In episode 72 of Topline, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into the tricky balance between growing a business and staying profitable, with Uber and DoorDash as prime examples. The conversation also touches on the role of venture capital, the importance of having a motivated, driven team, and the nuances of different business models. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter . Secure your ticket to GTM2024 i...
Aug 25, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 119
In this week's episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad first explore whether ARR should be reported before or after applying discounts, a common dilemma for companies offering discounted first-year pricing on annual plans. They also tackle best practices for setting up revenue schedules in Salesforce, specifically whether to align them with the invoicing cycle or distribute revenue evenly across the year. Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners...
Aug 22, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 118
In this episode of Topline, the hosts discuss the landmark antitrust ruling against Google, its implications for early-stage businesses and competition, and the challenges of context-switching for leaders. They also analyze the latest SaaS performance updates, capital allocation strategies, and the importance of B2B tech companies expanding their TAM outside of tech. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsl...
Aug 18, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Preparing for board meetings is notoriously time-consuming, often requiring weeks to feel fully prepared. In this week's edition of Topline Hotline, our hosts address a question from Slack on how to streamline the preparation process and make it more time-efficient. Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter ....
Aug 15, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 116
In episode 70 of Topline, hosts Sam, Asad, and AJ navigate a range of topics, from the recent tumultuous economic events to personal reflections on leadership and feedback. They discuss the Federal Reserve's rate decisions, the labor market, and the impact of Japan's market crash. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter . Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16)....
Aug 11, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 115
In this week's mini-episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad delve into the effectiveness of sales leaderboards and President's Club initiatives in fostering a performance-driven culture. Listen to hear what our hosts think. Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter .
Aug 08, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 114
Armand Farrokh, founder of the revenue media platform Minutes to President's Club and author of "Cold Calling Sucks, and That's Why It Works," joins the show to discuss the evolving landscape of outbound sales, particularly the impact of AI and automation tools. We delve into the paradox of using cold calling techniques in a world increasingly dominated by automated outreach and ask questions like: "How important are personalized, human-driven sales tactics?" and "Are we over-reliant on technolo...
Aug 04, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 69
In this Thursday's mini-episode, a seed round CEO wants to make the most of attending conferences and events without spending too much money. How do you pick which events to attend? Should you buy a booth? Do you just go and walk around? Listen to find out. Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter ....
Aug 01, 2024•7 min•Season 1Ep. 112
In this week's episode, our Topline hosts discuss the recent CrowdStrike update that caused massive disruptions, the complexities of building and maintaining effective executive teams, and the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter . Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16)....
Jul 28, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 68
In this week's mini-episode, the conversation revolves around a question from a new SVP of Sales and Account Management who is tasked with shifting the company's marketing strategy from 90% inbound to a 50-50 inbound-outbound split. Is it possible to make a pivot like this in just one year? Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter ....
Jul 25, 2024•11 min•Season 1Ep. 110
This week, our hosts are joined by Kareem Amin and Varun Anand, co-founders of Clay. They discuss their recent $46 million Series B funding round. Kareem and Varun also share insights on their growth journey, the impact of AI on sales and marketing, and how Kareem's experience at a silent retreat influenced his leadership style. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter . Secure your ticket to GTM2024 i...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 67
In this week's mini-episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad tackle a question about effectively communicating pipeline health during board meetings. What details are essential to include? What do you typically hold back? Listen to this week's Topline Hotline to see what our hosts think. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps and join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
Jul 18, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 108
In this episode of Topline, the hosts welcome Dan Gottlieb, Vice President at Gartner, to discuss the evolving landscape of sales technology. The conversation delves into the competitive dynamics among sales tech companies such as Gong, Outreach, and Salesloft, exploring how these companies navigate growth and innovation challenges. Dan also shares insights on the importance of AI and data interoperability in shaping the future of sales tech, the potential for large enterprises to adopt these te...
Jul 14, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Join hosts AJ Bruno and Asad Zaman on this episode of Topline Hotline as they tackle a pressing question from the go-to-market community: how to balance getting a great deal for your company while choosing the right product. They discuss the importance of being a savvy buyer, the dynamics of commoditized versus non-commoditized products, and the role of leverage in negotiations. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps and join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
Jul 11, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode of Topline, AJ Bruno, Asad Zaman, and Carta's Head of Insights Peter Walker are joined by Bob Moore, CEO of Crossbeam, to discuss his company's recent merger with Reveal. Bob shares the strategy behind the merger, along with the challenges and opportunities that the merger brings to Crossbeam. The episode also touches on broader market trends, including the state of M&A activity and the evolving landscape of startup valuations. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channe...
Jul 07, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 105
In this week's mini-episode, our Topline hosts explore a real-life scenario faced by a female CEO of a software company. Despite overcoming challenges and showing positive results, the company faces a cash crunch. The CEO needs more capital from investors, knowing it will dilute her equity. Simultaneously, she wants to negotiate a raise to protect her stake. How can she advocate for herself effectively, balancing the need for funds with preserving her equity without appearing greedy? Enjoy the m...
