Mike Carpenter

Mike Carpenter is a Venture Advisor at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where he leverages over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience and leadership in go-to-market strategies to assist the firm's enterprise portfolio companies. His role focuses on helping these companies scale effectively by crafting playbooks, analytics, and processes that drive growth and consistency in forecasts and achievements.13

Professional Background

Carpenter has held significant positions in various tech companies prior to joining Lightspeed. Most notably, he served as the President of Global Sales and Field Operations at CrowdStrike, where he played a crucial role in expanding the sales organization globally, contributing to the company's rise as a leading enterprise security firm. Before that, he was also the President of Global Sales and Field Operations at Tanium, driving its global growth, and led sales for the Americas at McAfee.12

In addition to his advisory role, Carpenter is the Chairman, Founder & CEO of XFactor.io, a SaaS platform that innovates how companies operate in their go-to-market strategies. He also serves on the board of Armis Security.1

Personal Insights

Carpenter's background includes overcoming learning disabilities during his upbringing, which shaped his perspective on finding alternative paths to success. He credits his parents as significant influences in his life; his father, who had polio, instilled a mindset of resilience and problem-solving.1 This philosophy has guided Carpenter throughout his career, leading him to develop unique strategies that enable businesses to thrive.

Publications

He authored a book titled "Everything You’ve Never Tried: Breaking the Rules to Compete and Succeed Like a Sales Leader," which reflects his insights into sales leadership and innovative thinking.1

Carpenter remains active outside of work, enjoying activities such as mixed martial arts (MMA) and skiing, while also valuing time spent with family.1