Podcasts about product market fit

Neste episódio do Vamos de Vendas, falamos sobre como escalar vendas aproveitando o timing perfeito de mercado. Recebemos Ricardo Petta, profissional que já esteve no lugar certo, na hora certa, em empresas como XP, Google e atualmente no iFood Benefícios.Ricardo compartilha os desafios e oportunidades ao encontrar uma oferta alinhada ao que o mercado deseja no momento certo, além de debater a importância do Product Market-Fit e das preparações estratégicas para aproveitar janelas de oportunidade em vendas.

Public SaaS companies are growing faster—but private equity–backed SaaS companies are doing it more profitably. In this episode, AJ and Asad dig into new data from David Spitz comparing ARR growth and EBITDA margins across both groups, and debate what's really driving the difference: lower R&D spend, selection bias, or superior go-to-market execution. They also unpack the implications of long CAC paybacks, PE-style operational rigor, and whether most founders truly understand the capital partners they're signing up with. 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) - Introduction to Topline Podcast and Episode Overview (02:42) - Exploring SaaS Growth Metrics and Margins (05:29) - The Role of R&D in SaaS Companies (08:32) - Understanding CAC and Payback Periods (11:22) - Cohort Analysis and Its Importance (14:34) - Navigating Board Dynamics and CEO Challenges (17:26) - The Importance of Understanding Investors (20:39) - Lessons from Previous Funding Rounds (23:34) - Market Dynamics and Founder Challenges (26:25) - The Impact of Market Conditions on Founders (29:39) - Acquisition Strategies and Long-Term Vision (32:34) - The Future of LinkedIn and Social Networks (35:42) - Conclusion and Key Takeaways (36:10) - The Evolution of LinkedIn and Market Dynamics (38:30) - Challenges in Product Market Fit and Email Cadences (40:45) - The Challenger Sale: Relevance and Misconceptions (46:40) - AI's Impact on Sales Methodologies and Market Dynamics (53:38) - Defining Intelligence in AI and Its Implications (01:02:00) - Best Practices for Using AI Effectively  

Ankur Goyal is the founder and CEO of Braintrust, an end-to-end platform for building AI apps. Before that, he founded Impira, a data management platform that was acquired by Figma, where he went on to lead the AI team. Ankur kickstarted his career when he dropped out of college to join the founding team at SingleStore (formerly MemSQL), a formative experience that shaped his views on building for high-bar users. In today's episode, we discuss: • Ankur's early lessons on quality from MemSQL • How frustration with evals at Figma led to Braintrust • Why they delayed go-to-market (on purpose) • How to find product-market fit in a new market • Why building great software comes from a place of “paranoia” • And much more… Referenced: • Airtable: https://www.airtable.com/ • Adam Prout: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-prout-0b347630/ • Braintrust: https://braintrust.dev • Brian Helmig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanhelmig/ • Coda: https://coda.io/ • Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/ • David Kossnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkossnick/ • Figma: https://www.figma.com/ • Goldman Sachs: https://www.goldmansachs.com/ • Kris Rasmussen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristopherrasmussen/ • Manu Goyal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mngyl/ • MemSQL: https://www.singlestore.com/ (now SingleStore) • Nikita Shamgunov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikitashamgunov/ • OpenAI: https://openai.com/ • Snowflake: https://www.snowflake.com/ • Zapier: https://zapier.com/ Where to find Ankur: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankrgyl/ • Twitter/X: https://x.com/ankrgyl Where to find Brett: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-berson-9986094/ • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brettberson Where to find First Round Capital: • Website: https://firstround.com/ • First Round Review: https://review.firstround.com/ • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/firstround • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstRoundCapital • This podcast on all platforms: https://review.firstround.com/podcast Timestamps (02:02) Dropping out of college to join MemSQL (02:24) Key lessons from MemSQL (05:54) How to build quality software (08:51) The trick to recruiting well (12:03) Founding Impira and selling to Figma (19:45) How Braintrust was born (25:33) Why good founders are paranoid (28:08) How to recognize a real market opportunity (33:37) The biggest mistake at Impira (35:15) Inside Braintrust's first six months (40:57) How AI is reshaping Braintrust's future (42:32) The evolution of their prompt playground (46:53) Fighting to stay mission-driven (52:45) Make big bets, with extreme clarity (57:00) The cultural choices that shaped Braintrust (58:49) Hiring mistakes they won't repeat (1:03:07) What PMF really looks like

In this episode of Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur, Tom Hunt interviews Marc Seitz, the Co-Founder of Papermark. Discover how Papermark disrupted the virtual data room market, scaling from $20K to £60K MRR through a unique combination of open-source innovation, strategic SEO targeting established competitors, and a powerful product-led viral growth model. Marc shares invaluable insights into rapid customer support and feature development, showcasing how bootstrapping can lead to significant success and accelerate product-market fit. This is essential listening for B2B founders seeking sustainable growth strategies without external funding.

What does it really take to carve out space for a new business in an industry dominated by giants? In this episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood sits down with Kimberly Evans, the inspiring founder and CEO of Just Her Rideshare, a women-centric rideshare service focused on safety, community, and empowerment.Kimberly shares her personal story of why she created Just Her Rideshare, drawing from her own experiences and deep commitment to serving women who often feel vulnerable using traditional rideshare options. As a fourth-generation entrepreneur, she talks candidly about the challenges of fundraising, the lessons learned from bootstrapping, and the value of staying connected to the community at every stage of growth.If you're passionate about startups, social impact, or want to understand the realities of building something new against the odds, this episode is a must-listen. Kimberly's journey is filled with actionable insights on fundraising, effective marketing, and the power of focusing on community—offering inspiration and practical advice to founders and investors alike.And don't forget you can also participate in the Wefunder crowdfunding campaign to support Just Her Rideshare.https://wefunder.com/justherrideshare/ To get the latest from Kimberly Evans, you can follow her below!https://www.linkedin.com/in/justherride/https://www.justherrideshare.com/ https://wefunder.com/justherrideshare/ Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing!Website: www.marciadawood.comLearn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.comAnd don't forget to follow us wherever you are!Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.appleSpotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

This is a must-listen episode for any founders, especially those using “AI Agentic Coding” or “Vibe Coding” to quickly build concepts and now need to think about finding product-market fit. Even if you're an experienced PM, you're bound to expand your aperture and understanding of the “path to PMF” with this episode.In this episode, we sit down with Rob Snyder, a two-time founder and current fellow at Harvard Innovation Lab, to discuss his unique approach to finding product-market fit. Rob shares his journey from McKinsey and Harvard Business School to the realities of startup life, emphasizing the challenges and lessons learned in the 'pain cave.' We delve into the importance of understanding true customer demand, avoiding common discovery pitfalls, and the real meaning of pivoting. Rob also offers insights into his bootcamp and one-on-one coaching for early-stage founders, illustrating how to extract actionable insights from sales calls and get on the same side of the table with potential customers. This conversation is a must-watch for product managers and founders navigating the complexities of the zero-to-one phase of product development. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome02:39 Rob Snyder's Background and Journey04:54 The Importance of Product Market Fit08:42 Understanding Customer Demand14:55 Discovery and Validation in Startups19:48 Navigating Pivots and Iterations23:32 Introduction to Founder Sales25:02 Challenges Founders Face with Sales26:45 Effective Sales Strategies28:31 Bootcamp for Founders31:38 Coaching and Real-World Examples35:48 The Role of AI in Sales Discovery38:00 Finding Product-Market Fit44:27 Working with Rob and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Elevate Media Podcast, host Chris Anderson speaks with Ali Hafizji, engineer turned entrepreneur and founder of Wednesday and Tuesday, two innovative agencies. Ali shares his journey from building scalable systems to running product-driven teams focused on AI, customer acquisition, and sustainable growth. He explains how product-market fit applies to both products and services, why most founders plateau, and how to break through by changing yourself and your systems. A must-listen for entrepreneurs seeking to scale with intention and adaptability.Main Talking Points:What product-market fit really means—and how to know when you have itAli's journey from engineering at scale to founding two agenciesThe biggest challenge for founders: themselvesHow to adapt business systems to scale through S-curve growthThe impact of AI on service businesses and client expectationsWhy smaller teams have an edge in flexibility and innovationLessons in delegation, decision-making, and evolving leadershipUsing sprints and skin-in-the-game pricing models for client trustNavigating fear and economic downturns with resiliencePersonal habits, sports, and the mental edge in entrepreneurship  This episode is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, meaning we'll receive a small commission if you buy something.===========================⚡️PODCAST: Subscribe to our podcast here ➡ https://elevatemedia.buzzsprout.com/⚡️Need post-recording video production help? Let's chat ➡ https://calendly.com/elevate-media-group/application⚡️For Support inquires or Business inquiries, please email us at ➡︎ support@elevate-media-group.comOur mission here at Elevate Media is to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs elevate their brands and make an impact through the power of video podcasting.Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all our episodes or videos on the Elevate Media and Elevate Media Podcast YouTube channels. https://elevatemediastudios.com/disclaimer

