Building a lasting brand in a rapidly changing digital world requires adaptability, strong insights and an authentic customer connection. Joseph Thompson , Co-Founder and COO of Kits.com , shares insights on building and scaling brands in the evolving digital landscape. As one of the earliest speakers at Traction in 2015, he reflects on how branding strategies have changed over the years and what remains fundamental for success. Specifically, Joseph discusses: (02:24) How branding strategies hav...
Feb 05, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Think marketing to developers is all about hoodies and hackathons? Think again. As the developer-led economy is poised to grow to a TRILLION dollars, companies that offer products for developers must refocus to a business-to-developer (B2D) model as developers become not only users of products, but key purchase influencers. In this episode, Nnamdi Iregbulem , Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners , Joyce Lin , Head of Developer Relations at Viam , and Caroline Lewko , CEO of Revere Communicatio...
Jan 29, 2025•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Farhan Thawar , VP and Head of Engineering at Shopify , reflects on the evolution of remote work, hiring strategies and the role of artificial intelligence in engineering. Farhan shares insights drawn from his extensive experience, including founding and scaling startups and contributing to shaping Shopify’s engineering culture. Farhan discusses: 00:00 - Intro 00:35 - The evolution of remote work 05:41 - How Shopify integrates in-person connections 08:03 - Why structured in-office experiences be...
Jan 08, 2025•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast The biggest outcomes tend to be founder-led, and building anything great is a long and hard journey. In this episode, Mark MacLeod ,, Startup CEO Coach and host of the Startup CEO Podcast, shares his framework for generating long term sustainable results without burning out and without sacrificing company performance. Mark has spent over two decades helping high-growth technology companies achieve their potential. As a former CFO for industry leaders like Shopify and FreshBooks, a venture capita...
Dec 18, 2024•58 min•Ep 141•Transcript available on Metacast Marissa Chacko , Former Director of Product Management at Google , kicks off the inaugural episode of “The NextWave Podcast by Traction” with a discussion on the evolution of conversational agents and AI technology. With over a decade of experience spanning companies like Google, Lyft and Foursquare, Marissa examines the shift from clunky bots to sophisticated AI agents, shedding light on the opportunities and challenges within this rapidly evolving landscape. Specifically, Marissa discusses: - ...
Dec 04, 2024•41 min•Ep 140•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Rafael Loureiro , Co-Founder and CEO of Wealth.com , shares insights from his journey from CTO at Emailage (acquired for $500m by LexisNexis) to Cofounder and CEO at Wealth.com which recently closed a $30m Series A led by Google Ventures. Under Rafael's leadership, the platform has gained recognition as a leading technology provider in the trust category, serving over 500 wealth management firms and earning awards such as the Advisor Choice Award. Specifically, Rafael discusses:...
Nov 26, 2024•52 min•Ep 139•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Aydin Mirzaee , CEO and Co-Founder of Fellow.app , shares his journey from founding his first startup to leading a successful meeting productivity platform. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Aydin highlights lessons he learned through building and pivoting startups and his unique strategies for scaling Fellow.app in the competitive SaaS space. Specifically, Aydin discusses: - Lessons learned from early failures and how these shaped his approach to future ventures. - Strategies for bui...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 138•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Mada Seghete , Co-Founder, CEO and Marketing at Upside , and Alex Bauer , Co-Founder, Product at Upside , share their journey of rethinking how businesses measure the true impact of their marketing and sales efforts. Drawing on years of experience in the tech industry, they provide insights into how companies can shift their focus from outdated models to more accurate and meaningful ways to track performance. Specifically, Mada and Alex discuss: - How marketing teams can move be...
Oct 31, 2024•49 min•Ep 137•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Bruce Wang , Director of Engineering at Netflix , shares his journey from founding startups to leading engineering teams at one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies. With a rich background in tech leadership and a founder mindset, Bruce delves into the lessons learned from both his startup ventures and his time at Netflix. Specifically, Bruce discusses: - The importance of adaptability and dealing with change in engineering leadership. - How a reduced sense of fear and...
