Shows
Who Got Me HereDrew Sechrist: The Cold Email That Changed EverythingWhat if a single, well-timed email could change the trajectory of your entire career? In this episode of Who Got Me Here, Annie Reilly sits down with Drew Sechrist, one of Salesforce’s earliest employees and the founder & CEO of Connect the Dots. Drew shares how a cold email to Marc Benioff landed him a front-row seat on Salesforce’s rise from pre-revenue to over $1B—and how intentional relationship-building made him a top-performing sales leader.Together, they unpack why meaningful networking isn’t about volume, how to stand out when everyone around you is an A-player, and why...
2026-02-0530 min
Who Got Me HereSarah Franklin: From Engineer to CEO, How Relationships Shape a CareerIn this episode of Who Got Me Here, Sarah Franklin traces her path from chemical engineer to CEO—and makes a compelling case that relationships, not resumes, are what truly shape a career. Through stories of being rejected 14 times, creatively breaking into tech, and rising from individual contributor to President at Salesforce before becoming CEO of Lattice, Sarah shares how self-awareness, gratitude, and intentional networking quietly compound over time. This conversation goes beyond titles and transitions, exploring how clarity of purpose, generosity toward others, and the courage to ask for help can redefine success and unlock opportunities you can’t se...
2026-01-2229 min
Who Got Me HereWhitnie Narcisse of First Round: How the Best Networkers Build TrustWhitnie Narcisse has built her career around a simple but uncommon truth: the strongest companies—and the strongest careers—are built through real relationships. As a longtime operating partner at First Round Capital, she’s been a quiet force behind some of the most trusted founder and operator communities in tech.In this episode, Whitnie traces her non-linear path from Teach for America and nonprofit work into venture capital, sharing how curiosity, bold outreach, and genuine care opened doors she couldn’t have planned for. Along the way, she unpacks the mindset shifts required to navigate career transiti...
2026-01-0832 min
Who Got Me HereWhat the Top of the Mountain Really Looks Like for CreatorsPerfection might get views—but it doesn’t build connection. In this clip, Michael talks about why showing imperfection, struggling in real time, and leaving things unpolished actually removes intimidation and creates trust. It’s the difference between swipeable content and deep connection. When people feel your authenticity, identify with your story, and are genuinely learning alongside you, that’s the real summit of the internet—not follower counts or flashy edits, but meaningful depth with real people. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus e...
2026-01-0201 min
Who Got Me HereMichael Palmisano: Building a Life Around What You LoveMichael Palmisano didn’t stumble into success—he earned it through years of uncertainty, persistence, and an unwavering belief that the things worth having take time. In this episode of Who Got Me Here, Michael shares how the collapse of the traditional music industry forced him to rethink everything, ultimately leading him to build a global audience by teaching guitar online and breaking down songs.Guided by his mantra—working hard, getting better every day—Michael reveals how showing up authentically, being vulnerable, and embracing imperfection helped him connect with nearly a million subscribers on a deeply human le...
2025-12-1838 min
Who Got Me HereHow Great Leaders Spot “Future Superstars” (Kraig Swensrud)In this clip from Who Got Me Here, Qualified CEO and three-time founder Kraig Swensrud shares the number one thing he focuses on as a leader: finding future superstars early and betting on them before they’re “ready.”Kraig talks about how he looks for people with passion, drive, and that hard-to-define X factor—even if they don’t yet have all the skills or experience. He explains why he gives them stretch roles, extra time, and bigger opportunities than their résumé might justify, as a way of paying forward the leaders who once took a chance on hi...
2025-12-0501 min
Who Got Me HereSending An Email To The CEOIn this clip from Who Got Me Here, Kraig Swensrud shares how a single, thoughtful cold email to a CEO completely changed the trajectory of his career—and why almost no one does it.He explains the difference between generic sales spam and a genuine, highly specific message that says: I know what your company does, here’s why I care, here’s how I can help, and here’s where I fit. That one email led to a new role, an acquisition, and a mentor who bet big on him.Kraig’s advice: don’t be intimid...
