Podcasts about product market fit

Jennifer went from VC to founder and immediately broke every rule in the book. When she pivoted Scribe from an automation tool to a documentation platform, her investors told her she had just killed the company. She ignored them. Instead of polishing her product, she launched a "janky" offline MVP on Product Hunt to test for real market pull. Scribe is now used by 95% of the Fortune 500. In this episode, Jennifer reveals the brutal truth about ignoring "smart" money, why you should run PLG and Enterprise sales simultaneously from Day 1, and how to tell the difference between pushing a boulder up a hill and chasing one down it.Why You Should ListenWhy you sometimes need to ignore your investors to save your startup.The "Boulder Test": The definitive gut check for knowing if you have true Product-Market Fit.How to validate a massive opportunity with zero marketing budget.Why the conventional wisdom about choosing between PLG and Enterprise Sales is wrong.How to turn executive hiring interviews into free mentorship sessions.Keywordsstartup podcast, startup podcast for founders, product market fit, PLG strategies, MVP testing, enterprise sales, go to market strategy, early stage growth, finding pmf, founder stories00:00:00 Intro 00:02:21 1,200 Customer Interviews as a VC 00:22:07 How to Hire for Excellence 00:30:18 The Pivot from Automation to Documentation 00:39:17 Launching a "Janky" MVP on Product Hunt 00:49:09 The Boulder Test for Product-Market Fit 00:52:50 Doing PLG and Enterprise Sales Simultaneously 01:03:12 Ignoring Investors to Save the CompanySend me a message to let me know what you think!

¿Cómo transformar una experiencia cercana a la muerte en un motor para facturar 10 millones de euros? En este episodio, Guillermo Milans, CEO de Baïa Food, comparte un viaje de emprendimiento que comenzó hace 12 años tras sufrir una peritonitis grave y vivir de cerca la enfermedad de su padre.

While the bike helmet industry screamed "you need this for safety!", Gloria Hwang did the opposite. She made helmets so beautiful that 25% of Thousand customers are wearing helmets for the first time ever. Thousand now offers helmet and bike accessories in 20+ countries with financial backing from REI and the Clif Bar Family Office. Gloria talks all things customer loyalty, business branding, and nailing your product roadmap for maximum impact. She intimately shares how a personal tragedy inspired a mission to save 1,000 lives, and how that number grew to 1,300+ through their lifetime crash replacement guarantee. You'll learn the counterintuitive strategy that made safety cool, and why Thousand wins with culture instead of competing on tech features. You'll learn: Why fear-based marketing fails and what works insteadThe psychology insight that built a $10M+ brand across 20+ countriesHow 25% of customers are first-time helmet wearersTransitioning from maker to manager over 10 yearsTaking back the product roadmap to return to core differentiationWhy solving customer problems beats chasing growth at all costsChapters:00:00 Introducing Gloria Hwang, Founder & CEO of Thousand1:30 How to Change Customer Behaviors 4:11 The Personal Tragedy That Started Thousand & The Design Philosophy That Wins Every Time5:15 Why 25% of Customers Are First-Time Helmet Wearers7:30 Steps to Get Further Differentiated & Beat Out The Competition 9:55 Strategies for Collecting High-Quality Customer Insights 16:00 Expanding to 20+ Countries & Quality Standards19:50 The BEST Advice Gloria Has Ever Gotten 24:30 The Hardest Transition Gloria Went Through & How to Tackle People Problems 29:20 What to Ask for When Pitching Investors (Surprise, it's NOT Money)  32:48 How Motherhood Changed Her Approach to Business Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

David Schreiber, ehemals Stripe & Trade Republic, heute Gründer von Duna, spricht über die Kunst der Produktentwicklung. Er teilt, warum europäische und amerikanische Produktphilosophien unterschiedlich sind, wie man zwischen Vision und Pragmatismus balanciert und warum Europa der ideale Standort für komplexe B2B-Infrastruktur ist. Was du lernst: Produktphilosophie Unterschiede zwischen B2C und B2B US vs. EU Denkweisen Vision vs. Pragmatismus Go-to-Market Co-Development als Strategie Die richtigen ersten Kunden Warum Vertrauen entscheidend ist Pricing & Value Business Case basiertes Pricing Success-Based Modelle Wie man NRR richtig denkt Product Market Fit Segmentierung & Geografie Von "Gut genug" zu "Magic" Warum PMF mehrdimensional ist Alles zu Unicorn Bakery: https://stan.store/fabiantausch Mehr zum Gast: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ds-berlin/ Website: https://duna.com/ 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/ Kapitel: (00:00:00) Intro: Produktentwicklung in der KI-Ära (00:02:12) Was macht ein richtig gutes B2B-Produkt aus? (00:04:44) US vs. Europa: Unterschiedliche Produktphilosophien (00:08:23) Von der Vision zur Realität: Der richtige Ansatz (00:12:59) Wie KI die Produktentwicklung fundamental verändert (00:17:12) Der Burggraben-Mythos: Wie baut man heute Wettbewerbsvorteile? (00:38:09) Dune: Von der Idee zur Identitäts-Infrastruktur (00:49:14) Die ersten Kunden: Zwischen Weihnachten und Launch (00:59:24) Co-Development als Go-to-Market Strategie (01:04:43) Pricing-Philosophie: ROI statt versteckte Gebühren (01:18:32) Product-Market Fit ist nicht binär (01:21:23) Die nächsten 3 Jahre: Vom Produkt zum Netzwerk (01:24:45) Warum Europa der richtige Ort für bestimmte Businesses ist

