SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Ron Gabrisko, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Databricks, recently emphasized the critical importance of long-term strategic planning for rapid growth, advising founders and CEOs to “look at least 12 months out.” This counsel, shared during an interview with Harry Stebbings on “The Twenty Minute VC” podcast, underscores a forward-thinking approach that has evidently contributed to Databricks' significant market achievements.
Gabrisko’s perspective highlights a departure from short-term iteration, which he suggests will not yield fast growth. “My biggest advice is…you need to look at least 12 months out. If you’re just trying to iterate, you’re not going to grow fast,” stated Gabrisko, as quoted in a tweet by Jeff Richards. This philosophy reflects the strategic foresight necessary to navigate the complexities of scaling a go-to-market (GTM) operation in the fast-evolving data and AI landscape.
Databricks, founded in 2013 by the creators of Apache Spark, has demonstrated remarkable growth under Gabrisko's leadership, scaling from under $1 million to an anticipated $3 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR) by the end of January 2025. The company's valuation reached $62 billion in December 2024, following a substantial $10 billion Series J funding round. This financial trajectory positions Databricks as a leader in the data and AI sector, attracting significant investor confidence.
Gabrisko, who joined Databricks in 2015, has been instrumental in building and expanding the company's global sales organization. His tenure has seen Databricks achieve over 60% year-over-year growth, with its data warehousing product, Databricks SQL, reaching a $600 million ARR by late 2024. The company’s success is also attributed to its strong net dollar retention, exceeding 140%, indicating robust customer satisfaction and expansion.
The CRO's advice resonates within the tech community, especially for those aiming for hyper-growth. His experience at Databricks, where he has cultivated a predominantly technical sales force capable of deep product understanding and value delivery, reinforces the importance of strategic vision paired with operational excellence. The company continues to expand its customer base, with over 11,500 global customers by June 2024, including numerous large enterprises.