Podcasts about GTM

Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman unpack what it means to lead through uncertainty in a time of rapid change. They reflect on Q2 wins, the emotional cost of ambition, and why founders are feeling more anxious than ever. From letting go of the SaaS playbook to adapting in real time, they explore how AI is reshaping leadership, team culture, and what “good” revenue looks like. Plus: the decline of CS, the rise of forward-deployed engineers, and how to build when nothing feels stable. Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday. Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket. Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today. Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader. You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast! This episode is sponsored by UserEvidence. Want to know what actually moves the needle on trust? Download The Evidence Gap, a data-backed report on the customer proof that drives real results. Get it now at userevidence.com/evidence. Key chapters: (00:00) - Welcome and Pulse Check (01:14) - Celebrating Q2 Successes (02:57) - Navigating Business Transitions (03:59) - Hitting Numbers and Investing for Growth (04:47) - The Stress of Numbers and Daily Anxiety (05:47) - Balancing Ambition with Gratitude (07:00) - The Power of Pattern Interrupts and Support (07:38) - Is Ambition Always Dissatisfaction? (09:00) - Finding Fulfillment in the Journey (13:12) - The Beauty of Risk and Uncertainty (15:00) - The Astrologer and Fate vs. Free Will (23:00) - Charting the Uncertain Second Half (34:00) - Culture Change and Organizational Agility (43:28) - The Rise of Forward Deployed Engineers & Services Revenue (54:00) - The Future of Customer Success and Bearishness on Job Markets  

Laura Lakhwara leads GTM teams and customers in transformative strategies that empower businesses to streamline operations and scale efficiently with AI, automation, robotics, and data-driven insights. She has an incredible background from working at IBM, a first-ever partnership with IBM and Apple, and other companies like UI Path and Softbank Robotics.  We had a great conversation - her expertise spans market entry strategies, enterprise sales, customer success, and fostering customer-centric cultures that drive revenue growth and long-term partnerships. Follow Laura:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralakhwara/   More about Women Sales Pros - we have a website, we are on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.  Subscribe to our 2x a month news, and share the podcast with others! We'd love a 5 star rating and comments on iTunes if you are so moved! It really makes a difference.  subscribe: https://bit.ly/thewspnews Contribute: https://forms.gle/v9rRiPDUtgGqKaXA6 Past News Issues: bit.ly/past_news_issues https://womensalespros.com/podcast/ 

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Kevin “KJ” Jarnigan from GTM to talk about his inspiring journey through the outdoor and shooting sports industry. KJ shares how he got started in the firearms world, the evolution of his role at GTM, and what drives his deep passion for hunting and outdoor adventure.If you're into hunting gear, marksmanship, safety, or just love hearing stories from industry insiders, this episode delivers. Kevin gives us an inside look at how GTM creates some of the most engaging content in the industry—from training tips to real-world gear reviews—and how they're building a community focused on responsible use, skill development, and a love of the outdoors.Whether you're a seasoned outdoorsman or new to the world of shooting sports, this conversation offers valuable insights into the people and passion behind the media you trust. We also discuss KJ's favorite hunts, must-have equipment, and his top advice for anyone looking to improve their skills in the field or on the range.

Tomer London is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Gusto, the payroll and people platform used by over 400,000 businesses. He grew up helping run his dad's clothing store in Israel — an experience that sparked his mission to build better tools for small business owners. After moving to the US for a PhD at Stanford, he met his co-founders and started Gusto. In today's episode, we discuss: Reinventing payroll without any prior experience Why you should hire for humility, not just talent Gusto's scrappy customer research: cold calling from a walk-in closet Why founders should embrace customer rejection Why “emotional urgency” matters more than polite feedback The weekly co-founder ritual that built trust How Gusto expanded from payroll to a multi-product platform Building products customers actually love And so much more Referenced: ADP Eddie Kim Gusto Intuit Josh Reeves Paychex Steve Jobs' “Secrets to Life” clip Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Speech Wells Fargo Y Combinator Where to find Tomer: LinkedIn Twitter/X Where to find Brett: LinkedIn Twitter/X Where to find First Round Capital: Website First Round Review Twitter/X YouTube This podcast on all platforms Timestamps: (00:00) How a childhood around SMBs shaped Tomer's founder mindset (03:24) The three things that led to the creation of Gusto (07:17) Hiring for humility, not just talent (09:28) The tug-of-war test for product-market fit (11:58) Why founders should actively seek rejection (15:34) Gusto's scrappy customer research: cold calling from a walk-in closet (17:45) Betting on SMBs – and ignoring investor advice (20:44) “It's not an MVP, it's something that wows people” (24:09) Serving SMBs vs. startups (28:36) How to find the right co-founders (31:09) The weekly co-founder ritual that built trust (35:02) Reinventing payroll without any prior experience (38:49) Gusto's “start small” GTM playbook (42:16) The big opportunity Gusto wishes they tackled sooner (43:58) How switching costs became Gusto's moat (47:25) The two lucky breaks that gave Gusto an edge (51:56) What Tomer learned about customers from his dad's clothing store

Daragh Murphy is giving brands their own credit-card platform—no legacy bank required.On this week's Grit, the Imprint co-founder and CEO traces the leap from being a junior lawyer to closing nine-figure card deals.He breaks down the hidden economics of credit-card loyalty, the discipline of treating capital “like the last dollar,” and how AI will slash risk-and-support costs.Guest: Daragh Murphy, CEO & Co-Founder of ImprintChapters:00:00 Trailer00:48 Introduction01:30 Actualizing the dream08:37 Imprint11:37 Partnerships are massive16:48 Understand the market18:42 “Get more, spend more” tradeoffs23:57 Fishing in the wrong ponds31:32 Can't skip work32:43 Exciting and scary34:56 Pride and ownership46:50 The way you spend your day50:20 New technologies54:51 Who Imprint is hiring54:59 What “grit” means to Daragh55:34 OutroMentioned in this episode: Figma, Rippling, H-E-B Grocery Company, LP, Barclays US, IBM, Coinbase, Charlie Munger, Instagram, Hamptons, Google, Nick Huber, Ribbit, Ireland, WeWork, Adam Kim, Amazon, Shopify, Tobias Lütke, Duolingo, Parker ConradLinks:Connect with DaraghLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

On this episode of Embracing Erosion, Devon sits down with Jeff Hardison, CRO of CaseMark and former VP of Product Marketing at Calendly.They discuss the complexities behind operating a hybrid go-to-market motion, the positioning and messaging LinkedIn industrial complex, the nuances of product marketing and leadership in startups vs enterprise organizations, and they even touch on GTM engineering. Enjoy the conversation!

AI-native startups are outpacing legacy SaaS companies across every metric—growth, product velocity, and market attention. In this episode, Sam, Asad, and AJ unpack why the GTM landscape is shifting fast. They dive into the resurgence of IPOs, the rise of rollups, and the cultural edge AI-first teams have when it comes to speed, experimentation, and brand building.   Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday.   Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.   Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.   Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader.   You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!   Key chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (01:43) - Market Overview and Current Trends (05:52) - The Impact of AI on Business Dynamics (11:37) - Navigating the Challenges of SaaS vs AI Companies (17:25) - M&A Activity and IPO Market Insights (23:25) - Cultural Shifts in Tech Companies (29:23) - The Role of Social Media in Modern Marketing (35:33) - The Future of Go-to-Market Strategies (41:19) - Final Thoughts and Reflections

Kim Graves is GM, Americas at Notion, where she oversees all Sales and Customer Success efforts across the region. She brings extensive experience in building and scaling high-performing sales organizations, most notably at Slack where she helped grow revenue from $6M to over $1.5B. In addition to her operational role, Kim serves as a founding partner at 20SALES, a GTM-focused VC firm, where she advises early-stage companies on scaling revenue and optimizing sales processes. Agenda: 07:00 – The Secret to Winning a Discount Conversation 09:30 – Notion's Wild New Sales Method: Mindsets Over Stages 12:00 – Why Great Sellers Never Talk Product Too Soon 14:00 – How Slack Avoided the Biggest PLG Trap of All 17:00 – The Fatal Mistake Founders Make Layering Sales on PLG 20:00 – The “Renaissance Reps” That Build Billion-Dollar Motions 23:00 – How to Spot True Grit in a Sales Hire (Without Asking Directly) 26:00 – The Case Study Test That Filters Out Bullshitters 30:00 – The Real Reason Most Reps Fail Onboarding 33:00 – Should Reps Own Their Own Pipeline? Kim's Take Is Clear 36:00 – Why Cold Calling Works in 2025 (And Nobody Does It) 39:00 – The Sales Team Audit: The REKS Framework That Changes Everything 43:00 – How to Avoid Hiring the Wrong Rep Under Pressure 45:00 – When Sales Feels Second Class: PLG vs Enterprise Tension 47:00 – The One Thing Reps Still Do That AI Will Obliterate 50:00 – AI Sales Tools: Why Every Startup Is Failing to Get It Right 53:00 – Will We Have More or Fewer Reps in 5 Years?  56:00 – Enterprises Are Scared of AI – Here's How You Break In Anyway 59:00 – Kim's Secret for Getting Past Gatekeepers and Fake Champions 1:09:00 – Kim's Hardest Phase at Slack and How She Survived It  

This week on GTM Live, Carolyn and Trevor walk through a practical, step-by-step breakdown of how companies should be measuring GTM performance—beyond the outdated funnel reports and measurement models that most teams are still relying on.This episode is structured like a mini masterclass: You'll learn the real stages of the GTM revenue factory, what metrics to track at each one, and how to spot the signals that lead to qualified pipeline before opportunities even exist.They also cover how most common GTM measurement systems fail, and what leading companies are doing instead, and why this shift helps teams make better, faster decisions across Marketing, Sales, and RevOps.Whether you're struggling to prove impact, spot performance issues early, or get your execs aligned on what's actually driving growth—this one's for you.Key topics in this episode:Why funnel reports and common Marketing metrics often give a false sense of progressThe disconnect between GTM activity and what leaders actually want to knowHow to rethink pipeline measurement and what metrics to rely on as your north starWhat high-performing companies are tracking at each GTM stageHow to evolve your dashboard into a true Revenue Command CenterThis episode is powered by ⁠⁠Passetto⁠⁠. We help high-growth and equity-backed companies turn GTM data into better decisions, faster. We unify your GTM and financial data, identify your growth levers, and help you scale. Part SaaS, part advisory. Visit ⁠⁠passetto.com⁠.

