GTM Vault

The ad shipped. The creative looked great. The campaign went live. Performance stalled anyway. Not because targeting failed, not because the budget was wrong. The team scaled ad volume faster than its ability to learn. Most performance marketing failures are not media problems. They are feedback loop failures between creativity, data, and iteration. Most companies have not absorbed this yet.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with George Howes, Head of Canva Grow and founder of Magicbrief (acquired by Canva), to break down why creative and media are not separate disciplines, why the feedback loop between them is the missing layer in modern GTM, and what changes when creative production runs on the same infrastructure as performance data.George founded Magicbrief, a creative intelligence platform that Canva acquired, after years inside top creative agencies watching the same failure repeat at every brand. Teams launched ads, collected results, moved on. Learning never compounded. He now leads Canva Grow, the product Canva is building to ingest ad performance from every platform, tie it back to the specific creative assets that produced the outcome, and push those learnings into the next round of creative before the next round is made.He explains why most performance marketing failures are feedback loop failures and not media failures, why creative teams and data teams sit at opposite ends of a broken handoff, why scaling ad volume faster than learning is the silent constraint at every growth stage, why AI is a multiplier for teams that already have the loop closed and a noise amplifier for teams that do not, why click-through rate lies more often than any other metric in the stack, why creative and media are the same system measured at different time scales, why small teams with all context in one place consistently outperform large teams with fragmented tooling, why one great static compounds into a video ad, a YouTube pre-roll, an email hero, and a paid social carousel when the loop is live, and why learning velocity is the new spend.This episode is for founders, CMOs, and performance leaders building in categories where ad volume is cheap, channels are saturated, and differentiation lives in how fast the team learns from what they ship. Performance marketing is not a media problem. It is a feedback loop problem.Structure match to GTM 44 exactly. Paragraph one is the setup with the short declarative cadence and the "Most companies have not absorbed this yet" closing beat. Paragraph two is the "In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with..." intro with a three-clause thesis statement. Paragraph three is the guest stats paragraph with the career arc that set up the product. Paragraph four is the long "He explains why..." list with nine structural threads from the conversation. Paragraph five is the who-it's-for paragraph ending on the short thesis reframe, matching the "The demo is not a sales artifact. It is the unit of the sale." pattern with "Performance marketing is not a media problem. It is a feedback loop problem."One note on guest stats. I do not have specific revenue or growth numbers for Magicbrief (pre-acquisition ARR, funding history, headcount, etc.) the way we had them for Supademo. If you want that paragraph to carry more empirical weight like the GTM 44 version did, send me any numbers you have and I will wire them in.

Most demo experiences are still screenshots in a slide deck or a 45 minute call where the prospect watches someone else click. Both are artifacts of an era where the sales motion carried the product. Neither survives in a market where buyers self-serve, shortlist in private, and decide before a human ever enters the loop. The demo stopped being a sales meeting. Most companies have not absorbed this yet.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Joseph Lee, founder of Supademo, to break down why the demo layer is becoming core GTM infrastructure, why most product-led companies lose conversion at the exact moment they should be proving value, and what changes when the demo stops being a one-time artifact and becomes a composable asset that runs across every stage of the funnel.Joseph built Freshline to $3M in revenue and made Forbes 30 under 30 at 22. Then COVID wiped out 90% of the revenue overnight. The insight from that collapse became the foundation for Supademo. 150,000 professionals across 100 countries. 2,000 paying customers. G2's number five fastest growing product. 8x growth in 2024. 3x in 2025. Profitable.He explains why market readiness is an architectural property of the business and not a creative choice, why the $1M ARR motion was almost entirely things that do not scale (programmatic SEO at every funnel layer, SEO-ranked product demos of competitor tools, white-glove responses on Reddit and changelogs), why defensibility lives in three places that code cannot compress (team adaptability, distribution as a flywheel, brand eminence), why capital efficiency is an optionality decision and not a virtue signal, why PMF has a short shelf life and why he runs his own version of the Cursor all-hands, why change management is the invisible cost of every software purchase, and why taste is the new moat.This episode is for founders and operators building in product-led categories where anyone can ship software in a weekend and differentiation lives in how the product gets distributed, adopted, and embedded into the way a company does business. The demo is not a sales artifact. It is the unit of the sale.