In this episode of the Friday Habit, Nick McEvily shares his journey from design to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of customer interviews and the role of design in business success. He discusses his life in Mexico City, the challenges of the zero to one stage in startups, and the common pitfalls founders face in achieving product market fit. The discussion highlights the necessity of data-driven decision-making and the art of understanding customer needs through effective communication. In this conversation, Nick McEvily shares insights on the importance of effective listening, crafting open-ended questions for interviews, and the significance of gathering honest feedback from clients. He emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to validate their ideas quickly and the changing landscape of venture capital, advocating for a more thoughtful approach to business development. The discussion also touches on the value of data in decision-making and the importance of humility in leadership.Takeaways:Nick McEvily emphasizes the importance of customer interviews.Design plays a crucial role in building trust with users.The zero to one stage is a critical phase for startups.Delusion can be necessary for founders to succeed.Many founders do not spend enough time understanding their customers.Effective design must resonate with the target audience.Data should back the intuition of CEOs and founders.Customer feedback can be misleading if not approached correctly.Surveys are just one tool among many for gathering insights.Building a strong narrative is essential for fundraising. Good listening skills help decipher unspoken truths.Facing the truth can lead to stronger confidence.Crafting a script is essential for effective interviews.Open-ended questions yield higher quality responses.Limit the number of questions to maintain engagement.Finding unbiased participants is crucial for research.Statistical significance is important in decision-making.Don't wait too long to present ideas to customers.Exploration leads to new opportunities and ideas.The venture capital landscape is evolving towards more validation.Connect with Nick:https://www.nickmcevily.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmcevilyLearn More: Visit TheFridayHabit.com for show notes, resources, and to download the guide on working on your business rather than in it. Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Friday Habit for more real-life business lessons, candid conversations, and actionable strategies to elevate your entrepreneurial journey.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Nicholas McEvily  01:04 Life in Mexico City and Family  04:00 Journey into Design and Entrepreneurship  07:00 The Importance of Design in Business  10:00 Navigating the Zero to One Stage  13:04 Common Pitfalls in Product Market Fit  16:00 Insights from Customer Interviews  19:11 The Art of Listening and Understanding  20:37 Crafting Effective Interview Questions  21:33 The Importance of Open-Ended Questions  23:14 Navigating Client Relationships  25:16 Finding Participants for Research  26:23 The Value of Data in Decision Making  28:23 The Balance of Confidence and Humility  30:33 Validating Ideas Quickly  33:05 Exploring New Ventures and Markets  35:42 Learning from Failure and Exploration  37:47 The Changing Landscape of Venture Capital  39:22 Final Thoughts and Action Items  

In this episode, we're joined by Chris Tottman from Notion Capital. Before becoming a VC, Chris co-founded MessageLabs and helped grow it into a $700 million exit, so he's seen the startup journey from both sides of the table.We talk about what really happens when your product-market fit starts to slip—and why it quietly wrecks your entire go-to-market strategy. Sales start missing targets. Marketing can't get traction. Churn creeps up. But most teams keep pushing forward without realizing the core problem is the product just doesn't fit anymore.(00:00) - Introduction (09:55) - Common mistakes in Go-To-Market strategies (19:54) - Identifying a VC case (30:05) - Importance of Product Market Fit (39:38) - Transitioning from VC to PE (50:07) - Next week: pricing changes

Chad dives into a different kind of development with Jon Gamble, CTO of Fordje (https://www.fordje.com/), as they talk all things city code and construction. Jon breakdowns the different types of construction Fordje (https://www.fordje.com/) covers and the clients they aim to serve, the reality of building a new starter business with a such a small team, the value of trust and communication when developing such a business, and how being the only developer on the team drives creativity and a desire to succeed. — Stay up to date with the work that Jon does with Fordje (https://www.fordje.com/) over on their LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fordje/), or by connecting with him directly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonfgamble/). Your host for this episode has been Chad Pytel. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel, or over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

Send us a text  Before you launch any new business or idea, there are 10 essential “fits” you need to get right — from Product–Market Fit to Founder–Market Fit, and even Brand–Audience Fit. In this episode, I break down each one, with real-life examples and lessons to help you avoid costly mistakes and build something that actually works. Whether you're just getting started or refining your concept, this is your checklist for building with intention, clarity, and strategy. Tune in for a practical, no-fluff guide to launching smarter. قبل ما تبدأ أي مشروع جديد، في ١٠ أنواع من "التوافق" لازم تراجعها لتتأكد إنك ماشي بالطريق الصح — من توافق المنتج مع السوق، لتوافقك الشخصي كمؤسس، وحتى توافق العلامة التجارية مع جمهورك. بهي الحلقة، بشرح كل نوع بطريقة بسيطة، مع أمثلة حقيقية ونصائح بتفيد أي شخص عم يخطط لإطلاق فكرة أو بزنس. إذا بدك تتجنب الأخطاء وتبني شي فعلاً ناجح، هاي الحلقة هي دليلك العملي. اسمعها لتتعلم كيف تبدأ صح وتخطط بذكاء من أول خطوة.  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

OnBoard! 今年第一场直播回放来啦！我们跨洋连线硅谷资深增长顾问陈畅，2个多小时的访谈，探讨了关于AI应用出海增长的各种干货，直播间饱爆满好评如潮，我们经过整理放出精修音频，绝对值得你反复听几遍！Hello World, who is OnBoard!?今年真是AI应用爆发的大年！诞生不到26个月的ChatGPT 月活已超过8亿，OpenAI 和Anthropic ARR 分别超过100亿美金和50亿美金，Cursor, Lovable, Manus, Genspark 等 AI 应用的用户数和收入增长不断刷新纪录。越来越多的AI应用创业者涌入赛场，如何做增长，就成了最经常被谈论的话题。尤其是对于广大打造出海应用的中国创业者，更是希望听到来自硅谷最一线的经验。Chang 是增长顾问公司Hockey Stick Growth创始人。过去8年里，她服务过的很多客户不仅获得了顶尖VC投资，更是实现了扎实的用户和收入的跃升。这个名单，一定有不少你熟知的公司：HeyGen, Gamma, Otter.ai, 还有最近大火的语音模型公司 Cartesia, 成立不到2年，融资超过$90M, 上千万美金收入……在两个多小时的对话里，Chang非常坦诚地分享了他在硅谷一线观察到的AI产品增长变化，以及那些成功案例背后的真实策略。比如：AI应用增长方式过去几年的变化从"AI化"到"去AI化"的品牌定位趋势背后发生了什么？面对越来越卷的增长渠道，AI产品如何找到突破口？那些"剑走偏锋"的增长策略到底值不值得尝试？KOL和各种渠道营销的具体方法论为什么要考虑 product-channel-fit...如果你正在做AI产品，或者对AI应用的增长策略感兴趣，这期来自硅谷一线的实战分享，绝对不容错过！听过直播的同学，也值得反复复习~Enjoy!嘉宾介绍Chang Chen（陈畅） – 硅谷增长顾问，Hockey Stick 增长顾问公司创始人；曾助力 HeyGen、Gamma、Otter.ai 等头部产品打造爆款增长闭环。OnBoard! 主持：Monica：美元VC投资人，前 AWS 硅谷团队+ AI 创业公司打工人，公众号M小姐研习录 (ID: MissMStudy) 主理人 | 即刻：莫妮卡同学OnBoard! 主持：GN：前SaaS及科技投资人，Global SaaS 社区 Linkloud 发起人，公众号我思锅我在 (ID: thinkxcloud) 主理人。| 即刻：High寧我们聊了什么02:59 Chang 自我介绍，最近看到的有意思的AI 产品和增长方式06:36 AI 应用增长方式的演变：从强调“AI”到回归“产品价值”的“去AI化”趋势。13:30 Go Viral 的底层逻辑：如何利用“猎奇、强大、共情”的用户心理策划病毒式传播？17:37 案例复盘：如何结合热点话题 (Elon Musk's Grok) 策划成功的营销活动？19:59 Product-Channel Fit：如何为产品的不同阶段和用户画像找到最合适的增长渠道？24:00 被低估的增长渠道：为什么 ToB 产品应该重视 LinkedIn？30:12 KOL 营销全攻略：如何识别、触达、并与高质量的 KOL 建立长期合作？41:49 从“爆款”到“体系”：当市场变卷，如何建立可持续的增长护城河？49:47 AI 产品如何收费？订阅制、Pay-as-you-go、混合模式的利弊分析。58:53 从 PLG 到 PLS/SLG：AI 公司如何抓住企业客户，何时应该拓展企业市场？01:10:59 Product-Market Fit 是一个动态过程，出海创业者如何更好地找到它？01:16:24 AI 如何赋能增长团队？从内容生成到渠道拓展的最佳实践和误区。01:20:20 LLM-Native 新渠道：如何在 ChatGPT 和 GPT Store 中获取流量？01:24:07 Product Hunt 打榜还值得做吗？效果、用户质量和平台公信力的变化。01:27:06 从0到1搭建增长团队：创始人何时应该招聘第一个全职增长负责人？01:32:28 推荐的增长信息渠道：Twitter, LinkedIn 和线下分享。01:33:00 未来展望：AI Agent 赛道有哪些“卖铲子”的机会？我们提到的公司和概念HeyGen - AI视频生成领军企业Gamma - AI PPT生成先驱，不到30人团队超过5000万美金ARRCartesia - 语音模型公司，成立不到两年融资超过9000万美金Otter.ai - 会议转录和AI助手，超过1亿美金ARRCluely - "AI agent to cheat on everything"争议性定位Eleven Labs - 语音合成领域头部公司Apollo - 销售线索工具Synthesia - AI 虚拟人生成工具PLG (Product-Led Growth) - 产品驱动增长SLG (Sales-Led Growth) - 销售驱动增长ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) - 理想用户画像PMF (Product Market Fit) - 产品市场契合度别忘了！同步关注两位 Host 的微信公众号，看更多干货内容哦：M小姐研习录 (ID: MissMStudy) by Monica我思锅我在 (ID: thinkxcloud) by GN欢迎在评论区留下你的思考，与听友们互动。喜欢 OnBoard! 的话，也可以点击打赏，请我们喝一杯咖啡！如果你用 Apple Podcasts 收听，也请给我们一个五星好评，这对我们非常重要。最后！快来加入Onboard！听友群，结识到高质量的听友们，我们还会组织线下主题聚会，开放实时旁听播客录制，嘉宾互动等新的尝试。添加任意一位小助手微信，onboard666, 或者 Nine_tunes,小助手会拉你进群。期待你来！

