AI is changing more than software.It is changing the entire economics of SaaS.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with pricing and go-to-market expert Roee Hartuv, Senior Pricing Advisor & Head of GTM Expertise at Willingness to Pay, to discuss why traditional seat-based SaaS pricing is breaking, how AI is destroying margins, and what founders need to understand before they accidentally price themselves into a disaster.We cover:Why seat-based pricing no longer works in the AI eraWhy AI companies have lower margins than traditional SaaS businessesThe rise of usage-based, credit-based, and outcome-based pricingWhy outcome-based pricing is harder than most people thinkHow companies like Salesforce are experimenting with AI pricing modelsWhy some AI startups are losing millions because of bad pricing decisionsHow founders should think about packaging, pricing, and unit economicsWhy AI companies need to obsess over costs, not just revenue growthIf you are building, investing in, or operating an AI startup, this episode will completely change the way you think about pricing strategy.#AI #SaaS #PricingStrategy #ArtificialIntelligence #B2B #Startups #StartupAdvice #GTM #Salesforce #UsageBasedPricing #ProductLedGrowth #VC #Founders #StartupsUneditedRoee Hartuv, Jorge Soto, Salesforce, OpenAI, Anthropic, Fin.aiFollow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

What does it really take to build a company that wins - and gets acquired by a giant like Salesforce?In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with John Andrews (Co-Founder & CEO of Cimulate, now part of Salesforce.com) to break down the real playbook behind building, scaling, and exiting a category-defining AI company.We go deep on:Why your co-founder choice is everything (and how to get it right)The truth about building world-class startup teamsHow top CEOs stay calm under pressure when everything is on fireWhy agentic AI is the biggest shift since the internetHow AI is rewiring e-commerce, search (GEO/AEO), and buying behaviorWhat founders and execs MUST understand about AI-driven discoveryJohn has built and exited multiple companies, worked with organizations like Nike and Oracle, and now sits at the center of one of the most important shifts in commerce: agentic AI.His take?👉 “The future is agentic - and it’s happening faster than anyone realizes.”🧠 Key Takeaways-Startups don’t fail because of ideas - they fail because of team composition-The next wave of growth isn’t SEO… it’s GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)-AI agents will become the new front door to your business-The best founders are emotionally steady, not reactive⏱️ Chapters00:00 Intro02:15 The #1 mistake founders make when building teams08:40 How to pick the right co-founder15:10 Staying calm as a CEO (when everything breaks)22:30 What “agentic commerce” actually means31:45 AI vs SEO: The rise of GEO/AEO40:10 How AI will change how customers buy forever48:20 What founders should do right now🔥 Who This Is ForStartup founders (0→1, 1→10)GTM leaders & operatorsAI / SaaS buildersE-commerce & retail executivesAnyone trying to understand what AI actually means for business📈 Why You Should WatchBecause this isn’t theory.This is from a CEO who:Built multiple companiesSold to enterprise giantsIs actively shaping the future of AI-powered commerce👇 Connect & FollowSubscribe for more unfiltered conversations with top founders and operators.Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

What does startup success really look like?In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Eric Litman, a serial founder whose companies have consistently led to major outcomes, to unpack the real, unfiltered truth behind building companies, managing pressure, and staying grounded through it all.This isn’t a highlight reel.This is what founders actually go through.🔥 What You’ll Learn:-Why startup success is never linear (even if it looks that way)-The hidden reason most founding teams fail (and how to avoid it)-How to handle conflict, ego, and pressure as a CEO-The mental shift required to detach your identity from your company-Lessons from building a robotics company used by brands like Equinox & Four Seasons-Why kindness and emotional intelligence might be your biggest competitive advantage💡 Key Takeaways:-“Every day is a fight.” - the reality behind “perfect” founder journeys-Founders don’t fail because of product - they fail because of people and relationships-The hardest problems in startups are interpersonal, not technical-Success isn’t an outcome - it’s the discipline of continuously improving as a human👤 About Eric Litman:-Serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits-Early experience working with Steve Jobs’ NeXT-Built and scaled a robotics company to 100+ locations-Known for tackling hard, complex problems that create real-world impact🎙 About #StartupsUnedited#StartupsUnedited is hosted by (me) Jorge Soto - a 25+ year GTM operator, founder, and advisor - bringing raw, unfiltered conversations with founders, operators, and investors building the future.No scripts. No fluff. Just real conversations.🚀 If You’re a Founder, Operator, or Investor…This episode will challenge how you think about:SuccessIdentityLeadershipAnd what it actually takes to build something meaningful🔔 Subscribe for MoreIf you’re building, investing, or thinking about startups in the AI era - subscribe for weekly conversations designed to give you an edge.

