Brian Hoard
Engineer Turned GTM Architect | Building the Systems Behind Customer-for-Life Growth
ex-LivePersonI grew up in Silicon Valley and held my first semiconductor wafer when I was six. My career started as an electrical engineer at Xilinx, now part of AMD.
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From there I spent 14 years in management consulting across firms including PRTM and Deloitte, leading practice areas and teams of 120+ people. The work spanned GTM transformations, pricing and monetization strategy, sales effectiveness, and operating model redesign for technology companies including Applied Materials, HPE, Seagate, SanDisk, Symantec, Intuit, and Harman. Projects across that portfolio delivered up to $100M+ in margin improvement alongside measurable gains in revenue growth, deal velocity, and forecast accuracy. I then moved back into operating roles. At VMware I led worldwide GTM strategy during the company's shift to a solutions-led XaaS model. At Google Cloud I ran GTM strategy for a $5B+ infrastructure portfolio, removing $100M+ in deal blockers and driving $30M+ in incremental revenue. At LivePerson I led a company-wide GTM turnaround. I rebuilt and repositioned a Sales Acceleration Team that generated $40M+ in new pipeline, led cross-functional teams that cut enterprise deal cycles by 50%, and embedded the planning and forecasting discipline that improved forecast accuracy by 20%. I have lived on both sides of the table, as the consultant designing and implementing the transformation and as the operator living inside it. That dual vantage point made one thing clear. The strategy is rarely what fails. What fails is the operating model underneath it, the system that was never engineered to connect strategy, leadership, and execution into one rhythm. That is the problem BozQ exists to solve. As COO and Founding Partner, I bring precision to the build. I put structure around ambiguity, build the operating discipline, and make sure what we design with clients actually runs after we leave. We replace the fragility of individual heroics with the durability of the Customer-for-Life Growth System: the architecture that makes growth predictable, consistent, and sustainable. Growth at scale is not a strategy problem. It is a systems problem. And systems are what I build.
GTM Index
- BOZQJOB
- COO & Founding Partner11M
COO & Founding Partner
BozQ
- LIVEPERSONJOB
- VP, Strategy & Operations11M
Vice President, Strategy & Operations
LivePerson
Recruited onto the senior leadership team at LivePerson, a global leader in conversational AI, as a trusted advisor to the CRO during a pivotal turnaround. Owned strategy and execution across Sales, Partners, GTM, and Solutions, with responsibility for strategic planning, forecasting, pipeline management, sales acceleration and effectiveness, and the customer engagement model. Led cross-functional transformation across customer expansion, partner and channel strategy, solutions, and GTM model redesign. Replaced an ad hoc regional forecasting and pipeline process with a standardized global operating rhythm. Created an outcomes-based customer engagement model built around discovery, value e…
- SADA, AN INSIGHT COMPANYJOB
- Head of Global GTM Strateg…1Y 3M
Head of Global GTM Strategy, Solutions & Partnerships
SADA, An Insight company
Recruited into global GTM leadership at SADA, an eight-time Google Cloud Partner of the Year, during its shift from cloud resale to services-led growth. Owned GTM strategy, solutions, and partner ecosystem expansion, helping build the commercial engine ahead of SADA’s 2023 acquisition by Insight Enterprises. Led a 26-person global GTM Solutions and Ecosystem team responsible for GTM strategy, cloud solutions, and 100+ ISV partners. Drove a 30% increase in partner-sourced pipeline by aligning offerings to customer outcomes. Launched customer-centric cloud solutions that accelerated adoption and delivered 40%+ services pipeline growth. Orchestrated co-sell motions with VMware, NetApp, GitL…
- GOOGLEJOB
- Global GTM Lead, Cloud Com…1Y 1M
Global Go-to-Market Lead, Cloud Compute
Google
Recruited to lead global GTM strategy for Google Cloud Compute, a $5B+ portfolio within Google Cloud's infrastructure business. Drove strategy and execution across Product, Sales, CX, Marketing, Finance, and Partner teams during a period of rapid competitive growth. Defined solution priorities, sales plays, and execution plans across customer segments, industries, and regions. Removed $100M+ in deal blockers by aligning Product, Sales, and Support. Drove $30M+ in incremental revenue through targeted cross-sell, upsell, and retention strategies. Established a global operating rhythm to increase deal velocity across regions.
- VMWAREJOB
- Dir, Worldwide GTM Strategy1Y 2M
Director, Worldwide Go-to-Market Strategy
VMware Inc.
Led worldwide GTM strategy across VMware's full product portfolio during the company's transition to a solutions-led XaaS model. Partnered with Product, Sales, and Marketing leadership to align growth priorities and execution frameworks across a $12B+ business. Refined market entry strategies to unlock growth in emerging verticals. Clarified ownership and rules of engagement across the full customer lifecycle, from Land through Adopt, Expand, and Renew, improving sales velocity and pipeline performance.
- DELOITTEJOB
- Management Consulting Lead…13Y 6M
Management Consulting Leadership
Deloitte
Principal, Managing Director, Director, Manager, Associate. Held senior leadership roles across PRTM, Accel Management Group, FTI Consulting, and Deloitte. Sold, designed, and led engagements from the ground up while building and running practice areas, industry teams, and organizations of 120+ people. The work spanned GTM strategy, pricing and revenue operations, sales effectiveness, product development, and operations for technology companies. Projects ranged from rapid assessments to 200+ person global transformations for clients including Cisco, HPE, Applied Materials, Seagate, Symantec, Intuit, Harman, Juniper Networks, and SanDisk. Results included up to $100M+ in margin improvement…
- THE AURORA FUNDSJOB
- Venture Fellow1Y
Venture Fellow
The Aurora Funds
Served as a Venture Fellow at The Aurora Funds, an early-stage venture capital firm in Durham, NC. Conducted due diligence, market analysis, and financial modeling for investment decisions in early-stage technology startups.