It's frustrating when you've got a solid idea but can't seem to cut through the chaos to make it work. So many tools, platforms, and tactics promise results, but they end up pulling you in a hundred directions. It starts to feel like you're spending more time managing marketing than building your actual business. That kind of noise can kill momentum before anything real even gets off the ground. Zack Holland is a Brooklyn-based entrepreneur and four-time startup founder who sold his first company as a teenager to pay for college. Known for blending tech and strategy, he's built and exited multiple ventures in the marketing space. Now, he runs Avery.ai, a platform that pairs AI with expert marketers to help businesses simplify and scale their content efforts. Zack also shares how meditation and stoicism keep him grounded through the chaos of startup life. His focus is on building smarter tools that reduce overwhelm and improve results. Stay tuned! Resources: AI designed to help you grow Brooklyn-based startup founder, author, and GTM consultant | Zack Holland Follow Zack Holland on Facebook Connect with Zack Holland on LinkedIn

According to research from Gartner, more than half of organizations have increased their investment in AI since 2023. So, how can you effectively leverage AI to improve GTM productivity and accelerate business outcomes? Riley Rogers: Hi, and welcome to the Win Win podcast. I’m your host, Riley Rogers. Join us as we dive into changing trends in the workplace and how to navigate them successfully. Here to discuss this topic is Chris Sargent, the director of sales enablement at BambooHR. Thank you so much for joining us, Chris. Before we get started, I’d just love for you to tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and your role. Chris Sargent: Absolutely. Thank you for having me, Riley. Really excited to be spending some time with you today. So my background, I have been leading sales enablement teams for the better part of the last 10 plus years, and prior to that I was a sales leader and a sales individual contributor. So have spent a lot of time in both roles and really help companies scale. You talked about go-to-market strategies. My background heavily is aligned sales execution, focusing on how buyers can achieve goals and how selling and. Our ability to sell with a process with value can really be one of the greatest competitive advantages that we take to market. And in my current role at Bamboo, I oversee enablement programs globally across all of our different skill sets, all of our different segments. And really our mission here is to equip every seller and leader with the skills to tools and processes they need to win with confidence and consistency. RR: I love it. Confidence and consistency. That’s what everybody’s looking for. Well, we’re so excited to have you here. Especially as you mentioned, you know, you’re a pretty experienced leader and you have extensive experience spanning both the sales and the sales enablement side. And so you’ve probably seen the landscape change a little bit recently with the acceleration of AI innovation. So I’m curious, how have you seen the challenges that go-to-market teams face change as well? CS: Yeah, I think there’s been, you know, change is the, probably the important word there. One of the biggest shifts as it relates to specifically AI is I think the timing of AI aligning with just kind of a general trend in sales, right? That we’ve seen, I think in the early teens to the late 2019, even into 2000, 20, 21, economies were fantastic globally. Every organization had what felt like, in a lot of cases, unlimited budget to acquire tools and technology. And I think in a lot of ways that created probably some unintentional outcomes as it relates to sales. And in some cases it was a lot more of what I would call order taking versus what would potentially be a value driven sales cycle in a lot of cases, by no one’s fault, other than that was the nature of how buyers were buying at the time. So I think you take that. Component of that and then align that with all of those changes. Now with AI, I think one of the biggest shifts that most organizations and sales team members as individual contributors and leaders are dealing with is that AI is happening in real time. And not only is it happening in real time, it’s new for not only the individual contributors, but a lot of it’s new for managers, it’s new for enablement teams, even the buyers who are trying to figure out how do they leverage AI. So I think that challenge that we see is how do you understand and take the pace of AI innovation and your ability to adapt to that. And that means enablement specifically isn’t just about delivering training, but how are you actually building a culture that fosters the idea of ongoing learning experimentation across the board and cross-functional alignment to keep up with the pace of change while not sacrificing. What really the intended outcome of is that confidence and consistency in the rep’s performance because that desired outcome doesn’t change. How you may get there is what’s changing and understanding how to put that as part of your DNA as an enablement organization and handle that pace of innovation is gonna be critical. RR: Yeah, so we’re sort of in a perfect storm, right of change management in across a number of different areas. I think these are challenges that we’re hearing from a lot of our customers and just feeling in the market. I think you’re spot on with all of that, but rather than kind of lingering in our challenges, maybe let’s talk solutions. So in your opinion, what is Enablement’s role in helping GTM teams overcome these challenges and achieving more success amid these changes? CS: Yeah, it’s a very fair question, and I think this is the power of a really strong enablement organization because in that format and in that model, what you’re really asking enablement to do and what enablement should be doing is becoming the bridge between the new technology itself and the practical application at the rep level. So our role is to really translate what I would say innovation into that action. Our job is to make sure reps just aren’t aware of AI and it’s not just. Kind of a tool that they use on the side, similar to a Salesforce and outreach and a Highspot, for example. But they’re actually using it to be effective in everything that they’re doing in their day-to-day workflow. And I think about that in three core areas. And that’s how we’re trying to think about it is what are you doing to prepare? What are you doing in real time? And what are you doing post customer interaction that allows you to be better at your job? Because of ai and some of that’s customer facing, some of that’s internal. Really what I it means is we’re embedding AI into every existing process. We wanna build confidence through the training and reinforcement and giving managers the tools to coach around it. And I think that goes back to not losing our North Star of if the intended outcome is customers have the best buying experience and the reps are confident and have the ability to execute. That doesn’t change, but the modality to do it, we can make them better at their jobs, we can make them more efficient. We can create competitive advantages because of that. And it’s kind of rethinking not necessarily the intended outcome as much as thinking the journey that gets us there. RR: Yeah. I’ve heard it put as kind of like the job doesn’t change, but the way you do the work does. CS: Exactly. RR: We’re all still driving towards that North Star. We just have a little bit more tools in our toolkit to get there. CS: Yeah, totally agree. And I think that’s what every. Enablement organization. Every sales organization on the planet is trying to solve it right now, which is what does that look like? And going back to the challenge, I think the challenge in that is there’s desired state and then there’s what can actually be executed today, all while knowing what seems like every day, every week, every month there’s some new AI application that’s being launched. And how do you kind of take all of that noise and put it into a journey that aligns with not only your AEs and your reps and your managers, but really how do your customers wanna buy from you? RR: Yeah, and to your point, I think people are like clamoring for use cases. They’re trying to figure out how do we apply this? We have a vision, but how do we bring it to life? And so I know you guys have started putting in kind of the work to answer those questions and have started using some AI capabilities in Highspot to improve rep productivity and kind of streamline some of those workflows. So can you talk to me a little bit about how you’re using AI to elevate your enablement efforts and how that fits into your GTM productivity strategies? CS: Yeah. You know, I think there’s a few things and the beauty in that is, you know, we are fortunate enough to have an AI team that was hired about four years ago that’s led by a fantastic gentleman by the name of Alan Whitaker. And part of what we’re looking at is really aligning kind of the build or buy model a little bit. But some of the ways we’re leveraging this today is, you know, I think those core focus areas of how are we helping the rep be more efficient? And then how are we helping the rep. In real time, create a better buying experience and really help customers see the value of what it is that we do. We all know that we’re using AI, but also buyers are using AI and they have more access to information recommendations than ever, ever before. So there’s a few ways that we’re kind of leveraging AI in a current state, but also kind of hoping we get to from a desired state perspective. And we kind of look at that in a very pragmatic and phased approach way while also. Putting urgency and moving quickly. You know, I think about one of the most important things is we sell a platform and we sell, over the years have increased our ability and our product capabilities that go to market. And I think one of the things that’s really critical is in a lot of situations that’s being launched in real time on the back of other releases, and it’s really about guiding our sales team members to the right content at the right time, but also having that served up to them at the right time. We don’t have a lot of technical resources here. It requires in a lot of situations where we have a lot of high velocity opportunities at Bamboo hr. So it, it’s not even about coming back with information even a day or two later, because that could be too late. So one of the ways we’re leveraging this is serving up information at the right time based off of the rep’s ability to have a conversation in real time. It reduces time spent searching for content, for answers. It’s feeding that up proactively and it’s really increasing confidence in what our sellers need in the moment versus even, like I said, taking 30 minutes or an hour and coming back to that. One of the most powerful ways we’re also using AI is really how to engage. Data to better understand what’s resonating with our buyers and using those insights to fine tune our messaging and also which messaging we use. You know, one of the ways we’re currently leveraging Highspot, and it’s been extremely powerful for us, is understanding the content that makes the most sense, right? I think that the standard back and forth between most organizations and specifically marketing and sales is, hey, we’re creating content for you. Why aren’t you using it? And I think what. AI has allowed us to do is for reps to find information on content that’s been the most relevant at the right time. Highspot serves that up in a way that allows us not only to look at that in real time, but it’s recommending that also based off of what Highspot seeing on the backend from an analytics perspective being tied to the most revenue producing opportunities. That’s been a huge win for us in really increasing our rep’s ability to be faster, but also more accurate. Sometimes I think we just worry about being fast. It doesn’t help if unless we’re accurate. This has kind of allowed us to go down that model on both sides. RR: Yeah, it is hard to strike that balance when you know 30 minutes is too late, but. How are you gonna put together something strategic in such a short period of time? And I know one of the things that your team’s also kind of been leaning into a little bit is you mentioned on LinkedIn actually that continuous improvement is a big priority for you, and one of the ways that you’re using AI is with skill feedback to kind of support that ongoing learning loop. So how are you using that and how is that helping you, as you said, lean into continuous improvement? CS: Yeah, great question. I think one of the key things for us that’s been really, really indicative is about a year ago we kind of looked at our call analytics and call intelligence tools and wanted to see potentially if there was an opportunity for us to get a little bit more. Proactive in the way we were leveraging that to get insights, identify opportunities, and replicate things that were going well. And about six to seven months ago, even prior to me joining the organization, holistically looked and transitioned to what I would call an even more powerful AI enhanced call analytics to really not only capture real conversations. Allow it. The ability to provide things like real-time contextual feedback and use things like prompts to better understand why things were going well, but more importantly maybe where things weren’t going well. And what was really powerful in that is that was such a manual process for us before. And not only was it manual. It wasn’t necessarily consistent manager to manager, right? Some managers were better at it. Some managers had more time to invest just depending on the, the size of their teams and the amount of workload that they were working on. So instead of really waiting for a scheduled reviewer’s, shadow session, reps and managers could get real time guided insights and feedback so that when it came time for the actual coaching, it was very prescriptive. It was really, really, really powerful and it felt more individualized versus, Hey, we’re gonna have an enablement team come in and do a skill development session on, you know, executing a mutual action plan or getting access to key players. We could actually take that now to the individual level and focus on a skill development that made coaching more specific, more intentional, more timely, and ultimately more impactful for that skill development. Now, there is one thing that we are looking at as well, and we haven’t deployed this yet, but I’m assuming I’m not alone in this. Which is really, we have a pretty large sales organization all at different parts of their career. Also different managers at different parts of their career. And one of the things we wanted to do to, to drive more time for the managers to actually coach and spend time doing all the things they’re supposed to do, is we’re actually in the process of evaluating some AI role playing tools that use avatars. I know. That is not unique to us in any way, shape, or form, but when we think kind of along, like what’s happening now and what’s happening over the next two to three months, we’ll be deploying those to really also help the reps have a, a safe place and a consistent place to practice those skills. RR: Yeah. That’s so awesome to hear. I think, you know, sales coaching is one of those things that PLA teams everywhere, and so hearing that you can find these solutions that make you not only excited but certain in your programs is wonderful. And it really does sound like you’ve put together some very intentional programs to help your team succeed. And I think the data’s kind of showing that it’s working. We’ve seen that you’ve driven really strong engagement from your GTM teams, such as a 96% recurring usage rate of Highspot. So curious, you know, we’ve talked about the strategy. How are you then driving that adoption? Do you have any best practices you could share? CS: I think enablement teams each and every day and organizations are always trying to, you know, go through the process of how do I make the information or the programs or the projects or content that we’re taking to market actually be adopted and be used. And you know, I think one of the things that always has resonated with me, and I think about this phrase often, there’s a great enablement leader by the name of Roderick Jefferson, and many years ago, he gave a piece of feedback about the difference between training and enablement. And I’m paraphrasing this, so if anyone who knows this quote better than me, feel free to correct me. I believe he said, you train animals, you enable humans. And I think one of the things that always resonated with me about that then is if I want to enable someone, I need to get the lens of how they’re executing. And for us, that adoption, that 96% recurred usage in Highspot really started with making Highspot not only the single source of truth, but also putting it in a place where the sellers already live and breathe today from day one. It was critical for us that not only does every new hire here at Bamboo get trained to rely on Highspot for almost everything and have it not only live within that world, but for things like messaging, playbooks, objection handling, product updates, everything goes through there. But