All Segments
How to achieve hypergrowth in your business and career | Carilu Dietrich (Atlassian)
26 segments available
Carilu Dietrich is a former CMO, most notably the Head of Marketing who took Atlassian public. These days she’s an advisor to CEOs and CMOs of hypergrowth B2B companies and has worked with companies like Miro, Segment, Bill.com, 1Password, Productboard, Sprout Social, Weights & Biases, and more. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Patterns across the most successful hypergrowth companies • How to advance in your career, and how to someday become an executive • How to decide which company to work at • Advice for navigating the job market during tough times • How to find and execute new growth opportunities • Why most CMOs and CPOs get fired, and what we can learn from this — Brought to you by Rows—The spreadsheet where data comes to life | Braintrust—For when you needed talent, yesterday | Coda—Meet the evolution of docs Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-achieve-hypergrowth-in-your Where to find Carilu Dietrich: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypergrowth-advisor/ • Newsletter: www.carilu.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/clu007 Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Carilu’s background (04:28) Habits and behaviors that will help you reach an executive role (07:15) Why there is no substitute for working hard (08:15) 5 things you need to do to get to the C-suite (10:39) Choosing the right company for accelerated career growth (12:42) Criteria for assessing a phenomenal company (14:41) Asking better questions and making decisions with energy (16:05) Advice for finding a job during a recession (19:25) The importance of quality products and sustained brand advertising (24:06) Lessons from successful hypergrowth companies (28:14) Is word of mouth a necessary growth lever? (31:31) How to accelerate word-of-mouth marketing (35:28) Atlassian’s product-led growth strategy and delayed sales team hiring (39:54) When to hire your first salesperson (43:04) Common growth levers and roadblocks (47:01) How to build trust between CEOs and CMOs (49:00) Challenges of C-suite roles in startups (52:55) Bundling strategies (57:17) Lightning round Referenced: • Tomasz Tunguz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasztunguz/ • Denise Persson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisepersson/ • Oracle: https://www.oracle.com/ • Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com/ • Classy: https://www.classy.org/ • Snowflake: https://www.snowflake.com/en/ • Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/ • Okta’s “Businesses at Work” 2023: https://www.okta.com/businesses-at-work/ • Y U No Use Hipchat billboard: https://techcrunch.com/2011/04/22/y-u-no-have-lame-billboard-hipchat/ • Productboard: https://www.productboard.com/ • Miro: https://miro.com/ • Scott Farquhar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottfarquhar/ • Elena Verna on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-product-led-sales-elena-verna/ • Tao Te Ching, Stephen Mitchell translation: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Laozi/dp/0060812451/ref=asc_df_0060812451/ • How to Win Friends and Influence People: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/8183227899/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 • Never Split the Difference: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-audiobook/dp/B01COR1GM2/ref=sr_1_1 • Everything Everywhere All At Once on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/movie/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-fa320000-8cf3-46fc-8c45-df5ec67b71f2 • Tara Brach guided meditations: https://www.tarabrach.com/guided-meditations/ Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com. Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.
Segments Timeline
The Essentials of Hypergrowth
Carilu Dietrich discusses the critical components necessary for achieving hypergrowth in a business. She emphasizes the importance of organic inbound marketing and viral word-of-mouth, highlighting that a remarkable product is essential for sustainable growth. Using ChatGPT as an example, she illustrates how excitement and user engagement can drive unprecedented growth rates.
"in order to get hyper growth you have to have organic inbound and viral Word of Mouth you can't pay enough to grow at those raids and have a viable company the biggest thing is an amazing product that..."
Carilu Dietrich's Journey
In this segment, Carilu introduces herself and shares her impressive background as a former CMO at Atlassian, where she played a pivotal role during their IPO. She outlines her experience advising CEOs and CMOs of various hypergrowth B2B companies, setting the stage for a discussion on the common traits of successful hypergrowth companies and the strategies that can unlock new growth channels.
"they're they're going from 10 to 50 they're going from 50 to 100 they're going from 100 to 200 they're they're jumping and so they really need to kind of keep hiring 2X and 3X leaders who have seen th..."
Habits for Executive Success
Carilu shares valuable insights on the habits and behaviors that can help individuals reach executive roles. She emphasizes the importance of hard work, continuous learning, and taking on additional responsibilities. By recounting her own experiences, she illustrates how dedication and strategic thinking can pave the way to the C-suite.
"this episode is brought to you by rose.com the world runs on spreadsheets you probably have a tab open with a spreadsheet right now but the spreadsheet product you're using today was designed decades ..."