2025-12-0503 min
Who Got Me HereHow to Spot Future Superstars—and Why You Should Bet on Them EarlyIn this clip from Who Got Me Here, Kraig Swensrud explains the simple but powerful criteria he uses to identify rising stars inside his company—people who are smart, driven, generous, and willing to put in the effort long before they have all the answers.Kraig shares why he proactively reaches out to these early-career talents, tells them they have a unique “X factor,” and gives them opportunities they may not yet feel qualified for. His goal: invest in them before anyone else does, help them grow, and build relationships that last decades.He also breaks...
2025-12-0501 min
Who Got Me HereNever Burn a BridgeIn this clip from Who Got Me Here, Kraig Swensrud shares one of the most important lessons of his career: every relationship you build in tech will follow you for decades.Kraig explains why even the coworkers you clash with today may become future allies, collaborators, or C-suite leaders tomorrow. The tech world is far more interconnected than it appears—people move across Google, Dropbox, Meta, Salesforce, startups, and beyond, carrying their networks with them.He recalls Marc Benioff’s advice that people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year, and radically underestimate what they...
2025-12-0503 min
Who Got Me HereGravitate to AI and Your Network Will FollowIn this clip from Who Got Me Here, Kraig Swensrud explains why the people who sit on the cutting edge of technology naturally become magnets for opportunity and relationships. In today’s world, that cutting edge is AI.Kraig shares the story of Rich Campbell, a teammate who raised his hand to figure out how an AI agent could help Qualified acquire new customers. Rich pulled together 20 vendors, built something real, and earned a new title—AI Go-to-Market Specialist—along with a stronger internal network and career momentum.Kraig’s advice to young professionals:* Run...
2025-12-0501 min
Who Got Me HereYour Industry Is Smaller Than You Think.In this clip from Who Got Me Here, Kraig Swensrud shares a lesson every tech professional eventually learns: the industry is much smaller than you think.Kraig explains why the people sitting around you today—coworkers, peers, even those you barely notice—are likely to reappear throughout your career. They’ll become leaders, decision-makers, and influencers across the industry, often just one or two degrees away from you for decades.He also warns against letting relationships go cold. When someone reaches out years later asking for a connection, you never want to feel awkward because you di...
2025-12-0501 min
Who Got Me HereYour Coworkers Today Will Run the Industry TomorrowIn this clip from Who Got Me Here, Kraig Swensrud explains why the most powerful relationships in your career are forged “in the trenches” — shipping products, solving problems, and going through real work together.He shares how early teammates from cubicles and scrappy startups went on to become CROs and executives at companies like Dropbox, Zendesk, and Miro—and why those shared experiences created bonds that lasted decades.Kraig’s message to early-career professionals: don’t underestimate the people sitting next to you right now. The projects you’re grinding on together today are the foundation of...
2025-12-0502 min
Who Got Me HereBreaking into Tech and Early MentorshipIn this clip from Who Got Me Here, three-time founder and Qualified CEO Kraig Swensrud reflects on the people who changed the trajectory of his career—and how he now tries to do the same for others.Kraig shares stories of the leaders who “bet on him” early on:* Norm Gennaro, who took a chance on a rookie sales engineer at Oracle* Philip Merrick, who hired Kraig off a single cold email during the dot-com boom* Chris Halligan, who mentored his first startup out of a tiny San Francisco apartmentHe t...
2025-12-0502 min
Who Got Me HereThe Advice I’d Give My Younger Self: Take More RiskIn this Who Got Me Here clip, Kraig Swensrud reflects on the one piece of advice he wishes he could give his younger self: take far more risk.Despite founding three companies and rising to CMO of a public company, Kraig explains why he still would have pushed himself harder to chase uncomfortable challenges, learn emerging technologies, and put himself on the cutting edge of the industry.He breaks down why risk-taking accelerates learning, expands your network, and exposes you to the people and opportunities that define a career. And he shares a truth most...
