Brad Stratton - CRO

 I have hired Brent twice to run my SDR/Commercial team, and would recommend Brent to any CEO who wants to learn how to hire and scale an inside sales SaaS team. Brent and I worked together at Witness Systems and Verint from 2005 through 2011. A few years later when I became the Head of Sales for Talend, Brent was one the first person I called to run our SDR and Commercial/SMB Sales teams. Brent excelled at leading and growing the team in all WW regions. Brent's ongoing networking and approach to recruiting led to 100+ strong hires at the individual SDR, AE, and manager levels. We had a hiring methodology, and Brent was the best at executing this on a daily basis, as I would use him as my shining star example. We enjoyed several years of strong growth from Brent's organization which played an important role in our successful IPO in 2016 and later a $2.4B private equity acquisition in 2021. I recognized Brent as our Executive of the Year during our 2018 Sales Kick-off in Dublin.

Brent regularly participated Sr. Executive meetings and offsites in which he provided data-driven research and recommendations for ongoing improvements in top-line growth balanced with efficiency.

I give Brent a strong recommendation for CEOs and sales executives looking for someone who will make a positive impact on their business. 

 Brent and I are co-authors of the book, "Sales 2.0". During the long and sometimes arduous months we worked together on this project, I learned that Brent is not only an inspirational sales leader with innovative ideas to motivate his team and serve his customers, but also a truly wonderful person. I learned a lot from Brent while writing the book - he is in the field, putting Sales 2.0 practices and technology to work every day - and continue to seek out his opinion as we both explore and test new sales approaches that match the way customers today prefer to buy. 

  Brent did a terrific job leading Talend's Commercial Sales organization over a 7 year period, driving growth from ~$2M to $70M in ARR. Brent is an extremely strong team builder, taking disciplined approach to hiring SDRs, AEs, and sales leaders, and his enthusiastic and encouraging leadership style combined with strong mentorship created a positive culture with high retention rates and many internal promotions. This resulted in a high performing team with high eNPS scores that provided a strong boost to our internal culture. Brent shines at data analysis and strategic planning, and as a result he played an important role in our sales planning as well as creating and executing targeted sales plays. I wholeheartedly recommend Brent as a sales leader or as an advisor to SaaS executives looking to scale their business. 

I had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Brent during two major business transformations at both HPE & Talend. What sets him apart is not just the impressive growth figures achieved in his career. It is the fact that he is globally well renowned for his expertise in sales planning. Brent's ability to navigate conflicting priorities in high-pressure situations demonstrate a strategic acumen that is second to none.

Brent is a visionary team builder, approaching the recruitment process with discipline and a keen eye for assembling a diverse and talented team of SDRs, AEs, and sales leaders. His enthusiasm and encouragement are infectious, creating an environment where individuals thrive and feel empowered. His mentorship goes beyond the professional realm, contributing significantly to the high retention rates and numerous internal promotions. It's rare to find a leader who not only excels at data analysis and strategic planning but also actively contributes to shaping a positive and supportive work culture. A recipe that has proven to produce tangible outcomes. 

 Brent is one of the most dynamic, effective, and empathetic leaders I have had the pleasure to work for. He is a strategic thinker, who has the ability to deal with conflicting priorities in high pressure situations and find a win for his teams. Under Brent's leadership, the worldwide SMB org was created, grew exponentially, and continues to thrive. He has led all his teams by example, is always available to talk strategy or troubleshoot a problem and his enthusiasm and optimism has made the SMB org at Talend a fantastic place to work. Brent has not only promoted a number of sales managers and AEs from within, but he has also helped them grow into amazing leaders - The impact he has had on the culture here at Talend is beyond measure. I would be glad to work for Brent again.

I had the privilege of working under Brent's leadership at Talend from 2016 to 2021.

Brent hired me in 2016 for a hybrid SDR/CSR role as Talend embarked on expanding its presence in the Asia Pacific region. His leadership style was nothing short of inspiring, always encouraging the team to explore new avenues and fostering collaboration among team members and other leaders within the organization.

In 2017, Brent promoted me to a leadership role. Under his guidance, we successfully built and managed 10-member SDR/CSR teams across Asia Pacific and Japan including establishing a strategic SDR hub in India. Brent's deep understanding of the 'TopGrading' hiring methodology proved invaluable, enabling us to efficiently screen and recruit top-tier candidates.

Brent leads from the front, and his authenticity creates a genuine connection with both customers and team members, making collaboration seamless. Brent's proficiency with Excel sheets is nothing short of impressive; his data-driven approach to problem-solving, executed with unbiased precision, sets him apart as a leader who thrives on delivering results.

It was a privilege to work with Brent, and I can confidently say that his leadership style, strategic mindset, and commitment to excellence significantly contributed to the success of our teams and the overall growth of Talend's corporate sales organization.