Charles Tenot is the CEO of Lemlist, the $33M bootstrapped B2B SaaS company behind LinkedIn favorites like Lemwarm, Taplio, and TweetHunter. In this episode, he walks us through the transition from COO to CEO, what it’s like to follow a founder like Guillaume Moubeche, and how Lemlist builds brand without performance marketing.He also unpacks his personal LinkedIn writing system (including how he gets post ideas on his motorbike), why repurposing content is underrated, and why shipping features again was key to breaking their $15M ARR plateau.This one’s packed with stories and tactics from internal growth challenges to building a content-first culture that attracts top hires and drives 10:1 LTV to CAC.What we cover:- Charles’ transition from COO to CEO - The honest truth about why Lemlist stopped growing and how they broke through- How they restarted product velocity after 12 months of “tech debt”- The Lemlist brand playbook: what it actually means to build trust- Why Charles doesn’t believe in performance marketing (and what works instead)- How he writes LinkedIn posts in 10 minutes- His system for idea capture (Slack voice notes + ChatGPT for hook ideation)- Why clickbait kills audience quality- Internal content pods, incentives, and how Lemlist encourages employee posting- Why he killed their SEO blog and what they replaced it withPerfect for:- B2B founders stuck at a revenue plateau- CEOs looking to activate their teams on LinkedIn- Marketing and brand leaders scaling a bootstrapped company- Anyone trying to build trust in a noisy categoryConnect with Charles:- Charles’ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlestenot/- lemlist: https://lemlist.com/Connect with me: Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters:00:00 – LinkedIn is a game. Play it.01:16 – Lemlist, Lempire, and $33M ARR03:05 – What it’s like to take over as CEO 04:45 – The power of a “clear contract” when transitioning leadership06:40 – Biggest lesson: trust your gut (even if the founder’s still around)08:37 – Why Charles started posting on LinkedIn (and what pissed him off)10:44 – Why personal branding helps attract top hires12:38 – Can you track LinkedIn ROI? Not really. Here’s what to measure instead.13:55 – Charles’ full posting system: ideation, hooks, writing, time spent16:15 – The difference between engagement and quality (and how to balance)18:37 – How he gets ideas on a motorbike (and his Slack system for saving them)20:54 – “Done is better than perfect” The mindset for scaling content23:00 – Why Charles doesn’t repurpose content (but why you probably should)24:23 – Guillaume’s advice, and why you need your own voice26:40 – “Why should anyone care what you write?” (Especially if you're early)28:40 – Why every company should think like a niche content brand30:55 – Internal pods, incentives, and how Lemlist encourages posting34:33 – How Guillaume helps team members write—and why some say no36:57 – Why they stopped paying employees for impressions38:13 – 10:1 LTV to CAC – How Lemlist drives growth with brand40:32 – Why they killed their SEO content42:45 – What actually builds a trustworthy brand (from sales to product)44:48 – Breaking through the ARR plateau: what finally worked46:47 – Why complex orgs have lagging feedback loops48:32 – “Ship something every month that excites the customer”50:34 – How to build a personal brand when you’re just getting started52:38 – Use your lack of experience as your brand54:45 – “Do cool shit and talk about it”—Content advice for students and juniors#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) is the co-founder & CTO of 37signals (Basecamp, HEY) and the creator of Ruby on Rails.In this episode, DHH breaks down how he built real wealth without playing the Silicon Valley game, why “fuck you money” is misunderstood, and what it really takes to stay independent for 20+ years.We talk about effort, writing, grit, parenting, and how the most meaningful success doesn’t always look like a unicorn.Topics we cover in this episode:- How Basecamp started as a side project and became a 20-year business- What most people get wrong about building “fuck you money”- Why DHH bet on Ruby when no one else cared- The 2% rule: how David outworked luck- The real cost of deferred living and why it’s not worth it- Why content creation is a byproduct, not a goal- What Europe gets wrong (and right) about work and family- Why blogging and replying to people still mattersPerfect for:- Founders who don’t want to raise $100M to be successful- Indie hackers and devs building side projects- Creators who actually ship things- Anyone tired of the same recycled startup adviceConnect with DHH: - DHH’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-heinemeier-hansson-374b18221/- DHH’s