The Force & Friction Podcast

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. 

Today, we're talking about ecosystem-led growth and how to transform partnerships into your company's fastest-growing revenue engine. I'm joined by Juhi Saha, the CEO of Partner 1, a passionate, curious engineer who fell into partnerships and has now helped hundreds of companies, from high-growth startups to global giants like Microsoft, Intel, and Qualcomm scale through ecosystems.

Juhi's approach is powerful because she bridges deep technical expertise with real-world go-to-market execution. From holding three patents on the battery-extending technology inside every mobile phone to orchestrating the first-ever real-time payment on the cloud, her career is a testament to the power of a systems-thinking mindset.

She was also a key player as the VP of Partnerships at Clearbit during its acquisition by HubSpot, and she brings a battle-tested perspective on how to build partner programs with strategic intent.

We get into the nuts and bolts of ecosystem-led growth, how to overcome the common fears that hold companies back, the playbook for building a partner program designed for a strategic exit, and why trust is becoming the most valuable currency in a world saturated with AI-generated noise.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. Ecosystem-Led Growth: Beyond One-to-One Combat

2. Overcoming the Fear: Trust is the Foundation

3. The Acquisition Playbook: Building with the End in Mind

4. The Engineer's Mindset: A Systems Approach to Partnerships

5. The Future: Consultancy-Led Selling and Flexible Ecosystems

Final Thoughts:

Juhi provides a clear, actionable blueprint for leveraging partnerships as a primary growth engine. Her engineer's mindset, combined with her extensive experience in the trenches, demystifies the world of ecosystem-led growth and offers a practical path forward.

Her core message is a powerful one: in an increasingly noisy and commoditized world, the companies that win will be those that build on a foundation of trust, execute with strategic intent, and have the foresight to build flexible, resilient partner ecosystems. 

It's not about finding an easy button; it's about applying a rigorous, systems-based approach to building a network that can withstand the inevitable shocks of the market and drive sustainable, long-term growth.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. 

Today, we're talking to a true serial entrepreneur who was fired by his father, started an agency in the middle of a recession, and grew it into a three-time Inc. 500 company. 

I'm joined by Jon Tsourakis, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Ayova, to get his unconventional playbook for the agency world.

Jon is a seasoned strategist who has built, scaled, and sold multiple businesses. What makes his story stand out is his ability to organize chaos and simplify the complex, a skill forged in the fires of economic downturns and high-stakes business environments.

From navigating the brutal realities of the agency world, Jon's journey is a masterclass in resilience and straight-talking leadership. He cuts through the noise to deliver practical, battle-tested advice for agency owners who are tired of the same old playbook.
 
We get into the terrifying state of the agency market, why most agencies are set to fail, the uncomfortable truths about success, and Jon's no-nonsense approach to sales, mergers, and building a team of "solutionists."

 Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The State of the Agency World: A Terrifying Convergence

2. The Uncomfortable Truth: Get Off Your Ass and Do Something

3. The "Solutionist" Mindset: Stop Pointing Out Problems

4. The Merger Playbook: A Strategy for Growth, Not a Magic Bullet

5. The Future of Agencies: Deep Specialization and Coaching

Final Thoughts:

Jon's story is a powerful reminder that there are no shortcuts to success. Forged in the crucible of a recession, his playbook is built on a foundation of hard work, uncomfortable truths, and a relentless focus on solving problems.

His advice for agency owners is simple but not easy: stop looking for a magic bullet, be honest with yourself, and do the work that others are unwilling to do. 

Whether it's picking up the phone to make a cold call or having the courage to merge with a competitor, survival and growth in today's market demand a level of grit and resilience that can't be automated.

As Jon makes clear, the agencies that thrive will be the ones that stop being order-takers and start being indispensable partners—the solutionists who can navigate chaos, push their clients to be better, and deliver real, measurable results.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. 

Today, we're cutting through the noise on brand trust in the AI era and getting straight to why human creativity is more critical than ever. I'm joined by Shawn Perritt, the VP of Brand Strategy and Creative at Acquia, to break it down.

With over 20 years of experience building brands for giants like Microsoft, IBM, and Coca-Cola, Shawn brings a no-nonsense philosophy he calls the "human stack." He argues that as AI makes everything look the same, the real differentiator for B2B brands is the ability to turn raw imagination into tangible impact.

Shawn warns against the trap of "high-def sameness" and the brand trust erosion that comes from using AI as a simple cost-cutting tool. Instead, he advocates a "think first, prompt second" approach, where AI becomes a force multiplier for human curiosity and original thinking, not a replacement for it.

We get into the two types of companies emerging in the AI era, the 95% problem in brand marketing, the real power of unmeasurable human connection, and Shawn's take on how original thinkers will secure the last unfair advantage.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The AI Double-Edged Sword: Brand Trust on the Line

2. Two Types of Companies: Cost-Cutter vs. Force Multiplier

3. The Human Stack: Think First, Prompt Second

4. The 95% Problem: What's Memorable Isn't Always Measurable

5. The Last Unfair Advantage: The Original Thinker

Final Thoughts:

Shawn Perritt's human stack philosophy provides a straightforward, no-fluff counter to the hype and fear around AI. He makes it clear: technology is a tool, not a substitute for human imagination. 

