The Remote-First GTM Playbook: How InfluxData Built a Global Sales Organization
When COVID-19 hit, most companies scrambled to adapt to remote work. But for InfluxData, it was business as usual. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, CEO Evan Kaplan revealed how their remote-first DNA shaped their global sales organization.
Remote From Day One
“From the beginning, we’re probably 70, 65, 70% remote,” Evan explains. This wasn’t a pandemic pivot – it was baked into their DNA. “Because of the open source background, we hired developers, particularly wherever they live and wherever they work. And so we’re always a remote first company.”
This early commitment to remote work would prove prescient, especially when it came to building their sales organization.
The San Francisco That Wasn’t
Despite their remote-first approach, InfluxData maintained a significant office presence in San Francisco. As Evan recalls, they were “about to sign for the classic three more floors at 799 market. And then Covid hit.” Instead of fighting the tide, they embraced their remote roots completely.
The Enrollment Philosophy
Central to their remote success is what Evan calls “enrollment” – a leadership philosophy that takes on new importance in a distributed environment. “If I have to tell somebody to do something, I’ve already lost. So my view is I have to enroll people in whatever we’re doing, whatever big change, whatever pivot, whatever dynamic we’re doing.”
This approach became crucial for maintaining culture and alignment across their distributed team of 175 people.
Building Connection in a Remote World
While fully embracing remote work, InfluxData recognized the need for in-person connection. “Now we have some places where we convene and we’re more aggressive about convening around the world,” Evan shares. These strategic gatherings help strengthen relationships and align teams without requiring permanent office spaces.
The Developer-Led Sales Motion
Their remote-first approach aligns perfectly with their bottom-up sales strategy. “For me, talking to a CIO is an exercise in vanity,” Evan notes. “You start with a developer, you win an architecture, and then you explain to a CIO or CTO why this is important, why it will scale with their business.”
This developer-first approach naturally lends itself to remote sales – developers prefer to explore and implement solutions on their own terms, making traditional in-person sales tactics less critical.
Multiple Paths to Purchase
Supporting their distributed sales team, InfluxData created multiple ways for customers to buy: “We offer the product, we offer it in a serverless form in the cloud, so people can just pay you go serve. We offer a dedicated form in the cloud, and then we offer it on prem.”
This flexibility in deployment options matches their flexible approach to sales and customer engagement.
Key Lessons for Remote Sales Organizations
- Start with clear communication protocols
- Create intentional moments for connection
- Build multiple paths to purchase
- Focus on enrollment rather than enforcement
- Let your product lead the way
As Evan reflects on their journey, he maintains his characteristic pragmatism: “My philosophy after my three long stints as a CEO is if you can get 60-65% of the stuff you’re doing right, you’re going to have an amazing company.”
For founders building remote sales organizations, InfluxData’s experience suggests that success comes not from perfecting remote work processes, but from building a culture and product that naturally thrive in a distributed environment. Their story demonstrates that being remote-first isn’t just about where people work – it’s about how you approach everything from product development to sales motions to team building.
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