X: https://x.com/dhh- DHH’s blog: https://world.hey.com/dhh- DHH’s personal website: https://dhh.dk/- 37signals: https://37signals.com/- Basecamp: https://basecamp.com/- HEY: https://www.hey.com/- Once: https://once.com/- Ruby on Rails: https://rubyonrails.org/Connect with Finn:Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters00:00 – Intro: Why wisdom becomes platitude01:58 – The watch blog that changed lives03:20 – What “fuck you” money really means06:31 – Betting on Ruby when it made no sense09:50 – Why Building for yourself means long-term leverage11:45 – Don’t wait to live your dream14:20 – DHH’s 2% mindset (via David Goggins)16:45 – How one helpful email led to 37signals18:20 – Redrawing patterns: giving gifts with no ask20:40 – Standing out: The 0.1% effort rule23:55 – “Content creator” is an insult. Here’s why25:40 – Share your ideas *after* taking action27:15 – Marketing without ads or attribution29:40 – Gary Vee and the power of retail scale32:00 – Jim Rohn, Stoicism, and seasons of life35:10 – How to survive the storm37:05 – Platitudes only work when they land38:30 – Authenticity means being maskless41:20 – On “fuck Apple” and reputation caveats42:40 – Why compliments should be clean44:30 – Balaji, network states, and philosophy47:00 – Europe and ambition shame50:40 – Cultural change is possible (but slow)53:00 – Bringing success back home55:30 – Final thoughts: Be the 2%. Always.#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Ted Merz spent 32 years at Bloomberg. He started as reporter #15 and ended as Global Head of News Product.In this episode, Ted breaks down how storytelling became his next career. He shares the turning point after getting fired, the content habits he developed, and how that turned into Principals Media, a company helping executives build real audiences through honest stories.We talk about founder content, comms vs. brand, what most ghostwriters get wrong, and the difference between vulnerability and clarity.Topics we cover in this episode:- The truth about getting laid off at 57 (and what came next)- How LinkedIn became a proving ground for executive content- Why most founder content sounds like it was written by ChatGPT- What Bloomberg taught Ted about voice, clarity, and leadership- The difference between being vulnerable and being honest- Why memorability is more important than engagement as metric- How ghostwriters can help execs find their POV (not just polish)- The real ROI of storytelling is reputation, not reachPerfect for:- Founders and execs trying to grow on LinkedIn- Comms teams turning leadership into creators- Ghostwriters building long-term client relationships- Anyone starting over and using content to get back in the gameConnect with Ted:- Ted’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-merz-cfa-b711257/- Principals Media: https://www.principalsmedia.com/Connect with me:Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters00:00 From Bloomberg to LinkedIn: how storytelling became the next chapter02:30 Getting laid off at 57 with no plan05:00 Going viral with real stories (and no strategy)07:45 Why so much founder content feels generic09:30 What ghostwriters should be doing for execs12:15 The Bloomberg comms lessons that stuck14:45 The danger of over-polished “vulnerability”17:10 What metrics Ted cares about (and what he ignores)20:20 Starting Principals Media: from DMs to clients23:00 Helping execs write without dumbing it down25:30 Why founder content is just good leadership in public27:40 How writing helped Ted clarify what came next30:00 If you want to start posting this is what you should start with#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Amanda Zhu is the co-founder of Recall.ai, the API that lets SaaS tools access data from Zoom, Meet, Teams, and more.In just 8 months, Amanda grew her LinkedIn following to 40,000+ and turned content into a serious GTM channel, helping Recall land customers like HubSpot, Calendly, Apollo, and Datadog, while scaling past $20M ARR.In this episode, Amanda walks through her full playbook, from getting lucky with her first viral post, to building a structured, repeatable system for consistent growth. We also break down Recall’s content ops, audience targeting, and why Amanda believes credibility is earned in public, not in your pitch deck.Topics that we will cover in this episode: - The 2-week LinkedIn experiment that changed Recall’s GTM strategy- How Amanda and her marketer co-write 6 posts every week- Building a Notion database of content ideas, voice notes & pillars- Why “hook + value” is still the core formula for going viral- How to keep content fresh by varying tone, depth, and topic- What they’ve learned about