Most analytics fail before the first query runs. Not because the data is bad. Because the definitions underneath it never agreed. The CRM says one thing. Billing says another. Product analytics says a third. Every dashboard built on top inherits the divergence. The founder picks the number that matches their intuition and calls it a decision.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Danylo Borodchuk, founder of Lopus AI and Y Combinator W25, to break down why 12 tools produce 12 definitions of customer and zero agreement on what revenue means, and what a governed semantic layer changes about every metric downstream.Danylo dropped out of Dartmouth with a CS background, DALI Lab, and DARPA research. Before Lopus was an analytics platform, it was a generative UI tool that got Twitter hype and zero traction. YC forced the question that killed the first idea: who actually wants this? Nobody had an answer. The pivot tells you everything about where the real pain lives.He explains why every company's CRM is a mess in the same predictable ways, why marketing and sales will never agree on "qualified" without a governed definition layer, why the most dangerous analytics tool is the one that always gives you an answer, how a self-healing definition layer regenerates its own SQL when underlying schemas change, why a 1,000-view blog post outperformed a 10,000-view one when you connect content to revenue instead of attention, and why the forward deployed data engineer model compounds at seed stage in the same way Palantir's did at enterprise scale.This episode is for founders and operators running a GTM stack where every tool defines the business differently and nobody has reconciled the definitions into a single governed layer. The fix is not a better dashboard. It is the architectural layer between raw data and every query the business runs against it.

Most go-to-market teams track metrics that were never designed to produce financial truth. The CRM was built for sales activity, not financial outcomes. Every metric stacked on top of it, from pipeline coverage to weighted forecast, inherits that original misalignment. Marketing reports MQLs trending up. Sales reports meetings booked ahead of target. Finance reports revenue is flat. Four functions, four green dashboards, one missed quarter. In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Rowan Tonkin, CMO at Planful, to break down why GTM metrics drift from financial reality as companies scale, and what the structural reconciliation between go-to-market and the P&L must look like. Rowan spent nearly a decade in presales and implementation at financial planning companies before becoming a CMO. He operates where finance, planning, and go-to-market are forced to reconcile inside the same system. He explains why finance builds shadow models when it loses trust in dashboards, why pipeline coverage is the most trusted and least reliable metric in B2B, why growth masks the unit economics that determine durability, why precision is not accuracy in forecasting, and why AI on a system already corrupted by incentives produces confident noise, not better signal. This episode is for founders and operators who feel the gap between what their dashboard says and what their P&L shows and want to understand why the fix is not better reporting but a three-layer metric architecture where operational, commercial, and financial metrics are formally defined and structurally connected. Build the reconciliation layer first. Everything else follows.

Most go-to-market teams still treat enablement as a content and training problem. But the real constraint inside modern revenue organizations is not knowledge. It is execution.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Sreedhar Peddineni, Co-Founder of Gainsight and Co-Founder & CEO of GTM Buddy, to explain why the enablement category is hitting its architectural limits and why a new model of revenue activation is emerging.Two of the largest enablement platforms recently merged. Another consolidation preceded it months earlier. On the surface this looks like growth and innovation. But as Sreedhar explains, consolidation often signals something else entirely. Categories consolidate when they run out of structural headroom. Merging two portals does not change the portal model.This conversation explores the difference between revenue visibility and revenue causation, why most GTM teams suffer from an execution gap rather than a knowledge gap, and how AI-native companies are achieving non-linear growth without proportional headcount expansion. When AI injects signal directly into workflow, the architecture of GTM changes. Content repositories and training systems are no longer enough. Activation must happen in context, at the moment decisions are made.This episode is for founders, operators, and revenue leaders building GTM systems in an AI-native world and trying to understand why legacy enablement stacks no longer translate into revenue outcomes. The next generation of GTM will not be defined by more tools or more coordination. It will be defined by architectures that collapse the distance between signal and execution.Revenue compounds when the system is designed for activation. Everything else is just activity.

Most go-to-market teams are still organized for a world where coordination was the bottleneck, but that world no longer exists. In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Annette Sung, CEO and Co-Founder of Amdahl, to explain why GTM is no longer best understood as a set of teams or functions, but as an execution system. As AI absorbs more execution work, the constraint shifts from capacity to coherence. What once required handoffs, approvals, and layered ownership can now be executed continuously by systems that learn and adapt in real time, creating not incremental improvement but a growing structural mismatch between how companies are built and how work actually gets done. This episode is for founders and operators who feel GTM friction even when talent and tools are strong and want to understand why adding headcount no longer fixes execution. The solution is not better coordination, but system design aligned to outcomes, leverage, and speed. Design the system first. Everything else follows.