Brent Vartan is Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Bullish, a unique hybrid combining a branding agency and a consumer-focused venture fund. With decades of experience in brand strategy, Brent and his team have been early investors and builders behind some of the most iconic DTC and consumer brands of the past decade, including Peloton, Warby Parker, Casper, Harry's, Hu, Bubble, and more.In this episode of DTC Pod, Brent shares his perspective on what it takes to build generational consumer brands from the earliest stages. He discusses Bullish's hands-on investment approach, the importance of brand strategy as a growth mechanism, and what differentiates brands that become household names. Brent also breaks down real playbooks from companies like Sunday Lawn and Nom Nom, providing founders concrete advice on what it takes to build brands worth talking about—and worth buying.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Bullish's hybrid brand agency and VC model2. What it means to invest as “first money” and why it matters3. The difference between building a business and building a brand4. Why customer lifetime value (CLV) trumps CAC and COGS5. Product-market fit: moving from awareness to lifetime value6. How Bullish supports brands like Harry's and Nom Nom in their earliest days7. Tactical advice for founders on capital raising and allocation8. Building brands for acquisition vs. IPO9. The playbook for becoming an acquisition target (what buyers actually want)10. The underrated power of innovation and product launches11. The role of cultural relevance in DTC brand building12. Real-world examples from Sunday Lawn, Peloton, Bubble Beauty, and more13. How great DTC brands focus on AOV, CLV, and brand loyalty14. Pitfalls to avoid around capital structure and loss of momentumTimestamps00:00 Introducing Brent Vartan and Bullish03:49 Bullish's track record and notable investments05:22 What makes Bullish different10:10 Investing as “first money,” how Bullish evaluates concepts13:19 Patterns Bullish looks for in breakout DTC brands16:09 Deep dive: Sunday Lawn's growth and strategy18:36 Positioning Harry's and building a hundred-year business21:04 Timelines, capital, and operational realities for breakout brands23:37 Building for acquisition vs. IPO: how strategies diverge28:57 What buyers are really seeking in DTC acquisitions31:47 Nom Nom's Mars acquisition and the power of niche audiences33:59 The importance of cultural relevance and taking creative “shots”35:32 Bubble Beauty: case study in innovation and customer engagement38:27 Finding the right capital structure and maintaining founder equity41:06 The risks of stalling momentum and overplanning43:33 Where to allocate raised capital: innovation vs. marketing46:20 Where to find Bullish, Brent's socials, and their newsletterShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokBrent Vartan - Managing Partner & Co-Founder of BullishBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

In this Ecommerce Summer School archive episode, we explore the challenges of growing an e-commerce business from small to big. Leonardo Caracas, Partner at Jump Ventures, shares proven strategies for scaling companies to eight figures. He discusses the key metrics that show if a business is ready to grow, common problems entrepreneurs face, and real examples of massive growth. Learn about the four important numbers every business owner should track and discover why most companies struggle with marketing when trying to scale up.Topics discussed in this episode:  Why most e-commerce companies struggle with marketing during growthHow four key metrics determine if a business is scalableWhat it takes to achieve 20x revenue growth in one yearWhy 4.7-star reviews indicate true product-market fitHow raising AOV from $35 to $75 improves profitabilityWhat three obstacles block growth from $1M to $10MWhy 30% repurchase rate signals strong customer valueHow Jump Ventures' three-step process transforms foundersWhat financial changes support rapid e-commerce scalingWhy most businesses need growth expertise to break throughLinks & Resources Website: https://www.jumpventures.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardocaracas/Get access to more free resources by visiting the show notes athttps://tinyurl.com/3dw9576aMORE RESOURCES Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/ Free Store Optimization Beginners Guide: Instant PDF Download!

Check out SmartLing: https://www.smartling.com & their CEO Bryan Murphy https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmurphy2/ Side note to Founders -->

What does it take to scale a B2B SaaS company from zero to $100 million in ARR? In the final episode of Season 6 of the Grow Your B2B SaaS Podcast, we explore this big question with two standout guests: Oji and Ezinne Udezue. They've worked with top tech companies like Typeform, WP Engine, and Twitter. They also co-wrote Building Rocketships: Product Management for High-Growth Companies. Beyond their resumes, they bring a unique perspective as a married couple with 20 years of partnership, both in life and in product leadership. This episode is full of sharp insights and practical strategies for anyone looking to build and grow successful SaaS products.Key Timecodes(0:00) - Knowing Your Ideal Customer Profile(0:09) - Most Important Task for Founders(0:59) - Closing Off Season 6 with a Bang(1:46) - Guest Welcome(1:53) - Diving Into Product Management(2:02) - Product Management as a Craft(3:19) - The Importance of Sharp Problems(4:44) - Why SaaS Founders Need Product Management(6:22) - Founders Thinking as Product Managers(7:54) - Misconceptions in Product Management(8:32) - Admin Layer of Product Management(9:27) - AI's Role in Product Management(10:19) - Calculated Decisions and Customer Needs(10:52) - AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement(11:13) - Scaling from Zero to $100 Million ARR(12:29) - Finding a Sharp Problem(13:46) - Sharpening Your ICP(16:05) - Building and Refining Your Product(18:13) - Signals Before Investing in Growth(19:38) - The Fundamentals of Product-Market Fit(20:36) - Creating a Unicorn vs. a Small Business(22:32) - Product Strategy Across Revenue Stages(25:41) - Strategic Moats and Distribution(26:11) - What is Product-Market Fit?(27:18) - Customer Investment as a Sign of Fit(28:23) - Phases of Growth in SaaS(30:56) - Virality vs. Network Effects(32:54) - When to Think About Virality and Network Effects(35:02) - AI as a Risk and Opportunity(36:18) - AI's Impact on Workflows(39:15) - Rethinking Business with AI(42:34) - Advice for SaaS Founders Starting Out(45:10) - Growing Towards 10 Million ARR(49:03) - Making Decisions When Not in the Room(51:01) - Summary of Key Points(51:26) - Building Rocketships Pro Edition(53:21) - Building a Community of Product Managers(53:57) - Closing Remarks and Call for Feedback

In this episode, we sit down with Emily McAteer, CEO and Co-founder of Odyssey Energy Solutions, one of the most influential startups in the climate tech space for emerging markets. Odyssey is transforming how Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) projects are financed, procured, and managed—especially in emerging markets across countries in Africa, and also India, Mexico, and Brazil.What began as a platform supporting DFIs like the World Bank to deploy capital into DRE projects has evolved into a robust end-to-end solution for the entire ecosystem. Today, Odyssey powers asset monitoring, equipment procurement, and most recently direct credit financing for DRE developers.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Energy Talk Podcast01:36 Emily's Journey into the Energy Sector04:53 The Birth and Growth of Odyssey.08:41 Challenges and Evolution of Odyssey.11:11 Odyssey's Procurement and Credit Platform19:30 Global Expansion and Product Market Fit24:12 Partnerships and Future Prospects28:00 Defining Success and Failure

Today's show:In this powerhouse VC roundtable, @Jason sits down with Sequoia's Doug Leone and Cyberstarts' Gili Raanan to share brutally honest insights on startup recruiting, evaluating second-time founders, and how to truly find product-market fit. They break down why big-tech résumés can be misleading, how to structure early teams, and what separates “missionary” talent from mercenaries. Plus, the myth of early ARR, the art of founder-board trust, and how AI is (and isn't) reshaping startup velocity. Must-watch for founders, VCs, and anyone building from 0 to 1.Timestamps:(03:25) The origins of Wiz and how VCs know when to invest(05:17) What qualities are investors looking for in founders and entrepreneurs?(09:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(18:40) How to know when you've reached true Product Market Fit: the experts sound off(19:20) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(25:39) The secrets of recruiting top talent(29:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(39:38) Judging a startup's revenue quality and “founder vs. salesman” deals(53:38) Is venture capital kind of a SCAM?(55:00) Seed Investing: “Pick them right and early”Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(19:20) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(29:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/techGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Most founders don't know what their differentiator is. That's a problem. Today, we walk through two paths to help you find a differentiator strong enough to anchor a business. We also help you root out bad differentiators - the ones that'll just waste your time. There's also a story about a Rabbi's wisdom, a founder making decaf coffee, and a poison ivy company I'm obsessed with. Tacklebox - start your company before you quit your jobHow to Find Your WedgeHow to Use Landing Page Tests 00:30 Differentiator Intro01:45 Rabbi Joke05:15 Smooth Jazz05:45 How to Find Your Differentiator06:46 Path 1: Letting a Customer Tell You11:41 Path 2: Four Questions to Pick Your Differentiator19:32 How to Test Differentiators21:00 The Reality of Differentiators (Downer)22:16 The End - Taking Yourself Seriously