the LinkedIn algorithm (and how it’s changing)- The real ROI: 20M+ impressions and customers that “already know her”- Why Amanda briefly added PS product pitches and why she removed them againConnect with Amanda: - Amanda’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhu-amanda/- Recall.ai: https://www.recall.ai/Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Amanda’s Background & What Recall.ai Does02:10 Why LinkedIn Became Their Top GTM Channel04:00 The First Posts: No Framework, Just Instinct06:15 Going Viral Early - Luck or Strategy?08:00 Reverse-Engineering What Works (And Building a System)10:00 Notion Board, Weekly Content Meetings, Hands-on Writing13:00 Voice Notes, Pillars, and Getting Granular16:00 Scheduling Posts vs. Posting Live17:45 Daily LinkedIn Routine & Why They Avoid Automation19:20 The Target Account List Strategy (Manual, Not Automated)20:45 What They Track Instead of Attribution22:00 The Unquantifiable ROI (Conferences, Familiarity, Warm Leads)24:30 Why Hooks Matter More Than Anything Else25:30 The Role of Founder Stories, Frameworks, and Granular Value27:30 Tradeoffs: Building for Founders vs. Selling to Product Leaders29:00 Why Content Only Works if You’ve Lived the Story30:30 Should Her Co-founder Post Too? Why Timing Matters32:00 Advice to YC Founders: Just Start Posting (Even If It Sucks)34:20 How to Build Your Own System36:15 The “PS Buy Our Product” Era (Why It Worked & Why They Paused It)Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#founderledmarketing #b2bmarketing #linkedin #saas #founderbranding #executivebranding #pr
Sylvia LePoidevin is the CMO at Kandji, where she helped grow the Apple device management company from employee #4 to 300+, scaling from the zero-to-one phase to a mid eight figure business valued at $850M.In this episode, Sylvia breaks down what it really takes to market to technical buyers, why her team now invests in the 95% of prospects who aren’t yet in-market, and how she’s scaling brand, community, and content without losing the human touch.We talk podcast flywheels, internal marketing, enabling sales reps on LinkedIn, and building a culture of experimentation even at scale.Topics we cover in this episode:- Sylvia’s journey from employee #4 to CMO at an $850M company- Why Kandji bets on the 95% of buyers who aren’t yet in market- How to earn trust with technical buyers (and why community matters)- Their content system: podcast → blog → video → flywheel- Launching The Sequence as a separate media brand (and why it works)- Empowering internal voices: from sales reps to podcast hosts- Social selling: how Kandji is doing it- Measuring brand without relying on attribution dashboards- Marketing’s new job: internal clarity and executive storytelling- How Sylvia helps her team become future CMOsConnect with Sylvia: - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvialepoidevin/- Kandji: https://www.kandji.io/Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 From employee #4 to CMO at an $850M company01:50 The biggest lesson: Don’t wait to build brand04:00 Who Kandji sells to and how they market to them06:10 Why community works with technical audiences08:30 How they balance messaging across the buying committee10:15 Measuring brand when attribution falls short12:00 Using podcast content to power the flywheel14:30 Launching The Sequence as a standalone media brand17:10 Why “people posts” outperform company posts on LinkedIn19:40 Building a studio and enabling internal creators21:20 LinkedIn for recruiting, not just lead gen23:10 Social selling for sales reps: early wins25:45 The zero-to-one content that blew up for Sylvia28:00 How content shaped her leadership30:50 Leading a large team: what matters now33:15 Internal marketing and storytelling for executives35:00 Shark Tank pitch day + being bold in brand37:00 Giving your team space to experiment in the AI era#founderledmarketing #b2bmarketing #linkedin #saas #founderbranding #executivebranding #pr
Adam Frankl was the first VP Marketing at JFrog, Neo4j, and Sourcegraph, all three dev-first unicorns.He’s helped dozens of early-stage DevTool startups go from “cool idea” to credible company. And now he’s written the book on it.In this episode, Adam breaks down the biggest mistakes technical founders make when they try to grow. He shares the exact process he’s used to validate real problems, build developer trust, and create go-to-market clarity, before spending a single dollar on ads or content.This is the DevTool marketing blueprint.Topics we cover in this episode:- Why the best DevTools start with a real problem, not a cool idea- How to recruit a “Technical Advisory Board” to guide your strategy- The 3 best questions to ask in early-stage user