A Verkada sales representative who recruited at his alma mater – in which he praised the company and its plans for "crazy future growth" — left for another tech startup just two months after the presentation.
In this report, we examine Turner’s presentation to the students and some key differences between Verkada, which is growing aggressively, and his new employer, which has shed jobs recently.
***** ****** **** *** ****** *** **** ***** ***** ***** University** ***. **, ****. **** ***** later, ** ****** ******* ******* ** April ****, ********* ***** ******** *******.
Executive *******
***** ****** ***** ****** ** ******* to *** ******** *** ****** ** a “******* **** *** **** ***** and ***** ***** ************ ** ***** sales ************,” ** ************ “**** *** lead ** * **** ********* ***** environment.”
********** ** ******* *** ******* *** "cutthroat," ****** ********* ** ******* *** was * "*** ** **** ***," according ** *** ******** *******. ******** with *** *********** ** ******** ****** Verkada ***** **** *** **** ****** spoken **** **** ** ************* ********* ******** **** *********, ****** ********* exceptionally ****.
***** *** ************ ****** *********** *** his ******** ** *** ******** ***** Verkada’s ********* ****** **********, ***** **** potential ***** *** ** *** ** sale, ******’* ****** ********* ** * surprising *****.
*** *** ********, ********* ******** ********, ****** $*** ******* ** * $1.25 ******* ********* ** **** *** has ***** *********, **** ********* **** 22% ** *** **** ****. ***** made **** ***** ******* ******** **** and ***** ** *** ***** ******** count.
****** **** **** **** ** ******** "Verkada ** ** ******* ***** *** people ******* ** **** *** ** continue ***** ****** ** * ***** company," *** ** **** ****** ** "a ******** *****." ** ****'* ***** to *** ********* ***** ******* *** high-pressure *********** **** ** ***, ** why ** ***** ***** ******* *** recent *********. ***** *** *** ******* to ****'* ******* *** *******. ******* responded **** ** ******** ******'* *********** at *** *******.
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**** *** ********** ******** *********** ** complaints **** ****** ******* ********* ***** the ****-******** ***** ******* ** *** company, ********* * ***** ******** ** cold *******, ********* **** ******** ** * "****** room."*** ****, ***:
Weber ***** ************
****** ***** ** ******** ******* ***** **********'* ************ ************, ** ***** ** *** **** a ********.***** *****, ***** *** * ***** ********** of ***** **,*** ********, ** * public ********** ** *****, ****, ************* 40 ***** ***** ** **** **** City.
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********* ******,******* ***** *********** ******* **** ******** ***** ****** *** ************.
Turner's ******** ** ****
**** ***** *** ** **** *** presentation *** **** **** *** ***** two ****** *****, ****** **** **** the ********* ********, ******* *** ******* a "******** *****".
******* *** **amazing ******** ***** ** ** ******. I presented at Weber State because I believe Verkada is an amazing place for people looking to kick off or continue their career at a great company. Hence the reason I presented to the Professional Sales students at my Alma Mater. [Emphasis Added.]
** * ******** ************** *** *** ******, ****** **** ** *** “********” for *** **** ** *** *******. A ************ *** ******* **** ****: "Mason *** * ***** *** ** Verkada *** ** **** *** *** the **** ** *** **** *********."
Overview ** ************
***** ******** ** *** *** *********** in *****, ****** ******** ****** ** the ******** ***** ******* ** *** industry, *** ** **** ******** ********* statements ***** ******* *** *** ****** culture. ** **** ********** ******** ********* reviews ***** *** ******* ** ***** like ********* *** ******, ********: "**** the ******* *** **** ** ***** sites **** * ***** ** ****."
**** ******** **** ****** ***** *** sales *********** ************** **** ** *******, the *******'* ***** ******** ******* — also ***** ** ********* — *** touched ** *** **** ** ********* and ********** **** ** **** [********** stock *****].
