Grit

Guest: Chris Degnan, CRO of Snowflake

In this episode, we cover Chris’ career before working at Snowflake. (1:03)... Snowflake’s origin story and how Chris started working at the company. (9:04)... ‘Selling a concept’: What it was like for Chris to work at Snowflake in its early stages. (14:37)... How Chris built Snowflake’s sales organization from the ground up and the importance of communication between customers and product engineers. (21:55)... Snowflake’s very first customer and the wrinkles the company faced in its revenue operation early on. (28:00)... When and why Chris decided to hire additional salespeople at Snowflake. (32:24)... How Snowflake’s revenue grew once it hit general availability in 2015. (38:24)... The pivotal moments of Snowflake’s history according to Chris. (43:59)... The advocates Chris had at Snowflake during the early days of the company. (49:13)... Why the fear of failure motivates Chris. (55:32)... How Chris defines grit. (1:03:08)

Show Notes

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.


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What is Grit?

Grit explores what it takes to create, build, and scale world-class organizations. It features weekly episodes highlighting the leaders who are pushing their companies to make a difference. This series is hosted by Joubin Mirzadegan, go to market operating partner at Kleiner Perkins, a venture capital firm investing in history-making founders.