Podcasts about product market fit

Dan Lee co-founded what would become Nooks while on leave from Stanford. He wasn't solving sales. He was exploring remote collaboration during the pandemic. But when they noticed that some of his most active users were in sales development — and that investors were starting to reach out — he followed the signal. Today, Nooks is a sales AI platform used by teams at Seismic, Fivetran, and Modern Health, with $70 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins, Lachy Groom, and others. In this episode, we talk about how Nooks evolved from a virtual office for remote collaboration into a fast-growing AI sales assistant platform. Dan shares what it's like to raise a $43M Series B after an unplanned Series A, why he believes sales needs AI assistants, not agents, and how he built conviction in a space he had no background in. If you're an early-stage founder wondering how to navigate a pivot, build for an industry you've never worked in, or generate investor pull instead of push, listen in. RUNTIME 36:32  EPISODE BREAKDOWN (3:01) “ It started as a project, obviously became a company.” (5:13) “  Everyone here is smarter than me in some way.” (5:46) Which early signals indicated Nooks could be more than a side project? (8:01) “ And then, investors approached and said, ‘oh, you should raise some money.'” (10:11) “ I think it's a misconception to think that in the early days it's hard to do much without raising money.” (11:15) Pivoting Nooks from a virtual collaboration platform to serving sales teams. (14:26) “ At the time, it felt more like a focus than a pivot.” (16:56) “ Coming from an engineering background, it's easy to think, ‘oh, sales, that's like a dirty job.'” (20:50) “ We've been fortunate to have a very strong feedback loop with our users.” (22:20) If you don't have domain expertise, “ build a mental model of what is true north in terms of product value.” (23:22) Nooks' work culture is underpinned by two values: “ask why,” and “earn customer love.” (26:25) Customer satisfaction ≠ Customer delight (30:36) Why Nooks is building AI assistants, not AI agents. (32:41) When it comes to hiring, Dan looks for people with “motivations that align well with Nooks.” (34:39) One question Dan would have to ask a CEO if he were interviewing for a job with an early-stage startup. LINKS Dan Lee Nooks Nikhil Cheerla Rohan Suri Nooks raises $43M Series B from Kleiner Perkins and launches AI Sales Assistant Platform Forbes 30 Under 30 AI SUBSCRIBE

Thomas Preuss, Partner bei DTCP, spricht über die Kunst des Product Market Fits. Er teilt, warum ein echter Product Market Fit unzerstörbar ist, wie man vom Founder-led Sales zu skalierbaren Prozessen kommt und wann man Features ablehnen muss. Was du lernst: Wie du echten Product Market Fit erkennst Die Balance zwischen Vision und Kundenwünschen Warum 10 Upsell-Kunden der erste Indikator sind Den Übergang von Founder-led zu Professional Sales ALLES ZU UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery  Mehr zu Thomas: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tPreuß/  Website: https://www.dtcp.capital/  Join our Founder Tactics Newsletter: 2x die Woche bekommst du die Taktiken der besten Gründer der Welt direkt ins Postfach:https://www.tactics.unicornbakery.de/

