{"id":307791,"date":"2025-03-10T01:55:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T08:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/?p=307791"},"modified":"2025-03-10T09:22:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T16:22:49","slug":"how-sales-customer-success-10x-ed-gleans-arr-lessons-from-gleans-vp-of-sales-and-head-of-cs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/how-sales-customer-success-10x-ed-gleans-arr-lessons-from-gleans-vp-of-sales-and-head-of-cs\/","title":{"rendered":"How Sales &#038; Customer Success 10x-ed Glean\u2019s ARR: Lessons from Glean\u2019s VP of Sales and Head of CS"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Introduction: The Glean Journey<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>AJ Tenant, VP of Sales and Customer Success at Glean, and Lauren Kennedy, Head of Customer Success, took the stage to share how they scaled Glean from a handful of customers to hundreds, with 100x end-user adoption and nearly a million paid seats.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"How Sales &amp; CS 10x-ed Glean&#039;s ARR with Glean&#039;s VP of Sales and Head of CS\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V--5fo8E6pA?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.saastr.com\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>AJ brought experience from Slack, where he helped grow ARR to over $1B, and Facebook (now Meta). Lauren, a Gainsight alum, brought her expertise in building customer success teams at startups. Together, they joined Glean in 2022 when the company had just dozens of customers, a few thousand users, and a few thousand paid seats.<\/p>\n<p>Fast forward to today: Glean has undergone a\u00a0<strong>full brand refresh<\/strong>, multiple product releases, and a recent funding round. But the real story is how Sales and Customer Success (CS) worked together to drive this explosive growth.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold text-text-200 mt-1 -mb-0.5\"><strong>4 Unexpected Learnings:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ol class=\"[&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-decimal space-y-1.5 pl-7\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Community-Led Success Beats 1:1 Channels<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Glean scrapped 50+ individual customer Slack channels for a single community channel where customers help each other, unlocking new use cases and scaling support.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>&#8220;Collaborative Tension&#8221; Drives Innovation<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Glean&#8217;s leadership intentionally creates productive friction, challenging team members to improve rather than accepting &#8220;good enough.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Security Concerns Became a GTM Asset<\/strong> <\/span>&#8211; By deeply engaging with customer security fears, Glean transformed potential objections into product features that now strengthen their sales pitch.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Multi-Threading Is Systematically Tracked &amp; Incentivized<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Glean tracks multi-threading metrics in Salesforce and offers quarterly &#8220;spiffs&#8221; (incentives) to team members who establish the most stakeholder connections.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold text-text-200 mt-1 -mb-0.5\"><strong>4 Things That Didn&#8217;t Work Well at Glean:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ol class=\"[&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-decimal space-y-1.5 pl-7\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Individual Slack Channels Became Unsustainable<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; The initial high-touch approach with dedicated Slack channels for each customer created an unscalable support burden that was &#8220;breaking for both Glean and its customers.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Relying on Champions Without Executive Buy-in<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Glean learned the hard way that customer champions alone weren&#8217;t enough; when champions left organizations without executive relationships in place, entire accounts were at risk.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Insufficient Prompt Guidance for Users<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Early users struggled with knowing how to effectively interact with the AI system, requiring Glean to develop prompt libraries and more user guidance.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Selling Without Case Studies Was Inefficient<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; The early days of category creation without customer success stories led to longer sales cycles and more resource-intensive pre-sales processes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>The Early Days: Selling a Category That Didn\u2019t Exist<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Glean was founded in 2019 by Arvin Jain, a former Google search engineer, to create the category of\u00a0<strong>workplace AI<\/strong>. The platform indexes corporate data, builds a Knowledge Graph, and navigates complex security and permissions.<\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the catch:\u00a0<strong>No one knew they needed it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were selling a product that customers saw as a nice-to-have, not a must-have,\u201d AJ explained. \u201cOur challenge was to change that perception.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"How Glean Scaled Initial Sales in a New Category: Outbound + Enterprise\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-s9i0pGPjp0?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.saastr.com\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Key Tactics in the Early Days:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>High-Touch Motion:<\/strong>\u00a0Glean\u2019s team, including engineers, CSMs, and AEs, got hands-on during the pre-sales phase. They provided white-glove service to prove the product\u2019s value.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Building Trust:<\/strong>\u00a0Lauren emphasized the importance of\u00a0<strong>technical trust<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>executive alignment<\/strong>. \u201cWe learned alongside our customers, focusing on their true success criteria,\u201d she said.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>The Evolution: From High-Touch to Scalable Success<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>As Glean grew, the high-touch approach became unsustainable. The team had a Slack channel for every customer, with everyone from engineers to co-founders jumping in to help.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was breaking for us and our customers,\u201d Lauren admitted. \u201cWe had to get creative.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><strong>The Solution: Community-Led Customer Success<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Deprecating 50+ Slack Channels:<\/strong>\u00a0Glean consolidated customer communication into a single Slack channel where customers could help each other.