interviews- Why GitHub stars ≠ validation- What your first dev-focused marketer should actually do- How to earn developer trust without hype or paid media- The difference between a founder brand and a founder POV- How to become the go-to expert in your space, even if nobody knows you yetPerfect for:- DevTool founders figuring out go-to-market- Early-stage marketers building developer credibility- Technical leaders turning product into motionConnect with Adam:- Adam’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfrankl/ - Adam’s book - The Developer Facing Startup: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Developer-Facing-Startup-market-developer-facing/dp/B0D4KGHQML Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 The real DevTool go-to-market playbook02:10 Why the best companies solve old problems, not invent new ones04:25 How to validate with 50+ real conversations (not downloads)06:45 What most founders get wrong about early traction08:20 GitHub stars ≠ signal10:00 The “Technical Advisory Board” strategy explained13:00 How to ask better questions in early interviews15:10 Why cold outreach work if you lead with value17:45 The biggest red flags in early-stage feedback20:30 Turning developer insight into content that actually works22:50 What your first marketing hire should focus on (it’s not leads)26:00 Founder POV vs. Founder Brand28:30 Why developers follow people—not companies30:15 Adam’s content hierarchy: 1. research, 2. insight, 3. distribution33:00 The social proof flywheel and when to start turning it35:45 Picking the right distribution channel for your audience37:20 Why forced content formats always fail40:00 Do you need a new category or just a better story?42:10 Final advice: what early DevTool teams should obsess overPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Meghan Barr helped build one of the most powerful CEO brands on LinkedIn. As VP of Brand, Content & Comms at ZoomInfo, she’s spent the last 5 years helping turn Henry Schuck (CEO of ZoomInfo, $1.2B ARR) into a storytelling machine, without losing authenticity.In this episode, we go behind the scenes of that process:- How Meghan transitioned from journalism to tech- The content pillars behind ZoomInfo’s CEO brand- How their “in your corner” videos are made- What happened when they took out apology billboards- Why Henry’s posts outperform ZoomInfo’s 240K-follower brand page- How she’s scaling the strategy to other executives (and what she looks for)- The playbook for brand leaders, comms teams, and CEOs who actually want their voice to cut through.- Topics we cover in this episode:- Going from Boston Globe journalist to ZoomInfo’s VP of Brand- The origin story of ZoomInfo’s LinkedIn strategy- Why they prioritize LinkedIn over blogs and press releases- How to turn a CEO’s voice into a repeatable content system- Managing risk, pushback, and post-performance conversationsThe “personal + product” content blend that works bestPerfect for:- Comms leaders building their CEO's Brand- Founders building their LinkedIn voice- Brand and content teams scaling thought leadership contentConnect with Meghan:- Meghan’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-barr-3211865/- ZoomInfo: https://www.zoominfo.com/LinkedInConnect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Meghan’s journey from newsroom to ZoomInfo02:00 Why Henry Schuck hired a journalist, not a marketer04:00 Making the jump during COVID and overcoming imposter syndrome06:30 How newsroom skills transfer to startup brand leadership08:20 Building trust with a high-expectation founder CEO10:15 When LinkedIn replaced blogs (and why)12:00 Henry’s viral obituary post: how it came together14:30 The sausage-making behind every post16:10 Content goals: Product, People, and Personal18:00 Metrics: From 100K+ impressions to today’s new benchmarks20:45 Dealing with performance pressure and pushback23:00 Risk-taking: The billboard apology stunt that paid off26:15 Turning ZoomInfo’s sentiment from negative to positive28:30 Why LinkedIn is also internal comms now30:00 Activating the rest of the executive team32:00 Why safe content doesn’t work anymore34:00 Aligning CEO messaging with company brand strategy36:00 How Henry’s scrappy product demos are made38:30 Why founder-led video works at scale40:15 The no “leaders of leaders” mindset inside ZoomInfo42:00 KPIs for executive content (followers, media, reach)44:15 The new role of PR in an AI-dominated world46:00 Why thought leader ads are a missed opportunity49:00 Inspiration from John Gray, Daniel Ek, and McDonald’s CEO51:00 What’s next: Vertical earnings videos and employee advocacy53:00 How much time Henry actually spends on content55:00 Final thoughts: Building trust and a