Driving revenue without selling | Greg Henry of 1Password

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Greg Henry, CFO of 1Password and one of the most commercially minded finance leaders in tech, to break down why he left the public-company grind at Couchbase for a PLG-driven security business and what he’s relearning in the private sphere. Greg explains how forecasting changes when the product does the selling, how to think about comp and pricing in a usage-led world, and the early tells that a model is quietly over- or under-performing. He shares why CFOs should meet far more customers than they do, how finance can drive revenue without stepping on sales, and what it actually takes for a company to plan with clarity instead of reacting. Greg also recounts the near-derailing of the Couchbase IPO, reflects on the “back nine” of his career, and offers grounded advice for aspiring first-time CFOs.

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LINKS:
Greg on LinkedIn:   / greghenry23  
1Password: https://1password.com/
CJ on LinkedIn:   / cj-gustafson-13140948  
Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com

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RELATED EPISODES:
Behind the Earnings Calls: Couchbase CFO Greg Henry on Consumption Models & Analyst Relations
   • Behind the Earnings Calls: Couchbase CFO G...  

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Preview and Intro
00:03:01 Sponsors – RightRev | Tipalti | Aleph
00:07:07 Back in the Private Sphere: Why Greg Joined 1Password
00:07:53 Greg’s Four-Part Framework for a Great Role
00:10:16 Thinking About the “Back Nine” & Legacy
00:13:20 Transitioning to PLG & SLG at 1Password
00:15:16 Blending PLG Efficiency with Enterprise Sales
00:17:16 Sponsors – Fidelity Private Shares | Metronome | Mercury
00:20:07 B2C vs. B2B ARPU Contrast
00:22:45 Forecasting in PLG vs. Sales-Led Models
00:24:22 Building Toward Chunky Enterprise Upside
00:25:43 Comp Plans: Complexity, Pitfalls & the Alexander Group
00:27:39 Keep Comp Plans Simple & Focused on ARR
00:29:14 Why Mid-Year Comp Plan Changes Are Dangerous
00:31:08 Governance & Guardrails for SPIFFs
00:33:23 Using the CFO Network to Drive Revenue
00:34:56 Why CFOs Must Meet Customers Directly
00:36:23 Wallet Share & Being a Buyer AND a Seller
00:38:12 Why He Avoids 3-Year+ Commitments
00:40:24 How Much Discount Is a “Year” Worth?
00:42:35 Greg’s Structured Annual Planning Framework
00:43:54 3–5% Upside/Downside Menu
00:45:01 Comp Plans Must Go Out Early
00:47:27 January Compensation & System Cutover Challenges
00:48:35 Why Roadmap Alignment Must Kick Off Planning
00:50:25 Sustain / Differentiate / Durable Growth / World-Class Teams Framework
00:52:33 Couchbase IPO Almost Going Sideways
00:55:03 How to Actually Become a CFO
01:00:15 Legacy Greg Wants to Leave at 1Password

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