk and brand safety on Twitter (12:47)
Why Linda has worked at GE for almost 20 years, and how it became an "industrial powerhouse" (15:22)
Choosing to stay and giving a shit (21:40)
How much should you love your job? (25:57)
If she were starting over, what would Linda do differently? (32:09)
Getting the truth & what other people think (34:38)
Linda's calendar and writing thank-you notes to coworkers (38:55)

Links:

Connect with Linda
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#113 CEO PagerDuty, Jennifer Tejada: The Re-Finder Nov 21, 2022

PagerDuty CEO Jennifer Tejada has mixed feelings about how she is often portrayed in the press, as a “badass woman CEO.” The scarcity of female executives in enterprise means that it’s often the first thing anyone wants to talk about — not her performance leading a $2 billion company, or her team. She has specifically designed that team to include more under-represented people like her, so that she is not “the only one in the room” — but one executive team isn’t enough. “In my peer group, there’s still not enough Hayden Browns, there’s not enough Yamini Rangans, there’s not enough Safra Katzes,” Jennifer says. “And that is a failing of the industry.”

In this episode, Jennifer and Joubin discuss IPO chasers, the P&G Mafia, reward-centered leadership, participation trophies, serving others in a crisis, working women, plate spinning, perfect girl syndrome, unconscious bias, competitive offshore yacht racing, disconnecting from work, “re-finders,” interrupt work, consistent high standards, beginner’s mind, talent identification, weird but beloved brand names, and dealing with grief.

In this episode, we cover:

The good side of market corrections, and investing in people (00:58)
Learning how to fail and where Jennifer’s work ethic came from (05:28)
Her father’s death and how she adjusts “when shit hits the fan” (13:03)
Recognizing your own limits and working for your family (17:43)
The double-edged sword of being a visible female CEO (23:13)
Taking a break from your career to work on yourself (28:42)
Identity in Silicon Valley and getting put in a box (35:09)
How Jennifer got to PagerDuty and delivering value to customers (40:17)
PagerDuty’s IPO in the middle of a major pivot (45:23)
Responsibility overload and self-criticism (49:36)
Founder-led companies and the advantages of being a “re-finder” (52:55)
PagerDuty’s transition from one product to many (57:56)
The “unfathomable loss” of Phylicia “PJ” Jones and being vulnerable with coworkers (1:00:36)
Why grit is a requirement for success (01:06:52)

Links:

Connect with Jennifer
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: jennifer@pagerduty.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#112 Former President at Tesla / CEO of DVx Ventures, Jon McNeill: First-Principles Nov 14, 2022

When DVx Ventures co-founder Jon McNeill joined Tesla in 2015, he told his new boss Elon Musk: “You won’t see me at least a day a week.” That’s because Jon believes the job of any leader is to make time to talk to front-line workers who know things executives don’t. While he was at Tesla he spent 20% of his time in service centers, support centers, or in retail stores, asking the people who worked there the same question: “If you had had my job for a day, what are the two things you would do to make this place better?”

In this episode, Jon and Joubin discuss serial entrepreneurship, growing up without money, road trips, horizontal and vertical mentors, “our generation’s Da Vinci,” first-principles thinking, sleeping in the factory, solving problems together, accelerometers, sharing bad news, the similarities between Lululemon and Tesla, “perfect product,” cash-incinerating businesses, transitioning legacy companies, and the Sutter Hill method.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Elon Musk bought Twitter and how he’s running it, two weeks in (03:46)
How Jon’s father nudged him into an entrepreneurial mindset (06:12)
Building an intentional, present relationship with your family (10:15)
What Jon learned from Intuit co-founder Scott Cook (15:55)
How he got to Tesla, and learned how to work with Elon (18:55)
The east Asia trip that birthed Neuralink and The Boring Company (24:56)
Ramping up demand for the Tesla Model S and the “manufacturing hell” of the Model X (29:54)
Solving problems under pressure and Jon’s hack for staying sane (35:57)
Recruiting world-class talent (41:05)
What Jon asked Elon before joining Tesla (45:37)
“Make them talk about you at dinner” (50:47)
Simplifying things is an unfair advantage (54:27)
What frontline workers know, and Jon’s 20% rule (57:08)
Lyft’s “arms race” with Uber and what DVx’s companies do differently (1:00:36)
How Jon got to be on the board of GM (1:08:00)

Links:

Connect with Jon
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#111 Founder and CEO Whoop, Will Ahmed: Unlocking Optimal Human Performance Nov 07, 2022

Health monitoring company Whoop, founded and led by CEO Will Ahmed, hid a secret message on the circuitboard of its latest wearable device. “It says, ‘Don’t bother copying us, we will win,’” Will says. “And it also has every engineer who worked on Whoop 4.0’s initials.” For more than 10 years, Whoop has attracted fans from world-famous athletes to everyday consumers, and its deep-pocketed rivals have noticed. After financing talks with Amazon fell apart, “they just directly ripped us off” and made a copycat product called the Amazon Halo. “We were energized by it and we were kinda like, ‘OK, bring it on,’” Will says.

In this episode, Will and Joubin discuss sounding relatable, only children, Persian taarof, Michael Jordan’s birthday party, why measuring sleep is more important than measuring steps, overcoming doubt, understanding sleep, 24/7 wearables, the sleep leaderboard, LeBron James, Will’s wearable “hit list,” getting ripped off by Amazon, detecting COVID-19, cold showers, disassociating yourself from your business, and the misguided “Zoom craze."

In this episode, we cover:

Simple, clear communication (04:31)
What Will has learned from his unique parents, and his Persian wife (08:35)
Checking people’s wrists and why Joubin doesn’t have a Whoop yet (15:28)
Hanging out with sports idols (20:08)
How Whoop got started (23:07)
Staying confident in the face of doubters (27:59)
How Whoop decided what to measure, and why it’s not a smartwatch (31:44)
The $100 sleep bonus and “red recoveries" (38:07)
Competing against Nike, Under Armour, Apple, and more (42:21)
Pivoting to a subscription model and the impact of COVID (45:04)
Getting ripped off by Amazon (49:11)
How Whoop got started on COVID research early (51:29)
Will’s everyday habits, including cold showers and meditation (57:21)
What Whoop is hiring for, and why they are largely in-office (01:01:16)

Links:

Connect with Will
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#110 Former CRO / Advisor at Notion, Olivia Nottebohm: Grow Fast or Die Slow Oct 31, 2022

As a veteran of several high-powered organizations — including McKinsey, Google, Dropbox — Notion advisor Olivia Nottebohm has learned the importance of respecting her teams’ personal journeys. She believes none of the 10 most important milestones in any person’s life will be career-related, and it’s important for leaders like her to strike a balance between accountability and empathy. “Before I need to have a tough conversation,” she says, “I try to put myself in their situation and think, ‘OK, how would I best receive something? ... [And] how is this person different from me?’”

In this episode, Olivia and Joubin discuss immigrant assimilation, the joy of learning, college vs. startups, stepping away from work, growth vs. profits vs. product, steep learning curves, working through a restructuring, collaborative creativity, what CEOs care about, community-led growth, screening for Grit, finding focus, and the only things people will remember about us when we’re gone.

In this episode, we cover:

Olivia’s parents and how she became a grammar stickler (01:00)
Small-town ice hockey and playing with the boys (03:54)
Why her parents didn’t want Olivia to go to Harvard, and what she wants for her own kids (08:49)
Choosing to go into business instead of science (15:32)
What changed for Olivia when her brother passed away unexpectedly (18:42)
“Grow Fast or Die Slow” (24:29)
Who doesn’t believe in growth in 2022? (31:37)
Leaving McKinsey after making partner (35:32)
Six years at Google and one year at Dropbox — starting right before COVID (39:34)
How Olivia got to Notion, the crowded “all-in-one” space, and its enormous addressable market (42:36)
The evolution of go-to-market strategies (49:43)
Accountability, empathy, and the biggest milestones in everyone’s life (58:36)

Links:

Connect with Olivia
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#109 Co-founder & CEO, Databricks Ali Ghodsi: The Difference Between Truth and Data Oct 24, 2022

“I literally thought to myself, I probably made the biggest mistake of my life taking this job.” That’s what Ali Ghodsi recalls about his decision step up the CEO role at Databricks, which would mean leaving a desirable post at UC Berkeley. He wasn’t sure if the company would make it, and some of Databricks’ board agreed that as an academic, he wasn’t right for the job. But they all wound up being wrong: Ali has led the company from $3 million ARR to $800 million, and the data-analytics company was valued at $38 billion after raising $2.5 billion last year.

In this episode, Ali and Joubin discuss fleeing Iran in the 1980s, immigrating to Sweden, coding as an escape, order out of chaos, learning how to value work, right place right time, Ben Horowitz, whole genome sequencing, Turing Tests, academics as CEOs, leveling up executives, what great leaders look like, the communication needed to raise, and the problem with “data-driven” cultures.

In this episode, we cover:

What Ali remembers from before his family left Iran (01:00)
Moving to Sweden and Ali’s first jobs (04:00)
What if your wealth and privilege suddenly disappeared? (10:01)
Finding time for family and oneself while working insane hours (14:04)
Over-working, panic attacks, and PTSD (18:08)
Researching cloud computing at UC Berkeley, and the start of Databricks (26:06)
What Databricks does for companies with lots of data (31:22)
The anxiety of competing against an incumbent as a 10-person team (36:03)
The concerns of the Databricks board — and Ali himself — about him becoming the CEO (42:42)
Learning from more experienced CEOs and other executives (48:27)
Approving new hires and what Ali looks for when grilling job candidates (52:02)
Deposits, withdrawals and how much time he spends on hiring (56:08)
What it means to have a culture of “truth-seeking” (01:00:03)

Links:

Connect with Ali
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#108 COO Zscaler, Dali Rajic: If You’re Not Always Learning, You’ll Get Wiped Out Oct 17, 2022

Before Zscaler’s Dali Rajic arrived at his current company, he helped grow AppDynamics from $7 million in annual recurring revenue to nearly $1 billion — and for his next move, he knew he had to do something even bigger. That’s why he was excited to transition to Zscaler’s COO in February after more than two years as its CRO: “It was a job worth taking because it stretched me and it made me uncomfortable.”

In this episode, Dali and Joubin discuss the state of tech M&A, the meaning of wealth and comfort, the value of hard work, being perceived as intense, going into business instead of science, inspiring your kids, bucketing how your spend your time, integrity and self-awareness, how to recognize your teammates’ contributions, injecting tension, cutting through the noise, demanding excellence of yourself, celebrating the moment, and allowing yourself to unwind.

In this episode, we cover:

Adobe’s $20 billion acquisition of Figma, compared to Cisco’s 2017 acquisition of AppDynamics (01:18)
What AppDynamics could have become if it hadn’t sold (08:17)
Remembering your roots when you get a life-changing amount of money (12:26)
Growing up in Germany, and why Dali came to the US when he was 16 (18:56)
Living to work and finding fulfillment (23:16)
The old-school sales style vs. the new generation’s (26:10)
The unusual way Dali got hired at AppDynamics, and how he thinks about the arc of his career (30:15)
Asking for the things you want and prioritizing your responsibilities (35:59)
Hiring mistakes and what traits Dali looks for in candidates (45:36)
How to turn big wins into learning moments (50:28)
The benefits of making people “uncomfortable” in their jobs (55:23)
Maximizing yield for individuals vs. organizations (01:01:39)
Why Dali schedules his time off as strictly as his time on (01:08:35)

Links:

Connect with Dali
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#107 Founding CRO at Flexport, Ben Braverman: The Power of Genuine Curiosity Oct 10, 2022

“Everyone excellent at their craft starts from a place of deep insecurity,” says Flexport’s founding CRO Ben Braverman. People are “slow-burning fireworks,” he explains, and we need time to learn how to do anything well. If you lie to yourself, you won’t ever improve; but if you admit the truth and approach people who know more with genuine curiosity and enthusiasm, Ben says, you’ll be able to level up faster and do things you never could before.

In this episode, Ben and Joubin discuss giving speeches without prep, soliciting negative feedback, genuine curiosity, dropping out of college, valuing your experience, embracing Buddhism, outside dogs vs. inside dogs, hiring with enthusiasm, “Goldilocks companies,” the secondary sales paradox, the value of exercise, building an outbound sales machine, “natural” sellers vs. fast learners, and the warning signs that 2021 venture funding was “off.”

In this episode, we cover:

Being yourself and the pressure to be someone else in business (08:23)
What Flexport does and how it cracked a low-tech industry (15:36)
The advice Ben would give to his younger self: Enjoy the ride (21:09)
How he became the founding CRO of Flexport (26:43)
Turning on sales and hiring Justin Schafer (31:25)
Growing from thousands in revenue to $3.3 billion (36:59)
The trade-offs of always being on the road (40:41)
Personal growth in the face of exponential product growth (45:30)
Product-led growth and the magic of list construction (50:36)
The unique way Flexport sales managers earn equity (53:29)
How to spot the next Ben Braverman (57:26)
The connection between excellence and insecurity (01:03:00)
Going from operating to investing and the long window of venture (01:05:43)
How and why both Ben and Flexport’s founding CEO Ryan Petersen stepped aside and passed the baton (01:12:08)

Links:

Connect with Ben
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#106 Co-founder & CEO Sweetgreen, Jonathan Neman: The Restaurant Company of the Future Oct 03, 2022

When Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman and his co-founders opened their second-ever store, it was a “complete mess.” Located in Washington D.C.’s Dupont Circle and opening in the middle of the Great Recession, it was clearing less than $1000 per day at first. But Neman & co turned that crisis into opportunity the only way three 23-year-olds knew how: They bought a big speaker, started blasting music in the park, and turned their sleepy storefront into a party. That desperate play underscored one of Sweetgreen’s core values that they still work towards today: Healthy living can be fun.

In this episode, Jonathan and Joubin discuss Sweetgreen’s new office, its new tofu, avocado volatility, frozen yogurt, Persian families, the power of capitalism, the “House of Equilibrium,” the problem with franchising, healthy music festivals, scalable brands, people-driven companies, giving workers equity, “Behind the Greens,” overachievers, building a better McDonalds, and “conscious achievers.”

In this episode, we cover:

Where the name Sweetgreen came from (05:42)
Online ordering and the “second line” (08:34)
Jonathan’s family and post-COVID attitudes about work (11:30)
Returning to the office (17:20)
Jonathan’s brief detour to Bain & Company, and the difference between entrepreneurs and consultants (20:58)
The unusual way Sweetgreen raised its first several rounds, and scaling sustainably (27:00)
Turning crisis into opportunity, and the Sweetlife Festival (33:10)
Winning your category vs. becoming a lifestyle brand (37:40)
Why Sweetgreen calls the general managers of its stores “head coaches,” and gives them equity (44:20)
The health journeys of Sweetgreen’s staff, and the importance of the fundamentals (47:24)
Shifting Sweetgreen’s strategic focus to build the restaurant company of the future (53:09)
COVID-19 and “getting your ass kicked” (55:05)
Letting go as a founder (59:51)

Links:

Connect with Jonathan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#105 AOL Founder & CEO Revolution, Steve Case: The Rise of the Rest Sep 26, 2022

For more than 10 years, AOL co-founder and Revolution Chairman Steve Case has been investing in startups in all corners of the US — and urging others to do the same. His new book about this movement, The Rise of the Rest, explains why: The next wave of the tech industry, he argues, is not going to be anchored to physical offices in Silicon Valley alone. “The pandemic has created more attention on that,” he says. “That dispersion that started a decade ago accelerated over the last couple years ... people will be intrigued by the level of innovation happening in these cities.”

In this episode, Steve and Joubin discuss changing attitudes toward young CEOs, the future of entrepreneurship across the US, the benefits of not being headquartered in Silicon Valley, investing in startups around the world, integrating technology into other systems, revolutions as evolutions, delegating paranoia, shifting one’s mindset as CEO, the missing killer app for blockchain, the commercialization of the internet, the 50th anniversary of communism in China, “the worst merger of all time,” and how AOL almost bought eBay.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Steve got demoted as CEO of AOL before it went public (04:55)
His new book, The Rise of the Rest, and his previous book, The Third Wave (11:08)
Democratizing capital for startups across America — and flying on Air Force One (18:43)
America’s entrepreneurial success “didn’t happen by accident” (22:36)
AOL’s early market motions and the resurgence of the “business person” in tech (25:16)
The earliest days of online computer services pre-AOL (29:13)
Steve’s entrepreneurial origins and believing in the potential of the internet (35:20)
A short-lived Apple partnership in the 1980s, and the invention of “America Online” (39:49)
Being a shock absorber for the rest of the company (44:28)
The difficulty of scaling AOL and betting big on community over content (48:54)
AOL and Time Warner’s notorious merger, and Steve’s tactical decision to step down as CEO (56:08)
The aftermath of his resignation: “It was frustrating to go from leading to watching” (01:03:25)
Managing a family in tandem with a fast-scaling startup (01:07:54)

Links:

Connect with Steve
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#104 Co-founder of Intuit, Scott Cook: The Power of Paradigms Sep 19, 2022

Intuit co-founder Scott Cook still remembers the first line of an email he received in 1994 from billg@microsoft.com: “This really is Bill Gates.” Intuit’s personal finance product Quicken had survived being crushed by Microsoft Money, and its new accounting software Quickbooks was thriving as well; instead of competing, Gates wanted to buy Intuit for $1.5 billion and take it worldwide. A deal was struck, hands were shook, but there was just one problem: The U.S. Department of Justice.

In this episode, Scott and Joubin discuss finding happiness in your career, who Scott aspired to emulate when he was a young CEO, recruiting for excellence, the radical decision to make Quicken easy to use, the power of paradigms, pulling out of the death spiral, the “oncoming train” of Microsoft, United States v. Microsoft Corp., stepping back from a leadership role, what Scott learned from his successor Bill Campbell, and investing in Snapchat.

In this episode, we cover:

Allocating your time for both family and work (07:05)
Working with Meg Whitman, Steve Ballmer, and other future stars (11:11)
How Scott recruited his co-founder Tom Proulx, and other key figures at Intuit (15:32)
Why more than two dozen venture capital firms refused to invest in Intuit (24:03)
How Wells Fargo kept Intuit alive at its most desperate hour (33:00)
The impact of Intuit’s struggle on Scott’s personal life, and going direct to consumers (37:45)
Scott’s history with Kleiner Perkins chairman John Doerr (42:34)
Quicken vs. Microsoft Money in an era when Microsoft crushed every competitor (45:31)
Microsoft’s attempt to buy Intuit, and the antitrust lawsuit that sunk it all (54:32)
Stepping down as CEO of Intuit and recruiting the “trillion-dollar coach,” Bill Campbell (01:02:00)
How Scott met Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel and became one of his first investors (01:12:30)

Links:

Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#103 Founder & CEO Productboard, Hubert Palan w/ Ilya Fushman: Chasing Perfection Sep 12, 2022

Productboard founder and CEO Hubert Palan has made a point of studying the communication style of other leaders, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Elon Musk. But as the boss of a hot and growing tech startup, he’s realizing just how exceptional those people are. “You’re interviewing some of the top execs from companies are the Silicon Valley darling brands,” he says. “You leave the interview like, ‘This person has no idea what they’re doing. They just happen to be in the right spot at the right time.’” But that’s the necessary price, he explains, of doing something innovative instead of iterating on old ideas.

In this episode, Hubert and Joubin are joined by Kleiner Perkins partner and Productboard investor Ilya Fushman to discuss Christmas carp, entrepreneurial soft skills, extreme frugality, VCs-as-bosses, the unique reason Hubert went vegetarian, studying famous speeches, being self-critical, the truth about “killing it” in tech, mis-hiring, selling outside your target customer segment, and why Hubert schedules everything.

In this episode, we cover:

How Hubert and Ilya conducted due diligence on each other (08:49)
How Productboard drives revenue generation for modern companies (14:12)
The wild fluctuations of the “founder mood meter” (20:00)
The value of knowing how hard being a founder will be (28:25)
Tough quarters and being transparent with your board (34:35)
Holding oneself accountable vs. “showing what’s possible” (38:30)
The risk of losing the mission as companies scale (43:15)
Going upmarket is like running a new business (51:08)
Hubert’s economic survey of Productboard’s board (57:39)
Making time for your personal life (59:29)

Links:

Connect with Hubert
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Ilya
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#102 CEO Qualcomm, Cristiano Amon: We’re In a Hurry to Get to the Future Sep 05, 2022

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon believes his company is perfectly positioned for the world economy of the future, connecting everything from phones to exercise bikes to cars. And he predicts we’re about to see AI-assisted cars deployed at a “mass scale.” Fully autonomous vehicles, he concedes, will take longer — perhaps 5 or 10 years — but he says it’s in everyone’s interest to make an intermediate level of assisted driving available in every vehicle on the highway, not just premium cars like Teslas.

In this episode, Cristiano and Joubin discuss Cristiano’s brief diversion away from Qualcomm in venture capital, connecting smart devices, endurance and reinvention, growing up in Brazil, work-life balance, self-driving cars and vintage sports cars, making the “Star Wars hologram” real, digital twins, and introversion vs. extroversion.

In this episode, we cover:

The semiconductor supply chain, and manufacturing chips in the US & EU (10:00)
Why Qualcomm is in the “gladiator business” (14:30)
Making time for your family and your health (18:57)
Measuring Qualcomm in two-year and ten-year cycles (21:28)
The incremental steps from today’s assisted driving to fully autonomous cars (24:41)
Virtual reality, augmented reality, smart glasses, and the metaverse (30:31)
Cristiano’s time demands and the difference between impatience and being in a hurry (36:41)
Loving your job and making space for everything else (40:38)

Links:

Connect with Cristiano
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#101 CEO Google Cloud, Thomas Kurian: Competitor-Aware and Customer-Obsessed Aug 29, 2022

“When I grew up in Bangalore, I’d never seen a computer,” says Thomas Kurian. The former president of Oracle, now the CEO of Google Cloud, remembers learning how to write while sitting outside his childhood home, and doing homework by candlelight during power blackouts. He credits his “trailblazer” mother, who instilled curiosity and discipline in all her children, with helping them understand the value of education beyond doing well on the next test. Something must have stuck, because Thomas is not the only Kurian in a major leadership position in Silicon Valley; his twin brother, George, is the CEO of NetApp.

In this episode, Thomas and Joubin discuss how he accidentally got into computer programming, giving children the freedom to be curious, how to order a sandwich, leading 60 software acquisitions, knowing your own value-add, innovation through experimentation, investing in the future, and being competitor-aware and customer-obsessed.

In this episode, we cover:

Thomas’ childhood in India (03:45)
His twin brother George — the CEO of NetApp — and their trailblazing mother (07:40)
Nostalgia for simpler times without responsibilities (14:03)
Working up the ranks at Oracle, from product manager to president (21:40)
The Google Cloud opportunity (30:12)
How to succeed inside a huge organization (32:38)
The big difference between Oracle and Google Cloud in 2019 (39:35)
The “mother of God” opportunity of the cloud (42:35)
The advice Thomas gives to other CEOs (48:25)

Links:

Connect with Thomas
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#100 Chairman of Kleiner Perkins, John Doerr: Getting Into Trouble with Disruptors Aug 22, 2022

In the 100th episode of Grit, John and Joubin discuss the urgent need to act on the climate crisis, getting turned down by Kleiner Perkins, CEOs as sales leaders, the microprocessor revolution, balancing between work and family, the opportunity of AI and sustainability, what makes Jeff Bezos special, Bing Gordon and the invention of Amazon Prime, the Google CEO search, how the iPhone nearly killed Apple, Steve Jobs’ greatest gift, Bill Gates’ philanthropy, and how Doerr divides his time.

In this episode, we cover:

John’s two books — Measure What Matters and Speed & Scale — and applying OKRs to the climate crisis (02:45)
How John got to Silicon Valley and what he learned from his entrepreneurial father, Lou (09:00)
“I didn’t want to be in venture capital” (16:28)
Joining Kleiner Perkins at the dawn of personal computing (20:05)
The internet, cloud computing, smartphones, and the next big tech wave: AI (24:53)
How John met Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (29:48)
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and teaming up with Mike Moritz from Sequoia (38:29)
John’s friendship with Steve Jobs and the creation of the $100 million iFund for iPhone apps (45:20)
“Family first” and setting personal OKRs (50:14)
Working with Bill Gates outside of Kleiner Perkins (52:53)
Brian Roberts, Comcast, and hustling to make at-home broadband nationwide (59:30)

Links:

Connect with John
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CEO Touch the Top, Erik Weihenmayer: Climbing Everest Blind Aug 15, 2022

Touch The Top CEO Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to summit Mount Everest, climbs hundreds of mountains every year. And he’s learned over the years that sometimes, the smartest thing to do in the face of adversity is stop, turn around, and go home; but in other situations, like an unexpectedly icy day climbing Mount Kenya, one only has to change their approach. “The mountain doesn’t care, the mountain’s not gonna change,” he says. “We could still maybe get to the summit, even though the mountain gave us absolute, unforeseen challenges.”

In this episode, Erik and Joubin discuss climbing Mount Everest, kayaking the Grand Canyon, how Erik went blind, the “seven summits,” his relationship with his father, turning back vs. changing your approach, continually growing and scaring yourself, the Khumbu Icefall, what’s different about ice climbing, how to be OK with the small things, and what Erik learned from watching Canadian athlete Terry Fox.

In this episode, we cover:

Are blind people’s other senses heightened? (05:56)
The different types of blindness and how Erik perceives the world — and dreams (09:17)
The “double-knockout blow” of going blind and losing his mother (19:07)
“No-mistakes moments” and pushing yourself to your limit (24:49)
Erik’s relationship with death, and with the calm times between accomplishments (30:18)
Needing to stand on the summit (36:31)
Learning how to be miserable and training yourself to suffer (47:55)
The importance of having a team you can trust with your life (52:05)
The personal toll of climbing, and the terror of kayaking blind (55:20)
Erik’s story’s resonance with the business community (01:00:46)
Not letting yourself be imprisoned by fear, and realizing your full potential (01:04:06)

Links:

Connect with Erik
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Co-founder and CEO G2, Godard Abel: Finding Opportunity in Challenging Times Aug 08, 2022

After rescuing his first startup BigMachines from the brink of bankruptcy and building it to positive cash flow, Godard Abel thought the express lane of life was opening up to him. But after the board replaced him as CEO, Godard — now the CEO of B2B tech buying firm G2 — found himself on a rocky road for 10 years. He had all the money he could want, but also overwhelming fear, anxiety, and depression. To break out of this funk, Godard says he had to embrace presence and reckon with why entrepreneurship called him.

In this episode, Godard and Joubin discuss the mental benefits of running, Silicon Valley during the dotcom boom, ex-Apple CEO John Sculley and “scale at all costs,” turning around a failing startup, a young founder’s “FU mentality,” Jim Dethmer and conscious leadership, the importance of “wallowing in the muck,” the best part about entrepreneurship, WFIO moments, and the advantage of getting older.

In this episode, we cover:

The first company Godard co-founded, BigMachines (09:00)
The race to IPO as soon as possible, and the “dot bomb” bubble (18:41)
Rock bottom for BigMachines: “I felt like a massive failure every day” (23:20)
How Godard lost the CEO job: A “Trojan horse” swap (26:55)
Financial success and debilitating anxiety (32:30)
Conscious leadership, being present, and embracing one’s emotions (36:12)
Godard’s redemption: Joining, building, and selling SteelBrick (42:55)
How often are you happy? (51:05)
The humbling moments of starting G2, and staying an entrepreneur (53:35)

Links:

Connect with Godard
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: godard@g2.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Founding CRO @HubSpot / Prof @HBS / CoFounder @Stage 2 Capital Mark Roberge: The Science and Psychology of Scaling Aug 01, 2022

Mark Roberge’s first anxiety attack hit him six months after 9/11, and his second hit him in the middle of a big speech while he was an executive at HubSpot. And Roberge, who now lectures at Harvard Business School and co-founded the venture firm Stage 2 Capital, says it’s important to include that anxiety in his entrepreneurial story. “I talk about it because there is a stigma associated with it,” he says. “Society values some of the things I’ve accomplished, but when I admit to everyone that I have severe anxiety, it gives other people comfort.”

In this episode, Mark and Joubin discuss the connections between HBS and KPCB, taking the long way around to get to MIT, Mark’s first company PawSpot, the meteoric rise of HubSpot, why it decided to zag when all the competition was moving upstream, being pigeonholed inside of big companies, what to say to reps who are trying to leave, extreme anxiety attacks, escaping to the gym, whether Mark would encourage his sons to work in tech, why customer retention matters more than revenue growth, becoming a VC, and why the best plan can be not having a plan.

In this episode, we cover:

Mark’s first sales job — selling $2000 vacuum cleaners — and what he learned from his sales coach father (06:45)
How he met and started working with HubSpot co-founder Dharmesh Shah (10:24)
Should you hire more sales reps, or incentivize existing reps to work harder? (19:40)
Why established players can’t embrace product-led growth as quickly as smaller competitors (27:19)
The stress of chasing a number and why “it’s always a grind” (36:03)
Struggling with — and talking about — anxiety (41:01)
Making time exercise and family dinners during the HubSpot journey (46:29)
The reasons why someone might not want to join a startup (50:25)
Ex-Shopify exec Loren Padelford’s big question for Mark (55:28)
Do MBA programs “get” what’s happening in the tech sector? (59:54)
Why Mark decided to get into venture capital with Stage 2 Capital (01:02:40)

Links:

Connect with Mark
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Canva, Zach Kitschke: From Employee Number 5 To $40 Billion Valuation Jul 25, 2022

Canva CMO Zach Kitschke was the company’s fifth employee, joining right before the product launched to the public — or, that was the plan anyway. Emerging technologies like HTML5 and negative feedback from early testers delayed the debut of the design startup, but in the 10 years since its launch Canva has become one of the most successful companies to ever come out of Australia. “One of our values is to set crazy big goals and make them happen,” Zach says.

In this episode, Zach and Joubin discuss Zach’s first job in small-town bureaucracy, how he got introduced to Canva before the company was hiring anyone, helping teammates achieve their potential, “culture carriers,” the pressure of comparing your companies to others, Canva’s “underwhelming” launch night and finding product-market fit, the four pillars of success in Canva’s culture, localization as a growth strategy, predictable anxiety, the hypergrowth gap, and “the two-step plan.”

In this episode, we cover:

What Canva does, and where the idea came from (08:08)
Zach’s first impressions of Canva co-founders Mel Perkins and Cliff Obrecht (12:49)
Making bets on unproven people in an organization (16:41)
Setting “crazy big goals” and readying Canva v1 for launch (21:17)
The pre-launch inferiority complex (27:30)
An important cold email from the Huffington Post (33:59)
Wearing many hats in a startup and building company culture (36:17)
Learning on the job and managing a hypergrowth company (45:23)
How does Canva’s growth compare to what Zach expected? (51:09)
Canva’s unique approach to work-life balance, and Mel and Cliff’s philanthropic “two-step plan” (59:23)

Links:

Connect with Zach
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Founder & CEO Freshworks, Girish Mathrubootham: Success Is In the Big Things, Happiness Is In the Small Things Jul 18, 2022

Girish Mathrubootham is the founder and CEO of Freshworks, the first Indian SaaS company to be listed in NASDAQ — and when he’s in his home country, he gets the celebrity treatment. Freshworks’ 2021 IPO was a milestone for the country’s tech sector, and Mathrubootham has also attracted a “take a selfie with me!” level of fame for trying to change the conversation about entrepreneurship there. “You can be successful in business without doing bad things,” he says. “Being a good person and winning is not mutually exclusive.”

In this episode, Girish and Joubin discuss the silver lining of COVID lockdown; learning how to make mistakes and fight for what you want; why Girish started Freshworks after finding success at Zoho; the challenges of starting a small business in Chennai in the early 2010s; the “modern jail” of being a CEO; immediate job offers; “Indian cowboys”; why multi-product startups should hire in India; why moving to the US was like competing in the Olympics; and why the IPO is not the endgame.

In this episode, we cover:

Growing up in a “tier-two town” and social norms in India (06:03)
Why entrepreneurial people don’t always fit in at big companies (13:00)
Being a celebrity businessman in India, breaking up biases, and the pressure of being an idol (20:49)
500 crorepatis and generating wealth for employees (24:27)
Why Girish started Freshworks, originally known as Freshdesk (28:09)
Keeping up morale & being scrappy when Freshworks didn’t have much funding (36:35)
Nostalgia for the early days and the luxury of time (39:44)
“Ripoff or not” and doing battle with a respected analyst (45:29)
Growing from one product to many, and the support needed to do that (49:58)
Deciding to build a billion-dollar company, and moving from India to the US (58:43)
Why Girish has re-committed himself to Freshworks for at least seven more years (01:04:24)
Finding happiness in small things and not letting others control your feelings (01:07:57)

Links:

Connect with Girish
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Riot Games, Jason Bunge: Change Is Inevitable, Get Used To It Jul 11, 2022

Riot Games CMO Jason Bunge knows you might roll your eyes when he says this, but he doesn’t care, because it’s the truth: Marketing doesn’t get enough respect. Although many companies have convinced themselves that they don’t need a traditional marketing division, they’re very wrong. “If you care about your brand [and] you care about your customer,” he says, “you need great marketing. And you need actually great marketers to tell you what that is.”

In this episode, Jason and Joubin discuss learning to be confident, why Jason left EA for Riot Games mid-pandemic, what he got out of business school, the stability of working at a big company like Microsoft, the best video game console, League of Legends vs. soccer, producing live eSports events, the craft of marketing and the brands that really “get it,” the crypto messaging problem, the Marvel playbook, and self-determination theory.

In this episode, we cover:

Jason’s childhood as a “military brat” and a “chameleon” (02:07)
Taking risks and accepting change as an inevitability (06:35)
Two big lessons he learned at Saatchi & Saatchi (11:56)
Two risks that didn’t pan out: Working at Skype and Trulia (17:00)
Riot Games’ founding and its expansion into eSports and TV (23:30)
The global gaming audience and the power of live events (26:54)
Why passion is more important than growing the audience (32:31)
Being owned by Tencent and giving equity back to workers (37:28)
How Jason has defined — and defended — his role as Riot’s first CMO (40:10)
Web3 and NFTs in gaming, and the problem with the metaverse (46:48)
Phones, PCs, and the form factor of gaming (53:35)
The Netflix series Arcane and expanding the stories of League of Legends characters (56:38)

Links:

Connect with Jason
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Co-Founder & CEO Charm Industrial, Peter Reinhardt: “All That Matters Is What the Customers Are Telling You” Jul 04, 2022

Before Peter Reinhardt started his current company, Charm Industrial, he was the CEO and co-founder of the customer data platform Segment, which almost died in its first year. Why? He was afraid to ask customers to pay more than $10 per month for it. A savvy sales advisor pressured him to raise the price by 1000x, which worked wonders. By early 2022, Segment — now owned by Twilio — was commanding seven-figure contracts.

In this episode, Peter and Joubin discuss the hierarchy of majors at MIT, building telescope arrays, the disastrous first demo of Segment, why founders sometimes forget to eat, the problem with the straight-A student mentality, playing ping-pong with the security guard, evaluating a potential acquisition partner, shedding anti-sales bias, the shortcomings of nature-based carbon offsets, and starting a “reverse oil company.”

In this episode, we cover:

The thing that makes Peter happiest: Solving all kinds of problems, from accounting to noise to carbon dioxide (08:50)
How leading a startup has narrowed his emotional band (13:58)
“Freewheeling curiosity” and the breakthrough idea that led to Charm Industrial’s existence (15:47)
Segment’s origins as a classroom lecture tool and an analytics tool (19:18)
The disagreement that almost broke up Segment’s founding team, and unlocked the company’s potential (26:36)
“You have to raise your price by a factor of a thousand” (31:31)
The packaging issue that nearly derailed Segment’s growth, and Peter’s initial problematic mindset (35:15)
Why Peter sold Segment to Twilio: “All that matters is what the customers are telling you” (43:32)
Why great sales looks like great problem solving (47:41)
Being vulnerable and honest about hard things (53:19)
The power of Charm Industrial’s mission & finding a better carbon capture solution (57:15)
The “massive profit engine” that needs to turn over to avert climate disaster (01:03:35)

Links:

Connect with Peter
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Co-Founder & CEO Clari, Andy Byrne: Machine Learning and Human Feeling Jun 27, 2022

Clari CEO Andy Byrne says he never wants to look back and see that he put more into his work than his family. But that doesn’t mean he can’t learn a thing or two from running a 600-person multi-billion dollar business: Inspired by business books, he and his wife Julie set goals, methods and OKRs for their family, and even asked their kids to grade them on how well they were hitting their targets. “I feel like our job is to help our families realize their fullest potential first, and then work is second,” Andy says.

In this episode, Andy and Joubin discuss buying homes in San Francisco; leading a company when you have tragedy in your personal life; Man’s Search For Meaning; internal vs. external expression; machine learning in enterprise; the “golden triangle” of reps, managers and execs; Andy’s legendarily effective board meetings; how constraints create opportunity; and the metrics of marriage.

In this episode, we cover:

How luck makes you look smart (04:47)
The “dark year” in Andy’s life and coping with negative stimulus (09:51)
Reframing seemingly huge problems as moments in time (16:27)
How Clari helps CEOs and CROs answer “the most important question in business” (22:45)
Getting from product fit to go-to-market fit (27:14)
Leading a 600-person company, and Andy’s fiduciary duty to their families (33:49)
Actually, the CEO is not “the loneliest job in the world” (41:14)
Managing through — and leaning into — a market downturn (45:00)
Why Andy and his wife run their marriage like co-CEOs (49:24)
Living your life with intention (56:00)

Links:

Connect with Andy
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Co-Founder & COO Okta, Frederic Kerrest: Zero to IPO Jun 20, 2022

In the early days of Okta, co-founder Frederic Kerrest was courting a 3,000-person company in Louisiana, which was considering Okta and one other vendor. When he learned who he was up against, he said, “We love competing with them ‘cause we beat them every time.” That arrogant boast lost him the deal, and taught him a humbling lesson: Your confidence is not superior to your customer’s needs.

In this episode, Frederic and Joubin discuss literally walking down memory lane in San Francisco, who his new book “Zero to IPO” is for, the value of time, the happiest nations on Earth, why Frederic prioritizes writing personal thank-you notes, why it’s better to be lucky than good, pivoting to an upmarket strategy, the letdown of being at the top, the problem with “product-led growth” in enterprise, “sharpening the contradictions,” and staying present.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Frederic wrote “Zero to IPO,” and why he leads it with a story about failure (08:23)
Entrepreneurship is a pie-eating contest (13:07)
Frederic’s direct communication style and the dichotomy between time and money (15:19)
His passion for hockey, and why he used to park his car around the corner (24:35)
Getting thrown out of two Okta board meetings in a row (29:03)
Surviving awful quarters and service outages (36:10)
How Frederic’s arrogance lost him a huge early deal (42:20)
Would he build a company from scratch all over again? (45:39)
Why Frederic doesn’t take phone calls on the weekends and the “oxygen mask rule” (54:06)
“Nothing happens until somebody sells something” (57:20)
Is Frederic personally affected by Okta’s stock price? (01:02:09)
The key players who receive a “ball bearing award” at Okta (01:07:22)
How taking on additional projects and working with a professional coach has extended Frederic’s time at Okta (01:11:48)

Links:

Connect with Frederic
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Founder & CEO Flock Safety, Garrett Langley: Tech That Makes Everyone Safer Jun 13, 2022

In April, a young girl was kidnapped and sexually assaulted in Yakima, Wash., and later told police she was picked up by a stranger in a car. The case might have gone cold there, if Yakima hadn’t just installed Flock Safety cameras: The cameras were able to pinpoint a car matching the girl’s description, and picked up the alleged abductor outside an elementary school campus, says Flock CEO Garrett Langley, who says stories like this have validated his company’s mission of stopping crime in our communities.

In this episode, Garrett and Joubin discuss a “huge life hack” that Garrett recommends to every CEO with young kids, quarter-life crises and how to rediscover your purpose, the biggest problem in public safety, how Flock Safety is solving thousands of crimes every year, the politics of surveillance camera placement, how Flock cameras became a feature of political campaigns, and how the company almost went out of business before its Series B.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Garrett’s executive assistant is his mother (02:06)
“I had no idea that people started companies” (13:07)
Garrett’s quarter-life crisis after two great startup exits (16:59)
How Flock Safety helps law enforcement make communities safer (23:49)
Solving a child abduction in Washington state (27:27)
Why Garrett and his co-founders started Flock (31:22)
The impact of Flock cameras on communities that don’t trust the police (36:35)
Political controversies and community engagement (39:18)
Making cities safer and talent drain from local police departments (47:11)
The challenges of fundraising for a police-tech startup in Atlanta (53:42)
“Protect the whole community” (01:00:12)
The public markets downturn (01:03:33)

Links:

Connect with Garrett
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

COO Ironclad, Leyla Seka: More Equal Is Always Better Jun 06, 2022

Leyla Seka has a clear idea of “what makes me great” as the COO of Ironclad: She’s incredibly direct with her team. Although many people are not comfortable with getting direct feedback, she says, “I can’t do my job if I can’t tell you what I’m seeing.” And in the end, she sees her job as one of seeking out the truth, to make her business better.

In this episode, Leyla and Joubin discuss developing peccadilloes as you get older, why a former boss told her “if you’re in a bad mood, don’t come to work,” what a COO actually does for her team, working through the first dotcom bust, why Leyla doesn’t think she’s better than anyone else, the long battle for equal pay, the “victim mindset” in the tech industry, empowering others who don’t have confidence in themselves, and why you can’t outwork every problem.

In this episode, we cover:

Maintaining a positive attitude, and dealing with low-energy days (07:57)
“The culture of the company is why you stay” (12:02)
Overthinking things, good communication and letting go of anxieties (17:50)
Leyla’s previous jobs and her parents’ unusual careers (24:55)
Keeping ego out of it and focusing on the “next best action” (31:10)
Fighting for equal pay for women at Salesforce (39:19)
The double-edged sword of innovation at Salesforce (49:19)
How Leyla makes stars out of the underestimated people on her teams (55:40)
Leaving Salesforce and starting Operator Collective (59:55)
How she started working at Ironclad, and what the company does for customers (01:04:19)
The biggest challenge Leyla has faced in her first six months at Ironclad (01:08:36)

Links:

Connect with Leyla
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Chief Freemium Business Officer at Spotify, Alex Norstrom: The Power of Setting Impossible Goals May 30, 2022

When Alex Norstrom started working at Spotify in 2011, CEO Daniel Ek told him there were three goals: Growth, growth, and growth. But Alex — now the Chief Freemium Business Officer — argued that his team would be better motivated by an “impossible goal,” something like reaching 100 million users. To which Daniel replied: “Let’s do it. Your goal is to get us to 100 million users. Please begin.”

In this episode, Alex and Joubin convene at Spotify’s brand-new Stockholm studio to discuss his first job, the “shadow” mentorship program Alex runs, how Facebook changed everything for the gaming company King, thinking about the “bigger picture,” the tremendous effort happening behind the scenes before Spotify launched in each new country, “optimizing for surprises,” Joubin’s embarrassing Spotify playlists, why we’re still in the early innings of podcasting, Alex’s lowest point at Spotify, partnering with FC Barcelona, and culture as currency.

In this episode, we cover:

The surprising lack of media coverage of Alex despite his prominence at Spotify (05:56)
Working at his mother’s Chinese restaurant and his relationship with food (12:21)
The early “fiascos” in Alex’s career, and how he came to work at Candy Crush Saga creator King (18:01)
How Spotify CEO Daniel Ek convinced Alex to work for him (25:38)
Why Alex has tried to set “impossible goals” since his first day at Spotify (28:40)
Why the freemium business model works (34:21)
Spotify’s hardest and biggest market: The USA (38:39)
Pivoting to a mobile-first strategy and the pricing trick that turned conversion numbers around (42:59)
The invention of Discover Weekly, and Spotify’s deep bench of other features (51:21)
How Spotify got interested in podcasts, and the decision to put them in the same app with music (57:50)
The odd but crucial lesson Alex learned early in his career: Stay near the laughter (01:06:46)
Being ubiquitous on many platforms, and the art of pitching big & partnering smart (01:09:05)
The end of free growth on the internet, and the power of Spotify Wrapped (01:15:07)

Links:

Connect with Alex
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

#87 Founder & CEO Thrive, Arianna Huffington: Life Is About More Than Money and Power May 23, 2022

Thrive CEO Arianna Huffington is best known for the pioneering online publication she founded, the Huffington Post, which she left in 2016. The experience of running the site awakened her to the most important problem she would tackle in her career: The intersecting crises of stress, burnout, poor sleep, and lack of focus, which Thrive teaches businesses how to manage.

In this episode, Arianna and Joubin discuss how she went from a poor family in Greece to president of the elite Cambridge Union debate society; what she learned from both her parents, and the big lessons she has tried to impart to her own daughters; the hardships she faced professionally and personally before starting the Huffington Post; how she fell in love with online media, and how running the Huffington Post awakened her to the burnout epidemic; how Thrive is changing the conversation around stress; and the need for resilience-plus and the “obnoxious roommate in your head.”

In this episode, we cover:

Being present in every interaction is “one of the greatest gifts we can give each other” (02:23)
Arianna’s parents, and abundance as a function of your attitude to life (08:08)
How she became the first foreign-born president of the Cambridge Union, which led to her first book (18:00)
An “incredible gift”: Discovering at a young age that money and fame aren’t always fulfilling (25:12)
Running in the California recall election against Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a digital media epiphany (31:10)
Burning out en route to Huffington Post’s $300 million acquisition by AOL (36:53)
Why Arianna launched a second startup in her 60s, and the mainstreaming of stress relief (41:35)
The meaning of her 2022 word of the year, “resilience-plus” (48:22)
How she has constantly re-invented herself, and metabolizing new experiences (55:04)

Links:

Connect with Arianna
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email Thrive’s head of recruiting, Keith Pescosolido: keith@thriveglobal.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Airtable, Archana Agrawal: Success Is Not a Formula May 16, 2022

Archana Agrawal started her job as CMO of Airtable on March 18, 2020 — the same week that the US began to “shelter in place” as cases of the novel coronavirus rapidly rose. With kids who would be staying home from school and Airtable’s San Francisco office closed, everything was changing at once, so she switched into what she calls “problem-solving mode.” And, crucially, she discovered how to use family time to de-stress.