The CFO software ecosystem is highly fragmented and ripe for disruption. Sean Jacobsohn, partner at Norwest, has a front-row seat to the action: He's backed 10 companies selling to CFOs, while Norwest has invested in 20. Having identified 300 companies in 15 different categories operating in the space, he joins CJ to share takeaways from his market map of the evolving CFO software stack. They dig into what's driving disruption, how new players are challenging legacy systems, and what it takes for founders to stand out. The conversation spans everything from the staying power of spreadsheets to the debate between building for verticals versus horizontals, the future of FP&A, and how AI agents might reshape the stack. Sean delves into the dynamics of partnerships, outlining five key rules for successful collaborations. Additionally, he talks about his Failure Museum which showcases a collection of items representing failed products and companies, and breaks down what he has identified as the six forces of failure.—LINKS:Sean Jacobsohn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanjacobsohnNorwest: https://www.nvp.comMarket Map: Reimagining the CFO Software Stack: https://www.nvp.com/blog/market-map-reimagining-cfo-software-stackFailure Museum: https://failure.museum/CJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222Mostly metrics: http://mostlymetrics.comRELATED EPISODES:CFO of FloQast on Why Finance Teams are Data Curators: The $7 Million Wake-Up Call: Mastering Rebates for Profitability with Enable's Nick Rose: G2 CFO Chad Gold on Building A Durable Career as a Venture Backed Exec: —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:04) Sponsor – Rippling Spend | Pulley | Navan(06:08) The Fragmentation of the CFO Tool Ecosystem(07:24) Advice for Founders on Deep Domain Expertise(10:39) Enable: Disrupting an Existing Solution Versus Creating a New Category(12:32) The Prevalence of Spreadsheets in the Current Ecosystem(13:39) Solutions Built for Verticals Versus Horizontals(16:24) Sponsor – NetSuite | Planful | Tabs(20:22) Vertical Software and the Move to the Cloud(22:17) The Likelihood of Consolidation by Incumbents in the Space(24:53) Developments in the FP&A Space(26:55) The Future of AI Agents in Finance(28:05) The Five Key Rules of Partnerships: Partner Fit(29:17) Entering New Markets(30:16) Enablement: The Importance of Training(32:28) Reciprocation(33:49) How Often the Little Guy Approaches the Big Guy in Partnerships(34:51) M&A in Partnerships(37:01) The Best Way To Form a Partnership(37:45) The Inspiration Behind the Failure Museum(39:14) The Six Forces of Failure(40:38) Falling out of Product-Market Fit(41:25 Examples of Failures From the Failure Museum(44:58) How the Failure Museum Informs Sean's Work at Norwest(46:12) The Magic of Pivoting—SPONSORS:Rippling Spend is a spend management software that gives you complete visibility and automated policy controls across every type of spend, saving you time and money. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Pulley is the cap table management platform built for CFOs and finance leaders who need reliable, audit-ready data and intuitive workflows, without the hidden fees or unreliable support. Switch in as little as 5 days and get 25% off your first year: pulley.com/mostlymetrics.Navan is the all-in-one travel and expense solution that helps finance teams streamline reconciliation, enforce policies automatically, and gain real-time visibility. It connects to your existing cards and makes closing the books faster and smarter. Visit navan.com/Runthenumbers for your demo.NetSuite is an AI-powered business management suite, encompassing ERP/Financials, CRM, and ecommerce for more than 41,000 customers. If you're looking for an ERP, head to https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful's financial planning software can transform your FP&A function. Built for speed, accuracy, and confidence, you'll be planning your way to success and have time left over to actually put it to work. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Tabs is a platform that brings all of your revenue-facing data and workflows - billing, AR, payments, rev rec, and reporting - onto a single system so you can automate and be more flexible. Find out more at: tabs.inc/metrics.#CFOsoftware #marketmap #verticalSaaS #FPandA #FailureMuseum Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Karthik Suresh has seen the software industry from all sides — high-frequency trading, Meta's product teams, early-stage startup trenches, and now the frontier of AI agents. As co-founder of Double-O, he's building a platform that helps non-technical teams automate complex business processes using AI agents described in plain English. In this episode, Karthik shares hard-won lessons about what it really takes to make agentic workflows work in production — and why most companies are still getting it wrong. We talk about the structural failures hiding inside most AI proof-of-concepts, the overlooked importance of eval frameworks, and why enterprise leaders may be unintentionally blocking their own GenAI progress by clinging to control instead of creating trust. Unlock the full potential of your product team with Integral's player coaches, experts in lean, human-centered design. Visit integral.io/convergence for a free Product Success Lab workshop to gain clarity and confidence in tackling any product design or engineering challenge. Inside the episode... Why most AI agent workflows break outside the demo environment How to architect agents like a real team, with roles and review loops What eval frameworks are and how they protect optionality Common failure patterns when swapping models or changing prompts How to tell when you've actually hit product-market fit Why pivot decisions are rarely data-first and often emotionally fraught How startups maintain speed by designing for change, not certainty What big companies get wrong about AI adoption and control Lessons from a $400M trading system failure Karthik lived through The future of agent-to-agent communication and orchestration protocols Mentioned in this episode DoubleO.ai Craft.co Ignition Ocar.io Ragas eval framework CrewAI AutoGen LangGraph Granola (AI call recorder) Subscribe to the Convergence podcast wherever you get podcasts, including video episodes on YouTube at youtube.com/@convergencefmpodcast Learn something? Give us a 5-star review and like the podcast on YouTube. It's how we grow.

In this deep-dive episode, we sat down with Ajithesh Korupolu garu, CEO of Ashoka Builders India Private Limited (ASBL) to uncover the full story behind the evolving property market in Telangana, one of India's richest states in terms of per capita income. From global forces like the Russia-Ukraine war to the dependency of Indian real estate on U.S. financial systems, we explore how international events silently shape local outcomes.The conversation spans the remarkable shift from post-Telangana agitation stagnancy to the historic boom from 2016 to 2023, highlighting 2019 as a peak year. We examine how commercial space rentals subtly indicate job creation, discuss capital gains tax changes, and expose the digital echo chambers—where people often form market opinions through YouTube comments and Google search views rather than data.VK sir brings a powerful real-world lens with his recent ₹1000 Cr launch success, emphasizing the importance of Product-Market Fit and understanding shifting consumer preferences like smaller carpet areas. We also explore Hyderabad's superior piped water system in contrast with Bangalore, planning foresight, and water conservation challenges. With reflections on future-forward infrastructure like water grids and ocean-filtered solar water systems, we compare global models like Barcelona and the U.S.'s $1.4 trillion infrastructure renovation.What sets Hyderabad apart? Its 6 consecutive affordability titles (Mercer data), tech ecosystem, over 64% of India's CCTVs, and SHE teams ensuring women's safety make it a standout city. The episode also digs into the reality of corruption—both political and bureaucratic—highlighting the need for transparency in political expenditure and the role of digitization.We touch on growing trends like founder-led real estate brands, gated neighborhoods, the influence of DINK/DISK families, pets, and the evolving wedding ecosystem. You'll hear about zoning's role in reducing taxes, and how poor infrastructure robs people of opportunity.Plus, we discuss the challenges real estate developers face: dealing with ministers, OOH vs digital marketing, labor shortages, and the AI revolution in real estate. You'll also gain insights on how to properly research before buying property (RERA!), funny anecdotes on irrational purchase patterns, and meaningful advice for young parents on nurturing future citizens.And also we discussed the most awaited question in detail–“Is Hyderabad's real estate market down, or are we misreading a complex economic transformation?”  This is more than a market talk—it's a masterclass on city planning, investment strategies, and India's urban future. Whether you're an investor, student, policymaker, or curious citizen, this is one episode you don't want to miss.