The Hard Work Factor
In this segment, Carilu stresses that there is no substitute for hard work in achieving career success. She reflects on her early career decisions, including working extra hours to gain experience. Carilu argues that the sacrifices made early on can lead to significant advantages later in one's career, reinforcing the idea that diligence is key to advancement.
"Carrie Lou welcome to the podcast thanks Lenny happy to be here you've had this incredible career you worked at all these incredible companies I'd love to just dissect what you have found to be most i..."
Five Steps to the C-Suite
Carilu outlines five essential steps for aspiring executives to take in their careers. She discusses the importance of understanding how responsibilities tie to revenue, building strong relationships, and choosing high-quality companies to work for. This segment provides actionable advice for those looking to accelerate their career growth and reach the executive level.
"like backlash against working really hard that happened for a while but um I'm on the same boat as you have just success will come from working really hard and sometimes that sucks but that's usually ..."
Choosing the Right Company
Carilu shares her insights on how to select a company that will foster career growth. She emphasizes the significance of working for high-momentum companies and the impact this can have on one's career trajectory. By reflecting on her own experiences, she provides guidance on identifying companies that are poised for success.
"career there's so many things I want to double click on there the last piece is the advice I always give people when they're early in their career is to go go find a company that's going to do super w..."
Assessing Company Quality
In this segment, Carilu discusses the criteria for evaluating a company's potential for success. She highlights the importance of profitability, investor quality, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth metrics. This framework serves as a guide for individuals seeking to align their careers with successful organizations.
"rest are too I have to look at it for advisory right like I can I only take eight to ten clients I'm always full and so it has to be like a phenomenal company so how do I know if it's a phenomenal com..."
Making Decisions with Energy
Carilu emphasizes the importance of asking better questions and making decisions with enthusiasm. She discusses how a proactive approach can lead to better outcomes in one's career and the significance of maintaining a positive attitude in the workplace.
"I can um one says more Yoda less Wonder Woman which basically is like ask better questions the second one ask them backwards too yeah right um You should ask them backwards which is funny because the ..."
Job Market Navigation During Recession
Carilu provides advice for job seekers navigating the job market during challenging economic times. She shares strategies for standing out and finding opportunities, emphasizing the need for resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
"around we're kind of I don't know if we're technically in a recession but maybe we're on the verge of recession the Market's not great and a lot of people are being laid off or have been laid off or w..."
Quality Products and Brand Advertising
In this segment, Carilu discusses the critical role of quality products and sustained brand advertising in driving business growth. She explains how these elements contribute to a company's reputation and customer loyalty, which are essential for long-term success.
"downturn let's segue to chatting about growth and I thought it'd be fun to start with your story of running some very expensive ad campaigns I know the founders are always kind of flirting with this i..."
Lessons from Hypergrowth Companies
Carilu shares key lessons learned from successful hypergrowth companies. She highlights the common patterns and strategies that have led these organizations to achieve remarkable growth, providing valuable insights for businesses aiming to replicate their success.
"so zooming out a little bit you specialize working with companies that are going through hyper growth and you've worked with companies like Miro segment bill.com which I don't know if people know is j..."
The Power of Word of Mouth
In this segment, Carilu explores the necessity of word-of-mouth marketing as a growth lever. She discusses its effectiveness in driving customer acquisition and retention, emphasizing the importance of creating products that inspire users to share their experiences.
"imagine Founders listening to this that don't have insane virality or huge Word of Mouth are like is there no path to being a really successful company and then I think about companies that did succee..."
Accelerating Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Carilu provides strategies for businesses to accelerate their word-of-mouth marketing efforts. She shares insights on how to create a buzz around products and encourage customers to advocate for the brand, ultimately driving growth.
"say that you as a company are seeing word of mouth and some morality and you want to think about accelerating that leaning into Word of Mouth obviously you want everyone to be like talking about how a..."
Atlassian's Growth Strategy
Carilu discusses Atlassian's product-led growth strategy and the timing of their sales team hiring. She explains how this approach has contributed to the company's success and offers insights into the importance of aligning product development with market demand.
"I want to drill uh into it last thing you've brought them up a couple times and you were you were that lasting for a long time you were there kind of from early days of growth to IPO and one of the mo..."
When to Hire Your First Salesperson
In this segment, Carilu shares advice on the critical timing for hiring a first salesperson. She discusses the factors that influence this decision and the implications it has for a company's growth trajectory.
"is it your recommend to Founders these days that maybe are product LED and just like self-service for immedi oriented you kind of take this experience and be like wait as long as you can to hire your ..."
