5 Questions for a CEO: Kyle Porter, SalesLoft
This is the sixth installment of my “5 Questions for a CEO” series. The first was with Raymond King, CEO of Zoo Atlanta; the second was with Devon Wijesinghe, CEO of Insightpool; the third with Mark Feinberg, CEO of Uruut; the fourth with Simms Jenkins, BrightWave Marketing; and the fifth was with Rob Kischuk, CEO of PerfectPost.
One of the benefits of starting Dragon Army in the Atlanta Tech Village last September has been the opportunity to spend more time with some of the best entrepreneurs and leaders in Atlanta. Kyle Porter, CEO of SalesLoft, is no exception. Positive, energetic, and freakishly organized, this guy sets a high bar and I was excited to have him answer my CEO questions.
Tell the story of how you first became an entrepreneur.
As a kid, I had a fascination with selling stuff. From GI Joes to Beanie Babies, baseball cards, Zippo lighters, comic books and even 1996 Olympic Pins, I was always finding out what was in high demand and determining how to get it for less so I could sell it for more. I loved seeing the smile on peoples faces when I delivered what they desired.
Me and a briefcase filled with He-Man action figures
Explain SalesLoft and describe the makeup of the team.
SalesLoft is the simplest way on the internet to build accurate and targeted lists of prospects. Our team of 11 is a group of awesome, quirky, positive, supportive and self-starting superstars who are smart & get shit done!
How do you stay productive on a day to day basis and what’s your morning routine?
I’m an inbox zero guy so I use gmail as a productivity tool. I’m big on chrome extensions, text accelerators, and using siri while walking around the Tech Village & bluetooth in my car. I’m not a huge routine guy but am always up before 7am…even on the weekends. I rarely stay up late. Every single Sunday night I send a “weekend update” to our team and stakeholders and include my father on the email.
What are a few of the biggest mistakes you’ve made over the years as a leader that people can learn from?
Each day I realize (more and more) how important culture and organizational health are to my happiness and the success of our business. I wish I knew this when I first started the company. I’m also in the process of learning that having a customer delightment engine is just as important as having a customer acquisition machine. I’m proud to state that we’ve added over 125 new clients this year and our churn is less than 2.5%.
What are you passionate about outside of Salesloft?
My wife, doggie, and kitty…and our future baby girl!
My Tangerine farm…cycling, woodworking, and paddle boarding
Bonus: What book would you recommend to new entrepreneurs? To seasoned entrepreneurs?
Great interview, but I would like to see you go between the ferns with each CEO.