Revenue Remix - Inspiring Visionary Leaders

Putting a Remix spin on year-end reviews, Summer brought back her closest collaborators for an impactful and zero fluff roundtable.

AI didn’t just change how teams work in 2025 — it changed how buyers buy, how content performs, and which GTM motions are still worth the effort. In this Revenue Remix Roundtable, Summer Poletti brings together three of her closest collaborators — David Lee (Do What Works), Sean Parnell (Innovaxis), and Jenny Kay Pollock (Women x AI) — to unpack what actually worked this year, what flopped, and what they’re all changing for 2026.​

You’ll hear why Dave believes classic inbound is in freefall as B2B buyers move their research into long AI chats instead of Google searches, and why your website needs to act like a database for AI instead of a pretty brochure full of fluff. Sean pushes back from his world in industrial B2B, where inbound is still strong but mid- and bottom-funnel content, open case studies, and paid discovery offers are doing the real heavy lifting. Jenny zooms in on the human side, calling out the automation binge that has wrecked inbox trust and showing how community-powered learning and ruthless clarity about “who you serve and what you deliver” became her biggest multipliers.​

They close by looking ahead: smaller but stronger sales teams, old-school touches like handwritten notes and targeted mail, AI treated as a 180-IQ intern (not an autopilot), and a buyer journey where trust and specificity beat volume every time. If you’re planning your 2026 GTM and wondering what to double down on — and what to finally stop doing — this conversation will give you a candid, field-tested filter.

Resources:

* Jenny Kay Pollock

* LinkedIn

* Women x AI

* Sean Parnell

* LinkedIn

* Innovaxis

* David Lee

* LinkedIn

* Do What Works

NYT Article

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/08/26/upshot/ai-synthetic-data.html

Eda Cris’ old school wax stamped letter

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/eda-ciris_hustle-grit-persistence-we-all-talk-about-activity-7401689517260476416-Inut?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAQMkyEBbbS3jkNFYit4gyXzXqeISKGA2Bs&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=copy_link

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

Blogs aren’t dead—but they are draining your time and budget if you’re still playing by 2015’s rules.

In this raw, unscripted studio session, Summer and Dave unpack what AI is actually doing to buyer behavior—and why your go-to content strategy might be failing silently.

🧨 In This Episode:

* Why traditional SEO blogging is losing ROI fast

* What LLMs read (and don’t) on your website

* How buyers are shortlisting vendors now—with zero clicks

* Tactical swap: ditch fluff blogs, write “foundational content” instead

* Where real case studies should actually live on your site

* The one type of blog post still worth your time

This is one for founders, GTM leaders, and marketers ready to cut waste and move smarter.

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

When buyers move faster than sellers — how to win in the AI-first era.

B2B buyers aren’t waiting around anymore.They’re asking AI for vendor recommendations, comparing options, and building shortlists before a single rep ever gets involved — and most go-to-market teams are wildly unprepared for that shift.

In this roundtable, I’m joined by three powerhouse operators across product, AI search, and customer success to unpack how buyer behavior has changed and what revenue leaders actually need to do about it:

👩‍💻 Reut Lazo — Co-founder & Co-CEO, WomenXAIProduct leader known for building user-centric, AI-forward products that scale trust.

🤖 Dave Lee — Founder & CEO, Do What WorksAI Shortlist Architect, and one of the clearest thinkers on how GenAI is reshaping buyer discovery.

🤝 Randi Deckard — SVP of Growth, BeslerCustomer success leader and founding member of Wednesday Women.

What we cover in this episode:

89% of B2B buyers now use GenAI as a top discovery tool — and what that means for your funnel

🧠 Why buyers are in 2030 while many sellers are still in 2018🛒 The three real jobs buyers do before they ever call you (Dave’s framework)🌐 How to make your website “AI-readable” so you even show up in shortlists💬 Why messaging fails when companies automate output but not listening📉 Why NPS is fading — and what modern customer health looks like🤝 The “moments that matter” in customer success where humans must stay in the loop⚠️ The risks of over-automation (and how to avoid sounding like a bot)✨ Low-lift ways to personalize the first buyer experience today🧰 How to use AI to prep for discovery calls so you don’t get left behind

Plus: a tight lightning round full of actionable, stealable insights you can put to work this week.

