Building a $1.2 Billion Enterprise: Katherine Kostereva on Scaling and Sales

How does a CEO turn a passion for solving business challenges into a billion-dollar company? Katherine Kostereva, CEO of Creatio, shares her inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from her beginnings at IBM to building a globally recognized no-code platform. Discover how she bootstrapped her company for six years, secured $200 million in funding, and created a collaborative culture that fuels growth. Learn actionable strategies on prioritization, building strong sales teams, and leveraging partnerships to scale efficiently.
Chapters
01:39 Creatio's Purpose
Katherine describes the foundation of Creatio and its mission to streamline company workflows through a no-code platform.
02:24 The Birth of Creatio
A journey back to the origins of Creatio around ten years ago, when the idea for no-code, speedy automation first took shape.
04:28 From Sales to Company CEO
Katherine reflects on her non-traditional path from engineering to sales, leading to her CEO role at Creatio.
06:26 Product Development Insights
Discussing how customer feedback shapes product development and the complexities of bringing a product to market.
08:20 Sales Team Dynamics
How the Creatio team collaboratively adapted and sold the product in its early days.
09:39 Hiring and Organizing Sales Teams
Katherine explains the transition from founder-led sales to a structured sales team and how roles evolved within the company.
11:36 Importance of Sales Playbooks
A deep dive into the strategic significance of sales playbooks in streamlining sales processes and training.
14:59 Partner Relationships in Sales
Exploring how Creatio’s partner-driven strategy significantly influences their sales and implementation processes.
18:24 Lead Generation Strategies
Discussion on the multifaceted approach to lead generation in Creatio, combining partner relations, marketing, and direct outreach.
22:00 Growth and the Enhancement of Sales Processes
Katherine emphasizes the continuous effort needed to optimize and update sales strategies to meet market demands.
24:27 The Future of Creatio
Katherine shares her vision for Creatio’s role in the evolving landscape of enterprise software and AI-driven platforms.
26:17 CEO Reading Recommendations
Katherine recommends a must-read book for CEOs in the software industry.
27:17 Podcast Recommendations for Innovative Thinking
Katherine suggests a business podcast that offers insights into rapid scaling and innovation.
28:48 Key Advice for CEOs
Highlighting the importance of prioritization and impact assessment in daily CEO activities.
29:15 Contact Info and Closing
Katherine shares contact details for further connection and wraps up the discussion with final thoughts.
About Guest
Katherine Kostereva is the Founder and CEO of Creatio, a global vendor of an AI-native platform designed to automate CRM and workflows using no-code. With a lifelong passion for technology, she launched Creatio in 2014, bootstrapping the business with a clear mission to empower businesses to automate their ideas in minutes without writing a single line of code. A decade later, in 2024, Creatio achieved unicorn status and raised $200 million at a $1.2 billion valuation. The funding is aimed at advancing AI capabilities and driving further innovation in the no-code and CRM space.
Social Links
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Book recommended by Katherine: www.amazon.com...
Podcast recommended by Katherine: www.blitzscali...
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