Podcast appearances and mentions of mark roberge

Most sales problems start when the seller won't stop talking. Mark Roberge (HubSpot's founding CRO, Harvard Business School lecturer, and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital) joins Matt and Luigi to challenge the loudest myths in sales and startup growth. His take is simple: great selling is not about pressure, slick pitches, or talking someone into a bad deal.    It's about asking better questions, finding the real problem, and knowing when to walk away. The conversation also tackles a mistake that kills promising companies: scaling before customers are getting real value. Mark breaks down why rising revenue can fool founders, how to test product-market fit, and what must be true before a business earns the right to grow faster.  

"There's 20 fires going on at every moment in the office and you have enough water to put out four."Mark Roberge shares what it takes to build and scale a company, from finding product-market fit to knowing when it's time to grow.He also shares the framework behind his new book, The Science of Selling, and why founders should scale based on their own data, not another company's success.Guest: Mark Roberge, Founding CRO of HubSpot, HBS Professor, and Co-Founder at Stage 2 CapitalConnect with Mark: XLinkedInConnect with Joubin:XLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow Grit on: LinkedInX​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Most founders treat product-market fit like a feeling. Mark Roberge thinks that's as absurd as calling profit a feeling.The founding CRO of HubSpot, Harvard Business School lecturer, and Stage 2 Capital co-founder joins Josh to break down his new book, The Science of Scaling. The argument at the center of it - the decision of when and how fast to scale shouldn't be a gut call. It should be gated on retention.Mark shares the leading indicator of retention (the one metric that predicts churn in a customer's first month), the 5-50-500 playbook a Microsoft leader used to launch new products, why Drift's founder flew across the country to onboard $50/month customers, and what "AI-native sales team" should actually mean in 2026 (with numbers attached).If you work in Customer Success, this episode makes the case that you own the most strategic metric in the company. All proceeds from Mark's book go to McLean Hospital for mental health care.---Want the playbook, not just the conversation? Subscribe for deep-dive, actionable breakdowns from every episode at unchurned.substack.com.---What You'll Learn- Why we scale haphazardly, not scientifically- A quantitative definition of product-market fit - How to design a leading indicator of retention- Real LIR examples from Slack, Harvey, Facebook, and Gainsight - The three maturity levels of an LIR- How a Microsoft leader used the 5-50-500 rep model to de-risk new product launches- How to pick your threshold based on the blitzscale risk in your category- Why product-market fit and go-to-market fit must be sequenced, not pursued at once- How to know when to move past founder-led sales - How to bring unit economics into board meetings - Why blitzscaling fails more companies than it saves (and why VCs push it anyway)- The two metrics that define an AI-native sales team in 2026- Mark's four phases of the AI revolution in go-to-market ---Timestamps0:00 - Preview & Intro1:30 - Meet Mark Roberge3:07 - The Science of Scaling (All book proceeds go to McLean Hospital)7:30 - We scale haphazardly, not scientifically9:06 - Microsoft's 5-50-500 playbook13:19 - Is product-market fit a feeling?15:48 - The leading indicator of retention, explained17:30 - Time to value vs. recurring value19:42 - Designing your own LIR24:04 - Why go-to-market fit comes after PMF26:06 - Pitching this framework to VCs28:15 - How to know when you have go-to-market fit31:15 - Bringing the science to larger companies33:00 - When to move beyond founder-led sales35:51 - AI and the four phases of the GTM revolution37:20 - What "AI-native sales team" means in 2026---Josh is writing a book on building customer relationships. Follow his journey and insights at www.joshschachter.com---Where to Find the GuestMark Roberge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/The Science of Scaling: https://a.co/d/0boDpDUcStage 2 Capital: https://www.stage2.capital/---Where to Find the Host: Josh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/Unchurned Substack: https://unchurned.substack.com/

Mark Roberge, founding CRO at HubSpot and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital, joins Sam Jacobs and AJ Bruno to tackle the question every board is asking in 2026: how do you actually measure AI's impact on a go-to-market team? They get into the revenue velocity formula, why selling time is the one variable AI can realistically double, and the ICONIQ data showing AI lifts top-of-funnel conversion 11% while barely moving active deal cycles. Plus, a Quiz Pro Quo on Palantir's 137% rule of 40 and Twilio's $5.6 million ARR per employee, a debate on whether the AI-era winner is the first mover or the fast follower, and a bull-versus-bear on whether HubSpot is the most mispriced stock in software at $3.5 billion in ARR. Key Takeaways: - Of the four variables in the revenue velocity formula, selling time is the one AI can realistically double right now. As Mark Roberge put it: "best in class has historically been about 30%. And I see a lot of evidence that today's AI can push that to 60% plus… all you do is go from 30% to 60% selling time, just algebraically you double productivity." - Before measuring AI's impact, stop accepting vague claims that a team is "AI-enabled." Roberge said he got fed up hearing it in board meetings if they can't show measurable impact.  - Set realistic expectations on what AI has actually delivered so far. Asked whether any company has jumped from tier B to tier A on AI adoption, Roberge was blunt: "Not on like a 2x, but on a 10% to 20%… I've been disappointed… it's not our portfolio, it's just the entire ecosystem." The step-change, he believes, is still ahead. - In the AI era, the copycat often beats the pioneer. "they all say fast follower wins most of the time," Roberge said of the research he could find, "it's about a third first mover, two-thirds fast follower." Faster product cycles and first movers stuck in what he calls "ACV jail" tilt the odds toward the fast follower. Connect with the Hosts & Guests: Host: Sam Jacobs, CEO at Pavilion - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobs/ Host: AJ Bruno, CEO at QuotaPath - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbruno3/ Guest: Mark Roberge, Co-Founder at Stage 2 Capital - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/ Topline is more than a YouTube Channel: Subscribe to Topline Newsletter: https://toplinemedia.substack.com/ Subscribe to the Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-podcast Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-slack  Chapters:  00:00 Introducing Mark Roberge 01:33 The Science Of Scaling Book 03:57 Vibe Coding Mark's Frameworks 05:42 NPS, Referrals, And Value 09:33 What Is Product Market Fit? 14:34 Measuring AI In Go-To-Market 19:25 The Revenue Velocity Formula 22:43 Selling Time Can Double Output 24:07 AI Use Cases That Move Metrics 32:56 Has AI Created Tier-A Yet? 42:35 How To Measure Selling Time 47:48 Quiz Pro Quo 54:05 First Mover Vs Fast Follower 1:08:42 Bulls And Bears

Scaling is not just about selling more. It is about knowing when the business is truly ready to grow. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Mark Roberge, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Stage 2 Capital, who shares lessons from helping HubSpot scale from its earliest days to IPO, including why founders often mistake early sales traction for true readiness to scale. He also discusses the role of product value, go-to-market strategy, venture capital, AI, fast-follower opportunities, and his decision to donate the book's proceeds to support mental health. Key Takeaways:→ Product value should take precedence over aggressive revenue growth.→ The startup ecosystem needs greater discipline in revenue growth. → AI is creating major opportunities and societal challenges.→ Fast followers often outperform first movers in the long run.→ Founders need frameworks for scaling, not just ambition. Mark Roberge is a Co-Founder at Stage 2 Capital, the first venture fund supported by over 1,000 top sales and marketing executives. Stage 2 has invested in more than 100 startups, helping founders with proven revenue growth strategies and experienced go-to-market leaders to accelerate their growth. He has also been a member of the teaching faculty at Harvard Business School for over a decade, designing and leading courses on sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, mentoring thousands of student entrepreneurs, and engaging deeply with the challenges of early-stage growth. Before these roles, Mark was the fourth employee and founding CRO at HubSpot, where he built and scaled the go-to-market organization from zero revenue to a successful IPO, pioneering a data-driven, buyer-centric sales model that has since influenced go-to-market teams worldwide. Connect With Mark:Website: https://www.stage2.capital/X: https://x.com/markrobergeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/

