How 2 Australian Billionaires Built Smarter Tools That Sell Themselves
Forbes India|July 7, 2017

Enterprise software giants use armies of salespeople to hawk imperfect products and endless updates. The two Australian billionaires behind Atlassian have built smarter tools that sell themselves. Just ask Tesla, Snapchat, NASA and the entire Ivy League

Noah Kirsch
How 2 Australian Billionaires Built Smarter Tools That Sell Themselves

Fresh off the red-eye from San Francisco, Mike Cannon-Brookes enters a rented office space in Midtown Manhattan to seal the biggest deal in his company’s history. Dressed in a Detroit Tigers T-shirt and blue baseball cap, he greets the room in an undulating Australian twang. Seated around a conference table are executives from his collaboration software firm, Atlassian, which is in the final push to acquire Trello, a smaller competitor whose founder, Michael Pryor, is also present. For four hours, Cannon-Brookes relentlessly sells the importance of achieving scale and the benefits of uniting their rival firms.

Pryor is convinced. One month later, in January 2017, Atlassian will officially acquire Trello in a $425 million deal that will help send company shares up 47 percent in four months and add $820 million to the fortunes of Cannon-Brookes and his co-founder, Scott Farquhar. The 37-year-old Aussies, who dress more like off-duty surfers than top-flight executives, are worth $2.6 billion each.

That ascent has vastly outstripped the pair’s humble objective when starting Atlassian in 2002: Dodging a lifetime of corporate IT drudgery. “Our aspirations were literally just to not get a real job,” Farquhar admits, “and to not have to wear a suit.” Those aims thoroughly satisfied, they have managed to reach a few extra milestones as well: A blockbuster IPO in 2015, annual revenues approaching $600 million and status as one of the most successful technology startups in Australian history.

Denne historien er fra July 7, 2017-utgaven av Forbes India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July 7, 2017-utgaven av Forbes India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA FORBES INDIASe alt
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
Forbes India

Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued

The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients

time-read
8 mins  |
May 21, 2021
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
Forbes India

Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years

As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 4, 2021
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Forbes India

THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN

Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse

time-read
8 mins  |
May 21, 2021
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Forbes India

LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE

Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment

time-read
7 mins  |
May 21, 2021
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Forbes India

PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST

Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground

time-read
9 mins  |
May 21, 2021
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
Forbes India

INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR

While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term

time-read
8 mins  |
May 21, 2021
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
Forbes India

DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION

As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India

time-read
8 mins  |
May 21, 2021
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Forbes India

Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?

Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent

time-read
10 mins  |
June 4, 2021
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Forbes India

EV Dream Still Miles Away

Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure

time-read
6 mins  |
June 4, 2021
Living Waters
Forbes India

Living Waters

A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet

time-read
4 mins  |
June 4, 2021