Topline (Pavilion)

There are two schools of thought about price increases heading into 2024. While the data shows that the average ACV for B2B SaaS products has increased by 9% in the last year, industry pundits including Jason Lemkin have said that if you raise prices in the current economy, you should expect to lose customers. On this week's Topline Hotline, Sam, AJ and Asad share their advice on price increases.

Mark Roberge is the Co-Founder of Stage 2 Capital and author of The Sales Acceleration Formula. Mark joins the show to discuss the challenges and opportunities for businesses embracing AI.

The group dives into the key GTM applications for AI, challenges larger companies have with adopting this technology, and how future regulation may impact development in the field moving forward.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners. Don't forget to read the recaps from previous episodes.

Are you a sales executive? Get 20% off your CRO Summit ticket with the code TOPLINE. It's happening June 6, 2024 in Boston. Save your spot.

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.

For the debut episode, Sam and Asad interview AJ Bruno, CEO of QuotaPath and co-host of Topline, to reflect on his experience navigating significant headcount cuts nearly two years ago. AJ opens up about the emotional and strategic challenges of reducing his workforce by 30%, the effect on company morale, and the surprising advantages of operating with a leaner team. He shares valuable insights on aligning organizational goals with top talent and the key lessons he's carried forward.

Want more from Topline?

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter written and edited by Asad Zaman.

Join the free public Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners.

Listen to The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton every Wednesday.

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 E55 with Mark Roberge.

Founder and General Partner of Theory Ventures, Tomasz Tunguz, shares his founder story, his predictions for 2024, and his point of view on artificial intelligence from the changing landscape of AI to Microsoft’s leadership in the AI race.

He also shares insights on the impact of inflation and interest rates on the tech industry, concerns about the size of the venture capital industry, and the metrics that matter for seed and Series A companies.

Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

Our hosts cover a gamut of topics in our first episode of the new year. Since Harvard’s President, Claudine Gay, resigned due to her response towards anti-semitism on campus – should the experiences of current college students be considered when hiring?

Next, we transition to a conversion on the rise of secondary sales to generate liquidity. Wrapping up the episode by exploring the balance between speed and thoughtfulness in decision-making, emphasizing the need to adapt decision-making approaches based on the stage of business growth.

Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

Our hosts delve into the M&A landscape of 2024, dissecting how economic trends such as stagnant interest rates are hindering IPOs and how the ripple effects of the US election can create market volatility. They also provide actionable tips on attracting acquisition interest. The episode concludes with a discussion on macro-news and how to streamline SaaS metrics.

After examining G2's State of Software report, which delves into the supply side, we now shift our focus to the demand side, as we explore the data provided by Gartner and Vendr. To our surprise, SaaS dominates the cloud market in terms of end-user spending (Gartner). Listen to find out more. Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

This week, our hosts further reflect on 2023 from a business standpoint but also personal. This year was full of economic and individual challenges – including a discussion on business intuition and the skills best suited to survive a downturn with. 

Buckle up though, we also learn that AJ has a past company’s logo tattooed on his chest, Asad once had pink and green hair with lots of piercings, and Sam spent a lot of time in Vegas as a young professional. Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

In this episode of Topline Hotline, the hosts discuss the balance between inbound and outbound strategies for demand generation in a traditional SaaS business. They explore the effectiveness of different channels and the impact of factors such as interest rates and artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of deep empathy for the customer and finding unique approaches that work for each business.

This week on Topline the hosts talk about the importance of a unified approach to go-to-market, dig deeper into the specific challenges CMOs are facing post-pandemic, and explore why so many companies are doubling down on their investments in events this year. They also touch on the growing number of people suffering from anxiety and explore the impact that has on the workplace and the role that companies have in helping people cope with it.

On this week’s episode of Topline, we cover a range of subjects. We give 2024 market predictions as core CPI is the lowest it has been since March 2021, gain clarity on areas like CAC payback averages with data from OpenView, and share our thoughts on OpenAI’s Demo Day. Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

Andrea Kaya from Help Scout joins Topline to discuss the shift from growth at any cost to profitable efficient growth (PEG) and shares tips on how to tackle churn and improve your CAC-to-LTV ratio. The group also discusses the latest revenue attainment data from  Pavilion’s March Pulse Report.

Want more Topline? Read episode recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners.

