Podcast
The GTMnow Podcast
Hosted by GTMnow · EN
The GTMnow Podcast interviews well-known tech executive, VC, and founders - the expert operators in the trenches who have ‘been there, done that’ to build some of the fastest-growing software companies. Every week, a guest joins Sophie Buonassisi to dissect their stories, revealing expert insights around what worked, what didn’t, and how things actually went down.
This podcast is produced by GTMnow, the media brand of GTMfund - sharing insight on go-to-market from working with hundreds of portfolio companies backed by over 350 of the best go-to-market executives. GTMfund is an early-stage VC fund focused on investing in the most exciting, up-and-coming B2B SaaS companies across the world. The LP network consists of VP and C-level Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success leaders from companies like DocuSign, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Snowflake, Okta, Zoom, and many more.
Visit gtmnow.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletter and other content resources.
52episodes
Episodes
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From DeepMind to 200 Customers in 20 Countries: Building the Execution Layer for Sales | Adam Liska, CEO of Airspeed
1w ago00:32:22Tap to summarizeThe single most expensive sentence in sales is "I'll follow up on that." Adam Liska joins Sophie Buonassisi on GTMnow to break down the "execution gap," the space between knowing what to do in a deal and actually doing it, and why that gap is where most pipeline quietly dies.Adam left DeepMind's Gemini team in 2022, pre-ChatGPT, to build a native revenue execution platform now serving 200 customers across 20 countries (recently rebranded and fresh off a $20M Series A). In this conversation, he gets specific on what is actually changing in the sales role, what should be automated, and why he thinks this is about to be the golden age for sales reps.What you'll learn:- Why "I'll follow up on that" is the most expensive promise in revenue, and how the execution gap compounds from rep to manager to CRO- What parts of the rep workflow to automate now (research, CRM updates, business cases, follow-ups) and what stays human- Why AI is squeezing middle management, not reps, and flattening GTM orgs- How per-rep coaching changes when every call is recorded, shared, and analyzed for patterns- The "corrective action" approach to coaching deals on the job, in real time- How to sell globally when borders disappear but local-language talent still matters- Why in-person events drove 70% of early pipeline, and how that compounds with cold calling- How to keep your team at the AI frontier by never locking into a single model- Adam's #1 piece of advice for first-time founders (hint: it starts with your co-founder)Chapters:00:00 Why AI won't replace sales reps00:22 Leaving DeepMind's Gemini team pre-ChatGPT01:18 What airspeed does and the "execution gap"02:07 "I'll follow up on that": the most expensive promise in sales03:28 The $20M Series A and the rebrand from Glyphic05:30 Why walk away from frontier AI research at DeepMind07:17 Leading when the frontier models keep changing08:39 Buy vs. build, and keeping customers at the AI frontier11:03 Landing the first 200 customers across 20 countries12:41 Advice for first-time founders14:04 Selling globally and what AI changes about language17:07 What the sales rep role looks like in an AI-first world19:24 How reps and leaders should start automating today20:51 The channels driving results right now22:41 How AI makes per-rep coaching actually work25:14 Building an execution-first culture27:10 The DeepMind departure story28:51 Building in London vs. selling in the US30:43 Adam's favorite AI use case as a busy CEO31:26 The biggest misconception about AI in salesHost: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/X: https://x.com/sophiebuonaGuest: Adam Liska, Co-founder and CEO at AirspeedX: https://x.com/adliskaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adliska/About the guest: Adam is the co-founder and CEO of Airspeed (formerly glyph), a native revenue execution platform that closes the gap between knowing what to do in a deal and executing on it. Before founding the company, he worked at DeepMind on the team that became Gemini. About GTMnow: GTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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VC: How Benchmark Picks AI Winners - Max 10 Bets a Year, 5 Partners | Chetan Puttagunta (GP)
1w ago00:59:24Tap to summarizeBenchmark's Chetan breaks down why the path from $0 to $100M has collapsed from five years to under two, and the one thing that is actually getting harder in the AI era: reaching your first million in revenue. In this VC bonus edition of the GTM Now Podcast, he sits down with Sophie Buonassisi to unpack how AI native companies are compressing 180 day sales cycles into 30 days, why direct sales is here to stay, and how value is shifting away from code toward the last mile of customer service.Using Legora (legal AI) and Manus as case studies, Chetan explains how Benchmark builds conviction fast, why the marginal cost of code trending to zero changes everything, and what separates the founders who win this window from the ones who miss it.What you'll learn:- Why the first $1M now takes longer than the next $99M in the AI era- How top AI startups compress a 180 day sales cycle into 30 days- The "trusted vendor" playbook for breaking incumbent distribution advantages- Why Legora embedded inside a law firm for a year before launching- How a magical demo plus a tightly scoped pilot collapses six month deals- Why value is moving from the product build to the service and outcome- What Benchmark actually looks for: technical insight that creates demand pull- Why direct sales and forward deployed engineers are exploding in AI- How buying one AI app triggers an enterprise to buy 100 moreChapters: 00:00 Intro01:13 Why Max + Paul were furious taking notes on this one02:10 Benchmark's $2B growth fund and the changing strategy04:57 POC to trial and the power of direct sales in AI11:33 Meeting Max early: $0 to $100M in 18 months15:05 Manus: 0 to $100M in eight months through PLG17:10 Will the AI native window close?19:09 Sizing the window: $40B software vs $1T services in legal21:50 How Benchmark picks the winners25:31 Turning a 180 day sales cycle into 30 days30:45 The Legora deep dive: research, pilots, legal engineers41:46 Why $0 to $100M keeps getting faster42:29 The harder problem: getting to your first $1M44:04 When code goes to zero, what do customers pay for?48:46 Sales led vs PLG in the AI era51:49 How to spot the right founder55:18 What company Chetan wishes someone would build56:48 Investors founders should follow57:40 Working with Jack Altman at BenchmarkConnect with Chetan Puttagunta: General Partner at BenchmarkTwitter/X: https://x.com/chetanpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetanputtagunta/Host: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowFollow Sophie: https://x.com/sophiebuonaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/About the GTMnow Podcast:GTMnow is the media brand of GTMfund, sharing the tactics and strategies behind how the best companies go to market. The VC series brings on top investors to break down what is actually working in go to market today.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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Ads in ChatGPT Are Coming. What B2B Marketers Should Do Right Now | Keith Delany, CEO Primer
2w ago00:45:43Tap to summarizeLinkedIn CPMs just hit $800. AI is flooding every channel with content. Outbound is dying. So where should B2B marketers actually spend their ad budget right now?Keith Putnam-Delaney, co-founder & CEO of Primer, joins Sophie to break down the complete state of B2B paid advertising, what's broken, what's working, and where the real opportunities are hiding in 2025.What you'll learn:- Why LinkedIn & Google search are hitting a ceiling (and what to do instead)- How to get 80% match rates on Meta and 70% on Reddit for B2B audiences- The only moat competitors can't copy: your targeting- Why you need to feed CRM conversion data back to ad platforms- Holdout groups, attribution, and what actually proves paid ROI- The truth about ads in LLMs (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok)- B2B influencer marketing: the most undervalued tactic right now- Founder lessons from 6 years and 3 pivots building PrimerChapters:0:00 – The paid advertising crisis no one's talking about2:40 – AI's real impact on ad costs4:06 – Google Search & AI Overviews: what still works5:04 – LinkedIn CPMs: $20 to $800 in 18 months6:39 – Why B2B brands need to be on Meta, Reddit & Instagram7:01 – What Primer does (80% match rates explained)9:29 – The device fragmentation problem & attribution11:16 – Holdout groups: the statistically proven approach13:30 – Which channel to start with (and minimum spend)22:18 – Paid ad creative: feed the algorithm with variants25:14 – B2B influencer marketing & thought leadership ads30:59 – Why you MUST push CRM data back into ad platforms33:31 – Ads in ChatGPT & LLMs: what's coming35:53 – Founder lessons, mental health & iterationConnect with Keith Putnam-Delaney: Co-founder, CEO of PrimerTwitter/X: https://x.com/kcpdelaneyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithputnamdelaney/Host: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowFollow Sophie: https://x.com/sophiebuonaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/About Keith Putnam-Delaney:Keith is the co-founder and CEO of Primer (https://www.sayprimer.com/), a B2B paid advertising targeting layer that helps brands unlock high match rates on Meta, Google, Reddit, and beyond. Former brand marketer turned data-driven growth leader.GTM Now is the media brand of GTMfund, sharing go-to-market insights from the top 1% of revenue operators.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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He's Seen 300+ Sales Comp Plans. 90% Make the Same Mistake | Siva Rajamani (Everstage CEO)
3w ago00:57:22Tap to summarizeMost sales comp plans are quietly broken, and the people running them have no idea. Siva Rajamani, CEO of Everstage, has visibility into 300+ enterprise comp plans, and he says 90% of companies make the same mistakes. In this episode he breaks down what's going wrong, how to spot it, and what a comp plan that actually drives revenue looks like.Siva explains why sales compensation is not a back office cost center but the single biggest lever in your go-to-market strategy. It's the glue between what a company intends and what reps actually do. If your reps aren't doing what you want, the answer isn't in a 1-on-1. It's in your comp plan.We get into the over-complication trap, the hidden math that makes reps refuse your best deals, the base-to-variable ratios that actually work, why your top reps should out-earn almost everyone, and how AI is about to blow open the gap between your best and average sellers.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:30 Siva's RevOps background at Freshworks04:00 Scaling RevOps from 1 to 2504:50 Why he left to build Everstage06:30 Why incentives drive revenue, not tools08:00 Comp as the glue between intent and action10:30 The 1 to 2 mistakes almost every team makes12:00 "If your comp plan needs FAQs, it's a tax code"14:00 The 60-second test for a broken plan15:30 Designing comp to retain top talent16:50 How AI widens the gap between top and average reps18:00 The $1M sales rep is coming19:30 Why optimizing for top earners is better on margins21:30 Quota to OTE ratios that actually work23:00 Base vs variable: the 50/50 rule and exceptions24:00 What Everstage does and who it serves25:30 How Everstage structures its own comp plan28:00 The rise of the revenue architect48:00 CPQ and connecting margin to commissions50:30 When should reps earn commission in the deal cycle52:30 Six month vs twelve month comp cycles54:30 The most a sales rep has ever made55:20 Where to find SivaConnect with Siva Rajamani: Co-founder, CEO of EverstageTwitter/X: https://x.com/siva_rajamaniLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivasrajamani/Host: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowFollow Sophie: https://x.com/sophiebuonaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/ABOUT GTMnowGTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Subscribe for more conversations with the operators and founders behind today's best go-to-market teams.The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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"We Don't Fund Good Companies" : A $1.5B VC Explains Why | Ben Lerer, Lerer Hippeau
3w ago00:55:46Tap to summarizeBen Lerer, Managing Partner and Founder of Lerer Hippeau, has built one of New York's most influential early-stage venture firms across nine funds and nearly $1.5B in AUM. In this VC edition of the GTMnow podcast, Ben sits down with Max and Paul to unpack how he actually picks founders, why he wants to be the "worst investor" at his own fund, and the contrarian belief that backing good, sensible businesses is a mistake.Ben got his start in media, building Thrillist before it merged into Group Nine, then turned those relationships and that operator empathy into a venture career writing early checks into companies like Warby Parker and Casper. He shares what's changed about winning deals in a more competitive, sharp-elbowed market, how Lerer Hippeau runs its investment committee on conviction rather than consensus, and the process failure behind passing on Peloton.We also get into the debate every investor is wrestling with right now: the crazy, fast-moving AI-native founder versus the second or third-time operator with deep domain expertise, and why the answer is rarely a silver bullet.A real venture-nerd conversation on firm building, IC decision-making, founder selection, and what it takes to chase the power law.Topics