I'm Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I've spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I tackle a really common frustration: pouring time and money into marketing when the real problem is the product itself. I break down the brutal but freeing truth: Marketing is a megaphone, not a magician. I share my own hard-earned lessons on how to stop masking product issues with ads and instead zero in on product-market fit. I explain how to test it, iterate fast, and double down on what works — so you can stop wasting dollars and start selling out seats and dishes naturally.Takeaways:Many restaurants fail to profit because they haven't built a strong business behind great food and service.If your concept doesn't resonate with your target market, no amount of marketing will fix it.True product-market fit shows up instantly — seats fill, dishes sell out, buzz spreads organically.Marketing only amplifies what's already working; it can't create demand where none exists.To find product-market fit, test small, track data, listen to feedback, and iterate constantly.Stop trying to revive your weakest menu items — double down on your best sellers and build on what already works.Once you nail product-market fit, that's the time to scale your marketing and growth.Chapters: [00:17] Why Restaurants Struggle Financially  [01:35] Cathy's Question — Is Marketing the Problem?  [02:00] Product-Market Fit Explained  [04:00] Marketing is a Megaphone, Not a Magician  [06:30] Double Down on What Works If you've got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

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In this episode of Practical Pivots, Mick Freeman, CEO of BEN Colorado, unveils the hidden challenges and untapped potential of startup ecosystems. Drawing from his diverse entrepreneurial background, Freeman candidly discusses the critical importance of bootstrapping until achieving true product market fit - which he defines simply as "somebody bought it twice" - and warns against premature fundraising that can dilute founders' equity. He reveals surprising insights about Colorado's unique collaborative startup culture, where entrepreneurs view the business landscape as an expandable pie rather than a zero-sum game. Freeman passionately advocates for entrepreneurs to break down their ego barriers and actively seek help, highlighting the mental health challenges in startup life and the transformative power of vulnerability. With provocative observations about leadership, financing strategies, and the psychological hurdles of scaling businesses, Freeman offers a raw, unfiltered look into the entrepreneurial journey that will resonate with founders navigating the treacherous waters of startup growth.About Mick Freeman, CEO & Executive Director, BEN ColoradoMick Freeman is a seasoned business leader, social entrepreneur, and strategic advisor with over six years of experience as a BEN volunteer across multiple programs. His experience spans the nonprofit, private, and public sectors, including startup, scale-up, turnaround, Fortune 500, nonprofits, and for-profit social enterprises.https://www.bencolorado.org/mick-freeman

Sales Enablement in staffing is no longer a tactical side function, it's the engine of your entire go-to-market strategy. In this eye-opening episode, Avner Baruch (Author of Project Moneyball) shares how top staffing and recruiting firms are transforming enablement from “content dumping” into measurable impact through coaching, role practice, and feedback loops. This video will inspire you to re-evaluate your GTM systems and explore enablement through the lens of performance coaching and strategic execution. In This Episode: What Sales Enablement in Staffing really means today How to build a go-to-market strategy aligned with sales motion The hidden cost of relying solely on content (and what to do instead) Why role practice and feedback loops are critical for sales acceleration How elite teams reinforce skills—without blowing their budget The enablement tech stack that makes it all possible Avner's Project Moneyball methodology for enabling outcomes across the customer lifecycle Whether you're launching a new GTM motion or trying to reverse stagnant revenue, the insights here are built to drive impact across your customer lifecycle. Timestamps: 00:43 - What is sales enablement? A Moneyball analogy 02:57 - Sales enablement in startups vs. enterprises 03:45 - Why the best companies go beyond content 04:55 - The economic pressure fueling enablement evolution 06:43 - Common pitfalls: Content without context 08:51 - Why content is only half the battle 10:53 - The power of role practice and daily sales routines 12:55 - Real-world staffing challenges and playbook creation 16:29 - Why leaders avoid role practice—and how to fix it 20:52 - Leveraging AI for sales coaching 22:30 - Shifting outdated staffing habits 25:12 - Consistency beats intensity in sales enablement 27:26 - Misalignment of seller skills and roles 31:59 - Coachability and cultural fit in hiring 34:17 - The ideal sales enablement hire 37:01 - Content graveyards vs. actionable insights 41:36 - Meet Avner Baruch and Project Moneyball 44:26 - Moneyball methodology for enablement ROI 46:30 - Avner's favorite book: Crossing the Chasm   About the Speakers: Brad Bialy is host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the leading podcast for the staffing industry, presented by Haley Marketing. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars. As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. As an executive GTM and Enablement leader, Avner Baruch has built and led GTM, Sales Enablement and RevOps functions from the ground up for leading Startups such as Walkme, Imperva-Incapsula, Rapyd and more notable SaaS businesses. As a consultant, member of Advisory Boards and Design Partners, he has helped entrepreneurs and scaling startups implement and reinforce their sales methodologies, fine-tune their Product-Market Fit, design, build and scale their selling motion. In 2020 he founded Project Moneyball (a GTM consulting firm) to help early-stage startups and scaling businesses overcome growth challenges. He is a certified sales trainer holding a B.Eng with Honors in Electrical Engineering & Physics from Coventry University (UK) and the Max Planck Institute (France).   Offers Heard in this Episode: 30 minutes of strategic marketing consultation with Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 Special Offers! Our Best Savings of 2025: https://bit.ly/bialyoffer What if your back office fueled your growth instead of holding it back? TRICOM makes it happen! From payroll and billing to accounting and asset based lending, they clear the roadblocks and power your path forward. Your team gets paid, your cash flow stays steady and your business scales like never before. TRICOM doesn't just support you, they set you up to soar. Visit https://www.TRICOM.com to learn more. 

This episode is brought to you by https://www.ElevateOS.com —the only all-in-one community operating system.ElevateOS transforms property management, combining resident engagement, reservations, rent payments, maintenance, and concierge services into a single super app. It also uniquely integrates access control, intercoms, package lockers, and thermostats, eliminating app fatigue and redefining modern apartment living.Visit https://www.ElevateOS.com/MMN for a free demo and see how they can help you level up your operations.Have you heard of the Ford Edsel?If you're under 40, maybe not. But in this episode of the Multifamily Collective, Mike Brewer unpacks the legendary failure that every modern business leader—especially in Multifamily—needs to understand.The Edsel wasn't just a car. It was a case study in how not to launch. Ford designed it for themselves—not for the customer. No market research. No personas. No consumer validation. Just gut instincts and wishful thinking.The result? One of the biggest flops in automotive history.Mike brings this hard truth home for Multifamily professionals: product-market fit matters. Whether you're launching a new property, rolling out PropTech, or crafting a resident experience strategy, skipping the customer lens is business malpractice.You're not Steve Jobs.So do the work.Talk to your customer.Build what they need—not what you think they want.If you're in Multifamily, don't build your next Edsel.Like this lesson?Hit Like.Click Subscribe.And pass this one along to your product and marketing teams.

Logan sits down with Bipul Sinha, CEO and co-founder of Rubrik and former VC at Lightspeed and Blumberg Capital. Bipul shares what he learned transitioning from investor to founder, why intuition beats expertise, and how he built Rubrik into a category-defining business by betting on uncool ideas. They talk product-market fit in the AI era, what most VCs get wrong today, and why the enterprise IT market is still just getting started. It's a conversation packed with hard-earned wisdom and bold takes on building lasting companies. (00:00) Intro (01:42) Transitioning from VC to Founder (02:27) The Genesis of Rubrik (03:30) Navigating Uncertainty in Business (06:57) Product Market Fit and Early Success (08:56) Evolving with the Market (13:14) AI and Data Security (18:53) Leadership and Intuition (28:34) Building a Transparent Culture (31:52) Handling Tough Questions in Board Meetings (33:28) Changing Perspectives Over Time (34:57) Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs (36:46) The Future of Venture Capital and Startups (40:38) Balancing Forward and Lateral Motion in Business (42:35) The Impact of AI on Various Industries (01:00:28) The Evolution of Work and Technology (01:02:52) Fostering a Collaborative Company Culture (01:04:56) Looking Ahead: The Future of Rubrik Executive Producer: Rashad Assir Producer: Leah Clapper Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

This week on The AI Report, Liam Lawson is joined by Peter, a startup coach and product strategist who's helped dozens of early-stage founders avoid one of the most costly mistakes in tech: building before validating.Peter explains why most startup ideas fail not because the tech doesn't work, but because there's no real demand. He shares the “sandwich method” he uses to get honest, useful feedback in discovery calls, and how founders can avoid building in a vacuum.They also explore the role AI is starting to play in validation workflows—and why it can't replace true customer insight.Also in this episode: • Why product-market fit is not a feeling • How to structure conversations to get real signal • The biggest lies founders tell themselves during early validation • How to use AI tools in discovery without getting misled • Why humility might be the most valuable founder skillIf you're building anything new—especially in AI or SaaS—this episode is a sharp, tactical reset.Subscribe to The AI Report:https://theaireport.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin the community:https://www.skool.com/the-ai-report-community/aboutChapters:(00:00) Misunderstanding Product Validation(01:15) Who Peter Works With and Why(03:40) The Sandwich Method for Better Discovery(06:05) What He Learned From YC and Startup #1(08:12) Founders as Pattern Matchers(10:33) Detecting and Avoiding Bias(13:00) Identifying Real Market Demand(15:18) The Feature Fallacy(17:50) AI Tools vs Product Necessity(19:36) Where AI Can (and Can't) Help(21:44) Advice for Founders on Day Zero(23:50) Why Peter Keeps Coaching(26:04) Where to Find Him

Former beauty exec William Smolen turned a personal need into a business opportunity—creating the pet wellness category and scaling WagWell into a leader in just 15 months.For more on WagWell and show notes click here. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

