[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":84},["Reactive",2],{"gql:data:UNgmpYDIZA":3},{"resource":4},[5],{"author":6,"title":7,"isEditorial":8,"eyebrowText":9,"date":10,"heroImage":11,"introduction":9,"contentComponents":13,"relatedResources":32,"derivedSeoTitle":82,"derivedSeoDescription":83,"derivedSocialMediaTitle":82,"derivedSocialMediaDescription":83,"derivedSocialMediaImage":10},"Nat Friedman - CEO, Xamarin","Enterprise Sales Strategy: Bottom-Up Meets Top-Down",false,"",null,{"id":12,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":10,"assetUrlXs":10,"assetUrlSm":10,"assetUrlMd":10,"assetUrlLg":10,"assetUrlXl":10,"assetUrlXxl":10},"2152",[14,18,22,29],{"componentModel":15,"instance":16},"VideoComponent",{"videoEmbedCode":17},"\u003Ciframe src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/681125706?h=c39c1ecb36&color=3e7ec3&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\u003C/iframe>\r\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/681125706\">Nat Friedman on Penetrating the Enterprise.mp4\u003C/a> from \u003Ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/leadedgecapital\">Avery Rosin\u003C/a> on \u003Ca href=\"https://vimeo.com\">Vimeo\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>",{"componentModel":19,"instance":20},"TextBlockComponent",{"styleAsFeaturedContent":8,"body":21},"**Nat Friedman, CEO and Co-Founder of Xamarin**\r\n\r\nNat Friedman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Xamarin, a mobile development platform that helps teams build and test native applications. He previously served as Chief Technology and Strategy Officer at Novell and has led developer-focused software companies through enterprise adoption and scale.\r\n\r\n##### What Founders Should Know About Enterprise Sales Strategy\r\n\r\n* **Enterprise deals start with users.** Bottom-up adoption builds credibility before formal sales begin.\r\n* **Advocates accelerate momentum.** Internal champions validate value long before procurement enters the process.\r\n* **Sales requires timing.** Pushing top-down too early can stall adoption.\r\n* **Human follow-up matters.** Automation alone cannot replace thoughtful, personal engagement.\r\n* **Scale requires alignment.** Successful enterprise sales blend grassroots usage with executive sponsorship.\r\n\r\n##### What to Know Before Selling Into the Enterprise\r\n\r\n**How does bottom-up enterprise sales work?**\r\n\r\nXamarin’s approach began with developers. By allowing teams to adopt the product organically, usage spread inside organizations before formal sales conversations started. By the time procurement became involved, internal users already understood the value.\r\n\r\n**When should sales move top-down?**\r\n\r\nOnce multiple users or teams are active within a company, sales must evolve. At that stage, executive alignment and formal buying processes become necessary to scale adoption across the organization.\r\n\r\n**Why is personal engagement critical?**\r\n\r\nFriedman emphasizes that not everything should be automated. Intelligent lead follow-up requires human judgment, especially when enterprise buyers evaluate trust, reliability, and long-term partnership.\r\n\r\n**What risks derail enterprise sales?**\r\n\r\nEnterprise deals stall when founders rely solely on automation or attempt top-down selling without internal advocates. A hybrid approach reduces friction and shortens sales cycles.",{"componentModel":23,"instance":24},"QuoteComponent",{"attribution":25,"body":26,"image":27},"Nat Friedman, CEO and Co-Founder of Xamarin","The best enterprise sales strategies start with real users and grow into executive alignment, not the other way around.",{"id":28,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":10,"assetUrlXs":10,"assetUrlSm":10,"assetUrlMd":10,"assetUrlLg":10,"assetUrlXl":10,"assetUrlXxl":10},"2313",{"componentModel":19,"instance":30},{"styleAsFeaturedContent":8,"body":31},"##### Considering Growth Equity Capital?\r\n\r\nThinking about how an enterprise sales strategy affects revenue predictability, deal velocity, and long-term growth?\r\n\r\nWe work with founder-led companies to scale go-to-market strategies that succeed in enterprise environments.\r\n\r\n[Contact our team](https://leadedge.com/contact/)\r\n\r\n##### About Nat Friedman\r\n\r\nNat Friedman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Xamarin and a technology leader with deep experience in developer tools and enterprise software adoption. He has guided companies through bottom-up growth models that translate into scalable enterprise revenue.