Wendy Bahr ─ The ultimate champion of leveraging force multipliers for growth and value through partners.
October 21, 2020 • 2 Minute Read
Updated June 3, 2022
Wendy Bahr
Advisor
Pindrop
(Previously—Chief Commercial Officer, Rubrik, Inc.)
If you are looking to build and leverage force multipliers to fuel growth and accelerate value through best in class partner ecosystems, we know just the person — Wendy Bahr. Wendy is the Chief Commercial Officer for Rubrik, which is focused on data protection, management and analytics in a hybrid world. As Cisco’s former global channel chief, Wendy knows how to scale through partners to accelerate time to success for customers and partners! Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Wendy Bahr!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
My very first job out of college was professional wedding photographer.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you fly annually?
100K+ to 200K.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
Peanut stuffed deep-fried crickets in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
Moving from a high performing direct sales leader role, to leading the Cisco Channel to execute our “Partner First” channel strategy. I learned to lead through influence and create and execute win win strategies.
Taking on my first global role, I got to see firsthand the challenges and opportunities that the rest of world, outside of the US, faces everyday.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
I did have a mentor when I was working at a regional bell operating company as a first line manager. He was great, but very conservative. When a promotional opportunity came open, he said I should wait, it wasn’t my turn. I went for it anyway and got it. Lesson was it is great to have mentors, but you are the author of your own story… Trust your gut.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
Show up, stand up and speak up. It took me longer than it should to find my voice and be heard.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I love to meet, speak and share with groups and individuals who are looking for advice or sounding board. Being available and open to those opportunities gives me tremendous satisfaction, keeps me energized, and I learn too.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
Helping Cisco get started on their journey to software and the impact that it would have on the channel. At Rubrik, our software subscription solution is a tremendous success with much more to do for our customers and partners.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
I am refining my communications skills in this digital landscape. Even before the pandemic, communications was moving from face to face to digital and remote very quickly. Our current condition has only accelerated this environment. Creating shorter, more powerful communications for a remote and digital delivery is crucial.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
Building a scalable and powerful eco-system for Rubrik that will propel our growth for the next 10 years.