Founders don’t think about debt when things are going well.They think about it when urgency forces the decision.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Michael Wallace, CEO of TIMIA Capital, to explain why debt fails when it is reactive and why disciplined operators design capital long before something breaks.Most founders assume debt is a last resort, something to reach for only when equity or growth stalls. In reality, debt fails because of timing, not because of risk. When capital decisions are made under pressure, optionality disappears, terms worsen, and control erodes. Predictability gives leverage. Urgency destroys it.This episode is for founders and operators navigating growth, dilution, or board control who want to understand how capital fits into a scalable GTM operating system. The solution is not better fundraising tactics. It is intentional capital design aligned to strategy, predictability, and execution.Build systems, not urgency.

Revenue does not usually fail at the close. It fails quietly after growth has already happened.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Mark Walker, CEO of Nue, to explain why revenue breaks when pricing models outgrow the systems running them.Most teams assume stalled revenue means a sales problem or an execution gap. In reality, the failure is structural. Pricing uncertainty creeps into late-stage deals. Usage and committed spend models introduce complexity legacy billing cannot absorb. Revenue leakage begins long before dashboards reflect it. When data fragments across pricing, CPQ, billing, and rev rec, AI does not fix the problem - it amplifies it.This episode is for founders and revenue leaders whose pipeline looks healthy but whose margins, velocity, or finance workflows are quietly degrading. The solution is not more pipeline or harder execution. It is coherence across the revenue system.Build systems, not heroics.

Pricing is not a finance line item. It is a go-to-market system decision that determines who you can sell to, how sales sell, and whether revenue compounds or quietly leaks.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Roee Hartuv, Senior Pricing Advisor and Head of GTM Expertise at Willingness to Pay, to unpack why so many GTM transformations fail even when teams execute harder. The problem is rarely effort. It is design.They explore how pricing and packaging decisions shape sales velocity, customer lifetime value, and margin durability long before results show up in dashboards. When pricing is owned in isolation, friction appears across marketing, sales, and customer success, and growth stalls without a clear breaking point.The conversation also dives into why traditional SaaS pricing assumptions collapse in AI-driven products, how usage-based costs change monetization strategy, and why GTM engineers have emerged as system owners rather than tool admins.If your pipeline looks healthy but revenue is stalling, this episode explains where the GTM system is already broken and what to redesign before execution fails again.

