C-Suite Interviews
Tom and Darr Aley
Founders
Aidentified
Tom and Darr Aley are twin brothers with a stellar track record in founding and managing successful companies such as Generate, which was acquired by Dow Jones in 2009, and were early investors in companies such as Netprospex, which was acquired by D&B in 2016.
Aidentified is their latest venture, founded to solve a problem they identified early in their careers: how to quickly grow meaningful business connections. Read the complete interview with Tom and Darr here.
Brian Murphy
CEO
ReliaQuest
Brian Murphy, founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest, listened to his clients and led the company through a shift to a SaaS based model. ReliaQuest recently announced a new round of funding led by global investment firm KKR, with a pre-money valuation of more than $1 billion.
We spoke about what it took for the business to survive in its early years, the shift to SaaS, and their support of the 2021 Super Bowl. Read the interview here.
Christina Kosmowski
CEO
LogicMonitor
Christina Kosmowski established her career creating customer success at hyper-growth companies Salesforce and Slack. We recently discussed her path and her appointment as CEO at LogicMonitor, the cloud-based infrastructure monitoring and observability platform provider. Read the interview with Christina here.
Mike Grossman
CEO
Inflection
Mike Grossman has been a software entrepreneur and CEO for more than 20 years. He joined background screening company Inflection in 2018 and has steered their entry into the enterprise space.
We spoke recently about the modernization of the screening business and how the values of his organization are the key component of their success. Read the interview here.
Ning Wang
CEO
Offensive Security
Ning Wang, CEO at Offensive Security (OffSec), joined the company with a mandate to transform the business model into a subscription-based learning platform.
We spoke about her path to becoming a CEO and about OffSec’s “secret sauce” in the cybersecurity training world. Read the interview here.
Shelly Kapoor Collins
Partner
Sway Ventures
Shelly Kapoor Collins is a partner at Sway Ventures and the founding partner at the Shatter Fund. She’s also held a variety of positions in the public sector, including a position on the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) in the second Obama administration.
We spoke about the impetus behind Shatter, her decision to join Sway and the impact that public service has had on her life. Read the interview with Shelly here.
Brian Doubles
CEO
Synchrony
Brian Doubles became CEO at consumer financial services company Synchrony earlier this year. He’s since impacted areas from strategy to organization design and operations. We spoke recently about the shift, Synchrony’s new strategy and how working remotely has helped his team stay aligned. Read the interview here.
Ed Walsh
CEO
ChaosSearch
Ed Walsh is the CEO of ChaosSearch, a cloud-native data lake platform that indexes data at scale. ChaosSearch closed a $40 million Series B funding round co-led by Stripes and Moore Strategic Ventures in late 2020, after growing revenue by 766%, tripling their customer base, doubling their headcount, and are on pace to double again by EOY 2021.
I spoke with Walsh about ChaosSearch, developing leadership teams, and the one thing that made a difference in his career.
John Werner
Co-Founder
TEDxBoston
John Werner, successful serial entrepreneur, technology startup investor and mentor, has spent his career bringing ideas to life in order to solve big problems. Among his achievements, he is one of the founders of TEDxBoston and has reimagined what TEDx can be with a recent event in Boston. Read the interview here.
George Khachatryan
CEO
OfferFit
Victor Kostyuk
CTO
OfferFit
OfferFit, a marketing technology firm focused on personalizing multi-channel communications by replacing A/B testing with self-learning AI, has just received a $14M Series A. The round is being led by Canvas Ventures, with participation from Alumni Ventures Group, Carbide Ventures and angel investors Jeremy Stoppelman and David Edelman.
I spoke with founders George Khachatryan (CEO) and Victor Kostyuk (CTO) about their breakthrough idea and partnership with Canvas. Read the interview with George and Victor here.
Mike Betzer
CEO
Hypergiant
I recently spoke with Mike Betzer, the new CEO of Hypergiant, the Austin-based enterprise AI company. Read the full interview here.
Austin Whitman
Founding CEO
Climate Neutral
Climate Neutral works to decrease global carbon emissions by getting brands to measure, offset, and reduce the carbon they emit. They are now working with over 350 brands across 13 business industries, representing a carbon footprint of over 1M tons of CO2.
