Vodcast

The Playbook Behind MongoDB’s EXPLOSIVE Growth

In this episode of The Playbook Universe, we sit down with Paul Cap, ...

In this episode of The Playbook Universe, we sit down with Paul Cap, Chief Revenue Officer at MongoDB, to explore the core leadership principles and sales execution strategies that have ...driven one of the most explosive growth stories in tech.

Paul shares his personal path from finance into sales, the pivotal mindset shifts that helped him lead at scale, and the mission-first approach that keeps MongoDB thriving.

We dive into building high-performance teams, the early indicators of future CRO talent, and what separates great companies from the rest. Whether you're a first-line manager or a seasoned sales leader, this conversation delivers hard-earned lessons from the frontlines.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered:
00:00 Intro
02:20 From Finance to Tech Sales
06:03 Lessons from 10+ Years at MongoDB
11:41 How to Spot Future CROs
16:32 Navigating Risk and Scaling with Vision
21:40 Coaching the Next Generation
27:15 Pressure, Competition, and Mental Agility
34:00 Culture and Character in Hypergrowth
40:28 Aligning Vision with Execution
47:10 Mission-Driven Leadership
52:40 The Real Role of a CRO

💥 3 Biggest Lessons:

Longevity at a hypergrowth company comes from aligning with its evolving mission — not just meeting KPIs.

Great CROs are developed early. The best ones were already overperforming as frontline reps.

Culture isn’t built top-down — it’s reinforced daily by how leaders show up and how teams respond to pressure.

🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro
If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns:
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes:

“Your job as a CRO is to turn strategy into execution — at scale.”

“You don’t just hire top talent, you cultivate it from within.”

“Sales isn’t just a function. When done right, it becomes a culture.”

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A $100M Valuation? So What?

How Yotam Segev Built a $6B Cybersecurity Unicorn 🦄

In this episode of the East Coase Elite series, we sit down with Yotam ...

In this episode of the East Coase Elite series, we sit down with Yotam Segev, co-founder and CEO of Cyera, to explore the incredible journey of building a cybersecurity unicorn. ...

From the early days of a "B-minus" idea, Yotam shares how a relentless focus on customer feedback, not internal opinions, became the company’s compass.

He reveals the difficult but essential pivot from founder-led sales to building a world-class team, the qualities he looks for in top-tier sellers—curiosity, paranoia, and hunger—and the mindset that propelled Cyera to nearly $100M ARR and a $6B valuation in just four years.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PGAI: https://www.getpg.ai
Seller: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered
00:00 - Intro
01:55 - From the military to founding Cyera
05:30 - Why *** is the only compass that matters
08:02 - How top salespeople act
09:16 - The importance of a humble approach
12:22 - The hardest part of the early stages
16:01 - Validating a hypothesis with "dollars"
20:00 - The impact of moving to the U.S.
20:31 - From founder-led sales to building the first team
29:19 - The market transition
32:39 - The three characteristics of a great seller
37:05 - The balance between a playbook and excitement
40:02 - The importance of energy and mindset
49:43 - The core dynamic of the co-founder relationship
52:17 - Cyera's North Sta
54:47 - Why top talent should join Cyera

💥 3 Biggest Lessons:
Your Compass is the Customer: Your opinions don't matter; building a great product means constantly listening to and learning from your customers' pain points.

Sales is a Team Sport: In an early-stage company, a founder must stay engaged in the sales process to build trust, as a salesperson alone can't provide the same assurance.

Mindset is Everything: The difference between an average and exceptional performer is often their attitude. Bring energy, curiosity, and a relentless drive to everything you do.

🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Oli Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro.

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes
"Your idea sounds like a B-minus and that's a compliment. We're investing in the team, and if the customers tell us they want to buy that, we'll build it".

"We don't build products according to those opinions. Maybe your mother. We build products according to the customers with a very attentive view to the customers' pain and to the guidance they're providing us".

