Main Drumroll: We’re excited to welcome Jim Smittkamp as our Chief Income Officer as we embark on the following part of our development journey!
Jim joins us from Fivetran, one among our esteemed companions, the place he was their Chief Income Officer and notably helped scale the corporate’s ARR from $5 million to $250 million. His profound impression on Fivetran underscores his distinctive skill to drive substantial income development and foster essential strategic partnerships.
However that is not what makes Jim particular.
And on this weblog put up, we wish to share with you what makes it. As founders, this might need been probably the most troublesome searches we have ever undertaken. Once we started our seek for a Chief Income Officer, we had been properly conscious of the heavy weight of duty that got here with that position.
At Atlan, we have been extremely lucky to create a product that folks love (and need). We achieved practically 3x development in 2023, and ended the yr as one of many few corporations to speed up development regardless of a difficult macroeconomic local weather. Our aggressive win charge is 75%.a testomony to the worth of our productas three out of 4 knowledge leaders select Atlan over its rivals. To not point out, 85% of our clients strive Atlan earlier than buying.
Former ServiceNow Chief Income Officer Dave Schneider as soon as informed me:
When you’ve lightning in a bottle and buyer traction such as you do, it’s your responsibility to deliver your software program to each potential buyer, so that they make the suitable buying resolution.”
This recommendation crystallized the significance of discovering a pacesetter who might assist us fulfill our responsibility to knowledge groups around the globe.
“Responsibility” is an evocative phrase at Atlan, one we take with the utmost seriousness. In our seek for a Chief Income Officer, it was essential to discover a chief who not solely resonated but in addition preserved the distinctive DNA that defines Atlan. Beginning ourselves as a knowledge groupWe wrote a manifesto earlier than we even offered our first product. This manifesto wasn’t simply phrases: it was a dedication to be the form of companion we ourselves wanted throughout our early days as a knowledge group.
This dedication has formed each side of our operations: we stayed secret for for much longer than most corporations, till we had been certain we had the suitable product, one which drives real adoption throughout knowledge groups. We have now a bigger buyer expertise group than a gross sales group, which is nearly remarkable in SaaS corporations. We consider our work as Assist purchasers succeed with their programnot simply promote them software program, which led to the launch of Atlan College, Atlán Group and even management applications just like the DataOps Leaders program.
Our strategy to measuring success goes past typical metrics, and we monitor natural “moments of affection” on our #lovewall in Slack. And these core beliefs – do the suitable factor on your clients and they’re going to provide help to construct an awesome enterprise – are coming true.
Once we surveyed our clients final yr to seek out out what actually units us aside, the reply was unanimous and clear: “Associate, not provider.” Greater than 90% of our clients come to Atlan inbound (sure, they discover us and wish to purchase Atlan).
Not only a chief, however a tradition supervisor
All through our intensive search, I spoke personally with over 30 income leaders, every with spectacular expertise. Nonetheless, from our first dialog, Jim clearly stood out.
As a result of? As a result of Jim is greater than a gross sales chief; is an skilled enterprise chief and true enterprise builder. Sure, you belong to that elite group of income leaders who haven’t solely demonstrated world-class operational rigor, however have additionally led income organizations by means of varied go-to-market phases, from scaling groups within the early phases to main advanced partnership actions in mature corporations. as evidenced by his impactful tenures at Fivetran and Gigya (acquired by SAP), throughout quite a lot of enterprise fashions, from PLG to enterprise gross sales, and consumption-based pricing to SaaS subscriptions.
However what actually units Jim aside is his extraordinary emotional intelligence. It has cultivated a singular gross sales tradition that’s constructed on belief and empathy. Throughout our reference checks, the reward was overwhelming.
Have your management kind again.”
“I’d work for him once more in a heartbeat.”
This suggestions got here not solely from their direct studies, but in addition from account executives and first-line managers.
Moreover, Jim extends his affect past merely main income groups; he builds corporations. His direct studies shared insights into his management model, a testomony to his skill to foster belief and development inside their groups.
He assigns us studying assignments earlier than our exterior places of work.”
“Jim has a e-book suggestion for all the pieces.”
Most significantly, Jim espouses a first-principles strategy and is keen to alter his thoughts when he is incorrect. At Atlan, one among our core values is “Downside first, answer second.” This philosophy requires us to completely perceive challenges earlier than proposing options, leaving apart business norms and previous biases. This rigorous give attention to the issue can lead us to revise our product roadmap and even problem our clients’ views if they do not handle core issues successfully.
Simply final month, Bryan and Andrew from our group suggested a potential consumer, who had accomplished a proof of worth with us and was able to buy, to carry off on shopping for Atlan. They identified that the consumer's customers didn’t face important sufficient challenges to warrant our answer at the moment. The rapid consequence was a loss in income, however the long-term final result was much more priceless. This consumer now trusts us implicitly, realizing that our dedication is initially to their success, not simply to our backside line. And sometime, they'll develop into a life-long buyer.
We would have liked a pacesetter who would protect that tradition. Jim is exactly that chief.
The “aha second”
I nonetheless bear in mind the second when all the pieces clicked for me: that Jim was actually meant to be in Atlan. It was March 12, throughout a buyer dinner on the Gartner Summit, and it was something however regular. At one desk, a gaggle of information fans had been engaged in a full of life “knowledge battle,” laughing out loud as they debated the definition of “buyer.” In the midst of this, a CIO I had by no means met earlier than pulled me apart.
We typically keep away from occasions and dinners with suppliers, however for us you aren’t only a provider; You’re a companion. “Their group is phenomenal and we’ll go anyplace to help them.”
One other chief spoke to my co-founder, Varun, and me, expressing his concern:
I am actually paranoid that you will break this. What you might be constructing is actually particular. Don’t break it.”
As I seemed across the room, observing the passionate debates and sense of group amongst these leaders, I felt a deep sense of belonging. This “particular” factor we had constructed felt like house. At that second, I used to be certain that Jim would match completely into this picture.
Welcome house, Jim! Let’s construct the house that knowledge groups deserve.