covered:- The "worst investor at my own fund" philosophy- Conviction vs. consensus in the investment committee- Why Lerer Hippeau funds "crazy" founders, not good companies- The Peloton miss and what it revealed about process- From Thrillist and digital media to venture capital- AI-native founders vs. domain experts- How to win competitive deals as a smaller firmChapters:00:00 Intro00:52 Max and Paul on the episode: IC process and founder selection14:36 Conversation with Ben Lerer begins15:02 Nine funds, $1.5B AUM, and the early-stage strategy23:00 From Thrillist to venture: the media springboard28:00 What's changed in picking founders and winning deals33:00 How the investment committee grew and evolved37:40 The "magic" deal and chasing high-conviction bets50:43 Why Ben wants to be the worst investor at his fund53:00 Funding crazy people, not good companies51:35 Yankees or Mets?Connect with Ben Lerer: https://x.com/BenjLererLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benlerer/Connect with Max: https://x.com/hackitmaxlinkedin.com/in/maxaltschulerListen on Apple and Spotify, and subscribe for more GTMnow VC editions.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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How Esper Is Building the Operating System for Government Policy | Maleka Momand
4w ago00:31:09Tap to summarizeMaleka Momand, co-founder and CEO of Esper, joins Sophie Buonassisi on GTMnow to break down what it actually takes to build and sell software to government. Esper is the operating system for government policy, serving as the system of record for the regulation and internal policy that shapes daily life, from NYPD procedures to nurse practitioner licensing in rural Tennessee.Maleka shares hard-won lessons from 8 years in GovTech: why winning trust matters more than winning business, why professional services are a moat (not a cost center), and how Esper turns slow, paper-based policy processes into live digital workflows. She also covers the DOGE effect across red and blue states, why enterprise SaaS still has defensible moats in the age of AI, and her advice to founders entering regulated markets.Whether you're a founder, GTM leader, or operator selling into complex, slow-moving markets, this conversation is packed with practical playbooks on trust, go-to-market, and building durable enterprise software.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:44 Two types of government policy (regulation vs internal)02:06 The NYPD 3,000-page policy problem03:23 Digitizing a paper-based, 20-person workflow04:12 Why policy is infrastructure05:23 Real impact: Tennessee healthcare & Arkansas hunting licenses07:45 Esper's ideal customer: complexity, catalyst, volume08:18 Going to market in GovTech (and why it's slow)10:16 Advice for founders entering GovTech: win trust first11:27 Why professional services are a moat12:38 In-house vs third-party services13:49 What DOGE actually looks like on the ground15:11 Is DOGE a tailwind for Esper?16:36 The new funding round & enterprise SaaS in the age of AI19:13 From VC to founder: why Maleka made the shift22:10 Advice for founders: read fiction, not productivity books24:14 AI, data quality, and the problem with vibe coding26:43 How Esper uses AI internally (meet "Poly")27:27 Building a high-agency culture while scaling29:00 Closing thoughtsConnect with Maleka Momand: Co-founder, CEO of EsperTwitter/X: @MalekaMomand LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/malekamomandHost: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowFollow Sophie: https://x.com/sophiebuonaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/ABOUT GTMnowGTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes on AI, founder strategy, fundraising, and go-to-market from the best builders in tech.#GovTech #GoToMarket #EnterpriseSaaS #StartupAdvice #GTM #SaaS #FounderAdvice #GovernmentTechnology #PolicyTech #AIThe GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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How He Built a $250M Company With Zero Employees | Ben Cera, Polsia