Jul 04, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 104
This week on Topline, Sam, AJ, and Asad discuss their lessons from Q2, the Crossbeam and Reveal merger and the why behind QuotaPath's recent product update. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and read episode recaps . Also, make sure to secure a ticket for: GTM EMEA , which will be held in London from 9 - 11 July GTM2024 , which will be held in Austin from October 14 - 16...
Jun 30, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Another Thursday, another mini-episode! This time, Sam, AJ, and Asad tackle a question from the GTM community about creative ways to incentivize account executives to outbound, as this group of AEs generates most of its opportunities and new business through inbound. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps and join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
Jun 27, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Kathleen Booth, SVP of Marketing and Growth at Pavilion, joins Topline to discuss the evolving landscape of brand and demand generation. The conversation starts off by delving into a recent report by TrustRadius and Pavilion, highlighting shifts in buyer behavior and the importance of brand-led growth. They also explore the need for a balanced approach between brand investment and demand generation, sharing insights on how brands can influence both short-term and long-term business outcomes. Che...
Jun 23, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 101
This week's mini-episode, we tackle a question from a high-performing sales rep at a Series C startup. The rep, concerned about their lack of strategy and operations experience, asks whether pursuing an MBA or consulting position would better prepare them for a future CRO role. We discuss the value of an MBA in the high-growth tech world, suggesting that practical experience and community-based learning, such as through Pavilion , may be more beneficial. Want to join the world's largest communit...
Jun 20, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Liz Christo (Partner, Stage 2 Capital) joins the show to share her unique perspectives on diagnosing retention issues, experimenting with pricing models, and improving board dynamics in B2B tech. We also dive into the innovative pod structure at Stage 2 Capital, where partners from various backgrounds work together on deals. Listen to this episode to get valuable strategies for improving retention, driving upsell opportunities, and optimizing board interactions. Want more Topline? Join the Topli...
Jun 16, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 62
This week's mini-episode revolves around managing executive exits in organizations, including the challenges, best practices, and considerations involved. Our hosts also delve into the importance of empathy and fairness in the process, touching on the evolving nature of employment in the tech industry and the importance of negotiation and fairness in executive exits. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
Jun 13, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 98
In this episode of Topline Hotline, the conversation centers around the importance of references in the hiring process, including back channels and traditional references. Sam, AJ, and Asad delve into the significance of transparency in the candidate evaluation process and the challenges of obtaining accurate references. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
Jun 12, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 97
In this week's episode, our hosts discuss the recent turbulence in the public markets, focusing on Salesforce's first revenue miss since 2006 and its implications for the SaaS industry. The conversation also delves into the challenges of IPOs, fundraising, and business operations, particularly in the context of M&A as a soft landing option, the importance of maintaining a healthy mindset amidst market fluctuations, and much more. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage wi...
Jun 09, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 61
In this episode of Topline, Sam, AJ, and Asad explore the impact of cloud technology on business viability, David Kellogg's Playing to Win vs. Playing to Make Plan , and the impact of remote work on loneliness. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and read episode recaps . Also, make sure to secure a ticket for CRO Summit 2024 on June 6th in Boston. Get 20% off your ticket with the code TOPLINE ....
Jun 02, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 60
On Topline Hotline 35, our hosts tackle a two-part question seeking advice on sales leadership. The first issue involves an AE who schedules meetings with other AEs to voice complaints. The second issue surrounds the lack of trust between this AE and management, which needs to be addressed and built. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
May 30, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 35
This week, our hosts discuss the impact of net revenue retention (NRR) and churn on SaaS companies, the challenges/opportunities of transitioning from seat-based to usage-based pricing models, the significance of effective product releases, and more. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and read episode recaps . Also, make sure to secure a ticket for CRO Summit 2024 on June 6th in Boston. Get 20% off your ticket with the code TOPLINE...
May 26, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Following the conversation from episode 57 around work-life balance, a member of the Topline Slack channel wants to learn more about how to avoid burnout as an executive, as they've found it difficult to mentally turn off work, separate their personal identity from work, etc. Watch Episode 57 here . Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here ....
May 23, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 92
In this episode of Topline, Sam, AJ, and Asad discuss the current state of the market, employment trends, and the challenges tech companies face. The trio provides insights into the Q1 2024 funding landscape, efficient capital allocation for business success, the challenges faced by job seekers, and the shifting expectations for executive roles. Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and read episode recaps . Also, make sure to secure ...
May 19, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Following the episode with Mark Roberge, your Topline hosts discuss the role of venture in a world where companies can achieve product-market fit and profitable growth at reduced startup costs. They also explore the use of AI and emerging technologies in building and selling products with smaller teams, as well as its impact on venture funding and the need for follow-up rounds. Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here . Also listen to ...
May 16, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 33