Andrea Kaya from Help Scout joins Topline to discuss the shift from growth at any cost to profitable efficient growth (PEG)

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 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16).

Explore the world of partnerships and ecosystem-led growth with Bob Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of Crossbeam. Bob delves into his journey of building symbiotic partnerships, the pivotal role of ecosystems in scaling ventures, and how his approach to collaborative growth has shaped his successful entrepreneurial career.

Want more Topline? Read the recaps.

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.

In this episode of Topline, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into the intricacies of growth versus free cash flow margin, especially the evolving premium on growth, the concept of profitable, efficient growth, and the importance of understanding unit economics. The conversation also touches on Q3 market updates from PitchBook and the challenges of transitioning leadership in high-profile companies, using Snowflake as a case study.

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), and don’t forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

This week, the hosts discuss how to present to the board when you're still navigating product-market fit and the need to expand into new markets.

Submit your question by using #Topline on LinkedIn or in the #function_CRO channel in Pavilion.

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 talks about Leapsome's bold move into the Human Resource Information System market and what it's like to steer a global company. Jenny's candid insights offer practical takeaways on using AI to transform business operations and why automation is crucial for managing a modern workforce.

Want more from Topline?

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter written and edited by Asad Zaman.

Join the free public Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners.

Listen to The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton every Wednesday.

On this week's Topline Hotline, the hosts answer a community question about what to do when inbound lead flow slows and your sales team has excess capacity - and specifically, whether the team should have a specialized role focused on inbound only.

Submit your question by using #Topline on LinkedIn or in the #function_CRO channel in Pavilion, or by emailing topline@joinpavilion.com.

With all three hosts in Nashville for GTM2023, this week's episode recaps key learnings from the event, including why alignment is so critical for growth and why we should all be leaning in to AI, and reflects on the events happening in Israel and Gaza.

In this Sunday’s episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad explore today’s market dynamics looking at recent economic shifts, from Federal Reserve rate cuts to the crypto surge, and the challenges of business predictability. They also explore how sales compensation is evolving, especially with the rise of usage-based pricing models.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!


Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Resources:
Pavilion Q3 Pulse Report
Clouded Judgment
State of Opencloud - Battery Ventures

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.

This week, Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into a question from Pavilion's Slack community: When planning for the fiscal year ahead at the CRO level, should you proactively create a comprehensive plan or deck outlining key actions and deliverables? Tune in as our Topline hosts discuss different approaches to planning and explore best practices.

Make sure to secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16) and use the code TOPLINE for 15% off your ticket.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

For this week’s mini-episode, our hosts discuss a question from the Pavilion CRO Slack channel around the fairness and effectiveness of variable compensation plans for Chief Revenue Officers.

Is tech the canary in the Cole mine of the economy? And is this a good thing in the sense that we’ll recover first? Sam, AJ and Asad cover this, along with what the rate of change in AI means for how we work and what jobs will still be around in the future, the importance of staying focused as a CEO, opening new brick and mortar offices, what constitutes a great board meeting, and being deliberate about how you structure your day.

Ryan Walsh, Founder and CEO of RepVue, joins hosts Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman to discuss the intricacies of sales organizations and the impact of efficiency shifts on sales teams. This episode also explores broader topics, such as the challenges of hiring and training in sales, the evolution of sales roles with AI advancements, and the importance of transparency in company operations.

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.

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 and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

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.

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 channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and read episode recaps.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin (October 14 - 16).

Lastly, check out The Data Minute with Peter Walker from Carta.

In this mini-episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad discuss getting executive feedback. They explore the benefits and challenges of getting feedback as an executive in both large and small companies.

In this week’s Topline Hotline, our hosts discuss a question from the Pavilion Slack surrounding whether a CRO at a Series A company should stay or go, given the challenges and uncertainties they are facing. 

Enjoying the mini-episode? Check out Topline.

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 in Austin (October 14 - 16).

How do you acquire your first 10 B2B customers without funding? The hosts discuss reverse engineering, doing things that aren't scalable, and selling a solution.

In this week’s mini-episode, AJ Bruno, Asad Zaman, and Kevin Knieriem of Clari discuss the challenges of building a compensation plan for sales leaders. They explore whether the plan should be based on quota capacity or the expected delivered quota as well as the tension that can arise between go-to-market teams and executives when redefining compensation plans.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here.

