SPOTLIGHT: What It Takes to Step into the CEO Role | Eric Anderson, CEO @ Walnut

What happens when a seasoned GTM leader becomes CEO for the first time and steps into a founder-led company with a global team?  In this episode, Eric Anderson, CEO of Walnut, shares what it's really like to take over a business built by someone else. He talks with AJ Bruno about building trust across time zones, rebuilding the go-to-market motion, and making bold decisions while honoring legacy culture.  From listening tours to tough calls on pricing and segmentation, Eric opens up about the challenges and wins of his first six months in the role. Eric talks about: - What it's really like to step into a founder-led company as a first-time CEO - Building trust and alignment across a global, distributed leadership team - Why CEOs need to be willing to make bold and unpopular decisions - The challenge of walking away from revenue that doesn't fit the business - How pricing and market segmentation can force difficult but necessary changes - Why rebuilding the GTM organization can unlock a company's next stage of growth Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Eric Anderson and Walnut 02:30 From GTM Leader to First-Time CEO 06:49 Leading Across Cultures and Time Zones 09:11 The Boardroom: A New CEO's Balancing Act 11:36 Why CEOs Have to Make the Hard Calls 15:00 The Cost of Trying to Serve Everyone 16:52 Rebuilding Walnut for What's Next 18:30 Where to Find Eric and Walnut Try Walnut: walnut.io