487 - Lessons From a Chance Encounter with Marc Benioff That Led to Salesforce Ventures funding with Garry Polmateer
Episode Overview
Are you trying to secure funding for your business?
In this episode, Garry shares his experience with Salesforce Ventures funding, and how a chance encounter turned into a great opportunity for Red Argyle. He also delves into Salesforce’s funding structure and long-term strategy.
Key highlights
- Experience with the Salesforce Ventures funding. Garry mentioned that the best part of the funding was being paired with a board advisor who provided mentorship and helped navigate challenges, while also mentioning the positive impact of being part of the Salesforce ecosystem.
- The funding structure and expectations from Salesforce. They also talked about the importance of sticking to a long-term plan, building relationships, protecting the brand, and the benefits of referrals for business growth.
- The long-term strategy of Salesforce, particularly their acquisition of AI companies and the challenges of maintaining trust and compliance with AI models. Garry praised Salesforce's unveiling of the GPT trusts layer as a bold and smart move to build trust and ensure compliance in industries leveraging AI.
About Garry Polmateer
Garry is a Certified Salesforce Administrator. His favorite thing about the platform is its extensibility to solve clients’ unique business problems quickly, compliantly, and affordably. He especially loves complex and custom projects!
Prior to becoming CEO, Garry helped grow Red Argyle from two employees to 60, firmly establishing our brand within the Salesforce ecosystem. He has more than 20 years of experience spanning nonprofit and for-profit organizations, working in IT consulting, development, business analysis, and network administration.
Garry was named to the Albany Business Review’s list of 40 Under 40 and to the Salesforce MVP Hall of Fame. During his tenure, Red Argyle has been named a “Best Place to Work” and made the Inc. 5000 list.
When not geeking out online, you’ll find Garry woodworking or handling axes and chainsaws. He lives with his wife, two children, Angus the golden retriever, and Angel, the mean African grey parrot.
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