The Thread Podcast

Summary

In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey speaks with Kara Brown, founder and CRO of Lead Coverage, about her journey in the supply chain industry, the importance of go-to-market strategies, and the impact of AI on sales technology. Kara shares insights from her book, 'The Revenue Engine,' and discusses the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in achieving significant revenue milestones. The conversation also delves into the intricacies of the supply chain ecosystem and the necessity for companies to adapt to technological advancements.

Takeaways

• Kara Brown emphasizes the importance of owning customer email addresses for effective marketing.
• The supply chain industry has a low bar for go-to-market activities, presenting opportunities for growth.
• Women entrepreneurs face significant challenges in reaching $1 million in revenue.
• Kara's book, 'The Revenue Engine,' serves as a framework for success in the supply chain sector.
• AI is transforming sales tech, but many companies are lagging behind in adoption.
• Understanding the total addressable market (TAM) is crucial for business strategy.
• Kara's agency focuses on companies that physically move freight or have the tech behind it.
• The conversation highlights the tactile nature of logistics and its importance in business.
• Kara's journey includes significant milestones, such as writing an IPO and launching a successful consulting agency.
• The future of sales tech will require companies to adapt to new tools and methodologies.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Kara Brown and Her Journey
04:14 The Revenue Engine: Framework and Insights
07:01 Target Audience and Ideal Customer Profile
10:14 The State of CRM in Supply Chain
13:00 AI and the Future of Sales
15:57 Kara's Philosophy on Market Engagement
18:42 Goals and Future Aspirations

In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey speaks with Karan Singh, SVP of Go-to-Market Strategy and Operations at LaunchDarkly. They discuss Karan's extensive background in various tech companies, the evolving role of AI in sales, and the importance of human connection in go-to-market strategies. 

Karan emphasizes the need for productivity over leanness in sales organizations and highlights the challenges of training and developing sellers in a fast-paced environment. He also shares insights for new revenue operations professionals, stressing the importance of seller readiness and effective onboarding processes.


Takeaways

• Karan Singh has a diverse background in tech, having worked in cybersecurity, data warehousing, and vertical SaaS.
• AI tools should enhance human connections rather than replace them in sales processes.
• Productivity is more important than leanness in sales organizations.
• The average tenure of a seller is around 18 months, highlighting the need for effective training.
• Investing in seller readiness early can lead to long-term success in sales organizations.
• Automation can help sellers focus on meaningful human interactions.
• Sales training should be consistent and comprehensive to ensure seller success.
• Understanding customer needs is crucial for effective sales conversations.
• Karan emphasizes the importance of developing B sellers into A sellers.
  The role of Rev Ops is multifaceted, requiring a focus on strategy, systems, and seller enablement.
  
  
• Chapters
  
  02:26 Karan Singh's Journey in Go-to-Market Strategy
  07:15 The Role of AI in Sales and Human Connection
  10:36 Productivity vs. Leanness in Sales Organizations
  14:13 Challenges in Seller Training and Development
  18:53 Key Insights for New Rev Ops Hires
  
  

In this episode of the Thread Podcast, host Justin Vandehey introduces his co-founders Jeremy Vandehey and Samuel Kenney as they discuss their journey in building Thread, a company focused on enhancing the go-to-market strategy for sales teams. The conversation explores the challenges of acquiring the first customer, aligning sales operations, and the importance of technology in sales. They delve into the future of sales technology, the role of AI in augmenting seller efficiency, and the competitive landscape of the sales industry. The episode concludes with insights on lessons learned from their experiences and the official launch of Thread.

Takeaways

• The consistent challenge for founders is acquiring the first customer.
• Empathy for the seller's experience is crucial in product development.
• Sales is a critical function for every startup, not just a separate department.
• Technology is rapidly changing the sales landscape, making it essential to innovate.
• AI can significantly enhance seller efficiency and effectiveness.
• Understanding the competitive landscape is vital for product positioning.
• Building a product that meets the needs of sellers is key to success.
• The rate of technology adoption is increasing, requiring quick adaptation.
• Founders must navigate noise and chaos in the current market environment.
• Feedback from users is essential for continuous improvement of the product.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Thread Podcast and Founders' Journey
05:36 The Importance of Sales Operations and Customer Understanding
08:24 Innovating in the Go-to-Market Space
11:07 Building a Product for Sellers
14:00 Challenges and Rewards of Founding Thread
16:47 The Future of Sales Technology and AI
19:45 Augmenting Seller Efficiency with Technology
22:41 Navigating the Competitive Landscape
24:41 Lessons Learned from Building Thread
27:15 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action
35:51 Introduction and Excitement for the Journey
36:48 Invitation to Join and Future Guests
37:17 Gratitude and Encouragement for Listeners