May 2900:50:44Tap to summarizeOne Person, $10M+ ARR, $30M Raised: How Ben Cera Built Polsia (AI Operating System) SoloBen Cera, founder of Polsia, just raised $30M at a $250M valuation while running the entire company alone. His AI agent handles his emails, manages customer support, even led his fundraising calls. This is what a solo founder with an AI operating system looks like at scale.Polsia is an AI operating system that builds and runs companies autonomously. Give it an idea and it builds the product, writes code, conducts research, creates tweets, sets up company infrastructure, and works 24/7 on your behalf. Users are hitting $10M+ ARR using Polsia to scale their businesses.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro & The Viral Launch Nobody Forgot01:24 - How He Raised $30M at $250M Valuation with Himself as the Only Employee02:15 - The Origin Story: Building Polsia from Scratch04:13 - Why the Controversial Product Name Became Free Marketing ($Millions in Earned Media)05:55 - What Polsia Actually Does (AI Operating System for Founders)06:25 - How He Hit $10M+ ARR Running Solo (No Cofounders, No Hires)10:30 - Building a Company OS That Works 24/7 on Your Behalf12:00 - The Psychology of Single Founder Mode (Why It Scales Faster)14:45 - AI Agents Handling Customer Support, Refunds, & Bug Fixes16:30 - Email Automation: How Polsia Responds to 100% of His Emails20:15 - The Viral Fundraising Stunt (Live Dashboard + Agent-Led Investor Calls)25:00 - Why He Let His AI Agent Handle First Meetings with Investors28:30 - The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Distribution (More Visibility = More Traction)32:15 - How Distribution Strategy Becomes Your Go-To-Market35:45 - Building in Public While Running Everything Solo38:00 - Customer Obsession at Scale (Staying Close When You're Alone)42:56 - Founder Availability: Direct Phone Access to Customers44:00 - Manufactured Moments That Feel Authentic50:13 - Why Distribution Isn't an Afterthought AnymoreKey Insights:- One founder + AI operating system beats small teams without leverage (speed, decision-making, equity concentration)- Polsia lets you build multiple products simultaneously without hiring (products work 24/7 on your behalf)- The more controversial your positioning, the more people talk (free marketing from debate)- AI agents can handle 80% of founder work: emails, support, customer refunds, even investor screening- Live dashboards showing real-time growth create self-fulfilling prophecies (transparency = conviction)- Distribution is how you reach product-market fit faster (not an afterthought)- AI agents leading first investor meetings works (validates the product claim + generates buzz)- Customer intimacy at scale = founder still takes direct texts from users- Retention matters more than naming: customers don't complain about the name, they just use it- One person with AI tools > 5 people building without leverageWhy This Matters:This is the playbook for next-generation founders in 2026. Ben shows you how to: scale solo using AI agents, multiply your output without hiring, go viral intentionally, raise capital through distribution, and stay close to customers at scale. If you're a founder thinking about AI leverage, autonomous systems, or scaling lean, this is essential.Watch This If You're:- Solo founders scaling without a team- Founders interested in AI agents and autonomous systems- Learning about AI-first product development- Studying modern GTM and distribution strategy- Raising capital in 2026 (fundraising case study)- Building products with AI agents doing the work- Curious about the solo founder + AI agent trend- Following autonomous company buildersConnect with Ben Cera:Founder & CEO of PolsiaTwitter/X: @bencera LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbroca/Host: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowFollow Sophie: https://x.com/sophiebuonaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/ABOUT GTMnowGTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes on AI, founder strategy, fundraising, and go-to-market from the best builders in tech.The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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The $575B AI Bet (Biggest Since the World Wars) and the New Two-Buyer Reality in Software | Tomasz Tunguz, Theory Ventures
May 2600:34:58Tap to summarizeAI Infrastructure Spending is Insane: Hyperscalers Betting $575B on the Data Center Race | Tomasz TunguzThis year's data center infrastructure spending will be the 5th largest infrastructure project in history (bigger than everything except railroads and the two world wars). Tomasz Tunguz breaks down what nobody appreciates about the scale of the AI boom.Tomasz Tunguz, General Partner at Theory Ventures, and one of the most insightful voices on AI infrastructure, data stacks, and founder strategy.