Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company-And Revolutionized an Industry

Marc Benioff, Carlye Adler · First published October 1st 2009

How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s fastest growing software company in less than a decade? For the first time, Marc Benioff, the visionary founder, chairman and CEO of salesforce.com, tells how he and his team created and used new business, technology, and philanthropic models tailored to this time of extraordinary change. Showing how salesforce.com not only survived the dotcom implosion of 2001, but went on to define itself as the leader of the cloud computing revolution and spark a $46-billion dollar industry, Benioff’s story will help business leaders and entrepreneurs stand out, innovate better, and grow faster in any economic climate.

In Behind the Cloud, Benioff shares the strategies that have inspired employees, turned customers into evangelists, leveraged an ecosystem of partners, and allowed innovation to flourish.

“Behind the Cloud” is a book that details the journey of Salesforce.com, a cloud computing company that disrupted the software industry and changed the way businesses operate. The book is written by Marc Benioff, the CEO and founder of Salesforce.com, and offers insight into the company’s history, its culture, and the challenges it faced in becoming a billion-dollar company.

1. Embrace disruption – Salesforce.com disrupted the software industry by introducing cloud computing, changing the way businesses operate.
2. Focus on the customer – Salesforce.com’s success is attributed to its focus on the customer experience, with a commitment to listening to customer needs and addressing them.
3. Empower employees – A company culture that empowers employees and encourages innovation is essential for success.
4. Prioritize values – Salesforce.com’s commitment to corporate responsibility and ethical business practices sets it apart from other companies.
5. Invest in technology – Salesforce.com’s success can be attributed to its early investment in cloud computing technology.
6. Focus on sales – Salesforce.com’s success is largely due to its focus on sales, leveraging technology and data to drive sales growth.
7. Build a strong brand – Salesforce.com’s strong brand, built on its commitment to customer service, is key to its success.
8. Encourage collaboration – A collaborative culture and cross-functional teamwork were critical to Salesforce.com’s success.
9. Take calculated risks – Salesforce.com’s success is a result of calculated risks, including investment in new technology and expanding into new markets.
10. Believe in your vision – The key to Salesforce.com’s success is its founders’ unwavering belief in the company’s vision, despite challenges and opposition.