Mostly Growth on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MostlyGrowth

Mostly Growth on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mostly-growth/id1842238102

Mostly Growth on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KDtaLaXx1obFp5PUhZ6V3

In this episode of Mostly Growth, CJ Gustafson and Kyle Poyar explore the hidden mechanics behind focus, competition, and value creation across both consumer culture and B2B SaaS. They unpack why point-solution companies like Untuckit and Raising Cane’s can outperform diversified rivals, examine how competition actually strengthens category demand, and break down the gray zone of mid-market venture exits where founder incentives and investor expectations diverge. The conversation ranges from private equity roll-ups to the realities of cold-calling returning as a top-performing growth channel, to pricing transparency, algorithmic price discrimination, and how everyday behaviors—from mall Santas to $12 club water—reflect deeper strategic forces. It’s a fast, practical look at how operators can stay focused, understand market pressure, and avoid chasing the wrong game.

—

SPONSORS:

Pulley is the cap table management platform built for CFOs and finance leaders who need reliable, audit-ready data and intuitive workflows, without the hidden fees or unreliable support. Switch in as little as 5 days and get 25% off your first year: https://pulley.com/mostlymetrics

Metronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That’s why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.com

—

LINKS:

Mostly Metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com

CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/

Growth Unhinged: https://www.growthunhinged.com/

Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/

Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/

Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/

—

RELATED EPISODES:

Building AI-Native Software With No Rules | Christopher O’Donnell

https://youtu.be/Fr1027kZyC0

SaaS Founder or Pop Star? CJ Gets Schooled

https://youtu.be/LMZq_DwVmkY

The Layer-Cake Playbook for Vertical SaaS Growth | with Roland Ligtenberg

https://youtu.be/yPxWvhPISKo

The One Use Case for Venture Debt That Most Founders Never Think About

https://youtu.be/XxH_Y9OH_i0

—

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:00 Preview and Intro

00:01:42 Sponsors – Pulley | Metronome

00:04:02 Mall Fashion & Nostalgia

00:05:50 The Modern Mall Santa Reinvented

00:06:52 Untuckit & the Platform vs. Point Solution Debate

00:08:31 The Power of Category Focus

00:09:56 Obsession, Craft, and the Raising Cane’s Lesson

00:10:46 Germany’s “Hidden Champions”

00:12:44 Competition: When to Care and When Not To

00:14:05 OpenAI, Gemini & the “Code Red” Mindset

00:15:34 Competition to Category Education

00:17:00 Pricing Pages as Competitive Battlegrounds

00:18:05 VC Deck Theater & Competitive Grids

00:18:54 Rise of B2B Newsletter Advertising

00:19:48 Awkward Exits: The Venture “Gray Zone”

00:21:46 Founder Life-Changing Exits vs. VC Math

00:23:04 Why Secondaries Exist (and When They Help)

00:24:58 Why $100–500M Is the Most Common SaaS Exit Range

00:26:14 Structural Misalignment in Venture Exits

00:27:20 How Much Secondary Is Too Much?

00:30:25 Business Blunders: Justin Bieber the PM

00:31:54 Voice Notes, Etiquette, and Chaos

00:33:23 Cold Calling Makes a Comeback

00:35:50 Catherine Jhung Still Cold Calls CFOs

00:37:44 Algorithm Pricing Labels & Data-Driven Pricing

00:41:11 Why Clubs Charge $12 for Water

00:42:40 Closing Credits

#MostlyGrowthPodcast #keepitsimple #focuswins #businessstrategy #operatorsmindset

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com