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Vignesh Ravikumar, Partner at Sierra Ventures, to break down what actually matters in building and scaling startups in the AI era.They go deep on:-Why AI gets you 80% of the way, but not the last mile-The rise of “systems of context” as the real competitive moat-How founders should think about moats in 2026 and beyond-What separates elite startup teams from everyone else-Why hiring the right early team dramatically increases success odds-The truth about AI replacing SaaS (and where it won’t)-How great founders sell vision to attract top talent, customers, and investorsVignesh also shares tactical frameworks for:-Building defensible AI products-Creating trust in AI systems-Scaling from product #1 to multi-product companiesIf you're a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand what actually wins in the AI era, this episode is a must-watch.🔥 Key Takeaways-AI is powerful, but context + decision-making data is the real moat-Great founders don’t sell ideas, they sell belief-Early team quality is one of the strongest predictors of success-The future of AI apps depends on capturing human decision logic-Winning startups will move fast AND build compounding products👇 Connect with Vignesh RavikumarSierra Ventures: https://www.sierraventures.comPodcast: Unpacked (UNPAK3D)LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vravikumar1🚀 About #StartupsUnedited#StartupsUnedited is hosted by Jorge Soto and features real, unfiltered conversations with founders, operators, and investors building the future.👉 Watch the full episode and drop your biggest takeaway in the comments

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Jonathan Friedman to break down how AI is fundamentally changing how startups are built, funded, and scaled.Jonathan shares his journey from building companies like DemoStack to rethinking the entire startup playbook - and why the traditional VC-backed model may no longer be the default path for ambitious founders.We dive into:The rise of the “indie startup” model - small teams, big ambitions, minimal fundingWhy AI + modern infrastructure are eliminating the need for large, bloated teamsHow product experience is becoming more important than featuresWhat happens when anyone can build software (even non-technical founders)The hidden cost of speed - and how founders can stay grounded in an accelerating worldWhy attention, creativity, and taste are becoming the new competitive advantagesJonathan also shares deeply personal insights on burnout, travel, and finding clarity outside the startup grind, and why stepping away might be the most powerful move a founder can make.If you're a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand what building a company looks like in the AI era - this is a must-listen.

Is sales development dead in the age of AI?

Not even close.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with John Moore, Head of Business Development at Cimulate (now part of Salesforce), to break down what actually works in modern outbound sales.

While most teams are chasing AI tools, John is quietly building one of the highest-performing SDR/BDR teams in today’s market - proving that fundamentals, discipline, and smart execution still win.

👉

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why SDRs and BDRs are still critical in 2026

The exact traits of top-performing sales development reps

How to balance personalization vs. scale in outbound

Why most SDR teams fail (and how to fix it) Cold calling strategies that actually convert today

The habits that separate elite reps from average ones

How great sales leaders coach - not just manage

If you're a founder, sales leader, SDR, or building a GTM team, this is a must-watch.

⚡ KEY MOMENTS

00:00 – Intro to #StartupsUnedited01:00 – John Moore’s journey into sales

05:30 – What makes a great SDR in today’s AI-driven world

10:00 – Habits of top-performing BDRs

14:00 – Personalization vs scale (critical outbound strategy)

18:00 – What great SDR leaders do differently

25:00 – Building high-performing sales teams

🎯 WHO THIS IS FOR

SDRs / BDRs trying to stand out

Founders building outbound motion

Sales leaders scaling teams

Anyone navigating AI + sales

If you’re building or scaling a GTM team, subscribe for more real conversations with operators in the trenches.

Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Daniel Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of DataGrail, for a candid conversation on AI agents, data privacy, shadow AI, startup leadership, and what it really takes to build a SaaS company in a rapidly changing market.

Daniel breaks down how AI is reshaping hiring, privacy operations, and the future of work, why shadow AI is becoming one of the biggest risks inside modern organizations, and how DataGrail is helping companies manage privacy in a world filled with SaaS sprawl, automation, and evolving regulation.

This episode covers:

How AI agents are already replacing certain jobs

Why privacy teams may soon spend more on AI workflows than headcount

The rise of shadow AI and hidden risk inside organizations

What founder-CEOs get wrong when building in complex markets

How DataGrail is thinking about responsible AI adoption internally

The future of privacy, compliance, and AI-powered business operations

If you're a startup founder, SaaS operator, privacy leader, security professional, or AI builder, this conversation is packed with real insight on where the market is heading.

Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with founders, operators, and builders on #StartupsUnedited.

#StartupsUnedited #JorgeSoto #DanielBarber #DataGrail #AI #AIAgents #DataPrivacy #PrivacyCompliance #ShadowAI #SaaS #StartupFounder #Cybersecurity #FutureOfWork #B2BSoftware

Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

What do founders, CROs, and go-to-market leaders keep getting wrong about partnerships?

