The GTM Podcast

GTM 111: Behind the Scenes on Apollo.io's PLG Funnel, Leveraging AI, and Redefining Sales Success with Leandra Fishman


Listen Later

Leandra Fishman is the Chief Revenue Officer at Apollo.io, a leading go-to-market solution for sales and marketing teams. Apollo.io is one of the fastest-growing companies in SaaS, with 9x ARR growth since 2021 and currently valued at $1.6 billion. Leandra brings over 30 years of experience to Apollo.io. Most recently, Fishman was the CRO at Intercom, which during her tenure ranked No. 35 on the 2022 Forbes Cloud 100 List with over $200 million in annual revenue. Previously, as the SVP of Sales and Success for SendGrid, she led the company through a successful IPO and helped double its market cap in its first year as a public company. As an executive consultant, she has executed projects ranging from developing sales and marketing strategies for startups to creating business plans and serving in an advisory role for venture capitalist firms and board members. 

Discussed in this Episode:

  • Apollo's product-led growth (PLG) model and how it enables a great customer experience.
  • Balancing self-serve and sales-assisted motions to drive growth across segments.
  • The role of AI in enhancing sales productivity rather than replacing salespeople.
  • Advice for salespeople on redefining success and being kind to yourself.
  • Leandra's unconventional journey to becoming a CRO and lessons learned along the way.

Highlights:
(10:25) The power of Apollo's PLG model in driving growth.
(13:13) Balancing self-serve and sales-assisted motions.
(18:01) How larger deals can come through with minimal sales interaction in a PLG model.
(23:47) The future of AI in sales as an enhancement rather than replacement.
(29:46) Leandra's journey from starting in sales to becoming a CRO.
(44:15) One thing revenue leaders believe to be true that Leandra thinks is bull$***.(49:30) One thing that is working for Leandra in go-to-market right now.

Guest Speaker Links (Leandra Fishman):
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/leandra-fishman/

Host Speaker Links (Scott Barker):
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ssbarker/
Newsletter: thegtmnewsletter.substack.com/

Sponsors:

  • Brought to you by Upland Altify. A leading provider of AI-enhanced sales solutions, Altify is designed to help revenue teams work smarter. This Salesforce-native suite of sales solutions empowers seller productivity, streamlines workflows, and uncovers hidden opportunities – all leading to significant revenue growth - learn more.
  • Brought to you by IPS. Most recruiting firms fill an order, but IPS is a different breed of search firm. They dig into your business to understand its current state and the future vision and are relentlessly in pursuit of the very best leaders, sales people, marketers, and engineering talent out there. 


The GTM Podcast
The GTM Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.

Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The GTM PodcastBy GTMnow by GTMfund

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

142 ratings


More shows like The GTM Podcast

View all
This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

This Week in Startups

1,269 Listeners

a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

a16z Podcast

998 Listeners

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

515 Listeners

The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

174 Listeners

Founders by David Senra

Founders

1,781 Listeners

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

2,292 Listeners

Masters of Scale by WaitWhat

Masters of Scale

3,970 Listeners

Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

Y Combinator Startup Podcast

210 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

8,716 Listeners

30 Minutes to President's Club | No-Nonsense Sales by Armand Farrokh & Nick Cegelski

30 Minutes to President's Club | No-Nonsense Sales

389 Listeners

Grit by Joubin Mirzadegan

Grit

187 Listeners

B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt by Dave Gerhardt

B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt

42 Listeners

The Logan Bartlett Show by by Redpoint Ventures

The Logan Bartlett Show

192 Listeners

Revenue Builders by Force Management

Revenue Builders

148 Listeners

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career by Lenny Rachitsky

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

1,327 Listeners