"Hunters *** *******"
******'* ************ ******** * ***** ******* photos ** * **** *** ** cattle, ***** ** **** ** ********** the *********** ******* **** ** ****** "hunters" *** "*******." ** **** *** animals ** ** ******* *** "*** extremes" ** ***** ********, **** ******* being **** * "******."
*********** *** ******, ****** ******* *** students ** ******** ********* *********** **** looking *** * ***.
**** *'* ******* ** * *******,am * ***** ** **** * ***** ***** ** **** ** **** ** **** *** ******* ** *******, right? If we ***** ***** * **** *** ****** *** *** **** **, *** **** ****, **'* *********, **'* *******, **'* * ********* ** *** ****, it's extremely dedicated....Now, a **** ** ****** ** **** *********, right? They are very ********* ** ***** ** **** ** ********. They are looking for the path of least resistance in almost every case, the easiest gross to get to." [Emphasis Added.]
******* ** *** **** *******, ****** compared *** *** ***** ** ***** at ** ******** ******* *****,***** ** "**** *******," ** ***** "in * ****" ***** *** **** at ******* *** **** ***** "** a ****." ** **** *** ********:
*** **** ** * *killed *** ****** ***** ***** **** ******* or some of these other tech companies and everyone is the best, the word is hungry for success. They're hungry to level up to increase and improve their resume...This ** *** **** ** ****** *** **** ** ******** ******** **** to achieve those goals where you can become financially independent. [Emphasis Added.]
"Not ****** **'** *** **** *****"
******* ********** *******, ** **** ** was "******* ** ** *********" ** work ** *** *******. ** ****:
******* ** *different ***** ** ***** ************. In tech, there's a lot of fancy numbers here...but what's important is that it is an industry-leading security platform with a high valuation. [Emphasis Added.]
****** **** ******* ******** * ********* of "$* ******* ** * ****** of * ***** *******." *******'* **** recent *********, ********* ** *** ***** Kaliszan****** * ****** **** ******** *******, *** $*.* *******. ******* ****** nor ******* ********* ** ********* **** IPVM ***** *** $* ******* ****** in *** ************.
****** **** *** ******** ******* *** "plans *** ***** ****** ******."
"*** **'* * ******* **** *** only *** * ***** ******** **** the ******** **** ******* **but **** *** ***** *** ***** ****** ******. Some other large tech unicorn startups that we know of today are Apple, Uber, Facebook, things like that. I'm *** ****** **** **'** *** **** *****, but it's definitely something to look for when you're in that job hunt." [Emphasis Added.]
"A **** ********* ***** ***********"
**********, ****** **** *** ******** **** a ******* **** ******* **** "**** goals" **** *** "***** ***** ************ of ***** ***** ************." ** *****: "So *****'* * *** ** ******* that ** **** **. *** **** can **** ** * **** ********* sales ***********."
** ***** **** ***-******* ****** *** "What's *** ********** **** ** **** reps ** *******," "*** ******** ** upward ********," *** **** ************* **** available *** ******** * ******. ** said: "******* *** ******** **** *** me *** *** * *** ** others ** ***** * ********* ******."
***** ********** *******'* ********* **** *** an ***, ****** **** ***** **** past **** **** **** "******* **** wealthy ****** **** ** ****" ********* "some ************ *********."
Turner's ***** ******
***** ******** ****** ******* ***** ********* have **** **** **** **** ********* to **** ***** ******, ****** *** or ******** *** ***** ** ****** every ******* ** ****** ** *** company, ***** ** ***** ** *** presentation. ** **** **** *** ******** that ** *** ****** ** *** of *** ********* **** ** *** company, ******* *** ** *** *** 3%.
** *** ******** *******, ****** ****** his *********** ** **** ******* ************, showing **** *** ******* ***** ** missed ***** ** ** ****. ** also ******** ** ******* ** * "Top ** **** ***." ***********,****** ******* **** **** **** ******** **** ~**%-**% ** ********** *** their ******, ***** ******* *** ****** estimate ~**%. ******* *** ********** ****** those ******* ******* ********** *********** *******.