I also think it was more than that. One of the values that we’ve seen in Highspot is really our ability to have that proactive information fed at the opportunity level in our CRM tool. It allows the reps to get just in time information when they need it, but also when it’s most critical. Not only do we have the ability then to kind of. Indoctrinate them, so to speak, as a new rep. They’re also getting fed in real time, something that’s actually beneficial to them, and it’s proving its use case time and time again in real time, which has been a huge adoption ability for us. I think another thing. That has been super beneficial is going back to that adoption piece. We also cross collaborated and cross-functionally with other organizations like product marketing and product that absolutely see the benefit of that’s how their content gets used. So at the end of the day, the proof in the pudding and starting with that why and making it that single source of truth. We put it exactly where the reps live every single day embedded in our CRM. But when reps saw the tool and the action that it brought in saving time and helping them win that adoption started to follow naturally. And we continue. Every single week we have a reinforcement on content being placed out of there. It was a new muscle, and like any new muscle, we had to train that muscle. The good news is, is once we train it, we go to maintenance mode. And it’s been a much, much, much, much, much smoother process than when I’ve done this at other, other organizations where we were either under-resourced or underfunded, and we were really kind of rolling things out at a project level versus a programmatic level. RR: Gotcha. So it’s sort of that you can take a rep to enablement, but you can’t make them drink. You need to prove the value, and you need to be building for them. I think that makes a lot of sense. Thinking a little bit about doing the work, driving the adoption, how do you then measure success? What are the key metrics you track and then now moving into kind of trying to operationalize AI, how are you measuring that as well? CS: Yeah, very fair question. And I think this is also another thing, you know, this is my experience, been in groups with some really great enablement leaders across the board, and I feel like over the last several years, especially as that kind of transition to more. That value-based selling has become always important, but it’s become critical over the last several years with the introduction of ai, the different economic conditions and things of that nature. Every sales leader I talk to is really trying to measure the impact that their teams are having on the business and we look at it at a few ways here. I think we look at it from what we call some of our leading and lagging indicators. Specifically, we wanna see some of the early adoption and controls that we have there. So from a leading indicator perspective. We’re looking very closely right outta the gate. Whenever we launch a new program around things like certification rates, the usage data, early stage conversions, rates, some of that content engagement score, and then what we look at is the direct connection to the outcomes that happen, like stage progression, conversion rates, quota attainment, and sales cycle velocity. In my four months here, that’s where we’re really starting to drive and we’re starting to see a little bit more of those lagging indicators. As a business, we kind of have a core metric to maintain and also improve those conversion rates. So that was kind of the North Star, what we looked at from working our way backwards where, okay, what gets us to those things? And that’s where we looked at specific skills programs that we are running and we’re our rep certifying, were our managers certifying? Were they using the content that we created and did we see a correlation between those things and the performance? And we absolutely have, which has been really great for us to correlate a lot of that. To your second part of that question, as it relates to AI, I think we’re kind of looking at it from a few different ways. We are by no means the experts of AI measurement, but we, we have put some things in place that we’re looking at trying to get better constantly, which first and foremost is. Are we giving the reps more time to do more sales focused activities? So it, it’s one thing of it to create some time savings, but it’s also another thing to say within that time, did we help you be more intentional? Did we help you be more accurate? Did you use the right content or the right information? Or were you fed that in a way that helped you create a differentiating experience or a consistent experience in that engagement with a prospect or existing customer? When we can do that for at the rep level, we then want to drive AI driven insights on the backend to really look at how that impact coaching can take place at the conversational and the deal outcomes level. That’s the correlation. We’re kind of looking on that backend. Our ideal state would be able to also look at. How do we either add more propensity and volume to what our existing AEs are doing? Time savings is great, but what are you doing with that time on the backend, right? Is it, Hey, more time to go, you know, play ping pong down in the break room, which is always a great thing. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. But it does allow it to be more intentional. It does allow us to be more powerful in the capacity of each of our reps. I always have heard a great quote from John Barrows, who I’m sure many people know. And one of the things I’ve heard him say specifically about ai, and I think about this as we measure AI, is really good sellers and really go to organizations that help their sellers. AI will augment what they do. Anyone stuck kind of in the old way of selling it will replace you in what you do. And I think that’s how we look at, how are we leveraging and augmenting that AI to look at the time savings, but long-term, how do we make it so they’re more intentional, more accurate, and produce some of those more outcomes at the individual level? And then how does that really embrace the impact coaching conversations on the backend? RR: Yeah, I think the lucky part of being kind of mired in all of this change is that we’re building our metrics as we’re figuring out what we can reasonably do. And so when you have that philosophy that you led with of Know Your North Star, ask the questions that will help you understand what actually drives there, and fill out those leading and lagging indicators as you’re doing the work. That’s gonna be a helpful philosophy, and that’s gonna get you through to figuring out those metrics. I’m curious too, as you’ve been looking at these indicators for AI and also just for your broader enablement programs, have you seen any particular business results with Highspot or any wins that you’d like to share? Things that you’re really proud of? CS: Yeah, I think there’s a few things, and I kind of break these down by kind of what I’d call some of those leading and lagging and I think, you know, some of them directly correlate to, to business outcomes. I think a few things that have really driven up is how our reps and how our team members are meeting customers where they’re at. But then I would also say on the backend, how has training and coaching improved because of that? And I think that’s a huge, huge, huge win for us. When I kind of look at over the last, you know, four to six months, some of the numbers that pop out I, I kind of. Share with you that I think are relevant? I think one of the really cool things that we have seen is we’ve seen a 91% engagement with our buyers, especially with external shares that’s gone up massively. I think we tracked something like we’ve had nearly 30,000 views during this window and period of. External content that customers were viewing, but also what they were sharing internally with other parts of their organization. We had no clue what was going on with content when we shared it before. And why does that actually matter? Because we started to correlate some of the in increase in in buyer engagement, the increase in some of the sales play views, which actually went up over 260% for us, up to 31%. That was so powerful, and I kind of think about that at the just in time level. One of the other things that that really resonated with us is the findability ratio, and from a content management perspective, historically prior to our engagement with Highspot and leveraging the AI, everything that was recorded with that. One of the major complaints that Bamboo got from a lot of our reps were, oh man, it’s really hard to find things when I need them. That just in time moment sometimes passes, as I mentioned earlier, and even if it takes me 30 minutes to an hour to send a follow up, sometimes I don’t have that. And we look at that findability ratio that we have of a seven. We saw our click-through rates go up dramatically. I think they went up 32% and the amount of items we had viewed as reps were going through the process of engaging a prospect in real time went up 14%. Why does all of that matter? Because I think as we looked at, okay, we’re giving you the right. Content and clearly it’s helping it create engagement with our prospects and customers. Does that, what does that engagement lead to on the backend? And one of the biggest things we found across certification and consistency across that was when you kinda look at some of the certifications we launched with AI across the board, and I’m focusing just in a Q1 of this year, we had two really big certifications. That were across the entire revenue organization, one of them being a skills related focus, and one of them being a specific platform product related focus. We certified 300 users in one, over 300 users in another one, and with the manual time that that would’ve had taken prior, we were able to save almost 220 hours from an enablement. Side with the AI, with only these two certifications. So scalability became a really, really important thing from an operational side for our enablement team and our managers who are typically having to do this at a very, very manual level. So why does all of that matter as a business? What we’ve correlated is our reps that are leveraging this in executing this are performing at about a 25 to 30% improvement level across their peers that maybe haven’t adopted this yet. So some really nice leading and lagging indicators of the power of AI and the power of what these tools can bring to the table. Are we perfect at it? By no stretch of the imagination, we still have some laggards that we’re trying to bring up, but we have seen some of those economies of scale grow with the reps that really have embraced this, and even some of the others that kind of, some laggards initially still have some of those, but the proof has been in the pudding there for us and, and it’s been a fantastic investment. RR: Those are I to begin. Incredible wins, great numbers. 30,000 views is incredible. I love the way you kind of told that story of how your wins compound. You know, you start with content, you make things accessible, all of a sudden your reps can use it, and now buyer engagement improves and then it just continues to grow and you have this feedback loop of continuous improvement To your point earlier. Many compliments. I know, as you said, you’re always moving, you’re always improving, you’re always growing. So in that spirit of continuous improvement, curious if you could talk to me a little bit about maybe what’s in the future, what is that potential long-term value of embracing AI for Bamboo, and how are you gonna continue doing so down the line? CS: Yeah, so I, I think for us, the intentionality there is really around scalability. It comes down to that one thing, the long-term value for us is scalability. That’s a little bit general in a response, but let me kind of give some context to that as to why scalability is important, right? AI is so fantastic. It allows our enablement team to support more reps, do it more personally without having to necessarily grow linear head count. And I think that’s a challenge. We’ve been, you know, our executive team, very forward thinking, thinks very much about those things and is very intentional about how we’re leveraging that to not only scale what we do, but do so in a very intentional and respectful and responsible way. Really when we think about what’s happening, so when I talk about scalability as well, it also is looking at it at the rep level and giving our reps access to the personalization at an individual contributor level for career development and coaching and guidance, but doing it at scale so we can consistently up level the team with really. Without burning out our frontline managers, our enablement resources, because the two most precious commodities that we view here at BambooHR are clearly our customers, but also our people. Those two resources are so vital and so important, so when we think about our. AI strategy and, and an enablement. It’s how do we create scalability with some of the unknowns that frankly exist today. Our organization has moved very quickly. We’ve kind of gone through a renaissance of our own, and there’s been a lot of changes, even just at the operational level here. Part of the way we look and are very intentional for scalability with AI is. What does AI allow us? Not only do today, but what’s coming down the road that allows us to invest in changes that we don’t even know about yet? And how do we continue to do that to scale human application across the AI intentional application? And that’s kind of how we’re looking at that. RR: I love that. I think it’s, you know, a great philosophy and I think it’s something that a lot of people are kind of gonna be embracing in the coming days. Just one last question for you. Speaking of that, you know, philosophies that other people can lean on to close, if you could give us one, maybe two pieces of advice for other enablement leaders who are looking to improve sales productivity with AI, what would that be? CS: Yeah, this is a, I feel like a golden ticket question that I think everyone’s trying to solve for. I think for me is, I think everyone has an AI initiative that I speak with. I, I, I doubt there’s any organization that isn’t looking at how to do that. But what I would say is don’t treat it as necessarily a separate initiative. I, I think about how do you embed it to an earlier comment to kind of bookend the, the conversation a little bit is it’s not necessarily, and, and to your point about. Changing the intended outcome as much as how you do it. So embedding it into your sales process, embedding it into your organizational processes. One of the things that was really helpful for us is we kind of took the visual representation of what an enablement team member does, but also if our customer, our internal resources like our sellers. What does the journey look like for them as they start their day, they start their interactions, they prepare, they engage. And then kind of that post-call, post interaction, what does that look like? And what we said is let’s map that out. And then we started small with one or two use cases that were kind of low hanging fruit that directly supported the productivity like. Surfacing the right content during calls or providing real call time feedback. And then what we really wanted to do is we really wanted to listen and we wanted to map out what did we think we could do now? What did we want the like ideal state to look like? And then we sat down and we asked our reps and we said. How are you performing along this? We have data that shows us how we think you’re performing, but what’s working, but more importantly, what’s not working and how do we make those shifts so that we can make sure that we’re actually making a difference? And I think the big key for us was it, we didn’t think about it and we kind of took a step back almost as like a tool roll out. And what we really wanted to make this about was changing behavior. It wasn’t necessarily about, oh, here’s this new AI tool. Go use it. Like we may have rolled out. CRM training. In the past it was what is the behavior change that is associated with this? And really that’s the best thing that we could do is make AI feel intuitive, make it indispensable, make it, build it into how your reps are working so that it becomes. Just like, almost like breathing. You don’t think about it, but you definitely feel it if it’s not there. And that’s kind of one of the things I always talk about is how do you embed AI, align it with that AI journey and how they’re engaging with the customer in a day in the life. And as you embed it in there, it becomes part of what they do and then they start to feel it when it’s not there. But that would be, that would be my biggest piece of feedback for anyone that’s looking at it, is don’t treat it as a separate initiative, embed it into everything that you do. Map it against how you expect your internal teams to work and you start to find the adoption follows. RR: Awesome. Well, this has been so wonderful, Chris, so insightful, and I think this is kind of the insights that people are really looking for. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Win Win podcast. Be sure to tune in next time for more insights on how you can maximize enablement success with Highspot.