This week, Lightspeed Partner Mike Mignano sits down with Gabriel Stengel, founder and CEO of Rogo, to explore how AI is transforming the world of finance. Gabe shares his journey from sleepless nights as a junior investment banker at Lazard to building Rogo, a cutting-edge AI platform that automates the grueling work of benchmarking, earnings analysis, and pitch deck creation in seconds. They discuss the origins of Rogo from Gabe's time at Princeton, the challenges of building AI tools for elite financial institutions, and why the next generation of analysts might just be digital. Gabe also unpacks the technical edge that sets Rogo apart and the ways in which financial services may look very different in the near future. Episode Chapters: (00:00) Introduction to the Interview(00:55) Gabe Stengel's Background and Rogo's Inception(02:44) Early Challenges and Evolution of Rogo(07:29) The Role of AI in Finance(12:07) Investor and Customer Reception(13:49) Pivotal Moments and Product Market Fit(21:53) Balancing Enterprise Security and Feature Development(23:45) Navigating the Challenges of AI Startup Speed(25:45) Rogo's Impact on Investment Banking Workflows(28:34) AI's Role in Professional Services and Legal Work(32:33) Future of Rogo and Financial Services(37:18) Challenges and Strategies in Enterprise Sales(42:02) Conclusion and Final ThoughtsStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Follow me @samirkaji for my thoughts on the venture market, with a focus on the continued evolution of the VC landscape.Welcome to another episode of Venture Unlocked. In this episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming Villi Iltchev, founder and managing partner of Category Ventures. Villi has had a long history in tech, both in operating roles at companies like Box and Lifelock, as well as investing roles at August Capital and Two Sigma, where he departed in 2024 to launch Category Ventures.We covered a lot of ground in our conversation, including his inspiration for starting a new firm and the experiences that informed his true north. We also spoke about the fragmentation of the market and what it means to win in early-stage investing in a heavily crowded market of dedicated seed funds & larger funds who are active in see and Series A. I really enjoyed the authenticity of the conversation and hope you do as well.About Villi IltchevVilli Iltchev is the Founder and Managing Partner of Category Ventures, an early-stage venture firm focused on backing category-defining enterprise software companies. With over two decades of experience as both an operator and investor, Villi has held leadership roles at Box, LifeLock, and Salesforce, where he led investments and acquisitions in companies like HubSpot, MuleSoft, Gusto, and Zapier. As a General Partner at August Capital and later at Two Sigma Ventures, he backed standout startups like GitLab—turning a $20M investment into over $900M in returns. Originally from Bulgaria, Villi brings a global perspective and a founder-first mindset to every partnership.Category Ventures is an early-stage venture firm founded in 2024 by veteran investor Villi Iltchev, focused on backing category-defining enterprise software startups. With a $160M debut fund, the firm invests in pre-seed and seed-stage companies across infrastructure, dev tools, AI, and applications. Drawing on Iltchev's track record—including early investments in GitLab, Zapier, and Gusto—Category Ventures brings deep technical and go-to-market expertise to help founders build enduring businesses. Their approach centers on hands-on support and founder-first partnership to shape the future of enterprise software.In this episode, we discuss:* Villi's Background and Journey (1:50)* Lessons from Venture Capital Firms (5:35)* Market Fragmentation in Venture Capital (8:47)* Flexible Investment Strategy (12:24)* Challenges with Traditional VC Models (13:26)* Product Market Fit and Founder Support (17:35)* Counterpoints on Large VC Firms (21:40)* Winning in Venture Capital (24:07)* Kindness and Community (26:24)* Components of Success (30:00)* Decision-Making Process (33:21)* Intellectual Honesty in Investments (36:16)* The Role of Fresh Perspectives (40:08)* Acting on Great Ideas and Final Thoughts (42:27)I'd love to know what you took away from this conversation with Villi. Follow me @SamirKaji and give me your insights and questions with the hashtag #ventureunlocked. If you'd like to be considered as a guest or have someone you'd like to hear from (GP or LP), drop me a direct message on X. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ventureunlocked.substack.com

 Angie Kaminky launched Minky Muffins just months before giving birth—and never stopped moving. In this episode, we dive into the reality of launching a food brand while navigating parenthood, production challenges, and early retail wins. A must-listen for founder-parents balancing growth and grit. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro Podcast, host Anika Zubair and guest Parul Bhandari discuss the critical aspects of building effective customer retention programs. They explore the importance of understanding customer goals, the role of product market fit, and the necessity of tracking essential metrics from day one. Parul shares her journey from leading customer success teams to becoming a fractional consultant, emphasizing the growing trend of fractional roles in the current market. The conversation highlights the need for early-stage startups to prioritize retention strategies alongside acquisition efforts, ensuring a solid foundation for long-term success. In this conversation, Anika Zubair discusses the evolution of customer retention strategies as organizations grow. She emphasizes the importance of understanding customer health, structuring effective renewal processes, and adapting to changes in customer sentiment and stakeholder dynamics. Anika also highlights the need for continuous engagement with customers and the role of health scores in retention efforts. The discussion covers practical steps for building retention programs and the significance of viewing challenges as opportunities for growth.Get your FREE QBR Revenue Guide: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resourcesSignup to the VIP Waitlist for RevUP Academy: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupChapters00:00 Introduction08:13 The Importance of Early Stage Customer Success12:09 Creating Retention Programs from Day One13:37 Understanding Customer Goals and Outcomes16:21 The Role of Product Market Fit in Retention20:12 Tracking Metrics for Early Stage Companies25:31 Essential Metrics for Customer Retention27:53 Identifying Customer Retention Challenges28:23 Evolving Retention Strategies for Growing Teams29:46 Understanding Customer Health and Renewal Programs31:14 Structuring Effective Renewal Processes32:42 Navigating Customer Sentiment and Product Changes34:57 Re-Onboarding and Stakeholder Realignment36:54 Leveraging Health Scores for Retention39:42 Transforming Challenges into Opportunities41:07 Surprises in Mature Retention Phases43:05 Engaging Customers for Long-Term Retention45:27 Keeping Retention Strategies Fresh49:12 Practical Steps for Building Retention ProgramsConnect with Anika Zubair: Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/CSM RevUP Academy: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupConnect with Parul Bhandari:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parul-bhandari-1294488/Website: https://customerxsuccess.com/Parul is a Customer Success consultant based in Chicago. Following time working for large corporations, Parul launched her first Customer Success (CS) team from the ground up, and from then on has found a passion in leading CS teams. Parul draws from her collective background to design CS organizations which can be scaled successfully, to drive CS as a profit center and to drive value exchange and retention.Parul writes for Inc.com and has a collaborative CS booSend Anika a text :) Want to be our next guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guest Podcast Editor: https://podcastmagician.com/

Adam Breckler is the Co-founder and Head of Product at Better Health. Adam is a seasoned entrepreneur and product expert. At Better Health, he leads efforts to simplify access to medical equipment and support for people with chronic conditions, combining technology, peer coaching, and education to improve patient outcomes.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comBetter Health website - https://joinbetter.com/Adam Breckler on X - https://x.com/adambrecklerAdam Breckler on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adambreckler/