And “What GTM roles are on the chopping block?” the private, too-spicy for public topic, which you can obtain in our Directors’ Cut Package. See blow.

Need the Directors’ Cut?

Get the executive briefing, the too-spicy-for-public clip, and bonus insights from the full 52-minute conversation.

👉 Directors’ Cut Package

Follow the panelists

Reut LazoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reutlazo/WomenXAI

Dave LeeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveleehere/Do What Works

Randi DeckardLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randideckard/

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

Are you grinding through a growth stall hoping hustle will fix it?Think again. This week on Revenue Remix, I sat down with Brian Montes, CEO of RADD, a boutique fintech audit and compliance firm helping community banks scale with confidence.

We get real about:

* Founder fatigue vs. real growth bottlenecks

* What it actually takes to go from founder-led to scalable sales

* Building trust in high-stakes industries (and where most firms blow it)

* Why client success is your competitive advantage

* The systems and leadership habits that turn culture into a growth asset

Whether you’re leading a small team through big change or bracing for next year’s strategy sprint—this is your blueprint.

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmontesrad/

Calling bold founders — Want to be featured on the show or join a panel on what’s really working in GTM? Reach out. Let’s amplify what’s next.

Our Q4 Sprint is LIVERevenueRX is a short, high-impact engagement designed to help you quickly identify what’s slowing growth now—and make the smartest moves before year-end.Learn more at www.theriseofus.com

Like what you heard? Forward this to one founder who’s figuring out how to grow with less grind.

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

From Payroll Chaos to Growth Catalyst: Andy Lopez on Building, Giving Back, and What’s Next

Description:Andy Lopez turned a niche pain point — payroll tax cleanup — into a full-fledged firm serving top HCM providers. In this episode, we talk about the early napkin payroll days, what nearly stalled his growth, and why now was the right time to sell Forensic Payroll Consultants to HCM Unlocked. Bonus: Andy’s launching a podcast of his own, and he’s not holding back.

Listen for:

* How partner-first sales built his referral engine

* What founders can do when growth plateaus

* The surprising truth about payroll people (they’re wilder than sales reps)

* Why acquisition doesn’t mean “the end” — it means expansion

Links:

* Forensic Payroll Consultants

* HCM Unlocked Acquisition News

* Andy’s LinkedIn

Revenue Remix is where founders and GTM leaders talk about what really drives growth — the stuck points, the pivots, the motions that finally worked. Know a founder or leader who deserves a spotlight? Maybe you! Join us and let’s do something cool. Book a quick chat first.

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

What happens when a technical founder has to learn to sell?

In this episode of Revenue Remix, Summer sits down with Saumya Bhatnagar — co-founder and CTO of Involve.ai — whose mission is to make AI actually useful for revenue teams.

From running a hospital as a kid (seriously) to running a tech company through the chaos of scale, Saumya shares the real founder shift: moving from building cool products to building revenue.

They unpack:

* Why most AI-for-sales hype misses the point

* How bad data silently kills growth

* The danger of “set it and forget it” automations

* What early-stage founders get wrong about customer success

* And why every startup needs a “flex person” before they need a full CS team

Saumya’s sharp, funny, and brutally honest take will hit home for anyone navigating the messy middle between scrappy startup and scalable machine.

🔗 Connect with Saumya:LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/saumyabhatnagarWebsite → involve.ai

🔥 Don’t guess your next revenue move.The RevenueRX Q4 Sprint is open now — a short, high-impact project to help you pinpoint what’s slowing your growth and what to double down on in 2026.No fluff. Just clarity, traction, and a roadmap to real revenue acceleration.

👉 Get details at www.theriseofus.comSpots are limited — get your clarity before the quarter disappears.

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

Struggling to build your team fast enough to meet revenue goals? You’re not alone — and you might be hiring wrong.

This week on Revenue Remix, Summer sits down with Brian Samson — serial founder and nearshoring expert — to unpack how growth-stage companies sabotage their own hiring, why your first 10 employees shape more than culture, and what founders get completely wrong about offshore vs nearshore teams.

You’ll learn:

* Why waiting to hire a recruiter shrinks your talent pool

* How nearshoring can unlock faster go-to-market

* What really causes remote hiring failures (hint: it’s not bad vendors)

* Why Latin American teams are often your secret weapon

Brian also shares what he wishes more leaders understood about team value — and how to spot resilient talent before you make the hire.