2025-12-0501 min
Who Got Me HereYou Never Know Who’s in the Audience: Kraig Swensrud on Taking the ShotKraig explains how a desire to go to business school shifted when his future co-founder (Sean Whitely) convinced him to start a company instead. With no roadmap and almost nothing to lose, they built an early integration between Google Ads and Salesforce and landed a demo slot at Salesforce’s AppExchange showcase.What happened next was pure serendipity: Benioff and the top Salesforce leadership were in the audience. That six-minute demo led to an acquisition offer that launched Kraig’s career in a completely new direction.His lesson? Put yourself in the room. Take the shot...
2025-12-0503 min
Who Got Me HereKraig Swensrud: The People Who Got Me HereIn this episode, Kraig Swensrud—3x founder, CEO of Qualified, and former CMO of Salesforce, reflects on the people and pivotal moments that shaped his career. From early bets placed on him as a rookie sales engineer, to mentors who opened doors, to colleagues who pushed him to take bold risks, Kraig shares how relationships powered his path from Oracle to founding three companies.He opens up about the leaders who invested in him, why he now pays it forward by spotting future superstars inside his own company, and the simple practices that build lifelong bonds. Kraig al...
2025-12-0428 min
Who Got Me HereWelcome to Season 2 of Who Got Me HereWe've all heard it a hundred times: Your network is your net worth. Who Got Me Here features leading executives looking back on the relationships that transformed their careers, unearthing lessons that anyone can use to build more meaningful connections and make the most of them.This season, we’ve got a lineup of legends and inspiring guests. They include founders, investors, community builders, and CEOs. By reverse-engineering career paths, we reveal what it really takes to succeed—And the stories of gratitude, risk, and resilience that shape remarkable careers. Join hosts Jamie Grenne...
2025-11-2002 min
Who Got Me HereMark Anderson: Utilizing Sales Skills to Open Your HorizonsMark Anderson is the CEO at Alteryx. In a conversation with Annie, Mark talks about his humble beginnings in retail sales that helped him break into the tech world. He shares stories about working with Jeff Bezos and Amazon in the ‘90s, and how learning from John Chambers at Cisco informs his current leadership style. Prior to his role as CEO at Alteryx, Mark was President of Palo Alto Networks, where he and the team grew the company from pre-IPO in 2012 to become one of the largest security companies in the world.---"I used to...
2023-11-2936 min
Who Got Me HereJeff Epstein: The Trillion Dollar ConnectorJeff Epstein is an Operating Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, a global firm with $4 billion under management that invests in early-stage and hyper-growth startups, partnering closely with entrepreneurs to build durable businesses including innovative companies like Pinterest, Twilio, Box, LinkedIn, Shopify, Yelp, and Skype. Formerly, Jeff was the executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Oracle, one of the world’s largest and most profitable technology companies, with a market value of over $200 billion. Prior to joining Oracle, Jeff served as the CFO at several public and private companies, including DoubleClick (acquired by Google), King World Productions (acquired by...
2023-11-0843 min
Who Got Me HereMagdalena Yesil: Breaking InMagdalena Yesil was the first investor and founding board member at Salesforce, a company that now has a $200 billion market cap. She is the Founder of Broadway Angles and serves on the SoFi, Smartsheet, and Zuora board. In a conversation with Annie, Magdalena shares her experience breaking into Silicon Valley, including stories about how Steve Jobs and Marc Benioff shaped her career. She describes how persistence and resilience let you take bold steps forward.---“The piece that a lot of people miss is that if you are going to go get advocates and you ar...
2023-09-2746 min
Who Got Me HereNick Mehta: The Best Time To Network Is AlwaysNick Mehta is the CEO at Gainsight, a company with 1,200+ global employees and 20k growing customers. Their mission is to be living proof that you can win in business while being human first. 99% of the reviewers on Glassdoor approve of their CEO. So what’s Nick’s secret to success? In a conversation with Annie, Nick talks about breaking into the customer success industry, standing out through the details, utilizing LinkedIn as a career-building strategy, and his most important advice for what NOT to do when networking.---“Business is fundamentally about human beings first. It's a...
