In this episode, Sam Jacobs and Asad Zaman are joined by Eric Wilford, a venture partner at Accel, to discuss venture investing with a focus on AI-first companies. The discussion delves into what defines an AI-first company, the implications of AI on product development and go-to-market strategies, and the influence of macroeconomic conditions on venture investments. Eric also shares his perspectives on valuation, the competitive dynamics in AI, and the role of authenticity in successful entrepr...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 179
Marcos Rivera , Founder and CEO of Pricing I/O offers an inside look into how he transformed his solo consultancy into a thriving team of SaaS pricing experts. He shares practical insights on pricing strategy, including why companies should revisit pricing regularly, how underpricing affects customer perception, and why adding more features isn't always the solution to retention problems. You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, an...
Apr 24, 2025•26 min•Ep. 178
The hosts dissect Attio's AI-native CRM disrupting traditional customer management and examine the surprisingly resilient seed/Series B funding landscape despite economic headwinds. Learn how AI is fundamentally changing go-to-market playbooks, enabling tech companies to scale faster than ever before, and which AI sales tools have genuine staying power. Thanks for tuning in! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going ...
Apr 20, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 177
LucidLink CEO and Co-founder Pete Thompson offers an inside look into how he rapidly scaled LucidLink, a company that transforms cloud storage into an accessible, high-performance drive. Pete discusses the critical steps and strategies that propelled the company from its inception in 2016, through struggles to find product-market fit, to achieving breakthrough success during the pandemic. Key Moments: (00:46) - Spotlight on Pete Thompson of LucidLink (01:42) - LucidLink's Innovative Cloud Storag...
Apr 17, 2025•26 min•Ep. 176
What should founders and operators prioritize when the market swings 6% in a day? In this episode, Sam, Asad and AJ break down the fallout from historic tariff whiplash, trillion-dollar market swings, and the signals that separate resilient companies from risky bets. They debate: Defensive moves vs. offensive plays: When to cut costs, when to lean into growth, and why "profitable efficiency" is the new mantra. Customer psychology in chaos: Why "delay" is the word of the year—and how to combat it...
Apr 13, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 175
Most SaaS companies don't fail because they grow too slowly—they fail because they grow too fast and ignore the warning signs. In this episode of Topline Spotlight, the team engages with Michael Dzik, an operating partner at Radian Capital. Mike shares insights from his extensive experience in the B2B technology sector, discussing the challenges and strategies for companies at different stages of their growth. Key topics include identifying growth stall points, the importance of product flexibil...
Apr 10, 2025•24 min•Ep. 174
In this episode, Sam, Asad, and AJ sit down with Ben Kus , Chief Technology Officer at Box, to unpack how AI is reshaping enterprise tech—from the seismic shift to cloud-native infrastructure to the rise of AI agents that collaborate across platforms. We dive into the realities of leading through volatility, why AI adoption is moving faster than past platform shifts, and how enterprises can navigate the "FOMO" of generative AI without sacrificing trust. Plus, Ben's take on the future of software...
Apr 06, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 173
Centralize's Co-Founders Rachit Kataria and William Wang tackle one of the most common sales challenges: deals stall when teams fail to connect with the right stakeholders. Their solution? Visualizing relationship networks to identify gaps, leverage extended connections, and ensure engagement with decision-makers. Listen to this week's episode to learn how to turn relationship intelligence into a competitive advantage in high-stakes sales. (03:10) - Why deals are won at the individual level, not...
Apr 03, 2025•22 min•Ep. 172
Why do so many sales hires fail? In this episode, Ben Tagoe , CEO of Objective Management Group , breaks down the three critical components when assessing sales hires: fundamental selling skills, sales-specific beliefs, and mindset. Discover how bringing science to the art of sales talent development can dramatically reduce costly hiring mistakes. You're invited! Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders, share insights, and keep the conversation going beyond the p...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Many companies hit a growth ceiling—not because of a lack of ideas, talent, or market opportunity, but because they lack operational rigor. In this episode, we sit down with Anna Talerico, CEO of Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), to unpack how she tackled this challenge head-on. Anna shares her journey of stepping into a successful yet "execution-challenged" organization and the hard lessons she learned in implementing structure, accountability, and speed. She reveals why traditional operating ...