strong internal rhythm#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Alec Paul is the CEO and Founder of SalesBrand, and behind some of the most successful CEO brands on LinkedIn.He’s helped founders like Adam Robinson (Retention.com), Gal Aga (Aligned), and Sam Jacobs (Pavilion) generate millions of views, without sounding like everyone else.In this episode, Alec shares his full playbook for building a breakout founder brand: from narrative structure and viral storytelling to POV development, content systems, and how to win on LinkedIn in 2025.If you want to build your founder's brand presence on LinkedIn this is required.Topics we cover in this episode:- What makes a founder’s POV stand out- How to build trust without “sounding like LinkedIn”- The frameworks Alec uses to structure posts that perform- Why most ghostwriting sounds like AI (and how to fix it)- The 3 post types every CEO brand needs- How to balance virality with long-term positioning- Why story + structure are more important than hooks + hacks- What Gal Aga, Adam Robinson, and Sam Jacobs are doing differently- Why most CEOs fail to commit to content (and how to change that)- The truth about engagement drops and why LinkedIn still worksPerfect for:- Heads of Brand and Coms trying to grow their CEO's brand- Ghostwriters building POV-led content systems- Content marketers helping executives show up authentically- Anyone who wants to scale founder-led marketing the right wayConnect with Alec:- Alec’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecjpaul/- SalesBrand: https://forms.gle/2SgtaT31pHDgccDM8Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters:00:00 Alec’s background and the rise of Arch Public02:00 What makes a CEO brand break out on LinkedIn04:45 The difference between viral content and thought leadership06:30 Why Gal Aga’s content strategy works08:30 Narrative design vs. “just write a hook”11:10 Storytelling frameworks that actually perform14:20 Why “pillar content” isn’t enough to scale a brand17:15 The problem with AI-generated posts19:40 How Alec thinks about trust, tone, and differentiation22:30 When founders should outsource (and when they shouldn’t)25:20 Helping execs find their voice without sounding forced28:10 The 3 formats that every executive brand needs30:45 What LinkedIn is rewarding right now34:00 What most ghostwriters miss about long-term POV36:30 Building content systems vs. chasing engagement38:15 Why LinkedIn reach is down but still worth it40:10 The power of comment DMs and mid-funnel plays42:00 Measuring success beyond vanity metrics44:15 Final advice for founders and ghostwriters in 2025#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Philippe Léhoux is the co-founder of Missive, a collaborative email app bootstrapped to $7.5M ARR with no sales team, no paid marketing, and no funding.It took six years to reach $1M ARR. Today, Missive is used by thousands of teams, and still run by just 15 people.In this episode, Philippe breaks down the journey behind one of SaaS’s quietest success stories.He shares how he ran two companies in parallel, got rejected by YC three times, and why building slow (and staying small) was the right call.Topics we cover in this episode:- Running two startups at once (and why it worked for years)- Why Missive was never a “rocketship”—and why that was okay- The moment they stopped chasing growth hacks- Reaching $1M ARR after 6 years (and $7.5M today with 15 people)- How COVID wiped out their first business overnight- Building the AI features users actually need- The emotional cost of founder life and how he managed it- Why staying small is a competitive advantage- How Missive turned email into a multiplayer productPerfect for:- SaaS founders building without outside funding- Founders trying to avoid the “VC treadmill”Connect with Philippe:Philippe’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/plehoux/Missive: https://missiveapp.com/Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Why Philippe prefers calm SaaS growth01:40 Rejected by YC (3 times)03:20 Building ConferenceBadge and Missive in parallel05:45 What happened when COVID hit07:10 Why they built Missive with no product-market fit09:30 Growing to $1M ARR in six years11:15 Staying small on purpose13:20 The mental toll of long-term building15:50 Hiring lessons from a 15-person team18:00 Where Missive is at today ($7.5M ARR)19:45 Why he creates content after 10 years of silence21:00 Launching with the help of Jason Fried23:10 Why email is still the ultimate workspace26:30 Their approach to AI (and what they won’t build)28:10 Final advice for calm SaaS builders#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Tushar Makhija is the co-founder and CEO of TeamOhana, a