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 in all 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 affect at Fivetran underscores his distinctive functionality to drive substantial income development and foster important strategic partnerships.
However that’s not what makes Jim particular.
And on this weblog publish, we need to share with you what does. As founders, this may need been probably the most troublesome searches we’ve ever performed. Once we started our seek for a Chief Income Officer, we had been aware of the heavy weight of duty that got here with the position.
At Atlan, now we have been extremely lucky to construct a product that individuals love (and wish). We achieved practically 3X development in 2023, exiting the 12 months as one of many few corporations to speed up development regardless of a difficult macroeconomic local weather. Our aggressive win price stands at 75%—a testomony to our product’s worth, as three out of each 4 knowledge leaders select Atlan when in comparison with rivals. To not point out that, 85% of our clients strive Atlan earlier than they purchase.
The previous Chief Income Officer of ServiceNow, Dave Schneider, as soon as stated to me,
When you might have lightning in a bottle and buyer traction such as you do—it’s your responsibility to take your software program to each single potential potential buyer, in order that they make the proper shopping for resolution.”
This recommendation crystallized the significance of discovering a pacesetter who might assist us fulfill our responsibility to knowledge groups world wide.
“Obligation” is an evocative phrase at Atlan, one we maintain with the utmost seriousness. In our seek for a Chief Income Officer, it was essential to discover a chief who not solely resonated with however would additionally protect the distinctive DNA that defines Atlan. Beginning out as a knowledge group ourselves, we penned a manifesto even earlier than promoting our first product. This manifesto wasn’t simply phrases—it was a dedication to be the sort of accomplice we ourselves had wanted throughout our early days as a knowledge group.
This dedication has formed each side of our operations—we stayed in stealth for much longer than most corporations do, until we had been certain that we had the proper product — one which drives real adoption in knowledge groups. Now we have a bigger buyer expertise group than a gross sales group, which is just about extraordinary in SaaS corporations. We consider our job as serving to clients achieve success with their program, not simply promote them software program — resulting in the launch of Atlan College, Atlan Group and even management packages just like the DataOps Leaders program.
Our method to measuring success goes past standard metrics and we monitor natural “love moments” on our #wall-of-love on Slack. And these core beliefs: do what’s proper on your clients, and they’ll assist you to construct an amazing enterprise, are coming true.
Once we surveyed our clients final 12 months to find what actually units us aside, the response was unanimous and clear: “Companion, not vendor.” Over 90% of our clients come to Atlan inbound (sure, they discover us and need to purchase Atlan).
Not Only a Chief, however a Steward of Tradition
All through our intensive search, I personally spoke with over 30 income leaders, every with a powerful background. Nevertheless, from our very first dialog, Jim stood out distinctly.
Why? As a result of Jim is greater than a gross sales chief; he’s a seasoned enterprise chief and a real firm builder. Sure, he belongs to that elite cadre of income leaders who haven’t solely demonstrated world-class operational rigor but in addition led income organizations via varied go-to-market phases—from scaling groups in early phases to main complicated partnership motions in mature enterprises, as evidenced by his impactful tenures at Fivetran and Gigya (acquired by SAP) — throughout a wide range of enterprise fashions, from PLG to enterprise gross sales — and consumption primarily based pricing to SaaS subscriptions.
However what actually units Jim aside is his extraordinary emotional intelligence. He has cultivated a singular gross sales tradition that’s based on belief and empathy. Throughout our reference checks, the accolades had been overwhelming.
Have your again kind management.”
I’d go work for him once more in a heartbeat.”
This suggestions got here not simply from his direct experiences, but in addition from account executives and front-line managers.
Furthermore, Jim extends his affect past simply main income groups; he builds corporations. His direct experiences shared insights into his management fashion, a testomony to his potential to foster belief and development inside his groups
He offers us studying assignments earlier than our offsites.”
Jim has a e book advice for every little thing.”
And most significantly, Jim champions a first-principles method and he’s prepared to alter his thoughts when he’s improper. At Atlan, one in all our core values is “Downside first, answer second.” This philosophy compels us to completely perceive the challenges earlier than proposing options, setting apart business norms and previous biases. This rigorous give attention to the issue can lead us to overtake our product roadmap and even problem our clients’ views in the event that they aren’t addressing the core points successfully.
Simply final month, Bryan and Andrew from our group suggested a potential shopper, 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 shopper's customers didn’t face important sufficient challenges to warrant our answer at the moment. The instant consequence was a loss in income, however the long-term end result was way more precious. This shopper now trusts us implicitly, realizing that our dedication is before everything to their success, not simply to our backside line. And sometime, they'll turn into a life-long buyer.
We wanted a pacesetter who’d protect that tradition. Jim is exactly that chief.
The “A-ha Second”
I nonetheless keep in mind the second when all of it clicked for me—that Jim was actually meant to be at Atlan. It was March twelfth, throughout a buyer dinner on the Gartner Summit, and it was removed from bizarre. At one desk, a bunch of information fanatics had been participating in a spirited “knowledge brawl,” laughing loudly as they debated the definition of “buyer.” Amidst this, a CIO I had by no means met earlier than pulled me apart.
We usually keep away from vendor occasions and dinners, however you aren’t only a vendor to us; you’re a accomplice. Your group is outstanding, and we’ll go anyplace to help you.”
One other chief took apart my cofounder, Varun, and me, expressing his concern,
I’m actually paranoid that you will screw this up. What you’re constructing is really particular. Don’t screw it up.”
As I regarded across the room, taking within the passionate debates and the sense of group amongst these leaders, I felt a profound sense of belonging. This “particular” factor we had constructed felt like house. In that second, I used to be sure—Jim would match completely into this image.
Welcome house, Jim! Let’s construct the house that knowledge groups deserve.