In this episode, Archana and Joubin discuss how she made her way from Africa to Asia to America; operating without a full night’s sleep; why her former coworkers made a game of trying to stump her; the secret power under the hood of Airtable; starting her current job right as “shelter in place” kicked in; whether she would stay at Airtable if the founder was no longer CEO; and how she views her responsibility on the boards of MongoDB and Zendesk.

In this episode, we cover:

Staying in place & doubling down vs. moving on to bigger things (03:03)
Moving from Liberia to India to escape civil war (07:13)
Archana’s unusual grad school roommate: Her father (11:33)
The value of breadth over depth, and following your passions (17:35)
Cold-emailing her way into a job at Atlassian and the ridiculous job title Archana almost received (21:38)
Understanding a team’s strengths and weaknesses — and her own (27:05)
Her lowest point at Atlassian, the sale of HipChat and exit from the messaging business (34:33)
Why it matters that Airtable looks like a spreadsheet, but is powered by a relational database (37:52)
Going into “problem-solving mode,” and the most important outlet for escaping from stress (42:42)
Working for founder-led companies (49:53)
Being heard as a quiet person on advisory boards full of louder people (55:27)

Links:

Connect with Archana
- LinkedIn
- Email: archana@airtable.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Square, Lauren Weinberg: Self-made boss May 09, 2022

As the CMO for Square, Lauren Weinberg spends a lot of her time talking to new and inexperienced small business owners — and she knows that each of them has wisdom that the others could benefit from. So, Lauren and her former colleague Jackie Reses wrote a book pooling all that wisdom into one place, Self-Made Boss: Advice, Hacks, and Lessons From Small Business Owners

In this episode, Lauren and Joubin discuss why Lauren never leaves home without sneakers post-9/11; how she maintains discipline in her schedule, and how her priorities have changed over the years; how Lauren overcame three back-to-back challenges in her personal life; why she took a job at Square — after initially turning them down; and the importance of competition for any business.

In this episode, we cover:

Weekend date nights and the best restaurants in New York City (10:04)
How Lauren creates her own time and recharges (15:15)
Moving to California to work at Yahoo, and finding a new community (19:32)
“The worst year of my life” and going into “survival mode” (22:52)
The difference between Square and its newly re-christened parent company, Block (30:22)
Why our culture is galvanized by small business stories (36:05)
What inspired Lauren and Jackie to write “Self-Made Boss,” and the surprising parts of publishing a book (39:52)
Why Lauren includes sad or funny personal stories in every marketing email (42:26)
Square’s secret superpower in the company’s early days (49:27)
The planning “manifesto” Lauren sent to Square’s executive team shortly after joining (53:31)
How Square “earns the right” to show up for social causes (56:50)

Links:

Connect with Lauren
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Co-Founder & CEO Handshake, Garrett Lord: The Billion-Dollar Question That Changed College Recruiting May 02, 2022

Handshake CEO and co-founder Garrett Lord was amazed when he first learned that Silicon Valley firms like Google recruited on college campuses ... just not his, Michigan Technical University. But after excelling in the competitive Palantir internship program, he started asking himself, “How come they can’t reach us?” That question led him to found the job placement platform Handshake, which has raised $434 million in funding and is used by 100 percent of the Fortune 500.

In this episode, Garrett and Joubin discuss growing up in an “achievement-focused household”; how Garrett went from struggling to be noticed by Palantir’s recruiters to Handshake CEO; how his $1 billion-plus-valued company started with a broken-down Jeep; working without a safety net; why Garrett has changed his mind about hustle culture; “fortune favors the bold” and “no shave til you raise”; the relief of raising VC funding; how money condenses or extends time; and transitioning from scrappy to scaled CEO.

In this episode, we cover:

The impostor syndrome — and crucial epiphany — that Garrett had while interning at Palantir (05:46)
Starting the IT Oxygen club, and Trojan Horsing other college recruiters in Michigan (11:34)
Does having a chip on your shoulder make you more powerful? (17:08)
Living in the car, sleeping in McDonald’s parking lots, and showering at university pools (22:25)
Hard work and the importance of luck to Handshake’s success (27:08)
The difficult VC fundraising process, and finding a crucial ally: Former assistant dean of the Stanford GSB Andy Chan (30:55)
Handshake’s first office: A Palo Alto mansion owned by one of LinkedIn’s co-founders (37:55)
Growing fast and hiring a COO, Jonathan Stull (41:45)
Is Handshake the next LinkedIn? “Why not LinkedIn plus Indeed?” (47:16)

Links:

Connect with Garrett
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: garrett@joinhandshake.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Thoughtspot, Scott Holden: Tactics, Strategy, and Downhill Skiing Apr 25, 2022

ThoughtSpot CMO Scott Holden spent eight years at Salesforce, putting in the time every year behind the scenes at Dreamforce watching the company reach 20,000 employees. And he probably could have thrown his hat into the ring to be CMO there — but he didn’t want that. Instead, he says, “I had the hunger to go back and build something” with a strong mission and vision, so he left for a much, much smaller company: The business intelligence company ThoughtSpot, where he has worked since 2015.

In this episode, Scott and Joubin discuss the rise of “vulnerability is strength”; the dangers of living someone else’s truth and not listening to your instincts; the pressure of being at the top of a mountain; why he decided to move from Salesforce to ThoughtSpot; why enterprise marketing is about more than the story; and why competing companies haven’t been able to poach him away.

In this episode, we cover:

Scott’s lifelong reputation of being graceful under pressure (04:45)
Opportunity cost and trusting your gut (10:29)
Which is harder to excel at: Downhill skiing or golf? (15:25)
The “forcing function” of the Dreamforce deadline and Marc Benioff’s relentless ambition (22:41)
Moving from a 20,000 person company to a 40-person one (28:44)
Why Scott did not get the CMO title at ThoughtSpot right away, and the $0 quarter (35:10)
Leading through a pandemic while also restructuring the company (40:36)
Superheroes, proving your worth, and amazing women (48:00)

Links:

Connect with Scott
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: scott@thoughtspot.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Co-founder & CEO ZoomInfo, Henry Schuck: This Job Is Not Supposed to Be Fun Apr 18, 2022

Every year, ZoomInfo CEO Henry Schuck writes a memo to his executive team, which is made to look like a letter to the board of directors. Even though he founded DiscoverOrg — the company that bought and became ZoomInfo in 2019 — Henry pretends in the memo to be a new CEO who has just been hired to clean up the old guy’s mess. The reason, he explains, is simple: It gets everyone focused on the problems that have to be fixed.

In this episode, Henry and Joubin discuss the difference between wearing a hoodie and a suit; the nuances of Henry’s background that aren’t obvious from LinkedIn; how he has encouraged his employees and shown them (and their families) his appreciation; The CEO’s biggest fear: “Is this it?”; injecting tension in an organization; the gap between monetary and professional validation; ZoomInfo’s COVID IPO; and why the work of a founder-CEO is not supposed to be fun.

In this episode, we cover:

Being emotionally vulnerable as a leader, and the limits of Henry’s openness (02:46)
What his single immigrant mother taught him about hard work (08:54)
The competitor to which Henry tried to sell DiscoverOrg — before beating and buying them instead (16:10)
The relief of taking ZoomInfo public after years of making promises to employees (19:42)
Getting passed over by venture capitalists, and why Henry sold half of the business to a private equity firm (27:40)
Learning how to work with a board of directors, and Henry’s overwhelming desire to not lose (32:11)
The “existential threat” to the business that gave Henry a panic attack (41:27)
Going public during the darkest days of COVID (48:34)
Why Henry writes a memo to his executive team every year, pretending to be a new CEO (55:29)
Being happy, present, and maintaining discipline between work and personal life (58:31)

Links:

Connect with Henry
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: henry.schuck@zoominfo.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CRO Articulate, Jaimie Buss: A Problem Solver That Happens to be Good at Sales Apr 11, 2022

Jaimie Buss, CRO of the e-learning platform Articulate, had an epiphany several years ago. While trying to simultaneously give her toddler a bath and catch up on work emails, some water splashed on her computer. After initially snapping at her son, she realized the importance of being “unapologetically present” with not only her family at home but her colleagues at work. Since this experience, she has drawn clear boundaries between the two.

In this episode, Jaimie and Joubin talk about the leadership lesson she learned from her father; her discipline in all things, including Peloton workouts; her secret weapons of hard work and preparation; what Jaimie learned from some short stints at startups after already having career success; what she learned from three years in venture capital, and everything that changed in her time away; what it means to be “unapologetically present,” at home and at work; and Jaimie’s return to startups, first at Zendesk and now at Articulate.

In this episode, we cover:

The difference between a poorly-run coffee shop an a well-run one (03:35)
Why you should acknowledge your team’s day-to-day accomplishments (07:26)
Focusing on single tasks and how Jaimie manages her routine (09:52)
The downshift from rapid growth at VMWare to rocky stints at Coverity and Meraki (20:43)
Why she put her operating career on pause to go work for Andreessen Horowitz (28:10)
There’s no easy, just “different kinds of hard” (38:10)
Why Jaimie went back to startups with Zendesk, where she stayed for more than five years (44:00)
Why she joined Articulate, making incremental improvements rather than extreme changes (51:04)
The most important questions Jaimie and Articulate’s execs asked each other in the interview process (57:30)

Links:

Connect with Jaimie
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Tinder, George Felix: Trusting Your Gut, ‘Smelling Like a Man,’ and Swiping Right Apr 04, 2022

George Felix, now the CMO of Tinder, was marketing Old Spice body wash at a time when the brand was circling the drain. His team at Procter & Gamble almost let their big break slip away when initially passing on the “Hello ladies” campaign - an ad that would later go viral on Facebook and YouTube. George recalls how the agency pitching the idea stood their ground and pressed on with conviction, an experience that taught him a lot about trusting your gut and standing up for what you believe in.

In this episode, George and Joubin talk about his close relationship with his father, who passed away in 2006; the unusual way he, as an intern at Procter & Gamble, started a lifelong friendship with his then-boss Kevin Hochman; behind-the-scenes stories making ads for Old Spice and KFC; and the unusual truth about Tinder’s brand that attracted George to the company last year.

In this episode, we cover:

George’s education-focused Indian-American parents, and how they wound up in Toledo, Ohio (05:52)
If they could talk one more time, what would he ask his late father? (12:17)
What startups can learn about brand-building from older firms like Procter & Gamble (16:28)
How not having a real desk at P&G helped George network with his colleagues (20:30)
Executing the Old Spice “smell like a man” campaign — and the award-winning TV ad that completely revitalized the brand (25:10)
The crippling fear of ambiguity, and the importance of being “a little uncomfortable” (33:35)
Reviving KFC’s brand with another viral ad, starring Darrell Hammond as Colonel Sanders (37:58)
Why George went to Tinder, and the potential he saw to reshape its brand (44:02)
Spontaneity in dating, and overcoming the stigma against meeting people online (47:29)
The “Tinder Swindler” and why Tinder isn’t just one thing (52:55)

Links:

Connect with George
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

VP of Sales at Hopin, Javier Ortega Estrada: Ingredients for High Growth and a Good Paella Mar 28, 2022

Global Sales VP at Hopin Javier Ortega Estrada’s father is a counter-terrorism official in the Spanish army — teaching him at a young age that having a bigger purpose can drive you to do great things. And over the course of his entrepreneurial career, Javi has found his own special purposes, helping companies like Dropbox and, now, the buzzy experience platform Hopin grow at a blistering pace and deliver value to their customers.

In this episode, Javi and Joubin talk about uprooting his life (after his first startup failed) to work for Dropbox in Ireland; his seven-year stint there, which started with a Facebook ad and ended with a four-hour stakeout in a client’s office; why he decided it was time to move on to a smaller company with a lot left to prove; how he strikes a balance between his natural optimism and the need to grow Hopin as a business; and why the number one priority for him in any business is smart hiring.

In this episode, we cover:

Spanish surnames and Javi’s passion for cooking paella (03:55)
What it means to be an “optimist by nature” and rebounding from failure (08:19)
Why Javi prefers to work with companies that haven’t “figured it out yet” (11:40)
The huge deal he closed for Dropbox right after Christmas, by going on a surprise stakeout (19:25)
Working for a bigger purpose, and the challenges of working at Dropbox (22:54)
How Javi knew it was time to move on (27:08)
Working at “Hopin speed” and finding balance when everything feels urgent (34:03)
Self-reflection and what it feels like to be in a skyrocketing startup (42:25)
The importance of focusing on talent during a time of hyper-growth (45:30)

Links:

Connect with Javi
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

President at Confluent, Erica Schultz: Cashing in on Your Currency Mar 21, 2022

When Confluent’s President of Field Ops Erica Schultz was 23, she was working at Oracle and cold-emailed the manager of the Argentina office, asking to work for him. This experience would open the door to opportunities in Buenos Aires and Miami, a time in Erica’s life she does not take for granted. As a leader today, she hopes to pass on this sentiment, constantly looking for individuals worth taking a chance on: “As I look around my organization, I think, OK, who’s the undiscovered not-yet-fully-realized talent that we should think about for this role?”

In this episode, Erica and Joubin talk about why Buenos Aires, Argentina is the best city in the world; the lessons she learned from her father and what changed for her after he died of a rare form of cancer at age 54; her stints at Oracle, LivePerson, and New Relic; the importance of earning responsibility as you advance in your career; staying both humble and paranoid; and the importance of what Confluent is doing in the ever-changing digital infrastructure business.

In this episode, we cover:

The incredible influence of Erica’s namesake, her father, who passed away as her career was taking off (09:28)
“The impact we leave is the impact we have on people” (15:21)
How Erica became the captain of the Dartmouth rowing team after being cut from the swim team (18:03)
Developing leaders from within a high-growth organization, and earning responsibility (31:36)
Why Erica left a CRO role at LivePerson to work for the CRO of New Relic (37:03)
Why she had her team at New Relic read “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown, and loves the story of runner Roger Bannister (41:34)
Being humbled by a changing competitive landscape, and the transformation of the digital infrastructure world (44:17)
Real-time data and why both businesses and consumers increasingly need companies like Confluent (49:19)
What Erica thought when she first met Confluent’s founder CEO Jay Kreps (56:03)
How to transition from operator to executive to board member (59:14)

Links:

Connect with Erica
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CRO Zoom, Ryan Azus: It’s Not Zoom Fatigue, It’s Work Fatigue Mar 14, 2022

Ryan Azus, CRO of Zoom, has been selling all his life, from baseball cards as a kid to ads in the school newspaper to — crucially — books every summer in college. Every year, he and and thousands of other young people would be dispersed around the country to sell books door-to-door as part of an entrepreneurial program called Southwestern Advantage. That experience taught him valuable lessons about his own strengths and weaknesses as a salesperson, the diversity of people’s needs, and the joys of hard-earned time off.

In this episode, Ryan and Joubin talk about the silver lining of growing up with divorced parents; what Ryan learned from his epic first job as a book salesman; how he talked his way into a job at WebEx after being screened by HR; the big thing a lot of people on the outside get wrong about working at a successful fast-growing company; joining Zoom in August 2019, right before COVID changed everything; what it feels like when your job is to keep the world connected; and why success is not created in a “sunny meadow.”

In this episode, we cover:

The biggest difference between Ryan’s childhood and that of his own kids (04:18)
Why selling books every summer in college was a lucrative, life-changing adventure (10:45)
Where his competitiveness comes from, and being a “student of business” (22:01)
The early days of teleconferencing at WebEx, and how Ryan started working there (27:17)
Building RingCentral from zero to a billion-dollar run rate, and being a “headquarters person” (33:54)
“Falling forward” and the myth of instant success in business (39:00)
Zoom fatigue and virtual backgrounds (44:37)
Keeping up with the explosive growth in demand for Zoom, and the intense pressure of the job (48:23)
The most important traits Ryan looks for when hiring (55:05)
Zoom’s stock price and the “belief barrier” (01:00:05)

Links:

Connect with Ryan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CCO Instabase, Ozge Ozcan: Rising and Falling - Like a Phoenix Mar 07, 2022

Instabase’s Ozge Ozcan believes that many women have been fed a false story about motherhood: That it can be seen as a “decelerator” to one’s career. Instead, she’s found that raising two daughters has made her more competent in the chaotic, fast-paced world of early-stage startups. Through this experience, she’s had to learn how to be an “amazing leader” at home and in the office.

In this episode, Ozge and Joubin talk about her experience as an immigrant to the US from Turkey; the surprises she encountered taking her first real job at a then-much smaller MongoDB; how she’s learned to prioritize family over work, or vice versa; the challenges of running a customer success team; and how she has been able to hire more than 60 people in only a year at Instabase.

In this episode, we cover:

The dualities of Ozge’s home country, Turkey, and how she learned English (05:12)
Wrestling with guilt in all aspects of her life, and raising two daughters with her husband (09:35)
Understanding your triggers before burnout takes hold, and the dark side of grit (14:48)
Working at MongoDB, “there was so much emphasis” on feeling (22:18)
Spotting and fixing broken processes in enterprise tech, and when to apply old-school problem-solving (26:15)
A common misconception about how pregnancy and motherhood affect women’s ability to thrive at work (35:03)
What Instabase does and why Ozge decided to join another early-stage company (37:18)
The importance of metrics for customer success (41:00)
Recruiting for CS teams and the non-negotiable skill Ozge looks for: A high tolerance for ambiguity (44:18)
What she says when startup founders ask, “How do I set up a CS team?” (50:01)

Links:

Connect with Ozge
- LinkedIn
- Email: ozge.ozcan@instabase.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CMO Samsara, Sarah Patterson: What You Do vs. Why It Matters Feb 28, 2022

Sarah Patterson, CMO of Samsara, doesn’t believe in keeping your armor up around your coworkers: “You’ve got something else on your mind, it’s going to come through,” she says. While working at Salesforce, she worked with a career coach and discovered that opening up about her personal and professional struggles brought her team closer. And that has also held true in her current role at Samsara, a fast-growing fleet management company that went public in December.

In this episode, Sarah and Joubin discuss the silver lining of the pandemic for her family’s cohesion; why catching up on work is a form of recharging; the benefits of journaling, even if it’s in an email thread; what Samsara does for a vital but un-digitized sector of the economy; the scary experience of living in the era of “smoke days”; hiring for sustainable rapid growth; Samsara’s IPO and earning the trust of the whole team; and how Sarah prepared to interview star skiier Lindsey Vonn.

In this episode, we cover:

Making deliberate choices about how you spend your time (06:36)
Accepting imperfection and being vulnerable with your colleagues (11:18)
The practice that goes into looking polished onstage (17:17)
The year Sarah left Salesforce for BranchOut, and why she went back (23:15)
The rapid growth of Samsara, and what it does (27:35)
How a mandate for truckers in North America laid the groundwork for Samsara’s business (33:39)
How Sarah thinks about the challenge of hiring, and why “what you do” is not the most important thing (39:32)
“Trial by fire” - earning the trust of workers who were at Samsara before her (42:43)
Is it easier to be an interviewer or an interviewee? (52:55)

Links:

Connect with Sarah
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CRO Calendly, Kate Ahlering: Embracing Leadership - On and Off the Basketball Court Feb 21, 2022

Kate Ahlering might be the perfect guest for this podcast. She eventually worked her way up to Chief Sales Officer of Glassdoor, but when she joined in 2013, she helped define the company’s leadership framework as GRIT: Growth, Results, Integrity, and Team. Glassdoor has continued using those values since her departure in 2020, and now as the CRO of Calendly, she is applying a similar framework to another fast-growing enterprise.

In this episode, Kate and Joubin discuss her first leadership experience, captaining her college basketball team before ever playing a game; the wild ride of working at Glassdoor when it was doubling every year; the perspective and confidence that comes from working experience; brokering consensus when deciding a company’s values; the increasingly complex use cases for Calendly; and a ridiculous Twitter feud over “Calendly etiquette.”

In this episode, we cover:

Kate and Joubin’s past interactions, including a disagreement over San Diego cuisine (03:02)
How being raised by two salespeople and playing basketball at the University of Virginia shaped Kate’s worldview (06:01)
Working at Glassdoor “never felt easy,” but she later realized it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience (14:47)
Her big legacy at Glassdoor, defining its values as GRIT: Growth, Results, Integrity, and Team (20:38)
Building trust with a team in a rapidly-changing environment, and working alongside Indeed — a former competitor now owned by Glassdoor’s parent company (26:16)
Calendly’s interview process and the dangers of offering a thorough plan before you’re inside the company (32:08)
The surprising depths of Calendly’s complexity in enterprise, and why founder Tope Awotona (accidentally) made the business model freemium (36:15)
Kate could have gone almost anywhere after Glassdoor — why she chose Calendly, and what motivated her to achieve? (42:36)
When she’s going to bed every night, what does Kate wish she was spending more time on? (48:14)

Links:

Connect with Kate
- LinkedIn
- The profile of Kate as a UVA basketball captain
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

CEO Loom, Joe Thomas: Communication, the Mother of All Skills Feb 14, 2022

When Rippling CEO Parker Conrad was raising a massive $250 million round last year, he didn’t start by presenting his deck to venture capitalists in person. Instead, he sent a 39-minute demo of his product, recorded on the video app Loom. And, Loom’s CEO Joe Thomas says, “That was the most pleasant surprise.”

In this episode, Joe and Joubin discuss how Loom “stands on the shoulders of giants” like Google, Instagram, and Snap; Joe’s preparations to become a father for the first time; Loom’s overnight success and why the first six months after its Series A were the hardest; what Joe has learned about recruiting and building teams that can trust each other; and how Loom markets and recruits — including how it uses its own product internally.

In this episode, we cover:

Joe’s grandfather Wally — a proud business owner, a “man of the people,” and his personal hero (03:17)
How Snap, the first company to validate Silicon Beach as a real hub for tech innovation, pushed the boundaries of design and subconsciously influenced Loom (05:29)
The consumerization of enterprise and why Loom has experienced such rapid growth (13:30)
Why starting a company is just like having a kid: “You’re never really ready for either” (18:45)
The stock market downturn, managing risk, and the most important thing founders can do in the face of uncertainty (25:57)
The first indications that Loom was going to be huge, and its humble origins as a Google Chrome extension (32:45)
Why the time AFTER Loom’s Series A fundraise was the “hardest window” of Joe’s CEO career, and a discussion about the people who helped him survive it (39:43)
How to recruit people to do jobs you can’t do yourself, and the core characteristics that make for good startup employees (48:10)
Why working remotely won’t kill company culture (53:00)
Paid user acquisition and how Joe thinks about go to market strategy (01:03:43)
How Loom uses its own product internally as a creative resource for recruitment (01:07:34)
The other CEOs Joe admires most, what Grit means to him, and the key roles he’s hiring for right now (01:10:32)

Links:

Connect with Joe
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: joe@loom.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

President at Databricks, Andy Kofoid: Reinvention at Any Stage Feb 07, 2022

When Andy Kofoid was growing up in the working-class town of Joliet, Illinois, he dreamed of getting to college and — like a lot of his relatives — worked in construction. Today, Andy is laying digital foundations at Databricks, a data analytics and AI company that works with enterprise brands including Adobe, NBCUniversal, and Starbucks. Previously the COO of ExactTarget, which Salesforce acquired for $2.6 billion in 2013, Andy thought his career might end there. “I wasn’t looking” for another gig after Salesforce, he recalls, “but I knew I had another run in me.”

