Author: Marc Benioff and Carlye Adler

“Behind The Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company—and Revolutionized an Industry” by Marc Benioff and Carlye Adler is an insightful account of how Salesforce.com grew from a startup to a leading cloud computing company. Here’s a detailed summary and some reviews:

Summary

Marc Benioff, the founder and CEO of Salesforce.com, shares the journey of the company from its inception to becoming a billion-dollar enterprise. The book is structured around 111 “plays” or strategies that Benioff used to build and grow Salesforce. These strategies are divided into four main parts:

1. Start-Up: This section covers the early days of Salesforce, including the initial idea, securing funding, and the challenges of starting a new company. Benioff emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and being willing to take risks.

2. Marketing: Benioff discusses innovative marketing strategies that helped Salesforce stand out in a crowded market. This includes leveraging events, creating a strong brand, and using unconventional methods to generate buzz.

3. Sales: The book details the sales strategies that drove Salesforce’s growth. Benioff highlights the importance of building a strong sales team, focusing on customer success, and using data to drive decisions.

4. Technology and Innovation: This section explores how Salesforce embraced cloud computing and innovation to stay ahead of competitors. Benioff discusses the company’s commitment to continuous improvement and staying agile in a rapidly changing industry.

Throughout the book, Benioff also emphasizes the importance of corporate philanthropy and the 1-1-1 model, which dedicates 1% of equity, 1% of product, and 1% of employee time to charitable causes.

Reviews

Goodreads: The book has a rating of 3.78 out of 5 from over 4,600 readers². Many readers appreciate the practical insights and real-world examples provided by Benioff. One reviewer mentioned that the book is a must-read for entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to understand the dynamics of building a successful company.

Amazon: With a rating of 4.4 out of 5 from over 950 ratings¹, the book is praised for its actionable advice and engaging storytelling. Reviewers highlight Benioff’s transparency in sharing both successes and failures. One reviewer noted that the book provides valuable lessons on innovation and leadership.

Blinkist: The summary on Blinkist emphasizes the book’s focus on unconventional methods and the importance of resilience in business³. The review highlights key takeaways such as the significance of a strong company culture and the role of customer-centric strategies in driving growth.

Overall, “Behind The Cloud” is highly regarded for its practical advice and inspirational story. It is recommended for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone interested in the tech industry and cloud computing.

Source:
(1) Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.co…. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6659874-behind-the-cloud.
(2) Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea …. https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Cloud-Salesforce-com-Billion-Dollar-Company/dp/0470521163.
(3) Behind the Cloud Summary of Key Ideas and Review – Blinkist. https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/behind-the-cloud-en.
(4) Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea …. https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/behind-the-cloud/9780470521168/9780470521168_introduction.html.
(5) Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea …. https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/behind-the-cloud/9780470521168/.