Elliot Greenwald, Head of Go-to-Market Operations at Sierra, joins the ZoomInfo Labs Podcast to talk about what it takes to build modern GTM infrastructure from the earliest days at Google to scaling systems at Salesforce and beyond.Elliot shares his journey from customer support to RevOps, why accidental operators make some of the best GTM architects, and how to use AI without losing the critical thinking that drives real pipeline impact.In this episode, you'll learn:Why clear funnel visibility is still a superpower for GTM teamsHow to build GTM systems that scale—from startup to enterpriseThe right way to balance automation with human judgment in salesElliot brings sharp insights, real operator experience, and plenty of tactical takeaways for RevOps pros, GTM leaders, and anyone thinking about what the next generation of sales systems looks like.For more from ZI Labs, visit ⁠www.zoominfo.com/labs⁠ Ben on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/bensalzman Millie on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/milliebeetham

Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday. Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket. Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today. Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader. You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast! Key chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (01:15) - The Evolution of Handraise and Its Technology (08:46) - Challenges in Building Handraise (11:56) - Targeting Enterprise Accounts (15:17) - AI's Impact on Product Development (19:02) - Navigating Market Dynamics (22:43) - Building a Sustainable Business Model (26:00) - Inspirations and Recommendations

In this episode of the B2B Go-To-Market Leaders podcast, Vijay sits down with Karthik Suresh—co-founder of Ignition and DoubleLoop.AI—to explore his unconventional journey from high-frequency trading to building one of the fastest-growing platforms in the AI agent space.Karthik shares how early career lessons in finance shaped his product mindset, why user empathy became his north star, and how doubling down on positioning and messaging turned go-to-market into a product strategy.You'll hear how Ignition was born out of a gap in product marketing tools, why the team pivoted to DoubleO when GenAI exploded, and the exact steps they took to validate product-market fit—from leveraging community partnerships to gating product access behind payments.Other topics covered:How to break into startups without prior experienceThe secret to founder-market fit and team dynamicsWhy most AI tools are vaporware (and how to tell the difference)Building brand trust through market educationWhy “pay if it works” is the next frontier in SaaS pricingWhether you're navigating an early-stage startup, experimenting with agents, or refining your GTM playbook, this episode delivers tactical insight with startup grit and product clarity.Connect with Karthik Suresh on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthiksureshlbs/Connect with Vijay Damojipurapu on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijdam/Brought to you by: stratyve.com

In episode #291 of SaaS Metrics School, Ben Murray breaks down one of the most important—and often debated—questions in SaaS finance:

Your dashboards are green — but revenue is flat.Website traffic? Up.CPL? Down.Leads? Flowing.And yet… sales is quiet.In this raw and no-fluff solo episode, Nemanja Živković — founder of Funky Marketing and co-founder of Funky Enterprises — breaks down the dangerous disconnect between what your funnel shows and what actually closes.This is not another marketing podcast. This is a wake-up call for CEOs, founders, CMOs, and GTM leaders running revenue teams.

In this episode of the ThinkData Podcast, we're joined by Brandon Atkinson, CEO of CareRev, a nurse-founded, tech-enabled staffing platform reshaping the way healthcare facilities connect with clinical professionals.We delve into how CareRev is redefining the traditional nursing model by providing nurses with more flexibility, autonomy, and control over their schedules through a shift-based marketplace. Brandon shares the origin story of the platform and how it supports nurses with different life needs.We also explore the role of AI and data in determining shift pay rates, balancing nurse attraction with hospital budget constraints, and delivering cost-effective staffing at scale.Brandon walks us through the recent launch of IRP+, a solution designed to help hospitals build and manage internal resource and float pools, reducing reliance on expensive travel nurse contracts.As the conversation continues, we address one of healthcare's most urgent issues: nurse burnout. Brandon discusses how CareRev is tackling the root causes by promoting work-life balance and supporting long-term workforce stability, especially in the post-COVID landscape.Finally, we unpack the operational and GTM challenges CareRev faced during its growth journey, offering insights into healthcare sales cycles, platform adoption, and Brandon's leadership style through it all.

Kara Brown and Joe Lynch discuss the revenue engine. Kara is the Founder and CRO of LeadCoverage, the premier B2B marketing and PR firm dedicated to helping logistics companies increase lead generation through targeted marketing strategies and media coverage. About Kara Brown A prominent thought leader in B2B go-to-market strategy, Kara Smith Brown is CEO of LeadCoverage, the pioneering consultancy transforming approaches to PR, demand generation and marketing across the supply chain, heavy industrial, and tech sectors. Her successful corporate career started at Echo Global Logistics where she played a key role in its ascent to a market leader and celebrated IPO in 2009. In 2017 Kara leveraged her prior corporate experience to launch LeadCoverage, a strategy consultancy addressing all elements of the B2B sales conversion cycle for supply chain companies. Today LeadCoverage is an Inc. 5000 company and continues to grow. Kara's new book "The Revenue Engine" offers readers a guide to effective revenue-generating strategies. The book goes beyond theoretical concepts and serves as a playbook for crafting data-driven go-to-market strategies. These principles mirror the philosophy Kara has embodied and advocated throughout her career. Kara's achievements extend beyond her corporate success. She is an advocate for diverse emerging leaders. She has been named a “Top Women in Marketing” by PR Daily and her influence shapes future entrepreneurs through her many advisory roles as well as board membership in the Entrepreneur's Organization Atlanta chapter and LaunchPad2x. She is an Ironman triathlete and lives in Atlanta with her husband and two girls. About LeadCoverage LeadCoverage is the premier supply chain go-to-market consulting group, dedicated to driving revenue growth for their clients. Company specializes in crafting GTM strategies that are grounded in data-backed insights and sophisticated mathematical models. Their proven expertise transforms businesses into market leaders, ensuring they stay ahead of the competition and achieve sustained success. LeadCoverage's headquarters is located in the beautiful Coda building in Midtown Atlanta, adjacent to the Georgia Tech campus. This particular corridor — "Supply Chain Square” — also includes cloud warehousing company Stord, supply chain intelligence company Verusen, as well as the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute. For more information about LeadCoverage and its suite of supply chain, manufacturing, andlogistics-focused marketing, public relations, and analyst  relations services, please visit LeadCoverage's website. The Revenue Engine: Fueling a B2B High Octane Pipeline by Kara Smith Brown Unlock the secrets to B2B go-to-market success with Kara Smith Brown's transformative book, The Revenue Engine. This is your roadmap to building a powerful revenue engine: Share Good News: Build relationships and keep conversations alive with compelling stories and data insights. Track Interest: Identify opportunities and guide prospects through your pipeline effectively. Follow Up Consistently: Convert leads into loyal customers with proactive engagement. Packed with real-world case studies and actionable strategies, this playbook is essential for both seasoned professionals and newcomers. CEOs and leadership teams will gain insights on leveraging data and measuring success through pipeline volume, velocity, and value―empowering informed decisions. Say goodbye to random acts of marketing and embrace a structured approach that delivers measurable results and secures your place at the executive table. Elevate your marketing game and drive your business forward! Kara has written a book titled "The Revenue Engine: Fueling a B2B High Octane Pipeline." Pre-order Kara's book on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/geq5TDn To receive a free book, fill out this form and Kara will send you one in the mail: The Revenue Engine | Kara Smith Brown Key Takeaways: The Revenue Engine Kara Smith Brown and Joe Lynch discuss Kara's new book "The Revenue Engine: Fueling a B2B High Octane Pipeline" and some of the strategies outlined in the book including: Ideal customer profile Executive thought leadership Intent data tools Sales partnerships LeadCoverage is the premier logistics and supply chain go-to-market consulting group, dedicated to driving revenue growth for their clients. Below are the services and results LeadCoverage clients receive: Marketing Automation Streamlined Processes: Automate repetitive tasks to save time and reduce errors. Targeted Campaigns: Reach your ideal audience with personalized messages. Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable insights into your marketing efforts. Revenue Operations Aligned Teams: Create a cohesive approach across sales, marketing, and customer service. Optimized Processes: Streamline your revenue generation process for maximum efficiency. Data-Driven Decision Making: Make informed decisions based on real-time data. Public Relations Measurable ROI: Track the tangible results of your PR efforts. Thought Leadership: Establish your brand as an industry expert. Media Relations: Secure high-quality media placements to increase visibility. Paid Media Ads Targeted Reach: Connect with your ideal customers on the platforms they use. Measurable Results: Track the performance of your campaigns and optimize for better outcomes. Brand Awareness: Increase your brand's visibility and reach a wider audience. Timestamps (00:00:02) The Revenue Engine (00:00:21) Introducing Kara Smith Brown (00:01:32) Ideal Customer Profile (00:02:18) Account-Based Marketing and Intent Data (00:05:50) Go-to-Market vs Marketing (00:10:49) The Revenue Engine Book (00:12:44) Kara Wagner's Background (00:16:28) Global Clients and ODW Logistics (00:19:21) Thought Leadership Strategy (00:25:43) HubSpot Diamond Shop (00:27:31) Writing "The Revenue Engine" Book (00:32:41) Book Release Date and Data-Driven Go-to-Market (00:36:47) Intent Data Tools (00:42:07) Partnership Strategy (00:45:38) Ideal Customer Profile Focus (00:48:46) Three Go-to-Market Strategies Recap (00:49:50) Measuring Success with Volume, Velocity, and Value (00:53:25) Intent Data in Supply Chain (00:59:00) Podcast Outro Learn More About The Revenue Engine Kara Brown | LinkedIn LeadCoverage | LinkedIn LeadCoverage Lead Gen for Logistics with Kara Brown | The Logistics of Logistics LeadCoverage Ranks on Inc. 5000 List for Third Consecutive The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Sales is changing fast. What once relied heavily on cold calls and manual follow-ups is now being reshaped by artificial intelligence. In this exciting episode of the Grow your B2B SaaS Podcast, Joran Hofman sits down with Frank Sondors CEO at Forge, who is a leading expert in sales and AI integration, to uncover how companies can use AI to build smarter, faster go-to-market strategies. Frank shares how he built his own company to $3 million in revenue in just one year by combining AI with smart sales processes. He talks about new roles like the GTM engineer, how AI agents can support sales teams, and why blending human effort with AI is the key to long-term success. Whether you're a startup founder or leading an enterprise team, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you sell better in today's fast-moving market.Key Timecodes(0:51) - Guest intro: Frank Sondors and his ecosystem of tools(1:36) - Building an ecosystem similar to Apple and Frank's sales journey(2:34) - Profit margins and the role of AI in business scaling(3:43) - Rapid growth and scaling with minimal headcount(4:41) - Old vs new go-to-market strategy leveraging AI(5:41) - The role of GTM engineers in sales and pipeline generation(6:45) - Sales development engineers and their responsibilities(7:40) - Increase in tech usage in sales and admin work reduction(8:32) - How AI can craft personalized emails (9:23) - Assembling custom workflows using tools like Zapier(10:15) - Voice AI agents for customer follow-up (11:06) - The value of human interaction in sales(11:55) - Decision making: AI agent vs human interaction (12:56) - Testing AI agents after hours and A/B testing strategies(13:57) - The misconception of automating all sales processes with AI(14:56) - Evolution and effectiveness of AI in business(16:10) - The resistance and acceptance of AI in the market(17:11) - The necessity of being profitable without VC funding (18:05) - Resistance to AI and the inevitability of change(19:39) - Implementing agents at scale and the role of NA10 people(20:32) - Encouraging team-wide automation and innovation(21:28) - Using WhatsApp as a channel for customer communication(22:28) - The importance of first impressions and human interactions(23:28) - The role of WhatsApp in increasing response rates(24:40) - Integrating WhatsApp with Slack for seamless communication(25:42) - Being available across multiple channels for customer engagement(26:08) - Feeding the right context to AI agents for effective interaction(27:10) - Starting with ChatGPT for AI integration(28:03) - Treating ChatGPT as a business coach(29:02) - Encouraging team use of ChatGPT for problem-solving(30:02) - Optimizing repetitive tasks with AI(31:09) - Personal pain points and the role of AI in alleviating them(32:05) - The focus on building a great product and selling it(32:38) - Testing AI agents vs humans and employee concerns(33:10) - The future of labor distribution and AI(34:09) - The role of humans in supervising AI agents(35:08) - The evolution of sales roles and the end of email templates(36:20) - AI agents communicating with each other in business(37:30) - The importance of context in AI interactions(37:45) - Advice for SaaS startups from 0 to 10K MRR(38:49) - Speaking to customers aggressively and leveraging networks(39:44) - Building in public and social selling strategies(40:33) - Doing things that don't scale and leveraging communities(41:31) - The importance of hiring the right team from 10K to 10M ARR(42:22) - The challenge of hiring and firing for growth(43:14) - The value of hiring autonomous employees(44:06) - The problem of babysitting employees and hiring practices(45:06) - Compounding business strategies for growth(46:55) - Ensuring cofounders have the right competence(48:47) - The importance of pricing based on consumption(49:49) - De-risking for growth and the role of sparring partners