2023-04-2646 min
Who Got Me HereJob Searches: How To Uncover New OpportunitiesKicking off a job search can feel overwhelming. It takes motivation to put yourself out there, and it’s emotionally draining when you don’t know where to go next. The good news is there are simple techniques to surface new opportunities and set yourself apart from all the other applicants. Who Got Me Here is a podcast about connections, career building, and relationships. In this episode, Annie and Jamie will share advice on tapping your network, making great asks, and acing the interview. If you know someone who has been laid off or is coming to you for care...
2023-04-0543 min
Who Got Me HereApril Underwood: Company Networks Are The Foundation Of One’s NetworkApril Underwood is the former Chief Product Officer at Slack. She was early at Twitter and made great friends at Google. As she describes in the podcast, the collection of people from companies A, B, and C is the foundation of one's network. April picked companies where she loved the product and knew these were people (Stewart Butterfield, Dick Costolo) she'd love building with. At this point in her career, April is an early-stage investor, co-founder of #ANGELS, and serves on the boards of Zillow and Eventbrite. In a fun conversation with Annie, hear April’s recommendations on building re...
2022-12-1437 min
Who Got Me HerePejman Nozad: Use Your DifferencesPejman is the co-founder and managing director of Pear VC, one of the most successful investment firms in Silicon Valley. Over the past two decades, he has been a seed investor in some of the most iconic tech companies including Doordash, Dropbox, Applovin, Gusto, and many more. An Iranian immigrant, Pejman took an unconventional career path, building up his network while working as a rug salesman in Palo Alto. Hear him share incredible stories—like the time he brought the entire partnership of Sequoia Capital into his rug gallery—and timeless lessons about the value of carefully building a netw...
2022-11-3035 min
Who Got Me HereBob Metcalfe: The Inventor Of Ethernet On A Lifetime Of ConnectionsBob Metcalfe, the godfather of ethernet and namesake of Metcalfe’s Law, knows a bit about networking. His perspective on how connected nodes come together to form a whole greater than the sum of its parts is well-earned after a 50+ year career stretching back to the salad days of Xerox PARC. Hear Bob offer timeless advice on building relationships, making connections, and the value of helping others succeed.---“I was late to this, but you got to learn how to sell. In the course of learning how to sell you have to learn how to c...
2022-11-0922 min
Who Got Me HereKate Taylor: Deviating From The Path is What Makes You InterestingAs Global Head of Recruiting at Notion, Kate has an interesting vantage point on tech career journeys. But her own path is a powerful example of how growth is a jungle gym, not a ladder. Kate launched her career with a cold email to Marc Benioff (at a point when Salesforce had 4,000 employees!) and spent years in sales roles at Salesforce, Dropbox, and Notion, where she rose to become Head of SMB revenue before making a leap into people and recruiting. Kate’s story is full of simple but powerful points on the value of relationships across careers—and she...
2022-10-2632 min
Who Got Me HereVeere Grenney: Being of Service and With IntegrityVeere has been recognized numerous times as one of the top interior designers in the world by leading magazines and tastemakers. At the helm of his eponymous firm, Veere has designed interiors across the globe and seen his own homes featured in World of Interiors and Architectural Digest and Vouge, among others. Veere built his career slowly but organically, combining a relentless drive to follow his passions with a strong work ethic and commitment to service. In our conversation, Veere offers timeless and universal insights into how apprenticeship, professionalism, and dedication to craft can weave into a powerful fabric...
2022-10-1243 min
Who Got Me HereMichael Jaconi: Share Your Passion and VulnerabilityMichael Jaconi is the CEO of Button, with a long career including executive roles at Rakuten and a stint as a presidential campaign aide to John McCain. Authentic, meaningful relationships have been a throughline across his expansive career—and he offers a load of helpful tips on how to build them. Check out this episode for nuggets including the best jobs to get out of college, the three strongest paths to connecting with a VC, and how to avoid a major networking mistake the first time you meet someone.---"I think that a lot of...