In today's episode, we're joined by Ariana Ferwerda, co-founder and CEO of Halfdays, to unpack the strategy and philosophy behind building a true community-first DTC brand, and why that approach has worked so well for them.Ariana shares her journey of launching a brand that struck product-market fit in its first season and grew 10x from their first to second season. We dive into the how and why behind Halfdays' community-led approach - from the early customer insight that shaped their brand mission, to how they took a different path than the typical early-stage DTC playbook, and how that thinking informs their approach to growth.She shares what it actually looks like to operationalize community at scale, from their ambassador model to how they decide when to lean on community, and when to tap into performance or influencer marketing instead.We also get into how they measure the impact of community-led initiatives, what brands often get wrong when they jump into community without a clear reason, and when leading with community simply isn't the right fit - plus much more.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00 Introduction 12:46 Ariana's Journey to Half Days22:57 Product Market Fit and Growth Strategies33:07 The Importance of Community in Brand Strategy45:18 Activating Community: Events and Engagement01:00:20 Measuring Community Impact and SuccessPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsHaus.http://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 30, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/product-market-fit-is-overrated-for-pricing/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Cet épisode d'OVNIs met en lumière le parcours inspirant de Charles Lorin, un jeune homme de 25 ans qui a récemment quitté son poste chez Beaver, une startup spécialisée dans la compliance ESG. Charles partage son expérience unique en tant que premier employé de la startup, soulignant les défis et les succès qu'il a rencontrés. Il décrit comment son parcours atypique, de la musique et du sport à une carrière dans la tech, l'a aidé à développer des compétences variées et à s'adapter à des environnements changeants. Charles évoque également l'importance de l'apprentissage continu, de la résilience face aux échecs et de l'engagement personnel dans le succès d'une entreprise naissante.L'épisode explore également les moments clés de sa carrière, tels que l'onboarding à Station F et son rôle central dans le lancement de Beaver sur de nouveaux marchés comme le Royaume-Uni et les États-Unis. Charles souligne l'importance de l'adaptabilité et de la collaboration au sein d'une petite équipe, tout en partageant des conseils précieux pour ceux qui envisagent de rejoindre une startup en tant que premiers employés. Il insiste sur l'importance de bien comprendre l'environnement de travail et d'être prêt à s'engager pleinement dans le développement de l'entreprise.[00:00:00]: Introduction[00:01:09]: Présentation rapide de Charles Lorin[00:01:47]: Rôle chez Beaver et explication de l'entreprise[00:02:28]: Rejoint Beaver en tant que Sales Lead[00:02:56]: Retour sur l'adolescence et parcours scolaire[00:04:21]: Environnement familial et influences[00:05:10]: Importance du sport et choix de McGill[00:05:31]: Expériences universitaires et sportives à McGill[00:06:03]: Opportunité en Espagne et blessure[00:09:08]: Expérience de travail à Summer Rocks[00:11:47]: Transition vers Beaver et processus de recrutement[00:14:19]: Premiers jours chez Beaver et challenges[00:17:43]: Développement de compétences et leadership[00:19:17]: Évolution des tâches chez Beaver[00:20:33]: Moments galères et victoires chez Beaver[00:23:18]: Product Market Fit et challenges de l'ESG[00:24:32]: Réflexions sur le départ de Beaver[00:27:17]: Conseils pour les futurs premiers employés[00:31:29]: Importance de l'apprentissage et du recul[00:34:06]: Qualités d'un bon premier employé[00:38:27]: ConclusionHébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

On the Predictable Revenue Podcast, host Collin Stewart sat down with Gil Quadros Flores, founder and CEO of CoGrader, to unpack the messy realities of building an EdTech startup. From identifying teachers' deepest pain points to navigating long sales cycles, Gil's story is a case study in how founder-led sales and an experimental mindset drive real traction. For early-stage founders, especially in education, the key takeaways are clear: prove the concept before chasing profit, build trust before scaling, and continue iterating as the market shifts. Highlights include: From Idea to Pre-Sales (06:37), Quantifying Pain and Market Needs (09:02), Pricing Strategies and Early Sales Insights (10:04), Recognizing Product-Market Fit (15:31), and more... Stay updated with our podcast and the latest insights in Outbound Sales and Go-to-Market Strategies!

Jeremy Au and DJ Tan sit down to discuss how Prefer grew from a bold bean-free coffee experiment into a flavor house tackling climate-threatened ingredients. They explore the evolution from naive product launches to customer-driven adoption, why B2B positioning makes more sense than B2C in food tech, and how shifting investor expectations shaped their fundraising strategy. Their conversation covers product development cycles with baristas, the science of replicating flavors like coffee and chocolate, and how climate change is forcing businesses to rethink supply chains. DJ also shares lessons on storytelling, scaling options, and the importance of founder transparency when building trust with investors. 02:28 Founding Mission Expands: Prefer was co-founded in 2022 with the mission to make coffee without beans and has since expanded into chocolate while building towards a broader sustainable flavor house. 04:25 Customer Adoption Through Blends: Cafe partners showed reluctance to add a completely new menu item so Prefer gained traction by becoming part of blends such as cappuccinos with ten percent inclusion instead of selling as a separate bean-free option. 09:19 Messaging Shifts to Flavor House: Messaging evolved from pitching only bean-free coffee to presenting Prefer as a flavor house once traction with coffee and chocolate proved product market fit. 16:12 Designing for Applications: Coffee used in cocktails, tiramisu, iced cans or espresso requires different flavor formulations and the R and D team now designs products to fit specific applications. 19:38 Climate Change Disrupts Supply: Climate change has created volatility in coffee, cocoa, vanilla, hazelnut and citrus supplies with events like a blight wiping out most of Florida's orange harvest and forcing shifts in supermarket juice offerings. 24:05 B2B Model Prevails Over B2C: The B2C experiments validated that consumers were unwilling to pay premiums but B2B customers valued Prefer for protecting margins, supply continuity and preventing shrinkflation. 37:30 Fundraising with Clear Milestones: DJ emphasized raising funds by starting with the end in mind asking investors what metrics will matter in 18 months and working towards those clear goals. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/dj-tan-brewing-without-beans Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts

The Doers Nepal – Nepal's Longest Running Business Podcast Dileep Dhakal left behind a wonderful career in Silicon Valley and even a role at Apple to pursue a bold mission: to build Nepal's first truly global-scale product — Veel App. Why would someone leave Apple ? one of the world's most prestigious companies, to start from scratch in Nepal? The answer lies in Dileep's vision to create impact from Nepal to the world. In this conversation, Dileep Dhakal reveals: His journey from high school coding → Walmart → Google Ventures → Apple → launching Veel App from Nepal Why he believes the creator economy is broken (and how Veel is fixing it) The mindset shift from “employee at global giants” to “founder building in Nepal” Why “Minimum Lovable Product (MLP)” beats MVP in product innovation The harsh truths about building startups in Nepal and why most fail How Nepal can position itself on the global product-building map Practical advice for young Nepalis on growth, leadership, and entrepreneurship Whether you're a student, a professional, or an aspiring founder, Dileep's story will challenge your perspective and push you to think bigger.

Was passiert, wenn zwei Agenturgründerinnen ihre Erfahrung in Branding und Digitalmarketing nehmen — und statt für Kund:innen eine eigene Marke launchen? In dieser Folge sprechen Laurence Saunier und Marlena Hien über die Gründung von Bears with Benefits, ihr schnelles Wachstum und den Exit 2022. Sie erzählen, wie ein 3.000-Stück-Test auf Amazon zur Bestseller-Kachel wurde, warum Packaging fürs Smartphone entworfen werden muss und weshalb Bootstrapping ihnen in der Krise den Hals rettete.Wir reden über:• Amazon als Launchpad — wie Traffic, Reviews und schnelle Iteration den ersten Product-Market-Fit brachten. • Retail-Hebel: Vom Amazon-Bestseller zur Listung bei Douglas, dm & Rossmann — und wie das Vertrauen in den Handel reingetragen wurde. • Packaging = Content: Design, das auf Instagram funktioniert — und warum die Dose auf Feed & Shelf zugleich performen muss. • Bootstrapped statt VC: Warum Profitabilität in einer späteren Krise zum strategischen Vorteil wurde. • Female-First Brandbuilding: Feminine Leadership, Community-Aufbau und die Rolle von Influencer-Marketing als Performance-Hebel. • Exit & Next Steps: Warum sie verkauft haben, wie sie den Übergang gestaltet haben — und wie sie jetzt als Gründerinnen, Investorinnen und Mentorinnen weitermachen.Ein inspirierendes Gespräch über Mut, Pragmatismus und das Handwerk, aus einem Produkt eine Kulturmarke zu bauen.

Tiago Dalvi is the solo founder and CEO of Olist, Brazil's leading e-commerce operating system serving 45,000+ merchants and processing 60 billion reais annually. Olist has raised $314M from investors including SoftBank, Wellington Management, Goldman Sachs, Valor Capital Group, and Accel partner Kevin Efrusy, and operates in Brazil's $60B+ e-commerce market.The Brazilian unicorn founder discusses marketplace strategy, venture capital, M&A integration, and building Latin America's leading SMB commerce platform.Here's what we cover:From Marketplace to Ecosystem: Olist began as a single storefront. Today it's an operating system for 45,000+ merchants. What does it really take to expand from one product to a multi-product platform?The Three Pillars of a High-Performing Board: Behind every enduring company is a board built on the right foundation. What makes boards truly high-performing—and why do the best ones keep evolving?The M&A Integration Playbook: Acquisitions can accelerate growth—or sink the ship. Tiago shares the hardest lessons from integration, why protecting new acquisitions from the gravitational pull of core operations is critical for innovation, and why earnouts are so tricky to get right.Olist's Vision of Intelligent Commerce: What if your business could think for itself? Tiago explains how AI-powered decision-making could reshape SMB operations across Latin America's fragmented ecosystem.The Investor Breakup Playbook: Not every relationship lasts forever—including with investors. Why does Tiago part ways with board members he "really likes," what tough conversations are required when someone who got you to $10M isn't right for $100M, and how secondaries help recycle the cap table without burning bridges?Join The J Curve Community:⁠Newsletter⁠: Weekly deep dives into LATAM's hottest deals, emerging trends, and market intelligence⁠LinkedIn⁠: Daily market insights and exclusive founder updates⁠Instagram⁠: Behind-the-scenes podcast moments and quick industry takes⁠Hit subscribe⁠ and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs and investors