Mar 27, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 170
Snipd CEO Kevin Smith shares how his team navigated the challenge of monetizing their app after realizing they couldn't rely on investor funding and were headed toward bankruptcy. In this episode of Topline Spotlight, Kevin shares the emotional highs and lows of launching Snipd's monetization strategy, handling user backlash, and questioning whether they made the right move. He also reveals the unexpected moment that reassured him they were on the right path and how Snipd turned a tough challeng...
Mar 26, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 168
When does healthy competition cross the line into corporate espionage? In this episode, we dive into the explosive saga unfolding between HR tech giants Rippling and Deel. What started as a high-growth race has spiraled into lawsuits, spy allegations, and one of the most bizarre B2B scandals in recent memory — complete with honeypots, toilet phones, and Slack search histories. But beyond the drama, this story reveals deeper truths about culture, leadership, and the risks of growing at all costs....
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 169
In this milestone episode, Sam, Asad, and AJ reflect on how they've grown as leaders, how their perspectives have evolved, and what lessons they've learned along the way. We discuss the increasing difficulty of leadership in volatile times and why mental resilience is more critical than ever. From the exhaustion of constant adaptation to the importance of maintaining optimism, we explore the realities of leading through uncertainty and why community—rather than isolation—is the key to enduring t...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 167
In this Topline Spotlight episode, Demetra Anagnostopoulos, CCO at SurePeople, shares insights on navigating a critical shift in SurePeople's Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) from serving large enterprises to targeting startups. Demetra dives into the challenges of aligning customer success processes, redefining customer journeys, and ensuring her team has the skills to manage diverse expectations. Demetra emphasizes the importance of avoiding organizational silos, fostering cross-team collaboration...
Mar 13, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 166
AI is revolutionizing the way revenue teams operate, but how much of the hype is real? In this episode of Topline, Sam, AJ, and Asad are joined by Kyle Norton to dive deep into how AI is actually being used in go-to-market strategies. They explore the balance between centralized AI tools and individual adoption, the impact of AI on productivity, and whether AI is leveling the playing field or widening the gap between top and bottom performers. The conversation also touches on the evolving role o...
Mar 09, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 165
The AI market is noisy, but real business value is hard to prove. In this episode, Alon Talmor, CEO of Ask-AI, tackles the biggest challenge in AI adoption—demonstrating measurable ROI. He shares why many AI solutions fail to justify their cost, how Ask AI approaches value-driven AI, and what businesses should consider before investing. Thanks for tuning in! Want more content from Pavilion? New episodes of Topline drop every Sunday with new Topline Spotlight mini-episodes every Thursday. Subscri...
Mar 06, 2025•20 min•Season 1Ep. 164
In this episode of Topline, we sit down with Ryan Burke, VP of Sales at CyberArk (former VP of Sales at Zilla Security), to dive deep into the $175 million acquisition of Zilla. Ryan shares what it's really like to navigate an exit in today's market—from the unexpected nature of M&A deals to the grueling due diligence process and the tough decisions that founders and executives face. We also explore the evolving cybersecurity landscape, why big platforms are scooping up smaller companies ear...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 163
How do you build a revenue engine that doesn't just generate pipeline—but generates the right pipeline? In this episode, Kyle Lacy, CMO of Jellyfish, shares how his team tackled one of the biggest challenges in B2B go-to-market: pipeline predictability. In this episode of Topline Spotlight, Kyle explains why traditional metrics like Stage 1 pipeline weren't cutting it, how Jellyfish revamped its approach with deeper segmentation and leading indicators, and the impact of launching a Pipeline Coun...
Feb 27, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 162
Is outbound sales really dead, or are we just doing it wrong? In this episode of Topline, AJ and Asad dive into one of the most debated topics in B2B sales—whether outbound still works in today's market. Asad argues that companies with strong product-market fit can still crush outbound, while AJ pushes back, saying it's no longer the best way to scale. They break down cold call connect rates, changing sales tactics, and why partner-led growth and brand marketing are taking center stage. Are you ...
Feb 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 161
Hiring a CRO is one of the most high-stakes decisions a founder can make—especially when a company is transitioning from SMB to enterprise sales. In this episode of Topline Spotlight, Shensi Ding, Co-Founder of Merge, shares her experience navigating the search for a stage-appropriate revenue leader after raising their Series B in 2022. She breaks down the challenges of finding a CRO who wasn't just impressive on paper but could actually build a disciplined enterprise sales motion, adapt to Merg...
