The Dave Gerhardt Show: GTM Growth Decoded — 100 Companies, 3 Stages, 1 System with Sangram Vajre
Podcast: The Dave Gerhardt Show
Host: Dave Gerhardt
Guest: Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & CEO of GTM Partners
Date: October 30, 2025
Recorded Live at: DRIVE 2025, Burlington, Vermont
Episode Overview
This episode features a high-energy, research- and wisdom-packed keynote from Sangram Vajre, focused on demystifying go-to-market (GTM) strategy. Drawing from his experience leading $100M+ companies and in-depth research of 100 organizations, Sangram explores the foundational principles of sustainable business growth, frameworks for aligning teams, the role of Net Revenue Retention (NRR), and how to apply a systems mindset to building lasting companies.
Theme:
Understanding go-to-market as a transformational, cross-functional process, and equipping listeners with the frameworks and real-world insights needed to drive repeatable, scalable growth—in any market, at any company stage.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What Does "Go-To-Market" Mean? (03:00 – 07:44)
- Definitional Ambiguity:
Sangram opens by polling the room for definitions of go-to-market (GTM), humorously noting the discomfort and variety in responses. - His Core Definition:
“Go to market is a transformational process.”
(06:15, Sangram Vajre) - GTM Decisions:
GTM encompasses more than marketing and sales—includes decisions on investments, geographic expansion, product launches, M&A, etc. - Key Point:
GTM isn’t a one-and-done strategy offsite; it’s how a company continually evolves and operates.
2. Personal Journey—Lessons from Two Companies (07:44 – 09:20)
- Experience in SaaS and Advisory:
Shares lessons learned building Terminus (SaaS in boom times) and GTM Partners (advisory in leaner, more intentional times). - Personal Costs:
Describes near-burnout, almost divorcing—now, growth must be holistic, not just company scale.
3. Universal Growth Blindspots & The "Black Box" Problem (09:20 – 11:31)
- Growth as a Black Box:
"Growth seems like a black box right now... None of us knows the exact go to market play or growth play that’s just going to work."
(09:55, Sangram Vajre) - Commonality Across Businesses:
The principles and blindspots of sustainable growth apply to SaaS, agencies, manufacturing, etc.
4. Three Principles from Research on 100 Companies (11:31 – 17:51)
- Three Stages of Fit:
- Problem-Market Fit
- Product-Market Fit
- Platform-Market Fit
- (Sangram references a forthcoming book detailing this model.)
- Operating Systems (Process, not Software):
Every company needs a repeatable GTM operating system tied to business stages. - Borrow from B2C:
B2B marketers have lessons to learn from consumer giants (because buyer expectations now blur).
5. Net Revenue Retention: The North Star Metric (NRR) (13:16 – 18:17)
- Definition & Importance:
“If your NRR is over 120%, you can double your revenue in 3.8 years without adding a single new customer.”
(15:12, Sangram Vajre) - NRR Under 75% = Dying Company:
Companies with subpar NRR are likely to fail within 2–3 years. - NRR as a "Plumb Line":
The single best indicator of company health and marketer impact. - Actionable Advice:
“If you don’t know your NRR, ask your CEO or CFO and figure out how you can improve it.”
(16:22, Sangram Vajre) - Quote:
“If there’s one thing you take away from my keynote, this is not a marketing tactic or principle. This is a business principle.”
(16:40, Sangram Vajre)
6. Break the Marketing Silo — Marketing the Business vs. the Business of Marketing (17:51 – 20:30)
- Strategic Alignment:
“Most of the challenges that we hear from marketers, it’s because marketing is just done in the silo of marketing.”
(17:51, Dave Gerhardt) - Strategic Collaboration:
Real GTM impacts come from aligning with product, sales, pricing, and customer success.
7. Make Marketing "Boring"… And Effective (18:38 – 20:30)
- Stick with What Works:
Sangram uses the decades-old Chick-fil-A cow campaign as an example:“They wanted to figure out, how can I change my campaign... But the research always would come back and say, no, the market likes it.”
(19:00, Sangram Vajre) - Don't Chase Vanity/Novelty:
“How can I build a business? That’s why think about the business.”
(20:26, Sangram Vajre)
8. Why Companies Stagnate: Complexity and the Peril of Too Many Plays (20:30 – 25:39)
- Early Company Trap:
“You add the complexity… two different types of ICPs, two different types of go to market motion… you’re screwed by that time.”
(22:24, Sangram Vajre) - Lesson:
Focus, simplify—don’t diversify offerings, messaging, or process too soon.
9. Escaping the "Order Taking" Marketing Hamster Wheel (26:31 – 29:00)
- How to Push Back:
“Go figure out what the top three priorities of your business are... If you cannot connect that back to the NRR number, you can challenge that.”
(27:08, Sangram Vajre) - Tactical Recommendation:
Rather than saying “no,” present leadership with trade-offs: what gets dropped if a new initiative is added.