Welcome to Season 3 of 10/10 GTM: The Podcast for Revenue Leaders!Today, we're taking you straight to the floor of RevOpsAF, where Ross chats with three senior leaders in Revenue Operations. Joining the conversation are Jeff Vanzant, Senior Director of RevOps at DailyPay, Matt Lauer, Director of RevOps at Consensus, and Tessa Whittaker, VP of RevOps at ZoomInfo. After spending time with some of the world's top GTM leaders, one consistent theme stood out: no matter how the function evolves, RevOps leadership is the force multiplier. It's what drives GTMt alignment and revenue efficiency, especially across the famously strong personalities of marketing, sales, and executive teams.

¡Nueva entrega de PUNTO DE LECTURA! En el capítulo de hoy os contamos qué nos ha parecido el número 114 de la revista GTM, y reseñamos los siguientes cómics de Panini: Micronautas, Caballero Luna, Patomas 4, Thunder3 4 y She is Beautiful 4. Esperamos que os mole.

Bill Staples has spent 30 years redefining how the world writes, ships, and secures code.On this week's Grit, the GitLab CEO shares what it takes to lead a public, all-remote DevSecOps company trusted by more than half of the Fortune 100. He breaks down the discipline of managing energy instead of hours, why weekly operating cadences beat quarterly plans, and how AI will 10× software engineers by auto-debugging code and closing security gaps.Guest: Bill Staples, CEO of GitLabChapters:00:00 Trailer00:42 Introduction02:34 True joy in life08:16 Winning teams13:53 When the energy isn't there18:00 Super ambitious21:01 It's not just technology29:27 Elevating quality and standard41:36 Lifelong collaborator51:22 Competent intelligence54:22 Structuring goals and time1:03:59 Who GitLab is hiring1:04:17 What “grit” means to Bill1:04:54 OutroLinks:Connect with BillLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

Most B2B teams think outbound is just about activity. Book meetings, hit quota, move on.But this week on The B2B Playbook, we sat down with Shawn Sease—aka The Professor of Prospecting—to expose why that model is broken.Shawn's seen it all. From old-school cold call sprints to modern GTM teams trying to do outbound in the age of AI. And he's brutally honest about what actually works today.Together, we unpack how to rebuild your sales development system around truth, timing, and trust—not just activity.Here's what we cover in this episode:+ Why most sales development strategies fail before the first call+ The power of cataloguing accounts (and why it's better than intent data)+ How to build outbound systems that don't collapse when your SDR quits+ What real Sales and Marketing alignment looks likeTune in and learn:+ Why timing is a weak signal (and what to track instead)+ How cataloguing transforms your outreach strategy+ What great commercial architecture actually looks likeThis episode is a must-watch if you're a B2B marketer or sales leader who's tired of outbound that doesn't scale, and wants a better way to reach your market.-----------------------------------------------------

Apollo co-founder and CEO Tim Zheng reveals the pivot that rescued his company from a 2:1 CAC payback ratio. This episode breaks down how Apollo transformed from a struggling $10K ACV sales-led model to $150M+ ARR by reducing prices to $99/mo and going all in on PLG. Tim dives into why over 50% of Apollo's code is now written by AI, the challenge of finding executives who can scale across multiple growth stages, and how Apollo plans to break through the billion-dollar barrier that has proven elusive for many go-to-market tech companies. Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday. Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket. Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today. Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader. You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast! Key chapters: (00:00) - Introduction to Topline Podcast and Guest Tim Zheng (04:06) - Market Dynamics and Sales Funnel Insights (09:47) - Transitioning from Sales-Led to Product-Led Growth (12:34) - Re-architecting Business Models for Efficiency (15:20) - Integrating Sales-Led and Product-Led Strategies (17:14) - Challenges in Scaling Go-to-Market Tech (20:08) - Data as a Competitive Advantage (23:48) - Organizational Design and Cultural Shifts (27:31) - Implementing AI in Product Development (35:01) - Leveraging AI for Go-to-Market Efficiency (40:16) - Understanding User Needs and Empathy in Product Development

In this new episode of Path to Market, our Director Natasha Lytton and co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures, sit down with Tim Bertrand — a three-time GTM leader who's scaled companies from just a few million to hundreds of millions in revenue. Currently serving as President of HAProxy, Tim previously held sales leadership roles at Acquia and Project44, and brings deep insights into category creation, founder-led sales, sales hiring, and international expansion.Tim walks us through his career of building sales engines from the ground up — including Acquia's leap from $2M to $200M+ ARR — and explains why he keeps coming back to the early-stage trenches.He also shares actionable advice for founders: when to hire (and who to hire) in your first sales roles, how to think about pricing in new markets, how to align product and GTM, and what great onboarding and sales coaching look like.Here's what's covered:05:00 Early-Stage Sales: Why Tim Keeps Coming Back07:12 Structuring Your First Sales Hires09:44 Traits of Great Early-Stage Sellers13:00 Does Domain Expertise Matter?15:28 Best Practices for Sales Onboarding17:48 Sales Methodologies: MEDDICC & BANT22:14 Creating Real Urgency in the Sales Cycle30:23 Value-Based Pricing & Market Signals38:09 Building a Business Around Open Source42:16 Sales Methodologies for Founders43:40 Hiring a CRO: When & What to Look For

Bridging the Gap Between AI and Business Data // MLOps Podcast #325 with Deepti Srivastava, Founder and CEO at Snow Leopard.Join the Community: https://go.mlops.community/YTJoinInGet the newsletter: https://go.mlops.community/YTNewsletter// AbstractI'm sure the MLOps community is probably aware – it's tough to make AI work in enterprises for many reasons, from data silos, data privacy and security concerns, to going from POCs to production applications. But one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today, that I particularly care about, is how to unlock the true potential of AI by leveraging a company's operational business data. At Snow Leopard, we aim to bridge the gap between AI systems and critical business data that is locked away in databases, data warehouses, and other API-based systems, so enterprises can use live business data from any data source – whether it's database, warehouse, or APIs – in real time and on demand, natively. In this interview, I'd like to cover Snow Leopard's intelligent data retrieval approach that can leverage business data directly and on-demand to make AI work.// BioDeepti is the founder and CEO of Snow Leopard AI, a platform that helps teams build AI apps using their live business data, on-demand. She has nearly 2 decades of experience in data platforms and infrastructure.As Head of Product at Observable, Deepti led the 0→1 product and GTM strategy in the crowded data analytics market. Before that, Deepti was the founding PM for Google Spanner, growing it to thousands of internal customers (Ads, PlayStore, Gmail, etc.), before launching it externally as a seminal cloud database service. Deepti started her career as a distributed systems engineer in the RAC database kernel at Oracle.// Related LinksWebsite: https://www.snowleopard.ai/AI SQL Data Analyst // Donné Stevenson - https://youtu.be/hwgoNmyCGhQ~~~~~~~~ ✌️Connect With Us ✌️ ~~~~~~~Catch all episodes, blogs, newsletters, and more: https://go.mlops.community/TYExploreJoin our Slack community [https://go.mlops.community/slack]Follow us on X/Twitter [@mlopscommunity](https://x.com/mlopscommunity) or [LinkedIn](https://go.mlops.community/linkedin)] Sign up for the next meetup: [https://go.mlops.community/register]MLOps Swag/Merch: [https://shop.mlops.community/]Connect with Demetrios on LinkedIn: /dpbrinkmConnect with Deepti on LinkedIn: /thedeepti/Timestamps:[00:00] Deepti's preferred coffee[00:49] MLflow vs Kubeflow Debate[04:58] GenAI Data Integration Challenges[09:02] GenAI Sidecar Spicy Takes[14:07] Troubleshooting LLM Hallucinations[19:03] AI Overengineering and Hype[25:06] Self-Serve Analytics Governance[33:29] Dashboards vs Data Quality[37:06] Agent Database Context Control[43:00] LLM as Orchestrator[47:34] Tool Call Ownership Clarification[51:45] MCP Server Challenges[56:52] Wrap up

Send us a textUnlocking the Secrets of Go-to-Market Success: The Top 10 KPIs You Need to TrackIn this episode, we dive deep into the essential metrics every business leader and marketer should monitor to ensure their go-to-market (GTM) strategy is on track. Whether you're launching a new product, entering a new market, or refining your sales process, understanding the right key performance indicators (KPIs) can make all the difference between success and stagnation.Join us as we break down the top 10 KPIs that provide actionable insights into your GTM effectiveness:Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Discover how much it really costs to win a new customer and why optimizing this metric is crucial for profitability.Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Learn how to calculate and maximize the total revenue a customer brings over their relationship with your brand.Monthly and Annual Recurring Revenue (MRR & ARR): Track your revenue growth and forecast future performance with these foundational metrics.Net Promoter Score (NPS): Gauge customer satisfaction and loyalty to identify advocates and areas for improvement.Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Ensure your marketing investments are delivering measurable returns.Support Tickets: Monitor customer issues and feedback to enhance your product and customer experience.شف أسرار نجاح استراتيجية الدخول إلى السوق: أهم 10 مؤشرات أداء يجب تتبعهافي هذه الحلقة، نغوص في أعماق أهم المؤشرات التي يجب على كل قائد أعمال ومسوق مراقبتها للتأكد من أن استراتيجية الدخول إلى السوق (GTM) تسير في الاتجاه الصحيح. سواء كنت تطلق منتجًا جديدًا، أو تدخل سوقًا جديدًا، أو تعمل على تحسين عملية المبيعات، فإن فهم مؤشرات الأداء الرئيسية الصحيحة يمكن أن يصنع الفارق بين النجاح والتراجع.انضم إلينا بينما نستعرض أهم 10 مؤشرات أداء توفر رؤى عملية حول فعالية استراتيجيتك:تكلفة اكتساب العميل (CAC): تعرف على التكلفة الحقيقية لجذب عميل جديد ولماذا يعد تحسين هذا المؤشر أمرًا حاسمًا للربحية.قيمة عمر العميل (CLV): تعلم كيفية حساب وتعظيم إجمالي الإيرادات التي يجلبها العميل طوال علاقته مع علامتك التجارية.الإيرادات الشهرية والسنوية المتكررة (MRR & ARR): تابع نمو إيراداتك وتوقع الأداء المستقبلي من خلال هذه المؤشرات الأساسية.مؤشر صافي المروجين (NPS): قِس رضا العملاء وولاءهم لتحديد الداعمين ومجالات التحسين.العائد على الإنفاق الإعلاني (ROAS): تأكد من أن استثماراتك التسويقية تحقق عوائد ملموسة.تذاكر الدعم: راقب مشاكل العملاء وملاحظاتهم لتحسين منتجك وتجربة العملاء.معدل تحويل المبيعات: اكتشف مدى فعالية تحويل الفرص إلى عملاء فعليين.معدل فقدان العملاء (Churn Rate): راقب معدل مغادرة العملاء لتقليل الخسائر وتعزيز النمو.مدة تهيئة العميل الجديد: قِس الوقت الذي يستغرقه العميل الجديد ليبدأ في تحقيق القيمة من منتجك.حجوزات العروض التوضيحية: تابع عدد العملاء المحتملين الذين يطلبون تجربة المنتج.استمع الآن لتتعرف على كيفية استخدام هذه المؤشرات في تحسين استراتيجيتك وتحقيق أهدافك التجارية! Support the showSupport the Podcast on:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/okuwatly?locale.x=en_UShttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/MaBa3refSubscribe to Maba3ref Newsletter:https://maba3refbranching.beehiiv.com/Connect with Maba3ref Podcast:https://www.instagram.com/maba3refbyomarConnect on TIKTOK:https://www.tiktok.com/@okuwatly