LIVE WORKSHOP 17.9. "Volle Pipeline durch virtuelle KI-Mitarbeiter: Leads auf LinkedIn durch ChatGPT-Agenten + Content, den der Algo liebt" ➔ Anmelden: https://xhauer.com/workshop-podGratis AI LEAD MAGNET GENERATOR ➔ Lead Magnet erstellen in 20 Min, der verkauft: https://xhauer.com/ai-generator-pod ERWÄHNTE FOLGE:➔ https://youtu.be/m6LLVSnwSbQIn dieser Folge erfährst du, wie schnell durch B2B-Marketing-Kampagnen tatsächlich neue Kundenanfragen entstehen – mit zwei echten Praxisgeschichten quer durch das gesamte Spektrum: vom Lead nach fünf Jahren bis zum Kunden innerhalb von Tagen. Du bekommst die sechs entscheidenden Faktoren auf den Tisch, die über Tempo und Qualität eurer Verkaufsgelegenheiten bestimmen – von Product-Market-Fit, Zielgruppen-Slang, Copywriting und Creatives bis zum Sales-Prozess, Nurturing und dem unterschätzten Paradoxon des langen Zeithorizonts.Wenn du neu auf meinem Kanal bist:Mein Name ist Michael Asshauer. Ich bin Gründer und Geschäftsführer von XHAUER. Mein Team und ich helfen jeden Tag Anbietern im komplexen und technischen B2B, ihre Pipeline mit guten Verkaufsgelegenheiten zu füllen. Durch eine systematische Kombination aus Performance- und Content-Marketing. Ganz ohne Bunte-Bildchen-Marketing, sondern datengetrieben nach dem Grundsatz “Do more of what works”.Ein paar Fakten für dich, wie ich hierher gekommen bin und welche Reise ich auf diesem Kanal dokumentiere:25 Jahre: Gründung meines ersten Technologie-Unternehmens Familonet25 Jahre: Abschluss meiner Studiengänge Volkswirtschaftslehre, Betriebswirtschaftslehre und International Business (Hamburg & Melbourne)28 Jahre: Ausgründung unserer B2B-Software-Entwicklungsagentur onbyrd 30 Jahre: Übernahme unserer Unternehmen durch den Daimler-Konzern (heute Mercedes-Benz Group AG)31 Jahre: Gründung meiner Business-Content-Plattform “Machen!”32 Jahre: Gründung meines Performance-Recruiting-Unternehmens Talentmagnet (und anschließender Verkauf)34 Jahre: Gründung unserer B2B-Marketing-Agentur & Beratung XHAUER, gemeinsam mit Paula.Heute: Paula, unser Team und ich sind auf dem Weg, eine der besten B2B-Agenturen & Beratungen weltweit aufzubauen.Auf diesem Kanal teile ich alle Erkenntnisse, Learnings und Best Practices aus Tausenden Kampagnen offen mit dir, sodass du sie für euer Marketing anwenden kannst.Für B2B-Marketing, das die Pipeline füllt.Dein Michael Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we're joined by Chris Silvestri, Founder at Conversion Alchemy, an agency that combines copywriting, UX design, and psychology to help SaaS and eCommerce companies convert more visitors into customers. We talk about:How failure to crystallize strategy results in messaging shortcomings & low conversionsTactics to get started with & accelerate messaging content, including use of AIImpacts of improving messaging to differentiate your SaaS offeringGrowth stages at which it's most impactful to fine-tune messagingUse of AI models to act as prospects in order to gain insights, including use of real research to construct partially synthetic personas