I spoke with Austin Whitman, founding CEO, about how consumers and brands must work together to drive the world toward the zero net emissions future that science tells us we urgently need. Read the interview with Austin here.
Wendy Taccetta
Senior VP, Nationwide Small Business Channel Chief
Verizon Business
I spoke with Wendy Taccetta, Verizon Business’ senior vice president for nationwide small business and channel chief, about their recent Small Business Recovery Survey. Read the interview here.
Rene Bonvanie
Board Member
[redacted]
[redacted] (the company’s actual name is [redacted], Inc.), a cyber defense company, has just appointed a former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency to the company’s board. William Crowell has been active in the field of public and private information security for decades.
I spoke with William Crowell about today’s biggest cybersecurity threats. Read the interview with William here.
Dorie Clark
Top business thinker, Duke Professor & Author
Top business thinker and Duke professor Dorie Clark’s latest book, The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World, gives us strategies to break away from the relentless crush of short-term pressures.
I spoke with her about strategies and concepts for playing the career long game. Read the interview here.
Adam Guild
Co-founder and CEO
Owner.com
Adam Guild, the 21-year-old co-founder and CEO of Owner.com, has been a successful entrepreneur since the age of 12. His latest venture, Owner.com, provides an online infrastructure platform for restaurant operations. SaaStr Fund, Redpoint Ventures, Day One Ventures and multiple high-profile individuals have invested.
We spoke about his business trajectory and why Owner.com has seen success in a historically tough market. Read the interview with Adam here.
Rene Bonvanie
Executive Chairman
Ordr
Rene Bonvanie, a longtime cybersecurity industry executive and an executive-in-residence at Battery Ventures, has just been appointed executive chairman of Ordr, the cybersecurity platform company.
We spoke about his leadership career, his experience as an executive-in-residence, and the challenges in IoT that attracted him to Ordr. Read the interview here.
Jonathan Harris
CEO
Molekule
I spoke with Jonathan Harris, the new CEO of Molekule, a leader in reinventing air purification. Harris brings more than 30 years of hardware and software experience to Molekule, after leading sales at consumer companies like Jawbone, GoPro and Roku. Read the interview with Jonathan here.
Leila McKenzie-Delis
Founder and CEO
Dial Global & The Mckenzie-Delis Foundation
Leila McKenzie-Delis is the founder and CEO of DIAL Global and founder of The McKenzie-Delis Foundation. The Foundation recently launched a new initiative – the 2021 McKenzie-Delis Review on Diversity and Inclusion – which will provide an expanded understanding of diversity and inclusion.
I spoke with Leila about the Foundation, what drives her work, partnerships and the review. Read the interview here.
Ajay Khanna
CEO
Tellius
Tellius is an AI-driven decision intelligence software platform company, backed by Sands Capital Ventures, Grotech Ventures and Veraz Investments.
I spoke with founder and CEO Ajay Khanna about the inception of their core idea – combining AI and machine learning driven automation with a natural language search interface for ad hoc exploration – and leading as a technical founder. Read the interview with Ajay here.
Ralph Izzo
Chairman, President and CEO
PSEG
PSEG (NYSE: PSEG) is a diversified energy company headquartered in Newark, N.J., one of the ten largest energy companies in the U.S., and part of the Fortune 500.
I spoke with Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President and CEO, an advocate for reducing the negative impact of climate change. Read the interview here.
Sachin Nayyar
CEO
Securonix
Information and Event Management (SIEM). Co-founded by CEO Sachin Nayyar, the company is enabling organizations to safely adopt cloud environments.
We discussed how a new type of security solution is needed as cloud adoption accelerates and what hyper growth has meant for him and his company. Read the interview with Sachin here.
Valerie Greer
Executive VP and Chief Commercial Officer
Alliance Data
Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) is a leading provider of data-driven marketing, loyalty and payment solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. Valerie Greer joined the company as executive vice president and chief commercial officer in June of 2020 to help lead the company’s strategic transformation.