In this episode, Andy and Joubin talk about the Chicago tech scene; the trade-offs between fully remote work and physical offices; walking away from success to build something new; reinventing yourself as a new kind of leader in a complex, unstructured environment; and separating your self-worth from your professional accomplishments. Andy also discusses the people and culture at Databricks and how he balances his demanding career with “what really matters” — being a good husband, father, friend, and person.

In this episode, we cover:

Andy’s first job, his family, and his favorite baseball team: The Chicago Cubs (04:56)
Transitioning among different types of roles within a company (10:11)
The physical office as a representation of your company’s culture, and the difference between Chicago and San Francisco’s post-COVID tech scenes (13:07)
Why Andy left Salesforce for Databricks, and how he knew he had another run in him (19:40)
Becoming a better leader and accepting “A huge dose of humility” (23:41)
How leaders are perceived by the people underneath them on the org chart, vs. how they perceive themselves (30:51)
The interview process at Databricks and overcoming the “industry domain hurdle,” to speak AI and data fluently (40:10)
How Andy creates balance in his life, and the correlation between pressure and responsibility (44:05)
The most difficult, sleepless nights in Andy’s career and how he recovers when things aren’t going his way (01:02:01)
What Grit means to him, and the sort of person who should apply for open roles at Databricks (01:10:54)

Links:

Connect with Andy
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Former CEO Splunk, Doug Merritt: Creating 360° Order in Chaos Jan 31, 2022

Doug Merritt joins this episode on the tail end of his impressive run as Splunk’s CEO. With decades of leadership in what can be described as an “exploratory career,” Doug breaks down his professional roadmap and provides insight on how he was able to transform companies and the cultures that hold them together.

In this episode, Doug shares his perspective on the new wave of innovation as a seasoned executive and how he stays relevant in a “world of teenagers.” He talks about his 8-year evolution at Splunk and the incredible companies he’s helped grow. Doug discusses founding his first company, Icarian, and why he has always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Through his endeavors, Doug has always stayed balanced and expounds on how he masters his personal and professional habits. Doug also shares his take on the influence of technology and the future of web 3.0.

In this episode, we cover:

3 habits Doug formed as a child to cope with his frequent moves to new locations—all before he reached the 8th grade. (5:32)
The story behind Doug’s bike ride up Mount Aspen during the Kleiner Perkins CEO Summit. (15:07)
A discussion about connectivity and how COVID has affected Doug and Joubin’s attachment to their physical location. (18:30)
Doug’s time at Oracle and his journey into sales - Doug defines the important qualities of a good sales rep. (28:00)
The history of Icarian and why Doug was inspired to found the startup - and a look at Doug’s transition to PeopleSoft. (38:46)
Doug’s evolution at Splunk, from SVP to CEO, and the board pitch that got him there. (49:03)
How Doug inspired confidence after taking the CEO position, an exploration of Splunk’s revenue valley of death, and how Doug cultivates positive self-talk. (57:29)
Doug reflects on previous chapters of his career and gives perspective on what’s to come - plus his overview of web 1.0 to 3.0. (01:08:03)

Links:

Connect with Doug
- LinkedIn
- Splunk
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CEO Stord, Sean Henry: Supply Chains... Are Fun? Jan 24, 2022

Stord, a Kleiner portfolio company, and its co-founder/CEO, Sean Henry, are defying a multitude of limits. While Sean is ranked as the youngest unicorn founder, he refuses to let his age define him. Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit from a very young age, he’s always angling for the advantage. Sean has undoubtedly found a crucial advantage with Stord, as it continues to rise as a leading cloud supply chain platform and pioneer in the industry.

In this episode, Sean discusses his Stord journey–from building the company to its massive scale–and Stord’s groundbreaking concept that has feet in two worlds. He provides valuable insight on the “first-time founder mindset” and the competitive advantages that come with founding a hyper-growth company. Sean also offers a perspective for anyone who has doubts about their own ability to be an innovator and founder.

In this episode, we cover:

How Sean's first business of selling electronics on eBay came into being - and what he loves about supply chain. (05:04)
A look at Stord’s cloud supply chain platform - and why Sean does not want to be defined by his age as a young founder. (13:23)
Sean’s thoughts on the impostor syndrome that founders of hyper-growth startups experience - and a discussion about correlating professional credibility with age. (19:58)
The Steve Jobs quote that changed Sean’s life as an entrepreneur - and why Atlanta, Georgia is the perfect location for Stord. (24:40)
The tension between living in your current state, your desired future state, and the delta in between - and a look at Stord’s growth into a billion-dollar business. (30:26)
Sean’s unique, yet successful series A pitch to Kleiner Perkins - and a look at the supply chain industry and Stord’s impact on the 1.3 trillion dollar global market. (41:34)
Sean’s Medium article about the “first-time founder mindset” and why it’s important to “learn how to learn.” (54:26)
Why it’s a great time to join Stord. (58:39)

Links:

Connect with Sean
- LinkedIn
- Email: sean@stord.com
- Stord
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Links Referenced:

Former President at NetApp, Tom Mendoza: Sustaining Urgency and Injecting Tension Jan 17, 2022

Tom Mendoza, former President at NetApp, knows that there is a way to do business while bringing out the good in it. Tom has embedded this throughout his career and continues to make it a philosophical and practical focus. While Tom’s incredible journey may speak for itself, we take a deeper look at his core leadership values, how it has inspired his generosity and resilience, and the impact it continues to have on others.

In this episode, Tom discusses his humble beginnings in Long Island during the post-WWII era and the namesake for the Mendoza Business School and scholarship program. He expounds on important quotes that he still lives by, and why trust is critical when building a successful company. Tom also shares insight on his massive success at NetApp and how he grew the company from zero to a billion.

In this episode, we cover:

Tom’s childhood, beginning with his parent’s journey to Long Island, NY after World War II, and his first job as an usher at a movie theater. (03:06)
“Bring out the good in business”: Tom shares the touching story behind his Notre Dame scholarship program and the Mendoza Business School. (07:11)
How the phrase, “catch someone doing something right” came about - and a deep dive into Tom’s core leadership mantra. (14:53)
A look back on the day Tom played a round of golf with Tiger Woods with Warren Buffett as his caddy. (27:01)
NetApp–from zero to a billion: How Tom leveraged his passion for building companies to accelerate NetApp’s outstanding revenue growth - and the effect of the dotcom bubble on NetApp and its impact on company culture. (32:38)
Why Tom almost retired from NetApp before accepting the role as President - and how NetApp encourages employees to give back to the world. (47:46)
Tom’s perspective on customer trust and support, and why companies without a sustained sense of urgency fail. (56:43)
How Tom combats complacency through injecting tension. (01:08:47)

Links:

Connect with Tom
- LinkedIn
- NetApp
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

President, Global Strategic Customers at Salesforce, Jim Steele: Measuring Your Facetime Jan 10, 2022

Jim Steele, President of Global Strategic Customers at Salesforce, is the man, the myth, and the legend who helped increase Salesforce’s revenue from $22 million to over $5 billion. Working since he was 10 years old to support his family, Jim’s drive and ambition are still just as strong today as he views new challenges and opportunities with a “beginner’s mindset.” As Jim puts it, his 43-year career in sales is a series of stories–in this episode, he reflects on poignant moments that helped shape who he is as a leader in the industry.

Jim offers anecdotes from his early days at IBM and paints a vivid picture of Wall Street in the ‘80s. Through his stories, Jim emphasizes an important theme—building authentic relationships—and explores the value of remembering people’s names and faces. Jim also discusses the incredible growth of Salesforce, offers takeaways from his 12-year experience, and opens up about his return to the company.

In this episode, we cover:

Chateau de Steele: the story behind Jim’s Beaver Bar. (01:30)
How Jim became the first Chief Customer Officer, ever - and he describes the lasting effect of his first job at 10 years old. (04:46)
Jim’s perspective on humility and sincerity - and what he says to people who are not motivated at their job. (09:16)
“IBM was the boot camp of sales training”: A key takeaway from Jim’s experience at IBM’s sales school and how it set the stage for success on Wall Street. (13:59)
Through the “three-martini lunches” story, Jim explores Wall Street in the ’80s and the value of building trusted relationships. (21:47)
Jim’s insight on developing personal connections and the value of remembering names and faces. (28:15)
A look at Jim’s unconventional Salesforce interview experience - and why the Salesforce culture doesn’t accept “armchair quarterbacks.” (38:29)
Jim reflects on the positive impact of his sabbatical and how COVID-19 gave him a new perspective on work/life balance. (48:09)
How Jim adapts Marc Benioff's LVI methodology (listen, validate, and inspire) to his work - and a conversation about cultivating genuine relationships and active listening as a seller. (53:08)
Jim’s perspective on empowering salespeople - and why Salesforce’s unique offering has everything to do with its customers. (01:04:31)
What led Jim back to Salesforce, why he loves what he does, and what’s next. (01:13:28)

Links:

Connect with Jim
- LinkedIn
- Salesforce
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CMO Attentive, Sara Varni: Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers Jan 03, 2022

B2B marketing powerhouse, Sara Varni joins this episode on her final day at Twilio to discuss her journey and what lies ahead as she steps into her new role as Chief Marketing Officer at Attentive. Sara demonstrates a stellar track record of marketing know-how and creativity and has a refreshing take on the ever-changing marketing landscape.

In this episode, Sara shares insight on what it means to speak to your audience and uses an example from her Twitter to show how products can market themselves. She reflects on her time at Salesforce and Twilio, discusses why it’s important for marketers to recharge, and explores how her disciplined mindset contributes to her success. Sara and Joubin also discuss their shared love of bowling and Sara shares her thoughts on joining Attentive at the beginning of its next phase of growth.

In this episode, we cover:

“The full slice of life at the bowling alley”: Sara and Joubin connect over their love for bowling. (04:26)
How Sara learned from her father’s disciplined mentality - and what it means to create a home for her children. (07:17)
Sara follows up on her tweet about product marketing - and she shares why her 10 years at Salesforce was “the best marketing training.” (15:14)
A look back at the marketing structural changes at Salesforce and Sara’s role as CMO - and a conversation about writing memorable copy and earning “the right to speak to your audience.” (26:14)
Sara’s insight on why managers play a key role in cultivating a motivated team - and her take on the balancing act of working remotely. (35:39)
Why it’s important for marketers to recharge and how that mindset led Sara from Salesforce to Twilio. (39:53)
Twilio’s aggressive customer-centric values and go-to-market approach - how Sara navigated her son’s autism diagnosis during that stressful time of her career and what gives her peace of mind. (48:31)
Advice Sara received from her career coach and the benefits of a consistent feedback loop for people at any stage in their career. (56:16)
Reflecting on Sara’s last day at Twilio and why she loves being a CMO. (01:02:49)

Links:

Connect with Sara
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Nextdoor, Heidi Andersen: Nurturing an Elastic Mind Dec 27, 2021

Many people run from uncomfortable situations. Heidi Andersen, CRO at Nextdoor, isn’t like most, as she embraces new challenges and makes mental toughness a centrality to her approach. From the very beginning of her story, Heidi has been rooted in hard work and the personal gratification of earning her success. Known as a corporate athlete, Heidi stands out from the pack and proudly holds the torch for women in tech.

In this episode, Heidi shares her perspective on leaving Denmark to join Google in California and we explore the fundamental beliefs she inherited from her family before she embarked on that journey. Heidi also shares insight on the fascinating role Nextdoor plays in building supportive communities in neighborhoods across the globe, why she loves to inspire others, her previous side hustle as an Equinox instructor, and more.

In this episode, we cover:

The greatest gift Heidi’s parents have given her. (02:53)
How Heidi navigated her transition from Denmark to Google’s Silicon Valley - and why she calls herself “half introvert, half extrovert.” (06:11)
Heidi reflects on her time as an Equinox fitness instructor - and a deep dive on the impact that exercise can have on one’s sense of belonging. (11:15)
Why Heidi prioritizes pursuing what brings her joy - and her perspective on taking on uncomfortable challenges to build mental toughness. (20:59)
Heidi’s views on her position as a leading woman in the industry and why she focuses on helping women move into successful careers. (27:51)
From LinkedIn to Nextdoor: The criteria that Heidi used to evaluate her new opportunity - and an overview of Nextdoor. (35:40)
Heidi shares her perspective on Nextdoor going public and how she approaches this new milestone - and a look at how Nextdoor aims to connect neighbors through acts of kindness. (45:13)
A discussion about Nextdoor’s monetization and growth strategy - and more on Nextdoor’s impact on communities. (54:40)
Heidi shares insight on her recruiting superpowers. (01:03:50)

Links:

Connect with Heidi
- LinkedIn
- Email: heidi@nextdoor.com
- Building Mental Toughness for Higher Levels of Performance
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CMO Rippling, Matt Epstein: Building the Supermarket of SaaS Dec 20, 2021

Sometimes social media works and sometimes it doesn’t. For Matt Epstein, Chief Marketing Officer at Rippling, it is a little bit of both. In 2011, Matt went viral after uploading a Youtube video detailing why Google should hire him. It was also accompanied by a propeller plane with his URL attached, flying over the Google campus. Apparently, Google was not impressed, however, this bold decision ultimately worked in his favor. The video attracted many companies, which eventually led to the beginning of a fast-paced and fulfilling marketing career.

In this episode, Matt discusses his unconventional way of attracting Google’s attention and what it was like to pass on other companies in lieu. He talks about how his brashness, which as he puts it, is just a “chip on his shoulder”, attracted the attention of Rippling founder, Parker Conrad. Now, he is along for the ride as he surrounds himself with other like-minded “crazy ones.” Matt also shares his take on why generalists and marketing ops should be “first hires” in SMB and SaaS, and how when you’ve got something to prove in that space it only increases your ambition.

In this episode, we cover:

How Matt’s plea to work for Google went viral - and why he hates social media. (01:48)
Matt’s professional evolution from SigFig to employee #1 at Zenefits and his role in garnering the first customers. (08:04)
Why Matt recommends generalists and marketing ops as the first hires in the SMB SaaS space - and a deep dive into how a “chip on your shoulder” and insecurity are powerful motivators for success. (17:00)
Matt’s decision-making process from applying to Google to passing up on job offers from major tech companies - and Matt reflects on lessons learned at Zenefits. (24:16)
How Rippling founder, Parker Conrad, convinced Matt to join the company - and Matt explores the next phase of Rippling’s app ecosystem. (34:26)
Matt’s thoughts on Rippling’s recent product launch, marketing their catalog of products, and the challenges of scaling up at a startup. (44:32)
A discussion about coping with pressure, why Matt looks for “the crazy ones” when hiring, and why he has no interest in being a founder. (53:26)

Links:

Connect with Matt
- LinkedIn
- Email: mepstein@rippling.com
- Rippling
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CMO TripActions, Meagen Eisenberg: The Joy of Living in Awkward Dec 13, 2021

There is a litany of analogies for marketing. An art, a technique, a skill. Yet few strive to combine a multitude of approaches. For Meagen Eisenberg, Chief Marketing Officer at TripActions, she synthesizes a combination of art, science, and the essential ingredient–joy–to form a unique marketing strategy.

Meagen is a no BS go-getter who demonstrates an encompassing approach to how she conducts business. She hones in on her own efficiency and ability to think quickly and adapt, and expresses how cultivating that skill has made her a fast decision-maker. To reinforce that speed is a desire to always learn, which is the underlying motivation for her own professional progress. Meagen offers her perspectives on organizational structure, the highly valuable takeaways from mistakes and failures, and how her work at TripActions has adapted, through her own love and joy of the flux of marketing, to the changes of COVID-19. Meagen’s straightforward approach carries a lot of weight and is a force we all can consider.

In this episode, we cover:

Why TripActions’ CRO, Carlos Delatorre, calls Meagen a superhuman - and why she believes in treating her sales team as a customer. (03:56)
‘The key for executives is to keep learning’: Meagen discusses her favorite mediums for learning, her love of books, and the various ways she stays on the pulse. (11:58)
A discussion about preparing for and executing board meetings - and a look at PG Tuesday. (19:31)
Meagen’s perspective on company alignment from the top down and how it sets the stage for success. (25:44)
The silver lining in failure and Meagen’s attitude towards not giving up - and what it means to “live in awkward.” (34:55)
The art and science of marketing - and the impact of COVID-19 on TripActions and how that differed from its competitors. (44:46)
Meagen reflects on the worst day in her career during the pandemic. (55:14)
A walkthrough of Meagen’s hiring process during her first six weeks at TripActions, her take on hiring people who solve problems, and why she loves marketing. (01:01:52)

Links:

Connect with Meagen
- LinkedIn
- TripActions
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Links Referenced:

CRO Unqork, Philip Lacor: Playing the Infinite Game Dec 06, 2021

For some, expanding their horizons is something that they, as individuals, strive to do. Fortunately, Philip Lacor, CRO at Unqork, takes those expansions to another level. Philip thrives as a cross-functional leader and leaves his own stamp by creating challenging and diverse environments for a wide variety of people. From his philosophy on building global teams, to how he rears his own children, diversity is the center of how Philip builds his approaches.

Join the conversation as Philip takes us through his multifaceted career path. Coming from the Netherlands, but with a drive to develop a global vision, he offers unique comparisons between how Europeans and Americans work. Language is also a central priority for Philip, and his perspective on the importance of learning new languages and his implementation of that learning in his own life are paramount. We also explore how Philip shapes and values diverse teams, and the ways in which he enacts this conviction. He has a personal passion to see more women in leadership roles, and we learn how he honors his late wife and her amazing contribution to the world through The Lideke Wery Foundation.

In this episode, we cover:

The moment Philip realized that he wanted to experience the world outside of the Netherlands and start a global career - and his thoughts about the similarities between Europeans and Americans. (05:46)
Philip’s personal tricks for mastering public speaking and how that plays into his conversations with customers. (08:49)
A discussion about learning new languages and how Philip teaches his children to adapt to new environments. (15:51)
Why Philip enjoys working cross-functionally and closely with customers - and a walkthrough of Philip’s process for building customer-centric teams. (21:10)
A look at Philip’s short, yet successful time at Envoy and his transition into his role as Unqork’s CRO. (29:01)
Four traits that successful reps should cultivate in an early-stage company. (38:23)
Defining active mental recovery and how it contributes to long-term success - and why it’s important to embrace and enjoy where you are. (43:40)
Philip reflects on his role as a leader and discusses time management on a global team and his passion for hiring diverse talent. (50:30)
The Lideke Wery Foundation: In honor of Philip’s late wife, The Lideke Wery Foundation transforms the lives of students in Sri Lanka through learning English and computer education. (59:56)

Links:

Connect with Philip
- LinkedIn
- Email: philip.lacor@unqork.com
- Unqork
- Lideke Wery Foundation
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CBO Duolingo, Bob Meese: Carrying Culture Through Language Nov 29, 2021

Language is without doubt the single most valuable tool we use, and in its use, it ironically builds barriers. Fortunately in recent years with the rise of companies like Duolingo, those barriers are becoming more opaque. In this episode, Bob Meese, Chief Business Officer at Duolingo, joins the show to discuss all the innovative ways that Duolingo is making language learning a more feasible aspect of our lives.

Bob started at Google with a solid 8-year stretch that served as a proving ground for his own professional philosophy. An integral component of that philosophy is to be employee-centric in his vision and execution. In his move to Duolingo, Bob carried that thinking forward. Firmly established at Duolingo, Bob shares with us the impact that the company has on their customers, and even with his own family— namely in making language learning just plain fun. Bob also explores the importance of language, and how Duolingo is striking a firm balance between creating revenue and profit while providing such an altruistic product.

In this episode, we cover:

A quick look at Bob’s time at Google - and how his philosophy on professional inertia played into his decision to move on to Duolingo. (02:47)
Why Bob encourages his star employees to shine, even if it results in their decision to seek opportunities beyond their role and the company. (07:28)
A risk worth taking: The journey that led Bob and his family back to Pittsburgh to begin his career at Duolingo. (10:57)
An overview of Duolingo including current stats, its evolution, and what is on the horizon. (16:20)
A discussion about the monetization of Duolingo, what the company looked like when Bob joined as CRO, and how Duolingo established its identity. (22:51)
Bob reflects on his experience with changing company culture - and shares why he would do it all over again as he looks back on his years at Duolingo. (35:14)
Duolingo’s revenue growth, the timing of the IPO, and why operating as a private company still works after recently going public. (41:05)
Joubin and Bob discuss the impact of language and how it is a core part of human identity - and why Duolingo strives to make learning languages more accessible. (47:28)

Links:

Connect with Bob
- Twitter
- Duolingo
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Pendo, Jennifer Brannigan: Un-designing Your Leadership Path Nov 22, 2021

To make the leap from HR to sales may seem like a significant obstacle to surmount. For Jennifer Brannigan, CRO at Pendo, it was an easy choice to make. Her decision to pursue her own interests and passion over a high salary set her on a path toward where she is today. And for her, the journey still continues.

As she puts it, her professional roadmap is much like a jungle gym, as it is varied and intriguing. In this episode, Jennifer shares why she transitioned to sales in the midst of an accelerating HR career, and what she learned from her time at NBC Universal and LinkedIn. She also brings a refreshing take as she explains her unconventional subscription to JOMO (the joy of missing out) and provides insight on why she focuses on cultivating potential over check-the-box skillsets.

In this episode, we cover:

Jennifer’s exciting summer job in Ireland - and why she aspires to embrace JOMO (the joy of missing out). (03:18)
A look into the neighborhood Jennifer grew up in, located in South Side, Chicago - and why Joubin thinks she would make a great podcast host. (09:07)
How Jennifer’s experience at NBC Universal transferred into her next role - and what she learned from the challenges that came with her position at LinkedIn. (12:56)
Jennifer’s perspective on leading LinkedIn’s large-scale layoff and how her HR experience prepared her for that difficult task. (17:54)
From LinkedIn to Pendo: Jennifer’s journey towards her role as CRO - and her thoughts on her career trajectory. (21:55)
Joubin and Jennifer explore the positive effect that running and exercise have on their mental health. (30:14)
More on Jennifer’s path to Pendo: what she looked for in her search and how she spent her first 6 months. (35:15)
Pendo’s cross-organizational hiring rubric - and Jennifer’s viewpoint on hiring potential vs success. (43:48)
Jennifer uses her own experiences to rank career, money, company, and manager - and she shares her favorite simple habit and one she’d like to develop. (56:44)

Links:

Connect with Jennifer
- Email: jen.brannigan@pendo.io
- Pendo
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Rubrik, Brian McCarthy: Embedding Missionary Values Into Company Culture Nov 15, 2021

Integrity and humility barely begin to describe Brian McCarthy, CRO at Rubrik. Brian’s story is one of hard-won progress that is bound to inspire anyone who listens. Coming from a blue-collar household, Brian has always viewed work as a gift and now takes advantage of what it has afforded him and turns it back to building strong communities.

Brian’s humble beginnings set the stage for his inspiring life story. What his family did not have in money, they made up for in an abundance of love. For that, Brian never felt like he was without and carries that with him in his life and work. In this episode, Brian talks about his upbringing and explores his professional journey. He also provides insight into why he strives to drive those around him to be the best version of themselves each day. Brian’s criteria for a good sales leader are also invaluable and worth deep consideration!