Mark Roberge scaled HubSpot from $0 to $100M in revenue as its Chief Revenue Officer — and now teaches founders and operators at Harvard Business School why most growth strategies fail. The answer isn't effort. It's sequence. In this episode, Mark shares his Science of Scaling framework: the four-stage methodology that sequences product-market fit, repeatable sales motion, customer success, and revenue scaling in the right order. He introduces the PMF Threshold — the leading indicator that tells you whether you've actually earned the right to scale — and explains why half of the founders he works with are scaling too early, the other half too late, and almost none know which half they're in. You'll also hear why the best salespeople talk less than 50% of the time, how to build a sales hiring profile from your best customers' patterns instead of resume credentials, and why scaling your sales team before customer success is working destroys retention every time. Mark is the author of The Sales Acceleration Formula and The Science of Scaling, and managing director of Stage 2 Capital. This conversation is essential listening for founders, agency principals, and revenue leaders navigating growth decisions without a clear diagnostic framework. Hosted by Park Howell, creator of the Story Cycle System™ and co-creator of the StoryCycle Genie®.

In this episode of the CRO Spotlight podcast, Warren Zenna sits down with Mark Roberge of Stage Two Capital to dissect the inflection points of scaling a go-to-market team. They explore common pitfalls founders face when hiring a revenue leader. Mark emphasizes aligning a candidate's background with the company's maturity stage rather than focusing strictly on brand-name resumes or simple industry experience to ensure a highly effective hire.The conversation shifts to defining the responsibilities of a Chief Revenue Officer. Warren and Mark distinguish between someone managing a traditional sales function and an executive capable of architecting a comprehensive revenue engine. They discuss why forcing a standard sales leader into a transformational role fails. True growth requires a leader who breaks down silos across marketing, sales, customer success, and revenue operations.Mark outlines his predictions regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the broader go-to-market landscape. He describes a phased evolution where AI initially optimizes selling time and coaching, eventually transitioning to autonomous agents handling the buying and selling processes. This technological shift will force companies to rethink standard organizational boundaries to maximize system efficiency and maintain a competitive advantage.The episode concludes with a discussion regarding mental health in the executive space. Mark explains his decision to dedicate his recent book's proceeds to mental health initiatives, addressing the lingering stigma in professional environments. By discussing his experiences, he highlights the absolute necessity of humanizing leadership. Both agree that addressing these challenges directly creates stronger, more resilient corporate cultures.

Most businesses do not fail because they scale too slowly. They fail because they grow before they are actually ready. Mark Roberge, former CRO of HubSpot and author of The Science of Scaling, explains how founders can stop relying on gut instinct and start using evidence to know when growth makes sense. From product-market fit and customer retention to hiring, revenue strategy, and scaling without chaos, this conversation offers a practical framework for building a business that can actually sustain growth. 00:00 Introduction 01:46 Why Startups Scale Too Fast 03:49 Earn the Right to Scale 06:42 What Scaling Really Means 09:40 The Risk of Scaling Wrong 11:01 Evidence Beats Founder Instinct 14:56 The Founder Trap That Kills Growth 19:44 Scaling, Mental Health, and AI Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today!

Join Chad Hyams and Bob Stewart as they sit down with Mark Roberge, former sales leader at HubSpot and author of "The Science of Scaling." Delve into the nuances of effective selling, understanding customer value, and the art of scaling businesses using data-driven strategies. Roberge shares insights on the importance of customer retention metrics, social selling, and the evolving landscape of tech startups. Perfect for entrepreneurs eager to refine their approach and maximize growth while maintaining meaningful customer relations. Discover actionable strategies in sales and scaling, blended with personal insights on mental health. ---------- Connect with the hosts: •    Ben Kinney: https://www.BenKinney.com/ •    Bob Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/activebob •    Chad Hyams: https://ChadHyams.com/ •    Book one of our co-hosts for your next event: https://WinMakeGive.com/speakers/   More ways to connect: •    Join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/winmakegive •     Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://WinMakeGive.com/sign-up •     Explore the Win Make Give Podcast Network: https://WinMakeGive.com/   Part of the Win Make Give Podcast Network 00:00 Navigating Work Events, Disneyland, and Guest Introductions 04:28 Teaching Sales and Entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School 09:21 The Evolution and Strategy of Effective Social Selling 14:01 Identifying Retention Indicators for Business Growth 20:15 Scaling Businesses Through Strategic Growth and Profitability 23:51 Discovering Unique Value Through Customer Interaction and Feedback 30:51 Mental Health Advocacy Through Book Proceeds and Tech Evolution 34:48 Avoiding Common Pitfalls When Scaling a Business

Most founders treat 'scale' like a switch you flip after raising a round: hire 14 reps, 10x the ad spend, and pray. About half scale too early and burn the runway, while the other half scale too late and get caught by a more aggressive competitor. Almost nobody can tell you, in measurable terms, when they're actually ready.In this episode, Yaniv Bernstein is joined by Mark Roberge - founding CRO at HubSpot (where he scaled the company from $0 to $100M ARR), senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, cofounder of Stage 2 Capital, and author of the new book 'The Science of Scaling'. Mark walks Yaniv through his impressive data-driven framework for scaling that he's spent a decade refining, covering how to objectively define product-market fit, why customer retention is the only honest measure of PMF, and how to instrument a Leading Indicator of Retention you can act on in week one.In this episode, you will:Learn why retention is the only honest measure of product-market fit, and why most founders are flying blind without itDiscover Mark's framework for building a Leading Indicator of Retention (LIR) you can measure in week one, using Slack, HubSpot, and Facebook as worked examplesHear Mark coach Yaniv through Vera's LIR in real time, and pick up a repeatable method for designing one for your own businessLearn the 'Stay/Go/Slow' model for pacing hires and spend post-raise, and why startups should reassess monthly or quarterly rather than locking in an annual planGet Mark's take on why 'paranoid optimism' is the trait that correlates most strongly with founder success, and the link between that trait and founder mental healthTimestamps00:00 Coming Up00:26 On Today's Show: The Science of Scaling01:47 Guest Intro: Mark Roberge02:31 Why Scaling Needs Data04:20 Eric Ries and Product Market Fit06:56 Retention as a North Star10:15 What Makes a Good Leading Indicator?15:00 Case Study: Vera (Yaniv's Startup)17:41 Choosing Frequency and Event23:55 Instrumenting and Unique Value31:12 Blitzscaling and Defining PET34:41 ICP Denominator Rules37:28 Segmenting By Product40:40 Go To Market Fit45:25 Dealing with Revenue-Focused Investor Pressure50:33 The Pace of Scaling56:07 About the Book, The Science of Scaling57:45 Founder Mental Health01:02:28 Closing ThoughtsResources in this episode:Mark Roberge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/‘The Science of Scaling: Using Data to Decide When — and How Fast — to Scale Revenue' by Mark Roberge: https://www.amazon.com/Science-Scaling-Revenue-Mark-Roberge/dp/1394319428Stage 2 Capital (Mark's B2B SaaS-focused venture firm): https://www.stage2.capital/Vera (Yaniv's startup): https://vera.guide/The PactHonor the Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:Follow, rate, and review us in your listening appFollow us on YouTube for full-video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcastGive us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media followingKey linksThis episode of the Startup Podcast is sponsored by .tech domains. Forget weird prefixes and creative misspellings; the availability for .tech domains is simply way better than .com. For a clean and memorable name, go to https://⁠get.tech/tspThis episode of the Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited time offer of US$1,000 off, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠www.vanta.com/tsp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthurAssistant Producer: Steph Hefferan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steph-heff/Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/