We spoke about the recent transformation, trust and the role that partnerships have played in her career. Read the interview here.
Pam Murphy
CEO
Imperva
Cyber-security software firm Imperva was acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in 2019. Subsequently, it took full advantage of the accelerated pace of digital transformation, bringing in Pam Murphy as CEO in early 2020. Murphy, the former COO at the world’s third-largest enterprise software company, Infor, was immediately faced with the pandemic. Read the interview with Pam here.
Kiren Sekar
CPO
Samsara
Recently named the second fastest-growing company in the Americas, Samsara provides a connected operations cloud to modernize physical operations. I spoke with Kiren Sekar, Samsara’s CPO, about the company’s growth, future and culture. Read the interview here.
Eric Spadafora
General Manager
BlueJeans by Verizon
Eric Spadafora just completed his first 100 days in the role of VP and General Manager of BlueJeans by Verizon – the cloud-based video conferencing and event platform that Verizon acquired in the first half of 2021. We spoke recently about Spadafora’s transition from leading a U.S.-based sales organization to general manager of a global workforce. We also covered how to compete with a verb, and what the BlueJeans platform gains from its partnership with Verizon. Read the interview with Eric here.
Jo-ann de Pass Olsovsky
CIO
Salesforce
Jo-ann de Pass Olsovsky climbed every rung of the proverbial career ladder to reach her position as CIO at Salesforce – and gives liberal credit to others for helping her up. Her broad experience gives her an uncommon appreciation of employee engagement and experience.
I spoke with her recently about her leadership lessons, her experience during the pandemic and what “back to the office” looks like for Salesforce. Read the interview here.
Shai Terem
CEO
Markforged
Shai Terem, the CEO of industrial 3D printing platform leader Markforged, recently led his organization through an IPO (NYSE: MKFG) via a merger with SPAC one, founded and led by tech investor Kevin Hartz.
During the pandemic, distributed manufacturing – a key strength of a 3D printing platform – has seen a tremendous increase in demand to meet the production needs of disrupted supply chains, accelerating a pre-existing trend.
Leah Hacker
Founder & CEO
Rebel & Co
Fast-growing strategy, research & innovation firm Rebel & Co. partners with clients such as Morgan Stanley and Tecovas to help them identify who their customers are, where to find them, what they need and how to deliver it best.
I spoke with Leah Hacker, Founder and CEO, about the company, its methodology, and leadership. Read the interview here.
Tom Clayton
CRO
Bill.com
Cloud-based back-office software provider Bill.com (NYSE: BILL) digitizes financial operations for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Their 2Q21 acquisition of spend management provider Divvy.com, for $2.5B, expanded their capability to provide robust a platform for their customers.
I spoke with Tom Clayton, Bill.com’s CRO, about his role and his leadership. Read the interview here.
Damon Fletcher
CFO
DataRobot
Following DataRobot‘s $320 million Series F funding in December, Damon Fletcher has joined the company as CFO and is preparing the company for its next stage of hypergrowth.
Damon was previously CFO at Tableau, which was acquired in 2019 by Salesforce for$15.7B in stock.
We spoke recently about his priorities, his role as a business partner and his leadership style. Read the interview here.
Job va der Voort
CEO
Remote.com
Remote.com, a leading HR technology platform, announced $150 million in Series B funding, led by Accel. Existing investors who participated in the round include Sequoia, Index Ventures, Two Sigma, General Catalyst and Day One Ventures.
In addition to their HR platform, Remote also provides employer of record services and international contractor management. I spoke with co-founder and CEO Job van der Voort about the company’s growth and his leadership.
Stacy Simpson
CMO
Genpact
CMO Stacy Simpson recently took on the additional leadership role of defining and guiding the purpose for Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services firm focused on digital transformation.
We spoke recently about her role and its impact internally and externally. Read the full interview with Stacy here.
Nick Warner
COO
SentinelOne
Growing from a $12M Series A funding in 2014 to the largest cybersecurity IPO in history, AI-powered cybersecurity firm SentinelOne fits the definition of a hyper-growth organization.
I interviewed SentinelOne COO Nicholas Warner on the occasion of their public offering. Read the full interview here.
