Topline Podcast
Topline
With Sam Jacobs (CEO of Pavilion), AJ Bruno (CEO of QuotaPath) and Asad Zaman (CEO of Sales Talent Agency)
Every week, the trio discusses and debates the trends, news and developments impacting the B2B SaaS world. Tune in for hot takes, strong opinions, and dry humor.
Episode 14
On this episode of Topline, the hosts talk about a recent article HubSpot founder Brian Halligan shared about 20 lessons he learned as CEO and debate whether being a CEO is overrated, why feedback is a gift, what culture really is, and more.
Episode 13
With inflation down and the probability of a soft landing increasing, the hosts talk about what this means for B2B tech, share their perspectives on Threads versus Twitter, and discuss the value of taking a pause and evaluating whether your life is truly in balance.
Episode 12
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.
Episode 11
In this episode, Sam, AJ and Asad talk through the end of Q2 and their lessons learned from a tough quarter, their outlooks Q3, and they dive into the contentious waters of US politics.
Episode 10
Insight Partners released new research this week on publicly traded PLG companies showing that sales-led companies have higher valuations. The team digs into why, and talks about: SoftBank’s recent announcement that it has funds to invest for a “counter offensive,” why Asad is sad the tech recession might end soon, and the biggest lessons they’ve learned from operating in a tight economy.
Episode 9
This episode, 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.
Episode 8
In this episode, the guys talk about level setting the way we assess business performance in the current economy, why multiples for AI companies are way up, how AI is fueling new categories of careers, and the pros and cons of hiring execs that have side hustles.
Episode 7
This episode, 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.
Episode 6
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.
Episode 5
In this episode of Topline, Sam, Asad and AJ speak with special guest, Jamie Barnett, (Interim CEO for Writer). Jamie shares some insightful information about generative AI and how GTM (go-to-market) leaders can begin incorporating AI into their strategies.
Episode 4
Sam, AJ and Asad talk about the challenges that growth stage companies face when it comes to fundraising and company building, bridge rounds and the impact on common stockholders and options holders, and the current trends in tech, including AI and selling to non-tech sectors.
Episode 3
Sam, AJ and Asad are joined by Teampay CRO Andrea Kayal for a discussion about her career and the transition from CMO to CRO, the lessons she learned driving 70% QoQ growth at Electric while reducing sales and marketing costs by 90%, the impact that AI will have on revenue organizations, and the future of SDRs in an AI-powered world.
Episode 2
Is tech the canary in the coal mine of the economy? 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.
Episode 1
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.