In this episode of The Bridge, Justin sits down with Jessica Collier, CEO of Spot, and founding partner of All Turtles, to explore her journey from academia to building one of the most thoughtful AI-driven tools in the HR tech space.

Jessica was the first UX writer at Evernote, where she helped shape user experiences through words before it was a recognized craft. She later went on to co-found All Turtles, alongside Phil Libin (former Evernote CEO) and Jon Cifuentes, with a mission to build practical AI applications — long before the current hype cycle.

In this conversation, Jessica shares:

• The early days of bringing AI into product workflows before it was cool
• How Spot is reshaping the case management and incident reporting category with anonymous, AI-powered reporting tools for any case type
• Why “trust” is the foundation of any product solving sensitive problems
• The build vs. partner decision framework when enhancing core functionality
• Lessons from scaling multiple ventures rooted in ethical product design

Whether you're an operator building with AI, a founder evaluating product scope, or someone navigating tough conversations in the workplace — this episode offers tactical insights and big-picture clarity.

Brett Beveridge, Founder & CEO of T-ROC, joins the show to share his journey from bouncer and bartender to building one of the largest retail operators in the U.S.

We dive into:

• How he started selling cell phones out of a van and took Let's Talk Cellular public before selling to Nextel
• What’s fueled his 20+ year run building T-ROC
• His take on when to expand product lines — and when to stay focused
• How to think about funding: bootstrapping vs. venture capital

Tessa Brown, Co-Founder and CEO of Germ Network, joins the show to talk about, 

- Tessa's journey from Stanford writing professor to startup founder, the dangers of social platforms designed to maximize exposure, and why privacy should be the default, not the exception.

- How Germ lets users create multiple, compartmentalized identities

- The flaws of phone number–based messaging and the case for link-based connection, and her philosophy on building with integrity in a surveillance-based tech world

- Tessa’s experience fundraising from K5 Global and Mozilla Ventures

Jared Robin, Co founder of RevGenius and Audience Haus, joins the show to talk about

• Jared's first sales job, cold calling office managers at FedEx to building a fashion blog with 10K monthly subscribers.
• The art of audience building, and how a LinkedIn group chat turned into an engaged 50,000 community
•  What does it take for a B2B company to successfully build an audience
• Reflecting back on the presidential election and lessons learned in audience building.
• The trends of B2B SaaS companies purchasing media businesses and the future of enterprise content.

Chris Andrew, Co founder and CEO of Scrunch AI, joins the show to talk about

• The evolution of search and consumer shift toward finding answers with AI.
• Building a marketing platform for an AI first customer journey.
• The opportunity for AI and Scrunch to audit search and help brands manage their identities in the era of AI.
• Reflecting on Chris leaving Intuit to work for Clara Shih at Hearsay, and what Chris learned from Clara as employee #3 at Hearsay that made him a better entrepreneur. 
• A wild car ride with Gary Vee when Gary first launched Wine Library TV, and pitching Gary Vee a cooking show.

Tatiana Fofanova, CEO and Co Founder of Koda Health, joins the show to talk about

• From pediatrics to entrepreneurship, and Tatiana's experience as a founder in residence at Texas Medical Center (TMC)
• The intersection of the law and health, and building an advanced care planning tool that is patient centric.
• Becoming "patient zero" for Koda Health after being hit by a car and getting diagnosed with kidney cancer, all in the same afternoon. 
• Designing Koda's go-to-market strategy in health care, and how Tatiana has thought about building out her team in a healthcare startup.

Conor McCarter, Co founder of Prequel, joins the show to talk about:

• The founding story behind Prequel, the YC experience, and pivoting during the program.
• Market overview on the state of data management and positioning of Prequel.
• The fundraising process for Prequel and importance of not beating yourself up as a founder and staying creative amidst the grind.