CRO DataStax, Harry Ault: The Three Steps to a Successful Tech Company Turnaround

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