- XILINXJOB
- Eng and Strategic Mktg5Y 2M
Engineering and Strategic Marketing
Xilinx
Started as an applications engineer solving design challenges for strategic customers. Won three Customer Excellence Awards for achieving the highest quarterly CSAT score out of 39 engineers. Promoted to lead digital signal processing design engineer developing core IP and solutions. Transitioned into strategic marketing where I shaped product roadmaps, developed pricing strategy across product lines, and led competitive analysis.
- Job: BozQ — COO & Founding Partner · 2025-11 – present · 9 mo
- Job: LivePerson — Vice President, Strategy & Operations · 2024-11 – 2025-10 · 11 mo — Recruited onto the senior leadership team at LivePerson, a global leader in conversational AI, as a trusted advisor to the CRO during a pivotal turnaround. Owned strategy and execution across Sales, Partners, GTM, and Solutions, with responsibility for strategic planning, forecasting, pipeline management, sales acceleration and effectiveness, and the customer engagement model. Led cross-functional transformation across customer expansion, partner and channel strategy, solutions, and GTM model redesign. Replaced an ad hoc regional forecasting and pipeline process with a standardized global operating rhythm. Created an outcomes-based customer engagement model built around discovery, value e…
- Job: SADA, An Insight company — Head of Global GTM Strategy, Solutions & Partnerships · 2023-04 – 2024-07 · 1y 3mo — Recruited into global GTM leadership at SADA, an eight-time Google Cloud Partner of the Year, during its shift from cloud resale to services-led growth. Owned GTM strategy, solutions, and partner ecosystem expansion, helping build the commercial engine ahead of SADA’s 2023 acquisition by Insight Enterprises. Led a 26-person global GTM Solutions and Ecosystem team responsible for GTM strategy, cloud solutions, and 100+ ISV partners. Drove a 30% increase in partner-sourced pipeline by aligning offerings to customer outcomes. Launched customer-centric cloud solutions that accelerated adoption and delivered 40%+ services pipeline growth. Orchestrated co-sell motions with VMware, NetApp, GitL…
- Job: Google — Global Go-to-Market Lead, Cloud Compute · 2022-02 – 2023-03 · 1y 1mo — Recruited to lead global GTM strategy for Google Cloud Compute, a $5B+ portfolio within Google Cloud's infrastructure business. Drove strategy and execution across Product, Sales, CX, Marketing, Finance, and Partner teams during a period of rapid competitive growth. Defined solution priorities, sales plays, and execution plans across customer segments, industries, and regions. Removed $100M+ in deal blockers by aligning Product, Sales, and Support. Drove $30M+ in incremental revenue through targeted cross-sell, upsell, and retention strategies. Established a global operating rhythm to increase deal velocity across regions.
- Job: VMware Inc. — Director, Worldwide Go-to-Market Strategy · 2020-12 – 2022-02 · 1y 2mo — Led worldwide GTM strategy across VMware's full product portfolio during the company's transition to a solutions-led XaaS model. Partnered with Product, Sales, and Marketing leadership to align growth priorities and execution frameworks across a $12B+ business. Refined market entry strategies to unlock growth in emerging verticals. Clarified ownership and rules of engagement across the full customer lifecycle, from Land through Adopt, Expand, and Renew, improving sales velocity and pipeline performance.
- Job: Deloitte — Management Consulting Leadership · 2007-06 – 2020-12 · 13y 6mo — Principal, Managing Director, Director, Manager, Associate. Held senior leadership roles across PRTM, Accel Management Group, FTI Consulting, and Deloitte. Sold, designed, and led engagements from the ground up while building and running practice areas, industry teams, and organizations of 120+ people. The work spanned GTM strategy, pricing and revenue operations, sales effectiveness, product development, and operations for technology companies. Projects ranged from rapid assessments to 200+ person global transformations for clients including Cisco, HPE, Applied Materials, Seagate, Symantec, Intuit, Harman, Juniper Networks, and SanDisk. Results included up to $100M+ in margin improvement…
- Job: The Aurora Funds — Venture Fellow · 2005-12 – 2006-12 · 1y — Served as a Venture Fellow at The Aurora Funds, an early-stage venture capital firm in Durham, NC. Conducted due diligence, market analysis, and financial modeling for investment decisions in early-stage technology startups.
- Job: Xilinx — Engineering and Strategic Marketing · 2000-06 – 2005-08 · 5y 2mo — Started as an applications engineer solving design challenges for strategic customers. Won three Customer Excellence Awards for achieving the highest quarterly CSAT score out of 39 engineers. Promoted to lead digital signal processing design engineer developing core IP and solutions. Transitioned into strategic marketing where I shaped product roadmaps, developed pricing strategy across product lines, and led competitive analysis.
- School: Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business — MBA, Finance, Strategy
- School: Santa Clara University — MS, Electrical Engineering
- School: University of Southern California — BS, Electrical Engineering
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