Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff in ‘thanks note’ to motivational Guru Tony Robbins; says: 26 years ago, I made the firm decision to leave Oracle and …
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff shared a ‘thanks note’ on X (formerly Twitter) to motivational speaker and coach Tony Robbins, crediting his early motivational programs for transforming his commute at Oracle and inspiring the decision to found Salesforce in 1999. “Tony, I am so deeply grateful for everything you have done for me over the last four decades,” Benioff writes in the post adding “I saw your Personal Power infomercial and bought the cassettes; suddenly, my daily commute was transformed by your inspiration and ideas.” The note also highlighted Salesforce’s growth to 80,000 employees and over $41 billion in annual revenue, attributing much of its success, including the 1-1-1 philanthropy model that has donated $1 billion and supported 50,000 nonprofits, to Robbins’ influence on ambitious long-term thinking.“Salesforce now has 80,000 employees, generates over $41B in revenue, and stands as the largest enterprise software company in the world. I truly could not have done it without you by my side. As you know we always over estimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can do in a couple of decades,” Marc Benioff says.Benioff quoted a post by Robbins who recently appeared on a podcast, crediting “dear friend Marc Benioff” who he says is a “living example of what it means to lead with a full heart, showing up for people in a way that’s grounded, generous, and real. I’m grateful to call him a friend”.
Read Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s ‘Thanks note’ on X
Tony, I am so deeply grateful for everything you have done for me over the last four decades.I still remember my early days at Oracle, searching for leadership and a way to move my career forward. I saw your Personal Power infomercial and bought the cassettes; suddenly, my daily commute was transformed by your inspiration and ideas. I even remember staying home an entire weekend to re-listen to the 30-day program as a “home seminar”—the insights I gained were life-changing.That was the moment I realized I needed to experience your events in person, which led me even deeper into building my own leadership models. It was at Date with Destiny that I made the firm decision to leave Oracle and start my own company. We even had a brief conversation about it then.Fast forward twenty six years: Salesforce now has 80,000 employees, generates over $41B in revenue, and stands as the largest enterprise software company in the world. I truly could not have done it without you by my side. As you know we always over estimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can do in a couple of decades.As you know, when I started Salesforce, I also created the 1-1-1 model—committing 1% of our equity, time, and product to the community. That model has now resulted in over $1B in grants, 10 million hours of volunteerism, and 50,000 nonprofits running on our platform for free. Your work delivering billions of meals continues to inspire me to stretch even further; our programs to protect the oceans and plant one trillion trees are born from your belief that business can be the greatest platform for change.Tony, I started this letter with gratitude, and I will end it the same way. When I reached my most difficult moments, you were there. When I reached my highest heights, you were there. You know that as those phone calls and texts for help were always quickly answered. Tony, business and politics are temporal, but relationships are eternal—and yours is one I carry with me always. Congratulations on everything you are doing. I look forward to a wonderful future together.
