In Episode 7 of COLD ONES, we talked about John Eitel’s career journey which offers a compelling narrative on navigating the shift from product-led growth (PLG) to a sales-led growth model. Joining Canva, a company that initially thrived on PLG, John played a pivotal role in transitioning it towards a more sales-focused approach, particularly in the North American market. Canva, known for its easy-to-use design tools that democratized graphic design, had a robust consumer base but faced challenges in monetizing their vast user pool. John’s entry into Canva marked the beginning of a transformation aimed at capitalizing on the natural momentum of users and exploring new revenue streams.
John’s involvement began with skepticism, as he was not initially inclined towards a consumer-oriented company. However, his encounter with Canva’s founders, Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, and their entrepreneurial spirit, convinced him of the potential to make a significant impact. He found their rebellious and innovative approach compelling and saw an opportunity to help Canva expand its horizons. The journey was not just about increasing revenues but also about building a sustainable growth model that could leverage Canva’s existing user base.
Canva’s shift to a sales-led model required building a sales team from the ground up, a task John embraced with enthusiasm. The company’s initial success was rooted in its consumer focus, but John saw the potential in targeting businesses and enterprises. He recognized that many large companies, despite having design teams, were using Canva for quick, efficient design solutions. This insight led to the development of a new enterprise-focused product offering. The challenge was not just in building a sales team but in aligning the entire company towards this new direction while maintaining the essence of what made Canva successful in the first place.
John’s story highlights the importance of adaptability and the willingness to embrace new challenges. His experience at Canva underscores the significance of understanding market needs and being flexible enough to pivot when necessary. The transition from PLG to a sales-led approach was not just about changing tactics but about fundamentally rethinking how Canva approached its growth strategy. John’s journey is a testament to the power of innovation and the impact that a strategic shift in focus can have on a company’s trajectory.
Backed by world-famous investors & executives at the largest software companies like IBM, DocuSign, and Adobe, ReachSuite is a Fully Functional Automated, Interactive Product Demo Platform that powers our customers to transform their internal demo tenant into a no-login required, guard-railed, and guided demo experience. Revenue teams across the full buyer’s life cycle - marketing, sales, sales engineering, and CS - rely on ReachSuite’s platform to provide on-demand discovery questionnaires, demos, and trial sandboxes. When our customers adopt ReachSuite, they see an immense ROI in reducing CAC, improving time to close, and increasing win rates.
Comments