Mohit Aron: The GTM Story of Cohesity ($1.3 Billion in ARR)

Cohesity is the pioneer of AI-powered data security and management. With over $955 million in funding and a recently-announced acquisition plan, Cohesity expects to be a $7 billion company with over $1.3 billion in annual recurring revenue.

In a recent episode of Unicorn Builders, I sat down with Mohit Aron , founder of Cohesity , to learn about the company's journey from a focused VMware backup solution to becoming the global leader in AI-powered data security and management trusted by 47 of the Fortune 100.

Topics Discussed:

1. The evolution of Cohesity from a VMware backup solution to a comprehensive data management platform
2. Mohit's strategy for identifying and addressing pain points in the data management market
3. The importance of the "land and expand" approach in Cohesity's growth
4. How Cohesity positioned itself as a hybrid solution for both on-premise and cloud environments
5. The creation and leadership of the "next-gen data management" category
6. Cohesity's approach to building relationships with analyst firms like Gartner
7. The challenges Mohit faced transitioning from CTO to CEO roles
8. The company's focus on simplifying complex data management processes

5 GTM Lessons For Founders:

1. Find your initial beachhead market: Mohit's strategy of focusing initially on VMware backups is a perfect example of this principle. By targeting a specific pain point within the broader data management space, Cohe
2. Master the "land and expand" approach: Cohesity started with small footprints in customer environments, often with VMware backups, then gradually took over entire backup footprints. Some customers replaced up to seven legacy products with Cohesity's solution.
3. Align your brand with your core value proposition: Cohesity chose a name that directly reflected their main offering - bringing cohesion to fragmented data management processes. This clear alignment between the brand and the product's key benefit helps communicate the company's value to potential customers quickly and effectively. It also positions the company as a solution to a specific, widespread problem in enterprise data management.
4. Engage with industry analysts early: Mohit emphasized the critical role of firms like Gartner in influencing enterprise buying decisions. By building relationships with analysts early, consistently engaging with them, and ensuring your customers provide positive feedback, you can shape analysts' opinions of your company. This positive perception can lead to favorable mentions to potential customers and better positioning in influential reports like Gartner's Magic Quadrant, ultimately driving more business your way.
5. Build your GTM team early: Mohit hired key marketing and sales personnel six months before launch. This team, reaching 5-10 people by launch, was crucial in securing design partners and initiating sales conversations, enabling a strong market entry.

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