In this episode of Topline Hotline, our hosts delve into their personal experiences with performance improvement plans (PIPs). Drawing from their extensive careers as sales leaders, they share valuable insights on PIPs and provide practical suggestions on approaching and navigating them. 

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.

Carta Head of Insights Peter Walker joins Topline to talk about key findings from the company’s State of Startup Compensation Report for H1 2023, including what’s happening with layoffs, why Q3 was the quarter with the largest number of startups dissolving or declaring bankruptcy, and how these trends are impacting employee attitudes around compensation, equity, and job mobility.

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.

Making informed decisions is critical. In this week’s mini-episode, our hosts discuss how to stay informed about the global economy, specifically when resources are conflicting. 

Roxanne Bras Petraeus, CEO of Ethena, joins Sam, AJ, and Asad on Topline this week. Roxanne peels back the curtain on Ethena's early success in securing major clients like Figma and Netflix, highlighting the company's strategic approach to client acquisition and effective use of press coverage. The conversation also explores the evolving employer-employee relationship, focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the importance of fair, systematic processes to address unconscious bias. They then delve into the pivotal role of compliance training in shaping workplace behavior, emphasizing that impactful programs should create space for open dialogue, encourage self-reflection, and strengthen organizational culture overall.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

In this episode of Topline Hotline, our hosts discuss 30, 60, 90-day plan for new CROs. What does a solid first quarter look like as a new CRO? Companies are looking to see impact sooner. And how does one make a strong first impression? Listen to this week’s mini-episode to hear what Sam, AJ, and Asad have to say.

In this episode of Topline Hotline, our hosts tackle a burning question from Pavilion’s Slack community: where should account managers sit within the organization? Should they report to the new business leader? Or to the customer success leader?

This week, our hosts discuss how to make a backward career transition after a colleague of Sam's shared that their organization is losing money, and they now feel that their career options moving forward are limited. Check out this week’s mini-episode to listen to what Sam, AJ, and Asad have to say.

A listener asks how to deal with a situation where a customer asks to churn in the first year of a multi year contract, where there was no fault by the company. Listen to this week's episode to hear what the hosts had to say.

In this week’s episode, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad dissect the election results and what it means for business leaders and workplaces. They tackle the tricky balance of handling political conversations in the office, highlighting the importance of keeping organizational goals in sight while respecting diverse employee viewpoints. They also look at how media is changing, pointing out the growing appeal of long-form content and authenticity in both politics and business.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

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.

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). 

In this episode of the Topline podcast, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad sits down with Janet Gehrmann, co-founder of Scoop Analytics, to dive into the ever-evolving world of tech startups. Janet shares the story behind Scoop Analytics and its mission to make data access and presentation effortless for business users. Together, they discuss the challenges of pivoting in response to market changes, finding the right balance between a founder’s conviction and the need to stay flexible, and the exciting revival of San Francisco's tech scene. They also explore the rising trend of CEOs stepping aside after funding rounds, digging into the pressures of startup leadership and the importance of having a strong support network for founders.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Topline by Pavilion is proud to debut the Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now:
https://www.joinpavilion.com/the-revenue-leadership-podcast

Should you move to a fixed compensation model for your sales team? Will it hurt or help productivity? How will it impact your ability to recruit top talent?

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.

On this week's episode of Topline, the hosts review the state of the market and talk about how to balance the need for efficiency in business with taking risks and driving innovation. Over the past year, there's been a 4X increase in the number of touches it takes to create a new opportunity, and there's also a debate around what it takes to stand out in crowded inboxes.

In episode 80 of Topline, host Sam, AJ, and Asad sit down with David Spitz, a former investment banker turned entrepreneur, to tackle the topic of GTM efficiency. Together, they dive into the growing challenges SaaS companies face as GTM efficiency metrics continue to decline. David introduces a new metric that compares sales and marketing spend to net changes in ARR, highlighting a troubling trend of inefficiency across public SaaS companies. They unpack the implications of this shift, examine how economic factors are shaping the landscape, and discuss how SaaS business models are evolving in response.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen to the first two episodes now.

Want more? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

In today’s mini-episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad discuss their thoughts on planning for 2025 and setting growth targets. They dive into the macroeconomic outlook for 2025 and the importance of being on the front foot with growth.