He built a band from scratch, sold out shows, landed radio play, and still watched everything fall apart overnight.Mark Roberge has lived on both sides of the music industry. The highs of momentum and the crash that follows when things go wrong. What makes this conversation different is that he didn't stop there. He stepped back, studied what actually works, and built systems to help artists succeed long-term.This episode is not about theory. It is about what happens when you take control of your career and treat music like a real business.To read the complete transcript and watch the podcast video, visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠What You'll Learn- Why great music alone is not enough to succeed- How Mark built a regional band into a major force using strategy- What actually went wrong when signing a record deal- Why no one will care about your project as much as you do- How to think about music as a system, not just creativity- Why owning your fan data is critical for long-term success- How to turn listeners into real fans instead of losing them on platforms- The importance of consistency in releases and marketing- Why most artists struggle with marketing and how to fix it- How to build a team without losing control of your visionTopics Covered in This Episode- Starting a band from scratch and building a local following- Using MySpace strategically to grow an audience early on- Selling out shows and building momentum independently- Landing radio play, licensing deals, and national exposure- The reality of signing a record deal and losing control- How one failed deal derailed momentum- Transitioning into producing and helping other artists- The three pillars: product, branding, and marketing- Why most artists ignore fan capture and lose their audience- Building systems to grow fans consistently- Lessons from years in both artist and business rolesWho This Episode Is For- Independent artists trying to grow their audience- Musicians frustrated with lack of traction- Artists who want to understand the business side of music- Creators struggling with marketing and consistency- Musicians considering signing a record deal- Artists who want to build a long-term career, not just short-term successConnect with Mark RobergeCommunity WebsiteTech PlatformBand websiteLinkedInInstagramYouTubeSpotifyApple MusicConnect with Jason TonioliWebsite FacebookYouTube InstagramSpotifyPandoraAmazon MusicApple Music

#903 Most founders think revenue equals readiness — but scaling too early is one of the fastest ways to kill a business. In this episode, host Brien Gearin sits down with Mark Roberge — fourth employee at HubSpot, Harvard Business School professor, and investor in 200+ companies — to break down exactly when and how to scale revenue. Mark explains why product-market fit has nothing to do with sales numbers and everything to do with retention, how to identify your business's "leading indicator of retention" so you're not waiting a year to learn if customers are sticking around, and why go-to-market fit must come before you hire a single salesperson. He also unpacks the concept of "blitzscale pressure" and how it should shape the pace of your growth, plus shares his take on the four phases of how AI will reshape sales teams entirely! What we discuss with Mark: + Revenue ≠ product-market fit + Retention is the real proof of value + Leading indicators of retention (P, E, T framework) + Product-market fit before go-to-market fit + Don't scale before you can serve profitably + Hire reps gradually, not all at once + Listen to business signals as you scale + Assess your category's "blitzscale pressure" + AI will take selling time from 25% to 75% + Build an advisory board early Thank you, Mark! Purchase a copy of The Science of Scaling. Follow Mark on LinkedIn. To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to build a sustainable music career in today's rapidly evolving industry?In this episode, I sit down with Mark Roberge - independent artist, producer, and co-founder of Prospect Hill. From charting on Billboard to touring nationwide, Mark has had a backstage pass to the realities of the music industry - the highs, the pressure, and the long game. Mark shares his journey through the ever-changing music industry, from shifting consumption habits to the rise of social media, and explains why owning your audience is more important than ever for emerging artists.We dive into:-How the music industry has evolved in the digital age-Why adaptability is essential for long-term success-The importance of collaboration and teamwork in music production-How artists can authentically tell their stories-Practical strategies for building meaningful audience connections-Leveraging technology and social media to strengthen fan relationshipsWhether you're an independent artist, music producer, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on audience growth, fan engagement strategies, and building a brand that lasts.If you're serious about growing in the music industry, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

My guest today is Mark Roberge!  He's from Red 13 Creative. www.Red13Creative.com  Great talk about audience development.  Mark is a touring musician and he brings that point of view to his work with artists.  In today's episode, we get into a bunch of helpful topics such as: The myth of the algorithm: "I got my song on Spotify." Word of mouth marketing and finding the first fans...then turning them into superfans. Building an audience. How to launch a band, product, or album. "Overnight success" Streams of revenue ...and a lot more.  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com  Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com Join our Slack Channel!

Mark Roberge breaks down the thinking behind Fan Flowy and how artists can stop letting new followers go cold. We talk about automated DMs, email capture, text messaging, fan funnels, and why direct engagement matters so much for independent artists trying to build real support.

Most startups obsess over growth. Very few actually understand when scaling makes sense—and when it doesn't.In this episode, John talks with Mark Roberge about the real science behind building and scaling a company. They unpack the myths around product-market fit, the ethical decision point every salesperson faces, and why revenue alone can be a dangerously misleading signal for founders.If you're building, selling, or leading a team, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, customer value, and the future of sales in an AI-driven world.Ready to sharpen your sales skills and stay relevant in a rapidly changing market? Head over to www.jbarrows.com and keep learning how to Make It Happen.What You'll LearnWhy revenue isn't product-market fitThe ethical decision point in salesWhy retention beats new revenueThe role of a customer success matrixHow AI may reshape sales careersMark Roberge is the founding CRO of HubSpot, where he scaled revenue from zero to over $100M and helped take the company public. After leaving HubSpot, he joined the faculty at Harvard Business School and co-founded Stage 2 Capital, the first VC firm run and backed by go-to-market leaders. He's also the author of The Science of Scaling, which introduces a data-driven framework to help founders decide when to scale, how fast to grow, and whether scaling makes sense at all.Connect with Mark Roberge:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrobergeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/roberge_markX: https://x.com/markrobergeMark's Bestselling Books Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00NSKE4WYJohn Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today's AI-driven sales environment.Connect with John Barrows:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrowsCheck out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter

Mark Roberge shares why fake growth, inflated streams, and empty views can actually hurt an artist more than help them. We talk about the difference between optics and real engagement, how algorithms interpret weak audience behavior, and why a smaller audience that truly cares is far more valuable than inflated numbers.This is a must-watch for any artist trying to grow online without getting fooled by numbers that look impressive but lead nowhere.

Mark Roberge breaks down one of the most important mindset shifts for independent artists: your creative project is also a business. We discuss why talent alone is not enough, how artists need to think like founders, and what happens when creators reject the entrepreneurial side of their career.If you've ever struggled with the business side of being an artist, this conversation will help reframe it in a practical and empowering way.

Mark Roberge explains why so many artists make the mistake of trying to go global too fast. Instead of chasing attention everywhere, he argues that artists should first build a real foundation in their own backyard. In this clip, we talk about local support, predictable income, early adopters, and how hometown momentum can eventually snowball into something much bigger.This is a valuable conversation for musicians and creators who want to grow sustainably rather than just look big online.

