From Engineer to CEO: Marko Dinic's Unexpected Journey in Tech Leadership

Sales Talk for CEOs

Having no plans of becoming a CEO, engineer Marko Dinic shares his 18-year journey to becoming the leader of a company that excels in compliance solutions. Leading his company through both triumphs and challenges, Marko, CEO of Jatheon, delves into his experiences, lessons learned, and the unique insights he's gained along the way.

Complex Sales Require Technical Expertise

Marko emphasizes the need for deep technical understanding when selling intricate compliance solutions. Marko states, “In our industry, sales cycles are very long and involve numerous technical evaluations and integrations. Having a technical lead ensures that we can address any technical concerns that arise during the process, providing confidence to our clients and streamlining the sales journey.”

Adapting Through Economic Turmoil

Facing market turmoil and recession, Marko had to downsize and rebuild, showcasing resilience and adaptability in leadership. He recalls, “We went from 32 people down to six. So it wasn't going according to plan. But we were able to get back to a cash flow positive state by 2013.”

Building the Right Team

The journey to finding the right sales team involved trial and error, emphasizing the need for experienced, senior salespeople who understand the intricacies of the industry. Marko shares, “We arrived at our current setup, which is primarily SEO-based and PPC-based inbound leads. They come to our senior account executives. We do not have SDRs in front of them because we found that young sales executives do not help us at all.”

Action Steps for CEOs:

1. Embrace Technical Expertise in Sales: Ensure your sales team includes technical leads to handle complex details and improve the overall sales process.
2. Focus on Resilience: Prepare for economic challenges by having adaptable strategies and a resilient mindset.
3. Invest in Senior Talent: Hire experienced salespeople who can navigate complex sales environments and provide valuable feedback for product development.

Marko Dinic's journey from engineer to CEO of Jatheon offers invaluable lessons for any leader. His experience underscores the importance of technical expertise in sales, resilience in the face of economic challenges, and the critical role of hiring the right team.

To gain deeper insights into Marko's story and the strategies that have driven his success, listen to the full episode below. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or an established CEO, this episode provides practical advice and inspiration for your own business journey.

Episode Details

Chapters

00:49 Overview of Jatheon Technologies

02:52 Early Career and Joining Jatheon

09:33 Navigating Financial Challenges and Reorganization

09:33 Transitioning to CEO and Sales Department Challenges

14:25 Structuring and Scaling the Sales Team

20:34 Lessons from Trial and Error in Hiring

24:30 Remote Work and Open Communication Culture

30:51 Alignment and Continuous Improvement

42:26 Recommendations and Closing Remarks

About Guest

Marko Dinic is an SaaS B2B entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of Jatheon Technologies, a Toronto-based com tech company that is a leader in the archiving and compliance technology sector.

With a sharp focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, Marko has spearheaded Jatheon’s transformation into a key player in the data archiving space. His strategic vision centers around providing robust and secure archiving solutions that cater to regulated industries, including financial services, healthcare, and government entities. Marko’s leadership is marked by a commitment to delivering technologies that ensure compliance with evolving regulations and enhance operational efficiency. His expertise and dedication have been pivotal in Jatheon’s growth and its ability to help organizations manage their information governance and compliance challenges effectively.

Social Links

Connect with Marko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markodinic/

Connect with Marko on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mdinic

Check out Jatheon’s website: https://jatheon.com/

Follow Jatheon on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/jatheon-technologies

Follow Jatheon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jatheon

Check out Alice’s website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Connect with Alice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/