Episode SummaryOn this episode of the OnBase Podcast, Gabe Rogol dives into how AI agents are reshaping go-to-market strategies and reveals what Demandbase 4.0 brings to the table. Gabe outlines the evolution of account-based marketing, the need for open and flexible platforms, and where automation meets human creativity in redefining the modern sales and marketing landscape. Whether you're a sales leader, marketer, or just curious about AI's role in B2B, this episode delivers thought-provoking clarity and actionable takeaways.Key TakeawaysDemandbase 4.0 marks a shift from closed platforms to open, flexible, AI-assisted go-to-market systems.AgentBase enables faster, smarter GTM through assisted automation built on unified first- and third-party data.AI won't replace SDRs, but will augment them—human creativity and relationships still matter most.Over-automation risks fragmentation and spam if agents aren't aligned across functions.Leads and last-touch attribution are outdated; pipeline creation is the new GTM North Star.Data quality is critical—bad CRM data can sabotage AI-driven decisions.Sales and marketing must act as one team, aligned around outcomes, not functions.Trust and transparency are foundational to a successful, scalable GTM model.Personalization still matters, but only when targeting the right ICP.Marketing deserves more investment, not just for efficiency, but to unlock real growth.Quotes“Trust is foundational to alignment. Without trust, the entire go-to-market process breaks down.”Best Moments 00:37 Shifting Into Phase FourGabe outlines the concept and exciting features of Demandbase 4.0, detailing the open and automated future of ABM.03:27 The Soapbox Moment"Aligning go-to-market resources with the accounts that have the greatest lifetime value" as the core of success.06:39 What AgentBase Makes PossibleGabe discusses how AI agents democratize complex tasks like segmentation, orchestration, and funnel tracking.16:57 The Risks of AI AgentsGabe cautions about amplified risks from bad data and the danger of fragmented go-to-market strategies.24:56 The New GTM PlaybookRoles across sales, marketing, and operations converge around pipeline creation for unified success.30:09 The Power of PersonalizationGabe advocates for thoughtful personalization to the right audience over shallow attempts at scaling outreach.Tech RecommendationsObsidian (Zettelkasten Tool) – A robust digital note-taking system for organizing non-linear ideas and linking essential insights across topics.Resource RecommendationsHarvard Business Review (HBR) Compilations: Collections on decision-making, agile processes, and AI insights, offering concise and actionable advice for B2B professionals.Shoutouts:Marc Benioff - Chair & CEO at SalesforceAbout the GuestAs the Chief Executive Officer of Demandbase, Gabe is responsible for fulfilling the company's mission of transforming how B2B companies go-to-market.Since joining Demandbase in 2012, he has been committed to setting the product and corporate strategy for the company. Throughout his two-plus-decade career, Gabe has held various leadership positions, including managing world-class customer service and sales teams at IDG and other leading publishers. He received his BA in Comparative Literature and Russian Language and Literature from Brown University.Connect with Gabe.

Neobanks are struggling with differentiation, rising costs, and intense competition - but what if Bitcoin and stablecoin infrastructure could be your competitive advantage?In this episode, I speak with Richard Green, Director of Ecosystem and Rootstock Institutional at RootstockLabs, the largest and longest-running Bitcoin sidechain, and we answer the big question: How can neobanks strategically integrate Bitcoin and stablecoin infrastructure to create competitive advantages?Richard leads GTM for strategic partnerships and growth across cross-border remittance, DeFi, institutions and stablecoins clients, bringing deep expertise from Bloomberg, Circle, and now RootstockLabs. He shares practical insights on building crypto-enabled products that solve real customer problems.We explore the fundamentals of stablecoins, cost considerations for implementation, user experience challenges, security and fraud protection, partnership selection strategies, and practical frameworks for getting started. Richard breaks down complex technical concepts into actionable strategies that Neobank founders can implement without breaking their budgets.Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

What happens when a seasoned GTM leader becomes CEO for the first time and steps into a founder-led company with a global team? In this episode, Eric Anderson, CEO of Walnut, shares what it's really like to take over a business built by someone else. He talks with AJ Bruno about building trust across time zones, rebuilding the go-to-market motion, and making bold decisions while honoring legacy culture. From listening tours to tough calls on pricing and segmentation, Eric opens up about the challenges and wins of his first six months in the role.Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday.Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader.You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!Key chapters:(00:00) - Introduction to Topline and Eric Anderson(02:30) - Eric's Journey to CEO at Walnut(06:49) - Navigating Cultural Differences in Leadership(09:11) - Understanding Board Dynamics as a CEO(11:36) - Making Bold Decisions as a First-Time CEO(15:00) - Strategic Focus and Market Positioning(16:52) - Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Walnut

#256 Email Deliverability | In this episode, Dan is joined by Sarah McNamara, Revenue Operations & GTM Strategy Lead at Vector, and Alex Fine, co-founder of Understory, an agency helping B2B SaaS companies scale with outbound, paid, and email. Both Sarah and Alex are experts in email strategy, specifically the behind-the-scenes mechanics that make or break your deliverability.They break down what B2B marketers often overlook when it comes to getting emails opened, read, and replied to, and share practical tactics to improve performance across newsletters, outbound, and lifecycle campaigns.Dan, Sarah, and Alex cover:Why email deliverability issues are more common than you think and how to spot them earlyThe metrics that actually matter (hint: opens and clicks aren't on the list)How to protect your domain reputation and warm up inboxes the right wayIf email is part of your GTM motion, this episode will help you reach more inboxes and stop your messages from disappearing into the void.Timestamps(00:00) - – Intro (03:18) - – Meet Sarah and Alex (05:23) - – Why email deliverability matters more than subject lines (07:38) - – How to tell if you have a deliverability problem (09:53) - – The most useful (and overlooked) deliverability metrics (12:13) - – Why replies matter more than opens or clicks (14:38) - – Tools Alex and Sarah use to monitor deliverability (16:53) - – Should you buy a dedicated IP? (18:48) - – How to evaluate platforms for deliverability (21:08) - – Getting sales to care about data hygiene (23:38) - – Deliverability tips for small senders and solopreneurs (27:34) - – Subdomains vs. secondary domains (30:24) - – How many inboxes per domain is too many? (32:29) - – Best practices for cold outreach (35:19) - – How security bots skew your open and click data (38:19) - – What counts as “spam” (and how filters decide) (41:34) - – How to re-engage cold or inactive lists (44:19) - – What to A/B test in subject lines (and when it's pointless) (47:29) - – How to build a healthy, opt-in list from scratch (50:19) - – When to stop emailing cold leads (52:34) - – Welcome sequence tips for engaged subscribers (55:29) - – How to warm up a new domain (58:49) - – Final takeaways and advice Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***Today's episode is brought to you by Knak. Email (in my humble opinion) is the still the greatest marketing channel of all-time.It's the only way you can truly “own” your audience.But when it comes to building the emails - if you've ever tried building an email in an enterprise marketing automation platform, you know how painful it can be. Templates are too rigid, editing code can break things and the whole process just takes forever. That's why we love Knak here at Exit Five. Knak a no-code email platform that makes it easy to create on-brand, high-performing emails - without the bottlenecks.Frustrated by clunky email builders? You need Knak.Tired of ‘hoping' the email you sent looks good across all devices? Just test in Knak first.Big team making it hard to collaborate and get approvals? Definitely Knak.And the best part? Everything takes a fraction of the time.See Knak in action at knak.com/exit-five. Or just let them know you heard about Knak on Exit Five.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more

After a huge year of growth, Abacum just raised a $60M Series B. In this episode, Co-founder and COO Jorge Lluch joins Alex to discuss how they did it, including: tripling revenue without growing headcount, staying laser-focused on efficiency, and delivering a great product. They discuss: - Abacum's early stages, including the decision to take time and invest heavily in the product early on. - How Jorge's frustrations as a CFO helped shape the Abacum platform. - How they stayed disciplined to balance fast growth and efficiency. - The pillars behind Abacum's GTM motion. - Growing a global company and expanding from Europe into the US. - Life as a co-founder and the true meaning of success. Guest links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgelluch/ Website: https://www.abacum.ai/       Check out the other ways SaaStock is helping SaaS founders move their business forward: 

In this episode of "Women in B2B Marketing," host Jane Serra is joined by Chaenara O'Brien - a sharp strategist who splits her time between leading digital GTM at vFunction and consulting with startups via Thought Bakery.Chaenara brings a refreshingly grounded, systems-first lens to modern marketing, shaped by a background in energy trading, operations, and engineering services. The conversation unpacks what it really takes to build future-ready go-to-market teams, avoid burnout, and lead with both curiosity and clarity in a time of constant change.Jane and Chaenara dig into:How her career in ops + energy trading led to B2B marketing leadershipWhat “scenario planning” actually means - and how to make it actionableWhy marketers need to stop reacting and start building systemsHow AI is reshaping what it means to “do more with less”Creating space for failure and curiosity on high-performing teamsWhy outdated ideas of brand control and executive presence need to goWhat GTM leadership should look like - and where it's headedOutgrowing tech and how to protect your sparkKey Links:Guest: Chaenara O'Brien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaenara/Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/ --Like WIB2BM? Show us some love with a rating or review today!

This week, our host, Ian Truscott, and our resident marketing strategist and former Forrester Research Director, Jeff Clark, are joined by a previous guest, friend of the show and former Forrester Analyst, Simon Daniels, now sharing his revenue and marketing operations expertise as an independent consultant with Percassity Associates. Recently, Simon has attended the 6Sense Inspire event in London and in keeping with the editorial policy of the show, Simon shares 5 F'in' key takeaways from the event, and it's not all about intent data, as the chaps discuss: Adoption of buying groups and ditching the MQL Gating content Throwing AI at everything Revenue as a marketing metric Brand and demand generation As always, we welcome your feedback. If you have a suggestion for a topic that's hot for you that we should discuss, please get in touch using the links below.  Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn and Bluesky Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Simon Daniels on LinkedIn  Mentioned this week: Simon's LinkedIn post that got this party started What's Broken in GTM and How To Fix It Podcast 6sense Inspire UK 2025 Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web, Twitter, and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: Stienski & Mass Media - We'll be right back Brown Eyed Girls Sixth Sense Video on LinkedIn You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the show today Nate & Josh discuss the exploration process on Nate's project - OrderTRK. We dig into feedback loops, stages of exploration and the backwards GTM approach Nate is using. This is episode 126

From GTM Live:This week on GTM Live, Carolyn sits down with Megan Bowen, CEO of Refine Labs, to unpack why so many B2B companies are pouring budget into paid media, and still missing revenue targets.They break down what's really going wrong: not too much paid media, but too much spend on a strategy that doesn't convert. Pipeline is down. Revenue is down. And yet, the response is often to spend more, not better.You'll hear why performance marketing often fails to deliver real outcomes, how misaligned KPIs drive bad decisions, and what separates newer, agile companies from legacy players still running outdated GTM playbooks.Megan shares insights from working with dozens of growth-stage companies and how leadership mindset, speed of iteration, and willingness to challenge old assumptions can make or break your demand strategy.If you've been trying to defend paid spend, or wondering why results are flat despite doing “all the right things”, this episode is for you.Key topics in this episode:Why paid media often fails to convert to pipeline or revenueThe difference between new-school and old-school GTM teamsWhy optimizing for MQLs leads to the wrong outcomesHow to rethink measurement for real demand captureWhat high-performing growth teams do differentlyThis episode is powered by ⁠⁠Passetto⁠⁠. We help high-growth and equity-backed companies turn GTM data into better decisions, faster. We unify your GTM and financial data, identify your growth levers, and help you scale. Part SaaS, part advisory. Visit ⁠⁠⁠passetto.com⁠⁠.