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro & The Scale Nobody Anticipated02:13 - Data Center CapEx Could Hit 5-7% of US GDP by 203005:21 - For Every $1 AI Companies Make, They Spend $12 on Infrastructure ($575B Bet)06:20 - Market Share Capture vs. Margin Games: The Chicken Game Big Tech is Playing09:48 - How the Data Stack & AI/ML Worlds Have Completely Fused12:33 - Product-Market Fit is No Longer Binary: It's Continuous Now15:17 - How AI is Changing Venture Capital & Portfolio Management17:09 - The Future: Image & Video Data is Going to Require MASSIVE Infrastructure18:25 - Pattern Recognition Across Winning Companies (Domain Expertise is Key)20:50 - Hot Take: Corporate Org Structure Will Transform in 5 Years21:00 - Final Advice to Founders: Nobody Knows the AnswerKey Insights:- Hyperscalers are spending ALL free cash flow + borrowing heavily to fund data center CapEx (Meta, Google, Oracle levered 7:1 on cash flow basis)- The dominant metric: intelligence per watt of electricity- Anthropic rumored to have very high gross margins (first wave competition)- Data teams are now reporting to heads of engineering (huge organizational shift)- Inference demand is infinite: models are growing 5-10x in size- Foundation models broke product-market fit: it's now continuous, not static- Second-time founders win because they understand domain history & distribution- PR is now a major distribution channel for AI companies (unlike software era)- Building for images & video is the next frontier (1,000-10,000x larger than text data)Watch this if you're:- Founders building AI/data companies- Investors analyzing the AI infrastructure play- Product leaders understanding AI's organizational impact- Anyone following the AI market seriouslyConnect with Max:https://x.com/hackitmaxhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/maxaltschuler/Connect with Paul:https://x.com/PaulGTMhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsirving/Guest: Tomasz Tunguz, General Partnerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasztunguz/https://x.com/ttunguzHost: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/https://x.com/sophiebuonaABOUT GTMnow GTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Brought to you by: AngelListFrom starting as a small, operator-led rolling fund, to evolving to an institutional platform, AngelList has been a core partner in every phase of GTMfund’s growth. Their software-first fund admin infrastructure allowed us to scale without sacrificing agility, from onboarding hundreds of LPs seamlessly to handling compliance, capital calls, and reporting as our fund size evolved.Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.comFor inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email gtmnow@gtmfund.comGTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/The GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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SEO Is Not Enough Anymore: Webflow's CEO on the Rise of AEO | Linda Tong
May 2000:24:34Tap to summarizeThe future of websites isn't a builder problem anymore. It's an agent problem.In this episode of GTMnow, Sophie Buonassisi sits down with Linda Tong, CEO of Webflow, to unpack how the entire web is being rewritten for a world where humans AND AI agents are your audience.Linda breaks down why Webflow is no longer "just a website builder" (it's an agentic web marketing platform), what the Vidoso acquisition unlocks for AI-generated brand assets, and how the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is forcing marketers to rethink content from the ground up. She also shares the practical playbooks her team uses to "vibe" sites into production with the Webflow MCP server, why human creativity is the only real moat left, and how she built her own personal CRM using Claude Code.If you run a GTM team, lead marketing, or are trying to figure out what your website should even look like in 2026, this one is essential.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN-Why your website is now the #1 source of truth for humans, bots, and agents-The shift from static sites to continuously optimizing, dynamic experiences-How "vibe coding" with MCP is changing the way teams build on the web-Inside the Vidoso acquisition and what "brand-governed AI" actually means-AppGen: going from prompt to production without losing brand consistency-Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): the non-obvious mistakes marketers are making-How to structure a marketing team made of humans plus agent swarms-The "5 words" exercise every CEO should run inside their company-Linda's personal CRM built with Claude Code (and how Webflow scales internal AI)-Why "unlimited credits" and Builder Days unlock real AI productivityABOUT THE GUESTLinda Tong is the CEO of Webflow, the agentic web marketing platform powering some of the most respected brands on the internet. Before stepping into the CEO role, Linda served as President and COO at Webflow, and previously led product at Cisco's AppDynamics and held senior roles