How do you know when a company is ready to go public? And what do you do to prepare for this? Chirag Shah, CFO of Motive and former CFO of Kong and Cornerstone OnDemand, joins CJ to share insights from his experience of scaling businesses from $30 million to nearly $1 billion and tripling ARR. He talks about taking companies public and how he helped take one private again in a $5.2 billion deal. In this episode, he explains what signals indicate that a company is ready to accelerate its growth, the art and science of building sales capacity, and how to balance efficiency and growth in hypergrowth mode. He also covers how to achieve a great valuation without a strong performance, the biggest headache on the road to IPO, and whether you should IPO in the first place or remain private.—SPONSORS:Mercury is business banking built for builders, giving founders and finance pros a financial stack that actually works together. From sending wires to tracking balances and approving payments, Mercury makes it simple to scale without friction. Join the 200,000+ entrepreneurs who trust Mercury and apply online in minutes at https://www.mercury.comRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit https://www.rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Tipalti automates the entire payables process—from onboarding suppliers to executing global payouts—helping finance teams save time, eliminate costly errors, and scale confidently across 200+ countries and 120 currencies. More than 5,000 businesses already trust Tipalti to manage payments with built-in security and tax compliance. Visit https://www.tipalti.com/runthenumbers to learn more.Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runFidelity Private Shares is the all-in-one equity management platform that keeps your cap table clean, your data room organized, and your equity story clear—so you never risk losing a fundraising round over messy records. Schedule a demo at https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com and mention Mostly Metrics to get 20% off.Metronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.com—Chirag Shah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chirag-shah-787b1b20/Motive: https://gomotive.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:From $30M to Almost $1B: A Guide to Hypergrowth, IPO Prep, and Navigating the Public Markethttps://youtu.be/_pJfdN5p-ik—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:02:57 Sponsors – Mercury | RightRev | Tipalti00:06:49 Motiv CFO Intro & Company Background00:07:01 Product Market Fit as a CFO00:09:26 Lessons From Taking Companies Public00:11:04 Preparing for Life as a Public Company00:11:26 Moving From Finance Into a GM Role00:12:50 Learning the Business Beyond Finance00:14:23 Empathy for Sales & Carrying a Quota00:15:51 Sponsors – Aleph | Fidelity Private Shares | Metronome00:19:03 Asking Better Questions After Operating Experience00:21:23 Knowing When to Accelerate Growth00:23:16 High-ROI Capacity Signals00:24:51 Scaling Requires Supporting Functions00:26:19 The Art + Science of Adding Reps00:27:53 Sales Team Buy-In Before Scaling00:29:15 Reading Product-Market Fit Through Sales00:30:08 Where Scaling Breaks First (Enablement)00:31:36 Importance of SE / SC Ratios00:33:13 Timing Supporting Hires00:34:32 Maintaining Momentum While Scaling00:36:33 Longest Pole in IPO Prep: Predictability00:38:47 Building Confidence Through Consistency00:40:45 Large Deals Swing Small Companies00:42:41 Growth Still Drives Quarterly Volatility00:44:43 Investor Education as a Core IPO Task00:46:00 Harder to Make Big Changes Publicly00:47:39 Managing Morale in Volatile Markets00:48:33 Taking Cornerstone Private00:52:32 Advice: Know Why You Want to Go Public00:56:18 Efficiency Without Sacrificing Growth01:00:58 Operating Roles Prepared Him for CFO01:06:23 Finance Software Stack Overview#RunTheNumbersPodcast #Hypergrowth #IPOreadiness #CFOInsights #MostlyClassics This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com

Doppelt so schnell zu sein bringt dir nichts, wenn du in die falsche Richtung läufst. Viele Founder tappen in die "Productivity Trap": Sie optimieren ihren Output, haben aber keine Klarheit über ihr eigentliches Ziel. Mike teilt seine Learnings aus 10 Jahren radikaler Exploration – warum er Robotik und Mathe studiert hat, um am Ende doch Unternehmer zu werden, und wie du systematisch herausfindest, was du wirklich willst. Du erfährst, wie du das "Ikigai"-Modell taktisch für dein Startup nutzt , warum du beim Validieren deiner Idee niemals deine Mutter fragen solltest und mit welchen 4 Instrumenten du echten Product-Market-Fit findest, statt nur Annahmen zu treffen. Was du lernst: - Speed vs. Direction: Warum die Richtung wichtiger ist als die Geschwindigkeit und wie du verhinderst, effizient das Falsche zu tun. - Ikigai für Founder: Wie du Purpose, Profit, Talent und Marktbedürfnisse vereinst. - Identität ist theatralisch: Warum dein Selbstbild oft falsch ist und du dich jederzeit neu erfinden kannst. - Validation Framework: Die 4 konkreten Instrumente (Desk Research, Observation, Immersion, Interviews), um echte Probleme zu identifizieren. ALLES ZU UNICORN BAKERY: ⁠https://zez.am/unicornbakery⁠ Mehr zu Daniel: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieldippold/⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.ewor.com/⁠ Mehr zu Co-Host Mike: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemahlkow/⁠ Website: ⁠https://fastgen.com/⁠ 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/⁠ Kapitel: (00:00) Intro: Warum Founder-Produktivität allein nicht reicht (01:04) Die Alice im Wunderland Analogie: Richtung schlägt Speed (02:18) Das Ikigai-Modell: Wie finde ich meinen Purpose? (06:49) Exploration vs. Exploitation: Mikes 10 Jahre "Trial & Error" (11:40) Negative Selektion: Warum es hilft zu wissen, was du nicht willst (14:40) Hyper Focus & Hyper Delegation: Wie man sich Zeit freischaufelt (16:22) "Es gibt keinen Spiegel für die Seele": Warum du externes Feedback brauchst (23:30) Identität als Entscheidung: Du spielst nur eine Rolle (28:33) Problem First vs. Tech First: Wie startet man ein Unicorn? (30:22) Warum der TAM (Total Addressable Market) oft irreführend ist (36:53) Das Luck-Skill-Continuum: Warum PMF am Anfang oft Glückssache ist (40:00) Das Framework zur Ideen-Validierung: Desk Research, Observation, Immersion & Interviews (41:30) Buchempfehlung: "The Mom Test" – Wie man richtig Fragen stellt (43:25) Start Specific: Warum du spezifisch starten musst, um groß zu pivoten

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Download Gary's 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business from https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/Tim Stojka (@TimStojka) is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and board leader who has spent three decades building technology companies from the ground up. From programming an Apple II in his parents' basement to founding three major SaaS firms — including one that raised $40 million during the dot-com boom — Tim has lived the full arc of innovation, hype cycles, and hard-earned product-market fit. His latest chapter: applying AI and language models to reshape enterprise software through his new venture, Nexus Three Capital.In this conversation with Gary Rabine, Tim breaks down the real mechanics behind creating, scaling, and surviving as a founder — from vitamins vs. painkillers, to why most tech is overhyped early and under-hyped later, to how AI will transform the next decade of entrepreneurship.In this episode, Gary and Tim discuss:Product-Market Fit: why vitamins lose money and painkillers scaleHow a failed stuffed-animal startup taught him everything about inventory and demandThe dot-com rollercoaster: raising $40M, preparing for a $1B IPO, then crashing to zeroWhy founders should go slow now to go fast laterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timjstojka/  Website: https://nexus3capital.com/ Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO on: Website: https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DitchDiggerCEOTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ditchdiggerceopodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchDiggerCEOTwitter: https://twitter.com/DitchDiggerCEO YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ditchdiggerceo 

