In this episode of Unf*ck My Startup, we sit down with Jesse Ouellette, the founder of Lead Magic and the creator of the mysterious “SaaS Yacht Club,” who scaled to over $2.2M ARR with just one employee. 

Jesse breaks down exactly why cold email isn’t working for most startups—and what you need to do differently. From navigating spam filters and domain reputation to crafting killer subject lines and targeting downmarket founders, Jesse reveals the raw, tactical truth about modern outbound. Plus, hear how a low-key founder group became a launchpad for multiple SaaS wins. This isn’t theory—it’s playbook material for anyone growing lean. Don’t miss it.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

In this episode of Unf*ck My Startup, Ryan Allis — founder of iContact and SaaS Rise — reveals the real reason most startups fail (and why raising VC money too early can kill your business). He shares how focusing on customers, contracts, and revenue — not investors — took him from college dorm rooms to a $169M exit. Ryan breaks down the real math behind funding decisions, the dangers of over-raising, and why building a solid sales engine matters more than ever. Plus, we dive into bootstrapping strategies, revenue-based financing, and AI-powered outbound marketing for scaling smart in 2025 and beyond.

🎯 If you're serious about scaling without selling your soul, this is the playbook you need.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

In this episode of Unfck My Startup*, we’re joined by the undisputed king of LinkedIn virality, Tom Hunt, who breaks down the exact 7-step formula he’s used to rack up over 300,000 likes and 175 million views. You’ll learn how to craft scroll-stopping hooks, choose the perfect photo, and why simplicity in your writing is the ultimate growth hack. 

Tom reveals why big paragraphs are death to your engagement, how to engineer controversy for viral comments, and how to turn LinkedIn clout into real business growth. Whether you're a founder, marketer, or just tired of getting ghosted by the algorithm—this episode is a masterclass you don't want to miss!

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

Listen up, founders: If you think posting on LinkedIn is just a chore, think again. You’re sitting on a goldmine. We’re about to hand you the playbook that top CEOs don’t want you to see. We’ve brought in the ultimate LinkedIn insider: Alec Paul, the behind-the-scenes strategist trusted by LinkedIn’s biggest names (with 300+ million views to his clients’ credit). Now he’s stepping out of the shadows to show you how to turn your LinkedIn from a dead zone into a deal-closing machine.

He’s not here to sugarcoat it – Alec breaks down why 99% of LinkedIn posts suck and how you can be the 1% that actually crushes it. Get ready for no-fluff truth on building influence, crafting scroll-stopping content, cracking LinkedIn’s algorithm, and turning views into leads. Listen now or your competition will scoop up those LinkedIn leads while you stay invisible.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

Sam Parr  @MyFirstMillionPod Joins Unfck My Startup* to share the unfiltered truth behind building and selling startups—including the brutal reality of chasing a big exit. From his $20M liquidity goal to lessons learned selling The Hustle and My First Million to HubSpot, Sam breaks down how bootstrapping can build more wealth than VC funding, why most founders get screwed in billion-dollar deals, and how purpose only comes after financial freedom. He also unpacks how audience building changed his life, and why clarity is the most underrated skill in business. 

Don’t miss this one—it’s a masterclass in real entrepreneurship.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

If your cold emails aren't landing or converting, it's not your subject line—it’s your infrastructure. This masterclass by Andy dives deep into how to actually get into the inbox and outlines a 3-step cold email framework that crushes outdated spray-and-pray methods. 

The keys? Setting up domain infrastructure, leveraging personal brands (especially your CEO), understanding the real value of sender names, and delaying your pitch until after value and perspective shifts have been delivered. Learn why inbox placement is more important than copy, how to break through the noise with pattern interrupts, and why personalization is overrated in 2025.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

In this episode of Unf*ck My Startup, Pete welcomes back Santos Sharan, former COO of Retention.com, and Clearbit co-founder Amit Vasudev to finally unveil the stealth-mode startup they've been building: Zir AI. The duo shares their mission to disrupt B2B go-to-market by addressing the massive pain points for both buyers and sellers—namely information asymmetry, vendor overload, and broken decision-making processes. 

They introduce Zir’s first micro-app, an AI-powered agent that takes sales calls on behalf of buyers, enabling vendor pitches without wasting time. This revolutionary platform aims to automate vendor research, deliver personalized solutions, and shift go-to-market success from tech-based moats to execution, brand, and network. With hundreds of buyer/seller interviews under their belt, they reveal a clear problem: the future of B2B buying and selling must be AI-driven, buyer-first, and radically more efficient.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

Adam dives deep into the biggest financial mistake of his life—paying a banker $1M for an acquisition he could’ve done himself. This episode breaks down the real way to buy or sell a business without getting fleeced by fees. He’s joined by Aye Moah, Alex, and Cameron, who just pulled off a founder-to-founder acquisition without bankers, without the legal headaches, and with a playbook every entrepreneur needs to copy. 

They walk through the exact steps to structuring a deal, negotiating terms, and keeping costs way down—all while making sure the business actually thrives post-acquisition. If you’re thinking about selling, buying, or just want to avoid Adam’s $1M mistake, this is the episode you cannot afford to miss.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

What if you could get 20 times the positive replies with 10x fewer sales activities? In this episode, Brenden Short, founder of The Signal, reveals his AI-powered strategy that’s rewriting the playbook for outbound sales. We dive into how hyper-targeted micro-campaigns are revolutionizing prospecting, increasing engagement, and making high-volume cold outreach a thing of the past. 

Brenden shares real-world examples, explains why quality beats quantity, and breaks down the tech stack that powers these game-changing results. If you want to book more demos with fewer emails, this one’s for you.

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/

💰 How Wes Bush Scaled PLG to $1B+ in Self-Serve Revenue 💰

If you’re still thinking Product-Led Growth (PLG) = "just add a free trial", you’re already behind. We’re sitting down with Wes Bush, the guy who literally wrote the book on PLG, to break down how to scale to $1B+ without a massive sales team.

🔥 Here’s what we cover:
 ✅ What PLG actually means (and why most people get it dead wrong)
✅ The 5 key questions to decide if PLG is right for your startup
✅ Why 97% of B2B buyers prefer self-service—and how to adapt fast
✅ The secret to designing a free offer that actually converts
✅ Founder-led sales vs. PLG—when to use which strategy

If you’re serious about scaling efficiently, this might be the most valuable conversation you’ll ever hear.

🎧 Listen now and UnF*ck Your Startup.

🔹 Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 🔹

Find out more
https://www.linkedin.com/in/retentionadam/
https://www.youtube.com/@retentionadam
https://www.rb2b.com/