What actually scales enterprise revenue when complexity exposes weak GTM systems?In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta sits down with Rik Schrader, Chief Revenue Officer at GreyOrange, to break down what holds up when theory stops working and reality shows up.Rik brings more than three decades of experience building and rebuilding enterprise go to market systems across IBM, NCR, Honeywell, and Körber. He has led SaaS transitions, global sales organizations, and partner ecosystems where mistakes were expensive and visible.We dig into why enterprise revenue fails under complexity, how activity metrics quietly replace outcomes as companies scale, and where forecast accuracy actually breaks. Rik shares the execution patterns that stay constant across eras and categories, the hardest GTM transition most companies underestimate, and what great CROs deliberately do not change in their first 90 days.We also unpack why partner channels fail when they are performative instead of operational, how incentives and handoffs quietly destroy accountability, and why durable revenue growth is always a systems problem, not a data problem.This episode is for founders, CROs, RevOps leaders, and operators running enterprise GTM motions who care more about durability than noise.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta speaks with Vignesh Ravichandran, founder of MyClone, about why AI-native GTM is fundamentally an infrastructure problem, not a tooling one.We dig into what breaks when teams layer AI on top of fragmented systems, and why identity, context, and data graphs matter more than prompts or point solutions. Vignesh shares how modern GTM systems should be designed so AI can actually reason, not just respond.The conversation covers what it means to treat identity as infrastructure, how knowledge compounds across workflows, and why most “AI GTM stacks” feel dumb despite powerful models underneath. We also explore the shift from task automation to system-level intelligence, what operators misunderstand about clones and agents, and how to build leverage without adding headcount.Clear mental models, infrastructure-first thinking, and practical insight for founders and GTM leaders building durable, AI-native revenue systems.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta speaks with Jason Patel, co-founder and CEO of Open Forge AI, about why generative engines are becoming the new gatekeepers of discovery. We dig into how GEO, Generative Engine Optimization, reshapes brand visibility inside AI answers and how LLMs interpret companies through entities, knowledge graphs, and machine-readable content.Jason breaks down the three-part GEO system behind recall in generative engines, the role of structured data and third-party citations, and why visibility is shifting from ranking in blue links to being selected as the answer. We also explore how distribution and attribution change when chat replaces search, what it means to rent vs own AI traffic, and why AEO, Agentic Engine Optimization, will shape the next era of vendor evaluation.Clear playbooks, practical examples, and the early moves operators should run to stay visible in an AI-native discovery landscape.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta unpacks the hidden pattern behind companies that scale predictably. We break down why clarity, alignment and operating rhythm beat raw activity, and how elite CROs create systems where execution becomes consistent across Marketing, Sales and Customer Success. Amber reveals her AAA diagnostic for the first 30 to 60 days, how to remove friction from fast-moving GTM engines and why industry-focused selling creates repeatable outcomes at scale.Guest Amber Brooner of XTEL shares the frameworks she has used across SAP, Salesforce, PagerDuty and Informatica to lead global GTM teams through transformation. She shows how to build trust through uncertainty, why alignment eliminates revenue drag, and where AI is already making the biggest impact in forecasting, pricing and frontline execution. We also dig into the leadership traits that matter, the metrics that actually signal performance and the system cadence that turns a complex organization into a predictable revenue engine.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta explores how predictive enablement becomes the hidden engine behind scalable revenue teams. We dig into frameworks that align marketing, sales, and customer success—covering the shift from reactive training to forward-looking skill-flows, how revenue ops becomes an intelligence layer, and why enabling your team predictively isn’t optional—it’s the lever for growth in 2025.Guest Christina Brady of Luster walks through how her GTM system transforms pipeline performance with real numbers, drills into the roles that matter (and the ones that cost), and shows how to convert enablement from a checkbox into measurable revenue. We also discuss the metrics that matter, the system cadence you’ll need, and how to unite your GTM stack so one engine drives growth — not three silos chasing their own goals.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta speaks with Michele Shepard - Chief Revenue Officer at Emburse - about scaling predictive revenue systems and turning AI into an intelligence layer for enterprise growth.Michele shares her frameworks for building repeatable GTM systems that align people, process, and technology - including the 30-60 Framework for new CROs, the Opportunity Scorecard, and how to unify GTM, Product, and Engineering around measurable, predictable growth.We explore how Emburse is redefining finance through AI-powered Expense Intelligence, where finance, travel, and accounts payable shift from reactive workflows to proactive, predictive orchestration. Michele also breaks down what metrics actually matter in 2025 and how agentic AI is transforming enterprise roles.Sponsored by ZoomInfo — GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta speaks with Harsha Gaddipati — founder & CEO of Slashy.ai (YC S25) — about building AI that connects reasoning with real-world execution.We explore how Slashy’s agents automate complex workflows across sales, marketing, and operations — turning intent into action without human handoffs. Harsha shares his framework for “AI that does,” insights into agent coordination, and why the next era of GTM will be defined by tools that can think and act.Sponsored by ZoomInfo — GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta speaks with Jin Kim, founder & CEO of Miracle — a platform built to bring operational transparency, real-time tracking, and unified data integration to clinical trials.Miracle helps biopharma teams break down data silos, forecast enrollment, monitor sites live, and ensure accountability across vendors and stakeholders — all while maintaining compliance. Discover how this technology is helping cut months off trial timelines and what the future holds with AI in clinical operations.Sponsored by ZoomInfo — GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

Customer support is broken — and reply-only bots aren’t enough. In this episode, Rick Koleta sits down with Rafael Broshi, co-founder and CEO of Notch, to unpack how resolution-first AI agents are transforming CX. Unlike traditional chatbots or GPT wrappers, Notch agents actually resolve issues end-to-end, delivering 40x faster response times, 80 percent lower cost-to-serve, and measurable lifts in CSAT and conversion.Rafael explains why FAQ bots cap at 70 to 80 percent accuracy, how agentic architectures combine deterministic rules with LLMs, and what customer support orgs will look like by 2027 when autonomous agents go mainstream. He also shares a case study where Notch tripled VIP campaign response rates, insights into which industries are adopting fastest, and lessons on selling enterprise AI in production environments.Resolution-first AI isn’t just cutting costs — it’s turning customer experience into a growth engine.Sponsored by ZoomInfo — GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

