Fault Lines #8 - David Thompson - Inside Silicon Valley’s Greatest Era

David Thompson has spent nearly four decades at the heart of Silicon Valley, helping shape some of the most influential technology companies of the internet era. In this episode of Fault Lines, Augustin Sayer sits down with the former Webex executive and founder of reMARCable GTM to retrace a remarkable career spanning Genentech, the birth of the web, the SaaS revolution, startup successes, painful failures, and category-defining marketing.

From naming Webex and launching one of the most memorable Super Bowl campaigns in tech history to reflecting on entrepreneurship, leadership, and what truly makes great go-to-market strategy, David shares the stories behind the milestones that shaped modern enterprise software. A candid conversation about innovation, storytelling, resilience, and why building categories—not just products—is what leaves a lasting legacy.

[00:00:00] Introducing David Thompson

[00:00:25] From Chicago to San Francisco

[00:02:35] Discovering Silicon Valley Before the Dot-Com Boom

[00:03:42] The Genentech Years & The Birth of Modern IT

[00:05:00] Meeting Steve Jobs Before His Apple Comeback

[00:09:45] Joining the Internet Revolution

[00:11:37] The Birth of Webex

[00:12:27] Why Marketing Is Like Theater

[00:15:02] Building the First SaaS Collaboration Platform

[00:18:25] Creating Demand Before Customers Know They Need It

[00:22:12] The RuPaul Super Bowl Campaign That Changed Webex

[00:27:23] Launching Genius.com & Marketing Automation

[00:29:12] Surviving the 2008 Crash

[00:31:00] Scaling Companies from Startup to IPO

[00:34:15] Freshworks, India & A New Era of Innovation

[00:39:10] The Rise of AI & The Future of Go-to-Market

[00:44:20] Why David Returned to the Stage

[00:47:26] What's Next for David Thompson

Fault Lines Podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this podcast constitutes investment, financial, legal, or tax advice, nor a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or pursue any investment strategy. Nothing here is an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security or interest in any fund. The views expressed are those of the host and guests in their personal capacity and do not represent the views of OVNI Capital LLC, OVNI Capital SAS, or any affiliated entity. Opinions expressed by guests are their own. Information is believed accurate as of the recording date but is not guaranteed. Listeners should consult their own professional advisors before making any financial decisions.

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