In this episode, I sit down with Sean Kester to break down why partnerships are no longer a side channel in B2B SaaS - they are becoming a real competitive moat, especially in an AI-driven market where product advantages are getting compressed fast.

Sean shares hard-earned lessons from building in SaaS, scaling go-to-market motions, and now working closely with startups through venture capital.

This conversation covers how founders should think about partner-led growth, GTM fit, product-market fit, AI leverage, capital efficiency, founder-market fit, and what investors actually want to see in 2026.

If you’re a startup founder, CRO, VP of Sales, product marketer, VC-backed operator, or SaaS leader, this episode will help you rethink how you build durable growth.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why partnerships should be architected early, not added later

The biggest myth founders believe about partner channels

Why “signing the right logo” rarely creates real revenue

What true partner enablement looks like in B2B SaaS

Why product-market fit alone is no longer enough

What go-to-market fit looks like in the AI era

How VCs are evaluating startups differently now

Why founders need revenue systems, not just revenue

How AI is changing startup operations, valuation, and team design

What separates strong founders from everyone else in today’s market

Key topics: partnerships, partner enablement, channel sales, co-selling, B2B SaaS, startup growth, venture capital, AI startups, go-to-market strategy, GTM fit, product-market fit, founder advice, sales leadership, CRO strategy, startup fundraising, revenue systems, capital efficiency, founder-market fit

Who should watch:

B2B startup founders

SaaS CEOs

CROs and revenue leaders

Product marketers

Partnership leaders

VC-backed operators

Early-stage startup teams

Anyone building in AI and GTM

If you’re trying to build a modern SaaS company in a world where AI is changing everything, this is a conversation worth watching.

#Partnerships #B2BSaaS #StartupGrowth #VentureCapital #AIStartups #GTM #SalesLeadership #FounderAdvice #ProductMarketFit #ChannelSales #PartnerEnablement #SaaS #RevenueGrowth #VC #SalesLoft

Is traditional SaaS dead… or just in a survival era?

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Craig Rosenberg (Chief Platform Officer, Scale Venture Partners) - aka the “funnelholic” and co-host of The Transaction - to break down what’s actually happening in B2B software right now.

Craig’s take: it’s not just “AI.” It’s AI + the weirdest buying environment in years + changing buyer behavior - and together it feels… “nuclear.”

We get into:

• Why so many “traditional SaaS” companies went from ~40% growth to ~15–20%

• The real reason Salesforce, Marketo, Gong, Outreach aren’t getting ripped out (yet)

• The hidden truth: most teams still run an 80% traditional SaaS stack

• Why AI is winning in low-risk workflows (account research, messaging, data)

• Why AI SDRs aren’t mainstream - and where they do make sense (inbound)

• The Intercom + Finn blueprint: ship AI without nuking your legacy brand

• What changes when buyers feel like their job is on the line: “make sure it works.”

• The uncomfortable reality: CAC is going up and you can’t hand-wave AI competitors away

If you’re a founder, GTM leader, or investor trying to separate AI hype from GTM reality — this is the episode.

Subscribe for more conversations with the best GTM minds: #StartupsUnedited
Comment: What’s one AI workflow you’re actually using weekly — and what’s still hype?

#AI #SaaS #Sales #GTM #B2B #Startups #VentureCapital #Revenue #SalesTech #ScaleVenturePartners #Intercom #Gong #Salesforce #Outreach

In this episode of Startups Unedited, I sit down with Brian Wong, General Partner at ASCII Ventures, to break down how AI is fundamentally reshaping venture capital, startup defensibility, and what investors actually look for in founders today.Brian has lived both sides of the table - scaling and exiting venture-backed startups, then raising a fund focused on what he calls “boring tech”: overlooked, behind-the-scenes businesses with real staying power. In a world where products can be vibe-coded and technical moats are disappearing, Brian explains why judgment, coachability, and go-to-market execution are now the true competitive advantages.We cover:Why AI is destroying traditional technical moatsWhat is and isn’t “vibe-codable” in 2026How venture valuations are being completely re-writtenWhy GTM and domain expertise matter more than codeThe biggest red flags Brian sees when founders pitchCoachability as the #1 predictor of founder successHow investors really think about accountabilityWhy first-time founders should avoid VCs in their first roundHow to raise your first $250K the right wayWhat founders get wrong about “bad VCs”This episode is a must-watch for:First-time foundersOperators navigating AI disruptionBuilders raising capital in 2026GTM-focused leaders and non-technical founders📌 Learn more about Brian & ASCII Ventures:Website: https://ascii.vcConnect with Brian on LinkedInIf this episode resonated, like, subscribe, and share it with another founder who’s building in today’s AI-driven market.