In this episode of GTM Vault, Ben Collins, co-founder and CEO of Woz (YC Winter ’25), reveals how AI agents are replacing the need for technical co-founders—launching software businesses in days, not months. Ben shares the story behind Woz, explains how AI-native tools mimic engineering and product teams, and why the human “last mile” remains critical for building trust. He also explores how AI shifts GTM strategy, redefines venture capital, and sketches a bold vision for autonomous company creation by 2030. Perfect for founders, operators, and investors navigating the future of AI-enabled entrepreneurship.Sponsored by ZoomInfo — GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

Discover how modern GTM engines evolve from product-led growth to sales-assisted—and why speed is the unlock for AI adoption—in this episode of GTM Vault featuring Branca Ballot, VP of Marketing at Glide.Branca shares how her team grew signups 5x, increased sales-assisted ACV 10x, and launched 5 AI agents in just 40 days. She unpacks the myths around PLG companies adding sales, why RevOps accelerates GTM shifts, and how to align marketing with revenue without killing creativity.With a background spanning GoDaddy, Zenefits, KKR, and BCG, Branca delivers a tactical playbook for founders, marketers, and operators building scalable GTM machines at the intersection of PLG, AI, and high-velocity sales.Listen as she breaks down Glide’s modern growth system—self-serve, partner-led, and sales-led—and where AI is adding real value in GTM today.Sponsored by ZoomInfo — GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

Discover how affiliate-led GTM is evolving—and why it's becoming one of the most overlooked growth engines in modern go-to-market—in this episode of GTM Vault featuring Ian Brodie, CEO of Levanta. A repeat founder and Forbes 30 Under 30 alum, Ian previously co-founded Grovia (acquired in under two years) and led GTM at Acceleration Partners.Ian shares how Levanta helps Amazon sellers connect with high-impact creators, and how they’ve scaled by turning agency partnerships into a performance flywheel. He unpacks why most affiliate programs fail, how AI is reshaping creator recruitment and segmentation, and what it really takes to scale a relationship-first channel in an AI-driven world.Listen as Ian breaks down Levanta’s modern GTM system—powered by AI, fueled by partnerships, and built for multi-channel traction across Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, and DTC.Sponsored by ZoomInfo—GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

Discover why traditional funnels are collapsing—and learn how to rebuild them around buyers, not blind automation—in this episode of GTM Vault featuring Santosh Sharan, co‑founder and CEO of Zeer AI. Building on his experience scaling Apollo.io, Retention.com, ZoomInfo—and advising Gong, LeadIQ, Lusha, and ContactOut—Santosh dives deep into the shift from volume‑heavy outbound to high‑trust, buyer‑first engagement. He explains why LinkedIn outperforms cold email, how “agents” are replacing SDRs to pre-qualify leads, and why compounding systems consistently beat short-lived hacks.Listen as Santosh unfolds the strategy behind his 100‑meeting LinkedIn playbook, pinpoints what most AI sales tools get wrong, and outlines how to blend product‑led, sales‑led, and data‑led GTM into a unified, scalable engine. Essential insights for any operator striving to reduce CAC, boost conversion, and ditch broken funnels for good.Sponsored by ZoomInfo—GTM Intelligence that automates outreach, triggers plays, and turns signals into revenue. Learn more at zoominfo.com/gtmvault.

Vijay Rajendran — executive coach, venture builder, and author of The Funding Framework — joins GTM Vault to explore what it really takes to grow from founder to fundable CEO in today’s fast-moving startup landscape.Vijay has helped founders raise capital in 80+ countries, led Portfolio Value at 500 Global, and now coaches high-growth leaders on how to lead with clarity, raise with confidence, and scale without burning out.In this episode:Why confidence comes from clarityHow to shift from reactive hustle to intentional leadershipThe role of GTM motion in making your startup default investableFundraising strategy for founders outside SF and NYCHow product-market fit has evolved in 2025What most CEOs get wrong about alignment, rhythm, and self-managementWhether you’re raising your first round or scaling toward $100M, this episode will help you grow your company by growing yourself first.Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by ZoomInfo. Learn more at zoominfo.com.