Oct 16, 2024•52 min•Ep 136•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Sarosh Waghmar , Founder, Co-chairman, and Chief Product Officer of Spotnana , shares his journey from building a self-funded $70-million business to launching venture-backed Spotnana with over $150m in funding. Sarosh dives into his experiences, detailing his passion for creating change and how he has navigated through various challenges to build a platform that redefines the travel ecosystem. Specifically, Sarosh discusses: - How his early fascination with frequent flier miles...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep 135•Transcript available on Metacast Rob Schutz, Co-Founder of Ro and Founder of Snagged.com , shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, creating successful companies in health tech and beyond. He details his path from healthcare consulting to becoming a key player in the telehealth industry. Rob also discusses how his ventures have impacted sectors like men’s health, dermatology and mental health. Throughout the episode, Rob offers wisdom on finding opportunities, building audiences and staying nimble in changing mar...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr•Ep 134•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, TK Kader , Founder of ToutApp, Inc. and TK | Unstoppable , shares invaluable insights on how to build a scalable go-to-market machine that not only drives 3x growth but also sets the foundation for long-term success in SaaS businesses. TK breaks down the essential strategies that can propel startups to $3 million in ARR and beyond. Specifically, TK discusses: - The importance of embracing sales and marketing to achieve success in startups. - Why 96% of startups fail and how to b...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep 133•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Doug Winter , Founder and CEO at Seismic , talks about how he grew Seismic from a small startup to a major player in sales enablement. Doug shares the key moments and strategies that helped Seismic succeed, including important acquisitions and staying focused on goals. Specifically, Doug discusses: - How Seismic started and the tough decisions they made along the way. - Why they focused on big companies to find their place in the market. - The reasons behind their Series A fundi...
Aug 21, 2024•21 min•Ep 132•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Prashanth Chandrasekar , CEO of Stack Overflow , shares lessons from growing to over 100 million users.. Specifically, Prashanth discusses: - 4 key pillars in the journey of scaling SaaS companies - The importance of assessing the direction of company progress. - Building with the community, not just for the community. - The passion required to build a community from scratch.. - Lessons from the entrepreneurial journey. Resources Mentioned: Prashanth Chandrasekar - https://www.l...
Aug 07, 2024•47 min•Ep 131•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Dave Pickles , Co-Founder of $47 billion adtech behemoth The Trade Desk , shares lessons from building and scaling the company with little to no funding. Dave explains: - The early challenges and failures they faced, including tech problems and market uncertainties. - How they kept a lean capital structure to stay focused and efficient. - Partnering with agencies and aggregators to grow the business. - The company culture at The Trade Desk, which focuses on contribution, a...
Jul 24, 2024•20 min•Ep 130•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Dan Olsen , Author of "The Lean Product Playbook," explores the essentials of crafting effective product strategies. With a background in working with industry giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Uber, Box and Walmart, Dan offers valuable insights into achieving product-market fit and leading successful product teams. Specifically, Dan discusses: - The importance of focusing on the long term rather than the short term in product strategy. - The Product-Market Fit Pyramid and h...
Jul 10, 2024•51 min•Ep 129•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Dan Martell , Founder of SaaS Academy , Founder and CEO of Martell Media and Managing Partner at High Speed Ventures , shares his journey from a troubled youth to becoming a successful entrepreneur and angel investor. Dan’s story is one of resilience, personal growth and the transformative power of software and recurring revenue models. Specifically, Dan discusses: - Overcoming a difficult childhood and finding purpose in software development. - The predictability and consistenc...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr•Ep 128•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Greg Isenberg , CEO and Co-Founder of Late Checkout , shares insights on building successful community-based products and the importance of community in product development. Greg also delves into his journey from the head of product strategy at WeWork to founding Late Checkout, a venture studio based on community and Web3 products. Greg discusses: - The organic and low-risk nature of building community-based products. - The core thesis that community-based products outperform no...
Jun 05, 2024•38 min•Ep 127•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Kyle Poyar , Operating Partner at OpenView , delves into the transformative power of community-led growth and its impact on businesses. Kyle shares his expertise on how companies can effectively engage with their users to drive sustainable growth and build strong brands. Specifically, Kyle discusses: - The importance of understanding the needs and pain points of your audience. - How to leverage existing communities for faster results. - The role of community in creating a new ca...