\r\n\r\n##### Enterprise Sales Strategy FAQs for Founders\r\n\r\n**What is an enterprise sales strategy?**\r\n\r\nIt’s the approach a company uses to sell complex products into large organizations, often involving multiple stakeholders.\r\n\r\n**Why does bottom-up adoption matter?**\r\n\r\nIt builds trust and internal advocacy before formal buying decisions are made.\r\n\r\n**When should founders introduce top-down sales?**\r\n\r\nAfter usage spreads internally and value is proven across teams.\r\n\r\n**Can enterprise sales be fully automated?**\r\n\r\nNo. Personal interaction remains critical for trust and deal progression.\r\n\r\n**What shortens enterprise sales cycles?**\r\n\r\nCombining user-led adoption with executive alignment reduces friction and delays.",[33,50,66],{"title":34,"slug":35,"author":36,"isEditorial":8,"tileImage":37,"heroImage":46,"resourceCategory":48},"Strategic Acquisition: How to Work with Acquirers","how-to-work-with-acquirers","Stan Mckee - Former CFO, Electronic Arts",{"id":38,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":39,"assetUrlXs":40,"assetUrlSm":41,"assetUrlMd":42,"assetUrlLg":43,"assetUrlXl":44,"assetUrlXxl":45},"1789","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/working_with_acquirers.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/xs_working_with_acquirers.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/sm_working_with_acquirers.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/md_working_with_acquirers.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/lg_working_with_acquirers.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/xl_working_with_acquirers.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1789/xxl_working_with_acquirers.png",{"id":47,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":10,"assetUrlXs":10,"assetUrlSm":10,"assetUrlMd":10,"assetUrlLg":10,"assetUrlXl":10,"assetUrlXxl":10},"2140",{"name":49},"Leadership Video Series",{"title":51,"slug":52,"author":53,"isEditorial":8,"tileImage":54,"heroImage":63,"resourceCategory":65},"Strategic Acquisitions: How to Get Acquired","how-to-get-acquired","Russell Fradin - CEO, Dynamic Signal",{"id":55,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":56,"assetUrlXs":57,"assetUrlSm":58,"assetUrlMd":59,"assetUrlLg":60,"assetUrlXl":61,"assetUrlXxl":62},"1787","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/getting_acquired_signal.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/xs_getting_acquired_signal.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/sm_getting_acquired_signal.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/md_getting_acquired_signal.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/lg_getting_acquired_signal.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/xl_getting_acquired_signal.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1787/xxl_getting_acquired_signal.png",{"id":64,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":10,"assetUrlXs":10,"assetUrlSm":10,"assetUrlMd":10,"assetUrlLg":10,"assetUrlXl":10,"assetUrlXxl":10},"2141",{"name":49},{"title":67,"slug":68,"author":69,"isEditorial":8,"tileImage":70,"heroImage":79,"resourceCategory":81},"Sales Pipeline Quality: How To Evaluate, Forecast, and Optimize Your Sales Process","sales-pipeline-quality","Michael Osborne - Former CRO, Bazaarvoice",{"id":71,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":72,"assetUrlXs":73,"assetUrlSm":74,"assetUrlMd":75,"assetUrlLg":76,"assetUrlXl":77,"assetUrlXxl":78},"1785","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/managing_pipelines.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/xs_managing_pipelines.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/sm_managing_pipelines.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/md_managing_pipelines.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/lg_managing_pipelines.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/xl_managing_pipelines.png","https://leadedge.com/system/uploads/fae/image/asset/1785/xxl_managing_pipelines.png",{"id":80,"alt":9,"caption":10,"assetUrl":10,"assetUrlXs":10,"assetUrlSm":10,"assetUrlMd":10,"assetUrlLg":10,"assetUrlXl":10,"assetUrlXxl":10},"2142",{"name":49},"Enterprise Sales Strategy | Bottom-Up Meets Top-Down","Build an enterprise sales strategy. Avoid stalled pilots, reduce deal friction, and combine bottom-up adoption with top-down alignment to close enterprise buyers.",1778046302930]