* Brian Samson LinkedIn

* Plugg Technologies

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

Winning deals in 2025 isn’t business as usual. Sales cycles are 25% longer than five years ago, only 30% of reps are expected to hit quota this year, and CEO confidence just took its sharpest drop since the 1970s. Add AI disruption to the mix, and it’s no wonder GTM leaders are feeling the pressure.

Listen now, and get the Director’s Cut package with exclusive strategies and the “Too Spicy for Public” clip: sing up here

In this panel discussion, host Summer Poletti (Founder of Rise of Us and creator of Revenue Remix) brings together three powerhouse voices to cut through the noise and share what the smartest leaders are actually doing to win deals now:

* Stephanie Brooks — Content-led, full-stack marketing leader, consultant, mentor, and advisor🔗 LinkedIn

* Sean Paulseth — Director of Enterprise Partnerships & Sales at ZayZoon, go-to voice on AI in sales🔗 LinkedIn 🔗 ZayZoon

* Sean Parnell — Founder of Innovaxis Marketing, helping companies align sales & marketing strategies that actually drive revenue🔗 LinkedIn 🔗 Innovaxis

What you’ll learn in this episode:

* How to use AI for sales coaching and enablement without falling into the “tech overwhelm” trap.

* Why partnerships can be the trust shortcut you need when buyers hesitate.

* The risks of stalled deals — and proven moves to cut through B2B buying complexity.

* How smart CEOs are balancing innovation with risk management in a confidence crisis.

* Lightning-round advice: What to ask your team this week, and what lever to pull to shorten sales cycles before year-end.

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

In this episode of Revenue Remix, Summer Poletti and Dave Lee discuss the persistent nature of market volatility and uncertainty, emphasizing that these conditions are not just temporary but a new norm. They explore the impact of tariffs, the importance of strategic planning, and how businesses can adapt to thrive in uncertain times. The conversation also covers the significance of customer retention, strategic partnerships, and the role of marketing in supporting sales and customer success.

Visit Do What Works to learn more

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

In this episode of Revenue Remix, Summer Poletti interviews Rachel Lubovitsky, a successful serial entrepreneur and founder of Setuply. They discuss Rachel's journey from a technical background in computer science to becoming a serial entrepreneur, the impact of AI on business, and the importance of client experience, particularly in onboarding. Rachel shares insights on knowing when to sell a business, the unsexy origin story of Setuply, and how to identify real problems worth solving. The conversation emphasizes the need for scalability and systematization in business processes, and Rachel offers valuable advice for founders looking to grow their companies.

Learn more about Setuply and how they’re changing customer onboarding.

Find Rachel and Setuply on Linkedin.

Takeaways

* Rachel transitioned from tech to business, enjoying building relationships.

* AI is changing the landscape for startups and entrepreneurs.

* Identifying real pain points is crucial for business success.

* Client experience is often overlooked in favor of sales.

* Onboarding is a critical phase that can make or break client relationships.

* AI can enhance onboarding and customer support processes.

* Founders should keep scalability in mind while building their products.

* Systematization of processes is necessary for growth.

* Traveling is a passion for Rachel, having visited 70 countries.

* Every client should feel valued and special throughout their journey.

Sound bites

* "Sales alone isn't enough for growth."

* "Onboarding is often overlooked."

* "Traveling is the greatest fun."

Chapters

* 00:00 Introduction

* 02:33 The Evolution of Entrepreneurship and AI

* 05:11 Deciding When to Exit a Business

* 07:54 The Unsexy Origin Story of Setuply

* 10:35 Identifying Real Problems to Solve

* 13:13 The Importance of Client Experience

* 15:54 Focusing on Onboarding for Success

* 18:54 The Role of the Onboarding Guide

* 20:03 Transforming the Onboarding Experience

* 21:20 The Importance of Continuous Support

* 23:40 Recognizing Value Beyond the Sale

* 25:00 Leveraging AI in Customer Experience

* 28:18 Enhancing Communication with AI

* 30:30 Bridging Knowledge Gaps with Machine Learning

* 32:38 Scaling for Future Growth

* 36:03 Travel and Personal Insights

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