CRO RealReal, Kayti Sullivan: Setting Priorities in Work and in Life

By her own admission, Kayti Sullivan was having a “quarter-life crisis” when she realized the jobs she could get with her Masters degree in Early European Art were not careers she had envisioned.

What followed for Kayti was the start of an incredibly successful twelve-year run in sales leadership at Yelp — where she traveled the globe and rose through the ranks. Now, Kayti is Chief Revenue Officer at The RealReal, an online marketplace for authentic luxury consignment.

On this episode of Go to Market Grit, Joubin and Kayti discuss the importance of falling in love with learning, what it takes to go from being an individual contributor to a manager, and strategies for balancing work and personal life.

In this episode, we cover:

• Falling in love with learning: The connection between intellectual curiosity and success — and why Kayti believes that 'leaders are readers.' (2:47)
• From art history to Yelp: Kayti's story of finding her career in sales. (10:20)
• 'Competitor to advocate': How Kayti went from salesperson to sales manager at Yelp — and how to succeed during transitional periods. (20:20)
• Careers and relationships: Why Kayti 'never really questioned' moving across the globe for jobs. (28:03)
• 'Play the tape all the way to the end:' How Kayti prioritizes tasks when leading high-growth, high-opportunity companies. (31:24)
• ‘Time is only one measurement:’ Strategies for balancing work and personal life. (35:06)
• Why Kayti left Yelp in 2019 — and what she saw in The RealReal. (47:02)
• How Kayti defines grit. (51:41)

Links:

• Connect with Kayti
  • Email: kayti.sullivan@therealreal.com
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins