Last Book I’ve Read #1: ‘Behind The Cloud’ by Benioff
a compelling book which details the revolutionary rise of Salesforce and the creation of the software as a service (SaaS) model…
Reading has always been a cherished activity, though it often finds itself relegated down my list of priorities due to the demands of daily life, right in between a wife, kid, work triangle. My favorite reading spots tend to be airports, airplanes, or while vacationing by the sea or poolside.
My selection of books tends to be spontaneous, driven by my mood post the completion of the preceding read. My taste gravitates towards #business literature primarily in English, #biographies, or enthralling #thriller novels.
In this little corner, I am keen to share my latest read, elucidating why it caught my fancy and summarizing the gems of insight I unearthed in its pages. Based on your interest and feedback, I’m open to expanding my thoughts into a full-fledged blog post as the book is a treasure trove of insights.
Diving into the pages of “Behind The Cloud” was an enlightening experience. This book caught my eye due to its intriguing exploration of the journey of Salesforce, a leading cloud computing company. Primary question in my mind was; How did they come up with Salesforce idea and how did they kicked of a business which ends up generating 30+billion USD after 20 years of founding.
You can find the “Salesforce” book here; https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Cloud-Salesforce-com-Billion-Dollar-Company/dp/0470521163
A brief about me I worked for SAS, a widely known analytics company (sas.com) for the last 3,5 years and before that I was selling and implementing Alteryx for 3 years and before that Experian father of Decisioning Engines and credit scores… All companies were and still are working in the field of data, analytics and AI.
At SAS, an American company with 46 years of history and I couldn’t believe how they have missed the SaaS business model by 20 years… Salesforce skyrocketing to 36 billion in revenues SAS stalled at 3 billion for the last 3 years just because they couldn’t make the #digital #transformation, it’s literally a life lesson your are living in it…
The transition to a #Software as a Service (SaaS) model is indeed a significant pivot in the tech industry that has propelled many companies to substantial growth.
#Salesforce is a prime example of a company that has successfully leveraged the #SaaS model to achieve remarkable revenue growth and market dominance. On the other hand, the case of SAS (Statistical Analysis System) illustrates how a delay in adopting this model can potentially lead to stalled growth.
- Early Adoption and Vision: Salesforce was among the early adopters of the SaaS model which allowed them to capitalize on the market shift towards cloud-based services. Marc Benioff’s vision of a new business model was revolutionary at that time, and Salesforce executed on that vision very efficintly.
- Market Dynamics: The market’s rapid acceptance of the SaaS model due to cloud growth, propelled by the benefits of lower upfront costs, scalability, and ease of implementation, significantly benefited early adopters.
- Digital Transformation: The digital transformation to a SaaS model is complex and requires a significant overhaul in not only technology infrastructure but also in the company’s culture. Companies that were able to navigate this transformation effectively gained a competitive advantage.
- Legacy Systems and Change Resistance: SAS, with its long history and established customer base, faced challenges in transitioning to a new business model. The change resistance from within the organization accustomed to traditional software licensing models were (still is :) the roadblock.
- Innovation and Agility: Salesforce’s culture of innovation and agility have contributed to its ability to adapt to market changes swiftly, a crucial factor in the tech industry. And SaaS fuels this innovation by providing you near-real-time data on both customer makeup, usage and churn… So the innovation is enabled by ubiquitous data…
The book itself also compares Siebel and Salesfor, in a similar manner how Salesforce take over the incumbent CRM tool in the market at that time…
It’s a real-world illustration of how business models and market dynamics can significantly impact a company’s growth trajectory.
It’s indeed a living lesson on the importance of adapting to industry evolutions to maintain growth and competitiveness. My experience at SAS provided a front-row seat to the challenges and opportunities inherent in digital transformation in the tech industry.
On my reading horizon next is Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk. The book is a substantial one, both in content and physical weight. Carrying it in my backpack feels akin to Frodo’s burden, but the promise of insight makes the load worth carrying. Once I turn its last page, I look forward to sharing my reflections here, akin to this post.
Warm wishes…
You can find the “Musk” book here; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elon-Musk-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1398527491
