Bonus Episode- Ryan Smith, Founder/Executive Chairman of Qualtrics
The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast
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The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast
Published: April 20, 2021

Ryan Smith, Founder and Executive Chairman of Qualtrics, joins Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman in this past edition (2016) of the Zenger Folkman podcast series to discuss the story of Qualtrics, a company started in his dad’s basement with a valuation of $2.5 billion 15 years later. Ryan tells the story of Qualtrics, its values, and what makes it unique.
Download the eBook of the full interview with Ryan Smith, here.
Ryan Smith is the founder and executive chairman of Qualtrics, the leader in customer experience and the creator of the experience management (XM) category. He has grown the company from a basement startup to one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the world, with 25 offices globally and more than 13,000 customers, including over 85 percent of the Fortune 100, and 99 of the top 100 business schools.
Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman, and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register at https://zengerfolkman.com/webinar-registration/.
From Basement to 2.5 Billion– Explore the eBook with leadership insights from Qualtrics Founder Ryan Smith.
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:56 — 23.9MB)
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Podcast — 2026
Podcast — 2026