Building Clari: Three Lessons from My Founder’s Journey

With the holidays around the corner and the end of year approaching, I find myself feeling a bit nostalgic.

This week, I’ve been looking back on our early days at Clari — the long nights, the setbacks, and the people who helped make each milestone possible. Building Clari from the ground up has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life.

Today, I’d like to share three key lessons that have shaped our company and my journey as a founder. I hope they inspire your legendary career in revenue — whether you’re growing a company, leading a team, or taking the next step forward.

Lesson 1: Turn your pain into a catalyst for innovation

The idea for Clari started with a simple pain.?

From the front lines of Silicon Valley sales teams, I saw firsthand how often revenue fell through the cracks — missed forecasts, slipped deals, and lost opportunities. Every revenue leak represented a moment where potential growth was left on the table.

I’d later discover that revenue leak was a $2 trillion problem.?

But at the time, it was personal. My co-founder, Venkat Rangan, and I knew companies needed a better way to manage revenue. Something more accurate and reliable than what traditional CRMs offered.

With Clari, we set out to eliminate revenue leaks, creating a platform that would help teams predict performance and actively drive it. By leaning into the pain we’d felt and heard from others, we discovered a mission to fundamentally transform revenue.

Takeaway: Don’t ignore the pain points in your business. They might be your biggest opportunities to innovate and create something impactful.

“Predictability separates top-performing teams from those constantly scrambling to catch up.”?

Lesson 2: Make predictability your competitive edge

Guesswork is the enemy of revenue growth.?

Early on, we realized that revenue teams needed more than gut feelings and rough estimates; they needed clear, data-driven insights. Predictability separates top-performing teams from those constantly scrambling to catch up.?

With Clari, we focused on building tools that empower revenue teams to see exactly where they stand at any moment in the quarter. By providing precise forecasts and real-time visibility into pipeline health, we gave revenue leaders the power to make confident decisions.?

Today, Clari customers consistently call their number within 1% accuracy — every single quarter.

Predictability isn’t just about hitting numbers. It’s about creating stability, building trust, and fostering a culture where every team member understands their role in driving growth.

Takeaway: To build a resilient revenue engine, eliminate guesswork wherever you can. Data-backed teams are more aligned, more focused, and ultimately, more successful.

Lesson 3: Invest in the future you want to create

It’s no secret that AI is taking the world by storm.?

But at Clari, we believed in the transformative power of AI long before it was a market-moving trend. From day one, we saw that AI could fundamentally rewrite how companies manage and drive revenue.?

So, we invested in the future. We tapped into our relationship with Sequoia Capital to learn more about the latest AI tools and trends. With their support, we started weaving AI into Clari’s DNA, creating a platform that could evolve with the needs of revenue teams worldwide.

When the AI boom started, we were positioned to take full advantage.?

Today, generative, predictive, and descriptive AI are synonymous with the Clari experience. And in 2025, we’re rolling out "bring your own model" scenarios, enabling businesses with in-house AI capabilities to integrate their models into Clari’s ecosystem.

Takeaway: When you see a technology or strategy that aligns with your vision, invest in it. Build the future you envision now, and you’ll be ready to lead when the world catches up.?

What have you learned from your journey?

Reflection is a powerful tool for building a legendary career in revenue. Looking back, I can see key lessons that shaped my path and continue to guide Clari’s growth:

• Turn pain into innovation: Use your toughest challenges as fuel to create solutions that make a difference.
• Make predictability your competitive edge: Design processes that bring consistency and accuracy to every revenue moment.
• Invest in the future you want to create: Lean into transformative technology that positions you—and your team—ahead of the curve.

Consider the lessons that have shaped your journey. And remember: every challenge you tackle, every insight you gain, and every investment you make today builds the foundation for what’s next.

To continued success,?

Andy Byrne

CEO, Clari

More playbook for running revenue

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Playbook: Master revenue like the Fortune 500 – unlock strategies top CROs are using to eliminate revenue risks, align teams, and drive unstoppable growth with our new CRO Playbook.?

Press Release: Clari appoints new Chief Customer Officer to help empower customers to achieve revenue predictability and growth. Read the full press release here.?