In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, we sit down with Alexander Estner to talk about how to grow a SaaS company from zero to $1 million in ARR — and why many founders struggle to get there. Alex is a SaaS expert who has helped lots of startups build strong go-to-market (GTM) strategies. He shares a simple, step-by-step playbook that breaks the journey into three key stages: hustle, focus, and expansion. You'll hear why it's so important to start with a clear plan, how to avoid common mistakes like trying to sell to everyone, and why it's better to test and learn than to aim for perfection from day one. Alex also gives practical tips, useful tools, and real-life examples that show what works and what doesn't. Whether you're just starting out or already have some traction, this episode is full of helpful advice to move your SaaS business forward. If you're trying to figure out how to grow the right way, without burning out or wasting time, this conversation is definitely worth a listen.Key Timecodes(0:38)-Guest Introduction: Introduction of Alexander Estner and today's topic(1:34)-Why Go-to-Market Strategy is Important: Alex explains the significance of a go-to-market strategy(3:05)-Strategy vs. Execution: Differentiating between strategy and execution in go-to-market(3:39)-Misconceptions in SaaS Growth: Discussing common misconceptions about reaching $1 million ARR(5:23)-Iterative Growth Approach: The necessity of an iterative approach in SaaS growth(6:41)-Common Mistakes in Go-to-Market Strategy: Alex shares frequent pitfalls founders encounter(8:49)-Owning Go-to-Market: The importance of founders owning their go-to-market strategy(9:05)-Three-Step Go-to-Market Process: Introduction to the hustle, focus, and expansion modes(13:27)-Documentation in Hustle Phase: Importance of documentation to ease the transition to focus mode(15:54)-Expansion Mode: Options for growth beyond $1 million ARR(17:02)-Tools and Templates: Recommended resources for executing go-to-market strategies(18:22)-Real-Life Implementation Challenges: Where founders struggle in real-life execution(21:07)-Immediate Actions Post-Episode: Steps for founders to take immediately after the episode(24:32)-Who to Work With: Identifying the key players in executing a go-to-market strategy(26:04)-Transparency in Go-to-Market: The importance of transparency in pricing and product information(29:18)-Summarizing Go-to-Market Advice: Key takeaways for founders(31:12)-Advice for Early-Stage Founders: Tips for growing to 10K MRR(32:15)-Scaling to 10 Million ARR: The role of customer success in driving revenue(34:21)-Summary of Key Points: Recap of the three-step process and key advice

In this episode of SaaS Fuel, Jeff Mains sits down with Andrew Seidman, former poker player and now co-founder of Digital Reach Agency. Andrew shares hard-earned lessons on B2B branding, go-to-market strategy, and how SaaS founders can scale smarter.We cover the balance between product-led growth and ABM, the dangers of relying only on bottom-of-funnel tactics, and why your brand must make people feel—not just function.Whether you're stuck in lead generation purgatory or wondering why your messaging isn't landing, this episode is your guide to aligning brand, demand, and revenue.Key Takeaways00:00 - Do you even know your audience?01:08 - Welcome to SaaS Fuel02:06 - Why brand is more than a logo03:41 - Guest intro: Andrew Seidman05:00 - From poker tables to pipeline growth10:10 - Most common GTM mistakes for $3–$20M SaaS13:25 - Why bottom-of-funnel dries up15:33 - Make your customer the hero18:55 - Balancing PLG and ABM23:08 - Before you run ads, ask this27:20 - The Captain's Keys: Leadership book plug28:21 - Brand vs. product messaging35:27 - The logo test: can your brand be swapped?36:41 - Liquid Death vs. generic bottles40:16 - How much content is enough?43:46 - Where to invest in the next 90 days47:41 - Fixing GTM without hiring a CRO50:59 - Where to find AndrewTweetable Quotes“Are you trying to run ABM at Joe's Crab Shack or PLG at IBM? That's a fatal mismatch.” — Andrew Seidman“Brand is emotional leverage. It's not your logo—it's how people feel after encountering you.” — Andrew Seidman“Your best growth engine might be your current customers. Don't overlook advocacy.” — Jeff Mains“If your brand materials work with a competitor's logo, you've got a commodity, not a brand.” — Jeff Mains“Stop chasing leads if you're not ready to nurture them. Otherwise, you're lighting lemonade on fire.” — Andrew Seidman“Great growth strategy isn't just PLG or ABM—it's how you blend them and fuel with content.” — Andrew SeidmanSaaS Leadership LessonsDefine your audience before running anything.Without clarity, your GTM efforts are just expensive guesswork.Brand is emotional leverage.It's not just your logo—it's how people feel after encountering your company.Bottom-funnel-only = short-term growth.You must build pipeline long before buyers are “ready.”PLG + ABM > Either Alone.Hybrid models give you better reach and retention when done right.Customer advocacy is a growth engine.Your best marketing may already be using your product—elevate their stories.If your brand can be swapped with a competitor's, you don't have a brand.Own your identity. Generic is invisible.Guest ResourcesEmail - andrew@digitalreachagency.comWebsite -http://digitalreachagency.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-seidman/Episode SponsorSmall Fish, Big Pond – https://smallfishbigpond.com/ Use the promo code ‘SaaSFuel'Champion Leadership Group –

"If your team's still selling features, your packaging is broken. Most CEOs focus on scaling sales, but they overlook pricing and packaging as core revenue levers. When your pricing aligns with the value you deliver, value-based selling becomes second nature, discounting drops, and revenue growth accelerates. You don't need a new product, you need a smarter way to package what you already have.” Roee Hartuv There's a revenue lever sitting inside your business, and most CEOs aren't pulling it. While go-to-market teams focus on win rates, funnels, and churn, few leaders pause to rethink pricing and packaging. But this often-overlooked strategy is one of the fastest, highest ROI paths to growth. In this episode, returning guest Roee Hartuv, pricing strategist and advisor, reveals why fixing packaging and pricing often beats any playbook tweak, and how CEOs can unlock hidden revenue by aligning pricing to customer value. You'll learn: Why no one “owns” pricing and how that creates revenue leaks The 4-step framework Roee uses to raise prices without increasing churn How value-based packaging enables better sales and customer success What most pricing changes get wrong and how to avoid pushback How to use packaging to reduce discounting, increase ACV, and drive expansion Whether you're scaling a SaaS product or leading a GTM transformation, this episode will challenge how you think about pricing. and give you the playbook to make it work.Flat or slowing revenue? Let's fix that—fast. Revenue Boost: A Marketing Podcast delivers the proven plays, sharp insights, and “steal-this-today” tactics that high-growth teams swear by. Follow / Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Tap ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ if the insights move your metrics—every rating fuels more game-changing episodes

What does it take to build the logistics backbone for the next generation of commerce?Sean Henry, founder and CEO of Stord, joins Kleiner Perkins partner Ilya Fushman and Grit host Joubin Mirzadegan to talk about scaling a national fulfillment network that now moves 50 million packages a year and reaches 15% of U.S. households.They explore how Stored is using AI to connect warehouses, middle-mile routes, and delivery promises into one smart system. The goal: to give every brand an Amazon Prime-like advantage.Guest: Sean Henry, Co-Founder & CEO of StordLinks:Connect with Sean HenryXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

This week on GTM Live, Carolyn unpacks one of the most deeply ingrained—but damaging—habits in B2B go-to-market: measuring success based on which department sourced the deal.While many marketing leaders know this approach doesn't reflect reality, changing it is hard, especially in legacy orgs with outdated attribution models, internal inertia, and leadership that still demands simple answers to complex questions.In this solo episode, Carolyn breaks down the real problem: measuring performance by team creates siloed decision-making, warped incentives, and misses what actually moves buyers through the funnel.You'll hear why the future of GTM performance measurement is about mapping buyer behavior across an interconnected journey, not slicing credit by department. And she shares the exact 5-part framework Passetto uses to help teams ditch "department-sourced" for something far more accurate and impactful.If you've ever struggled to prove Marketing's full impact, or if your exec team is still obsessed with MQLs and last-touch attribution, this episode will hit home.Key topics in this episode:Why “department source” attribution is outdated and misleadingThe real structure of a modern buyer journeyHow this model leads to misaligned KPIs and credit battlesWhy most GTM teams lack the data architecture to measure what mattersA new framework to measure engagement, prospecting, and sales as one integrated systemThis episode is powered by ⁠⁠Passetto⁠⁠. We help high-growth and equity-backed B2B SaaS companies turn GTM data into better decisions, faster. We unify your GTM and financial data, identify your growth levers, and help you scale. Part SaaS, part advisory. Visit ⁠⁠passetto.com⁠.

We explore how ChatGPT's new integration capabilities are poised to turn CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot into “just another database.” This episode breaks down what it means when the interaction and analysis layers move outside the system of record—and what that means for GTM teams. The conversation also touches on the hallucination problem in LLMs, how leaders are using AI in real workflows, and why a growing number of founders are embracing an intense, seven-day-a-week work culture.Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday.Don't miss GTM2025 — the only B2B tech conference exclusively for GTM executives. Elevate your 2026 strategy and join us from September 23 to 25 in Washington, D.C. Use code TOPLINE for 10% off your GA ticket.Stay ahead with the latest industry developments and emerging go-to-market trends with Topline Newsletter by Asad Zaman. Subscribe today.Tune in to The Revenue Leadership Podcast every Wednesday, where host Kyle Norton talks with real revenue operators and dives deep into what it takes to succeed as a modern revenue leader.You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!

Nothing scrambles a CMOs brain faster than parsing pipeline math with sales.  Alignment starts with one number, owned together, and a shared path from first touch to closed won. Miss that, and both sides will be pulling their hair out debating what happened to the pipeline. In this episode, Drew Neisser is joined by Lisa Cole (2X), Dave Bornmann (Higher Logic), and Marshall Poindexter (yorCMO) to tackle the GTM strategy that frays the most nerves: sales and marketing alignment. In this episode: Lisa shares how GTM teams build trust through shared goals, clean data, and dashboards that leave no room for spin Dave explains how strong sales relationships gave marketing influence across the full funnel Marshall shows how marketers earn trust by speaking sales' language and showing they're in it for the same win  Plus: Why sales questions your pipeline numbers and how to rebuild trust How shared dashboards and definitions keep teams honest How to speak sales without losing your marketing lens Tune in to hear how sales and marketing alignment starts with shared goals and grows from there. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/

"MarketingOps isn't just marketing—it's a product function," says Mike Rizzo, Community-led Founder & CEO at MarketingOps.comIn this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, host Jonathan Gandolf is joined by Mike Rizzo for a deep dive into the rising influence—and expanding responsibilities—of MarketingOps. From building community-led ecosystems to redefining what it means to "do more with less," Mike shares how MarketingOps professionals are uniquely positioned to own the go-to-market tech stack in today's AI-driven landscape. They explore why MarketingOps can't be reduced to just CRMs or automation platforms, how practitioners can move from order-takers to strategic leaders, and why learning to align with business goals is the real unlock for long-term growth.In this episode, you'll learn:Why MarketingOps is evolving into a strategic functionHow AI is changing the expectations (and tools) in go-to-market rolesWhat it takes to lead with clarity, alignment, and communityResources:Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/Explore AudiencePlus: https://audienceplus.comConnect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedrizzo/Explore MarketingOps: https://www.MarketingOps.comCheck out MOps-Apalooza: https://mopsapalooza.com/Timestamps:(00:00) Intro (02:00) Building community-led growth(04:38) Starting from a team of one(07:00) MarketingOps in the age of AI(13:00) From order-taker to strategic leader(19:00) The GTM tech stack as a product(24:00) Unpopular opinion: MarketingOps isn't marketing