Brian Balfour, Founder & CEO of Reforge and former VP of Growth at HubSpot, joins Mostly Growth to explore why product-market fit is a moving target. He introduces the concept of the Product-Market Fit Treadmill, a state where rising customer expectations and competitive pressure make it harder than ever to stay ahead. Brian breaks down how AI has accelerated PMF collapse, explains the hidden costs of product adoption, and shares how Reforge shipped five AI-native products with a team of just 20 people. Packed with frameworks, strategic insight, and startup realism, this episode is essential listening for product leaders, operators, and founders navigating the next wave of GTM.—SPONSORS: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: https://pulley.com/mostlymetricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.com—LINKS:Mostly Metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.comCJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Growth Unhinged: https://www.growthunhinged.com/Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/Brian Balfour: brianbalfour.comBrian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbalfour/Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/https://brianbalfour.com/four-fits-growth-frameworkhttps://x.com/amasad/status/1981201454032703662?s=46https://getlatka.com/companies/firefliesaihttps://x.com/rowancheung/status/1988218743952916537?https://gamma.app/insights/how-we-built-a-usd100m-business-differently—RELATED EPISODES:When the marketing math doesn't math | with Emily Kramerhttps://youtu.be/sSuoV_YSrlwWhy Founders Are Posting Sad Dinnershttps://youtu.be/Zl6NSIHF2Gk—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:01:51 Sponsors – Pulley, Metronome00:04:11 Introducing Brian Balfour & Reforge background00:07:22 Evergreen frameworks & Four Fits resurgence00:11:01 PMF treadmill and rising expectations00:14:26 AI shocks and PMF collapse (Chegg)00:16:43 CRM expectations & AI-native workflows00:20:44 R&D as ongoing cost to serve00:22:26 Customers buying based on future product velocity00:24:32 Communicating rapid releases & driving adoption00:25:17 Reforge's expanding AI product suite00:27:52 Product delivery vs. product adoption bottlenecks00:29:32 Platform distribution shifts introduction00:30:51 Evaluating emerging platforms00:32:04 The open → close platform cycle00:33:31 Moats, escape velocity & platform dominance00:36:32 Choosing major vs. emerging platforms00:40:22 ChatGPT dominance in AI discovery00:42:16 Hiring, resumes & filtering AI-generated applications00:43:30 AI note-taking market & “Flintstoning”00:47:03 Trying Gamma & AI-generated presentation tools00:50:08 AI onboarding innovations (WhatsApp agent)#MostlyGrowthPodcast #ProductMarketFit #BrianBalfour #StartupStrategy #Reforge This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com

What does product-market fit really look like? In this episode, I share the raw, unfiltered story of how we spent two years building the wrong product, the painful lessons we learned, and how we finally found true product-market fit with Rella. You'll hear about the metrics that fooled us, the pivots that saved us, and the real signals that your product is actually working. If you're a founder, creator, or just curious about the startup journey, this episode is for you. Timestamps and chapters below! 00:00 – What is Product-Market Fit, Really? 02:34 – The Early Days: Rella 1.0 and False Signals 06:26 – The Slack & Figma Stories: Real Product-Market Fit 10:20 – Vanity Metrics That Fooled Us 14:21 – The Pivot: Rebuilding from Scratch 18:07 – How to Know When to Pivot vs. Persevere 21:00 – Metrics That Actually Matter 23:41 – What to Do After You Find Product-Market Fit 25:38 – Final Thoughts & Where to Find Me Subscribe for more honest founder stories and business growth tips. Subscribe to my Substack: https://thegrowthlist.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Talk Commerce, Mo ElHawary, a DTC creative strategist, shares insights into his role and the importance of understanding customer personas. He discusses the Five Whys model as a tool for uncovering deeper customer motivations and provides advice for new DTC brands on product development. As the holiday season approaches, Mo emphasizes the need for brands to focus on what is already working while also testing new concepts. He concludes with a recommendation to learn from successful brands like Huel.TakeawaysMo ElHawary has over seven years of experience as a creative strategist.Understanding customer personas is crucial for effective marketing.The Five Whys model helps uncover deeper customer motivations.Brands should focus on existing successful products during the holiday season.Testing new concepts should not consume too much time or resources.It's important for brand founders to solve problems they personally face.Successful marketing requires a deep understanding of customer needs.The holiday season is a critical time for brands to maximize sales.Early promotions can attract customers looking for deals.Learning from successful brands can provide valuable insights.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Mo ElHawary and His Role02:49 Understanding the Creative Strategy Process05:41 The 5 Whys: A Deep Dive into Customer Insights08:38 Creating Customer Personas for DTC Brands11:33 Advice for Brands During Holiday Seasons14:15 Promoting Brands and Personal Insights

How to Find Product-Market Fit (Without Fooling Yourself) Founders love to sprint. Markets prefer you walk, listen, and maybe ask a few humans what they actually want. In this episode, product leader and startup advisor Shweta Agrawal joins Rina to break down why so many early-stage teams skip the fundamentals  (customer discovery, focus, ICP clarity) and pay the price later. From health-tech to ed-tech to “AI for everyone” tools, Shweta shares raw stories, red flags, and the simple practices that separate wishful thinking from real traction. Key Topics Discussed in This Episode Why Founders Keep Skipping Customer Discovery Shweta explains why “I know the market because I am the market” is the fastest path to building something no one pays for — and how to break that pattern early. Product-Market Fit Signals That Actually Matter Renewals, retention, usage depth, early-adopter behavior — and why the infamous “40% Would Be Very Disappointed” test still slaps in 2025. When (and Whether) You're Ready for Go-to-Market The building blocks founders overlook: ICP focus, positioning by region, partners who actually have reach, and the risks of going global before you even have 20 happy users.  Why Listen to This Episode? In this thought-provoking episode, you'll gain: A reality check on the biggest founder blind spots (and how to avoid them). A practical walkthrough of PMF signals that aren't vanity metrics. A step-by-step look at launching intentionally — not reactively. Lessons on adapting your product for different regions, cultures, and buying habits. Whether you're a PM or a founder, this episode will recalibrate your instincts and help you build with confidence, not guesswork.  Related Resources Check out these additional tools and resources to add to your PM belt: Productside Resource Library More Productside Stories Podcast Episodes Explore Productside Courses 

Two experienced investors share their tips for founders and operators hoping to nail product-market fit at their AI startups. Also, Uare.ai, formerly Eternos, raised $10.3 million in seed funding led by Mayfield and Boldstart Ventures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watch the full video on YouTube here.Are you a law firm owner looking to understand the importance of connection? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson interviews Sam, an entrepreneur and leader of Nashville's Entrepreneur Center. Sam shares his unconventional journey from studying history to hotel management, nonprofit work, and founding multiple businesses. He emphasizes the importance of hospitality, community, and authentic relationships in business, drawing lessons from both corporate and local experiences.  Sam talks about how important community and connection is to success. For him, success is directly related to the depth of the community. People just want a place to belong and it is crucial for businesses to thrive when they have other people or other businesses supporting them. Whether it's through networking or partnerships, building connections and maintaining a community of support will make or break success. Sam provides some advice to listeners about building better client relationships. One way is getting to know other client businesses. Once you get to know other clients, their business and what is important to them, you are able to understand them and their work, which can help build trust. Relatability is important in the legal space and it can really help build that bridge between clients and can create great relationships over time.Listen in to learn more!5:19 Lessons from Hospitality9:06 Community and Belonging in Business12:20 Corporate vs. Local Business Culture16:52 Consistency and Service in Hospitality17:38 Practical Tips for Client Communication25:11 Building Community: Safety, Growth, and Meaning26:46 Rituals for Team and Customer Bonding45:28 Product-Market Fit and Customer Discovery51:06 Bad Business Advice to Avoid53:37 Finding and Working with Co-Founders57:33 First Hires and Building a Team 1:02:02 Best Advice for New Law Firm OwnersTune in to today's episode and checkout the full show notes here. Connect with Sam:Website  Linkedin 