Crossbeam x Pavilion: The Future of Revenue (Part II). Contribute to the research.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don’t forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

This week, Doug Camplejohn, CEO of Airspeed joins the hosts to discuss the difference between building products and building culture, the true definition of workplace culture, and PQL (people query language). The group also touches on the lessons from Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn, the rise of Slack, and how AI will integrate into our daily apps.

In this week’s mini-episode, our hosts discuss when to define and implement a sales process across the organization as a startup. Is it based on stage, the size of your team, or something else? Listen to learn what criteria must be met to build and introduce a repeatable and scalable sales process. 

Instead of the usual Topline Hotline episode, we are excited to share Sam's guest appearance on the 30 Minutes to President's Club Tactic Teardown podcast.

Discover a market shift observed by revenue experts Sam Jacobs, Mark Kosoglow, and Armand Farrokh. Learn how to leverage it for an efficient sales team that consistently meets revenue goals.

If you liked what you saw here, join 50,000+ sellers and leaders on the 30 Minutes to President’s Club newsletter right here.

This week, the team talks about the state of the market and what it means for tech companies, how to drive engagement amongst employees in a tough economy, and whether burnout is really a problem and how to combat it.

This episode officially marks one year of Topline! We are excited to kick off Season 2 with a very special guest: David Obrand, renowned SaaS leader and the current CEO of Salesloft.

In this episode, David breaks down Salesloft’s 3 pillars for successfully navigating the enterprise market. He also delves into the need for a revenue orchestration platform and recounts his transition to CEO at Salesloft following the founder's leadership, including more invaluable go-to-market and leadership insights.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners or read the episode recaps.

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 Newsletter.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16). 

In this episode of the Topline, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad look back at the defining moments of 2024, sharing personal reflections and key lessons on growth. They dive into the transformative role AI is playing across industries, from its impact on SaaS applications to the enduring value of human expertise in an automated world.

Looking ahead to 2025, Asad makes a bold prediction about HubSpot's trajectory, while the group tackles some of the biggest challenges companies face today, like distribution and valuation. They discuss why strong distribution channels are more critical than ever—and what that means for businesses striving to stay competitive.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Join hosts AJ Bruno, Asif Zaman, and Sam Jacobs on Topline Hotline, where they tackle questions from the go-to-market community. In this episode, the team debates the effectiveness of using gifting platforms to boost top-of-the-funnel meeting show rates and win rates.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don’t forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

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

Are we really headed for a recession? How should tech entrepreneurs and GTM leaders be thinking about sales quotas, compensation, and valuations? Have the events of the last few years impacted your mental health - and if so, how are you dealing with it? On the first episode of Topline, Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno and Asad Zaman tackle these questions and more. 

Be the first to hear insights from Pavilion’s 2024 B2B Compensation Benchmarks. before its April 1 release to the general public. Pavilion members have early access in the member hub.

Our hosts also discuss layoffs, hirings, and how the negotiation scale is tipping back towards companies vs candidates and dive into Carta’s State of Compensation H2 2023 report.

Want more Topline? Read episode recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here.

In last week’s episode featuring Edward Chiu, it was revealed that he will serve as co-CEO alongside the CEO of Totango as the two companies merge. But how does this really work? This week, our hosts delve into the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of the co-CEO model, drawing insights from their leadership backgrounds and the achievements of companies embracing this shared role. They also review the data on Pavilion’s February 2024 Pulse Results and the Ebsta + Pavilion 2024 B2B Sales Benchmark Report.

Want more Topline? Read the recaps.

As we near the end of 2023, our hosts wanted to provide listeners with actionable insights by discussing what worked well this year, important things they’ve changed their minds on, and predictions for 2024. Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

This week, Sam, AJ, and Asad talk 2024 planning, positive signs in the market, their approach to forecasting, and employee attrition trends heading into next year.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast for new episodes every Wednesday.

Want more content from the Topline media family?

Listen to Topline Podcast with Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners.

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter written by Asad Zaman.

Learn how revenue platforms like Clari, Gong, and Outreach have evolved over the years and how Clari’s President, Kevin Knieriem, is expanding their SAM into verticals like medical devices, manufacturing, and financial services. The group also discusses Clari’s approach to becoming a unified revenue platform.

Want more Topline? Read the recaps and join the Topline Slack channel to engage with the hosts and other listeners.

This week, Sam, AJ and Asad reflect on recent congressional testimony about whether and to what degree AI should be regulated, and share insights around how they're working to get their teams aligned, improve communication, and make better decisions using data.