Carol Juel
CTO, COO and EVP
Synchrony
As CIO, Carol Juel helped “birth” Synchrony, a GE Capital spinoff, seven years ago. We spoke about that journey and her vision for her new role as CTO, COO and EVP for the consumer financial services company. Read Karen’s full interview with Carol here.
Tami Erwin
EVP and CEO
Verizon Business Group
On the first anniversary of Verizon Business’ acquisition of cloud video conferencing platform BlueJeans by Verizon, CEO Tami Erwin reflects on Verizon’s strategic orientation, the pandemic and her leadership. Read Karen’s full interview with Tami here.
Yahya Mokhtarzada
Chief Revenue Officer
Pathrise
Recurring but unwanted subscription charges are a challenge of modern life. Truebill, a personal finance startup, has saved its customers more than $100 million, and has just raised a $45 million Series D round – with a valuation over $500 million – led by Accel.
I recently spoke with CRO Yahya Mokhtarzada, who co-founded the company in 2015 with his two brothers Haroon and Idris. Read the full interview here.
Kevin Wu
CEO
Pathrise
Pathrise, the leading online mentorship and job placement platform for tech professionals, just secured $9 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Learn Capital, and included Western Technology Investment and Day One Ventures.
I spoke with CEO and founder Kevin Wu about how he led his organization to this milestone. Read the full interview here.
Kathya Irias and Paul Gromek
President (Irias) and CEO (Gromek)
Spirit Animal
Launched in the fall of 2020, Spirit Animal is the passion of two inspiring leaders. Kathya Irias, President, and Paul Gromek, CEO, discovered a mutual love in supporting small farmers in Honduras while providing the world with superior coffee. We spoke recently about their vision and their collaborative leadership of the new, thriving venture.
Read Karen’s full interview with Kathya and Paul about leading with purpose and passion.
Cameron Lindsay
Co-Founder and CEO
Haystack
What’s the least loved part of an organization’s tech stack? The intranet.
After raising two rounds of funding while in stealth mode, Cameron Lindsay, co-founder and CEO of Haystack, has set his sights on changing that, with a mantra of “How can we use software to make big companies feel smaller?”
Read Karen’s full interview with Cameron here.
Sowmyanarayan Sampath
Chief Revenue and Growth Officer
Verizon Business Group
When is 4% growth harder than it appears to be? Could it be when you are CRO for a $30 billion business, and 4% growth means generating $1.2B in new revenue each year – in addition to retaining a $30B base? I interviewed Sowmyanarayan Sampath, the new Chief Revenue and Growth Officer for Verizon’s $30 billion Business Group.
Dan Wright
DataRobot
President and COO
Dan is the current President and COO of DataRobot where he has overseen explosive growth, from x to over $1Billion (unicorn!) in valuation. Read Karen’s interview on leading digital transformation.
Lauren Goldstein
CRO
Annuitas
Lauren is the current Chief Revenue Officer for Annuitas, an organization that leads strategic demand marketing transformations, to discover more about this trend. Read Karen’s interview on the importance of a “we” mindset in partnerships are crucial, as well as other emerging C-Suite positions in large corporations.
Rahul (Raj) Bhandari
Slingshot: How Adversity Propels Leaders to Find Purpose, Be Impactful, and Create Change.
Author
In my interview with Bhandari, he says “People told me that I helped them develop resiliency and that they were better able to navigate challenges.” Their feedback led me to develop workshops and subsequently, the book. It’s important to note that this method – and the path within it – can help anyone who wants to create a life of Significance and become an inspiring leader.
Jamie Learner
Quantum
CEO, President and Chairman of the Board
From his time of joining Quantum in 2018, he has led a transformation that brought the company back from the brink of collapse. Read more in my interview with Jamie to learn what kind of strategic plan he implemented to turn everything around.
Paul Judge, Ph.D
Panoramic Ventures
Managing Partner
Paul is currently a Managing Partner at Panoramic Ventures, the largest tech venture fund headquartered in the Southeast. Read my interview with Paul about finding and supporting today’s underserved founders, the leaders of tomorrow’s organizations.