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Customer Champions:<\/strong>\u00a0Customers like Matt Mangia, an AI Builder Champion, began answering questions and sharing use cases, creating a self-sustaining community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cCommunity-led success isn\u2019t just scalable\u2014it builds deeper engagement and trust,\u201d Lauren said.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Security and Trust: The Non-Negotiables<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For enterprise customers,\u00a0<strong>security<\/strong>\u00a0is a top priority. Glean focused on delivering powerful messaging around data security and permissions early in the sales cycle.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Key Wins:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Collaborating with Customers:<\/strong>\u00a0When a large security company raised concerns about data governance, Glean worked with them to build new features, turning a potential deal-breaker into a competitive advantage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Building a Security-First Culture:<\/strong>\u00a0AJ highlighted the importance of aligning company culture with customer values. \u201cTrust isn\u2019t just about the product\u2014it\u2019s about how you operate as a company,\u201d he said.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Company Culture: The Secret Sauce<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>AJ and Lauren emphasized that\u00a0<strong>culture<\/strong>\u00a0has been a critical driver of Glean\u2019s success.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Key Values:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Make It Better, Make It Together:<\/strong>\u00a0Glean\u2019s culture thrives on\u00a0<strong>collaborative tension<\/strong>\u2014challenging each other to improve while working as a team.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hiring for Change:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWe look for people who are comfortable with change and can think creatively,\u201d AJ said. \u201cEarly-stage companies are unpredictable, and you need team members who can adapt.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cTake time to have fun and connect as a team,\u201d Lauren added. \u201cWe have a Slack channel for selfies and celebrations\u2014it keeps the energy high.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Scaling Sales and CS: Rules of Engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>As Glean grew, the relationship between Sales and CS had to evolve.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Key Strategies:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Centralized Leadership:<\/strong>\u00a0Having AJ oversee both Sales and CS ensured alignment and smoother handoffs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Multi-Threading:<\/strong>\u00a0Glean incentivized CSMs and AEs to build relationships with multiple stakeholders at each customer. \u201cWe track multi-threading in Salesforce and offer spiffs for the most meetings,\u201d Lauren shared.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Executive Alignment:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cA champion isn\u2019t enough,\u201d AJ said. \u201cYou need at least three executive contacts to mitigate risk if a champion leaves.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Prioritizing Customer Success: Everyone\u2019s Job<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At Glean,\u00a0<strong>customer success is everyone\u2019s priority.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Key Initiatives:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Celebrating Wins:<\/strong>\u00a0Glean has a dedicated Slack channel for sharing customer success stories.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hands-On Support:<\/strong>\u00a0Even as the company scaled, Glean maintained a focus on providing hands-on support during onboarding and beyond.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cCreate a customer success channel if you don\u2019t have one,\u201d Lauren advised. \u201cIt\u2019s a great way to celebrate wins and keep the team motivated.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q&amp;A: Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>During the Q&amp;A, AJ and Lauren shared additional insights:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>AI Transformation:<\/strong>\u00a0Successful companies have a dedicated AI strategy team reporting to the CEO.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scaling Onboarding:<\/strong>\u00a0Focus on\u00a0<strong>multi-threading<\/strong>\u00a0and involve Sales if a champion drops off during onboarding.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Building Trust:<\/strong>\u00a0Security and culture are non-negotiable for earning customer trust.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Final Thought: Sustainable Growth is a Marathon<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>AJ closed with a reminder: \u201cGrowth is exciting, but it\u2019s a marathon, not a sprint. Stay focused on sustainable growth, and never lose sight of your \u2018why.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"How Sales &amp; CS 10x-ed Glean&#039;s ARR with Glean&#039;s VP of Sales and Head of CS\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V--5fo8E6pA?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.saastr.com\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction: The Glean Journey AJ Tenant, VP of Sales and Customer Success at Glean, and Lauren Kennedy, Head of Customer Success, took the stage to share how they scaled Glean from a handful of customers to hundreds, with 100x end-user adoption and nearly a million paid seats. &nbsp; AJ brought experience from Slack, where he&#8230; <br \/><a class=\"more-link fade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/how-sales-customer-success-10x-ed-gleans-arr-lessons-from-gleans-vp-of-sales-and-head-of-cs\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":307793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[24898,31,24987],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-307791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai","category-blog-posts","category-saastr-ai"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.saastr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gleanss-scaled.jpg?fit=1000%2C563&quality=70&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5oib2-1i4n","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307791"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":309883,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307791\/revisions\/309883"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/307793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saastr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=307791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}