"A company only exists, the oxygen for a company is business. It's a net new ARR. That's the oxygen for these companies that we're all playing in".

"The journey itself is the price. And it's not a full lack of ambition. Like we want to take over the world if we could and we're walking towards it".

"The best sellers... are curious, genuinely interested, caring about the customers, the challenges, the pains, what they're trying to accomplish, why they're trying to accomplish it, why have they not accomplished it yet again and again and again".

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverseShow More

How to Make EACH REP on a Team Successful, w/ Austin Stefani

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with ...

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Austin Stefani, CRO at DBT Labs, to discuss his career journey from EMC to his current role. ...

austin shares his fundamental principles for sales leadership, emphasizing the importance of making every individual on the team successful.

We learn about his focus on skill acquisition, the value of learning from challenges, and why empathy is crucial for both employees and customers. Austin breaks down his "playbook" for problem identification and how to apply it at various stages of a company's growth, from building a sales process and managing pipeline to scaling international teams.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PGAI: https://www.getpg.ai
Seller: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered
00:00 - Intro
00:58 - Flipping the org chart upside down
01:48 - The fundamental principles of sales
05:00 - Focusing on productivity
07:13 - Using frameworks for problem identification
09:17 - Translating a sales mindset to a leadership role
12:48 - Skill training and retention
18:56 - The benefits of non-linear career progression
24:00 - Learning through setbacks and hard times
32:27 - Why Austin chose to leave Rubrik for DBT
35:35 - Empathy as a core leadership trait
41:31 - The biggest challenges and learnings as a CRO
43:35 - The advantages of in-house company culture
49:55 - The playbook as a blueprint

💥 3 Biggest Lessons:

Flipping the Org Chart: Leaders are overhead, and their primary job is to make every individual sales rep successful.

Embrace the Hard Times: The only way to get through tough situations is through them, which is how you acquire new skills and become more resilient.

Playbooks are Blueprints: A playbook is a framework for problem identification, not a step-by-step instruction manual to be applied universally.

🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes

"If you're in one job and you just go the next job and the job after that and you're just learning from people that are exactly like you, there's only so much skill that you can get."

"Productivity is like the most important metric and everything services that."

"The leaders that do that really well will be able to grow with the company."

"I think it's a blueprint, not an instruction manual."

"Trust is generated by the quality of the questions you ask. The amount of try it next time like try talking... If somebody comes and asks you... 'I need some advice or can I pick your brain', next time somebody says that try saying nothing but questions about 10 minutes into this. The person will reach across the table, grab your arm and say, 'Oh my gosh, you solved my problem.' And they'll leave and you'll just be like, 'I didn't say a word.'"

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My Lessons learned in the startup world

The constant sense of UNSATISFACTION in tech sales

What SALES REPS Miss Before Joining a Startup, w/ Brian Trowbridge

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian ...

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian Trowbridge, VP of Sales at FireHydrant, to explore the brutal truths of startup life.

From making ...high-stakes decisions with limited runway to navigating board dynamics and founder alignment, Brian unpacks what it really takes to succeed in an early-stage company.

We dive deep into how he evaluated FireHydrant before joining, what he looks for in founders and boards, and how sales leaders should think about burn rate, valuations, and growth expectations. If you're in sales and considering a startup role, this episode is a must-watch.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Startup chaos
05:00 From Startup Grind to Scalable Sales
09:17 The Hardest Hiring Lessons
13:46 Selling Without a Playbook
18:24 Coaching Reps to Think Critically
22:40 Building Repeatable Pipeline
29:03 Staying Grounded as a Sales Leader
35:17 Career Advice for Aspiring CROs
42:00 The Power of Humility in Leadership
50:30 The Role of Curiosity and Grit

💥 3 Biggest Lessons:

Chaos is a Feature, Not a Bug: Embrace early-stage ambiguity—true sales leadership is forged in unpredictability.

Hiring is Everything: The reps you bring on will define your success. Make every hire count.

Ask the Bigger Questions: Scaling isn’t just tactics—it’s teaching your team how to think.

🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes
“If you have a mediocre RD, avoid it. I would even avoid a good company if I didn’t have a good RD.”
“You’re not just asking ‘did I make my number?’ You’re asking: does this company even exist in 12 months?”
“There’s no bigger mistake than hiring the wrong person—it costs you a year.”
“Some founders just burn through VPs. You need to know that before you join.”
“You’re wearing a hundred hats and trying to hit growth targets with minimal runway. It’s not for everyone.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverseShow More

The moment where it ALL CLICKED for Martin Mao

How Martin Mao Built a Startup from Zero to MILLION$

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with ...

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Martin Mao, co-founder and CEO of Chronosphere. From his early days at Uber to founding one of ...the most disruptive startups in observability, Martin shares what it takes to navigate uncertainty, build conviction, and win at scale.

We dive into the mindset shifts behind leaving a tech giant to build something bold, how Martin sees the future of observability, and what it means to lead with clarity in a rapidly evolving market. If you're a founder, engineer, or operator seeking real insights from a builder at the top, this one’s for you.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered
00:00 Intro
02:10 What Makes a Strong Founder
04:48 Why Martin Left Uber
09:22 Founding Chronosphere
13:41 Competing with Industry Giants
19:05 The Startup Learning Curve
26:38 Early GTM Decisions
33:20 Scaling with Intent
39:40 Balancing Vision and Feedback
46:14 Leadership Lessons in Hypergrowth
50:12 What’s Next for Chronosphere
52:49 Closing Reflections

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

Leaving comfort for conviction: Martin’s leap from Uber shows that bold moves start with internal clarity, not external certainty.

Product-market fit is just the beginning: Real traction comes from execution, team culture, and continuous iteration.

Disruption requires ruthless focus: Be crystal clear on who you serve and why your product matters—then say no to everything else.

🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes

“You don’t need to have all the answers before you start.”

“It’s not about being better—it’s about being different in a meaningful way.”

“Startups work when you're solving real pain, not just building cool tech.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverseShow More

Inside the Mind of a $4+ BILLION Sales Leader, w/ Brian McCarthy

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian ...

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Rubrik.

With a remarkable track record scaling ...high-performing teams and navigating through IPOs, Brian shares the foundational principles that shaped his leadership—putting people first, leading with love, and building structures that drive consistent performance.

We explore how Brian transitioned from star seller to visionary leader, how he earned unshakeable team loyalty, and why systems like WANs can revolutionize your sales coaching. If you're serious about leading at scale with integrity, this is a must-watch.

🙌 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

🏹 Key Topics Covered
00:00 – Intro & First Sales Job
04:20 – Choosing Leadership Over Sales
08:00 – WANs: Coaching with Metrics
12:10 – Building Loyalty Through Care
16:15 – Sales vs. Leadership Thinking
21:00 – IPO Learnings & Pressure
26:10 – Territory, Quota & Fairness
31:25 – Love-Driven Leadership
36:20 – Hiring for Intellect & Agility
42:05 – Structuring First-Line Teams
48:40 – Closing Advice & Reflections

💥 3 Biggest Lessons

1. Real leadership is people-first – Helping someone grow, even if it means leaving your team, is true leadership.

2. Structure drives consistency – Weekly Activity Numbers (WANs) give both clarity and accountability to teams.

3. Love creates loyalty – When leaders genuinely will the best for their people, performance naturally follows.

🙌 Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes

“If this is better for you and your family, leave. I will help you get promoted.”

“You either really care about people and their development, or you don’t.”

“Love is willing the best for others—and that’s how I lead.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverseShow More

Turning Dyslexia Into a Career Advantage

Sales SOS, Episode 2 - How to Hire A-Players

Sales SOS Episode 2 - How to Hire A-Players In this episode of Sales ...

The Playbook Behind MongoDB’s EXPLOSIVE Growth

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The Playbook Behind MongoDB’s EXPLOSIVE Growth

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