Eli Portnoy joins Jeff Mains on SaaS Fuel to dive deep into the world of B2B customer feedback, leadership, and scaling SaaS ventures. Eli shares candid stories and practical wisdom from his career, including founding and exiting Sense360 and ThinkNear. He breaks down how BackEngine AI is changing the game for customer retention and voice-of-customer insights by harnessing AI to organize and activate the wealth of organic customer feedback that's already flowing through businesses. The conversation ranges from tactical product decisions and the dangers of confirmation bias, to transformative leadership lessons, distribution vs. product obsession, and the future of AI in SaaS. This episode is a goldmine for scaling founders, product leaders, and anyone who wants to build lasting companies around customer obsession and actionable data.Key Takeaways00:00 Appoint Voice of Customer Owner05:38 Leveraging AI for Customer Feedback08:07 "Customer Data Insights Unveiled"11:20 Visibility Challenges and Customer Feedback16:04 Second Business: Hard Lessons Learned18:01 Balancing Data with Intuition21:26 Pursuit of Right Answers24:34 Appointing Customer Voice Ownership28:14 "Empower Through Shared Context"31:06 "Context Enables Growth in Teams"33:17 "Focus on Pain, Not Solutions"39:33 Sales Empathy Essential for Success41:53 Successful SaaS: Niche vs. Consolidation45:02 Burnout: Catalyst for Personal GrowthTweetable Quotes“If an executive team cares about the voice of the customer, someone needs to own it—explicitly and visibly.” — Eli PortnoyViral Topic: The Hidden Cost of Leadership Loneliness: "Most leaders are exhausted from playing the lone hero and it's killing both your results and your sanity." — Jeff Mains“Most B2B companies operate on anecdotes, not data. That's where bias creeps in.” — Eli Portnoy“The customer isn't always right—but they're always insightful.” — Eli PortnoyViral Topic - Digging Deeper Than Features: "It's not about the feature. It's not about the horse or the car or anything else. What do they really want? They want to go faster." — Jeff Mains“Distribution beats product if nobody knows about you or can't buy from you. Prioritize both.” — Eli Portnoy“Context is the most important thing you can give a high-performing team.” — Eli Portnoy“In the age of AI, building features is easy—delivering outcomes through focus and distribution sets the winners apart.” — Eli PortnoyPreventing Burnout as a Leader: "Stop drowning alone and build your stability matrix." — Jeff MainsSaaS Leadership LessonsMake Customer Obsession Tangible:Assign clear responsibility and accountability for customer feedback within your executive team.Don't Rely on Surveys Alone:True feedback is happening organically; invest in systems or tools that capture it across all customer touchpoints.Default to ‘I Don't Know':The best leaders approach growth with curiosity, seeking truth rather than confirmation of personal biases.Share the “Why” Behind Decisions:Equip your teams with context so they make aligned, mission-driven choices without bottlenecking leadership.Speed Matters for Reversible Decisions:Don't overthink what doesn't move the needle. Make quick calls unless the decision is high-impact and hard to reverse.Prioritize Team Over Titles:Avoid title inflation to win talent; it creates future misalignment and headaches as you...

Peter Rahal is the Co‑Founder & CEO of David Protein, the highest protein‑to‑calorie ratio for any protein bar on the market. Peter has raised over $85M from Greenoaks, Dr. Peter Attia and Dr. Andrew Huberman with the latest round valuing the company at $725 million. The company is poised for over $100 million in first‑year revenue. Formerly, Peter co‑founded RXBAR in his mom's basement with a $10k start, growing it into a household brand and selling it to Kellogg for $600 million. poised for over $100 million first‑year revenue   Agenda for Today:  00:04 – The One Piece of Advice from My Father That Made $600M 00:07 – Selling Protein Bars from a CrossFit Gym to $2M in Year One 00:12 – Why Raising Money Early Would Have Killed RXBAR's Success 00:15 – Product vs Brand: What Every Brand Gets Wrong Today 00:17 – Why Red Bull is the Best Brand in the World? What Can We Learn From It?  00:20 – Are Brands the New Religion? How Status and Community Really Work 00:27 – The Boiled Cod Stunt: Brilliant Marketing or Massive Waste of Time? 00:35 – Selling RXBAR for $600M: Inside the Decision and the TAM Ceiling 00:40 – $100M Overnight: What Really Changes When You Get Rich 00:44 – The Hidden Costs of Success: Health, Relationships and Obsession 00:47 – Why Peter Doesn't Care What People Think… and Actually Likes Upsetting Them 00:53 – The $10B Plan for David: From Protein Bars to a Portfolio of Brands  