The future of brand building won't be won by the most complex algorithms, but by the most curious and creative minds.

By adopting a "think first, prompt second" approach, B2B brands can cut through the noise and build real connections. As AI advances, the companies that invest in their human stack, the curious, the creative, the original thinkers are the ones that will not only survive but dominate.

The most disruptive thing a B2B brand can do right now is simple: be unapologetically human.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. Today, we are joined by Lindsay Tjepkema, founder of Human Brands Win and former VC-backed founder and CEO of Casted, the first B2B podcasting platform. 

After raising $30 million and scaling Casted to a 50-plus person team, Lindsay had a powerful realization: the industry's obsession with growth hacks and playbooks is a trap. 

She argues that the most sustainable path to growth is through authentic human connection, and she has developed a framework called the "Brave Mindset" to help brands do just that. 

We discuss the challenges of being a visionary founder, the importance of a human-centric approach in an AI world, and the practical steps that brands can take to build a more human identity.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Trap of Pattern Recognition: Why You Shouldn't Follow the Playbook

2. The Brave Mindset: A Framework for Human-Centric Growth

3. The Visionary's Dilemma: How to Get Buy-In for a Brave New World

4. The Human Brand in an AI World: Don't Automate Who You Are

5. The Responsibility of Leadership: Sharing Your Story

Final Thoughts:

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and especially in and around the SaaS growth models.

Today we continue our Revenue Architecture series and are  joined by Kerry Curran, Chief Revenue Officer and founder of RBMA (Revenue-Based Marketing Advisors). 

With over 20 years of experience in the digital marketing and agency world, Kerry has made it her mission to transform agencies from a state of referral dependency to one of revenue predictability. 

She does this by applying proven B2B SaaS growth principles to the services sector, a space that has traditionally been stuck in a feast-or-famine cycle of client acquisition. We discuss the agency growth paradox, the challenges of applying SaaS frameworks to service-based businesses, and the critical role of a unified revenue architecture.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1: The Agency Growth Paradox: Why Are Agencies the "Cobbler's Kids"?

2: The Revenue-Based Marketing Philosophy: Every Dollar Should Drive Revenue

3: Applying SaaS Frameworks to the Service World: The Bowtie and the ICP

4: The Challenge of Selling a "Squishy" Solution

5: The Unified Revenue Team: Breaking Down the Silos

Final Thoughts

Kerry Curran's insights are a powerful wake-up call for the agency world. For too long, agencies have been stuck in a reactive, referral-based growth model that is simply not sustainable in today's fast-moving business world. 

By applying the principles of SaaS GTM and revenue architecture, agencies can create a more predictable, scalable, and profitable business. It's not an easy transition, but as Kerry argues, it's an essential one for any agency that wants to thrive in the years to come.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. Today, we're joined by Bruce Scheer, co-founder of ValuePros.io, a firm dedicated to helping revenue teams nail their story, prove their impact, and deliver buyer experiences that buyers love. 

With a mission to "inspire others to inspire others," Bruce brings a wealth of experience from working with some of the biggest names in the world, including Microsoft, SAP, and Tableau. 

We dive deep into the "value edge," the "charisma edge," and the "Brave" framework, and explore how to fix the value disconnect that is killing deals in today's fast-moving business world.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Value Disconnect: Why So Many Deals End in "No Deal"

2. The Charisma Edge: Showing Up On Purpose, With Presence, For Others

3. The BRAVE Framework: Five Levers for Building Your Charisma Edge

4. The First Four Seconds: The Power of the Halo Effect

5. The Future of Sales: The Buying Experience is Everything

Final Thoughts:

Bruce Scheer's insights are a powerful reminder that in the world of B2B sales, the human element is more important than ever. By focusing on value, charisma, and the buying experience, you can build stronger relationships with your customers, close more deals, and drive sustainable growth for your business. It's not about being the slickest salesperson or having the flashiest product. It's about showing up on purpose, with presence, for others. And that's a message that we can all take to heart.

Check out more at Value Pros Website

Connect with Bruce at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bscheer/

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. 

Today, we are joined by James Hornick, former Chief Growth Officer at HireWell, quantitative options trader, sci-fi author, podcast host, and self-proclaimed number three ranked sarcastic commenter on LinkedIn. 

James brings a refreshingly honest and unconventional perspective to professional development. 

With a 20+ year career built on deliberately acquiring seemingly unrelated skills, he shares his philosophy of "compound learning" and why he believes it is the key to long-term success in a rapidly changing world.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Generalist Advantage: Why Diverse Skills Beat Deep Specialization

2. The Power of an Authentic Voice: Building a Brand Through Sarcasm and Storytelling

3. The Unexpected Synergy of Unrelated Skills: How Options Trading Made Me a Better Business Leader

4. The Future of Work in an AI World: Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever

5. The Unsexy Truth About Success: It's All About the Process

Final Thoughts:

James Hornick's career is a powerful testament to the power of compound learning. 