Mark Roberge joins me to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career as an independent artist. As the founder of the band Prospect Hill, co-creator of Fan Flowy, and co-author of The Indie Artist's Compass, Mark brings two decades of firsthand experience from touring, label deals, setbacks, rebuilding, and now helping other musicians grow smarter.We discuss how Prospect Hill went from a local Massachusetts band to a worldwide touring act, why artists need to think like entrepreneurs, how building a loyal backyard fanbase can create real momentum, and why so many musicians get distracted by vanity metrics instead of meaningful growth. Mark also breaks down the philosophy behind Fan Flowy, the importance of direct fan relationships, and how artists can stop patching together broken systems and start building something sustainable.Whether you're a musician, filmmaker, or any kind of independent creator, this conversation is full of practical insight on audience-building, strategy, and staying adaptable in a constantly changing industry.

In this episode, guest speaker Mark Roberge unpacks a smarter framework for scaling... one built on data, not guesswork. He explains why most companies misread product-market fit by tying it to revenue instead of retention, and why the best founders identify a leading indicator of retention early using a simple behavioral framework: what percentage of customers complete what action in what period of time. That gives you an early-warning system for whether the product is actually delivering on its promise. From there, Mark breaks down why your ideal customer profile should be defined by lifetime value and long-term retention — not just who closes fastest — and why hiring big sales teams based on annual plans is one of the most dangerous mistakes founders make. Instead of betting the year on a January hiring spree, he shares the idea of setting a sustainable pace and using real operating signals to decide when to speed up, slow down, or stop. He also explores how to align sales compensation with customer success, why early-stage companies should lean on networks before trying to build “scalable” demand channels, and how to approach new segments without burning resources on unproven bets. If you're a founder, sales leader, or operator trying to grow without breaking the business, this episode is a practical reminder that the best companies don't scale faster because they're bolder... they scale better because they instrument the truth early.

Mark Roberge is a Co-Founder at Stage 2 Capital, the first venture fund supported by over 1,000 top sales and marketing executives. Stage 2 has invested in more than 100 startups, helping founders with proven revenue growth strategies and experienced go-to-market leaders to accelerate their growth. He has also been a member of the teaching faculty at Harvard Business School for over a decade, designing and leading courses on sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, mentoring thousands of student entrepreneurs, and engaging deeply with the challenges of early-stage growth. Before these roles, Mark was the fourth employee and founding CRO at HubSpot, where he built and scaled the go-to-market organization from zero revenue to a successful IPO, pioneering a data-driven, buyer-centric sales model that has since influenced go-to-market teams worldwide. Mark holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and an undergraduate engineering degree from Lehigh University. He is the author of the bestselling books The Sales Acceleration Formula and The Science of Scaling, which distill decades of experience into a practical, data-driven roadmap for founders, executives, and investors striving to achieve sustainable, scalable growth. Mark has been featured in popular publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Boston Globe, TechCrunch, and Harvard Business Review, delivered keynotes at major conferences including South by Southwest, SaaStr, Inbound, and the World Business Forum, and guest lectured at leading institutions such as MIT, Stanford, and Harvard. Connect with Mark Roberge:Website: http://scienceofscaling.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/ Twitter: https://x.com/markroberge Instagram: www.instagram.com/roberge_markYouTube: www.youtube.com/hashtag/markroberge TurnKey Podcast Productions Important Links:Guest to Gold Video Series: www.TurnkeyPodcast.com/gold The Ultimate Podcast Launch Formula- www.TurnkeyPodcast.com/UPLFplusFREE workshop on how to "Be A Great Guest."Free E-Book 5 Ways to Make Money Podcasting at www.Turnkeypodcast.com/gift Ready to earn 6-figures with your podcast? See if you've got what it takes at TurnkeyPodcast.com/quizSales Training for Podcasters: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-training-for-podcasters/id1540644376Nice Guys on Business: http://www.niceguysonbusiness.com/subscribe/The Turnkey Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/turnkey-podcast/id1485077152

In this episode of Startup Hustle, Matt Watson interviews Mark Roberge, a former HubSpot executive and current venture capitalist, about his journey from engineering to sales and the importance of scaling startups. Mark discusses the genesis of HubSpot, the significance of sales in startups, and the concept of product-market fit. He emphasizes the need for customer research, avoiding false positives in feedback, and identifying the ideal customer profile. Mark also shares insights on scaling strategies, key metrics for success, and the science behind scaling businesses effectively.⏱️ Episode Breakdown00:00 The Genesis of HubSpot02:56 Transitioning from Engineering to Sales06:06 The Science of Scaling08:53 The Importance of Selling Early12:12 Understanding Customer Needs14:58 Avoiding False Positives in Feedback15:39 Design Partner Dilemma18:21 Target Audience Insights19:56 Ideal Customer Profile Framework23:00 The Science of Scaling25:05 Understanding Growth Investment30:55 Navigating Growth Challenges35:25 Final Thoughts on Scaling SuccessTAKEAWAYSSales is crucial for startup success.Understanding product-market fit is essential before scaling.Customer research should start at the ideation stage.Avoid false positives by validating customer interest.Identify your ideal customer profile to focus efforts.Scaling should be approached methodically and strategically.Establish leading indicators of customer retention.Sales methodologies must evolve as the company grows.Demand generation must align with growth aspirations.The science of scaling involves data-driven decision making.Links & ResourcesConnect with Mark Roberge on LinkedInWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025Subscribe to the Global Talent SprintFull Scale – Build your dev team quickly and affordablyIf you're trying to get your team out of the basement and into real product ownership, this episode is your playbook. Stop being a ticket factory. Build teams that think, create, and lead.Follow the show, rate it, and send this to someone who's still trying to do “real Scrum.” They need it more than you do.

Grab your copy of The Indie Artist's Compass: book.makeourmusic.comIn this episode, host Joe Fier sits down with seasoned musician, producer, and entrepreneur Mark Roberge. Together, they explore the intersection of creativity and business in the modern music industry, sharing actionable insights for artists, creators, and entrepreneurs alike. Mark delves into his journey from breaking ground with bands like Prospect Hill to pioneering fan engagement strategies, leveraging technology, and building collaborative communities. The conversation highlights the importance of authentic storytelling, data-driven marketing, and adapting to industry shifts—especially with the rise of AI and changing consumption habits.Topics DiscussedThe power of authentic storytelling in music and why AI can't replicate human experienceMark's evolution: from high school band success to launching Red 13 Studios and beyondTreating music projects like startup businesses — using systems, strategy, and dataBuilding and nurturing fan bases: why you must own your audience, not rely solely on platformsThe "1,000 True Fans" concept and multi-channel fan capture strategiesFrameworks from Mark's book, "The Indie Artist's Compass," including the FAME frameworkLeveraging ad automation and tech tools (FanFlowy, Make Our Music) for audience growthRelease strategy: why singles beat albums for growing audiences and maximizing Spotify algorithmsCollaboration and “piggybacking” with other artists to expand reachThe resurgence of live music, human connection, and why it matters more than everAI in music: Opportunities, tools (like Suno), and the real value of human creativityCommunity building and platforms for collaboration, performance, and supportResources MentionedThe Indie Artist's Compass: book.makeourmusic.comMake Our Music Community: makeourmusic.comProspect Hill Band: prospecthillband.comLansdowne Band: lansdownemusic.comConnect with Us