at Google.CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:41 From static to dynamic 03:12 Inside the Vidoso acquisition 05:38 The human moat 07:17 Beyond the website builder 08:55 Structuring human + agent teams 09:58 AppGen, explained 10:45 Prompt to production 12:11 AEO misconceptions 14:40 Holistic AEO strategy 16:38 The 5 words exercise 18:10 Linda's personal CRM 19:31 Central vs. individual AI 20:44 Inside Webflow's Builder DaysGuest: Linda Tong, CEO Webflowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lktong/https://x.com/YayLTHost: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP at GTMnowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/https://x.com/sophiebuonaABOUT GTMnow GTMnow is the media arm of GTMfund, sharing the strategies, tactics, and stories from the operators and investors building the next generation of go-to-market.Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Sponsors: .Tech - Domains, where the next generation of builders is planting their flag.Secure your .tech domain today from any registrar of your choice. Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.comFor inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email gtmnow@gtmfund.comGTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/#GTMnow #Webflow #AI #LindaTong #AnswerEngineOptimization #AEO #GoToMarket #B2BMarketing #AgenticAI #VibeCoding #AIAgents #FutureOfWeb #MarketingPlatform #SaaS #aimarketingThe GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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Inside Reevo's $80M Bet to Kill the $10B Frankenstein Stack | David Zhu, Cofounder & CEO
May 1400:41:58Tap to summarizeAI is rewriting go-to-market and most companies are still operating with a “Frankenstein stack.”In this episode of GTMnow, we sit down with David, founder & CEO of Reevo, to unpack how AI-native companies will replace legacy GTM systems, why the future of sales teams looks radically different, and how AI agents are becoming the new operating layer for revenue teams.David shares why Reevo stayed in stealth while building a vertically integrated AI revenue operating system, the problem of institutional knowledge loss in sales organizations, and why the old playbook for SaaS and GTM is breaking in 2026.We also dive deep into:- AI-native go-to-market strategy- The death of the legacy SaaS tech stack- Revenue operating systems explained- AI agents for sales, marketing, and customer success- How founders should think about AI adoption- Building startups in the age of AI- Why “failure is the cornerstone of innovation”- AI-driven sales productivity and revenue efficiency- Founder-led sales in 2026- The future of CROs, CMOs, and RevOps- AI copilots, Jarvis-style workflows, and GTM automation- Scaling teams without scaling headcountIf you're a founder, CRO, CMO, GTM leader, SaaS operator, AI builder, or investor trying to understand where B2B software and go-to-market are headed next, this episode is for you.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:20 Why Reevo built in stealth 04:50 Why AI can finally disrupt GTM tech stacks 09:20 What Reevo actually does 11:10 AI outcomes vs headcount growth 15:00 How AI changes leadership & innovation 19:00 Why legacy GTM teams are vulnerable 23:00 The future of AI-native GTM organizations 29:00 Running an AI-native company internally 34:00 David’s favorite AI workflows & tools 37:40 Advice for introverted founders & leadersHost: Sophie Buonassisi, SVP Marketing at GTMnowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi Guest: David Zhu, Co-founder and CEO at Reevohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/zhuventures/Visit us on: https://gtmnow.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gtmnowFollow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/GTMnow_Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GTM_nowFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gtmnow_Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtmnow_/Sponsors: .Tech - Domains, where the next generation of builders is planting their flag. Secure your .tech domain today from any registrar of your choice. Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.comFor inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email gtmnow@gtmfund.comGTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/#AI #Sales #GTM #SaaS #ArtificialIntelligence #RevenueOperations #Startup #B2B #RevOps #AIAgents #Founder #SalesLeadership #CMO #CRO #GoToMarket #AIStartup #TechPodcast #SalesTech #FutureOfWork #AutomationThe GTMnow Podcast The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
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