Dave Boyce (Executive Chairman at Winning by Design, board member at Forrester) joins GTM Vault to break down why most SaaS onboarding fails — and how AI is redefining the Product-Led GTM playbook.In this episode, we unpack:Why “time to first impact” is your most critical growth leverHow AI agents can drive onboarding, retention, and renewalThe difference between a PLG motion vs. a PLG companyWhat to measure before revenue shows upWhen layering sales kills product-led growthDave built and sold companies to Oracle and Amazon, created the first MBA course on PLG, and now coaches the world’s top GTM teams.If you’re building in SaaS, this is a must-listen.🔗 Explore the full GTM course, tools, and operator playbooks at gtmvault.wiki

Michael Sarrugia is the #1 Clay GTM advisor in the world and the architect of a new GTM movement: the rise of the GTM Engineer.In this episode, we break down:What a GTM Engineer actually is — and why this role is replacing traditional RevOpsHow Clay is powering AI-driven workflows across outbound, inbound, and RevOpsThe most effective Clay playbooks used by $50M+ ARR scale-upsWhy “revenue per employee” is the new north star metric for GTM teamsCommon mistakes founders make when automating their GTM motionMichael has trained 600+ operators and helped scale some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies. If you’re building or optimizing a modern GTM system, this conversation is a must-listen.🔗 Explore Clay playbooks: https://clayoperator.com📚 Join 20,000+ founders & operators inside GTM Vault: https://gtmvault.wiki

Needle AI isn’t just another ChatGPT wrapper — it’s building the AI intern your company actually needs.In this episode, Rick Koleta sits down with Jan Heimes and Onur Eken, co-founders of Needle-AI.com, to unpack how they raised $2.2M to help companies become AI-enabled in one day.We dive into:Why most AI tools become shelfware (and how Needle avoids it)Their pivot from RAG APIs to a full-stack execution layerThe “intern, not overlord” mindset for integrating AIWhat convinced investors to back them earlyTheir hybrid GTM motion: grassroots traction meets top-down salesHow they build trust, ship fast, and get teams live in minutesNeedle connects to Gmail, Notion, HubSpot, Google Drive and more — giving you a command center for executing real work, not just chatting.🔗 Learn more at https://needle-ai.com🎯 Join 20,000+ founders at https://gtmvault.wiki

Charles Cormier has launched 10,000+ cold email campaigns, interviewed 2,500+ founders, and built a system that converts podcast appearances into high-ticket clients. In this episode, he shares his $200/month GTM stack, AI-powered follow-up workflows, and how to build a predictable lead gen engine in 2025.

Sean Ellis — the growth architect behind Dropbox, Eventbrite, and LogMeIn — reveals why most startups stall after early traction and how to build sustainable growth engines.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta and Sean break down:• Why product-market fit still beats any AI hack• How Dropbox’s real growth started before the referral program• The freemium mistake that almost killed LogMeIn• How to fix your activation flow and stop churn before it starts• How to build a high-speed, learning-driven culture• Why founders must personally own growth — not delegate it

Zayd Ali is the founder and CEO of Valley, an AI-powered outbound engine turning the LinkedIn sales tools industry upside down. With two prior exits, global team scaling experience, and backing from General Catalyst, Jason Calacanis, and top sales leaders, Zayd is on a mission to redefine outbound sales. Valley has already generated $120M in pipeline for companies like Front, Cardlytics, and 70+ startups backed by Sequoia, a16z, and more.But here’s the bombshell: Valley is considering giving its core features away for free—undercutting competitors and forcing the industry to innovate or fade out. Is this a genius growth play or a death sentence for legacy tools? Tune in to find out.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:• Why now is the perfect time to disrupt LinkedIn automation (and why incumbents are vulnerable)• How Valley’s signal-based, hyper-personalized outreach achieves 60% reply rates• The HubSpot-esque freemium playbook Valley is using to dominate the market• Why LinkedIn won’t crack down on automation (and how Valley avoids risks)• The #1 operational mistake Zayd made scaling Valley (and how to avoid it)• Fundraising insights from raising $3.2M: “Just build a fucking good company”