In today’s Topline Hotline, Sam, AJ, and Andrea Kayal of Help Scout discuss a question from a new CRO who is concerned about missing Q1 revenue after being in the role for 7 days. They explore the reasons for the concern and the impact of a Q1 miss in recurring revenue businesses, as well as strategies to pull revenue forward. 

Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here.

Also, attend Topline Hotline Live on April 11th at 2:30 PM ET.

In an effort to generate more demand, a listener wonders how you can best re-engage lost opportunities. Is it worth trying to win back someone who’s told you no before? Or should you focus on finding new prospects? Listen to this week’s Topline Hotline to hear what Sam, AJ, and Asad have to say.

Sendoso CEO Kris Rudeegraap has lead the company through a growth journey from $0 to over $100 Million and in this episode, he shares lessons learned along the way. From using AI to summarize public company 10Q filings for the sales team, to offshoring to freelancers as a method of improving productivity and how he built a robust advisor community, Kris has leveraged a variety of strategies to stay scrappy and "do less, better" while powering the company's growth.

In this week’s mini-episode, our Topline hosts and David Obrand of Salesloft discuss addressing the gap in pricing between early customers and new customers for SaaS companies. The hosts discuss the challenges and strategies for handling this issue, including the psychological aspect, setting expectations upfront, and emphasizing the value provided to early customers.

Want more Topline? Read episode recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here.

In this episode of Topline, our hosts recap their time at Pavilion’s CEO Summit in Phoenix. They also discuss the impact of macroeconomic improvements on market trends, the recent wave of layoffs in the tech sector, and a prevailing sentiment among CEOs toward prioritizing profitability and sustainable growth amidst market adjustments.

Watch SaaStr's Jason Lemkin's CEO Summit session where he shares his top priorities for the beginning of 2024.

Want more Topline? Read the recaps.

In this week's episode, join Sam, AJ, and Asad as they delve into Gong's State of Revenue Leadership Report, explore the challenges startups encounter in a market that prefers comprehensive solutions, help non-technical founders understand the work of engineers, and more.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and read episode recaps.

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 mini-episode?
Read the recaps and join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here.

Description: In this Thursday’s mini-episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad discuss the deadly sins of win-loss analysis. They explore topics such as trusting CRM data, engaging third-party consultants, and improving CRM data quality.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Read the recaps or join our Slack channel to engage with other listeners here.

Mark Kosoglow joins Topline this week to introduce us to Operator AI ahead of it’s official announcement. Operator AI is a solution to improve sales efficiency by providing high-quality, unique data for free and leveraging AI to generate actionable insights (get early access). Marks shares insights on the current state of outbound sales and the challenges posed by over-automation, how Operator AI differs from Clay, and his “beef” with Adam Robinson. 

The episode also touches on Paul Graham’s “Founder Mode” essay, where Sam, AJ, and Asad explore (and debate) the idea that founders have a unique intuition and authority to make strategic decisions setting them apart from non-founders.

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), and don’t forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

Our hosts answer a question from Pavilion’s CRO Slack channel about driving organizational change, specifically focusing on enhancing operational rhythm after joining a new company. They discuss how to approach changing your organization’s operating cadence and the role that understanding your customer plays in transforming a business’s operational rhythm.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Check out our full-length episodes.

Source: The Cadence: How to Operate a SaaS Startup

Sam, Asad and AJ catch up on what's happening with the economy and the hiring market and talk through what the ideal profile of a seller is, what the right level of churn is, how to structure board meetings, and more.

In this episode, hosts Sam Jacobs, Asad Zaman, and AJ Bruno delve into the dynamics of the late-stage tech market, discussing trends in unicorn companies, the venture capital landscape, and the importance of aligning business growth with profitability. They also explore the concept of 'stage appropriateness' in executive hiring and share insights on effectively communicating company valuation and equity to employees.

Want more Topline? Read the recaps.

The IPO market is heating up again, and AJ, Asad and Sam talk about lessons from Klaviyo, Instacart and Arm’s S-1s, why so many companies are shifting from a growth posture to a profitability posture, and why early stage founders and execs should be studying the public markets.

In Episode 85 of Topline, Sam Jacobs and Asad Zaman welcome Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta, for a deep dive into the shifting landscape of venture capital and market trends. The discussion spans the resurgence of IPOs, the state of M&A activity, and how startups are adapting in a post-2021 economy. They explore the role of AI in reshaping growth strategies, the rising importance of capital efficiency, and the nuanced dynamics of late-stage funding.