2022-09-2838 min
Who Got Me HereMolly Graham: Just Make FriendsMolly Graham is a technology executive, advisor, and board member whose resume includes helping both Google and Facebook navigate periods of intense scaling, serving as COO of Lambda School, leading operations at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and more. Molly credits relationships for opening doors and catapulting her career forward. Her story is packed with lessons on the outsized power of being a friend, how curiosity can forge meaningful relationships quickly, and how to build and make use of a personal council of advisors.---“You just never know who someone is, who they're gonna become, how...
2022-09-1429 min
Who Got Me HereTod Sacerdoti: The Power of Bringing People TogetherAs a 2x CEO with a $640 million exit and early investments in unicorns AppLovin and Chime on his resume, relationships have been essential to Tod’s success. But for him, “networking” isn’t the right word to describe his strategy. It’s all about genuine, meaningful connections, built by bringing people together around shared interests and passions. Our conversation with Tod was packed with insights about the value of being a host, why curation is a relationship-building superpower, and the importance of reminding people you’re still alive.---"I think the single most important thing is aut...
2022-08-3139 min
Who Got Me HereTrailerThis is Who Got Me Here: Reverse-engineering the most powerful professional networks in Silicon valley and beyond. Hosted by Annie Riley. Learn how to build your network with Connect The Dots at ctd.ai This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whogotmehere.substack.com
2022-08-0300 min
Billion Dollar TechHow to Build a Billion Dollar Network with Jamie Grenney“There are tons of times throughout the course of the day when you’re looking for a good person, and how do you find that person?” says Jamie Grenney, Head of Sales, Marketing and Customer Success at Connect the Dots, a professional networking platform. What separates Connect the Dots from similar platforms is that it sources from users’ email banks, determining, based on the level of interaction within the emails, how well two people within the same network might know each other. For an employer trying to narrow the search for a hire, or a shy young person looking to make inr...
2022-06-2346 min
Pipeline VisionariesPart 2: Top 24 CMOs Share Their Uncuttable Demand Gen Budget ItemsFind all the information online at www.qualified.com/podcast/uncuttableEvery week, we sit down with marketing leaders from some of the world’s fastest-growing companies on the Demand Gen Visionaries podcast to uncover the demand gen strategies that have been fundamental to their skyrocketing success. In each episode, we ask our marketing leader guests which three areas of investment are most important to their demand gen initiatives. Tune into this two-part mini series to hear the budget items our CMO guests couldn’t live without!Part two of the special two-pa...
2020-12-1644 minPipeline VisionariesScaling Demand Gen to Build the Next Unicorn with Jamie Grenney, CMO of OwnBackupThis episode features an interview with Jamie Grenney, CMO of OwnBackup. Prior to OwnBackup, Jamie spent 11 years at Salesforce learning from the best in the business. Most recently, he led a large product marketing and enablement team as a Global VP at Okta, and is now working on making OwnBackup into his fourth Unicorn. On this episode, Jamie discusses the death of cold outreach, the right way to make impactful video content, how to cultivate a great sales-marketing relationship, and much more.Key TakeawaysThe big shift that we're going to see in demand g...
2020-10-1350 min
Marketing Over CoffeeJamie Grenney Talks Next Generation Marketing AutomationIn this Marketing Over Coffee: A Special Interview with Jamie Grenney of Infer!
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Learn from over a dozen of the best and brightest instructors in the world at MarketingProfs Marketing Writing Bootcamp. You’ll get tons of great writing tips, new techniques for enhancing your writing style, and will learn to write with a relentless focus on...
2015-08-0527 min
The Price of BusinessIf One Picture is Worth a Thousand Words…Jamie Grenney, Vice President of Video and Social Media for salesforce.com, will be joining guest Presenter: Lin Fisher, VP of Play Operations Center and Marketing
2011-03-0900 minThe Price of BusinessSocial Networking: The New Water CoolerJamie Grenney, Vice President of Video and Social Media at salesforce.com, joins Walter Rogers on this week’s CBS radio show.
2011-01-2600 min