Episode 16 features Amos Bar-Joseph, CEO of Swan AI—a Tel Aviv-based startup using AI agents to supercharge human-led sales, not replace them. A 2x-exited founder and ex-KPMG advisor, Amos reveals why most teams use AI wrong and how to scale pipeline without sacrificing authenticity.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, we sit down with Selin Kocalar, co-founder and COO of Delve, the AI-powered compliance platform transforming how startups achieve SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR certifications. From leaving MIT to joining Y Combinator, running marathons, and even conquering a Navy SEAL bootcamp, Selin’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.We dive deep into:🚀 The pivotal moment that led her to launch Delve and disrupt the compliance space💡 How AI is revolutionizing compliance, slashing timelines from months to weeks📈 Raising $3.3M and scaling to a multi-million dollar revenue run rate📣 Why word-of-mouth is Delve’s #1 GTM motion and how viral moments on social media helped fuel growth🏃 How personal resilience—through marathons and bootcamps—translates into leadership and startup successSelin shares tactical insights on fundraising, growth strategies, and navigating the high-stakes world of AI compliance. If you’re a founder, operator, or investor looking to understand how AI is reshaping enterprise security and compliance, this episode is a must-listen.🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more GTM insights!

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, host Rick Koleta sits down with Nick Velkovski, Co-Founder and CEO of Heyreach, a leading LinkedIn outreach tool built for agencies and sales teams. Nick shares the journey of pivoting from Howitzer to Heyreach, the challenges of gaining early adoption, and how niching down to lead-gen agencies transformed their growth. Discover key insights on scaling LinkedIn outreach, defining your ideal customer profile, and the technology behind Heyreach’s unique features.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, Rick Koleta sits down with Yuhong Sun, co-founder of Danswer (now Onyx), a YC-backed groundbreaking open-source Gen AI platform. Danswer is helping enterprises solve critical challenges in AI-powered search, with a key focus on data privacy and security. Yuhong shares insights on how Danswer is filling the gaps left by mainstream AI tools like ChatGPT, providing companies with secure, self-hostable solutions to manage internal knowledge.

We're excited to have Ayush Khanna, New Ventures Lead at super{set}—a startup studio dedicated to building transformative data and AI companies. With extensive experience in founding and scaling B2B SaaS startups, Ayush shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities of creating successful ventures.

Join us for an enlightening episode of the GTM Vault Podcast as host Rick Koleta interviews Dawson Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of Martin, a Y Combinator-backed startup revolutionizing the personal voice AI space. Dawson shares his inspiring journey from working with NASA and Stanford to founding his own companies. In this episode, we dive deep into the development challenges of Martin, the future of personal voice AI, and how Dawson's diverse experiences—from blockchain to student council—have shaped his entrepreneurial journey.Discover how Martin aims to be the most personalized AI assistant on the market and what sets it apart from other voice AI technologies. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with valuable insights on innovation, leadership, and the evolving landscape of AI.

In Episode 9 of the GTM Vault Podcast, host Rick Koleta dives into the biotech world with Savva Kerdemelidis, the founder and CEO of Public Good Pharma. Savva, with over 20 years of experience as a registered patent and trademark attorney, shares his innovative approach to developing cost-effective therapies through self-funding clinical trials.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, Rick Koleta sits down with Mariane Bekker, CTO, Investor, and Managing Partner at Founders Bay. Mariane shares her journey from engineering leader to advocate for women founders, offering insights into building diverse teams, overcoming funding challenges, and the transformative role of AI in tech.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, Rick Koleta sits down with Ana Leyva, a dynamic early-stage VC and B2B sales leader currently at Pear VC. Ana brings a unique blend of experience from both startup and enterprise environments. Join us as Ana shares her journey from being the daughter of immigrants to becoming a successful entrepreneur and advisor to startups. She discusses pivotal moments in her career, her approach to developing go-to-market strategies, and the unique challenges and opportunities in the startup ecosystem.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, host Rick Koleta interviews Venki Pola, Co-Founder and CTO of OneShot AI. Dive into Venki's inspiring journey from his early days in India, through his career at Salesforce, to co-founding OneShot AI, a pioneering platform transforming B2B sales prospecting with AI.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, host Rick Koleta sits down with Mike Soylu, Co-Founder of Adaptive Computer, to dive into how AI is revolutionizing digital product development. Mike shares insights on the evolution of technology over the past decade, the current AI landscape, and the future of AI in mainstream applications.Tune in to hear about:- The journey of Adaptive Computer and its innovative approach to software development.- How AI is making software more accessible, affordable, and customizable.- The profound implications for product development and marketing.- The potential global impact and adoption of AI technologies.Looking for a fractional CMO?https://calendly.com/ritegtm/30minCheck out my website!https://ritegtm.com/Join my events! https://www.gtmnights.com/Join my newsletter!https://gtmvault.substack.com/Read my marketing blog!https://rickkoleta.com/Send me an [email protected]

