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What's dropping on The GTM Podcast next week? Scaling to $100M ARR with creative demand gen and hiring discipline with Sam Blond! Hear straight from him... 💡 Why investing early in sales ops and revops is critical for scaling revenue. 💡 How to generate demand through creative campaigns and a "concentric circles" approach. 💡 The risks of scaling sales teams too quickly based on flawed hiring models. 💡 What VCs look for in a compelling founder pitch, beyond just business metrics. 💡 Why focusing on generating pipeline is often better than optimizing conversions. 💡 How to leverage customer marketing and "raving fans" as an early acquisition channel. Sam Blond is the former Chief Revenue Officer at Brex, where he scaled revenue from $1M to hundreds of millions in ARR. Prior to Brex, Sam served as VP of Sales at Zenefits, growing revenue from $1M to $70M in just two years. After his operating roles, Sam joined Founders Fund as an investing partner before leaving to co-found a new startup. So you'll want to listen up. Listen to the full conversation in episode GTM 105 dropping on Tuesday! GTMfund GTMnow

How do you solve the ‘chicken and egg’ problem in building a marketplace? On the latest episode of The Long Game, I had a chat with Bo Abrams, co-founder of kommu, the home-sharing app that’s disrupting travel by putting trust and connections first. We dive into the real struggles behind building a marketplace—balancing supply and demand when you need both to grow. Bo shares how Kommu hacked early growth by leveraging existing communities on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, even when facing bans. Their strategy? Build real value first and then layer on tools that help users easily share and connect. It’s a model that’s already proving itself through a pilot program aimed at cutting business travel costs, all while boosting user engagement and retention. 🎙️ In the full episode: We explore how Kommu is challenging the traditional travel industry with a people-first model, avoiding fees, and giving users complete control. Bo also gets real about the hard truths of building a startup in today’s funding environment and why conviction and resilience are everything. Takeaway: Every startup hits tough challenges, but solving them is where the magic happens. Stick with it, keep experimenting, and remember—building for the long game is where real success lies. Watch the full episode! Link in bio.

“The average early stage business increases price by about 60% between the zero to one million phase and the one to ten million phase.” - Kyle Poyar on the GTM podcast An early rookie mistake I made while starting off was getting excited about closing smaller ACVs within bigger logos without fully understanding our share of wallet within those accounts and the importance of rapidly expanding it. For early-stage startups and companies making the transition to enterprise, even with a great product, there’s often a missed opportunity to assess a customer’s total spend and see how they compare to existing competing vendors. The sooner you can gauge your share of wallet and identify areas where you’re probably a better fit for the customers needs, the better positioned you are to drive expansion and reduce the risk of churn.

🔥🔥🔥NEW PODCAST🔥🔥🔥: "We specialize in turning your customers into super fans through collecting customer reviews, surveys, loyalty, quizzes, and now with Okendo referrals." - Adena Merabi, Partnership Team Lead, Okendo In today’s episode, I have a great conversation with Adena Merabi. Adena shares Okendo's exciting journey from its early days to becoming a powerhouse in the e-commerce tech space. We discuss the importance of customer reviews, zero-party data, and how Okendo is helping brands create better customer experiences. Adena also illuminates the - challenges brands face today, - the importance of building a solid tech stack and - how partnerships play a crucial role in Okendo's success. 🔥🔥🔥Episode link in comments! If you enjoy our founder and brand features, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify. Your support helps us bring you more content like this! This episode is brought to you by Compass Rose Ventures and Shopline USA. #founders #founderstories #brands #entrepreneurship Smarterships Matthew Goodman

"Make steel sexy." 🛠️ - 🚀 Dallas Hogensen In this episode of Marketing Moves, we are joined by Dallas Hogensen, co-founder and CEO of Felux, a B2B marketplace that is transforming the steel industry. Dallas discusses his journey from working at companies like Lyft to developing Felux in Ohio. He shares how Felux addresses technology gaps, their new Account-Based Marketing strategy, and achieving $16 million in revenue without prior marketing. Tune in for a deep dive into the future of the steel industry and Felux's innovative approach, including their use of AI, plans for a venture capital fund, and commitment to the Midwest startup ecosystem. Link in first comment to listen! 🎙️ #podcast #marketingmoves #marketing #digitalmarketing