Minoa is pioneering the value intelligence category, helping B2B companies transform how they sell by connecting product capabilities to customer outcomes. With $2.7 million in funding, the platform enables go-to-market teams to build personalized business cases at scale and move beyond feature-selling to value-based selling. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I sat down with Max Elster, CEO and Founder of Minoa, to explore his journey from product manager at CSP Co to building a platform that bridges the disconnect between product development and go-to-market execution. Topics Discussed: Minoa's evolution from solving internal product-to-GTM communication challenges The emergence of value engineers as a new role in B2B organizations Building and co-creating the "value-based selling tools" category on G2 Leveraging customer advisory boards for evangelism and network growth The shift toward AI-powered personalization in B2B sales processes Mid-funnel optimization strategies for reducing deal drop-off rates GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Co-create categories with platforms early: Max successfully worked with G2 to establish the "value-based selling tools" category within six months by building genuine relationships with researchers and sharing market insights consistently. He explains, "I connected with different researchers... and just shared my thoughts. I didn't have actually any idea that they could be launching this category in the near future." B2B founders should proactively engage with category-defining platforms like G2 and Gartner by sharing authentic market observations rather than pushing for category creation. Optimize for AI-powered buyer research: Max discovered that prospects increasingly use ChatGPT and Perplexity to build vendor shortlists, and these tools reference G2 as a primary source. He notes, "If you are not there, if you're not existing in your category, it's going to be hard for ChatGPT to shortlist you." B2B founders should ensure their presence in authoritative databases and directories that AI tools commonly reference, as this represents a new channel for buyer discovery. Build strategic advisory networks with equity + recognition: Max created a "Star Path Collective" of advisors incentivized with equity shares and bottles of wine for successful referrals. His approach is refreshingly simple: "Just say, hey, we're trying to build this market... are you interested?" This generates warm introductions and ongoing strategic guidance. B2B founders should systematically identify potential advisors who are already bought into their vision and offer meaningful but not overcomplicated incentive structures. Focus on mid-funnel conversion, not just top-funnel generation: Max emphasizes that many companies obsess over lead generation while ignoring massive drop-offs in the middle stages. He explains, "You can solve everything around pipeline, but if you don't get your mid funnel right... you're also going to lose." B2B founders should analyze their CRM data to identify specific drop-off points and create targeted collateral and processes to address these conversion bottlenecks rather than simply generating more leads. Leverage customers as category evangelists: Max's most successful content and growth strategies center on customer stories and insights. He advises, "The customers are the best people to tell a story about what they have achieved with your product." Rather than creating generic thought leadership, B2B founders should systematically capture and amplify customer transformation stories, which serve dual purposes of social proof and category education. Maintain founder-led sales longer with AI augmentation: Max continues doing founder-led sales while building scalable processes, noting that AI tools enable small teams to maintain high personalization at scale. He believes this approach is more sustainable than rushing to hire sales teams. B2B founders should consider extending their founder-led sales phase by leveraging AI and automation tools rather than defaulting to rapid sales team expansion.     //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM   

Climate change isn't just an environmental issue—it's a market opportunity waiting to be captured. Invert, a carbon reduction and removal company, has raised $26 million to transform how companies think about nature-based investments. Starting from a villa in Antigua during COVID lockdowns, co-founder and CEO Andre Fernandez has built a business that's helping companies put nature on their balance sheets as an accretive investment. In this episode, Andre shares the tactical decisions that took Invert from a cottage conversation between friends to a cash-flow positive business serving some of the largest buyers in the carbon credit space. Topics Discussed: Transitioning from mining focus to broader industry verticals based on market readiness Building customer-centric product development in a complex, non-fungible market Navigating the shift from Carbon Markets 1.0 to premium Carbon Markets 2.0 Balancing direct B2B sales with broker/trader distribution channels Leveraging network effects and domain expertise for customer acquisition Managing long sales cycles in annual purchasing environments Educating buyers in a market where 75% lack dedicated due diligence teams GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Start with network advantages, then expand strategically: Andre's team began in mining because they had a strong network of mining engineers from Queen's University, one of only two Canadian schools with mining engineering programs. However, they quickly discovered mining was 2-4 years behind other industries in decarbonization readiness. The lesson: leverage your network for initial traction, but don't let it constrain your market expansion. Use early success to identify industries that need your solution today, not in 2-4 years. Build customers into your business from day one: Invert's most important GTM decision was starting with customer input before building anything. Andre emphasized: "We don't build things that we want. We build our customers into our business. Whenever we're developing something new, we ask them for feedback. Sometimes we lock up the contract before we've actually developed the project or the product." This approach reduces market risk and ensures product-market fit from the outset. Navigate complex markets with education-first marketing: In markets where 75% of companies lack dedicated teams for due diligence, marketing must serve dual functions: education and simplification. Andre noted that carbon credits aren't fungible—buyers care about jurisdiction, social impact, biodiversity protection, and other project-specific attributes. Founders in complex B2B markets should design marketing to educate while simultaneously streamlining the buying process for overwhelmed buyers. Pivot distribution strategy based on market liquidity: Initially focused purely on direct B2B relationships, Invert learned that in markets with lower liquidity, partnering with brokers and traders accelerates growth. Andre explained: "Carbon credits is a 12-month at least buying cycle because it's annual, so it takes a lot of time. If you have a network of people who already have those relationships in place and they have buyers who are ready to buy, they can introduce you as a credible counterparty." When your sales cycles are long, leverage existing relationships rather than building everything from scratch. Differentiate through execution, not just messaging: As the carbon credit market matured, Andre observed that "everybody's talking about quality or high integrity. No longer is high integrity or quality just the differentiator." Invert's competitive advantage shifted to actual execution—developing projects, investing balance sheet capital, achieving cash flow positivity, and demonstrating results with large buyers. In maturing markets, operational excellence becomes the key differentiator when messaging parity emerges.   //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM     

AI, BDRs & Building a GTM Team of the Future – with Rachel Truair, CMO at Simpro Group Episode Title: How to Scale GTM with AI Agents, Digital Twins & a Growth Mindset Still wondering how AI fits into go-to-market? This episode delivers a masterclass in what actually works—from real AI SDR deployments to digital twins for execs. If you're leading a GTM team, Rachel Truair's playbook is required listening. What We Talk About: AI SDRs that actually convert: Rachel shares how Simpro's AI BDRs (like Daniella and Sam) are handling warm leads, executing playbooks, and integrating with human reps—cutting "no contact" rates by 80%. Workforce planning in an AI era: Learn why Rachel's biggest surprise wasn't in sales, but marketing ops. Autonomous strategy, not just execution: She breaks down the shift from AI as a tool to AI as a co-pilot for market insights, segmentation, and campaign direction. Digital twins for leadership scale: How Rachel created a digital twin of herself to scale comms, culture, and visibility across global teams—including writing her monthly team updates. How to evolve your org without boiling the ocean: Practical tips on building a maturity model for AI and where to start with lean teams. AI and culture change: Why adoption isn't a tooling problem, it's a hiring one. And what questions she now asks in interviews. Rapid Fire Round: Best AI tip: Don't boil the ocean. Favorite workflow: Digital twin board members for scenario planning. Go-to AI trend source: Simpro's exec Slack. Hidden gem tool: Peak AI for search visibility. Tool Spotlight: Ken and Erin demo Eleven Labs' conversational AI agent builder and walk through creating a journalist-style interviewer bot that captures SME insights for content, enablement, and more. Call to Action: Not using AI yet in GTM? Let us know. We want to talk to you. Reach out for a chance to be featured on a future episode. Subscribe, Rate & Share: If you got value from this episode, hit subscribe and leave a review—it helps more GTM teams learn how to lead (not lag) with AI. Connect: Simpro Group: https://www.simprogroup.com ElevenLabs: https://elevenlabs.io Six Sense Conversational Email: https://6sense.com Subscribe, give us a rating and share with a friend! It helps us get the word out. FutureCraft is where GTM gets built, not just discussed. Let's keep crafting the future together.  

Eric Yuan turned a simple belief into Zoom, the platform that kept the world moving through a once-in-a-century shutdown and redefined modern work. On this episode of Grit, the Zoom CEO shares why velocity beats size, how a family-first ethos powered his leadership during COVID, and why the coming wave of AI dwarfs the original internet boom. He details how he's refreshing Zoom's culture for 7,500 people, opting for virtual deal calls over in person meetings, settling into life as an empty-nester, and keeping Zoom nimble enough to outpace Big Tech and the next wave of AI startups.Guest: Eric S. Yuan, Founder & CEO of ZoomChapters: 00:00 Trailer00:44 Introduction01:47 Walking with swagger03:48 Extremely exciting moment10:05 Classic innovators' dilemma12:59 Laser-focused bandwidth17:56 Family first: lead by example22:09 Everybody was doing their road shows25:34 The entire world was dependent28:04 Community care31:57 Valuation and a co-founder35:17 A lot of unhappy days39:25 Building Zoom for consumers46:57 Holograms?52:01 Home53:23 Huge competition, high velocity1:00:33 Where companies get wrong1:04:52 Giving back1:13:12 Who Zoom is hiring1:13:24 What “grit” means to Eric1:14:24 OutroMentioned in this episode: Webex by Cisco, Glean, Apple, HP, Netscape, Yahoo, Brian Armstrong, Emilie Choi, Coinbase, New Limit, Elon Musk, Windy Hill, Magic Leap, Rony Abovitz, Jony Ive, OpenAI ChatGPT, Bill McDermott, ServiceNow, Carl EschenbachLinks:Connect with EricXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins

John Barrows is joined by Dan Sperring, founder of AlignICP, to unpack one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of GTM success: your Ideal Customer Profile.Dan has made it his mission to help sales and marketing teams work together to define, refine, and activate a high-impact ICP strategy. The conversation dives into common ICP mistakes (like defaulting to company size or segment), how your ICP evolves year over year, and what characteristics actually matter when targeting the right customers.John and Dan also break down the data on vertical vs. horizontal selling, discuss sales efficiency, and share real-world tips for aligning GTM teams to hit their number more effectively—with less waste.If you want to stop guessing and start closing with clarity, this episode is a tactical must-listen.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today's AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let's Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansperring/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/86145623/Check out Dan's Website: www.alignicp.com

This week on GTM Live, Carolyn sits down with Megan Bowen, CEO of Refine Labs, to unpack why so many B2B companies are pouring budget into paid media, and still missing revenue targets.They break down what's really going wrong: not too much paid media, but too much spend on a strategy that doesn't convert. Pipeline is down. Revenue is down. And yet, the response is often to spend more, not better.You'll hear why performance marketing often fails to deliver real outcomes, how misaligned KPIs drive bad decisions, and what separates newer, agile companies from legacy players still running outdated GTM playbooks.Megan shares insights from working with dozens of growth-stage companies and how leadership mindset, speed of iteration, and willingness to challenge old assumptions can make or break your demand strategy.If you've been trying to defend paid spend, or wondering why results are flat despite doing “all the right things”, this episode is for you.Key topics in this episode:Why paid media often fails to convert to pipeline or revenueThe difference between new-school and old-school GTM teamsWhy optimizing for MQLs leads to the wrong outcomesHow to rethink measurement for real demand captureWhat high-performing growth teams do differentlyThis episode is powered by ⁠⁠Passetto⁠⁠. We help high-growth and equity-backed companies turn GTM data into better decisions, faster. We unify your GTM and financial data, identify your growth levers, and help you scale. Part SaaS, part advisory. Visit ⁠⁠passetto.com⁠.