Ep.12- How to build a AI-Native Companies with Community-Led GTM in 2026 w/ Ben Hills, Founder of Iris AI

Give us Feedback on this episodeWhat does it actually look like to build a company in an AI-first world… instead of bolting AI on later?Most founders talk about AI as a feature. Ben Hills built  Iris AI with it at the core.And most B2B SaaS companies are still running the same old outbound, paid ads, and gated content playbook… hoping it works.Ben Hills is doing BOTH differently.He’s building an AI-native company from day one. And instead of relying on traditional lead gen, Iris AI has leaned heavily into community as a core GTM engine.So what happens when you combine:AI-native operations + Community-led growth?That’s what we’re breaking down.In this episode of PreSales Unplugged we’re shifting lens a little bit and we’ll talk about:→ What “AI-native” actually means inside a company→ Why community is outperforming traditional B2B lead gen→ How trust inside peer networks shortens complex sales cycles→ What founders get wrong about building distribution early→ How AI changes the way GTM teams operate internallyElite Talent Recruiting helps B2B SaaS leaders hire high performing Pre Sales and Post Sales talent when speed and quality actually matter. We are on a mission to prove Pre Sales and Post Sales teams are just as crucial to revenue as offensive linemen are to quarterbacks. They accelerate sales, fuel growth, and help SaaS companies win bigger deals faster. We build SaaS GTM teams by headhunting top Pre Sales and Post Sales talent and delivering hires in 35 days or less, including Sales Engineers, Solutions Consultants, Solutions Architects, Customer Success, and Technical Account Managers. If your team is stretched thin, specialized roles are sitting open too long, or you are scaling fast and need reliable recruiting support that actually moves the needle, we help you hire the kind of talent that drives growth, innovation, and customer success without wasting months in interview chaos.Check out our website: https://elitetalentrecruiting.io/Connect with Arvi directly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvi-carkanji/ All other resources: https://linktr.ee/elitetalentrecruiting