By embracing his curiosity, acquiring a diverse set of skills, and staying true to his authentic voice, he has built a career that is not only successful but also deeply fulfilling. 

His story is an inspiration for anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit into a traditional career path. It's a reminder that the most interesting and rewarding careers are often the ones that we create for ourselves.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. Today, we're joined by Dinuka Wijesinghe, the GTM Doctor and founder of Serendum Strategies.  

With a PhD in astrophysics and six years of experience mastering go-to-market at scale at Google, Dinuka brings a unique blend of academic rigor and practical, in-the-trenches experience.  

He shares his core thesis: when it comes to go-to-market, execution matters even more than strategy. 

We dive deep into why even the most brilliant strategies fail, the critical difference between companies that execute well and those that don't, and the lessons startups can learn from giants like Google.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Technical Founder's Dilemma: Building a Product vs. Building a Business

2. The Perils of Disconnecting from the Market: VCs vs. Customers

3. Strategy vs. Execution: Where the Go-to-Market Game is Won and Lost

4. The Power of ICP Profiling: A Data-Driven Approach to Go-to-Market

5. The Three Pillars of Entrepreneurial Survival: Pain, Uncertainty, and Failure

Final Thoughts:

Dinuka Wijesinghe's insights are a masterclass in the art and science of go-to-market. His emphasis on execution over strategy, his data-driven approach to ICP profiling, and his candid assessment of the realities of entrepreneurial life provide a powerful and practical guide for any founder or business leader looking to build a successful and sustainable company.  

Where we are all faced with constant change and uncertainty, his message is clear: the companies that will win are those that can execute with clarity, consistency, and a relentless focus on the customer.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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In this episode of the Force & Friction podcast, we're joined by Lorenzo Serva, Senior Manager of Customer Success at Dynatrace and recognised as the APAC CSM of the Year. With over a decade of experience leading CS teams across Australia, New Zealand, ASEAN, and India, Lorenzo shares his expert insights on one of the most critical and often broken processes in SaaS: the handoff from sales to customer success. We explore why this handoff is so prone to failure, the unique challenges and opportunities in the APAC region, and the non-negotiables for building a high-performing, customer-centric CS team.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Broken Sales-to-CS Handoff: A Crisis of Fragmentation and Misalignment

2. The Partner Ecosystem: A Double-Edged Sword in the APAC Handoff

3. Beyond the Playbook: Adapting CS Strategies for the Diverse APAC Market

4. From Hope to Certainty: The Power of Data-Driven CS Leadership

5. The Blueprint for a High-Performing CS Team: Alignment and a Customer-Centric Journey

Final Thoughts:

Lorenzo Serva's insights provide a powerful roadmap for any organization looking to elevate its customer success function. His emphasis on fixing the foundational sales-to-CS handoff, adapting to diverse market dynamics, leveraging data for proactive engagement, and building a truly aligned and customer-centric team are essential principles for success in the modern SaaS landscape. 

In a world of recurring revenue, the conversation doesn't end at the sale, it evolves. As Lorenzo makes clear, a high-performing CS team is the engine that drives that evolution, ensuring sustainable growth and long-term customer relationships.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com

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Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth. Today, we're diving deep into community-led growth and movement building with Jared Robin, the co-founder and CEO of RevGenius.

Jared has built something truly remarkable, growing RevGenius from zero to nearly 60,000 members over the past four and a half years, creating the largest and most influential GTM community in the world. 

What makes Jared's story compelling isn't just the numbers, it's his philosophy of building something different, not better, and proving that community-first GTM strategies can drive real business outcomes.

From having negative money in his bank account during COVID to building the world's largest GTM community, Jared's journey embodies the raw reality of the founder experience. His insights on audience-led growth, movement building, and the importance of validation before building have shaped how modern founders approach GTM strategy.

We explore why being different beats being better, how to build an audience before a product, the unfiltered truth about the founder journey, and Jared's predictions for the future of GTM in an AI-native world.

Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The Founder Journey: Fear, Failure, and Finding Your Path

2. Different vs. Better: The Category Creation Imperative

3. Audience-Led Growth: Validation Before Building

4. From Community to Movement: Building Something Bigger Than a Product

5. AI and the Human Soul: The Future of GTM

Final Thoughts:

Jared's journey from negative bank balance to building the world's largest GTM community offers a roadmap for modern founders. His philosophy can be distilled into a few core principles:

• Accept that you have no idea what you're doing, and embrace humility earlier.
• Build as little as possible and validate with real people before investing resources.
• Focus on being different, not better, and create your own category instead of fighting for scraps.
• Build your audience before your product, establishing trust and distribution as your unfair advantage.
• And remember that common sense and human connection come before tactics and scale.

The future of GTM belongs to founders who can build movements, not just products. Those who understand that audience-led growth isn't a tactic, it's a fundamental shift in how you approach building a business. 

And those who recognize that in an increasingly AI-powered world, your ability to connect authentically with people's souls becomes your most valuable competitive advantage.

As Jared demonstrates through RevGenius, when you combine category creation, audience-led validation, and authentic movement building, you don't just build a successful business, you change an entire industry.

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com