Topline by Pavilion is also proud to debut The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton. Listen now.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

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).

In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, host Kyle dives into the complexities of hiring top-tier sales talent with Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency and co-host of Topline. Together, they explore the unique challenges of recruiting in the tech industry, where demand for skilled salespeople often outpaces supply.

Asad shares why a structured hiring process is crucial—from a well-thought-out launch phase to a detailed scorecard for assessing candidates. The conversation also covers the importance of qualities like emotional intelligence, strategic empathy, and focused curiosity in sales roles, and how a professional hiring approach can attract top talent and strengthen an employer's brand.

If you like what you heard from Kyle today, make sure to follow The Revenue Leadership Podcast for new episodes every Wednesday.

Want more content from the Topline media family?

Listen to Topline Podcast with Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman.

Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners.

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter written by Asad Zaman.

Not every good salesperson makes a good sales leader. In this week’s mini-episode, our hosts discuss the challenges of having a Team Lead and offer insights to guide the decision.

Edward Chiu, CEO of Catalyst, breaks the news of their merger with Totango, another leading Customer Success platform. Edward sheds light on what led to this decision and the broader implications this merger will have on the CS landscape. Get an in-depth look at Catalyst's approach to nurturing innovation and driving customer value.

In this mini-episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad discuss selecting the right lead qualification methodology and explore the challenges in using the BANT methodology for qualifying SMBs.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Check out Topline.

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 approach to refining market focus, which led to more effective growth strategies. He also provides insights for aspiring CEOs, highlighting the value of selecting the right partners and viewing challenges as avenues for personal and professional development.

Want more from Topline?

Subscribe to Topline Newsletter written and edited by Asad Zaman.

Join the free public Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners.

Listen to The Revenue Leadership Podcast with Kyle Norton every Wednesday.

In this episode of Topline, Sam, AJ, and Asad delve into the concept of GTM Efficiency, a metric introduced by David Spitz that measures the cost of generating NRR. They discuss the implications of this metric for tech companies, including its potential as a leading indicator of future performance. The discussion also touches on whether there’s a need for a “Chief Go-To-Market Officer,” debating if another executive role dedicated to GTM strategy is necessary.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Join us October 14 - 16 in Austin, TX for GTM2024 - the #1 conference for go-to-market executives. Use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

Further reading

1. How GTM Efficiency Affects IPO Readiness
2. It's Time for a Chief Go-To-Market Officer

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 management, prompting companies to rethink growth strategies.

Attention CEOs and Founders! Join Pavilion at the CEO Summit on January 23rd in vibrant New Orleans. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

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.

This week, AJ, Asad, and Sam discuss recent positive economic signals compared with the findings of Pavilion’s latest Pulse survey, the seasonality of software sales, variable compensation, and aligning company objectives with incentives.

Our hosts discuss viral moments from the past two weeks, including Carta’s exit of their secondary market business and Cloudflare’s layoff of an AE that went viral on TikTok and LinkedIn. The episode wraps up with a discussion sparked by one of Sam’s most recent LinkedIn posts on how Growth at Any Cost (GAAC) is dead. 

Want more Topline? Read the recaps.

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.

Check out the TrustRadius x Pavilion Brand report.

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:

Pavilion Palooza, which will be held virtually from June 25 - 27

GTM EMEA, which will be held in London from 9 - 11 July

GTM2024, which will be held in Austin from October 14 - 16

In this episode, the hosts dissect the explosive growth in the software industry, as revealed by the G2 Quarterly State of Software report. With under 50K software companies existing in Q3 2018 to around 125K today, the challenge of demand generation is intensified by today's economic climate. We also explore the effectiveness of ecosystem-led growth while fighting to generate demand. Then, we delve into the delicate balance of home and work life and the importance of being an empathetic leader while maintaining professionalism, concluding a discussion on Nvidia CEO's candid reflection on the challenges of entrepreneurship. Want more TOPLINE? Read the recaps.

On this week’s Topline Hotline, a listener wonders if gift giving is still a thing. Does it build psychological capital? And does it differ between employees vs customers? Listen to hear what Sam, AJ, and Asad have to say.

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 technology for outreach?"

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).