In this episode of Growth Unlocked, we explore the career journey from marketing leadership to owning the full revenue function with Firmable’s Chief Revenue Officer.

Tara shares how her mindset around revenue evolved early in her career, why modern marketers must take ownership of growth, and what it really takes to align sales, marketing, and customer success into one unified engine. From navigating major acquisitions to scaling a company from zero to over 1,000 customers, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on leadership, systems, and building high-performing go-to-market teams.

We also dive into the future of revenue leadership, the growing importance of RevOps and AI, and why customer focus, hiring well, and building scalable systems are the foundations of sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways

• Why modern marketers must think like revenue owners

• The biggest differences between CMO and CRO roles

• How to align sales, marketing, and customer success

• Lessons learned from multi-billion dollar acquisitions

• Why hiring and systems early accelerates growth

• How customer focus drives long-term business success

• The role of AI and RevOps in scaling revenue teams

• How CRO roles will evolve in the AI-driven future

Chapters

00:00 – Teaser

00:45 – Introduction to Tara Salmon and her career journey

01:05 – Thinking like a revenue owner as a marketer

04:20 – Why the CRO role didn’t exist earlier and career evolution

05:50 – Key differences between CMO and CRO responsibilities

08:10 – Aligning sales, marketing, and customer success

11:05 – Chief of Staff role and acquisition experience

15:20 – Lessons from acquisitions and executive decision-making

18:20 – Scaling MessageMedia and building structure

21:00 – Why customer focus drives business success

23:40 – The importance of customer feedback and partnerships

25:40 – Scaling Firmable to 1,000+ customers

27:10 – Hiring, systems, and building scalable processes

29:10 – Improving sales efficiency using systems and AI

33:05 – Career lessons and work-life balance

37:20 – The future of CRO roles and AI-driven revenue teams

40:10 – Where to connect and follow Tara’s journey

#GrowthUnlocked #RevenueLeadership #B2BGrowth #SalesAndMarketingAlignment #GoToMarket

In this episode of Growth Unlocked, Host Kieran Krohn sits down with Dan Tyre — HubSpot’s first salesperson, employee number six, and now a venture investor behind multiple unicorns — to unpack what real exponential growth actually looks like.

Dan challenges the myth that success is linear, explaining why true 100X growth demands intentional thinking, personal discipline, and a willingness to endure discomfort. Drawing on over four decades of experience, he shares hard-earned lessons from scaling HubSpot, investing in high-growth companies, and mentoring founders around the world.

Key Takeaways:

100X growth is built through systems, not shortcuts

Success must be defined before it can be scaled

What gets you to one stage will break you at the next

AI multiplies execution — it doesn’t replace it

Growth happens in discomfort, not convenience

Great businesses are still, and always will be, people businesses

Chapters:

00:00 – Teaser

00:46 – Why scaling is not linear

02:00 – Defining success before chasing it

06:00 – The hidden cost behind ambition

09:00 – Why discomfort creates real growth

13:00 – From founder-led sales to scalable systems

17:00 – When and how to pursue exponential growth

20:00 – Using AI without losing the human edge

24:00 – Customer retention vs acquisition

28:00 – Planning, numbers, and intentional execution

32:00 – Doing meaningful work and giving back

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🔗 Stay Connected With Me.

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ABOUT KIERAN

Kieran Krohn is a renowned GTM professional, entrepreneur, investor and business growth expert.

His background is growing and scaling HubSpot’s business in Australia and New Zealand by developing their partner ecosystem. Over the last decade, he has held a number of roles in channel and direct sales as well as leadership where he built a high performing sales team. He has been awarded key accolades as the top performer 4x in the region and achieved Presidents Club 7x consecutively.

His mission is to help business founders achieve the freedom they set out to when they left the corporate world, and build valuable businesses that will create financial certainty for generations to come.

Connect with Kieran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierankrohn/

In this episode of Growth Unlocked, Kieran Krohn speaks with Emma Davison, CEO of Virtual HQ, about how a small, focussed team used brand, culture and technology — especially AI and smart partnerships — to outpace larger, better-funded rivals. Emma shares her journey from physiotherapy to building a tech-enabled operation, the lessons she learned about listening to customers, hiring for culture, prioritising automation that fixes pain points, and why authenticity is now a competitive advantage.Key Takeaways:Outstrategise, don’t outspend — clarity + discipline beat deep pockets.Authenticity is a competitive advantage in an AI-blurred world.Stay close to customers: frontline listening shapes product and priorities.Automate pain points first — free people for higher-value work.Hire for culture; skills can be taught but fit is everything.Launch fast, iterate, and keep composure under pressure.Small teams + the right tech partners = giant-level capability.Chapters:00:00 – Teaser: Brand, culture & strategy beat tech alone00:49 – How Virtual HQ competes with larger companies01:35 – Flat teams, fast decisions & strategic partnerships03:02 – Staying close to the customer: frontline listening04:29 – CEO on the frontline: why leaders must get hands-on06:02 – Brand, identity and the multiplier effect of trust09:04 – From physio to CEO: transferable skills & listening11:13 – Leadership lessons: grace under pressure & curiosity13:25 – Common traits of successful founders: grit & process15:12 – Hiring for culture: values, interview process & fit18:19 – Prioritising automation: fix the pain points first21:23 – MVPs, speed & the advantage of iterative launches23:08 – Choosing the right tech partners to move faster25:22 – Business impact: credibility, retention & trust loops27:30 – Practical steps to start your tech journey (don’t boil the ocean)30:00 – Advice to 21-year-old Emma: resilience & curiosity32:03 – Where to connect with EmmaVALUABLE RESOURCESGrade your website’s performance to find conversion opportunities & generate more qualified leads: https://scalestation.io/free-website-...ABOUT KIERANKieran Krohn is a renowned GTM professional, entrepreneur, investor and business growth expert.His background is growing and scaling HubSpot’s business in Australia and New Zealand by developing their partner ecosystem. Over the last decade, he has held a number of roles in channel and direct sales as well as leadership where he built a high performing sales team. He has been awarded key accolades as the top performer 4x in the region and achieved Presidents Club 7x consecutively. His mission is to help business founders achieve the freedom they set out to when they left the corporate world, and build valuable businesses that will create financial certainty for generations to come.Connect with Kieran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierankrohn/business strategy, small business, AI, brand, culture, strategic alignment, customer experience, automation, artificial intelligence, MVP, go-to-market, customer retention, leadership, hiring for culture, workplace culture, #business strategy #SmallButMighty #GrowthUnlocked #strategic alignment #VirtualHQ #CustomerFirst #ScaleWithFocus #AIForGood #BrandWins #leadership #workplace culture