Early-stage founders often claim they've reached product market fit, but when you look closer, it's usually built on vibes, not data. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim unpack what real product market fit looks like, how to measure it quantitatively, and why most early-stage SaaS companies are too quick to assume they've found it.  If you've ever wondered how to know when you've actually hit product market fit, or if you might be fooling yourself, this episode gives you the frameworks and numbers to tell the difference. Got a question you'd like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven Previous In Demand Episodes that discuss NRR: episode 46 and episode 37 Superhuman Product Market Fit Survey ProfitWell Chart Mogul Chapters (00:02:20) - What is product market fit, and how was it historically measured?(00:07:00) - The product market fit survey and its limitations.(00:11:30) - Gross customer retention (GCR) as an underrated metric for measuring product market fit.(00:16:00) - Net Revenue Retention (NRR) as a deeper sign of product-market alignment.(00:20:10) - How GCR and NRR tell different parts of the story.(00:26:05) - Secondary indicators: churn rate, close rate, and trial-to-paid conversions.(00:28:05) - Why cohorting/segmenting reveals where PMF actually exists.(00:34:50) - You might have PMF for one segment but not another.(00:36:45) - The cautionary tale of assuming PMF too soon and how DemandMaven sets expectations with new clients.(00:44:30) - The reality check: if you've never charged customers, you don't have PMF.

Outbound sales has changed — and so has Predictable Revenue.In this episode, we sit down with Collin Stewart, CEO of Predictable Revenue, and Adem Manderovic from Closed Circuit Selling, to unpack how outbound has evolved, what the market misunderstood, and what's working for 2026 and beyond.We explore how outbound is shifting from brute-force prospecting to a smarter, signal-led strategy. You'll hear the inside story behind Predictable Revenue, how SDR roles were originally designed, and why “market validation” is now the key measure of success.Tune in and learn: + Why Predictable Revenue was never just about meetings+ How to rebuild outbound around timing, trust, and signals+ The 4-Funnel System that helps sales and marketing stay alignedIf you want to future-proof your outbound strategy for 2026, this episode is a must-watch.-----------------------------------------------------

Register for Founder University Japan's kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday's show:*On TWiST, Jason welcomes an all-star VC panel — Deedy Das of Menlo Partners and Jay Eum of GFT Ventures — for a deep dive into the shocking scale of early-stage AI raises, a transitional moment for investors, the growing importance of the “prosumer” market, ChatGPT's insane smile curves, and much much more.IN THIS EPISODEWhat the panelists make of Roelof Botha's exit from Sequoia… and is he really going anywhere…Why Jason says VC is no longer the best way to get rich…Why so many private companies are growing SO HUGE before going public…And much more!Timestamps:(00:03:37) Jason is fresh from surviving Riyadh traffic but he's here and introducing our all star panel(00:04:03) Why Jason compares Riyadh to Silicon Valley in the 1960s(00:05:21) Friend of the Pod Roelof Botha is stepping down at Sequoia… our insiders try to guess what might have happened…(10:00) Crusoe - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(00:13:11) Deedy moved up at Menlo without being a venture native… he shares the secrets behind his rise.(00:19:09) Was Roelof wrong about “return-free risk”? Does more capital always = more great companies?(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(00:26:54) With so many private companies growing SO HUGE… when is the right time to go public? Considering the case of Glean and Stripe…(30:00) AWS Marketplace - If you're ready to really accelerate your sales cycle, AWS Marketplace is your next stop. Head to https://aws.com/startups to learn more.(00:30:07) Why Jason says venture capital is no longer the best way to get rich(00:32:34) Why AI apps are so appealing to enterprises after years of paying for SaaS(00:36:32) The growing importance of “prosumers”(00:37:31) Why Deedy says a smile curve is the most beautiful depiction of “Product Market Fit”(00:44:36) Why it's still tough to raise pre-seed money, even during an AI “boom”!(00:46:08) Why Jason says the hardest job in the tech ecosystem is being an investor(00:55:52) “Time is one of the primary drivers of venture capital return.” - Jay Eun(00:57:42) Deedy on the shocking amounts being raised by early-stage AI companies(01:00:21) Just how much DO VCs work compared to founders? The panel compares notes.(01:02:53) Are some investors not doing diligence? Deedy on the speed of some AI deals.(01:16:51) The panel picks their fav portfolio company of the moment (or one of their faves)Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comFollow 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:Crusoe - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visitAWS Marketplace - If you're ready to really accelerate your sales cycle, AWS Marketplace is your next stop. Head to https://aws.com/startups to learn more.Check 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

tiun is building auth and payment infrastructure that consolidates two traditional categories into one streamlined solution. By combining social login with instant payment functionality, tiun eliminates the standard account creation and credit card entry flow, reducing user onboarding to a two-click process. Operating as merchant of record, tiun serves online entertainment businesses, content creators, news publishers, and SaaS platforms. The company currently reaches 10 million users monthly through customer website placements and is growing transactions 15-20% month-over-month. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Sandro Zweig shares how tiun evolved from targeting news publishers to building a broader entertainment ecosystem, the challenges of creating a market for a combined category, and the data-driven approach to proving ROI before scaling. Topics Discussed: Evolution from news publisher focus to entertainment and SaaS ecosystem strategy Consolidating auth and payment infrastructure into a single category Case study metrics: 20% uplift in paying users with under 1% subscription cannibalization The 2.5x lead generation improvement versus traditional subscription models Building market-specific ecosystems as a B2B2C go-to-market strategy DACH penetration strategy before US expansion Achieving organic exposure through customer website placement Reducing integration complexity to drive adoption in an emerging category GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Geographic density creates B2B2C flywheels: tiun's go-to-market prioritizes ecosystem density within a single market over broad geographic distribution. Users discover tiun on one platform, then encounter it across 3-4 additional properties in their consumption pattern, creating recognition and repeat usage. This required penetrating DACH (100 million people, single language, unified regulations) before considering US expansion. For B2B2C products where end-user familiarity drives business adoption, concentrate on saturating one market until the consumer-side network effect reduces enterprise sales friction. Validate with 6-12 month pilot data before scaling: tiun ran contained pilots with 3-4 customers for a full year before pursuing their long-tail market. This produced case studies showing 20% paying user uplift and under 1% cannibalization—metrics that directly addressed the primary objection (subscription revenue risk). Sandro notes this extended validation period became essential because "there is no market for it yet. We're creating the market." When creating a new category, resist scaling pressure until you have multi-month data that quantifies business outcomes and neutralizes the biggest adoption barriers. Strategic revenue trade-offs accelerate ecosystem development: tiun deliberately adjusted pricing to "pay out more to our businesses to grow a bit faster"—prioritizing transaction volume and ecosystem density over near-term take rate. This economics decision reflected that their value proposition strengthens with ecosystem scale: users need to encounter tiun across multiple properties for the solution to deliver its full promise. When building network effects or marketplace dynamics, model whether lower monetization drives the velocity needed to reach critical mass faster than optimizing for immediate margins. Integration speed directly determines category creation velocity: Sandro identified that "if the sales cycle is too long and integration is too complicated, people won't do it. Especially since it's a product that doesn't exist and there is no market for it yet." They focused on reducing implementation to 2-3 weeks, recognizing that asking companies to replace existing auth and payment infrastructure requires minimal switching costs. For emerging categories where customers must displace incumbent solutions, integration complexity often determines adoption more than feature superiority. Build investor relationships 12+ months before raises: Sandro emphasizes starting fundraising conversations well before needing capital: "If you decide, oh, I need to fundraise right now, then you will automatically get into a cash crunch. Because by the time you have established all the relationships, it just takes such a long time that you run out of money where it really hurts your negotiation power." Treat investor relationship development as continuous rather than transactional—similar to enterprise pipeline development where deals close from relationships built quarters earlier. //   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  