Mark Roberge is calling it now: we are about to witness the highest failure rate for a single cohort of startups in the history of tech. As author of Science of Scaling, and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital, Mark joins the pod to dismantle the "growth at all costs" mindset that still plagues founders. He explains why the assembly-line sales model is dead and how AI will force a return to the full-cycle "rainmaker" rep. **Key moments:** The AI Bubble: Why the index fund of the last two years of AI investments is likely doomed. Fixing Your ICP: And how optimizing for CAC or inbound volume without ICP fundamentals in place is a recipe for disaster The 80% Rule: How AI moves reps from 25% selling time to 80%, and what that means for the future of SDR, AE, and CS functions LIR - What it is and Why It Matters: Why every board deck needs a a LIR slide to predict product-market fit before revenue numbers hit **Note:** Mark is donating 100% of the proceeds from his new book to mental health causes. Grab a copy of *The Science of Scaling* on Amazon!   Subscribe to Topline Newsletter. Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Mark Roberge and The Science of Scaling 03:44 Founder Turnover and Loyalty in the AI Era 06:18 Navigating Founder Burnout and Strategic Pivots 16:30 Predicting High Failure Rates for AI-Native Startups 18:57 The Origin Story Behind The Science of Scaling 24:51 Why Most Companies Define Their ICP Wrong 28:34 The Leading Indicator of Retention (LIR) Framework 32:30 Real-World Example: Shifting ICP Based on Retention 37:22 Who Should Own Product-Market Fit? 43:23 Transitioning GTM Strategies from SaaS to AI 47:29 The End of Specialization: Collapsing GTM Roles 51:12 Solving GTM Inefficiency by Increasing Selling Time 56:50 How to Pilot the Consolidated "Ninja AE" Role 01:04:29 Designing Organizations for Rainmakers vs. Average Reps 01:08:01 Mental Health, Gratitude, and Closing Thoughts  

In this episode, Mark Roberge, author of the upcoming book The Science of Scaling, breaks down why so many companies fail to evolve their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) despite changing market conditions—and reveals the surprising truth: it's emotional decision-making, not data, holding them back. Discover the game-changing "green, yellow, red" framework that separates truly ideal customers (those with high lifetime value) from those draining your resources, and learn how to strategically reallocate your team's efforts to maximize retention and expansion. Plus, explore how getting your ICP right doesn't just boost sales—it aligns your entire organization, from marketing and product development to customer success, creating a powerful go-to-market engine that drives real scaling.Mark Roberge is the founding Chief Revenue Officer of HubSpot, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, co-founder of Stage 2 Capital, and the author of The Science of Scaling and The Sales Acceleration Formula. He is widely known for helping companies design go-to-market systems that scale sustainably. Connect with Mark: Stage 2 CapitalResources mentioned:The Science of Scaling by Mark RobergeThe Sales Acceleration Formula by Mark RobergeForce Management resources on scaling predictably:The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Scaling often looks like momentum on the surface: more pipeline, more headcount, more pressure from boards and capital. But underneath? Many leaders feel the strain of decisions moving faster than their systems can support. In this conversation, Mark Roberge sits down to unpack why scaling is not a milestone, but a system that must be intentionally designed and continuously recalibrated. Drawing on his experience as HubSpot's founding CRO, a Harvard Business School lecturer, and the author of The Science of Scaling, Mark offers a clear, data-driven perspective on how leaders can move beyond reactive growth and build systems that scale with intention.Mark Roberge is the founding Chief Revenue Officer of HubSpot, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, co-founder of Stage 2 Capital, and the author of The Science of Scaling and The Sales Acceleration Formula. He is widely known for helping companies design go-to-market systems that scale sustainably. Connect with Mark: Stage 2 CapitalResources mentioned:The Science of Scaling by Mark RobergeThe Sales Acceleration Formula by Mark RobergeForce Management resources on scaling predictably:The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for LeadersKey takeaways from this episode:04:45 Why scaling too early, often triggered by capital of board pressure, creates more downstream problems than it solves09:20 Why your ideal customer profile is defined by who your sellers actually close, not what's written in your pitch deck12:43 Why revenue is a misleading indicator of product-market fit (and what leaders should pay attention to instead)13:58 The critical difference between product-market fit and go-to-market fit, and why skipping the latter derails scale19:36 How using leading indicators of retention removes guesswork from growth decisions40:02 Why top-down revenue targets fail, and how bottoms-up capacity planning creates sustainable scale53:55 Why Mark chose to donate all book proceeds to mental health, and why leadership conversations must make room for humanity Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

The Biggest GTM Mistake (Spoiler Alert: Stop Chasing CAC!!!)Mark Roberge shares how AI is transforming sales, customer success, and go-to-market strategy. The former HubSpot CRO, now co-founder of Stage 2 Capital and senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, Mark Roberge breaks down the 4 phases of AI evolution that will redefine how companies sell, serve, and scale. From agentic AI to LTV-driven growth, this is a masterclass on what the next era of go-to-market looks like.Mark Roberge helped take HubSpot from $0 to $100M and literally wrote The Sales Acceleration Formula. Now, he's turning his attention to the AI transformation sweeping every GTM function. In this episode, Mark explains why it's time to stop obsessing over CAC and start optimizing for LTV—the customers who actually succeed—and how AI can make that possible at scale.He also shares bold predictions about the future of work, the death of departments, and why capitalism itself may need to evolve for the AI era.Timestamps0:00 – Preview & Introduction1:19 – Meet Mark Roberge: Co-Founder, Stage 2 Capital2:45 – The Early Days of AI in GTM6:33 – What's Slowing Down AI Adoption8:00 – Why Most AI Startups Are Still Too Iterative12:00 – The "Agentic" Shift: From Co-Pilots to Autonomous Agents14:15 – The 4 Phases of AI Go-to-Market Evolution20:35 – Managing Your Agents: The New CRO Skillset26:00 – Deciding the ICP: It's Not CAC29:35 – How AI Breaks Down Department Silos35:40 – Can Capitalism Survive the AI Era?46:00 – The Science of Scaling: Mark's Next Big Book---What You'll Learn* Why CAC is the wrong north star metric for GTM leaders* How to use AI to identify and retain high-LTV customers* The 4 phases of AI transformation in go-to-market* How agentic AI will redefine the roles of CROs, CSMs, and RevOps* Why AI will blur departmental boundaries and change the structure of business* How capitalism and work culture must evolve in the AI era---Check out the Key Takeaways & Transcripts: ⁠https://www.gainsight.com/presents/series/unchurned/⁠---Where to Find Mark:LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/Where to Find Josh: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/⁠---Resources mentioned:* Stage 2 Capital Blog – Go-to-Market AI Case Studies: https://www.stage2.capital * The Sales Acceleration Formula by Mark Roberge

Studio Secrets A to Z - Mark Roberge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most AI pilots fail because founders are retrofitting old playbooks instead of rebuilding revenue architecture. Mark Roberge, founding CRO at HubSpot who scaled from $0 to $100M revenue, breaks down how AI compresses traditional sales cycles and transforms go-to-market execution. He reveals why selling time will jump from 25% to 75% of a rep's week, how AI enables real-time ICP refinement and account targeting, and why sustainable moats now depend on owning the point of work rather than systems of record.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Benelli sat down with Mark Roberge last year, former CRO at HubSpot, Harvard Business School professor, and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital, to challenge some of the most persistent myths in sales leadership. From debunking the idea that top reps make the best managers to exposing why shadowing high performers can actually backfire, this conversation delivers a candid look at why most coaching programs fail to scale and what to do instead.Mark lays out a structured, repeatable approach to frontline coaching that not only boosts individual rep performance but transforms how entire sales organizations operate. He shares why focusing on team attainment is less useful than tracking the percentage of reps hitting quota, how managers can move from reactive fire drills to proactive coaching cycles, and why self-diagnosis is the new sales superpower. If you're a sales leader still stuck on the hamster wheel, this episode offers a way off.Key Takeaways1. Top reps don't make the best managersThe traits that drive individual quota success, such as assertiveness or autonomy, often conflict with the empathy and patience required to coach others effectively.2. Shadowing high performers is not an onboarding strategyNew reps pick up bad habits and unteachable skills when learning only by imitation; structured onboarding with a defined process is more effective.3. Coaching can (and must) scale.A consistent, top-down cadence of rep-by-rep skill diagnosis, action planning, and metric tracking creates scalable coaching across large sales orgs.4. Reps rarely know why they're underperformingWithout data, reps and managers often misdiagnose performance gaps; combining call data and funnel metrics helps uncover the true root causes.5. Managers must move from reactive to proactiveTime-blocked 1:1s tied to skill development, not just deal triage shift coaching from “fire drills” to intentional growth plans.6. Quota attainment by rep is the real health metric.Overall team attainment hides unhealthy reliance on a few stars; the percentage of reps hitting quota shows true team performance and scalability.