****** *** *** ******** *** ******** territory ** *** ********. ***** ****** employees **** **** **** **** *********** can **** ************* ***** ** ***** territory ********* *** *********. **** **** also **** **** **** **** **** have *********** ******* ** *** *******, making ** **** ********* *** **** to *** ***** ***** *******.
Verkada **. *****
******** *****, ******* ** ****, ** a ******* ****** ** **** $* billion, *** ******* ** *** ** par **** *******'* ******.********* ** ********, *** ******* *** ***** *** employees, **** **% ** *** **** year.********* ******* ** **************** ******* ** *** *******. * representative *** ***** *** *** ******* to ****'* ******* *** *******.
*********, ** ****** ***** ****** *** presentation ** *** ***** ***** ********, Verkada *** *** *** **** ******* — ******* * ******* ******** ** the **** ******** — *** *** continued ** **** *** *********.******** ****, ***** *********** ********** ** * result ** ****** *** ******** ***** bios *********** ***** ******* *** *******, shows * ****** ****** *****.
****** ********** *******'* **** ** **** layoffs ** * ******* ***** *** the ******* ****** *** ************ ** Weber *****, ******** ******** ** **** into * *******'* ******* ****** *******. He ****:
**'* ********** ** ** **** ******** beforehand *******layoffs *** *** **** ***** **** *** ** ** ****. Now Verkada has consistently been hiring through the layoffs [in the tech industry]. We *****'* *** * ****** **** ****** since I've been here. And I know that there weren't any before that. We're a growing company that knows how to recruit strategically to not have to lay off a big sum of people. We're a company that is extremely precise in our hiring efforts. [Emphasis Added.]
******* *** ******** ** *** ********, Turner *** *** **** ******* ***** Route's **** ******* ** ************** ** ****** ** ************* ******* ******* *** ******* *** package-tracking *******
***** **** *** *****, ******* *** been ** ******* **********. * ** grateful *** *** ******* ******* **** allowed ** ** ***** *** **** as **** ** * ***. ******* has ***** ** ********** ***** *** and ** ******* *******. * **** to *********** ********** *** ***-***** **********. **** ***** said, * ** ***** ** ***** that *’* ******** * *** ******** as ** ******* ********* *******! * **beyond ******* ** ** * **** ** **** *** *******. Anxious to put my head down and start ******* ******* ** * *** ********. Let's go get 'em ******* *****! [******** *****.]
We're a growing company that knows how to recruit strategically to not have to lay off a big sum of people.
bullshit.
saturation (i.e. everyone with a wallet has been pitched at least 5 times each) has to be close by now - if not already achieved. which was the VC blitzkrieg plan from jump.
saturation - created almost entirely by the 900+strong current sales force, will also kill off probably half of those same positions in due time.
it is part of the plan.
kanye knows:
You can’t blame the guy for leaving after 2.5 years of making it at a place that is known for hiring and firing for sub par performance. He got a bigger base at Route and most likely got some significant equity. He probably got to negotiate his commission structure as well. Good luck to him - it’s a tough world out there!
You can’t blame the guy for leaving after 2.5 years of making it at a place that is known for hiring and firing for sub par performance.
I don't blame him for that... it's actually pretty good tea-leaf reading on his part, imo...
i.e. I think he recognized his best exist strategy was bailing when the gettin' was good (before the imminent layoffs)- while also not burning any bridges publicly.
that's smart.
I blame him for selling most-probably false hopes to his young collegiate proteges that they can do what he did when I don't think he really believes it himself.
I also blame him for his haircut.
I also blame him for his haircut.
You must not be around very many tech bros....
Update: The post now includes Verkada's response, which praised Mason's time at the company. "Mason was a great rep at Verkada and we wish him all the best on his next adventure." The company did not provide any additional comment.
I find it fascinating that the effective claim that 110% of quota puts a rep in the top 3% of salespeople. I am guessing that this is at least partially attributable to 2023 being a tough year for tech sales, but it's still quite a low quota attainment to be ranked so high.