In this episode, Alisa Cohn interviews Isaac Evans, co-founder and CEO of Semgrep, a startup giving security tools directly to developers. Isaac shares his journey from conducting research at the U.S. Defense Department and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where he explored binary exploitation bypasses, control-flow integrity, and novel hardware defenses on architectures like RISC-V, to founding and leading a fast-growing company at the forefront of developer security. A graduate of MIT with BS and MS degrees in EECS, Isaac also brings a deep curiosity for next-generation programming languages, secure-by-design frameworks, and the intersection of cryptography and public policy.Together, Alisa and Isaac dive into the realities of startup leadership, the evolution of Semgrep's business model, the value of feedback, and the transition from founder to CEO. Isaac offers candid insights on managing a growing team, navigating change, and staying grounded through self-awareness. The conversation also explores how AI is reshaping software development, concluding with advice and reflections for aspiring founders building companies in today's fast-moving world.Where to find Isaac:SemgrepXLinkedInTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction to Deep Conversations(01:55) Exploring Love Languages in Relationships(06:00) The Founding Insight of Semgrep(10:06) Navigating Early Startup Challenges(13:45) The Evolution of Semgrep's Business Model(17:53) Handling Community Feedback and Criticism(21:54) Crisis Management and Personal Growth(25:46) The Importance of Feedback Culture(33:20) Embracing Feedback as a Gift(35:45) Shifting Leadership Styles(38:32) The A-Plus Responsibilities of a CEO(42:34) Navigating the Founder to CEO Transition(46:46) Learning Through Experience(50:32) The Challenge of Team Dynamics(54:31) The Future of AI and Security(59:28) Imposter Syndrome and Self-Awareness(01:03) 15 Advice for Aspiring FoundersConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Today's show:Jason's been skeptical on Apple lately, but he's BLOWN AWAY by his new iPhone Air.Hear why JCal thinks Cupertino's latest release is “completely inspiring,” and why he's sure it's the next step on the road to Apple Glasses.We're chatting with LAUNCH founder Zach Handshoe of spacial video startup SpatialGen about designing products for Cupertino AND the intense pressure of performing a Steve Jobs-level keynote.PLUS Raiza Martin of Huxe stops by to tell us why they're using audio to make AI assistants more personalized AND proactive, and how they're already getting noticed in an increasingly crowded App Store.AND we've got another Gamma Pitch Competition entrant! Chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli presents his expert-focused app, ChessEver.Timestamps:(2:05) Friend of the pod @ZacharyHandshoe stops by to talk about supporting Apple Immersive Video (and staying up during the AWS outage)(9:37) Enterpret - Turn feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.(15:55) The iPhone Air can already shoot spatial video! Just part of why Jason calls it a “completely inspiring” product.(21:25) Crusoe Cloud - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(24:30) Jason offers viewers a peek inside LAUNCH's Whisper Network(32:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(33:10) Huxe co-founder (and NotebookLM vet) Raiza Martin wants to make your AI assistant more personalized and proactive.(37:14) Why Raiza and her team went with an audio-forward interface instead of a chatbot.(43:25) How Huxe is getting noticed in the App Store as a brand new arrival.(50:25) The big LLMs still aren't great at writing engaging content for humans, so Huxe is doing it themselves.(52:41) Chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli from ChessEver joins us for his Gamma pitch!(54:26) Why Vasif is focusing on very serious players FIRST before appealing to more casual chess fans(1:05:28) Jason thinks ChessEver is at the moment of “triangulation” in their journey to finding Product Market Fit… what do Grandmasters really want?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:Enterpret - Turn feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.Crusoe Cloud - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistGreat 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

From hockey stick growth to flat on your face, it hurts and Collin Stewart can tell you firsthand. He had one customer before he left his full-time job, the problem was he still had one customer 18 months later. In his first endeavor this entrepreneur built what he thought everyone needed and kept showing them and expecting them to say how great it was, but they didn't. “I was building my idea. I wasn't building what the customer's wanted.” The lesson, it's all about the customer, what they need and want. Rapid-Fire MentionsBook: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard RumellPodcast: Acquired FMAdvice to CEOs:  Lead with relationships and real value. Outbound still works, but only if your product-market fit is strong. If you're early-stage, skip the pitch and focus on helping first. Connect WithCollin Stewart: LinkedIn | WebsiteCollin's book: The Terrifying Art of Finding a CustomerAlice Heiman: LinkedIn | Website

Thomas Preuss, Partner bei DTCP, spricht über den richtigen Zeitpunkt für Partnerschaften mit Großunternehmen. Er teilt, warum Product-Market-Fit die wichtigste Voraussetzung ist, wie man das richtige Timing für Partnerschaften findet und warum man sich nicht zu früh von großen Namen blenden lassen sollte. Was du lernst: Wann der richtige Zeitpunkt für Partnerschaften ist Die Balance zwischen Vision und Kundenanforderungen Warum Product-Market-Fit entscheidend ist Den richtigen Fokus in der Frühphase finden 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/ 

DEMAIN je reçois ⁠Gauthier Henroz, CEO de ⁠Chift⁠, une startup belge qui unifie les API comptables et financières à travers l'Europe. En trois ans, Chift est passé de trois potes dans un bureau bruxellois à une startup européenne de 30 personnes.Ici, il me parle de ses débuts avec Chift, comment trouver son p-Product-Market Fit grâce notamment au Mom Test.Dans l'épisode de demain, on parle de :