In this episode, we cover:

Brian’s journey towards his first job as an adult - and why selling life insurance felt natural to him. (03:59)
All in the family: Brian’s early years growing up in a blue-collar household, the legacy his father left behind, and how his family came together after his passing. (07:16)
How Brian and his wife navigated their lives and careers as a young married couple - and the moment he realized he could build wealth to make a positive impact on the lives of others. (16:36)
How Brian’s unique and humble mindset as a young VP contributed to his success at Qlik. (25:11)
A discussion about the fear of losing and impostor syndrome - and why Brian's short time at AppDynamics had a positive influence on his professional trajectory. (31:33)
Feeding the beast: Brian talks about finding creative outlets in and outside of work - and delves into the two buckets that first-line sales leaders fall into. (39:55)
How the words “I love you” translate into “I desire what’s best for you” and how Brian embodies those words at his core and incorporates that into Rubrik’s company culture. (51:08)
Why Brian loves his role as CRO - and his perspective on why grit and gratitude go hand in hand. (59:16)

Links:

Connect with Brian
- LinkedIn
- Rubrik
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

President and COO Coinbase, Emilie Choi: Rising Through the Crypto Ranks Nov 08, 2021

"Crypto" is a term that has recently re-shaped the way the world thinks about money. For Emilie Choi, President and COO at Coinbase, it has been at the forefront of her work and mind for quite some time. Emilie is a true workplace warrior and that is reflected in her leadership at Coinbase as she has cultivated an ethos that endears her entire organization and those she works alongside.

In this episode, Emilie doesn’t pull the punches as she divulges her own strengths and weaknesses and how she strives to make them both equal assets. She also expounds on fostering connections in the workplace, her mission-oriented mindset, and how it is a mindset she likes to see in entrepreneurs. Emilie also offers essential insight into the current shape of cryptocurrency and the exciting direction that it is headed.

In this episode, we cover:

Emilie’s competitive advantage and how she transformed her weakness into an asset. (3:35)
Sensitivity in the workplace: Emilie opens up about a time when she showed her vulnerability in her “top of mind” email to the organization and how that cultivated a connection across the teams. (7:34)
Building out LinkedIn’s Corp Dev team in its early stages and how entrepreneurs successfully ran LinkedIn’s three business lines. (9:21)
Missionary vs mercenary: Emilie shares why it’s refreshing to work with crypto entrepreneurs who are mission-oriented - and Joubin taps into his recent experience with hiring a candidate. (13:00)
Why Emilie admires Amazon’s core business strategy - and her opinion on companies she would hypothetically buy. (17:36)
How Emilie’s desire to continue learning led her to make a lateral move from LinkedIn to Coinbase - and how she navigated the recruitment process of her team. (22:10)
An overview of Coinbase: assets, revenue, long-term trajectory, and their three main focuses - and Emilie breaks down Coinbase’s innovation by comparing it to the evolution of mobile phones. (31:10)
‘Volatility is a feature, not a bug’: What volatility means for Coinbase - and why Amazon and Adobe serve as an influence for Coinbase as they invest in their future acts. (38:38)
Weathering the crypto winter: How Emilie frames investing in crypto to potential buyers - and how she integrates grit and resilience into her role and across the organization. (43:47)
Emilie shares her thoughts on Coinbase’s %5 employee departure after their pledge to be apolitical - and what she admires about the Coinbase CEO, Brian Armstrong. (49:09)
Emilie reflects on what she has learned as she grew into COO and President - and how Coinbase grew to be the number one regulated crypto custodian in the world. (56:22)

Links:

Connect with Emilie
- LinkedIn
- Coinbase
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

COO Bloomreach, Christy Augustine: Thin Mints and Company Building Nov 01, 2021

Carving her own path is certainly one way to describe how Christina Augustine, COO at Bloomreach, has chosen to do her work. With a distinct set of experiences, beginning with a unique college thesis, to owning her own patent, and eventually leading Bloomreach through successful product launches, Christina has held her own over the course of her career. And her fortitude is now paying off.

Christina’s natural competitiveness has not only helped her shape her own leadership abilities, but she continues to carry these skills forward. While her decision to leave Bain & Company was a difficult one, that decision has returned its value tenfold. From her role as an individual contributor to the now COO at Bloomreach, Christina has brought a tenacity that deserves attention. Check out this episode to learn how she has honed her abilities to evaluate and consciously decide where she wants to be, and how she applies her own grit to the workplace.

In this episode, we cover:

Christina’s college thesis on the Julia set, her experience at HBS, and a look at her patent. (2:20)
More on Christina’s background and the “gnarly” aspect of her role at Bain & Company - and why she loves volunteering at Girl Scouts. (06:18)
Why competitiveness is a great leadership trait and how Christina puts it into practice - and why she chose to make the difficult decision to leave Bain and join Bloomreach as an individual contributor. (15:13)
‘It’s an every year decision’: Christina explains why she rewrites her resume and reflects on her contributions on an annual basis. (21:51)
Powered by Bloomreach: Christina provides an overview of Bloomreach and shares her perspective on their high valuation and what it indicates as they focus on building long-term products. (26:17)
The evolution of Christina’s roles at Bloomreach, from individual contributor to COO - and how the ‘“north star product vision” impacted the team’s decision to build a second product. (35:15)
Christina reflects on her early days at Bloomreach and explores their product development journey - and she talks about the impact of Google’s SEO algorithm change. (45:09)
What Christina’s mentors helped her prepare for as she transitioned into her COO position - and why it is important to know when to “do nothing.” (54:18)

Links:

Connect with Christina
- LinkedIn
- Bloomreach
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CEO Alteryx, Mark Anderson: Transformation Starts with Leadership Oct 25, 2021

Mark Anderson, CEO at Alteryx, joins Joubin to talk about how he crafted his leadership ethos, which he often compares to a great game of golf. While Mark is currently at Alteryx, it is his foundation at Palo Alto Networks that serves as the bedrock for how he approaches his work.

In this episode, Mark reflects on his time at Palo Alto and offers insight that anyone would be wise to pay close attention to; close attention being an essential part of Mark’s ethos, as he says the “absence of a plan” is not part of his DNA. With this mindset, Mark breaks down the deep value of his meticulous planning and how it allows time for each important focus in his life, ranging from work, family, golf, or crucially as salient, when to leave some things by the wayside. Mark and Joubin also discuss their experiences during Palo Alto’s acquisition of Evident.io, how it has impacted Mark’s approach to the gritty specifics of acquisitions as a whole, and more.

In this episode, we cover:

How Mark used his grit to put himself through college - and the parallel between sales and the game of golf. (3:22)
Why “the absence of plan” is not part of Mark’s DNA - and why he is intentional about the time he puts into work, family, and friends. (7:15)
Palo Alto Networks: factors Mark considered as he evaluated the company, a look at his recruitment experience, and his 3 non-negotiables for hiring. (12:55)
Mark reflects on some of Palo Alto’s wins, including their major stock increase in 2014 and the acquisition of Evident.io. (20:46)
More on Palo Alto: Mark talks about Palo Alto’s change management approach and some of the challenges of the acquisition process. (26:08)
Mark provides an overview of Alteryx and talks about the joys of being on the Alteryx team - and shares why 2021 became “the year of transformation.” (31:55)
Why good leaders should help their teams learn from failures. (42:28)
Mark’s advice to the aspiring CEO and his takeaways from his journey thus far. (47:26)

Links:

Connect with Mark
- LinkedIn
- Alteryx
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CEO Relativity, Mike Gamson: Fueling the Next Technology Ecosystems Oct 18, 2021

Mike Gamson, CEO of Relativity, has joined the show this week to provide his take on leadership, sales, and the evolution of his career leading up to Relativity. Mike’s path into becoming a CEO is a varied one and his diverse range of experiences has helped him hone in on essential insights, which he very humbly shares.

With a background in liberal arts, Mike has an interesting story about how he became a leader in the world of sales and technology. It all began when he made the decision to move to Costa Rica after an epic surfing trip along the coasts of South America. At one point, he faced a crossroads and had to decide between staying in Costa Rica or going back home. He chose the former and opened his own burrito shop. Afterward, Mike served as Advent’s head of product development, which set the stage for the rest of his career.

In this episode, Mike walks through the transitions in his career and shares why he was initially hesitant to join LinkedIn. He also talks about the crucial leadership skills and values he gained at LinkedIn under Jeff Weiner’s tutelage and dives into Relativity, Chicago’s “best-kept secret,” and the exciting innovations that Relativity is bringing on board.

In this episode, we cover:

Mike’s fascinating professional journey leading up to LinkedIn; from turning down Goldman Sachs to opening his own burrito shop in Costa Rica - and he and Joubin discover some of the striking similarities they share. (02:03)
The evolution of Mike's role at LinkedIn - and what factored into his decision to come on as an individual contributor. (9:47)
The challenges LinkedIn faced in its early stages, as leadership navigated the company’s identity - and how the question, “what kind of leader do you aspire to be?” helped Mike tap into his core leadership principles. (15:37)
Mike recounts moments when he was challenged to make decisions to preserve LinkedIn’s values as he grew into his sales leadership role - and how Jeff Weiner’s coaching gave him a more compassionate understanding of how to do business more broadly. (21:17)
Why Relativity was the “best-kept secret in Chicago” - and why Mike feels passionate about leveraging tech companies to build ecosystems within their communities. (28:04)
Mike’s views on investing in companies full-time and how his love for learning plays a role in his decision - and more on his transition to CEO of Relativity and how he gained his footing. (33:37)
A look at Mike’s life as CEO: what he factors into his daily decisions, lessons learned, and his advice to those who are thinking of the next layer up job. (40:34)
Mike elaborates on philosophies that he lives by, including his stance on hiring talent, why “yet” is the most powerful word in the English language, the power of being here by choice, and more. (45:21)
Joubin and Mike discuss three important leadership traits - and the importance of asserting agency over your time to create a personal life harmony. (50:33)

Links:

Connect with Mike
- LinkedIn
- Relativity
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Stripe, Mike Clayville: Building Tornado Companies Oct 11, 2021

Mike Clayville, CRO at Stripe, joins this week’s conversation to discuss what it's like to turn companies into forces of nature, using Mike’s chosen metaphor, the tornado. While Mike might be the first guest to compare company growth to a natural phenomenon, his insight is invaluable.

Mike comes from a small town outside of Declo, Idaho, and grew up working on the family farm and ranch. It was there that Mike gained the hard work ethic that has catapulted him into the worlds of engineering and then finance. All along the way, he made himself known as “the guy in the cowboy hat” - be it in board meetings, or on business trips to Paris or Japan.

In this episode, Mike and Joubin discuss the cultural significance of Mike’s hat and the importance of not forgetting where you came from. They also discuss Mike’s tenure at IBM when it was in decline, and how Mike shifted things there into an upward trajectory. Mike also explains his idea of first principles as a means to leading tornado companies, the innovation of Amazon, The Clayville Foundation and their fight against cancer, and more.

In this episode, we cover:

Mike’s early life in Declo, Idaho, where he worked on his family farm - and the symbolism behind his cowboy hat. (3:11)
The reason behind Mike’s switch from engineering to finance - and a look at his tenure at IBM, the tremendous challenge he faced during its decline, and how he turned it around. (7:06)
Mike’s philosophy on uncovering the first principle mindset and the qualities of a tornado. (13:44)
The early days of Amazon and public cloud - and how Mike used first principles to lead some of the largest enterprises into a new world of technology. (18:33)
An overview of Stripe: How Stripe helps companies understand their customers and how it compares to AWS in today’s internet economy. (26:42)
Why you should fail as an innovator and be willing to be misunderstood- and how Amazon’s innovation model contains the secret sauce of success. (32:56)
Selling as a muscle memory sport: Why Mike refers to prospecting as the calisthenics of sales - and a dive into the stages of prospecting. (39:42)
More on the importance of prospecting and why cold-calling is the best way to start a sales career. (43:15)
Mike talks about his detailed briefing process and how it helps maintain efficiency when getting to the heart of their customer’s needs. (48:50)
How Mike’s daily runs inspire some of his best ideas - and an in-depth look at his effective decision-making process. (53:51)
The Clayville Foundation: How The Clayville Foundation honors his late wife and seeks to find cures for cancer through technology and science. (01:03:00)

Links:

Connect with Mike
- LinkedIn
- Stripe
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Chief Business Officer at Compass, Rob Lehman: Leadership by Fire Oct 04, 2021

Rob Lehman, Chief Business Officer at Compass, has an entrepreneurial spirit that has already set him forward in a burgeoning and exciting career at a young age. Rob’s path has come by no accident. His determination to be at the innovative edge and his unconventional approach to finding his bearing at Compass speak to Rob’s unique take.

Rob’s business-focused mindset developed early on in his childhood. In the fourth grade, Rob started a basketball camp with an all too original name. As Rob advances his career, he continues to cultivate that mentality and brings a unique offering to the world of real estate.

In this episode, learn more about Rob’s highly unconventional job search and why he makes the case for the value of the real estate agent as a deeply underappreciated asset to any business. Rob and Joubin also talk about what it is like to be the young guns at their respective companies and how they push to make the more senior members around them see their value, strengths, and much more.

In this episode, we cover:

An overview of Rob’s background - and his earliest memory as an entrepreneur beginning in the fourth grade. (1:22)
Searching for Compass: Rob details his methodical research and what he turned down as he sought opportunities to work for an early-stage company. (3:43)
Rob’s pivot from finance to strategy and operations - and why the real estate agent is a profoundly misunderstood professional. (10:15)
Rob reflects on his first signs of product market fit - and the power of momentum when building a company. (16:09)
A deep dive on finding the best talent - and why real estate agents are a powerful business entity. (21:39)
Rob explains why it is crucial to think in the future and be comfortable with rapidly adapting your business. (31:40)
Understanding the diversity of the real estate industry - and Rob’s mindset as a younger person surrounded by veterans in the field. (37:01)
Creating Space: Joubin and Rob discuss the impact of effective time management and how your calendar can be your strategy. (42:09)
Looking back on Rob’s earlier days at Compass and some key takeaways. (46:22)

Links:

Connect with Rob
- Email: rob@compass.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

COO Cameo, Brian Frank: From Professional Networks to Celebrity Networks Sep 27, 2021

To say that Brian Frank, Chief Operating Officer of Cameo, comes from a non-traditional background into the career field of sales might be an understatement. Brain’s career began in law and he spent nearly a full career there before transitioning to sales in 2008, where he has been exceedingly active.

Brian’s multifaceted background has given him a wide range of skillsets and a deep wisdom that has become invaluable to the organizations where Brian has worked. His focus on constantly learning through experience, as well as an emphasis on transparency has led him to the hard won successes that allow him to gain these perspectives.

In this episode, Brain and Joubin talk about Brian’s shift from law, his tenure at LinkedIn, and how experiential learning led to the inspiring story behind Brian’s decision to take up the guitar. Brian also goes into the details on Cameo and their meteoric rise, his influence there, and more.

In this episode, we cover:

Brian talks about his shift from law, to finance, and finally to sales. (1:09)
Brian’s colorful employment history (which began at age 13) prior to graduating from UC San Diego. (6:41)
How Brian approaches outbound opportunities - and how a quick LinkedIn message led to a business partnership. (10:37)
What Brian’s LinkedIn colleagues have to say about him - and his inspiring anecdote about how he met his guitar instructor, Marty Schwartz. (13:34)
The story behind Brian’s ban from LinkedIn - and why his experiential learning style works for him. (17:15)
All things sales ops: From defining the role to hiring and developing talent. (21:53)
‘What do you value most?’: Joubin and Brian rank and discuss career, money, company and manager. (32:17)
The lowest points of Brian’s LinkedIn ride - and what led him to be more transparent and open with his team. (36:37)
What is Cameo? Breaking down Cameo and its fascinating growth. (45:34)
How Brian assessed Cameo to determine if he was a fit - and his mindset when joining the company. (51:06)
Why most businesses are demand constrained - and more on Cameo’s B2B expansion. (54:16)

Links:

Connect with Brian
- LinkedIn
- Cameo
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

President of Field Operations at BetterUp, Marc Maloy: Building Better Organizations by Building Successful People Sep 20, 2021

Marc Maloy’s storied career with IPOs and acquisitions has helped him develop essential insights into career success, leading him to become President of Field Ops at BetterUp.

While Marc’s history is steeped with successful transitions, at each step he never failed to stay focused on the people. Marc remains focused on empathy, developing leaders first, and helping everyone in an organization reach their objectives.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit Marc and Joubin go into the details on Marc’s offerings to RVPs and the importance of forecasting, lessons and takeaways from Marc’s acquisitions, notes on leadership, and what he brings to BetterUp.

In this episode, we cover:

With two IPOs and an acquisition under his belt, Marc shares why an IPO is a milestone and not just the end goal. (3:04)
Why mentorship and building a formal career development plan helps avoid distraction and encourages pipeline generation. (4:32)
Career planning with Marc: The importance of helping people reach their personal and professional goals. (9:06)
The concept of your 50 50: Why RVPs should understand the process behind forecasting. (14:16)
What Dan Shapero (Linkedin COO) and Marc have in common - and the most important quality of a leader. (17:27)
From Glint to LinkedIn: Marc shares what he would have done differently during the acquisition - and what he’s learned. (23:27)
What is BetterUp? The vision of BetterUp - and how it helps people thrive through the whole person assessment. (29:17)
Permission to languish: The impact of top-performing athletes, like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, as the lines between our mental, physical, personal and professional lives continue to blur. (31:50)
Leading with empathy: What it means to help your team drive flourishment in their personal lives. (37:26)
Why authenticity is an effective leadership style - and why Marc signed up to be a Lyft Driver. (42:01)
Seek to serve others before you seek to serve yourself: How this mindset enhances performance. (46:08)
Hiring employees who embody BetterUp's value of "zest" - and Marc’s favorite interview question. (50:22)
President of Field Operations: The meaning and importance of Marc’s role at BetterUp. (53:00)
KPIs, metrics, and the health of your business: Marc's answer to the question he has asked many CEOs. (55:46)

Links:

Connect with Marc
- Email: marc.maloy@betterup.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CEO Incorta, Scott Jones: From Running Sales to Running a Company, and Everything in Between Sep 13, 2021

Since the 1990s, Scott Jones has had a successful career working in sales at technology companies including SAP, Tableau, and Alteryx.

In early 2021, Scott took a job that had never before appeared on his resume — the role of Chief Executive Officer at Incorta, a company creating direct data analytics software.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Scott talk about Scott’s career, the value of making relationships with others in business, and the questions Scott had as he settled into his new role as CEO of Incorta.

In this episode, we cover:

Scott's career up until his current role as CEO at Incorta and the story of his very first job. (1:42)
A more prominent role at a smaller company: The factors behind Scott's decision to leave SAP to work at Alteryx in 2017. (5:37)
'A relationship business': The value of making connections and building a professional network. (9:01)
The responsibilities of a CEO, the common qualities of successful leaders. and the conversation that put Scott on the path to eventually running a company. (12:41)
Imposter syndrome: Dealing with self-doubt and insecurity, why failure is part of success, and the importance of taking risks. (16:27)
How Scott's current company, Incorta, is streamlining data delivery to business users through a data and analytics platform — and why Scott wanted to work at Incorta. (22:59)
Fundraising and dealing with a board and investors: Questions Scott had when he took his first CEO job — and keeping a company's co-founders around as a new CEO. (26:42)
Problem-solving, selling, and messaging: Scott's first fundraise as CEO. (33:59)
How the responsibilities of a CEO differ from that of a CRO — and the importance of being self-reflective when preparing for a CEO role. (37:07)
The "prep homework" Scott gives to salespeople and sales engineers when they start work at Incorta. (44:24)
What the word grit means to Scott. (46:44)

Links:

Connect with Scott
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Head of eSports at Activision Blizzard, Brandon Snow: Building 'Generational Fandom' of Professional Video Game Teams Sep 06, 2021

Ever wonder how McDonald’s came up with its famous “I’m Lovin’ It” tagline? Brandon Snow knows all about it — in fact, he worked for the German advertising agency Heye & Partner when it pitched the winning slogan years ago.

With an impressive career that took him to live in Poland, Germany and China, Brandon has worked for not only Heye & Partner, but also the NBA as a senior marketing leader. Now, Brandon works as head of Activision Blizzard Esports — where he leads the effort to leverage the company’s popular video games such as Overwatch and Call of Duty to create city-based global franchise esports leagues.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Brandon talk about the importance of creativity and charisma in the advertising industry, Brandon’s experience working for the NBA in China, and Activision Blizzard’s vision to build “generational fandom” around its esports leagues over time.

In this episode, we cover:

'I'm lovin' it': Brandon's experience of working at marketing firm Heye & Partner as it first pitched McDonald's now-famous worldwide tagline. (3:03)
Why Brandon left the NBA to transition from marketing to sales — and his eventual return to the NBA to work in sales. (7:02)
'Managing an orchestra': The incredibly long hours spent working on pitches as head of new business of an advertising agency — and the chances a pitch will succeed. (10:55)
The importance of creativity and charisma in the advertising business — and how sports sponsorship has evolved over time. (13:50)
Brandon's experience working for the NBA in Beijing, China — and the importance of embracing how different cultures conduct business. (18:38)
China, Hong Kong, and the NBA: The politics of running a global business. (24:04)
How Activision Blizzard is creating professional, NFL-like global esports leagues with its existing video game IPs. (28:01)
Activision Blizzard's vision to build 'generational fandom' in its professional, global, and city-based esports leagues over time. (35:06)
Ticket sales, sponsors, and digital goods: The revenue models behind the 'Overwatch' and 'Call of Duty' esports leagues. (39:55)
Activision Blizzard's franchise model for esports leagues — and why the esports industry must mature past sponsorship as its main revenue source. (43:16)
What other entertainment industries can learn from the video games business — and why Activision Blizzard continues to invest in its already popular video game franchises. (49:17)
What the word grit means to Brandon. (53:53)

Links:

Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Head of Revenue and BD at Asana, Oliver Jay: The Cutting Edge of Product-Led Growth Aug 30, 2021

When Oliver Jay worked for venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates in the late 2000s, he found that the most rewarding aspect for him was working with portfolio companies and watching the beginnings of sales operations.

“But as an associate, let’s be honest, I was there to crunch numbers, and write memos, and source deals,” Oliver said. “That’s why I decided to leave. Even though I loved the job intellectually, I just wanted a piece of the action.”

Soon after, Oliver earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, and flexed his sales knowledge at companies like Dropbox. Now, Oliver works as Head of Global Revenue and Business Development at Asana, a company developing a work management platform.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Oliver talk about Oliver’s upbringing, the benefits of implementing “checks and balances” into the hiring process, and how to blend product-led growth and value enterprise sales.

In this episode, we cover:

How Oliver educated himself about go-to-market operations by embarking on a 'campaign' to meet and learn from successful sales leaders. (3:03)
'I learned a ton': Oliver's thoughts on the value of business school. (9:04)
Oliver's experience as an immigrant in the United States — and how he wants to teach authenticity and grit to his children. (12:18)
How Oliver learned that he had an eye for identifying talent — and how he motivates and inspires teams with long term goals. (17:31)
Building 'checks and balances' into the hiring process. (21:56)
Uber vs. Grab: Oliver's firsthand experience on the board of Grab as it competed with Uber for the Asian rideshare market. (24:19)
'Seed, land, and expand': What Oliver's experience working at Dropbox taught him about structuring sales organizations at product-led companies. (28:06)
Oliver's current business, Asana, its work management platform — and building a ‘balanced’ company culture. (38:28)
Uncovering whether a job candidate understands excellence during an interview — and the value of helping people grow and develop. (41:28)
What the word grit means to Oliver. (44:41)

Links:

Connect with Oliver
- https://asana.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP Sales at Affirm, Eric Morse: Exploring The Partnership Between Engineering and Sales Aug 23, 2021

Eric Morse is unabashedly a “super nerd.”

