CEO Craig Charlton on Why He Can’t Wait to Tell the World About SugarCRM
I think most people would agree there’s nothing quite like the view from an airplane. The skyline sunsets, the snow-capped mountain peaks, the cityscapes and rows of cornfields… there’s something magical about these aerial views.
Well, have you ever left the comfort of your cushioned airplane seat to dive into one of those picturesque landscapes?
I have. And let me tell you, it’s an entirely different experience—particularly for someone like me.
You see, I’m deathly afraid of heights. My lifelong struggle with acrophobia has plagued me for years. As a highly competitive person, it didn’t take long for me to decide there was really only one thing to do:
Jump.
So I did. Not just once or twice, but more than a dozen times. I’ve successfully completed two bungee jumps and 14 solo parachute skydives. Each leap was an opportunity to overcome odds and supersede my limitations; every jump another step forward.
It may sound crazy, but I’ve always been prone to take the venturesome route. Without this willingness to plunge headfirst into new challenges, the teams I’ve worked with may never have tripled company revenue or grown bookings 150% year-over-year.
So when the opportunity to lead SugarCRM into the next stage of growth arose, I’m not exaggerating when I say I jumped at the chance. It’s with great excitement that I join the enterprising team at SugarCRM as CEO.
It’s time for organizations to discover the world’s #1 rated CRM
Under Larry Augustin’s leadership over the last decade, SugarCRM has increased revenue 10x and established itself as a leading CRM disruptor. With more than 2 million users in over 120 countries, the platform has been transformed into a strong, profitable company.
Now, as SugarCRM’s former CEO transitions to his new role as board chairman, we’re entering a new era for the company.
I strongly believe the time has come to tell the world about SugarCRM.
There’s a reason SugarCRM receives the highest Net Promoter Score across all major CRM vendors. We love our customers, and they love us. But more people need to experience what it’s like to have a truly incredible CRM experience, and more organizations deserve a chance work with the #1 rated customer relationship management software.
While we have already seen great success, I’m excited about how much more we’re about to achieve.
Together, we can overcome one of the biggest modern business challenges
If there’s one thing I’m passionate about right now, it’s this: Managing customer relationships should be easy.
And yet, organizations everywhere are still fighting a daily battle with overly complex systems. This is exactly why I’ve joined SugarCRM—to firmly establish our strong and lasting cure for the overblown, oversold CRM.
While a lot of companies are aspiring to change the industry, few have all of the elements required: a passionate customer base, a powerful platform, high-performing channel partners, a willingness to innovate and beloved support staff.
Our job is to ensure businesses will continue to thrive in a mobile, AI and cloud-first world. And there’s an enormous amount of potential for SugarCRM to do just that. We’re nimble, responsive and, most importantly, ever ready to dive.
I can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together next.