In this episode, CJ sits down with Joe Floyd, General Partner at Emergence Capital, for a candid conversation about the venture landscape reshaped by AI. They unpack how acqui-hires are rewriting the social contract between founders and investors, why AI engineers are commanding “boy band money,” and how SaaS playbooks are being torn up and rebuilt in real time. Joe explains the economics of AI-native startups — from circular capital flows to model-provider costs — and explores whether the next trillion-dollar private company could come from this new wave. Along the way, they discuss valuation frenzy, headcount discipline, and why curiosity might be the most valuable skill in tech today.—LINKS:Joe Floyd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefloyd/HarbourVest Partners: https://www.emcap.com/CJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.comRELATED EPISODES:Why Fundraising Has Slowed Down: Insights from Emergence Capital's Benchmarking Report: From Credit Karma to Notion: CFO Rama Katkar on Leading Finance Through Every Growth Stage:—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Preview and Intro(00:00:54) Opening and Episode Overview(00:02:53) Sponsor – RightRev | Tipalti | Aleph(00:07:07) Back to the Office and Startup Pace in San Francisco(00:08:40) AI Tooling Experiments and the Risk of Short-Term Hype(00:10:19) Building Stickier AI Products and Competing in Crowded Markets(00:12:27) SaaS Moats, Product-Market Fit, and the AI Shift(00:14:00) How Productivity Platforms Use AI To Stay Sticky(00:15:58) Continuous Authentication and the Next Wave of Security Tech(00:16:36) Sponsor – Rillet | Fidelity Private Shares | Mercury(00:19:54) Acqui-Hires, the Social Contract, and the War for AI Talent(00:22:42) Stock-Based Comp and the Economics of Attracting Engineers(00:24:39) The New Go-to-Market Playbook and Curiosity as a Superpower(00:27:59) AI's Impact on Sales, Forecasting, and Buyer Behavior(00:29:11) Coding Agents, Headcount Reduction, and the Future of Engineering(00:32:21) Building Defensible IP and Competing in the LLM Ecosystem(00:34:34) AI ROI, Payback Periods, and the Search for Efficiency(00:37:17) Valuations, Fund Cycles, and the Venture Market Reset(00:40:20) The Circular Flow of AI Capital and Infrastructure Overbuild(00:45:37) AI Pricing Models, Platform Wars, and Open Source Futures(00:50:02) The Race to the First $1 Trillion Private Company(00:51:09) Credits and Outro—SPONSORS:Fidelity Private Shares is the all-in-one equity management platform that keeps your cap table clean, your data room organized, and your equity story clear—so you never risk losing a fundraising round over messy records. Schedule a demo at https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com and mention Mostly Metrics to get 20% off.Mercury is business banking built for builders, giving founders and finance pros a financial stack that actually works together. From sending wires to tracking balances and approving payments, Mercury makes it simple to scale without friction. Join the 200,000+ entrepreneurs who trust Mercury and apply online in minutes at https://www.mercury.comRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit https://www.rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Tipalti automates the entire payables process—from onboarding suppliers to executing global payouts—helping finance teams save time, eliminate costly errors, and scale confidently across 200+ countries and 120 currencies. More than 5,000 businesses already trust Tipalti to manage payments with built-in security and tax compliance. Visit https://www.tipalti.com/runthenumbers to learn more.Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runRillet is the AI-native ERP modern finance teams are switching to because it's faster, simpler, and 100% built for how teams operate today. See how fast your team can move. Book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/metrics#RunTheNumbersPodcast #VentureCapital #ArtificialIntelligence #StartupStrategy #FutureOfWork This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com

דן בנימין יודע בדיוק מה שוק הסייבר מחפש, הוא מכר את חברת Dig Security לפאלו אלטו בכ־315 מיליון דולר בתוך פחות משנתיים מאז שהקים אותה ב 2021. בפרק הזה הוא מספר איך הכול התחיל, מה השלב שבו הבין שיש Product-Market Fit אמיתי, ואיך משלמים מחיר אישי בדרך לצמרת.שוחחנו על הדרך הנכונה להקים סטארטאפ: איך יודעים שיש שוק, איך מגייסים כסף, למה חשוב שהיזם יישאר הכי קרוב למוצר, מה בכלל עושים ביום שאחרי. דיברנו גם על אבטחת ענן, התחום שצומח הכי מהר בתוך עולם הסייבר, ואיך מתקפות כמו זו על Change Healthcare, שהשביתה תעשייה שלמה, שינו את כללי המשחק. דן מסביר למה Cloud Security הפך לצוואר בקבוק עסקי, איך משקיעים יכולים להבדיל בין "בועה" להזדמנות אמיתית, ואיזה מדד אחד הכי חשוב כדי לזהות חברה חזקה באמת.שוחחנו גם על הקשר בין סייבר ל־AI, למה החברות הגדולות דווקא קונות ולא בונות, ומה הדבר הבא שהשוק עדיין לא מעריך מספיק. פרק חובה ליזמים, אנליסטים, משקיעים – ולכל מי שרוצה להבין איך נראה קצה גבול החדשנות בתחום הכי רותח בשוק, כזה שאני אישית משקיע בו (וישקיע) עוד שנים ארוכות קדימה.לפתיחת חשבון מסחר במיטב:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://landing.meitav.co.il/he-IL/landing/trade/tradeleads?utm_source=%D7%92%D7%99%D7%90+%D7%A0%D7%AA%D7%9F&utm_medium=%D7%92%D7%99%D7%90+%D7%A0%D7%AA%D7%9F⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠לאינסטגרם שלי:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/guynatan9/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠לאתר שלי:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://guynatan.com00:00:00 - פתיחה00:01:23 - הצגת האורח: דן בנימין (בנג'מין)02:26 - מה זה Dig Security ואיך הכל התחיל?03:56 - איך מגייסים 8.5 מיליון דולר ביום הראשון של החברה?05:04 - איך מנהלים 8.5 מיליון דולר ולא "משתגעים"?10:04 - המחיר האישי של צמיחה אגרסיבית18:39 - למה ישראל היא מעצמת סייבר עולמית?22:38 - עצות ליזם המתחיל: האם להקים סטארט-אפ ישר אחרי הצבא?26:03 - מאחורי הקלעים של אקזיט: כך מתנהל תהליך מכירה48:50 - האם סייבר באמת חסין למשברים כלכליים?56:57 - המסר למאזינים: בואו נהיה מאוחדים

Usually small startups fail when trying to take on big companies.Rainforest, however, is a different story. In the payments space dominated by Stripe and PayPal, founder Joshua Silver saw a gap no one was paying attention to.The result? Over $1 Billion in transactions in their first year!In this convo, Joshua explains how he found the opportunity, the steps he took to dominate it, and his mindset when it comes to nailing product-market-fit in a crowded space.Chapters:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:56) Payment Processing's Role in SaaS Revenue(00:02:07) How Rainforest Succeeded So Quickly(00:05:42) Strategy For Breaking Into The Market(00:15:17) How They Beat The Competition(00:17:50) The 1 Metric To Focus On(00:21:49) The Best Thing He Did While Fundraising——Subscribe for more startup content!Check out Rainforest: https://www.rainforestpay.com/Check out PELION: https://pelionvp.com/