Mark Roberge and Edgar Troncoso from the band Prospect Hill joined Tom today to talk about their rise to fame, changes in the band, their new sound, new releases and helping local artists!

In episode #274, I'm sharing some insight from a Mark Roberge talk in Tempe, AZ at PHX FWD. The software business is undergoing another major shift. In the 80/90's it started with on-premise software, then ASP, then SaaS, and now AI. - Business model changes - What if agentic AI entered your space? - Siebel Systems - from top player to SaaS laggard Be in the know! Join our SaaS community. https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

In episode #273, I'm sharing some insight from a Mark Roberge talk in Tempe, AZ at PHX FWD. Should we believe the ARR per FTE hype? - Is my SaaS being left behind? - Should we believe the hype? - Current benchmarks for ARR per FTE Be in the know! Join our SaaS community. https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

This week on the ZoomInfo Labs Podcast, we sit down with Mark Roberge, co-founder of Stage 2 Capital, former CRO at HubSpot, and a professor at Harvard Business School to explore the future of AI in sales and how GTM leaders can drive sustainable growth.In this episode, you'll learn:Why AI is creating a new "Innovator's Dilemma" for sales teamsHow to know when (and how fast) to scale your sales teamWhy cross-functional alignment is critical for GTM successThe future of demand generation and why community-led growth (CLG) is gaining tractionMark shares practical advice from his experience scaling HubSpot, investing in over 50 companies, and teaching the next generation of sales leaders at HBS. If you're a GTM leader looking to future-proof your strategy, you don't want to miss this one.For more from ZI Labs, visit ⁠www.zoominfo.com/labs⁠Ben on LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bensalzman⁠Millie on LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/milliebeetham

One of our most listened to episodes, we're bringing back Mark Roberge, Co-Founder at Stage 2 Capital, who shares his sales acceleration formula 2.0 with our SaaStock Founder Members. Mark dives deep into the Sales Acceleration formula followed by his previous company Hubspot. He also answers the questions posted by our SaaStock Founder Membership community. Interested in becoming a member? Apply to SaaStock Founder Membership to supercharge your growth: https://www.saastock.com/founder-membership/Check out the other ways SaaStock is serving SaaS founders

In this episode of Coach2Scale, Matt Benelli sits down with Mark Roberge, the founding CRO of HubSpot and the Co-Founder of Stage2 Capital. They discuss innovative approaches to sales coaching, including the importance of focusing on the percentage of reps hitting quota and why new reps should not shadow top performers. Mark shares insights on proactive coaching methods and the significance of data in diagnosing sales issues. They also talk about Stage 2 Capital, a fund that leverages the expertise of top sales and marketing leaders to guide startups. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone involved in sales leadership, exploring effective coaching techniques and the science of scaling revenue. Takeaways:Prioritize the percentage of reps hitting quota over overall team attainment to get a true sense of team health and sustainability.Avoid having new reps shadow top performers due to potential bad habits and lack of universal applicability in their methods. Instead, create a standardized sales process that codifies best practices.Develop a systematic approach to coaching by holding regular one-on-one sessions where managers diagnose and address specific performance issues with each rep, using data to guide the coaching process.Use metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching, such as tracking improvements in specific areas like opportunity funnel conversion rates.Design processes that force managers to be proactive, such as monthly or quarterly reviews that focus on qualitative and quantitative performance assessments.Select potential managers based not just on their sales performance but on their leadership abilities and coaching potential. Consider the different skill sets required for managing and selling.Develop training programs that help reps learn to self-diagnose their performance issues, fostering independence and continuous improvement.Quote of the Show: “A great rep doesn't have to wait till the monthly or the quarterly review or the next chat with the managers. They can reflect and they almost can self-diagnose mid-meeting.” - Mark RobergeLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/ Website: https://www.stage2.capital/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Acceleration-Formula-Technology-Inbound/dp/1119047072/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1343603773753404&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HRz6Z9-h6Fs_mYwBMgiU0-foFhPZk7lV1Y_-t8l-nzMDqpScpOw4nmQ_rYxPA1wcnpX3TBFyb8yNpSzjlVTs59n_PTI8-NNIEgP19eSWNT1KTmXw4bM-Ik1ON3bbLvRpNl5MzAe1p06iMnrZbZx8kDWOUuQgr-pQuENmlU-h-Q6xc4J6ediHpdD_5Lsji4ppITe9CHQf52MHPix2VP3jV2_TAuJrp94U-1HkqjU0-jA.pWGGm1VSdrsIGa-hXJX--Sl-r0tIg3TZy93Ed_nAf98&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83975476617453&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=104857&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83975581283309%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=21931_13325420&keywords=the+sales+acceleration+formula&qid=1731013960&sr=8-1 Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Yb1wPzUxyrfR0Dx35ym1A Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-build-a-coaching-culture/id1699901434 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2NvYWNoMnNjYWxlLWhvdy1tb2Rlcm4tbGVhZGVycy1idWlsZC1hLWNvYWNoaW5nLWN1bHR1cmU Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd188af6-7c17-4b2e-a0b2-196ecd6fdf77 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-5419703 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach2Scale CoachEm™ is the first Coaching Execution Platform that integrates deep learning technology to proactively analyze patterns, highlight the "why" behind the data with root causes, and identify the actions that will ultimately improve business results going forward.  These practical coaching recommendations for managers will help their teams drive more deals, bigger deals, faster deals and loyal customers. Built with decades of go-to-market experience, world-renowned data scientists and advanced causal AI/ML technology, CoachEm™ leverages your existing tech stack to increase rep productivity, increase retention, and replicate best practices across your team.Learn more at coachem.io

In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, Mark Roberge shares some thoughts on AI and how to think about using it to innovate business, rather than automating isolated tasks. It's part of a larger episode with John Kaplan and John McMahon. KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:25] How AI Disrupts Legacy Thinking: Relying on established systems and resources will lead to failure; companies must rethink from scratch.[00:01:41] Big Companies Resist Disruption: Internal power dynamics often prevent large companies from embracing necessary innovation.[00:03:13] AI's Shortcomings in Sales: Many companies focus on automating tasks rather than considering the full customer experience.[00:05:09] AI Co-pilot Concept: Current AI tools are overly iterative, with most companies simply aiming to boost productivity, not revolutionize.[00:05:57] Future of Work with AI: The potential for billion-dollar companies with minimal employees raises questions about capitalism and job creation.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:00:46] Mark Roberge on Innovation: "The minute you say, ‘How can we leverage what we already have?'—game over."[00:01:41] John McMahon on Company Resistance: "The people in power won't give in easily to disruptions that challenge their status."[00:03:57] Mark Roberge on AI's Shortcomings: "Co-pilot is the pets.com of this era. It's iterative. It's not revolutionary."[00:05:57] Mark Roberge on Future Jobs: "AI will lead to the first billion-dollar company with two employees."Listen to Mark's Full Episode Here: https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/innovation-growth-and-failureEnjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox: https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon's book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management's Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast for new episodes every Wednesday. Want more content from the Topline media family? Listen to Topline Podcast with Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman. Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners. Subscribe to Topline Newsletter written by Asad Zaman.

