But it has changed what that real world looks like around us, and what we must navigate. It’s changed what clients are asking for, how they evaluate spending, how they imagine the future of their teams, and what they need from partners like us. It has also changed the economics of knowledge work: what kinds of teams are needed, what kinds of skills create leverage, and what kind of sales leadership is required to grow in this environment. To continue our mission amid so much change, we have to keep asking and answering hard questions about what Steyer needs next.
Recently, that meant saying goodbye to a highly valued sales colleague who brought warmth, care, talent, and energy to our company. Our decision was about opening space to fill the role Steyer needs now, in the market we’re in now—not about our colleague’s worth or talent. When we hired for that role several years ago, the business environment looked different. Our needs looked different. The sales motion we were building toward looked different.
Today, we need to scale new business in a more difficult, more dynamic market: our enterprise tech clients are under pressure, AI is changing buying behavior, and our own offerings are evolving to meet new kinds of client needs. That requires a different sales leadership profile: someone who has done this kind of scaling work before, who can help us sharpen our go-to-market motion, build repeatable systems, and help Steyer meet the market with clarity and confidence. Our mission depends on Steyer being strong enough to keep creating good jobs, serving clients well, and adapting with integrity as the market changes.
These are the hardest kinds of leadership decisions because they involve people we care about. But that is the work in front of us now: to hold care and accountability together, honoring the many people who have helped build Steyer, while also making room for the skills and structures we need next. We must stay rooted in our values without pretending the world around us has stayed the same—and we must move forward with both care and conviction.
Thanks for listening,
Katelyn
Illustration from an earlier incarnation of our website