הפרק אני מארח את מרב בהט, מייסדת שותפה ומנכ"לית Dazz, שנרכשה על ידי Wiz בעסקת ענק. זו שיחה כנה וחשופה על החיים שאחרי האקזיט, על המחיר האישי והמקצועי של ריצת הספרינט היזמית, ועל הלקחים הקריטיים שלמדה בדרך. מרב משתפת בפתיחות על הטעויות הגדולות שעשתה, במיוחד בגיוס אנשי מכירות ובתהליך ה-Handover מהמייסדים. דיברנו על איך מזהים "כאב" אמיתי ששווה לבנות סביבו חברה, מתי הרגע הנכון "לטוס" קדימה בכל הכוח, ועל החשיבות של בניית צוות מגוון. מרב גם משתפת באומץ בסיפורה האישי והמורכב על ניהול תהליך הרכישה במקביל להתמודדות עם מחלתה ופטירתה של אמה, ומדברת על האתגרים והפחדים של נשים יזמיות בעולם ההייטק. פרק חובה לכל יזם ויזמת בתחילת דרכם, ולכל מי שרוצה להבין מה באמת קורה מאחורי הקלעים של הצלחה מסחררת.(00:00:00) החיים אחרי האקזיט: האמת שלא מספרים לכם(00:02:31) מה הסוד בתרבות הארגונית של החברות המצליחות ביותר?(00:03:42) הטעות הקריטית: לבנות מוצר בלי להקשיב ללקוח(00:06:52) "אסור ל-Founders לעשות Drop the Ball על המכירות"(00:08:32) מתי הרגע הנכון לגייס VP Sales? (אחרי שפיטרתי את הראשון)(00:09:43) החשיבות הקריטית של גיוון (Diversity) בצוות הראשוני(00:12:41) שלושת המדדים שכל יזם חייב להכיר לפני שהוא רץ קדימה(00:13:46) מצאת Product-Market Fit? עכשיו תתחיל לטוס!(00:14:52) סייבר זה לא תחום נשי? מרב בהט מנפצת את המיתוס(00:19:03) ההתמודדות עם הפחדים והחרדות במסע היזמי(00:20:25) הפחד הגדול של יזמיות: האם אפשר להיות גם אמא וגם מנכ"לית?(00:25:30) גייסנו כסף מגילי רענן בלי שהיה לנו אפילו רעיון(00:27:00) כך תנהלו שיחות Discovery עם לקוחות כדי למצוא בעיה אמיתית(00:31:54) מה היה ה-MVP של Dazz ואיך הוא פתר ללקוחות בעיה כואבת?(00:38:47) הסיפור מאחורי האקזיט: ניהלתי את העסקה בזמן שאמי נפטרה

Our guest in this episode is Ali Hafizji, the CEO of Wednesday Solutions, who joins us from Pune, India. He's on a critical mission to steer startup founders away from the chaos and waste that often plagues their journey, offering them a clear, systematic path to success. In our chat, Ali Hafizji breaks down the fundamental mindset shift that separates a struggling project from a thriving business: the transition from being a "builder" to becoming a true "business owner." Ali provides a clear framework for founders to escape the dreaded "build trap" and focus on the activities that genuinely move the needle. Key points discussed include:* Make the critical shift from passionately building a product to strategically owning the entire business.* Your new job isn't coding; it's marketing, sales, fundraising, and gathering crucial market insights.* Leverage AI for incredible speed, but always guide it with uniquely human judgment and strategic focus.Listen to the podcast to find out more.Innovabiz Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Show Notes from this episode with Ali HafizjiIt was a real privilege to welcome Ali Hafizji, the CEO of Wednesday Solutions, to the Innovabuzz podcast, all the way from Pune, India. Ali has a critical and incredibly timely mission: to help founders avoid the pain, waste, and chaos that so often derails promising startups. He provides a wonderfully systematic and clear path for entrepreneurs to move from a compelling Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to that all-important Product-Market Fit, and he does it with a logic that cuts right through the emotional turmoil of the founder's journey.Our conversation was a deep dive into the fundamental mindset shift required to build not just a product, but a sustainable business. Ali's insights felt like a much-needed dose of clarity in a startup world that is often filled with noise and distractions. He's on a mission to help founders cross the chasm from being passionate builders to becoming strategic business owners, a distinction that is truly at the heart of success.The Critical Divide: Are You a Builder or a Business Owner?The most powerful idea Ali Hafizji shared was the distinction between acting like a "builder" and thinking like a "business owner". So many founders start because they have personally experienced a problem and have the vision to build a digital solution for it. This is a fantastic starting point, but it's also a trap. They get their MVP built, show it to a few people, and then get stuck in a perpetual cycle of building.As Ali explained, their day-to-day becomes about micromanaging features and tweaking the product, not growing the business. They are acting like builders, not owners. This crucial difference in mindset is often what separates a promising project that fizzles out from a company that achieves real traction and makes a lasting impact.Escaping the "Build Trap": When Your Day-to-Day Doesn't Move the NeedleThis builder mindset leads directly to what Ali calls the "build trap". You get feedback, you add a feature. You talk to a user, you tweak the interface. You're constantly busy, your team is shipping code, but the core business metrics aren't changing. You feel like you're working incredibly hard, but as Ali puts it, you're just not "moving the needle".The litmus test he offered was profound in its simplicity: if you realize that no matter what you do, things aren't fundamentally changing, you probably need to change first. It's a sign that you must stop focusing all your energy on the product itself and transform your own role within the company.The Founder's New Job: A Four-Point Mission for GrowthSo, what does that new role look like? Ali laid out a new job description for the post-MVP founder, one centered on four key activities: marketing, sales, fundraising, and gathering insights. The founder's primary job is to be the external voice and vision for the company, interacting with the market, customers, and investors.This means handing over the day-to-day building to a team you trust, whether it's an in-house team or a partner. That team's job is to convert the rich insights you're gathering into a digital offering. This shift is a massive change, moving from the comfort of building to the challenging, but essential, work of business development.AI as the Enabler, Not the Answer: Building with True VelocityIn today's world, it's easier than ever to build something, thanks in large part to AI. Ali is a huge proponent of using AI, but in a very specific, strategic way. He sees it as a powerful enabler to get your MVP off the ground and to supercharge your engineering team, allowing a small "pod" to achieve twice the outcome.However, he was quick to point out that true velocity isn't just about speed; it's a combination of speed and direction. AI can provide the speed, but the direction must come from the human insights gathered by the founder. An AI-enabled team is powerful, but they are still relying on the founder's strategic guidance to ensure they are building the right thing.The Human Advantage: Why Saying "No" is Your Most Important SkillThis brought us to the crucial human element. With the ability to build things so quickly, the temptation to add every bell and whistle is stronger than ever. Ali argued that the most important advantage a human-led team has is the ability to say "no." It's about having the focus and judgment to decide what not to build.He used brilliant examples, like Instagram focusing solely on its iOS app for the longest time, or Snapchat starting with a single, simple feature. This disciplined focus is only possible through a consultative, back-and-forth conversation between the founder and the team, constantly asking the tough questions: "What business metric is this going to move?" That judgment is something AI can't replicate.Conclusion: Stop Listening to the Chaos and Start BuildingAli's message is ultimately one of empowerment. We are in an age where the tools to bring an idea to life are more accessible than ever. His final call to action was simple: "now is the time to build". But that encouragement comes with a critical piece of wisdom.You must start with the awareness that the goal isn't just to build a product, but to build a business. Be prepared to make that difficult but necessary transition from builder to business owner. Stop listening to the chaos, focus on what truly matters, and you'll be on the right path to turning your vision into a viable, impactful company.The Buzz - Our Innovation RoundHere are Ali's answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop.Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships: Using an AI tool that helps you take interviews better by nudging you to look at the camera and build a genuine connection.Best thing to integrate AI and human connection: Actively avoiding the use of AI for human connection to maintain authenticity, as AI-generated text often feels like fluff.Differentiate by leveraging AI: Focus on authentic video for marketing, as text is now commoditized and video offers a less noisy, more human platform.ActionIf you are thinking about building a business, now is the time to start. Use the tools all around you to build whatever you plan, as you don't need a lot of external help to get started.Reach OutYou can reach out and thank Ali via the Wednesday Solutions website or by connecting with him on LinkedIn.Links:* Website - Wednesday Solutions* LinkedIn* Twitter - @wednesdaysol* Instagram - @wednesday.solCool Things About Ali* He is a "Founder Pain-Killer": Ali hasn't just built another software company. He has systematically designed a business model around a core philosophy: to prevent the specific pain, chaos, and waste he has witnessed kill so many startups. He is not just selling a service; he is selling a well-engineered antidote to a common business disease.* He is a Unicorn Whisperer: Having worked with over 10% of India's unicorn companies, Ali possesses a rare and valuable perspective. He has had a front-row seat to hyper-growth, giving him an extraordinary understanding of the patterns that separate the wildly successful from the rest, especially during their chaotic and vulnerable early stages.* He is a Pragmatic AI Pioneer: While many leaders talk about AI in abstract or future-tense terms, Ali is a true early adopter who has been using it in the trenches for years. He treats AI not as a buzzword, but as a practical, integrated "force multiplier" that is a fundamental part of his company's daily operations.Ready to move beyond just creating content and start creating real connection?In the Age of AI, the future belongs to those who can amplify human wisdom. Flywheel Nation is MORE than a community; it's a movement for creators and visionaries dedicated to shaping a more human future.Join us as we co-create that future for ethical AI. Here you will tap into the collective wisdom of leaders who prioritize connection over automation, find powerful collaborations that elevate your impact, and help illuminate the path forward.This is your invitation to not only grow your business but to become a lighthouse for others.Join the movement. Visit innovabiz.co/flywheel to be a part of the conversation.VideoThanks for reading Innovabiz Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit innovabiz.substack.com/subscribe

