GTM Live: The Ugly Truth About Pipeline (Real Talk for GTM Teams Running on Broken Systems) Release Date: May 22, 2025

Hosts: Carolyn Dilks & Trevor Gibson, Co-Founders of Passetto
Guest: Nick Flamini, Host of the Sales Architecture Podcast

Introduction

In this candid episode of GTM Live, host Carolyn Dilks teams up with Nick Flamini from the Sales Architecture Podcast to delve deep into the systemic issues plaguing go-to-market (GTM) strategies within B2B SaaS companies. This conversation serves as a "go-to-market therapy session," where both experts openly discuss the often-ignored challenges such as bloated BDR organizations, fragmented data, and the pitfalls of operating with a broken pipeline system.

Understanding Go-To-Market Dysfunction

Carolyn introduces the core mission of Passetto—fixing GTM dysfunction by bridging the gap between sales and marketing through a technology-enabled approach. She explains how Passetto creates a department-agnostic data layer that ties GTM activities directly to financial outcomes and unit economics.

"[Passetto] strips away these department silos and helps executives understand what's working and what's not." (00:52)

Nick echoes the frustration of departmental silos, sharing his own experiences of sales teams blaming marketing for pipeline issues and the necessity of breaking down these barriers to drive meaningful pipeline growth.

The Importance of Unit Economics in GTM

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the concept of unit economics and its critical role in measuring GTM efficiency.

Carolyn emphasizes that many revenue leaders lack financial acumen, leading to a disconnect between GTM efforts and overall business performance. She highlights how Passetto's solution unifies revenue, financial, and CRM data to provide a comprehensive view of GTM performance.

"Most companies are spending probably three, four, five times what they should to produce pipeline and new logos—and they kind of don't even know because they're only equipped to look at their program spend." (07:17)

Nick references David Spitz's work on GTM efficiency, reinforcing the idea that many organizations are still grappling with outdated "growth at all costs" mentalities that Passetto aims to rectify.

Cleaning Up CRM Data: A Critical Challenge

Nick brings up the perennial issue of CRM data accuracy, lamenting how messy and unreliable CRM systems can be. He questions how companies can make informed decisions when their CRM data is riddled with inaccuracies.

Carolyn responds by identifying data and process as the root problems rather than personnel. She explains that while marketing and sales teams are often talented, they lack the necessary data architecture to measure and communicate their impact effectively.

"Passetto is one of the only products or services in the market to be able to unify data by pulling together revenue data, financial data, and your CRM data to tell that story." (04:19)

The Problem with Overhiring BDRs and SDRs

A critical point of contention is the overhiring of BDRs and SDRs. Both Carolyn and Nick agree that merely increasing the number of business development representatives does not equate to better results. Instead, they argue for a data-driven approach to understand the actual productivity and effectiveness of these roles.

"Most people think that Cold outbound or like BDRs are what's driving revenue for the organization. Therefore, let's hire more of them and we'll get more as a result." (16:03)

Carolyn shares insights from Passetto's client work, revealing how numerous companies believe their large BDR teams are the primary revenue drivers, while in reality, the lack of structured data often masks diminishing returns.

The Impact of AI on Outbound Efforts

Nick introduces a forward-looking topic: the integration of AI in outbound sales. He expresses skepticism about AI's current capability to replace human connection in sales, predicting a future where over-reliance on AI could erode trust and effectiveness.

"The volume from AI is so substantial, and the lack of trust or willingness to respond is going to have a substantial effect long-term." (22:12)

Carolyn agrees, stating that while AI can enhance certain aspects of GTM, it cannot replace the human connection that is foundational to successful sales interactions.

"The best sales teams are the ones who build a human connection first." (19:25)

Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Finance

A pivotal part of the conversation revolves around the alignment between marketing and finance. Both hosts highlight how siloed departments lead to misaligned KPIs and ineffective GTM strategies.

Nick stresses the importance of involving finance in GTM decision-making to ensure that all departments are working towards unified financial goals.

"Breaking down the barrier and creating alignment, what does finance need to do in order to unify these departments?" (26:40)

Carolyn concurs, suggesting that involving finance and possibly integrating third-party solutions like Passetto can serve as the "glue" to unify disparate teams and metrics.

The Role of Education and Cross-Departmental Understanding

Both Carolyn and Nick advocate for better education and understanding across departments. They argue that marketers often lack financial literacy, which hampers their ability to connect GTM activities to financial outcomes.

"The vast majority of marketers just are not revenue inclined or financially inclined to really understand like, how to connect the dots between the two things." (31:53)

Nick adds that integrating financial education into marketing training could foster better alignment and more informed decision-making.

Future Outlook and Passetto's Evolution

As the conversation wraps up, Carolyn shares Passetto's journey and future aspirations. Initially focused on advisory services, Passetto has evolved to offer robust data architecture solutions that enable companies to make data-driven GTM decisions.

"We help companies install a proper data architecture in their system to be able to actually get all of the data inputs we need." (38:24)

Nick inquires about Passetto's platform capabilities, confirming their support for major CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, and hints at ongoing developments to enhance data integration and analysis.

Carolyn remains optimistic about Passetto's role in addressing GTM dysfunction, anticipating increased adoption as more companies recognize and seek to solve these deep-seated issues.

"The future is going to be super bright for Passetto, and I can't wait to see what's in store for us." (41:12)

Conclusion

This episode of GTM Live provides a transparent and insightful exploration of the fundamental flaws in current GTM strategies. Carolyn and Nick shed light on the necessity of unified data, the pitfalls of departmental silos, and the critical role of financial alignment in driving sustainable growth. By advocating for data-driven decision-making and better cross-departmental education, they offer a blueprint for overcoming the "ugly truths" that hinder GTM success.

Key Takeaways:

• Data Integration: Unifying revenue, financial, and CRM data is essential for transparent and effective GTM strategies.
• Unit Economics: Understanding the complete cost and ROI of GTM activities beyond just program spend.
• BDR/SDR Efficiency: Moving away from overhiring towards data-driven optimization of sales roles.
• Human Connection vs. AI: Balancing the use of AI with the irreplaceable value of human relationships in sales.
• Cross-Departmental Alignment: Involving finance in GTM processes to ensure unified financial objectives and better decision-making.

For those struggling with a messy GTM setup, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable strategies to transform your pipeline from broken to robust.

Listen to the full episode here.