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, host Rick Koleta sits down with Dmitry Stavisky, a seasoned startup advisor with extensive experience in building and scaling tech companies internationally. Dmitry shares his journey from climate modeling and coding to leading product development at Unicorn startups. They dive deep into how AI is reshaping product development, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and what the future holds as AI goes mainstream.Additionally, Dmitry offers insights into his advisory services for post-Series A companies on international expansion and early-stage startup founders. Tune in to explore:- The evolution of digital product development over the last decade- AI's impact on internal processes and user experience- Key factors influencing AI's mainstream adoption- Strategies for international expansion and market selection- Skills engineers, product developers, and marketers need to stay relevant in an AI-driven landscapeDon't miss out on this insightful conversation packed with valuable advice and future predictions.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, we dive into the transformative world of social selling with Parthi Loganathan, Founder & CEO of Letterdrop. Parthi shares his expertise on leveraging social platforms to enhance sales efficiency, the critical metrics for success, and the role of AI in maintaining a human touch in sales.Key Takeaways: The importance of engaging with customers on social platforms Key metrics for measuring social selling success: connect rates, reply rates, and content engagement How AI and automation can enhance sales efficiency while preserving human-to-human connections The growing importance of personal branding for sales professionals Adapting to the ever-changing sales landscape through effective use of data and intelligenceChapters:00:00 - Introduction00:44 - The Evolving World of Social Selling08:05 - Aligning Sales and Marketing10:59 - Key Metrics for Social Selling Success13:11 - The Transformative Role of AI in Sales15:32 - Retention and Engagement with Existing Customers20:49 - Adapting to the Changing Sales Landscape24:20 - Predicting Future Trends in Sales and Marketing25:57 - ConclusionQuotes: "If you become a person that your buyer wants to connect with, your chance of getting that message read increases exponentially." "Conversations with actual customers are a gold mine of information that you should be sharing with the rest of the world." "Sales and marketing should be blurred. They should be really thinking about revenue for the business."Don't miss out on Parthi's valuable insights on how to leverage social selling to drive your business forward.

In this episode of the GTM Vault Podcast, host Rick Koleta dives into the world of Revenue Operations (RevOps) with Zachary Lukasiewicz, an expert with extensive experience in private equity and venture capital. Discover how RevOps is revolutionizing business operations by aligning sales, marketing, and customer success teams to drive sustainable growth.Key insights include: The rising importance of RevOps in modern businesses Evolution of RevOps roles over time Critical developments to watch in the RevOps space Challenges and solutions for early-stage SaaS companies Essential metrics and KPIs for tracking success Recommended tools for enhancing RevOps effectiveness Strategies for aligning teams for optimal performanceTune in for valuable strategies and actionable advice on leveraging RevOps to optimize your go-to-market strategies and accelerate business growth.

In the first episode of GTM Vault, I welcome Sriharsha Guduguntla, CEO of Hyperbound, to discuss the future of sales efficiency powered by AI. We explore how Hyperbound’s AI roleplay technology is accelerating sales training and enhancing team performance. Sriharsha provides insightful perspectives on how sales professionals can upskill and shares actionable strategies for startups to leverage AI effectively. This episode is essential for anyone looking to understand the future of AI in sales.Key Takeaways: The transformative role of AI in modern sales processes and daily workflows. An in-depth look at Hyperbound's AI roleplay technology and its benefits for sales organizations. Practical strategies for startups to boost sales efficiency using AI applications. Insights into the potential convergence of marketing, sales, and customer success into a unified revenue team. Essential skills for sales professionals to stay relevant in an AI-driven landscape. Real-world success stories and key metrics demonstrating the impact of AI roleplay on sales performance. Predictions on the adoption speed and mainstream potential of AI roleplay across industries.