How an Underdog Beat the Market Leader | Alessio Artufo, CEO of Docebo

How do you beat the industry leader when everyone says you don't belong?In this episode of Lead The Team, Ben Fanning sits down with Alessio Artufo, CEO of Docebo, who helped transform a small Italian startup into a global SaaS leader, scaling the business from roughly $1 million to more than $200 million in ARR.Alessio shares the pivotal moments that shaped both the company and his leadership—from being underestimated because of his accent, to winning an enterprise customer that was ten times larger than Docebo's annual revenue by competing against the industry's biggest player.He also explains why authenticity beats polish, how clarity becomes a competitive advantage as organizations grow, and why the best leaders inspire rather than control.In this episode, you'll learn:How underdogs can outperform industry leadersWhy proving people wrong became Alessio's greatest source of motivationThe leadership principles behind scaling from startup to global SaaS companyHow to build teams that thrive through trust, clarity, and accountabilityWhy AI is transforming workplace learning—and what leaders need to do differentlyWhether you're building a startup, leading a growing organization, or competing against companies much larger than your own, this conversation offers practical lessons on leadership, resilience, and scaling with purpose.Chapters:00:00 – How an underdog startup challenged the market leader02:18 – Why Alessio joined a 15-person company06:39 – The challenges of expanding into North America09:22 – The customer who criticized his accent13:35 – Winning an enterprise deal against the industry's biggest competitor20:19 – Scaling a culture built on clarity and trust24:28 – How AI is reshaping workplace learning33:10 – Why great leaders choose grace over force-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter