Meet Andy Byrne, Co-Founder and CEO at Revenue Operations Platform: Clari

Andy Byrne

Clari’s market-leading revenue operations platform drives consistent, outsized performance and predictable growth by empowering teams to better execute the processes and workflows that generate revenue.

The platform is fueled by AI that automatically ingests, connects, cleanses, and activates your revenue data so everyone can skip straight to the insight and take action. Everything from emails, calls, and meetings to marketing campaigns and CRM data is fed through machine learning to create intuitive dashboards, predict outcomes, and deliver actionable insights your teams can actually use to close more deals.

Business-level planning and strategy, forecasting, pipeline management, deal execution and coaching, and buyer alignment are all examples of revenue workflows made better with Clari. We help more than 450 companies around the world predictably hit their number, quarter after quarter, time and time again.
 
 
Clari Raises $225 Million to Deliver Unmatched Performance and Predictable  Growth for Every Business | Business Wire
 

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
I began my career as a sales development representative at a small startup. I was really intrigued by the work the engineers sitting around me got to do. Watching them build groundbreaking pieces of technology made me realise how vital technology can be.

I became very curious about what and how they were building, their ability to create something out of nothing to solve big problems. This experience had a significant impact on me as I witnessed the power of technology and its impact on the world. It made me want to change what I contributed to the world and, ultimately, is what led me to co-found Clari.

I saw how machine learning and AI could transform enterprise software, which made me see the opportunity for a new business. I saw that while revenue is without question the most important business process for any company it was the last to be digitally transformed. I set out to change that, and now the world has Clari.
 

What is the main benefit for businesses using Clari?

 
Our technology helps transform the way businesses approach revenue by using data-based insights to drive action. Clari has transformed the revenue and sales process for companies from an unorganised mess to a software and data-driven business process that is stamping out new industry giants.

Some of the best businesses run their sales operations through Clari, using our powerful data and insights to outperform the market and their competitors. We have a strong foothold in the US and we’re excited to now build awareness and expand operations here in the UK.
 

 

Why is RevOps now becoming more prevalent in the UK?

 
Companies are continuing to realise that old ways of siloed working can massively slow down operations and are adopting more streamlined ways of structuring their teams to help increase efficiency, such as through revenue operations.

Even before the pandemic, teams were collaborating more virtually and sharing data and tools like never before, and as we ease into a post-Covid hybrid working model, the need for streamlined communication and collaborative working styles will become even more important.

As it relates to RevOps and what Clari can offer, having strong, centralized operations functions can have a huge impact on how the whole team operates and ultimately deliver stronger growth for companies. It’s fantastic to see UK companies taking note of the benefits this can bring. Our recent round funding is a driving force behind our global expansion, including our growth in the UK and Europe. We look forward to building on this momentum further.
 

How has the company evolved during the pandemic?

 
Clari became even more strategic for revenue teams during the pandemic, as the need for visibility and control over the revenue process became essential. The transparency and rigor of a modern revenue operations approach allowed Clari customers to quickly pivot their go-to-market strategies to respond to changing market conditions.

During the pandemic we saw record usage and engagement with our platform, as revenue teams established more accountability and discipline across their different channels. The virtual selling environment isn’t going away and I expect usage to continue to grow exponentially as we adjust to the new normal of business.
 

What can we hope to see from Clari in the future? Any key UK or European plans?

 
The last year has been a really remarkable period of growth for Clari, unlike anything I’ve experienced since we founded the company nine years ago. We raised two funding rounds in less than 12 months totalling $375 million, raising our valuation to $2.6 billion. We also acquired our first company in 2021 and will use the proceeds from our recent investment round to fuel our acquisition strategy.

At the same time we more than doubled the size of the team globally to over 500 in the last year and we have plans to add another 300 employees in 2022. Specific to the UK and Europe, we plan to double that team in the next year as we ramp up our international growth.