In sales, you can't rely solely on the product to close deals; you need the right strategies and mindset to get prospects to say yes to your offers. Some companies excel at this, while others need a bit of help. Join me and my guest, Mark Roberge, in this episode as we share three case studies of businesses that turned their sales success around. Meet Mark Roberge Mark Roberge is a renowned expert in sales and venture capital, known for his data-driven strategies that transform businesses.  As the fourth employee at HubSpot, he developed a scalable sales model that fueled the company's growth.  In addition to mentoring startups, he shares his sales expertise through podcasting and speaking at major events like the Inbound conference. Understanding the Reticular Activating System (RAS) Your brain filters information all the time, and often in ways that may keep you from succeeding in sales.   We explore the Reticular Activating System (RAS) and how the brain prioritizes information it deems important.  Your mindset and perception influence your belief in the effectiveness of your sales strategies.   For instance, if you believe cold calling is ineffective, your RAS will filter information that supports this belief, often leading to self-fulfilling outcomes. Sales & Psychology: The Connection   Whether you believe it or not, psychology plays a major role in sales.  We also believe that therapists can make some of the best sales representatives because they understand the human mind so well.  Salespeople who focus on diagnosing customer issues and truly understanding their needs are able to build rapport and trust. The Journey to Sales Mastery If you want to improve your sales skills, try role-playing for practice.  We share a case study of how an individual increased their quota performance from 70% to 120% within three months through better engagement and refined practices. "With a new product and a revolutionized product, no one is going to know how to buy it. You have to teach them how to buy that particular product.” - Mark Roberge.  Resources Check out Mark Roberge's podcast, “The Science of Scale,” for in-depth interviews with founders discussing scaling strategies. Learn more about The Sales Evangelist Sales Mastermind Program. Cold Call Openers Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Harvard Business School senior lecturer Mark Roberge argues that every aspect of being an early-stage founder involves sales. But many founders lack an understanding of how to incorporates sales into their ventures. Which sales candidate is a startup's ideal first hire? What marketing channels are worth investing in? How aggressively should you align sales with customer success? In this episode, you'll learn how to hire for early sales roles, design compensation, and lay a strong foundation for a growing sales team. Key episode topics include: leadership, entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, startups, entrepreneurial business strategy, pricing strategy, talent management. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world's top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Cold Call episode: What Founders Get Wrong about Sales and Marketing (2023)· Find more episodes of Cold Call· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org]]>

In this episode, John Kaplan and John McMahon are joined by Mark Roberge, former CRO of HubSpot and co-founder of Stage 2 Capital. They dive deep into Clayton Christensen's book, 'The Innovator's Dilemma,' exploring why well-managed companies fail despite their best efforts to innovate. The discussion covers historical and present examples of disruptive vs. sustaining technologies, with a focus on how companies can adapt in the rapidly changing tech landscape, especially with the emergence of AI. Insightful anecdotes from their careers and practical advice for business leaders make this a must-listen for anyone navigating the world of B2B sales and technology.Tune in and learn more on this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESConnect and learn more about Mark Roberge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:01:26] Discussing The Innovator's Dilemma[00:04:24] Relevance of The Innovator's Dilemma Today[00:05:51] Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation[00:07:12] Historical Examples of Disruptive Innovation[00:08:53] Challenges of Adapting to Disruptive Technologies[00:17:47] The Role of AI in Future Disruptions[00:30:19] The Evolution of Job Markets[00:30:36] AI's Impact on Insurance Companies[00:31:43] Disrupting Established Companies[00:32:48] Challenges of Acquisitions[00:33:45] Strategies for Cloud Transition[00:44:11] The Role of SMBs in Innovation[00:48:29] HubSpot's Unique ApproachHIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:04:08] "I just think therapists are like the best analog for just great salesmanship because if you walk into a therapy session, you're bummed out. You walk out, you're friggin jazzed about life and all they did was ask you eight questions."[00:06:39] "We were in a sustaining innovation realm...you follow that, you're going to be bankrupt in five years."[00:10:04] "The promise of AI is to get rid of the people, to get rid of the salespeople. And when you look at today's sales tech big players, their entire business model is based on charging per person. How the hell are they going to survive in a world where the number of salespeople a company has is declining?"[00:16:47] "The move to cloud infrastructure, subscription pricing, and shifting to inside sales — for a big company, these changes are nearly impossible to make."

Mark Roberge is a Co-Founder and Managing Director at Stage 2 Capital and a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School. Prior to these roles, Mark was the founding CRO at HubSpot, where he scaled ARR from $0 to $100 million and expanded his team from 1 to 450 employees. Mark was ranked #19 in Forbes' Top 30 Social Sellers in the World. He was also awarded the 2010 Salesperson of the Year at the MIT Sales Conference. In Today's Episode with Mark Roberge We Discuss: 1. Biggest Lessons Scaling Hubspot to $100M in ARR: What are Mark's biggest lessons in what worked in their sales strategy in scaling to $100M in ARR? What elements of Hubspot's sales strategy did not work? What would he have done differently with the benefit of hindsight? What does Mark know now that he wishes he had known when he started at Hubspot? 2. How the Best Startups Scale into Enterprise: What are the single biggest mistakes startups make when scaling into enterprise? When is the right time? What do founders get most wrong on timing of scale into enterprise? What do you need to have in place both from a team and product perspective to make the transition? 3. Second Product and Second Channel: When is the right time to launch the second product? Why does Mark believe that you should be turning down customers in the early days? Why is not every customer right for your company? How does Mark think about channel diversification? Does Mark agree you only need one channel to scale to $50M in ARR and two to scale to $100M in ARR? 4. 99% of SaaS Founders Do Partnerships Wrong: What are the single biggest mistakes founders make when doing channel partnerships? What can and should they do to set channel partnerships up for success? What do the channel partners need to have to be equipped to sell the partner solution? What level of buy-in and from who on the channel partner side is needed for the partnership to be successful? What did Mark learn from Hubspot's partnership with Salesforce scaling to 10% of Hubspot's revenue?  

Following the episode with Mark Roberge, your Topline hosts discuss the role of venture in a world where companies can achieve product-market fit and profitable growth at reduced startup costs. They also explore the use of AI and emerging technologies in building and selling products with smaller teams, as well as its impact on venture funding and the need for follow-up rounds. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here. Also listen to E55 with Mark Roberge.

Mark Roberge is the Co-Founder of Stage 2 Capital and author of The Sales Acceleration Formula. Mark joins the show to discuss the challenges and opportunities for businesses embracing AI. The group dives into the key GTM applications for AI, challenges larger companies have with adopting this technology, and how future regulation may impact development in the field moving forward. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners. Don't forget to read the recaps from previous episodes. Are you a sales executive? Get 20% off your CRO Summit ticket with the code TOPLINE. It's happening June 6, 2024 in Boston. Save your spot.