10. The Valleys of Death & Navigating GTM Motions (29:00 – 31:16)
- Multiple GTM Motions:
From inbound to outbound, PLG, community, events, partner-led—marketers juggle many at once. - The Five Valleys of Death:
Recognize when/where you’re stuck, and that “squiggly” growth is normal.
11. Alignment & The Power of Systems Over Goals (31:16 – 33:13)
- Quote:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals, you rise to the level of your systems.”
(31:53, quoted from Atomic Habits by James Clear) - The Eight Questions:
Sangram introduces a set of eight pivotal questions every team must answer with clarity and alignment (e.g., "Where can we grow the most?").
12. Become a “Boring Company” for Long-Term Results (33:13 – 35:06)
-
“Become a boring company. It pays you really well, it has great benefits, it stays with you long, and you get to be on a slide on somebody else’s presentation.”
(34:40, Sangram Vajre)
Q&A Highlights
How to Get the CEO Aligned on GTM? (35:06 – 37:07)
- CEO Owns GTM:
“The reality is, CEO owns go to market. They may or may not know it…”
(35:47, Sangram Vajre) - Pitch as Group Alignment Exercise:
Put the eight questions in front of the CEO. Frame it as ensuring the leadership team has the same answers and clarity.
Systems for Customer Discovery at Scale? (37:07 – 39:35)
- AI’s Role:
“You can actually deploy an AI agent today and say, how are my customers using my product?... But the real problem is not tools, it’s alignment.”
(37:47, Sangram Vajre) - Key is Executive Alignment:
Most misses are due to lack of leadership alignment, not missing data.
Does This Work for Services/Consulting Businesses? (39:35 – 41:03)
- Yes, Even More So:
“60% of our advisory work is actually in the services industry… in a services business, cash flow is king, so this is actually more natural.”
(40:00, Sangram Vajre)
How to Balance Cross-sell/NRR vs. New Logos? (41:03 – 44:04)
- Sustaining NRR >110%:
If product is sticky, businesses should be safe; for further growth, focus becomes identifying new verticals or segments (new “problems”). - Reframe GTM:
Each new market/segment you attack is almost like launching a new business.
Where to Start if You Don’t Know Your GTM Answers? (44:14 – 45:59)
- Start with Retention:
“I would always start with the ROI and retention—customer time to value and customer expansion… If that doesn’t work… you’re going to come tumbling down.”
(44:35, Sangram Vajre)
Notable Quotes
- “Go to market is a transformational process. It’s not a plan you do on a weekend; it’s what you do every single day.”
(06:15, Sangram Vajre) - “If you don’t know what NRR is for your company, go ask your CEO or CFO and spend time on it. It will help you keep your job longer.”
(16:22, Sangram Vajre) - “You do not rise to the level of your goals, you rise to the level of your systems.”
(31:53, quoting James Clear) - “Become a boring company. It pays you really well.”
(34:40, Sangram Vajre) - “The CEO owns go-to-market… Give the CEO all the ego they need and make alignment the goal.”
(35:47, Sangram Vajre) - “If you’re not at 100% or more NRR, you have to demand your company think about it.”
(44:40, Sangram Vajre)
Memorable Moments
- Live Audience Engagement:
Sangram’s crowd work (asking people to define GTM) set the stage for debunking common misconceptions. - Honest Reflections:
Candidly sharing personal burnout and change in work-life priorities. - "Boring Works":
The call for “boring” marketing that delivers real business growth, not just creative accolades. - Tough Love:
Warnings like: “If your NRR is close to 70%, you’re literally going to die as a company.” - Playful Banter:
Joking about Chick-fil-A’s lack of presence in Vermont and swapping to Ben & Jerry’s as a relatable example. - Practical Takeaways:
Recommending marketers ask execs, “Which projects do you want me to drop?” instead of outright saying “no.”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 03:00 — What is Go-to-Market? Interactive crowd definitions
- 07:44 — Personal lessons from building two different companies
- 11:31 — Three core research insights/principles
- 13:16 — Explanation and importance of Net Revenue Retention
- 17:51 — Alignment: Marketing’s cross-functional imperative
- 18:38 — "Make your marketing boring" examples
- 22:24 — Dangers of complexity and lack of focus in ICP/go-to-market
- 26:31 — How to escape the “order taker” trap in marketing
- 31:53 — System vs. Goal: Quoting Atomic Habits
- 35:06 — CEO alignment and the eight key questions
- 41:11 — Balancing new logos and NRR questions
- 44:35 — Where to start if you don’t have answers to everything
Summary Key Takeaways
- GTM is ongoing, cross-functional, and CEO-owned—not merely a marketing or launch plan.
- Net Revenue Retention (NRR) is the supreme GTM health metric. Learn it, champion it, and align marketing goals to it.
- Marketers must move beyond tactics to drive business outcomes, speaking the language of the business and simplifying where possible.
- Sustainable growth requires systems thinking, executive alignment, simplicity in offerings, and the courage to keep doing “boring” things that work.
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