Send us a textIn this episode we interview NJ Skoberne, a seasoned growth strategist with experience leading teams at Uber, Wise (formerly Transferwise), and high-growth gaming startups like FitXR. Currently based in London, NJ brings a global perspective on product, growth, and the art of finding scalable traction.What you'll learn in this episode:Why product market fit isn't enough to scaleThe key to unlocking product market channel fitHow Uber's referral loop became a growth machineWhen to pivot away from a failing channel experimentHow to structure tests with clear timeframes and KPIsWhat you should ask customers before choosing a growth channel

When Mai Vo left her decade long Big Tech career to start Podium, a women's community in Singapore, she made a counterintuitive choice: aggressively seeking brutal feedback from day one. Even sweating with anxiety at her first event, she asked every attendee for honest input.Result: 150+ events over 1.5 years and hundreds of quarterly paying members 6 months after launching their subscriptionIn this episode, Mai reveals her exact system for turning feedback into business growth:Why she's "still scared" but pushes through anywaySpecific questions she asks after every interaction with her customersHow weekly vulnerability updates became her secret weaponThe Vietnamese saying that saves entrepreneurs from "analysis paralysis"An insider VC trick every founder should know before raising moneyPerfect for: Early-stage founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone building their first customer base who wants actionable peer-to-peer insights.Listen while you work – Each insight is self-contained and immediately actionable.Co Tam: Where entrepreneurs compare notes on building businesses that lastPodium Society: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podiumsociety/

Scott is joined by CPG expert Nik Hall to discuss what truly drives success for consumer packaged goods brands on Amazon. Drawing from his experience building and exiting a gummy vitamin company, Nik shares hard-earned insights on category trends, why most failures come from chasing hype too late, and how overlooked niches often present the best opportunities. Get real-world lessons from both failed launches and breakout brands, highlighting the importance of strategy, timing, and execution. Scott and Nik also explore how to validate product-market fit through blind taste tests, review mining, and competitor analysis. Nik emphasizes that in the world of consumables, taste still reigns supreme. No amount of marketing can save a mediocre product. They discuss how tools like SmartScout can guide smarter decisions around product development and launch timing, offering a clear roadmap for new sellers aiming to succeed in today's competitive CPG landscape. Episode Notes: 00:15 - Nik Hall Introduction 01:20 - Nik's Background 01:57 - Success vs. Failure in CPG on Amazon 03:31 - Chasing Trends: Opportunities and Pitfalls 05: 10 - Multi-Trend Positioning 08:30 - Taste and Longevity: What Really Drives LTV 08:52 - Product Development: Testing and Sensory Analysis 11:07 -  Navigating Manufacturing and Co-Packing Challenges 14:50 - Real-World Failure 18:17 - Product-Market Fit in CPG 19:03- Customer Conversations and Amazon Research 20:53 - Choosing a Launch Path 21:24 - The Realities of Retail 22:14 - The Permissionless Nature of Amazon and D2C 23:10 - Startup Resource Requirements 23:40 - Founders' Stories 25:05 - Best Resources for New CPG Entrepreneurs 27:25 - Networking, Mentorship, and Building Real Relationships 29:08 - Content Marketing and Honest Advice 29:30 - Helping Select Brands and Giving Back   Related Post: The Top CPG Brands That Launched on Amazon Since 2018   How to Reach Nik: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nikhall Website: vitafive.com   Scott's Links: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813 X: @itsScottNeedham Instagram: @smartestseller YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371 Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog

Tera AI is pioneering a software-centric approach to robotics, moving away from traditional hardware-dominated solutions toward a unified operating system for robotic platforms. After raising $8 million and transitioning from insurance applications to robotics, the company is building what founder Tony Zhang envisions as "a general purpose operating system for robot platforms" powered by spatial foundation models. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Tony shares his journey from Google X to founding Tera AI, including hard-won lessons about market validation, customer discovery, and the critical importance of understanding buyer priorities. Topics Discussed: Tera AI's evolution from geospatial foundation models in insurance to robotics applications The challenges of customer discovery in regulated industries like insurance Tony's experience at Google X and the ChatGPT moment that sparked entrepreneurial action First Round's Product Market Fit program and structured customer discovery methodology The transition from hardware-centric to software-centric robotics architecture Fundraising strategies and developing instincts for investor feedback Building a team of top-tier AI researchers in a competitive talent market GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Lead with priority validation, not pain discovery: Tony learned the hard way that not every pain point can be solved on a VC timeline. His breakthrough insight was asking upfront: "Tell me if this is one of your top three priorities. If not, tell me what are those three priorities." He discovered that many insurance prospects liked their solution but had more pressing infrastructure problems unrelated to AI. B2B founders should qualify buyer priorities before presenting solutions to avoid getting trapped in lengthy sales cycles for non-critical problems. Understand regulatory constraints early in enterprise markets: Tera AI spent nearly a year in insurance before realizing that regulatory barriers made technology adoption extremely difficult, regardless of product-market fit. Tony explains: "Because of the regulations in America, it is incredibly difficult for an insurer or carrier to adopt new technology, especially technology that was as new as the stuff that we were building." Founders entering regulated industries should map compliance requirements and adoption timelines before committing significant resources. Structure customer discovery to eliminate waste: Through First Round's PMF program, Tony discovered they were doing discovery calls inefficiently, often requiring multiple meetings with the same prospects. The key insight was asking the right qualifying questions upfront rather than leading with solutions. This approach eliminated unnecessary follow-up meetings and accelerated their discovery process by 5x. Founders should develop structured discovery frameworks with clear qualifying criteria before scaling outreach efforts. Market timing requires both technology readiness and buyer urgency: Tony's "ChatGPT moment" wasn't just about technological possibility—it was about recognizing the convergence of technical capability and market readiness. He emphasizes: "It wasn't too early, it wasn't too late." The key was understanding that spatial AI could finally deliver value that buyers were ready to adopt. Founders should evaluate both technical feasibility and market timing when deciding on startup opportunities. Attract talent with novel technical challenges, not just compensation: Despite intense competition for AI talent in Silicon Valley, Tera AI successfully recruits top researchers by offering genuinely innovative work. Tony explains: "We genuinely try to innovate across the entire stack. We build our own models, we build our own datasets, we can write papers on the things we're doing." They target researchers who are "bored to death by the LLM world" and want to work on groundbreaking spatial AI problems. B2B founders should differentiate their companies through technical novelty and research opportunities, not just competitive salaries.     //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM 

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

Today, we're talking with Charlie Kaplan, VP of Product at Audiomack about Product Market Fit and how to tell if you've got it or not In this episode, we discuss: How he drove 50x user growth at Cymbal, and why that still didn't matter because they lacked strong fit The story of how he launched Audiomack's product org and scaled to 42M MAUs, on the back of strong product market fit How he transformed failed features into new revenue streams—helping Audiomack grow into a platform big enough to host Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, and more Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliekaplan/ Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/ Resources The Lean Startup, by Eric Rise: https://theleanstartup.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 05:23 The Rise and Fall of Cymbal 13:12 Lessons Learned and the Birth of Audio Mac 16:54 Finding Product Market Fit at Audio Mac 28:40 Innovative Growth Strategies and Experiments 35:11 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Charlie Kaplan.

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

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies. In episode #32 of season 5, Anna Nadeina talks with Jerome, founder of Zola, HR software platform designed for SMEs to manage employee reviews, training, skills development, and continuous feedback. --------------Episode's Chapters---------------- 00:00 - Meet Jerome: From Engineer to Entrepreneur 03:11 - The Birth of Zola HR 07:32 - From Free Tool to B2B Platform 08:45 - Bootstrapping Challenges and Successes 14:32 - Raising Funds and Future Plans 25:23 - Improving Processes and SEO 27:51 - Sales Process and Strategies 30:21 - Building an All-in-One Software 36:34 - Team Strategy and Culture 39:27 - Biggest Wins and Failures Jerome - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerome-vobmann/ Zola - https://www.zola.fr/ Subscribe to our channel to be the first to see the interviews that we publish twice a week - https://www.youtube.com/@saas-group Stay up to date: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaaS_group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/14790796

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.

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

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

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.

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