May 22, 2024•50 min•Ep 126•Transcript available on Metacast Andrew Gazdecki , CEO of Acquire.com , delves into the complexities of startup acquisitions and the entrepreneurial path from startup to sale on this episode. Andrew brings a wealth of experience as a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and offers valuable advice for both acquiring and selling startups. Specifically, Andrew shares: - The significance of starting with smaller acquisitions to learn the ropes. - The impact of a business's current execution on its valuation, highlight...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Manik Suri , Founder and CEO of GlacierGrid , shares his journey from public policy to tech entrepreneurship, exploring the challenges and breakthroughs along the way. Join Manik as he covers key insights into the startup ecosystem, including: - Debunking the myth that fundraising equates to success in Silicon Valley. - Leveraging customer feedback to pivot and refine business strategies. - Strategies for effective fundraising and managing capital efficiently. - The signif...
Apr 25, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Rajeev Dham , Managing Director of Sapphire Ventures , delves into the strategies of venture capital investment and the effective scaling of startups. Focusing on the B2B SaaS space, Rajeev highlights how Sapphire Ventures selects startups that redefine their market categories and the methodologies that lead to their success. Discussion points include: - The importance of backing companies that redefine their categories within the tech and software industries. - Developing go-to...
Apr 10, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Ania Wysocka, Founder of Rootd, discusses her journey and the creation of Rootd, an app designed to support those struggling with anxiety. Having experienced firsthand the lack of quality resources for anxiety, Ania embarked on a mission to fill this gap. Through extensive research and determination, Rootd was born, embodying a therapist-approved toolset aimed at empowering individuals to overcome anxiety. With over 2 million users across 150 countries and achieving the #1 spot ...
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lloyed sits down with Devo Harris, the Grammy-winning producer renowned for his work with Kanye West and John Legend, who has seamlessly transitioned from the pulsating rhythms of the music industry to the cutting-edge realm of technology. Join us as Devo shares his inspiring journey to founding and growing Adventr which is reshaping the way audiences interact with commercials, movies, and games, offering viewers immersive "choose your own adventure" experiences like never befor...
Mar 12, 2024•43 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of the Traction podcast, Alice Heiman , Founder, Strategist, and Podcast Host of Sales Strategies for CEOs , shares her expertise in sales, honed from a rich background that spans from teaching in public schools to excelling in corporate sales. Alice’s journey from a public school teacher to a leading figure in complex corporate sales provides a unique perspective on sales strategies and customer relations. Alice discusses several key points: - The transition from education to sa...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Assaf Resnick, Founder and CEO of BigPanda , shares his journey of going from venture capitalist to building BigPanda into a billion-dollar company, diving into the challenges and strategies along the way. Specifically, Assaf discusses: - Strategies for scaling a tech company in a competitive market. - The importance of a strong company culture and continuous innovation. - Customer feedback as a cornerstone of product evolution. - Embracing change and innovation to s...
Feb 14, 2024•35 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Jason Smith , CEO and Co-Founder of Klue , shares top lessons from building a category leader. Specifically, Jason discusses: - The challenges and successes in the entrepreneurial journey. - Generating and refining business ideas, highlighting the value of feedback. - The importance of selecting the right co-founder, focusing on trust and skill complementarity. - Overcoming hurdles from initial concept to execution, emphasizing resilience. - Effective strategies for building a c...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast Paul Van Metre, Co-Founder of ProShop ERP , discusses his entrepreneurial journey: from turning a traditional machine shop into a successful software company which recently secured $32 million growth funding after 10+ years of bootstrapping. Key insights from Paul include: - The shift from manufacturing to software was driven by customer demand and the realization of a bigger opportunity in software. - A strong company culture and team unity are vital for growth and employee retention. - Being p...
Jan 17, 2024•53 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Esben Friis-Jensen , Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Userflow , shares lessons from bootstrapping to $5M ARR with a team of 3. Esben discusses several key points: - Product growth is a crucial model for business expansion and has been successful at Userflow. - The effectiveness of search engine marketing in competitive markets and its role in acquiring initial customers. - The CEO's responsibility to stabilize a company whilst encouraging founders to inject new risks for ...
Jan 04, 2024•48 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Sri Batchu , Growth Advisor at Ramp , shares top lessons from helping scale Instacart, Opendoor and Ramp. Specifically, Sri discusses: - Product-market fit as a cornerstone for successful growth. - The critical role of high-quality founders and executives in building a talented team. - Strategies for identifying and effectively reaching target audiences. - Advocating for a focus on payback periods over traditional CAC and LTV metrics. - Insights from Opendoor on managing capital...
Dec 20, 2023•59 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast 