Show Notes: Alex Lugosch and Ilya Druzhnikov, founders of True PMF, explain that True PMF is a rapid prototyping and discovery service for startups and established companies who are releasing a new product or testing a new market and don't have the tools or six to eight months to try new experiments for product market fit. The firm uses cold calling tools to test out different ideas and pitches to potential clients, focusing on understanding the reactions of potential buyers. Ilya explains how their tool saves time and money by improving the cold call process. First Steps in a Cold Call Strategy Alex and Ilya work with a founder to identify their target audience and use tools like ZoomInfo to gather a list of people that fit that profile. They then use cold calling tool to test out different ideas and iterate different pitches to potential clients. They also train the founder to do cold calls, helping them understand the process and find what resonates with potential buyers. The firm often stacks rank lists of 20 audiences to test in the next 20 days, with each experiment taking about two sessions of an hour each. At a certain point, they do turnover, where the founder takes over to learn how to do the process. They use several list building services, data validation services, and dialers to build tight lists, accessing many people at the C-suite that most founders can only dream of contacting. Within one or two calls, they find that those people are picking up on their pitches and talking to them, which is a significant improvement from the traditional six-month process of trying to determine if something is a product market fit. The Cold Call Conversation and Analysis Ilya explains the process, beginning from when they contact the founder, building the initial list, finding direct phone numbers for 80-100 people, and loading them into their enterprise-grade tech stack that few startups can afford.  He goes on to explain how they start the conversation.  They try to make the pitch relevant to the founder and explain that their solution could save time and money while having a positive impact on the bottom line. After the call, the transcript goes directly into the AI model, which produces an analysis of the conversation and offers recommendations on how to proceed. The next step is to determine the outcome of the call. In a typical calling session, there are sometimes upwards of 14 or 15 connects. As the conversation gets closer to the target, the conversations become more rich, with more follow-up emails, scheduled demos, and referrals. It's an iterative process until discovering the audience is interested in the topic and/or the call can be referred to the right person. Cold Calling Techniques The conversation turns to the importance of effective cold pitching techniques. They mention the importance of recognizing what's currently relevant to the client. They also discuss the concept of partnering one person to take a pitch and then alternate to the other person without giving feedback. The key to getting better at cold pitching is focusing on the elements that work in the previous pitch. This technique can be applied to other situations as well, such as listening to each other's tone of voice and understanding their preferences. Alex emphasizes that these techniques are not meant to scale sales but to provide relevant information about messaging and product features that can be used in outbound campaigns that are scalable, such as emails, LinkedIn messages, or conferences. Ilya and Alex give an impromptu example of an opening conversation with mid-market private equity owned portfolio companies. Ilya explains that their informs more effective marketing strategies. This approach helps clients narrow down their ideas about the persona, develop stronger content that connects with their target market(s),  and ensures that their marketing efforts are highly effective. Cost of SDRs Cold Calling The discussion revolves around the cost of cold calling sales development representatives (SDRs) and their effectiveness in B2B product spaces. Emphasis is placed on understanding the messaging and the potential for managing costs. They mention a company with 400 clients across Europe that raised over $50 million and had six SDRs, but none of them were effective. They also mention that a multinational tech startup with a large B2B sales team cannot afford six CROs to run their sales team. They advise against giving cold calls to unskilled SDRs, as they may not be adaptable enough to handle complex situations. However, cold calling is a good prototyping tool, as it allows companies to reach a wider audience, gain insights and understanding of their market, and potentially increase their revenue. Examples of How TruePMF Serves Clients Alex and Ilya initially focused on high-growth e-commerce brands, but later discovered that they needed to target established e-commerce brands looking for margin expansion. They created a new list of these brands and tested it with CTOs, which proved more relevant. Then, they called private equity partners, specifically tech stack operating partners, to expand their reach. This allowed them to sell their solution across multiple brands. Another example is a smaller company with 20 clients, all big enterprise clients, looking to sell to private equity firms. Ilya also discusses the process of selling a product before building it, and emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in the sales process.   About the Founders of TruePMF.com Alex Lugosch, a FinTech founder and executive at a wholesale, e-commerce company, and the B2B credit space, and Ilya Druzhnikov, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, have both been working with founders and CEOs to help them understand Product Market Fit. They have worked in various industries, including B2B wholesale, e-commerce, and angel investing. The website, Pmf.com, is by referral only, and they have a bias for working with serious people who are serious about their business. They require founders to attend every call, including the CEO, Chief Revenue Officer, and Head of Sales. The company has sold their product to 400 companies across Europe and is coming to the United States. Timestamps: 00:02: Introduction to True PMF and Their Unique Approach 03:28: Explaining the True PMF Service  06:35: Detailed Walkthrough of the Process 10:47: Iterative Improvement and Audience Targeting  16:29: The Role of Cold Calling in Business Development  34:04: Client Examples and Success Stories  40:23: Background of Alex and Ilya  Links:  Website: https://truepmf.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Eric Simons spent seven years building toward a vision that almost never saw the light of day. After countless iterations, near-misses, and growing pressure from his board to shut the company down, he and his cofounder made one final bet—and that bet became Bolt. In just four months, Bolt skyrocketed to $40 million in ARR, becoming one of the fastest-growing SaaS products in recent memory.In this episode, Eric joins the Topline team to share the full story. He explains how years of quiet technical innovation finally met a market ready for transformation, how training for an Ironman helped him build the resilience to survive the lows, and why a disciplined, capital-efficient mindset became his secret weapon through both drought and breakout.Thanks for tuning in! New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday and Thursday.Join the revenue leaders redefining growth at Pavilion's CRO Summit 2025, which will be held on June 3rd at the Denver Art Museum. Register today.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(01:12) - Eric Simons and the Rise of Bolt(05:42) - The Importance of Pivots in Startups(09:25) - Navigating Product Market Fit and Competition(18:25) - Maintaining Mental Resilience as an Entrepreneur(24:31) - Team Management Through Uncertainty(28:50) - The Challenges of Rapid Growth and Scaling(35:42) - Rapid Growth in the AI Era(38:01) - Bootstrapping and Calculated Bets(41:44) - Navigating Investor Pressure(44:55) - Market Signals and Product-Market Fit(49:32) - The Role of Social Media in Growth(54:41) - Sustainable Growth and Retention Strategies(01:00:12) - Learning from Competition(01:02:39) - Future Vision and Market Positioning

The era of "build it and they will come" is over. Crypto projects need real revenue, real users, and real sustainability. Or they just won't survive.In this episode, we chat with Kenny from Manta about the shift happening in the industry. No longer are we just experimenting; it's all about finding product-market fit. We dig into why DeFi is still crypto's biggest use case, how L2s are slowly becoming irrelevant, and why starting with centralized products might just be the answer to mass onchain adoption.Kenny explains why projects should think like Robin Hood instead of pure web3 natives, shares Manta's evolution from Polkadot L1 to Ethereum L2, and breaks down how revenue generation is reshaping builder mindsets across the space.Let's get into it.---Newton is the trust layer for autonomous finance. Smart. Secure. Verifiable. Built for a future where AI agents replace apps and interfaces. Learn more here: https://www.magicnewton.com/----Website: https://therollup.co/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1P6ZeYd9vbF3hJA2n7qoL5?si=7230787bb90947efPodcast: https://therollup.co/category/podcastFollow us on X: https://www.x.com/therollupcoFollow Rob on X: https://www.x.com/robbie_rollupFollow Andy on X: https://www.x.com/ayyyeandyJoin our TG group: https://t.me/+8ARkR_YZixE5YjBhThe Rollup Disclosures: https://therollup.co/the-rollup-discl

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupIn this episode, IQBAR founder Will Nitze shares his journey from burnout in the corporate world to launching a bar brand rooted in cognitive nutrition. He walks through the steps that took IQBAR from kitchen counter tests to Amazon bestseller and retail mainstay.What you'll hear is less about hacks and more about the fundamentals: why starting online mattered, how feedback drove product-market fit, and what it really takes to scale profitably in CPG today.Key topics include:Launching DTC to validate demand and iterate fastWhy clean label and plant protein were non-negotiablesPackaging shifts driven by real-world feedbackScaling into retail once logistics and cost structures were optimizedViewing DTC as one piece of an omnichannel puzzleIt's a grounded roadmap from someone who's done the work—no shortcuts, just thoughtful strategy.Did you know that 98% of your website visitors are anonymous? Instant powers next-level retention by identifying who they are and converting them into loyal shoppers. Sign up for a quick demo today to get 50% off and unlock a guaranteed 4x+ ROI: instant.one/dtcTimestamps:00:00 – How IQBAR started from a personal health journey02:55 – From kitchen experiments to product-market fit07:10 – Why the brain-focused bar category was a white space12:10 – DTC vs Amazon vs retail: channel strategy evolution17:45 – Profitability, scaling, and efficient COGS in CPG22:50 – Brand evolution: packaging, messaging, and keto pivot27:10 – Retail shelf strategy and planogram insight31:25 – Podcast and display ads as top-of-funnel growth levers34:45 – DTC Twitter, omnichannel mindset, and business realism37:55 – Exit strategy, Mars dreams, and post-exit vision41:00 – Tariffs, supply chain chaos, and CPG realitiesHashtags:#IQBAR#dtcpodcast#consumerpackagedgoods#ecommercegrowth#omnichannelstrategy#dtcbrand#scalingcpg#founderjourney#brandbuilding#podcastmarketing#supplychainchallenges#cleanlabelproducts#retailstrategy#amazonads#shopifysuccess Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

This week, we are revisiting a conversation between Lightspeed partner Michael Mignano and Arvind Jain, the founder and CEO of Glean about the evolution of AI-assisted enterprise search.Arvind shares what insights helped to start Glean's journey in 2019, how the company leveraged transformer-based models early on, and how Glean developed the market for this product. They also talk about competition, the technical aspects of integrating Glean across SaaS platforms, and the monumental impact of ChatGPT on the industry. Episode Chapters(00:00) Introduction (01:15) Why Arvind Created Glean to Solve Enterprise Search Problems(03:50) Technical Foundations: Building Glean with Transformers(09:04) Product Market Fit and Early Challenges(12:16) The Impact of ChatGPT and Market Evolution(13:42) Glean's Architecture and Model Integration(17:58) The Future of AI in Enterprises(27:52) Leadership, Competition, and Company Culture(35:48) Reflections and Lessons from Rubrik to Glean(41:15) Lightning Round and Closing RemarksStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

What is product-market fit actually? I stumbled onto it, partly on purpose, partly through dumb luck.In this episode I share how 3-way differentiation (a niche within a niche within a niche) built my current business.And the 4 phases you'll go through to find product-market fit.Listen and apply them to your own business.You can contact Isaac by clicking the link below:http://hireteamup.com/contact-isaac

Digital transformations are hard! But they are a necessary need in our era for any organization who wants to keep their competitive edge, adapt to changing environments, build moats against new disruptors, and grow their market share. And more complex the organization structure and ecosystem are, the more challenging said transformation, hence the need for tools and frameworks to help us.On the show today we met with Kiron Jones, Group Product Manager at Springer Nature, the world's largest academic book and journals publisher. The organization was created by a merger and acquisition of multiple publishers. This created a complex technical environment of many systems to support the business, publish the books and journals, and access the market.In addition, the entire academic publishing sector has moved into a new open access model. Where in the past, libraries had to buy subscriptions to give access to readers for the materials, these days the access to the materials is free, and the authors are the ones charged to publish. Servicing this changed model has challenged the industry to come up with new solutions for the new clients, while still supporting high quality publications.Product management in such an environment, as we learn from Kiron, is a challenging and rewarding task. The tools he and his team are using, and in some cases still on the lookout for, are helping them with stakeholder communication, prioritization and roadmapping, and so much more.Join Matt and Moshe as we chatted with Kiron about:How he got into product managementDigital and product challenges from Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)Dealing with shifting ecosystem that changes the Product-Market Fit, the user and buyers personas, their user journey, and the tools needed to create value for themDealing with challenges when not knowing who your users areSome of the tools and methods he is using to help with these challengesOpportunities for new tools that can solve more problemsCMS as a tool both for users and for product peopleSome success and failure stories with tools adoptionHow AI can help in elevating some of the workAnd much more!You can connect with Kiron at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kironjones/If you are in London, at local product meetingsYou can find the podcast's page, and connect with Matt and Moshe on Linkedin:Product for Product Podcast - linkedin.com/company/product-for-product-podcastMatt Green - linkedin.com/in/mattgreenproduct/Moshe Mikanovsky - linkedin.com/in/mikanovsky/Note: any views mentioned in the podcast are the sole views of our hosts and guests,  and do not represent the products mentioned in any way.Please leave us a review and feedback ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this episode of Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur, host Tom Hunt chats with the legendary Rob Walling. A true veteran of the SaaS bootstrapping world, Rob shares insights from his two decades in the game, from building and selling Drip, starting the influential MicroConf community and the TinySeed accelerator, to hosting the 'Startup for the Rest of Us' podcast. They discuss the power of compounding effort, the crucial lesson of following market feedback, iterating your approach based on what the market wants, and the journey of building multiple successful ventures without relying on traditional VC. Rob reflects on the lessons learned over twenty years, offering invaluable perspective for any entrepreneur looking to build sustainable, long-term growth.