Louise Hill is Exec Chair, former CEO & Co-founder of GoHenry. Her board roles include Sibstar and Innovate Finance's Unicorn Council for UK FinTech. Listen to the conversation to hear about: Louise's sources of support and challenge in the early stages of GoHenry (2:01) How the board helped her with product market fit and go-to-market strategy (4:27) Three key strategic decisions where the board added value (10:22) Why it can be better to target end-users than distribution partners (12:56) The pros and cons of crowdfunding: the story behind the $5.6 million raise on CrowdCube, the highest ever at that point (14:28) Key principles of fundraising every board member should know (21:19) Where Louise could have got more value from her board (26:11) Board and founder lessons from The GoHenry exit (30:38) ⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(34:22) Host: Oliver Cummings Producer: Will Felton Music: Kate Mac Audio: Nick Kold Email: podcast@nurole.com Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Try breaker here: joinbreaker.ai/tair1

From testing markets with a simple Google ads landing page to scaling a multi-million dollar education business, John Rood has learned what it takes to build, exit, and start again. In this episode, John shares the lessons that shaped his journey: the importance of hiring specialists at the right time, why EOS was transformational for scaling, and how “feedback is a gift” became one of his guiding philosophies. We also get into life after exit, what it looks like to find meaning beyond money, and John's latest chapter as founder of Perceptual where he helps enterprises adopt AI safely and responsibly. Whether you are a founder, an executive, or someone simply curious about what is next in your career, this conversation is packed with practical insights and real-world stories you can act on tomorrow. Inside the episode How John tested new markets with Google ads before making big bets Lessons in hiring: specialists vs. generalists, and convincing talent to join a smaller business Implementing EOS and why “following the recipe” matters Research and discovery, from validating product markets to interviewing 70 founders Why “feedback is a gift” and how to give it effectively The role of peer groups like EO and YPO in accelerating growth Finding purpose and passion after an exit, the “pocket knife” principle Guardrails for AI, how enterprises can adopt AI without being paralyzed by fear Mentioned in this episode EOS / Traction - https://www.eosworldwide.com/?podconvergence Beyond the Exit by John Rood - https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Exit-Successful-Entrepreneurs-Their/dp/B0DRCWS3P6/?podconvergence  Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) - https://eonetwork.org/?podconvergence  YPO - http://ypo.org/?podconvergence  Perceptual - https://proceptual.com/about/?podconvergence  John's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrood1?podconvergence Subscribe to the Convergence podcast wherever you get podcasts, including video episodes on YouTube. . Learn something? Give us a 5-star review and like the podcast on YouTube. It is how we grow.  

This week we chat to Sabir Semerkant.  After 25+ years in e-commerce and over a billion dollars in revenue growth to my name, Sabir has developed a framework that unlocks 2X-10X growth for any ecom business that has Product-Market Fit. So if you have proven products, tune in now and let's start by optimizing your entire business and doubling your daily sales conversions in 21 days or less! 

In this episode of the Always Be Testing podcast, Peter Denton—a seasoned growth and marketing leader with a 25+ year career in startups, product experimentation, and marketing innovation—shares a wealth of insights from his journey through the dot-com boom to leading growth at XMTP and previously Pioneer Square Labs.Peter discusses how to de-risk startups before launch, leverage APIs and data for faster insights, and adapt to changing marketing landscapes driven by AI, privacy, and emerging tech like blockchain and quantum security. From the rise of agents and protocols to the future of messaging platforms, Peter offers a masterclass on building, testing, and scaling products in today's fast-moving world.

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/  

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

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  

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

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  

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

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