Technology

Topline

The #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Tune in every week to hear Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno and Asad Zaman discuss and debate the trends, news, and developments impacting the B2B tech world. Enjoy the hot takes, strong opinions, and dry humor.

Latest Episodes:

E75: Two ways to win… Product Velocity OR GTM Excellence Sep 15, 2024

Show notes

In this Sunday's episode, our hosts discuss the two ways to win in a competitive market: product velocity and go-to-market excellence. They break down the challenges and trade-offs of each approach, highlighting the importance of building a sustainable competitive edge. The conversation also explores how RevOps plays a pivotal role in crafting effective go-to-market strategies and the power of leveraging social media to fuel business growth.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don't forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

TOPLINE HOTLINE: What do I do? I have a board member that isn't as engaged as they should be. Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

In this week's mini-episode, the group answers a question brought to AJ around a board member that isn't as engaged as they should be and is continually asking questions that pull focus. The trio shares their advice on how to navigate this situation, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing and providing context.

Crossbeam x Pavilion: The Future of Revenue (Part II). Contribute to the research. Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don't forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

E74: Mark Kosoglow Introduces Operator.ai and The Founder Mode Debate Sep 08, 2024

Show notes

Mark Kosoglow joins Topline this week to introduce us to Operator AI ahead of it's official announcement. Operator AI is a solution to improve sales efficiency by providing high-quality, unique data for free and leveraging AI to generate actionable insights (get early access). Marks shares insights on the current state of outbound sales and the challenges posed by over-automation, how Operator AI differs from Clay, and his "beef" with Adam Robinson.

The episode also touches on Paul Graham's "Founder Mode" essay, where Sam, AJ, and Asad explore (and debate) the idea that founders have a unique intuition and authority to make strategic decisions setting them apart from non-founders.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don't forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

TOPLINE HOTLINE: Is gifting the most effective way to incentivize customer engagement? Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

Join hosts AJ Bruno, Asif Zaman, and Sam Jacobs on Topline Hotline, where they tackle questions from the go-to-market community. In this episode, the team debates the effectiveness of using gifting platforms to boost top-of-the-funnel meeting show rates and win rates.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don't forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

E73: Balancing Growth and Free Cash Flow in Today's Market Sep 01, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Topline, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into the intricacies of growth versus free cash flow margin, especially the evolving premium on growth, the concept of profitable, efficient growth, and the importance of understanding unit economics. The conversation also touches on Q3 market updates from PitchBook and the challenges of transitioning leadership in high-profile companies, using Snowflake as a case study.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16), and don't forget to use the code TOPLINE for 15% of your ticket.

TOPLINE HOTLINE: As a CRO, how should I approach annual planning? Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

This week, Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into a question from Pavilion's Slack community: When planning for the fiscal year ahead at the CRO level, should you proactively create a comprehensive plan or deck outlining key actions and deliverables? Tune in as our Topline hosts discuss different approaches to planning and explore best practices.

Make sure to secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16) and use the code TOPLINE for 15% off your ticket.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

E72: Growth vs Profitability, CAC Tolerability, & Choosing The Right Business Model Aug 25, 2024

Show notes

In episode 72 of Topline, hosts Sam, AJ, and Asad dive into the tricky balance between growing a business and staying profitable, with Uber and DoorDash as prime examples. The conversation also touches on the role of venture capital, the importance of having a motivated, driven team, and the nuances of different business models.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16).

TOPLINE HOTLINE: Should you report ARR before or after discounting? Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

In this week's episode, Sam, AJ, and Asad first explore whether ARR should be reported before or after applying discounts, a common dilemma for companies offering discounted first-year pricing on annual plans. They also tackle best practices for setting up revenue schedules in Salesforce, specifically whether to align them with the invoicing cycle or distribute revenue evenly across the year.

Enjoy the mini-episode? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

E71: Google's Anti-Trust Ruling, SaaS Performance Updates, and The Future of Venture Capital Aug 18, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Topline, the hosts discuss the landmark antitrust ruling against Google, its implications for early-stage businesses and competition, and the challenges of context-switching for leaders. They also analyze the latest SaaS performance updates, capital allocation strategies, and the importance of B2B tech companies expanding their TAM outside of tech.

Want more Topline? Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

Secure your ticket to GTM2024 in Austin, TX (October 14 - 16).

TOPLINE HOTLINE: Is there a way to more efficiently prepare for board meetings? Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Preparing for board meetings is notoriously time-consuming, often requiring weeks to feel fully prepared. In this week's edition of Topline Hotline, our hosts address a question from Slack on how to streamline the preparation process and make it more time-efficient.

Enjoy the mini-episode?

Join the Topline Slack channel to engage with hosts, guests, and other listeners and subscribe to Topline Newsletter.

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