With a degree in physics from Duke University, Eric taught himself how to program and joined a consulting firm where he worked at implementing PeopleSoft, a human resource management system. Eventually, Eric found his way into sales — working at Google, NetSuite, and Ayden — until he eventually and most recently became SVP of Sales at Affirm, Inc. in 2018.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Eric talk about Eric’s interest in technology, collaborative sales environments, and how Eric’s company Affirm is changing the way consumer loans work.

In this episode, we cover:

From $0 to $60 million in 18 months: How Eric's background studying physics and learning to program helped him sell the Google Cloud Platform in the early 2010s. (2:47)
Technology and product-market fit: How Eric evaluates companies during a job search. (12:10)
Why it takes Eric time to understand a company's technology upon being hired — and how he makes an immediate impact on how teams are structured and organized. (16:09)
Building a collaborative and supportive sales environment. (19:57)
Eric's current company, Affirm, and its role as a financial loan lender for consumers and as a marketing accelerator for merchants. (24:11)
A tech company in finance: How Affirm calculates borrower risk during the underwriting process — and how the company assumes liability of the loans it lends. (29:36)
Affirm loan vs. credit cards: How Eric believes Affirm can help people budget for goods and services in a transparent way. (33:42)
'The consumer has to be the center': How Affirm is keeping its responsibilities to the consumer as competition increases. (38:01)
Affirm’s company culture of debate and discussion. (45:09)
What the word grit means to Eric. (48:09)

Links:

Connect with Eric
- Email: eric.morse@affirm.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Front, LB Harvey: Moving Up-Market + Operational Excellence Aug 16, 2021

Many successful LinkedIn alumni have been welcomed as guests on this podcast — and this week, the insightful LB Harvey will be joining those ranks.

After starting her sales career as a Sales Executive at Corporate Executive Board, LB spent six years as an account executive and sales leader at LinkedIn before moving to Intercom to work in sales leadership. Now, LB serves as Chief Revenue and Success Officer of Front, a growing company creating a customer communication platform.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and LB talk about authenticity in the workplace, interviewing job candidates, and tips for successfully bringing a company up-market.

In this episode, we cover:

Why LB decided to leave LinkedIn — and how she built cross-functional go-to-market knowledge. (3:13)
'A high-quality revenue machine': LB's current company, Front, and its customer communication platform. (7:12)
The 'inner competitor' within LB, the innate and learned aspects of confidence, and the importance of staying authentic. (11:24)
The importance of being clear with job candidates about the opportunities, challenges and expectations of the role. (22:36)
Why LB is 'biased against' having team members partake in the evaluation of a manager or director level job candidate. (26:55)
Asking sales job candidates how they prioritize their calendars to evaluate for intensity, productivity and speed. (29:18)
The importance of executive alignment when working to bring a company up-market. (31:59)
Why investing in sales operations is critical in the early stages of bringing a company up-market. (37:06)
The benefits of outbound sales — and why sales leaders should focus on operational excellence. (39:44)
What the word grit means to LB. (43:28)

Links:

Connect with LB
- Email: lb.harvey@frontapp.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO/CSO Dialpad, Dan O’Connell: Taking Risks and Running a Company Aug 09, 2021

Dan O’Connell’s career is an impressive display of how hard work can catapult a person from the bottom of the sales hierarchy to the very top of business leadership.

Having started as an account coordinator at Google AdWords in 2003, Dan has climbed the corporate ladder — eventually becoming the CEO and President of TalkIQ in 2017. Now, Dan serves as the Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Revenue Officer and as a board member at Dialpad, a company creating an AI-powered cloud communication suite.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Dan discuss Dan’s experience selling online advertisements for Google in the early to mid 2000s, Dan’s experience of becoming a CEO, and the importance for senior leaders to make an effort to connect with employees.

In this episode, we cover:

'Shooting fish in a barrel': Dan's experience working for Google and selling online advertisements in the early 2000s. (5:00)
'I wanted to do more': Taking risks and avoiding career complacency. (7:36)
Identifying skilled salespeople when demand is insanely high — and the moment when Dan realized Google was a big deal. (12:45)
The key character traits of people hired on Google's go-to-market team — and how to identify ‘coachability’ in a job candidate. (22:31)
Why Dan decided to become CEO and president of TalkIQ in 2017 after working in sales — and how his father’s example motivated him.
Humility, ambition and optimism: The qualities Dan would want his children to have — and the role of parents in encouraging new opportunities and growth. (34:10)
'An awesome experience': The complexities and fun of being a tech CEO. (37:02)
Dan's current company, Dialpad, and its AI-powered cloud communication suite — and how he deals with the transition from CEO to a lower senior position. (43:47)
The skills and qualities of a successful business manager. (47:48)
What the word grit means to Dan. (51:35)

Links:

Connect with Dan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CCO Figma, Amanda Kleha: The Strategies Behind Figma’s $10 Billion Valuation Aug 02, 2021

When it comes to building a profitable business, Amanda Kleha has learned by doing.

Amanda’s seven-year tenure in multiple senior marketing and sales positions at Zendesk saw the company make an IPO, grow from 12 employees to 2,000, and go from $1 million to $300 million in revenue. Now, as Chief Customer Officer at Figma — a company recently valued at $10 billion that is creating collaborative design user interface platforms — Amanda is cementing her status as a top-tier business leader.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Amanda talk about Amanda’s very successful run at Zendesk, her current work as CCO at Figma, and the importance of keeping the voice of the customer in focus during decision-making.

In this episode, we cover:

Structured, yet open: Amanda’s strategy for interviewing job candidates. (6:14)
Zendesk's massive growth and how it correlated with Amanda's feeling that she was having less fun working at the company. (11:22)
Building experience, gaining traction, showing impact: The benefits of sticking with a company for the long term. (14:51)
'This is the next Adobe': Figma's collaborative design user interface platform. (21:05)
How Amanda started working for Figma — and how she simplified the company's go-to-market through a combination of self-service and sales-assisted motions. (24:50)
Keeping the voice of the customer front-and-center during decision-making. (29:43)
Reflecting on negative and positive career milestones. (37:50)
How Amanda felt when others were hired to more senior positions before her at Zendesk — and how that experience helped her become more empathetic. (41:34)
Ways that sales reps at Figma stand out since quota attainment is so high. (45:33)
Leaders, fillers, and killers: Amanda's framework for product bundles. (52:11)
What the word grit means to Amanda. (1:03:07)

Links:

Connect with Amanda
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Okta, Steve Rowland: Identifying and Developing Future Business Leaders Jul 26, 2021

When Steve Rowland studied at Texas A&M University to get his degree in engineering, he likely wouldn’t have expected that his career would shift into one of an extremely successful sales leader.

Over his 20+ year business career, Steve’s built successful teams at technology companies such as BMC Software, Appigee, and DataStax. Now, Steve serves as Chief Revenue Officer of Okta, a company selling identity security software.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Steve talk about what Steve looks for in a company before deciding to join, the ins and outs of an acquisition integration, and the importance of leadership development.

In this episode, we cover:

How Steve's upbringing informed his work ethic. (1:46)
'The beginning of many career pivots': Steve's first job at BMC as an inside sales rep. (5:43)
Size, product, and leadership: What Steve evaluates in a company before deciding whether to join. (7:51)
Curiosity, relevance and new experiences: Why (and how) Steve continues to reinvent himself and his career — and his process for analyzing risk. (12:11)
Steve's current company, Okta, and its successful identity security software. (21:46)
How company culture can make or break an acquisition integration — and how change can lead to positive growth. (25:26)
Examples of the 'core DNA' Steve looks for in future leaders — and how he uncovers these unteachable qualities during job interviews. (32:26)
Working with potential leaders on their professional development. (40:36)
What the word grit means to Steve. (46:01)

Guest: Steve Rowland, Chief Revenue Officer at Okta

Links:

Connect with Steve
- Website: https://www.okta.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Thrive, Renu Gupta: Building Positive Personal and Professional Habits Jul 19, 2021

Take one look at Renu Gupta’s resume and it’s immediately clear that she is a talented — and successful — sales leader.

With experience at companies such as Google, Dropbox and Slack, Renu has led large sales teams and produced results. Now, Renu serves as Vice President of Sales at Thrive Global, a company founded by CEO Arianna Huffington, that seeks to end workplace burnout with behavior change technology.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Renu discuss personal and professional habits, the importance for sales reps to practice “proactive communication,” and Thrive Global’s lead generation strategy.

In this episode, we cover:

What Renu's one-year tenure as an account executive at Google taught her about different styles of management. (4:04)
Why Renu was apprehensive about transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager at Dropbox — and why she hasn't looked back since. (7:06)
Thrive Global: How Renu's current company is helping businesses empower employees to build positive life habits and reduce burnout through technology. (9:16)
Personal and professional habits: The habits Renu never misses — and the lessons about hard work and gratitude she teaches her children. (16:03)
'We're all human': The aspirational habit Renu has that she often breaks — and how she works to make up for it. (20:32)
Why 'proactive communication' is a common habit among successful sales reps. (23:35)
'Multi-year enterprise-wide deals': Thrive Global's B2B sales strategy. (26:53)
‘Brand recognition’: How Thrive Global generates sales leads through referrals. (32:35)
The recruiting benefits of having a powerful mission. (35:30)
What the word grit means to Renu. (38:45)

Guest: Renu Gupta, VP of Sales at Thrive Global

Links:

Connect with Renu
- Email: renu@thriveglobal.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP Sales at Iterable, Jan Zeman: Hiring and Coaching Successful Sales Talent Jul 12, 2021

When Jan Zeman was hired as a sales development representative in the early 2000s, he had a unique background in management consulting and venture capital.

Jan has since risen through the sales ranks, having helped his previous company, Responsys, grow from $25 million in ARR to $200 million, among other successes. Now, he serves as SVP Sales, America at Iterable, a company creating a cross-channel marketing platform.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Jan talk about Jan’s career working at Responsys, how Jan determines his personal and professional priorities, and tips for identifying successful sales talent.

In this episode, we cover:

From venture capital to cold-calling: How Jan started his sales career. (2:17)
Jan's nine-year run working in sales and sales leadership at Responsys — and why he never chose to leave. (5:37)
The personal and organizational challenges Jan faced while working at Responsys — and why Jan wanted to become a sales leader. (10:23)
'I was very open-minded': How Oracle's purchase of Responsys helped Jan learn how to lead larger teams. (14:05)
How Jan's current company, Iterable, uses data to personalize communications between a company and a customer. (16:35)
'Lean into the change': The importance of learning new business and life skills. (18:50)
The importance of finding balance between work and life — and how Jan uses weekly journaling to help determine his personal and professional priorities. (24:22)
How Jan evaluates curiosity in job candidates. (31:32)
The value of listening, collaboration, and recruiting known and undiscovered talent as a sales leader. (36:43)
The three segments of Iterable's business and how the company goes to market. (40:30)
The benefits of having a product with a unique and changing differentiation — as well as how Jan teaches enablement to his team. (42:27)
What the word grit means to Jan. (46:16)

Guest: Jan Zeman, SVP Sales, America at Iterable

Links:

Connect with Jan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Chief Customer Officer at Xero, Rachael Powell: The Power of Positive Psychology: Creating Authentic Company Cultures Jul 05, 2021

Not many people can say they’ve held leadership positions in marketing, sales, and HR during their business career. Well, maybe except for Rachael Powell, who has done all three and says it’s just her “natural curiosity” that brought her on such a path.

Having worked for over 25 years at digital and technology companies, Rachael now serves as Chief Customer Officer at Xero, a company creating cloud-based accounting software for small businesses.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Rachael discuss ways to apply positive psychology within an organization in order to improve customer experience, as well as how Rachael recruits for talent.

In this episode, we cover:

How Rachael's current company, Xero, is focused on improving lives across the globe through its cloud-based accounting software for small businesses. (4:59)
How Rachael's 'natural curiosity' helped her build a broad skill set. (7:55)
‘I'm definitely a builder': The apprehension Rachael felt before taking the Chief People Officer role at Xero — and why she took the job. (10:44)
This is absolutely a vocation for me': Why Rachael loves her job and is invested in Xero's purpose. (16:32)
'Don’t ask, show': Why Rachael believes that results come from ‘showing what you’re capable of’ and not by asking for them. (20:26)
‘The human ripple effect’: How enthusiasm for a company can transfer from employees to customers — and the benefit of putting all elements of the customer journey under one executive. (23:33)
Recruiting talent: Why Xero focuses on having a conversation with job candidates to gauge their values, passions, and strengths. (27:17)
How to develop new talent and build a strong foundation of wellbeing within an organization with ‘positive psychology.’ (30:40)
Why Rachael hired communication, recruiting and diversity roles when she became Chief People Officer at Xero — and how the company tries to foster an authentic workplace environment. (34:07)
Why putting 'play' into an organization is crucial for innovation. (38:58)
'It is an enormous opportunity': Xero's strategy for bringing their product to market in the Northern Hemisphere. (44:10)
How Rachael defines the word grit. (51:21)

Guest: Rachael Powell, Chief Customer Officer at Xero

Links:

Connect with Rachael
- Xero
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

President of Sprout Social, Ryan Barretto: Establishing a Compelling Company Vision Jun 28, 2021

Ryan Barretto knows all about what it takes to successfully scale a business.

After an impressive 10-year career in sales leadership roles at Salesforce, Ryan took a role as SVP of Global Sales at Sprout Social — a business creating social media management tools — where he helped grow the company from $30 million in revenue to $170 million.

Now, one IPO later, Ryan is President of Sprout Social — and, also, today’s guest on Go To Market Grit! On this episode, Joubin and Ryan discuss Sprout Social’s content-led inbound lead generation engine, as well as the importance of delivering a compelling company vision as a leader.

In this episode, we cover:

How Ryan's company, Sprout Social, is streamlining and improving social media management for businesses. (5:31)
Early stages and IPO: The most stressful aspects of growing and scaling Sprout Social sales operation from $30 million to $170 million of revenue. (8:27)
Leveraging content-driven marketing to support an inbound lead model. (13:55)
How Sprout Social's product-led trial model makes account executives focus more on 'customer success' — and the evolution of the 'enterprise rep.' (16:19)
The importance of asking for and taking feedback from colleagues as a leader. (19:59)
Self-critical learners: Characteristics of successful new hires at Sprout Social — and how Ryan identifies learners during job interviews. (22:49)
Why Ryan cares so deeply about learning and self-improvement — and how his upbringing as a first-generation Canadian informed his work ethic. (26:23)
Instilling and supporting a culture of learning within an organization. (33:31)
Fostering trust and rapport: Using collaboration with various business departments to communicate and build an inspiring company vision. (37:10)
Learning and building credibility as a leader through being hands-on in all areas of a business. (41:08)
'Nailing the why': The importance of clear internal communication during periods of change. (43:01)
What does the word grit mean to you? (46:27)

Links:

Connect with Ryan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP Revenue at GitHub, Erica Anderson: Combining Top-Down and Bottom-Up Sales Motions Jun 21, 2021

Erica Anderson had never carried a bag before she was promoted to Vice President of Worldwide Sales at GitHub in 2019.

With a successful career as a sales operations leader under her belt, Erica has since been promoted twice at GitHub — most recently to Senior Vice President of Revenue.

On this week’s episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Erica talk about the lessons Erica has learned about leadership throughout her career and the combined bottom-up and top-down selling approach of GitHub.

In this episode, we cover:

'The Home of Open-Source Software': How GitHub is used for software development and when Erica joined the company. (3:12)
How Erica was promoted to VP of Worldwide Sales at GitHub despite never having been a quota-carrying salesperson herself. (5:35)
The Value of Partnerships: What a successful relationship between sales operations and a sales leader looks like. (8:51)
'Listening and learning': The methods Erica used to develop a new skill set for the sales leadership job she had never done before. (10:47)
Hiring too soon: The 'very painful lesson' Erica learned at GitHub about hiring and expanding before fully understanding product-market fit. (15:43)
Finding what fuels 'internal drive' — and the differences between external and internal competitiveness in sales. (19:18)
How Erica's overall focus changed when promoted to a sales leadership role from a sales operations position — and the importance of individual forecasting for sales reps. (23:36)
Sales motions: The 'internal selling' Erica did to convince GitHub to embrace top-down selling in addition to its existing bottom-up sales structure. (27:41)
'Aggregating customer feedback': How GitHub decides which product feature requests to prioritize. (34:01)
The counterarguments made when Erica and her team advocated for a top-down selling motion to enterprise clients at GitHub. (38:03)
How Erica defines grit. (41:37)

Links:

Connect with Erica
- GitHub
- Email: mailto: eanderson@github.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO DataStax, Harry Ault: The Three Steps to a Successful Tech Company Turnaround Jun 14, 2021

Growing up in a farm town in Pennsylvania with a population of just 183 people, Harry Ault had big career aspirations.

After working for CitiGroup in management positions, Harry built a successful career as a sales leader in the tech industry. As a go-to-market guru, Harry now serves as the Chief Revenue Officer of DataStax, a data management company.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Harry talk about Harry’s three steps to a technology company turnaround, transitioning from legacy revenue to SaaS subscription revenue, and the importance for salespeople to demonstrate their product.

In this episode, we cover:

Harry's experience moving to Australia for a job in his early 20s — and the importance of seeking out new learning opportunities. (3:49)
Adapting to change: The relationship between curiosity, taking ownership, and grit. (8:18)
Learning from failure and the galvanizing impact of company cultures. (12:10)
Changing company strategy, go-to-market, and external perception: Harry's three steps for a tech company turnaround. (17:46)
'Make change in hours': The benefits of fostering a non-hierarchical, mission-oriented company culture — and the importance of listening to customer feedback. (21:31)
Transitioning from legacy to SaaS: Why DataStax separated its SaaS sales team from the organization that works with its legacy customers. (26:38)
'Elevating our sales capability': Growing a successful SaaS go-to-market strategy by focusing on product demonstration and partnering with customers. (31:07)
Communicating a product's value to a customer by personalizing a hands-on demonstration as a salesperson. (38:22)
How Harry defines the word grit. (42:41)

Links:

Connect with Harry
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

VP Unity Technologies, Laura Palmer: Going The Extra Mile: Forging Meaningful Customer Connections Jun 07, 2021

Laura Palmer will never forget the first big technology sales deal she ever closed.

Having only worked professionally as an inside sales rep, Laura took a leap of faith early in her business career and negotiated a half-a-million deal with a customer while “kind of knowing what I was doing and kind of not knowing what I was doing,” she says.

So when Laura stood up for herself by telling the CEO of her company that she believed she should be promoted to a field rep, it’s no surprise she was given the job on the spot.

Since then, Laura — who now serves as Vice President of Sales, Americas & EMEA at Unity Technologies — has built an extremely successful career in sales and sales leadership. On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Laura talk about returning to the office in a post-COVID world, as well as the importance of building relationships with customers by physically showing up.

In this episode, we cover:

From inside sales to top field rep: How Laura 'demanded the ball', closed a large sales deal, and earned a promotion. (0:52)
Career changes: Laura's story of leaving Google — and what her decision making process looked like. (8:02)
Unity Technologies: Unity's successful video game engine — and the applications this technology has outside of gaming. (16:19)
Create and operate: The 'two sides' to Unity Technologies' business operation — and the company's 'complicated' go-to-market model. (18:55)
Finding a balance: The framework through which Laura is making decisions on how to run her sales team post-COVID — and the importance of community building within an organization. (23:42)
People buy from people': Why Laura believes that field sales is not 'dead' — and redefining 'inside sales' to 'strategic sales.' (29:51)
Joubin and Laura share stories about the value of building relationships with business customers by physically showing up. (32:59)
Gaining satisfaction as a leader by helping people grow and learn — and how women can help other women succeed in business. (38:24)
How Laura defines grit. (43:19)

Links:

Connect with Laura
- LinkedIn
- Email: laurap@unity3d.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

President and COO Golden State Warriors, Brandon Schneider: Building One of the NBA’s Most Valuable Teams May 31, 2021

Throughout his over 18 years working for the Golden State Warriors, Brandon Schneider has held several positions and seen it all.

From the depths of rarely making the playoffs, to the heights of making it to the NBA championship five times in a row with three wins, Brandon has held 10 titles at the Warriors — most recently, the role of President and Chief Operating Officer.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Brandon geek out over their shared love of the Golden State Warriors, talk about building resilience in business, and the traits Brandon looks for in new sales hires.

In this episode, we cover:

Record-setting: The Golden State Warriors’ recent successes and its $4.7 billion valuation. (2:01)
Making an impact: Why Brandon stuck with working at the Warriors during the team's downturn — and the importance of finding a job you love. (6:20)
How the Golden State Warriors evolved after Joe Lacob and Peter Guber took charge — and the importance of hiring and recruiting great talent. (12:44)
Fan experiences, arenas, and digital presence: Creating an economically sustainable business despite 'the inevitable ups and downs of a basketball team.' (22:03)
Why the Warriors look at talent and character when recruiting athletes — and the relationship between fan experience and revenue. (26:49)
Building resilience in business: Withstanding adversity and making the most out of challenges. (31:17)
Work ethic, passion and confidence: The traits Brandon looks for in sales hires — and the parallels between sales and athletics. (34:51)
How the digital age has changed the importance of geographical markets in professional sports. (38:43)
How Brandon defines grit. (41:53)

Links:

Connect with Brandon
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO RealReal, Kayti Sullivan: Setting Priorities in Work and in Life May 24, 2021

By her own admission, Kayti Sullivan was having a “quarter-life crisis” when she realized the jobs she could get with her Masters degree in Early European Art were not careers she had envisioned.

What followed for Kayti was the start of an incredibly successful twelve-year run in sales leadership at Yelp — where she traveled the globe and rose through the ranks. Now, Kayti is Chief Revenue Officer at The RealReal, an online marketplace for authentic luxury consignment.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Kayti discuss the importance of falling in love with learning, what it takes to go from being an individual contributor to a manager, and strategies for balancing work and personal life.

In this episode, we cover:

Falling in love with learning: The connection between intellectual curiosity and success — and why Kayti believes that 'leaders are readers.' (2:47)
From art history to Yelp: Kayti's story of finding her career in sales. (10:20)
'Competitor to advocate': How Kayti went from salesperson to sales manager at Yelp — and how to succeed during transitional periods. (20:20)
Careers and relationships: Why Kayti 'never really questioned' moving across the globe for jobs. (28:03)
'Play the tape all the way to the end:' How Kayti prioritizes tasks when leading high-growth, high-opportunity companies. (31:24)
‘Time is only one measurement:’ Strategies for balancing work and personal life. (35:06)
Why Kayti left Yelp in 2019 — and what she saw in The RealReal. (47:02)
How Kayti defines grit. (51:41)

Links:

Connect with Kayti
- Email: kayti.sullivan@therealreal.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO UiPath, Thomas Hansen: Balancing the Art and Science of Sales May 17, 2021

For Thomas Hansen, chasing a passion was key to unlocking the path toward an impressive career. An avid windsurfer, Thomas started his professional life managing a small windsurfing company in Denmark — an experience where he learned what it takes to succeed.

