This blog is part of our ongoing ‘Why I Joined ThoughtSpot’ series. In this blog, we will learn more about our recent hire James Smith, who joined us as our VP of EMEA.
James Smith recently joined ThoughtSpot as our Vice President of EMEA. As we expand our reach into the EMEA region, in this role, Smith is responsible for ThoughtSpot’s revenue growth, team culture, and customer and operational excellence.
Outside of work, Smith enjoys spending time with his family, including his three-year old daughter and one-year old son. On the weekends, you’ll find him playing golf, and fine-tuning his collection of rare and unique gins.
Here’s what he has to say about #LifeAtThoughtSpot.
What were your top reasons for joining ThoughtSpot?
Having navigated the evolving landscape of data and analytics – from my discoveries at university, to my tenure at Tableau – I’ve consistently emphasized the need to lower the barrier to entry for business users. The persistent challenge that only 25% of people consider themselves as data-driven – despite significant investments in data and analytics – is staggering. For decades, insights have been confined to the data team, translating to bottlenecks in time-to-insight for business users, which cripples business execution, productivity, and ultimately, profitability.
Generative AI is a game-changer in this space, and ThoughtSpot was built for this unprecedented innovation curve. Our patented AI-powered, natural language search analytics, uniquely position us to capitalize on this moment.
We’re in an era that we like to call the Data Renaissance, where people, human ingenuity, and creativity – not technology – will reign. At ThoughtSpot, we’re helping our customers like OVO Energy, Just Eat, and Matillion to put data into the hands of more people, empowering them to make better business decisions, and become leaders in their respective fields.
How is working at ThoughtSpot different from your past roles or teams?
Never have I joined a company at such a pivotal moment in an organization's trajectory. Right now, businesses have gone beyond the Generative AI experimentation phase. They want to realize tangible ROI from their Generative AI investments, and data and analytics is the proven use case, with early adopters already experiencing transformative value.
What makes ThoughtSpot so special is our focus on customer excellence. Rarely have I seen such enthusiastic customers and the extent of the value we deliver is a testament to our team’s relentless focus on customer outcomes. What excites me most about my team is their ability to make such a profound impact on our customers.
The opportunity before us is vast. We’re just scratching the surface, and as the market increasingly seeks to leverage Generative AI, ThoughtSpot is perfectly positioned to meet that demand. We're in a real build phase at ThoughtSpot, with our SaaS product in hyper-growth mode. It’s both exciting and rewarding.
What are your thoughts on #LifeatThoughtSpot?
#LifeatThoughtSpot is defined by our culture of Selfless Excellence. It’s central to how we operate. Every day, we strive to be the best we can be and deliver excellent outcomes, but we do so with the mentality that these outcomes should primarily serve our customers, the business, and our colleagues. This approach creates a very open and transparent culture, free of egos, where everyone is focused on doing the right thing to drive our business forward. Working in such an environment, where collective success is prioritized over individual gain, is incredibly motivating and fulfilling.
We’ve already achieved so much, but there’s also a palpable sense that we're just getting started, with only 2% of our journey complete. This is a growth journey that we’re all a part of, and it’s truly inspiring.
How do you use ThoughtSpot in your day-to-day life?
ThoughtSpot is built for people like me – naturally curious but not technically inclined. As a businessperson, I strive to make the best decisions based on data, yet I lack technical skills and can't afford to wait for others to answer my questions. ThoughtSpot provides the answers I need at my fingertips, at the speed of thought. It helps me uncover insights I wouldn't have otherwise seen, hold people accountable to our goals, and identify and address problems to strengthen our business.
This capability isn't just limited to me; the entire organization benefits from it. In meetings, QBRs, and presentations, we start and end with data. This fosters a brilliantly open, transparent, and accountable culture, driving the organization forward. ThoughtSpot empowers everyone in the business to interact with data in this way, creating a more dynamic and responsive environment.
Do you have any advice for new Spotters joining the team?
My advice for new Spotters is to get passionate about the product. Once you start using ThoughtSpot, you will love it, and it will significantly enhance your effectiveness in your role. This personal transformation makes it much easier to authentically evangelize the product to others. You'll quickly understand why everyone around you is so passionate about it.
Embrace this journey, and you'll see first-hand the incredible impact ThoughtSpot can have on your work and the organization.