Feb 20, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 160
In this episode, Sam Jacobs, Asad Zaman, and AJ Bruno break down a viral LinkedIn post that sparked a heated debate about the role of B2B marketing in go-to-market strategy. Has marketing become too focused on pipeline at the expense of brand? Are CMOs being pushed out in favor of CROs? The team explores how marketing's role is evolving, the tension between short-term revenue goals and long-term brand building, and what leaders can do to prove marketing's strategic value. Are you being paid what...
Feb 16, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 159
Fundraising isn't just sales—something Josh Guttman, co-founder and CEO of SELLIT9, learned the hard way. After spending years in SaaS sales and leadership, including a 12-year run at Salesforce, Josh thought his natural ability to pitch and build relationships would give him an edge in raising capital. But he quickly discovered that VCs don't want to be sold—they want to believe. In this episode of Topline Spotlight, Josh shares his journey from seasoned sales leader to first-time founder, the ...
Feb 13, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 158
In this episode, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into the strategic choices behind building teams in Latin America, focusing on compensation arbitrage and offshoring. They offer guidance for junior talent in North America, who now face competition from equally skilled and cost-effective professionals abroad, all while navigating the impact of AI on traditional roles. The conversation also tackles the challenge of hiring sales reps for complex deals and whether AI can handle routine tasks, freeing u...
Feb 09, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 157
In this episode of Topline Spotlight, hosts Sam Jacobs and Asad Zaman sit down with Alina Vandenberg, co-CEO of Chili Piper, to discuss the significant challenges she faced and overcame in her dual role as acting CMO. Alina delves into the complexities of scaling a rapidly growing company while maintaining a cohesive marketing strategy. She shares how she tackled the challenge of aligning data-driven marketing efforts with business goals, utilizing tools like Snowflake to enhance targeted outrea...
Feb 06, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 156
In this episode of Topline, Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman explore AI's growing influence on go-to-market strategy, growth, and operations. They break down the difference between AI-first and AI-enabled companies, why some integrate AI seamlessly while others fall behind, and the operational roadblocks leaders face. The conversation covers the rise of AI Ops roles, legal pushback on AI-driven data usage, and how outdated go-to-market strategies are being disrupted. They also discuss why in...
Feb 02, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 155
In this episode of Topline Spotlight, hosts Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman speak with Keith Frankel, Chief Product Officer at Totango, to explore the intricacies of merging company cultures post-acquisition. Keith shares his journey from founding enterprise AI companies to leading product teams at Totango, highlighting the challenges of integrating distinct cultures and product lines. The discussion delves into strategies for addressing cultural divides, emphasizing the importance of confr...
Jan 30, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 154
In this episode of Topline, hosts Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman review insights from Carta's State of Startups 2024 report. They explore the rise of down rounds in 2023 and 2024, highlighting the financial challenges many startups face today. The conversation shifts to the increasing prevalence of solo founders, noting a significant rise from 17% in 2017 to 36% in 2024. The trio also examines AI's transformative impact on business decision-making, sharing personal experiences with tools l...
Jan 26, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 153
Topline is excited to introduce our newest segment – Topline Spotlight. In this series, our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to explore the biggest challenges they've faced and how they conquered them. In this episode of Topline Spotlight, our hosts sit down with Tom McCarty, CEO of Org Chart, to discuss a pivotal challenge he faced: narrowing the total addressable market (TAM) to drive better growth. As a first-time CEO of a private equity-backed company, Tom shares his strategic approa...
Jan 23, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 152
In this episode of Topline, Asad and AJ are joined by Kyle Norton, CRO of Owner.com and Host of The Revenue Leadership Podcast . They explore the evolving role of the CRO, highlighting the diverse characteristics of successful leaders in this position. The conversation also delves into the transformative impact of AI advancements, particularly the implications of GPT-3 and GPT-4 models on business operations and workforce dynamics. Kyle shares insights on how AI might reduce the need for middle ...
Jan 19, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 151
Topline is excited to introduce our newest segment – Topline Spotlight. In this series, our hosts sit down with top B2B tech leaders to explore the biggest challenges they've faced and how they conquered them. This week Sam, AJ, and Asad are joined by Jenny Podewils, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Leapsome, to discuss the real-world challenges Leapsome faces in the ever-evolving HR tech scene. Jenny shares her journey, highlighting how AI is a game-changer for team performance and HR efficiency. She t...
Jan 16, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 150
