Senior leaders are often judged in moments they could not plan for. Mark Thurmond’s path from sales rep to co-CEO of Tenable was built through consistent execution, difficult operating assignments, and crises that demanded calm before certainty. He explains what the RSA breach taught him about transparency and customer trust, how he and Steve Vintz kept Tenable moving after the death of CEO Amit Yoran, and why the strongest leaders build followership before they need it. The conversation also covers choosing learning over title, using AI to raise seller productivity, and leading a product-to-platform shift as a company-wide operating change.
Mark Thurmond is Co-Chief Executive Officer of Tenable, where he oversees the company’s go-to-market functions across sales, marketing, customer success, professional services, and technical support. His career includes senior operating and sales leadership roles at EMC, RSA, Qlik, and Turbonomic.
00:00 - What early international experience teaches leaders about operating across markets, cultures, and teams.
04:34 - Why transparency during a crisis can strengthen customer trust instead of weakening it.
10:19 - What leaders must control when uncertainty, emotion, and outside pressure start to take over.
12:22 - Why rigid career planning can distract high performers from the opportunities that actually move them forward.
15:05 - What a leader’s ability to attract former colleagues reveals about their credibility and influence.
17:04 - Why the most valuable career moves often create discomfort before they create advancement.
29:00 - A look inside what leadership demands when personal grief and business continuity collide.
34:08 - What executives often overlook about the connection between proactive health and decision-making capacity.
41:30 - Why a company’s approach to AI partnerships may determine whether it separates or falls behind.
53:00 - What many leaders underestimate about moving from a product business to a platform strategy.
Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.
This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.
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