Common Growth Levers and Roadblocks
Carilu identifies common growth levers and roadblocks that businesses face. She provides insights into how to navigate these challenges and leverage opportunities for growth, drawing on her extensive experience in the industry.
"a couple more questions around this stuff so you've worked a lot of different companies and you kind of come in and help them figure out ways to grow faster unlock growth opportunities what do you fin..."
Building Trust Between CEOs and CMOs
In this segment, Carilu discusses the importance of building trust between CEOs and CMOs. She shares strategies for fostering collaboration and alignment between these key roles, which is essential for driving business success.
"you touched on this Nuance that a lot of times there's not a lot of trust between the marketing head and the CEO and I'm curious what you find helps build that trust there's a couple things that are r..."
Challenges of C-Suite Roles in Startups
Carilu addresses the unique challenges faced by C-suite executives in startup environments. She discusses the pressures and expectations that come with these roles and offers advice for navigating the complexities of leadership in fast-paced settings.
"it's interesting that you say that blog post you titled most I see mostimos get fired and it connects with something Casey winners noted that most cpos also get fired Chief product officers that they ..."
Bundling Strategies for Growth
Carilu explores bundling strategies as a means of driving growth. She discusses how companies can effectively package their products and services to enhance value for customers and increase sales.
"so there's hipchat and slack kind of ate their lunch not necessarily through bundling but just like their slack and then slack kind of I don't know if it's true but it feels like Microsoft teams is ea..."
Lightning Round Insights
In this final segment, Carilu participates in a lightning round where she shares quick insights and advice on various topics related to hypergrowth, career advancement, and effective marketing strategies.
"um amazing well with that we've reached our very exciting lightning round are you ready I'm ready okay what are two or three books that you recommended most to other people the number one book is a li..."
Gratitude and Life Choices
In this segment, Carilu discusses her favorite movie, 'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' which explores the impact of choices on life outcomes. She reflects on the importance of gratitude and appreciating one's current life, despite the allure of alternate paths. This conversation ties into broader themes of mindfulness and acceptance in both personal and professional growth.
"oh very Buddhist I like it read the damn teaching uh not a Post-It but art another another uh teaching from Carrie loop I think this needs to be a second newsletter of your life advice uh which is fun..."
The Dao of Hypergrowth
Carilu humorously contemplates creating a newsletter titled 'The Dao of Hypergrowth,' inspired by her interest in the Tao Te Ching. She discusses the balance between control and freedom in parenting and leadership, suggesting that allowing space for exploration can lead to growth. This segment connects philosophical teachings to practical applications in business and personal development.
"customers clients all right next question what is a favorite interview question that you like to ask so this is a little heavy but it actually is my favorite it's how many people have you fired and te..."
Interview Insights: Firing Experiences
Carilu reveals her favorite interview question: asking candidates about their experiences with firing employees. She explains that this question provides insight into a candidate's leadership style, compassion, and ability to handle difficult situations. This segment highlights the importance of understanding a leader's experience and humanity in high-pressure scenarios.
"hardest part of a Leader's career so how they talk about it like you know their compassion and like their need to like Drive the business and like the circumstances like was it layoffs how how did tha..."
Product Development Insights
Carilu discusses the Amazon practice of writing a press release at the beginning of product ideation. She emphasizes the need for alignment between product development and marketing to ensure that new features resonate with customers. This segment illustrates how strategic thinking in product development can lead to better marketability and success.
"I've never heard that one before and I love it reminds me of a episode with Matt mashari where we talk about how to lay people off really successfully yeah it's hard yeah next question what's a favori..."
Meditation Tips for Busy Lives
In this segment, Carilu shares her lifelong journey with meditation and offers tips for those struggling to incorporate it into their lives. She emphasizes that there is no right or wrong way to meditate, and the key is to make time for presence and breathing. This discussion connects mindfulness practices to overall well-being and productivity.
"then I'm I'm dabbling in all the AI things I want to be like excellent in AI visualization and art I'm experimenting with mid-journey but still kind of flailing I've hired my 13 year old as the most s..."
Connecting with Carilu Dietrich
Carilu invites listeners to connect with her through LinkedIn and her new blog, cariloo.com. She expresses her desire to work with AI companies and help junior marketing executives and first-time founders navigate their growth journeys. This segment wraps up the conversation, encouraging audience engagement and highlighting Carilu's expertise.
"in life my whole body just relaxes you're talking through all that so you have a skill Carrie Lou this was amazing we learned how to grow products how to live better lives how to become more mindful t..."