Now, Thomas serves as Chief Revenue Officer of UiPath, a growing business that develops software for robotic process automation — freeing up time for companies to focus on innovation.

On this episode of Go To Market Grit, Thomas and Joubin discuss essential communication tips for sales leaders, as well as how to balance the science and art of sales.

In this episode, we cover:

Accountability, consistency, and predictability: The sales lessons Thomas learned during his early career working for Dell in Denmark. (0:59)
'It’s the passion in my life': Thomas talks about his love of windsurfing. (6:15)
How UiPath helps companies free up time through automation software — and the methods Thomas used to assess the company’s technology. (9:33)
Breadth vs. Depth: Why Thomas believes in the importance of getting exposure to different disciplines, functions, and geographies. (17:15)
'Crisp, and clear, and to the point:' How Thomas connects with his global sales team during the COVID-19 pandemic. (20:40)
The importance of sharing difficult feedback with people as early as possible 'in an authentic, humble and kind way.' (24:50)
Using reference calls to determine the qualities of a job candidate. (28:56)
Coupling science-enabled sales techniques with the art of connecting with a customer. (32:16)
How Thomas defines grit. (41:04)

Links:

Connect with Thomas Hansen
- UiPath's website
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

VP of Global Professional Services at PayPal, Marcy Campbell: Risk and Reward: Creating Successful Sales Organizations May 10, 2021

Marcy Campbell knows a thing or two about taking risks.

Over her almost 40 years in business, Marcy’s worked at 11 different startups — building several sales organizations from the ground up.

Now, as Vice President of Global Professional Services at PayPal, Marcy employs grit on a daily basis as she leads sales teams on the newest company products. On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Marcy discuss the challenges women face in business, creating sales motions and the qualities of a successful sales rep.

In this episode, we cover:

Marcy's career working at 11 startups — and the challenges women face in reaching senior sales positions. (1:05)
'I’ve never done anything in a straight line': Taking risks and finding success. (7:50)
'Fail up': Using the lessons learned from failure to take more risks. (12:48)
How Marcy deals with always having been ‘the underdog’ — and why she mentors other women. (16:11)
Being 'immersed in the actual event of learning' — and how failure builds maturity. (19:26)
Why understanding a company's products, customers, and market dynamics is key to establishing successful sales motions. (23:19)
Collaboration and chemistry: The characteristics that Marcy looks for in companies she's looking to join. (28:20)
Belief, commitment and support: What it takes to work at a company where 'there's a puzzle to fix.' (30:27)
Why Marcy goes on 'a big listening tour' to understand all aspects of a company when she first joins. (34:30)
The value of curiosity and intelligence in a sales rep — and the qualities Marcy evaluates in sales candidates for during job interviews. (37:15)
How Marcy defines grit. (43:59)

Connect with Marcy

LinkedIn
Email: marcycampbell@paypal.com

Connect with Joubin

Twitter
LinkedIn
Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Gong, Ryan Longfield: Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable: Redefining Failure May 03, 2021

In 2008, when Ryan Longfield took a contracted account executive position at LinkedIn without any prior sales experience, he knew he had to be “all-in.”

“‘I’ll sleep under my desk if I have to,’” Ryan remembers telling a recruiter who asked if he was worried he won’t be able to hit $50,000 in sales in only three months.

Now, after an almost 10-year run at LinkedIn where he worked in five different sales positions, Ryan serves as Chief Revenue Officer of Gong, a revenue intelligence platform for B2B sales teams. On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Ryan have a wide-ranging discussion about the importance of pushing boundaries as well as failure.

In this episode, we cover:

'I was all-in': Ryan's experience as a contracted account executive at LinkedIn in 2008 having never previously done sales — and what motivates him. (2:52)
The importance of setting boundaries and creating a healthy work-life balance. (9:46)
Why Ryan believes that 'constantly remaining uncomfortable’ is key to career acceleration. (17:10)
Learning from the process that led to failure versus focusing solely on the failure itself. (20:43)
Imposter syndrome, insecurity, and the benefits of having diversity of perspective. (27:16)
Why Ryan believes that quotas should "represent a minimum bar for effectiveness" in sales roles. (37:03)
How Ryan's current company, Gong, gives leaders insight into the sales conversations reps have with buyers. (39:17)
Coachability; previous history of success; intelligence and business acumen; grit; and curiosity: Attributes of a great sales rep. (48:01)
How Ryan defines grit. (51:35)

Guest: Ryan Longfield, Chief Revenue Officer of Gong

Links:

Connect with Ryan Longfield
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CEO Cassidy Ventures, Brendon Cassidy: LinkedIn, Echosign + Talkdesk: Building Successful Startup Sales Teams Apr 26, 2021

When it comes to building startups from the ground-up, Brendon Cassidy knows it all: Having held some of the first sales leadership roles at LinkedIn, Echosign, and Talkdesk, Brendon helped position each company for success.

Now, Brendon consults startups on go-to-market operations as founder of his own consulting firm, Cassidy Ventures.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Brendon talk about what Brendon learned throughout his impressive career working at successful startups, as well as what Brendon looks for in new sales hires when building a team.

In this episode, we cover:

How Brendon became one of the first 20 employees at LinkedIn during the company's early days — and how he helped LinkedIn monetize its recruiting services. (3:17)
The sales leadership lessons Brendon learned at LinkedIn and his departure from the company in 2008. (10:29)
'I'm betting on me': How Brendon became VP of Sales at Echosign as one of the company's first employees after working at LinkedIn. (15:34)
Startup number three: How Brendon helped build Talkdesk's sales operation as the company's first United States employee after working at Echosign. (20:26)
Why Brendon looked for drive and commitment in new sales hires when building a team at Talkdesk. (23:58)
'Don’t quit; don’t give up; be solution-oriented': Dealing with failure and hardship in business. (26:31)
Hiring a VP of Sales: Brendon's take on stretch VPs and why "a diverse search" is key to the right hire. (38:58)
How Brendon defines grit. (49:00)

Links:

Connect with Brendon Cassidy
- LinkedIn
- Email: brendon@cosell.io
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Box, Mark Wayland: Forging Positive Sales Cultures Apr 19, 2021

As Chief Revenue Officer of cloud content management and file sharing company Box, Mark Wayland and his team have taken on a “land, adopt, and expand” business model to attract new buyers across various industries and locations.

This strategy seems to be paying off — according to Box, 68% of the Fortune 500 currently use the SaaS company’s products.

On today’s episode of Go To Market Grit, Joubin and Mark talk more about Box’s go-to-market strategy, as well as the importance of learning from failure.

In this episode, we cover:

The importance for a sales leader to hone sales operation and strategy skills. (3:01)
How sales has changed as technology evolves. (9:37)
How Box is changing how people work through cloud content management — and why sales leaders should focus on forging a positive workplace culture. (18:25)
Selling across segments: Box's go-to-market strategy. (24:29)
Why Box aspires to be a ‘trusted advisor’ to enterprise businesses. (27:16)
How remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for Mark to make personal connections with his sales team. (31:27)
'You have to fail a lot in order to succeed': How Mark defines grit. (33:58)
'Land, adopt, and expand': Box's future plans for growth. (43:03)

Links:

Connect with Mark Wayland
- LinkedIn
- Box’s website
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

VP Sales Impossible Foods, Dana Worth: From Gourmet to Fast-Food: How He Built Impossible Foods’ Go-To-Market Apr 12, 2021

Impossible Foods has a mission to eliminate the use of animals in the food system by 2035. With the growing success of the company’s plant-based meat products, such as the Impossible Burger, this vision is becoming reality.

Feeling as though the company was “aligned with my own personal mission,” Dana Worth, former VP of Sales at Impossible Foods, joined the company in 2015 before it brought any of its plant-based meat products to market. Now, Dana has moved on from Impossible Foods, taking a position as SVP, Commercial at Plenty.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Dana talk about how Impossible Foods’ go-to-market strategy changed as the company grew, as well as the company’s history.

In this episode, we cover:

'What makes meat, meat?': Why Impossible Foods is working towards eliminating the use of animals in the food system by 2035. (3:28)
The factors behind Dana's decision to join Impossible Foods in 2015. (9:22)
Partnerships with high-credibility and meat-forward chefs: Impossible Foods' early go-to-market strategy. (13:11)
‘True believers’: The benefits of having a unifying mission as a company. (23:13)
How Impossible Foods analyzed its organizational structure as its products became more commercially successful. (28:32)
The supply and demand challenges Impossible Foods faced when the Impossible Burger 2.0 became a massive success in 2019. (31:28)
Impossible Foods’ current strategy for selling its product direct-to-consumer — and why its main competition isn’t other plant-based meat companies. (39:18)
How Dana defines grit. (45:33)

Links:

Connect with Dana Worth
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Cloudflare, Chris Merritt: Creating an Authentic Content-driven Strategy Apr 05, 2021

Just take it from website security industry executive Chris Merritt — the internet was not designed with security and performance in mind.

As President of Field Operations and CRO of Cloudlflare, Chris and his company are dedicated to fixing this problem by protecting websites for a more secure and reliable internet.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Chris discuss how Cloudflare’s go-to-market strategy has evolved, as well as how Cloudflare helps prevent bad actors from conducting internet attacks.

In this episode, we cover:

How Chris' current company, Cloudflare, is creating a more secure and reliable internet network. (3:44)
Chris' experience working at Cloudflare during the company's early stages. (8:23)
The evolution of Cloudflare’s go to market strategy. (13:18)
Content-driven strategy: How Cloudflare uses an engineering blog to help enable its freemium model. (17:54)
Stopping DDoS attacks: How an increase in security awareness among the general public benefited Cloudflare. (25:03)
‘A community watch’: Why Cloudflare’s large and diverse user base enables a better and more competitive product. (31:17)
Change management: The incremental and careful process of bringing Cloudflare up-market. (36:37)
The qualities Chris looks for in new hires. (44:23)
How Chris defines grit. (50:10)

Links:

Connect with Chris Merritt
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP Salesforce, Mike Wolff: Tips for Becoming a More Effective Sales Leader Mar 29, 2021

After 18+ years working in multiple high-level sales positions at Salesforce, Mike Wolff knows what makes a good leader.

On this week’s episode of Go To Market Grit, Mike and Joubin talk about the leadership lessons Mike learned as he rose through the ranks at Salesforce from a sales development rep to the company’s Senior Vice President of Global ISV Partners.

In this episode, we cover:

How Mike landed a job as a sales development rep at Salesforce during the company's early stages in 2002. (1:13)
The factors that led to Salesforce’s rapid growth in the early 2000s. (9:02)
The interview methods Mike uses when hiring salespeople. (16:19)
How Mike ended up in sales leadership after working as an individual contributor. (19:39)
The importance for a business to be constantly adapting. (22:40)
How dealing with difficult personal experiences can make you a better and more resilient person. (26:00)
The importance of having clear values as a business and an individual. (30:33)
Authenticity, transparency and communication: The leadership values Mike tries to embody. (34:44)
'Your team is always watching you': Why leaders need to stay even-keeled and focused. (41:01)
Why Mike conducts a 'chronological interview' when hiring salespeople. (43:32)
How Mike defines grit. (49:02)

Links:

Connect with Mike
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CSO Relativity, Peter Kim: The Values of a People-Centric Leader Mar 22, 2021

Leadership is in Peter Kim’s DNA. Since he got his first management job running a Subway on the weekends when he was 14-years-old, Peter has built successful sales teams at companies such as LinkedIn and Advent Software.

Now, Peter works as Senior Vice President of Sales at Relativity, a company that is transforming the legal discovery process by streamlining the collection, processing and review of legal evidence.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Peter talk about methods for evaluating new talent, as well as the values of a “people-centric” leader.

In this episode, we cover:

What Peter's nine-month stint at ride-sharing company Scoop Technologies taught him about the importance for sales leaders to have 'personal passion.' (7:02)
Peter's experience working as a sales leader at LinkedIn during the company's early stages. (11:50)
The Skill vs. Potential Scale: How Peter evaluates new talent when building a team. (16:52)
'The experiential game film': Why Peter looks at a person's past experiences with adversity to gauge potential. (23:46)
How Peter's current company, Relativity, is streamlining the collection, processing and review of legal evidence. (26:37)
Methods for building a productive and people-centric sales culture as a leader. (32:07)
The importance for leaders to establish 'first principles' before making decisions. (37:57)
Embracing vulnerability to become a more authentic leader. (43:15)
How Peter defines grit. (47:32)

Links:

Connect with Peter Kim
- LinkedIn
- Email: peter.kim@relativity.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO PagerDuty, Dave Justice: The Principles of Successful Crisis Leadership Mar 15, 2021

Dave Justice knows a lot about crisis leadership. Over his almost 21 years in sales, he’s successfully navigated through the dotcom and housing bubble crashes — and now, the COVID-19 pandemic.

After 18 consecutive years working in various sales roles at Cisco, Dave became Executive Vice President of North America Enterprise Sales at Salesforce before transitioning in 2020 to his current role as Chief Revenue Officer at PagerDuty, a company that produces an incident response platform for IT departments.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Dave talk about the leadership lessons Dave learned while working through crises, the opportunities and challenges for PagerDuty’s go-to-market operation, and how to successfully transition into a company as a new leader.

In this episode, we cover:

Dave's sales career before joining PagerDuty.(3:27)
'The platform for real-time work': What is PagerDuty?(12:09)
Market opportunity and happy customers: Why Dave left Salesforce for PagerDuty. (14:44)
The importance for leaders to rally an organization around a shared vision. (18:36)
Go-to-market challenges: Learning how to articulate a product's business value to the customer. (22:17)
Go-to-market opportunities: The 'virality' of PagerDuty's business model. (28:00)
The value of listening to employees and customers before making decisions as a new leader in a company. (34:05)
Why Dave believes leaders must own their own personal development and career. (37:28)
Communication and empathy: How to successfully lead through a crisis. (40:05)
How Dave defines grit. (48:45)

Links:

Connect with Dave Justice
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Amplitude, Matt Heinz: Exploring The Mindset of a Successful Sales Leader Mar 08, 2021

When Matt Heinz took a quota-carrying sales job in 2011 after having worked in sales leadership, he knew that “it was a step back, from the way that you look at it on a piece of paper.”

But in the end, Matt saw success as he helped turn a company doing $11 million a year in revenue to one that sold for over $5 billion. Now, Matt serves as the Chief Revenue officer of Amplitude, a leading company in product analytics.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Matt discuss the many leadership lessons Matt learned throughout his career, go-to-market strategies and what a successful relationship between a sales engineer and a sales rep looks like.

Links:

Connect with Matt Heinz
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP Global Strategic Services at UiPath, Jay Snyder: Driving Customer Engagement Through Value-Based Selling Mar 01, 2021

If a customer doesn’t understand how a product will provide a positive impact to their business, will they buy it? It may seem like a simple question — but for Jay Snyder, identifying and communicating such areas of value to customers is a crucial aspect of keeping a business growing.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Jay and Joubin discuss ways to build respect as a new leader, how to effectively communicate a product’s value to a customer, and why simplifying a business is crucial to successfully scaling it.

Links:

Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Clari, Kevin Knieriem: Exploring the Benefits of Data-Driven Sales Feb 22, 2021

No matter how advanced sales technology gets, it’s still imperative for Kevin Knieriem to listen to his gut intuition when it comes to making business choices. And for good reason — his “Spidey senses,” as he jokingly calls them, are always accurate.

But that doesn’t mean that artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics can’t help him and his team make better decisions. In fact, as Chief Revenue Officer of Clari, a company that makes software to help businesses visualize revenue operations, Kevin’s seen firsthand how getting a handle on data can make an organization thrive.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Kevin talk about the various ways data analytics has changed sales as well as what Kevin looks for in new sales hires.

Links:

Connect with Kevin Knieriem
- Email: kevink@clari.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO ServiceTitan, Ross Biestman: ‘Team Before Self’: Motivating High-Performing Salespeople Feb 15, 2021

If you ask Ross Biestman about the highest-performing environment he’s ever been a part of, you might be surprised to hear nothing of his time as an investment banking analyst or as a salesperson at Adobe.

Instead, Ross points to his time on the University of California, Berkeley rugby team — an organization that he says instilled team values that he still brings to every company he works with. In addition to his position as Chief Revenue Officer of ServiceTitan, Ross currently serves as the CRO Executive in Residence at Bessemer Venture Partners.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Ross talk about how to motivate sales teams and increase their overall performance, the shared characteristics of high-performing people and how ServiceTitan is pushing full steam ahead on its go-to-market strategy.

Links:

Connect with Ross Biestman
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
ServiceTitan: https://www.servicetitan.com/
ServiceTitan Careers: https://www.servicetitan.com/careers

CRO Snowflake, Chris Degnan: Building Snowflake’s Successful Sales Organization from the Ground Up Feb 08, 2021

Cloud-based data storage company Snowflake made headlines this past September when it underwent the highest-valued software IPO in stock market history. For the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, Chris Degnan, this blockbuster success was many years in the making.

Having joined Snowflake in 2013 while the company was still in its early stages, Chris led the effort to build the business’ sales organization. Now, as CRO, Chris remains an integral force of Snowflake’s continued growth.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Chris discuss what it was like to work at Snowflake in its early stages, how Chris built Snowflake’s sales organization from the ground up, and how the fear of failure can be an effective motivator.

Links:

Connect with Chris Degnan
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Flexport, Will Urban: Streamlining Global Trade With Revolutionary Technology Feb 01, 2021

Global trade is as complex as it is essential to worldwide economic stability. From organizing freight shipped through the air or over oceans, to customs and other governmental red tape, there’s a lot for businesses to worry about when it comes to world commerce.

Just take it from Will Urban, Chief Revenue Officer of the freight forwarding company Flexport — a business creating cutting-edge technology that has changed the way organizations visualize their supply chain by digitizing data to drive greater efficiency and profit.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Will talk about how Flexport is disrupting the freight forwarding industry, what the company’s go-to-market engine looks like, and why Will believes relationship building is important for salespeople.

In this episode, we cover:

The ways freight forwarding and logistics companies manage world commerce, why global trade is so complex, and how Will began working in the industry. (2:28)
What Will learned from taking a sabbatical from work — and how his time off led to his current job as Chief Revenue Officer of Flexport. (11:32)
How Flexport is streamlining global trade with technology that makes it easier for customers to see and interact with freight data from across the world. (20:00)
Will’s go-to-market strategy for Flexport and why he thinks sales in the shipping and freight forwarding industry is unique to other fields. (31:05)
Why domain expertise matters for shipping and freight forwarding industry salespeople. (34:43)
The benefits that Will and Joubin see to building long-term relationships with customers. (39:04)
How Will defines grit. (49:36)

Links:

Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
Flexport
Connect with Will
- LinkedIn

Founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, Qasar Younis: Creating Customer-Oriented Company Cultures Jan 25, 2021

When it comes to building a company from the ground up, Qasar Younis has done it all.

A mechanical engineer by trade and entrepreneur at heart, Qasar transitioned from working on cars to building startups, eventually selling his second business venture TalkBin to Google in 2011. Qasar has also helped fund and advise early-stage companies as a partner at Y Combinator. Now, Qasar is the founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, a company valued at $1.25 billion that develops simulation software that engineers use to create self-driving systems.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Qasar discuss what patterns Qasar has noticed about go-to-market strategies while working in startups and how he’s built two massively successful businesses.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Qasar decided to enroll in Harvard Business School after working as a mechanical engineer. (4:20)
How one of Qasar’s early startups, Camessa, failed — and what Qasar learned from this failure. (8:50)
What Y Combinator does and how it has grown in scale. (11:11)
How Qasar and others analyzed the retail market and the emergence of new technology to come up with the idea for TalkBin. (12:15)
How Qasar’s “boots-on-the-ground” sales experience helps create a more balanced environment at Applied Intuition and how he learned about developing early sales motions while working at Y Combinator. (15:39)
Qasar’s take on why centering a company around the customer can dismantle engineering-oriented cultures and unite a business around a common goal. (18:58)
The divide between engineers and business people and why leaders need to have a diversity of skills. (21:40)
‘Market risk’: Why cultivating a deep understanding of the market and its demands can make or break a business. (24:43)
Reasons why some businesses fail to listen to its customers. (30:53)
What Qasar’s current business, Applied Intuition, does. (32:15)
The present and future of autonomous cars. (34:21)
How Applied Intuition penetrated the autonomous car market by creating software that manufacturers want. (37:50)
Why Applied Intuition doesn’t only focus on selling to car manufacturers — and how its technology can save a business money. (45:24)
Qasar’s thoughts on how long it will take for autonomous driving features to come standard in cars. (47:52)
The cultural challenges of taking a company international and the importance of focusing on hiring the right people who can carry company values. (49:10)
How Qasar defines grit. (53:22)

Board Director at Fastly, Kelly Wright: How She Went from Selling Door to Door to Board Director Jan 11, 2021

Kelly Wright has had a remarkable career in sales, from her early days selling books door to door to joining Tableau as a developing startup and helping them grow into a multi-billion dollar company as a key member of their executive team. Today, she is board director at Fastly, a leading cloud services provider.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Kelly discuss Kelly’s incredible career path, including her decision to attend business school, how she landed at Tableau, and how she secured a position as board director.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Kelly’s thoughts on Tableau’s high profile acquisition by Salesforce.
Kelly’s career journey, and how she ended up at Tableau as EVP of sales. Kelly also talks about her early experiences selling books door to door, and how she built up grit and resilience.
Why Kelly went to business school, even though her calling was in sales.
What Kelly saw in Tableau, and why she decided to take a leap of faith and join the company.
How Kelly measured herself, as the first account executive at a developing startup without a formal tracking system in place.
How Kelly dealt with change management during her early days at Tableau.
The concept of hiring for culture fit, and why Kelly prioritizes this when searching for new team members. Kelly also talks about how interviewing quickly at scale, and how she determines whether interviewees have the potential to be successful.
Kelly’s advice on how to get on a company board.
Kelly’s definition of grit.

Links:

Connect with Kelly Wright
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Auth0, Dave Wilner: Discussing Growth and Leadership Dec 28, 2020

Dave Wilner joined Auth0 in November of 2014, and has played an instrumental role in growing the company to $1 billion in valuation.

In this episode of Go to Market, Joubin and Dave discuss Dave’s unique career journey, including his background as a former lawyer. They also discuss the pressures and expectations of succeeding in a high profile sales role and how Dave has managed to be so successful.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

How and why Dave made the transition from law partner to sales rep at an eight person startup.
Why top sales performers tend to have a broad range of experiences, and how it’s helped Dave succeed.
The role that perspective plays in driving sales.
The importance of picking the right companies to acquire — and what Dave tends to look for during the vetting process.
Dave’s strategy for vetting private companies when he has limited data available.
How Dave has thrived in his role, despite the fact that most first time sales leaders don’t last very long. Dave opens up about how he’s working to buck the trend.
The evolution of sales, marketing and the customer experience — and why they’re starting to blend together.
How Dave defines grit.