איך סטארטאפ קטן יכול לתפוס את תשומת הלב של לקוחות אנטרפרייז, גם בלי תקציבי ענק? בפרק השבוע אנחנו חוזרים לארח את אודי לדרגור, צ’יף אוונגליסט ו־CMO לשעבר בגונג, לשיחה על שיווק חכם, יצירתי ומדויק, שמאפשר גם לחברות בתחילת הדרך לשחק במגרש של הגדולים. מוזמנים לצפות בפרק גם בגרסת הוידאו ביוטיוב או באתר Startup for Startup. מתי הרגע הנכון להתחיל להשקיע בשיווק? (רמז: רק אחרי שיש לכם מוצר שאנשים באמת אוהבים), איך אפשר לגרום למהלך שיווקי קטן להיראות כמו קמפיין של מיליונים? ואיך מגייסים את כל עובדי החברה, אפילו בלי תקציב, כדי לייצר אימפקט אמיתי? אודי משתף באסטרטגיות, דוגמאות מהשטח ותובנות שיכולות לשנות את הדרך שבה אתם חושבים על שיווק בסטארטאפ. במהלך הפרק אדוה שיסגל ואודי מדברים גם על “מחטף” של כנסים, דרכים להיכנס לדלת האחורית בהשקעה מינימלית, ואיך מודדים את ההשפעה של מהלכים כאלה. בנוסף הם מדברים על מינוף חכם של קמפיינים קטנים, ואיך להשתמש בפלטפורמות כמו לינקדאין כדי לבלוט, גם כשכולם סביבכם עושים את אותו הדבר. האזינו לפרק הקודם בהשתתפות אודי: איך בונים מותג אייקוני האזינו לפרק 298: הכל על SLG ו-PLG, השיקולים שבבחירת אסטרטגיית צמיחה קישור לספר של אודי 5 תובנות קצרות מהפרק: 1. שיווק מתחיל רק אחרי שיש מוצר שאנשים באמת אוהבים אין טעם להשקיע בשיווק לפני שמצאתם Product-Market Fit. אם אין לכם חמישה לקוחות שמוכנים להישבע שזה הדבר הכי טוב שהם השתמשו בו, השיווק פשוט לא יעבוד. קודם בונים ערך, אחר כך מפיצים אותו. 2. גם מהלך שיווקי קטן יכול לייצר אפקט של קמפיין ענק שלט חוצות אחד בטיימס סקוור, גרסה מצומצמת של מודעה בעיתון מוביל, שעל פניו נראים יקרים וחד־פעמיים, יכולים להפוך למכונת תוכן ולהחזיר את ההשקעה שלו פי כמה, כשחושבים על ההפצה, הויזואליות, והחיים הארוכים של המהלך בדיגיטל. 3. העובדים הם המפיצים הכי טובים, אם רק יודעים איך להפעיל אותם כדי לגרום לעובדים לשתף תכנים בלינקדאין, צריך להראות להם מה יוצא להם מזה ולתת להם את זה מוכן וקל להפצה. אין כפייה, רק הזדמנות. כשהם מבינים את הערך, הם הופכים לשגרירים הכי אותנטיים של המותג. 4. כנסים הם הזדמנות ל"מחטפים" יצירתיים בלי לקנות דוכן במקום לשלם עשרות אלפי דולרים על חסות, אפשר לתכנן מהלך גרילה, להופיע מחוץ לאירוע, ליצור נוכחות מפתיעה או לחדור לשיחות ולהשיג אפקט גדול בהרבה. 5. בלינקדאין, דווקא החריג שובר את הרעש התוכן שלא "נראה שייך לפלטפורמה" כמו סרטון לא מהוקצע או רעיון פרוע מושך הרבה יותר תשומת לב. דווקא המקוריות, החספוס וההומור הופכים תוכן לשיחה, גם כשמדובר במותגים.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marin Ištvanić is a partner at Inspire Brands, a boutique agency focused on paid social ads, primarily on Facebook and Instagram. He has personally spent over $150 million on Facebook ads for clients and internal brands, successfully scaling Inspire's own brand to $30 million in revenue by their third year.In this episode of DTC Pod, Marin shares his insights on growing brands profitably through paid social. He discusses the importance of achieving product-market fit, crafting compelling offers, and understanding unit economics. Marin also details his agency's creative testing process and how to efficiently scale winning ad angles from static images to videos to landing pages.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Achieving Product-Market Fit2. Scaling Brands through Facebook Ads3. Product Differentiation4. How to Craft a Compelling Offer5. Subscription Products and Pricing Strategies6. Landing Pages for Facebook Ads7. Advertorials and Third-Party Content for Ads8. Whitelisting and Leveraging External Trust in Ads9. Ad Format Mix and Budget Allocation10. Advantage+ Campaigns and AI11. Scaling Ad Creative Production12. Testing Ad Variations and HooksTimestamps00:00 Marin's background and joining Inspire Brands 04:48 Importance of product-market fit and differentiation 06:50 Creating demand vs picking an established market10:34 What makes an effective offer and how to craft one12:41 Subscription models and free trial strategies16:59 $1K/day spend as indicator of product-market fit 18:36 Choosing the right landing page for your product 25:07 Whitelisting strategies and organic-looking content27:48 Typical budget allocation across ad formats30:29 Facebook's Advantage+ campaigns and AI features 33:23 Strategies for scaling ad creative24:44 Final tips: know your numbers and when to spendShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokMarin Ištvanić - Partner at Inspire BrandsBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Every business needs to find product-market fit — and AI can help. How? In this episode, Harvard Business School professor and entrepreneur Jeff Bussgang (author of The Experimental Machine: Finding Product-Market Fit in the Age of AI) walks us through the process. It's a free consulting session with everything included: step-by-step directions, real examples, and the names of the LLMs you need to know about. If you're ready to use AI in your business but don't know where to begin—start here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sabir Semerkant is an eCommerce expert, growth strategist, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience generating over $1 billion in revenue. Recognized and endorsed by industry leaders such as Gary Vee, Neil Patel, and Matt Higgins of Shark Tank, Sabir has been a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, guided startups to scale, and helped iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Canon, Tommy Hilfiger, and Sour Patch Kids achieve rapid and sustainable growth. In 2024, Sabir's Rapid 2X Program propelled 29 brands across 17 industries to new heights, delivering an impressive 108% average growth in just 21 days. His track record includes scaling more than 150 brands, with notable success like Ashley Stewart, which grew from $3M to $30M under his leadership. Sabir has developed the 8-D Method, a proven framework designed to unlock 2X-10X growth for any eCommerce business with Product-Market Fit. This method equips businesses to thrive, even in tough economic conditions, enabling them to boost sales and maximize profits in today's competitive landscape.   During the show we discussed: The 8D Method Is A Growth Framework Designed To Help E-Commerce Brands Scale Effectively. It Can Help Businesses Double Their Sales In As Little As 12 Weeks With Strategic Focus. It's Built On Eight Dimensions That Identify And Unlock Hidden Growth Opportunities. The Method Brings Structure And Clarity, Giving Business Owners More Control And Freedom. It Helps Brands Differentiate And Rise Above The Noise In Saturated Markets. It Addresses Conversion Drops And High Cart Abandonment With Proven Tactics. The System Improves Margins Even When Ad Costs Are Rising By Optimizing Operations. It Solves Common Challenges Like Disorganization, Plateaued Growth, And Unclear Direction. The “Organize” Phase Reduces Anxiety By Creating A Clear Operational Foundation. The “Prioritize” Phase Ensures Teams Focus On Actions That Drive The Most Growth. Brands Using The Method Often See Fast Results—Sometimes Within Weeks. Unlike Relying Solely On Ad Platforms, It Builds Long-Term, Channel-Independent Growth. It Helps Brands Avoid Mistakes Like Chasing Trends Or Depending On One Traffic Source. The Rapid 2x System Can Trigger 100%+ Sales Increases In Under 30 Days.   Resources: https://growthbysabir.com/businesscredit   

Taking The Mystery Out Of Memecoins: The Fastest Product-Market Fit In Crypto History – Brian Rose with Nikita Uriupin  

Taking The Mystery Out Of Memecoins: The Fastest Product-Market Fit In Crypto History – Brian Rose with Nikita Uriupin