How do you sell a SaaS Business for 12 times revenue while only taking in one major funding round? Many software companies would dream of an exit that was 12x EARNINGS. But 12x REVENUE? That’s a completely different story! We recently sat down with Gary Nowacki, CEO of TraceGains, who recently sold his SaaS business for $350m. But what’s astonishing is that Gary's large exit was built on a $30m annual revenue run rate. Even more surprising is that TraceGains only raised one significant capital round, primarily through a Canadian private equity firm. In this episode of the VENTURE 2 VICTORY podcast, Gary lays out his blueprint - that secret sauce - for building a dominant NICHE software business, slowly and methodically over time, on limited capital and low dilution. Can you guess HOW he did it? Check out the link in the COMMENTS below for my full interview with Gary on the VENTURE 2 VICTORY podcast! If you’re a software founder looking at the traditional VC cycle of continuous fundraising and dilution, maybe a strategic private equity partnership is an option worth consideration? Listen to Gary’s perspective, and let us know what you think! #venturecapital #privateequity #executivesearch #SaaS #software

Maya Azoulay recently joined the Founders Marketing Compass podcast, sharing her unique perspective on marketing from the dual vantage point of a seasoned operator and an active investor. 🎙️ In her words, "Marketing isn't just about driving immediate results—it's about crafting a narrative that aligns with your long-term vision and resonates deeply with your audience." Maya dives into what founders should consider as they scale, common pitfalls to avoid, and strategies for sustainable growth. Her insights are invaluable for any founder navigating today’s evolving marketing landscape.

How do you sell a SaaS business for 12x revenue while only taking in one major funding round? Loved working with Gary Nowacki, helping build his sales team in the early days. His story is amazing, and I was so happy to see such a large exit after a long run. Check out how Gary and TraceGains created extreme value in a niche industry on the VENTURE 2 VICTORY podcast. The link for the FULL pod conversation can be found in Tim's first COMMENT in his post. #venturecapital #executiverecruiting #SaaS #startups

i don't wake up at 5 am. i don't do cold plunge. i don't workout everyday. yet... i have helped build a $100M business. actually make that two businesses. my new venture GTM Partners went from 0 to $5M in last 3 years... completely bootstrapped. i try to keep saturday sabbath. i try to be better husband and a father but seldom fail. i have two kids that consider my office their playground. but i am really good at this: i focus on one thing and give it all... for years. for ABM - i wrote two books and built a community and did 1000+ episodes podcast around the movement called #FlipMyFunnel and worked on the company Terminus (by DemandScience) for 8 straight years. now i am doing the same thing with GTM by writing the book called MOVE and building a movement with GTM Partners roadshow and original research note called GTMonday that has over 175K subscribers. the point is: do something for years, before you talk about it. not the reverse. be you. there's something special about you putting in the time.. like long time. love, sangram

Learning #4: Authentic Storytelling Builds Trust [Off To The Valley] 12 Lessons from 12 Incredible Guests in Season 1 I spoke to 12 high-achieving individuals who moved away from the comfort of their homes to start or expand businesses. Here’s what I learned. Sharing authentic personal stories can build trust and resonate with audiences. Sara Powell’s journey to founding Impactury involved overcoming personal challenges, which she openly shares to inspire others. Lloyed Lobo’s experiences, from the Gulf War to building startups, highlight the power of storytelling in connecting with others. Lisa Wehden’s creation of Plymouth stemmed from her own immigration challenges, making her mission deeply personal. Key Takeaway: Authentic storytelling fosters connection and trust with your audience. Actionable Steps: 1. Reflect on Your Journey: Identify personal experiences that have shaped your path. 2. Share Openly: Communicate your story authentically to connect with others. 3. Align with Your Mission: Ensure your story reflects your values and objectives. Hear how Sara, Lloyed, and Lisa used authentic storytelling to build trust. Tune in to Off To The Valley Season 1: 1. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/47hNovl 2. Apple: https://apple.co/479sn6d 3. Youtube: https://bit.ly/3TgJQ6T #EntrepreneurshipJourney #ResilienceInBusiness #StartupLessons #OffToTheValley #BusinessGrowth #StartupResilience #FounderStories