Links:

Connect with Dave Wilner
- LinkedIn
- Email: first.last@auth0.com
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Atlassian, Cameron Deatsch: Exploring Atlassian’s Unorthodox Strategy Dec 14, 2020

Atlassian is one of the most unorthodox technology companies in the world. Almost everything the company does is completely different than what you would expect. And yet, the organization has been massively successful and efficient in achieving growth.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Cameron discuss how Cameron built a $44 billion business without a sales team, and some of the company’s key growth levers.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Cameron’s role as CRO of Atlassian, and what he does on a daily basis.
Some of the factors that make Atlassian unique. For example, the company spends more on R&D than sales and marketing.
Why price transparency plays a key role in Atlassian
The various positions that Greg has held at Atlassian, and how they influence his current role as CRO.
The difference between customer advocacy and sales at Atlassian.
How Atlassian defines success across various roles.
Why Atlassian has one of the most efficient go to market strategies in the history of go to market enterprise software.
Atlassian’s workflow, and how the company drives customers forward.
Cameron’s thoughts on product-led growth models, and why it works for Atlassian.
Atlassian’s strategic approach to managing around target numbers — and why the company is firm about not giving discounts to drive deals.
How geographic location tends to impact software purchasing.
How Atlassian manages to navigate and manage risk, and operate with a very unorthodox business model — and how their leadership helps ensure success. Cameron also talks about how the company maintains this model as a publicly traded organization.
Atlassian’s primary growth levers — and why there will most likely never be another Atlassian.
Some key failures that Cameron and his team have worked through — including how they turned a massive failure into one of their biggest successes.
The ethos that exists in Silicon Valley around building products from within, and how Atlassian has bucked that trend through M&A.
The characteristics that have made Cameron so successful.
How Cameron defines grit.

Links:

Connect with Cameron Deatsch
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Twilio, Marc Boroditsky: A Behind the Scenes Look at Twilio’s Go to Market Strategy Nov 30, 2020

Marc Boroditisky brings a unique perspective to the table as CRO of Twilio, as a founder and builder who has led several companies.

In this episode of Go to Market, Joubin and Marc discuss his unique background and journey that led him to Twilio, and how his experience and passions — like his love of startups and discovering product-market fit — have shaped his revenue leadership strategy. Joubin and Marc also discuss Twilio’s go to market motion, and their approach to customer service.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Marc’s winding career path, which has largely centered around authentication and identity/ access — and how that helped him land at Twilio.
Marc’s pay it forward mindset in business, and why he likes to give back and help other organizations grow. Marc also explains why he loves working with smaller companies.
Marc’s thoughts on Oracle’s acquisition of PassLogix, and why the experience was a positive one for him.
Marc’s 15 year run at PassLogix, and what it was like running a company independently for that long — including how they made it through the .com bubble burst, the mortgage meltdown, and intense contraction.
A key lesson that Marc and his team at PassLogix learned during the mortgage crisis, which was discovering the place that they filled in the market. Marc explains how this lesson has shaped his outlook on business today.
The key factors that led Twilio to buy Authy.
What Twilio does, and some common use cases.
The functions that roll up to Marc as CRO of Twilio.
What it’s like going to market with a product like Twilio, that’s relatively simple and lacks an extreme focus.
The strategy of having specialization across different product lines. Marc explains how Twilio uses specialization.
How Marc enabled Twilio to sell to large enterprise accounts.
The biggest challenge that Marc has faced since joining Twilio four years ago.
Why Twilio prioritizes hiring the best and brightest talent in the industry. Marc also talks about why the company is looking for people with grit, how he defines grit, and why grit is necessary for building a strong customer-centric culture.

Links:

Connect with Marc Boroditsky
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP and Head of Sales at AppsFlyer, Mar Brandt: Leadership Insights Nov 16, 2020

Mar Brandt is a sales veteran and ad tech expert who has spent time at leading organizations including Experian, Sitecore, and most recently AppsFlyer. Mar is also a founding member and senior executive sponsor of Leadership Connections Women, an Experian Women's Network group.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Mar discuss Mar’s sales evolution as a sales leader. They also explore what it's like to be a woman in sales and what it takes to be a leader in a competitive environment.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Mar’s decision to leave Sitecore for AppsFlyer, a company that’s now valued at $1.6 billion.
AppsFlyer’s value proposition, and why customers use the company.
Why Mar chose to make the leap into sales leadership.
Mar’s perspective on Apple’s new identifier for advertisers (IDFA) update in iOS 14, and what’s next. Mar also explains how the new rule will impact consumers.
Why mobile advertising spend is skyrocketing right now.
Mar’s dedication to building leadership groups for women and empowering women in the workplace.
The motivational concept of “making failure your fuel.” Mar also talks about why she gives her team permission to fail.
The idea of leading from the bench, and being a supportive team player.
Championing each other.
Demanding the ball.
Mar’s definition of grit, and how her teams apply it.

Links:

Connect with Mar
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

COO of LinkedIn, Dan Shapero: Discussing Go to Market Leadership Nov 02, 2020

Imagine taking a company like LinkedIn to a billion dollars in sales in just a few years, only to leave at the top of your game to rebuild your career and pursue a different path in product.

That’s exactly what Dan Shapero did — and in this episode of Go to Market Grit, he explains his perspective, along with some can’t-miss insight on business and leadership.Joubin and Dan discuss two key topics including the future of sales leadership and go to market leadership.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Dan’s career journey from his undergrad at Johns Hopkins University to chief business officer of LinkedIn. Dan also talks about his early difficult experiences working for startups, and the lessons that he learned.
How Dan landed a dream job working for LinkedIn, and took the company to $1 billion in revenue in roughly four years.
The defining moment that led Dan to change his career path and go into product development.
What it takes to be an effective salesperson, and an effective sales leader.
Why the role of a salesperson is increasingly becoming a problem solver in partnership with the customer to help them move forward.
New dynamics that are occurring in sales today.
How selling is becoming more of a team sport than it was in the past.
The three pillars that sales leaders should always think about.
The number one skill that a leader should have, according to Dan.
Why an effective organization carries a lot of traits of its leader.
The concept of living life as a victim, versus living life as an active player — and why Dan chooses to live life in the player state.

Links:

Connect with Dan
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

B2B General Manager of Calm, Jim Herbold: Describing ‘Unicorn Meat’ Oct 19, 2020

Jim Herbold played an instrumental role in scaling Box, growing the company from $600k to $200m over the course of seven years — only to pivot and leave the company a year before their IPO.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Jim discuss Jim’s background and role at Box, his new position at mental fitness app Calm, and the real meaning of “unicorn meat.”

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Why Jim prefers hyper collaboration over autonomy when building companies.
Box’s unique market position, which allowed the company to skyrocket their sales without much competition.
The true meaning of the acronym OFB — something all growing businesses should take to heart.
Jim’s reasoning for taking Box from $600k to $200m of ARR, and leaving one year before their IPO. Jim also explains how he lasted so long at Box.
Why it’s important to hire a great team, built with people who are more talented than you.
Why egoless leadership is next to impossible, but reducing the amount of ego that you bring to the table is attainable.
The meaning of “unicorn meat” — including customer inputs, self disruption, dirty fingernails, small doses of structure, cultural cohesion, BHAGs, testing, a Goliath opponent, banter, only A-plus lieutenants, and KPIs.
The idea that there’s often more to learn in your losses than your wins in the early days of company building.
Jim’s philosophy that if you’re doing things in six months like you’re doing them today, you’re doomed for failure.
Jim’s current rolle at meditation app Calm, and how he is working to take the company from a B2C product to B2B.

Links:

Connect with Jim on LinkedIn
Follow Jim on Twitter @jimherbold
Ever Tasted Grilled Unicorn? Lessons Forged In Hyper-Growth Fires
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

VP and GM at Shopify, Loren Padelford: Breaking the Rules in Sales Oct 05, 2020

Sales is full of doctrines, or commonly shared beliefs, that are repeated over and over again, often without question — from hiring to business development. And blindly following can inhibit growth and lead to missed opportunities.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Shopify VP and GM Loren Padelford points out some of these doctrines and explains why he recommends avoiding them. Loren also sheds some light on Shopify’s unique approach to sourcing talent and driving sales.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Shopify’s rapid ascent to a $120 billion organization. Loren also provides an overview of Shopify.
What contributed to Shopify’s growth.
Why sales is science, not magic — and why the best salespeople are always math junkies and hard workers.
The idea that someone’s past sales performance may not guarantee future success, or justify their hiring. Joubin and Loren debate the idea.
Why companies shouldn’t necessarily go where there are a lot of salespeople. Loren also explains the belief that it doesn’t make sense to hire salespeople.
The five behaviors that determine whether someone will be successful, and why companies should look for these traits when filling sales positions.
Common doctrines that exist in sales. For example, Loren explains the doctrine of getting customers to say yes — and why he disagrees with that approach.

Links

Follow Loren on Twitter
Connect with Loren on LinkedIn
Shopify
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

SVP Sales Modern Health, Hannah Willson: Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health in Sales Sep 21, 2020

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Modern Health VP of Sales Hannah Willson explains how Modern Health is working to normalize and de-stigmatize cognitive wellbeing health in the workplace.

According to the CDC, depression interferes with a person’s ability to complete physical job tasks about 20 percent of the time, and reduces cognitive performance about 35 percent of the time. What’s more, only 57 percent of employees who report moderate depression, while 40 percent of those who report severe depression receive treatment to control their symptoms.

Of course, depression is just one type of mental obstacle that workers struggle with on a daily basis. Anxiety, chronic stress, substance abuse, and family issues are all common as well. Up until recently, the topic of mental health has been somewhat of a taboo in the workplace. Yet, this is starting to change thanks to the work of Modern Health, which offers an innovative mental well-being platform for workers. Thanks to Modern Health, companies now have a framework for guiding employees through their personal challenges.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Modern Health’s mission to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health.
Why there is still a stigma about mental health in sales, due to a lack of resources and understanding — and how Modern Health is working to change it.
How addressing and prioritizing mental health can lead to direct productivity gains, and lower turnover.
Viewing sales as a marathon and not a sprint, and why it’s important to have mental resilience and stamina. Hannah also talks about remembering to monitor your mental health during busy and challenging times.
The challenges and rewards of selling for a startup versus selling for an established enterprise, and why thriving in a startup role requires having a different mindset and approach.
Taking time to prioritize the foundational aspects of mental health, like getting enough sleep and exercising.
Advice for maintaining mental stability and balance during especially stressful times, such as the end of quarter sales crunch.
The power of gratitude, even during challenging times, and how it can be energizing.
Why it’s better to achieve work-life harmony, instead of work-life balance. Hannah also explains her perspective on balance, and adapting to remote work.
The process of talking about work with family members, and why it can be both healthy and rewarding. Hannah also talks about the pressure and demands that come with being a female sales leader, and how she has adapted.

Links:

Modern Health
Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Chief Sales Officer at Brex, Sam Blond: Recruiting Talent Sep 08, 2020

If there’s one person who knows a thing or two about sales growth, it’s Brex Chief Sales Officer Sam Blond, who has been a part of some legendary sales runs during his career. Sam joined Zenefits in 2013, and helped transform the company into the fastest SaaS business of all time. Then, he left and joined Brex, and was part of a team that scaled from 46 to 455 employees in just two years.

Was it luck that led Sam to these companies, or is Sam naturally gifted in discovering opportunities? In this episode, Sam explains his approach to sales and growth, while also explaining how to scale effectively from the inside.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Sorting through the noise, and recognizing greatness when interviewing.
Sam’s advice for advancing and bettering yourself at a company, and capitalizing on luck when it happens.
Sam’s thoughts on determining good reps versus good leaders.
How companies like Brex are using the pandemic to refocus and rebuild, while planning to scale again in 2021.
The importance of trying to hire the best possible people for sales roles.
Sam’s thoughts on why he is a strong recruiter, and why he has been so successful in building high performance sales teams.
The strategy of using above market compensation to attract and retain top talent.
Sam’s philosophy on quota, and why he likes 70 percent of his team to be over 100 percent of quota.
Creating a winning sales culture, and why it’s one of the most important things to strive for.
The challenge of scaling a sales team without chopping up territories or lowering quotas, and how businesses can avoid this pitfall.
Why company leaders need to temper growth expectations.
How Sam goes about setting future growth targets.
Earning respect through performance and taking on leadership roles.
Why it’s everyone’s job to recruit. Sam talks about the strategy of using internal recruiting, and only bringing aboard new team members who can be vouched for — and why this helps mitigate risk.

Links

Connect with Sam
- Linkedin
- Twitter
Brex
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Cockroach Labs, Jeff Miller: Building an Effective Open Source Go to Market Strategy Aug 24, 2020

In a study from Red Hat, 95 percent of respondents said open source was strategically important to their organization, while 77 percent agreed that open source will continue to grow. Yet, that doesn’t guarantee an easy sell. Selling open source software at the enterprise level requires an entirely different strategy than traditional software. For insight, we turned to open source sales expert Jeff Miller.

Joubin and Jeff discuss two topics, including Jeff’s career journey, and how open source sales teams can build and execute effective go to market strategies.

This conversation covers:

Jeff’s early experiences in sales, where he cut his teeth selling long distance service door to door — learning how to handle rejection and building an aggressive work ethic.
How Jeff made the leap into software sales, where he learned the meaning of software and how to approach customers and sell them solutions that help solve problems. Jeff also explains what motivated him to move into enterprise software.
The value of having a strong mentor, and how it can open doors to greater opportunities.
The key difference between open source and open core computing, and how it changes the sales process.
The challenge of building an open source go to market strategy, when there is virtually no control over the sales cycle.
Why open source software requires a tight marriage between marketing and sales.
The critical role that education and documentation play in the sales process, in addition to having an inside SDR/ LDR team to work with the customer, identify new use cases, and guide the customer in their journey.
How good, qualified leads can make all the difference, and make sales associates far more effective.
Viewing developers are influencers, not decision makers when making open source sales.
WhyJeff loves working with early stage startups, where you can make a huge impact fast without dealing with a lot of the red tape that comes with larger organizations.
Key metrics that Jeff looks for when qualifying early stage startup opportunities, where there is a lot of risk

Links

Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn
Cockroach Labs
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Host Twitter
- https://twitter.com/Joubinmir
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

VP Sales at Mixpanel, Meka Asonye: Exploring Analytics, High Velocity Sales, and Stigmas Aug 10, 2020

Topics:

Is there a stigma around intelligence in sales?
How to enable high velocity sales

Many organizations today are struggling to strike a balance between being data-driven and gut-driven. For pointers, we turned to Meka Asonye who has deployed data at the highest level in sports doing statistical analysis for the Cleveland Indians. Meka provides tips about using data to discover opportunities and gain a market advantage. Meka also talks about his transition into sales, touching on important issues related to the stigma of the profession (and how that’s changing) and enabling high velocity growth.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Meka’s atypical career journey, including a four year run advising the GM of the Cleveland Indians on Major League roster and payroll allocation using statistical analysis.
The Indians’ strategy of trying to gather every data point possible when scouting, to gain an on-field advantage and assist with scouting.
Analyzing someone’s level of grit, or resilience, and whether that can be accomplished with data alone.
Striking a balance between being data-driven and being gut-driven.
Competitive balance, and learning how to operate in an imperfect or imbalanced system.
Meka’s slow but successful transition into technology sales — including why he made the jump into technology.
The stigma of sales, especially with smart individuals, and why it’s starting to change as the profession is getting more difficult and requiring more personalized experiences.
How the role of the modern sales leader has evolved over the last decade or so, as it now involves working with product, finance, customer service, and marketing teams.
Enabling a high velocity sales engine. According to Meka, the most important thing is to join a company with an amazing product, and a product-led growth strategy.
The role that people, processes, and tools play in enabling a high velocity sales engine.
Meka’s definition of high velocity sales, which is being able to close a significant number of deals in 30 days.

Links:

Connect with Meka on Linkedin
Mixpanel
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO CircleCI, Jane Kim: Leading with Vulnerability and Making Mistakes Jul 27, 2020

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, CircleCI CRO Jane Kim shares valuable insight about her experiences growing a global organization, and trying to build an effective team and strategy. Joubin and Jane discuss and debate two key topics, including leading with vulnerability, and five common mistakes that first time managers make.

“Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.” - Brene Brown

Leading with vulnerability, and doing it well, is arguably one of the most difficult things to do in business. Yet, mastering this strategy can be incredibly empowering both for yourself and your team, as it can build authenticity and trust.

One person who actively practices leading with vulnerability is Jane Kim, who has helped drive explosive global growth at CircleCI. Jane explains what it means to truly lead with vulnerability, while offering sage advice on building sales teams.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

How a company’s playbook can differ from region to region, and why it’s important to be open to new ideas when stepping into new markets.
How purchasing is flowing down, and leading to more technical buyers who are empowered to not only test products but also to recommend solutions to decision makers.
The importance of leading with vulnerability, and how it can create authenticity and trust with workers.
How being vulnerable can make you impenetrable to criticism. In other words, by being open about your strengths and weaknesses, you don’t have to be defensive about other people coming after your insecurities.
Why it’s important to be considerate about the type of information that you share when practicing vulnerability, as well as when you share it and how you share it.
A debate about the five mistakes that first time managers make, including micromanaging, hiring the wrong person, falling into the likability trap, giving bad advice to the team, and pursuing the wrong strategy. Jane also mentions leadership principles, including empowerment and accountability.
Why Jane prefers to fail fast, and to use failure as a learning opportunity.
Giving people the confidence to be themselves, while coaching them to be better.
Understanding that you will make mistakes in your management career, and thinking about how you will recover from them.

Links:

Connect with Jane on Linkedin
CircleCI
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO TripActions, Carlos Delatorre: The Science of Sales Jul 13, 2020

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, TripActions CRO and Silicon Valley sales legend Carlos Delatorre opens up about what it takes to build powerful and effective sales teams and strategies. Joubin and Carlos discuss two key topics, including the value of relationship building, and making your go-to-market strategy a competitive differentiator.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Carlos’s criteria when vetting new opportunities including the size of the market, whether the solution has genuine differentiation that delivers real value to customers, and the quality of the team.
How a healthy market and great sales execution can make up for a mediocre product.
Why people and execution are the most important aspects in sales, even more than product and market size.
The importance of relying on trusted experts when qualifying new technologies.
Analyzing differentiation at the architectural level versus the feature level.
An inside scoop on how TripActions has been dealing with the lack of travel during the pandemic, and why Carlos views the travel freeze as both a challenge and an opportunity.
Why Carlos places limited value on relationships when selling differentiated products — and why skilled and curious salespeople tend to be much more successful than people who rely on relationships. Carlos also discusses the value of internal relationships, and why working from home can be a challenge for productivity.
The impact that an optimized go-to-market strategy can have on sales, and the magic that can happen when a sales team is given a differentiated product that delivers real value, are expert at demand creation, and can convert demand into revenue.
Viewing the sales process as a science, as opposed to an art, and ensuring that the science is applied consistently — and why ideas should flow up and down between management and sales teams.
Carlos’s key go-to-market differentiators: Being able to recruit star talent, having a solid enablement program, and having a solid execution strategy.

Links:

Connect with Carlos on LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn
TripActions
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

CRO Obsidian Security, Bob Kruse: Building a Winning Sales Culture Jun 29, 2020

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, Obsidian Security CRO and sales veteran Bob Kruse shares his thoughts on culture, and how it impacts sales teams. Bob and Joubin discuss why having a strong culture is critical in sales, as well as the benefits of deploying a multifaceted channel program.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Why having a strong culture on your sales team can serve as a competitive advantage — and why it needs to be treated as a top-down initiative.
Why it’s important to prioritize transparency, integrity, trust, and authenticity in sales.
Viewing sales as a team sport — and why reps need to work together as a single unit.
How inclusivity, and bringing different types of employees into the sales process like engineers can be beneficial to the company and help to achieve common goals.
Tips for improving your odds of success when hiring, such as being completely comfortable with prospects and prioritizing referrals and recommendations.
Tips for keeping sales teams motivated, yet working hard and in touch with reality — and why complacency is death.
Bob’s thoughts on the channel — including how it’s changed due to SaaS, and how a multi-faceted channel program can help sales teams expand and grow, and open new doors.

Links

Connect with Bob on LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn
Obsidian Security
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

VP of Sales at Palo Alto Networks, Jeff StClair : Discovering, Recruiting, and Coaching Sales Talent Jun 22, 2020

In this episode, Jeff StClair, currently VP of Sales at Palo Alto Networks and most recently VP Sales at Evident.io shares his thoughts on how startups can more effectively discover, attract, and retain top talent, and in doing so take their organizations to new heights. We also dive deep into what makes a great sales rep.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Key qualities that Jeff looks for when recruiting sales associates.
Why hiring should be a group effort for startups, with team members agreeing on new reps before bringing them on board.
Considerations for hiring in a startup environment, versus an organization that’s growing at scale.
The importance of nurturing and developing talented sales associates, by giving them opportunities to continuously challenge themselves to work beyond their capacity.
Why top tier sales associates typically make poor managers and leaders -— and what it takes to thrive in a leadership role.
The difficulty — and importance — of building a competitive team that integrity and a strong culture.

Links

Connect with Jeff
- LinkedIn
Prisma Cloud
Palo Alto Networks
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Chief Sales and Success Officer at Slack, Bob Frati: Exploring Slack’s Key Growth Levers and Competition Jun 16, 2020

In Episode #1 of Go to Market Grit, Slack’s SVP of Sales and Customer Success, Bob Frati, gives the inside scoop about the company’s sales and go-to-market strategy, and why they have been able to scale their go to market so quickly and effectively over the last few years. Bob and Joubin discuss two key topics in detail, outlining the next four years for Slack and key growth levers they can pull, along with growing competition in Slack’s market and what that means for their future.

In this episode of Go to Market Grit, we cover:

Key growth levers for Slack, and why the company is positioned for continued market dominance.
Slack’s response to growing market competition, and why it’s ultimately better for the consumer and for the company.
How Slack identified a business need and strong product market fit, and then worked to expand the solution to a broader audience.
The importance of having a strong and developed customer-facing team to navigate complexities in large enterprises, and push business forward to completion.
How Slack grew its sales team from 300 to 2,000 people — quickly, and effectively.
Some of the factors that Slack looks for when hiring customer-facing sales staff, and why they value these characteristics.
Why hiring should be a mutual fit for both the candidate and the employer.
Identifying motivated individuals, and finding ways to tap into their motivation that will drive them to be successful.
Bob’s career journey from sales rep to manager — including why and how he executed the leap.
Why much of Slack’s success can be attributed to tight collaboration between its engineering, product, sales, and success teams.
Slack’s ability to not only deploy a solution in an organization, but to help manage through the change and ensure success — and why this is a game-changer.
Slack’s role in ushering a new way of working, and why it transcends the tired and overused digital transformation narrative in business.

Links

Host company: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/
Loom: https://www.loom.com/
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfrati/
Host Twitter: https://twitter.com/Joubinmir
Host Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com

Grit Trailer Apr 20, 2020

About the Joubin Mirzadegan

Joubin has been with Kleiner Perkins since 2019 where he advises the KP portfolio companies on how to build and scale a robust go-to-market strategy. Additionally, he enables the firm’s portfolio through high impact relationships with F500 executives and key ecosystem partners. Joubin was previously at Palo Alto Networks as a global district sales manager for the Central US based in Chicago where he scaled the Central Cloud business from 1 enterprise rep and $2M ARR to 12 reps and $50M+ ARR in 4 quarters. He has also worked for Evident.io as an enterprise account executive and at Bracket Computing (acquired by VMWare) where he built the inside sales team from the ground up.

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