Join Ryan for part two with Mark Roberge, the original CRO at HubSpot who took the company from zero to $100 million. Roberge shares his unique insights on native AI companies versus adapted companies, offering a fresh perspective on how to effectively use AI in go-to-market strategies.  Join 2,500+ readers getting weekly practical guidance to scale themselves and their companies using Artificial Intelligence and Revenue Cheat Codes.   Explore becoming Superhuman here: https://superhumanrevenue.beehiiv.com/ KEY TAKEAWAYS The science of scaling framework helps boards and founders determine when to scale revenue and at what pace, focusing on product-market fit and go-to-market fit. AI may significantly reduce development cycles and sales cycles, potentially leading to billion-dollar companies run by fewer than 10 people. AI could enable the creation of highly customized micro-products for niche markets, allowing for a multitude of smaller, specialized companies. Integrating AI into employees' workflows is crucial for staying ahead of the curve and capitalizing on the AI revolution. Embracing AI tools can save employees significant time, enabling them to explore new opportunities and innovations. The top 5% of individuals who actively learn and implement AI technologies will have a substantial advantage in the current business landscape. Identifying real AI challengers involves assessing incumbents' access to data and considering how workflows may change in a mature AI world. AI native companies with access to unique data sets, like AI sales coaches, have an advantage over incumbents in certain categories. BEST MOMENTS "When you think ahead to like a mature AI world when does, when you think about that, does the workflow change so much? That the underlying architecture of the incumbent is no longer relevant." "We're in a hype cycle. We're about to get the first taste of companies that had no product and revenue that raised over 100 million that are going to go out of business because there's no traction." "It's such an opportunity right now because the average person just gets like status quo. And the more you can push, push, push, push. That's what we're doing a lot with our portfolio.” "Everyone's so excited. Cause we haven't felt this in like 20 years." "The more we get the message out, the more people we could help, the bigger, the impact we make and the bigger the community gets, which helps everybody." Ryan Staley Founder and CEO Whale Boss ryan@whalesellingsystem.com www.ryanstaley.io Saas, Saas growth, Scale, Business Growth, B2b Saas, Saas Sales, Enterprise Saas, Business growth strategy, founder, ceo: https://www.whalesellingsystem.com/closingsecrets

Join Ryan for part one with the legendary Mark Roberge, former CRO of HubSpot and current venture capitalist. They dive deep into the world of AI companies, discussing the immense opportunities and potential pitfalls. Mark shares his unique perspective on identifying promising AI start-ups and provides invaluable insights for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Join 2,500+ readers getting weekly practical guidance to scale themselves and their companies using Artificial Intelligence and Revenue Cheat Codes.   Explore becoming Superhuman here: https://superhumanrevenue.beehiiv.com/ KEY TAKEAWAYS AI is a generational technology, potentially bigger than the internet, but currently in a massive hype cycle similar to the dot-com era. Most current AI ideas are basic integrations into existing workflows, not reimagining the workflow, and are likely to be disrupted. Joining an AI company now provides valuable experience, even if 90% fail, as the winners will scoop up experienced talent. The AI technology creating operational efficiency in the short term may not be the same as the disruptors redefining industries over the next decade. Understanding prompting, the foundation of AI language is crucial for developing micro-workflows, agents, and eventually autonomous swarms. The innovator's dilemma and appropriate beachhead selection are key concepts for AI startups to consider when building for the long-term vision. RevOps, once seen as supporting humans, may flip to AI doing the job with humans tweaking and refining. Technical issues like hallucinations and latency will likely be ironed out as the technology matures, revealing AI's true potential. BEST MOMENTS "I've never had more conviction for my students that come up to me. Like, 'Hey, what's up? Professor, like what, what should I do? Like, I want to be, I want to go into startups. Like, what should I do?' And I, I've always had like different opinions. I was like, do you have to go to AI? Like every tech company is going to, in like six years is going to be native AI. You have to get that experience now." "I think all the tea leaves are similar to like 1997. Let's not forget that in that time, we dialled up to the internet using AOL, launched a Netscape browser and did searches through AltaVista, right? Where are those companies? Lycos, right? Is, is, is, yeah, is OpenAI Netscape or is it Google? Like we got to figure that out, right?" "The AI technology that's going to create significant operational efficiency and growth this year and next for companies, especially these bigger companies that my CROs are from is not going to be the trillion dollar new company that disrupts the space." "I've kind of come to the conclusion that the AI companies, vendors, technology that is going to create the most operational efficiency, even for our start-ups in the next year is not going to be the same AI technology company, et cetera, that becomes the disruptor over the next decade and redefines the sales and martech sector." "RevOps has become huge, didn't even exist 15 years ago. And for the most part, RevOps is seen as an organization that supports the humans to do their job. And that flips with what you're saying. Is, at some point, it flips where RevOps does the job and humans there to tweak it." Ryan Staley Founder and CEO Whale Boss ryan@whalesellingsystem.com www.ryanstaley.io Saas, Saas growth, Scale, Business Growth, B2b Saas, Saas Sales, Enterprise Saas, Business growth strategy, founder, ceo: https://www.whalesellingsystem.com/closingsecrets

In this milestone 100th episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan reflect on their journey and share some of their most memorable takeaways from previous conversations. They discuss the importance of authentic leadership, the power of debriefing, and the value of leading with a vision. They also highlight the significance of balancing work and personal life, the impact of Navy SEAL principles on leadership, and the role of customer success in reducing churn. The hosts express their gratitude to the listeners and emphasize the importance of caring for the guests and their stories.Tune in to this conversation with John McMahon and John Kaplan on the Revenue Builders podcast.HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT[00:00:00] Introduction to the 100th episode celebration[00:01:08] Memorable episodes from previous guests[00:11:41] Conclusion and final thoughts on the 100th episode celebration[00:12:08] Sarah Dillegaard's story of staying calm in a crisis[00:15:14] Chris Kin's rare journey from salesperson to CRO in a startup[00:16:53] Cedric Pesce's insight on giving the team a vision to stay motivated[00:19:28] Mark Roberge's strategies to reduce churn at HubSpot[00:21:00] Leading authentically and the importance of caring for your team[00:21:39] John Mosley's selfless leadership as a basketball coach[00:23:06] Customer-centric approach with discovery and the significance of MEDDIC qualification criteriaADDITIONAL RESOURCESLearn more about aligning customer-facing teams to improve execution: https://forc.mx/48o1jyP HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:04:40] "The podcast is about giving back and taking the experiences from our guests and letting them share those life lessons."[00:10:23] "A good leader needs to give the team a vision that keeps their mind away from the monotony of everyday work.[00:17:38] "If you wanna build a ship, don't drum up people to assign them tasks, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

Which sales candidate is a startup's ideal first hire? What marketing channels are best to invest in? How aggressively should an executive team align sales with customer success? Harvard Business School senior lecturer Mark Roberge discusses how early-stage founders, sales leaders, and marketing executives can address these challenges as they grow their ventures in the case, “Entrepreneurial Sales and Marketing Vignettes.”

As AI continues to reshape the way businesses operate, it has become a critical differentiator in gaining a competitive edge. Stage 2 Capital Co-founder and Managing Director Mark Roberge dissects the advantages and challenges faced by both startups and incumbents in leveraging AI for Go-to-Market strategies. Uncover the unique capabilities that startups bring to the table and how they disrupt established players with their agility, innovation, and ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2024 at: SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave50 SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.