workforce intelligence platform that unifies finance, HR, and talent data, so growing companies can plan and manage headcount in real-time.In this episode, Tushar shares how TeamOhana is breaking into enterprise deals while still winning $15K mid-market accounts, and why he believes spreadsheets are the silent killer of scale.Topics we cover in this episode:- Why $15K is the minimum price even for tiny teams- What most SaaS founders get wrong about Workday- From 150 to 15,000 employees: scaling up-market without losing speed- The strategic manifesto Tushar wrote before writing code- Why spreadsheet workflows kill growth (and how to replace them)- How to build multi-product from day one without losing focus- Case study: landing Scale AI with a 30-day exit clause- Why you should produce your own founder podcast (and send it to every hire)- The LinkedIn + long-form strategy driving brand and pipeline- How TeamOhana frames “collaborative workforce intelligence” to win dealsConnect with Tushar:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tusharmakhija/TeamOhana: https://teamohana.comConnect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Don’t forget to subscribe for more founder-led marketing playbooks from high-growth SaaS leaders.Chapters00:00 Why TeamOhana starts every deal at $15K02:01 The hiring spreadsheet every company hates05:10 Why selling to both Finance and HR was non-negotiable08:30 Breaking into enterprise: from mid-market to 15K+ employees10:40 How Tushar priced for scale (and resisted the $1K/month trap)14:20 Building a multi-product platform with a narrow start18:30 Turning spreadsheets into cloud-native workflows22:00 The playbook for converting $15K logos into $100K ACVs24:10 How Scale AI became a customer with a 45-day escape clause28:30 Competing with Workday: why they’re a filing cabinet, not a system of action32:50 Why hiring managers must live inside your product35:00 GTM channels: website, LinkedIn, outbound—and one long-form bet38:00 The 2-hour podcast Tushar made himself (and why he did it)41:00 Every new hire watches the founder video—here’s why42:45 Final advice: pick 2–3 channels and go deep#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Kevin Dorsey (KD) is one of the most respected voices in modern sales leadership, with 137K+ followers on LinkedIn and a track record that includes leading sales at PatientPop, Bench, and now as CRO at finally.In this episode, KD shares the real reason he started posting on LinkedIn (spoiler: not to sell), how he built a magnetic hiring brand without selling to sellers, and why most founders are sitting on gold, but never reach out.If you’ve ever wondered how to write consistently, attract the right hires, or build a sales motion in SMB this one’s a masterclass.Topics we cover in this episode:- Why KD started posting on LinkedIn (and why it still works today)- How his content attracted the right hires—without recruiters- Why he never chased virality or trends (no carousels, no hooks)- The difference between leading vs. consulting—and why he came back- How to use DMs to build pipeline with 20 messages a day and zero automation- Why you should never automate what you haven’t nailed manually- The biggest mindset shifts most founders need to sell effectively- Why consistency, not creativity, drives long-term results- Building a sales motion in SMB: volume, relevance, and fast learning- Real AI workflows he’s already running as CRO, and what’s nextPerfect for:- Founders posting on LinkedIn but not seeing traction- Sales leaders scaling from 5 to 50 reps (or hiring their first few)- Solo consultants, advisors, and creators wondering what’s next- Anyone tired of “growth hacks” and looking for what actually worksConnect with KDLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kddorsey3/finally: https://finally.com/Sales Leadership Accelerator: https://salesleadershipaccelerator.com/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters:00:00 Intro & Career Highlights01:00 Why KD Really Started Posting on LinkedIn03:00 Recruiting with Content (No Sales Needed)05:30 How Posting Has Changed (and What Still Works)07:20 Why He Stuck With Text-Only Posts09:00 Going Solo: More Money, Less Fun11:15 Why He Returned to Sales Leadership14:30 His Niche: Scaling from 5 to 50 Reps16:10 The 5D Leadership Framework18:00 Writing for Agreement (Not Just Education)20:00 Why Founder Content Should Amplify ICP Voices22:40 KD’s Daily Writing System25:30 How to Pick the Right Post to Write27:00 Why You Should DM Every Liker29:00 Outreach Tactics Most Founders Miss31:45 Why You Must Master Manual Before Automating34:00 The Secret Power of Founder-to-Founder DMs36:30 The Mental Shift from Inbound to Outbound38:00 Scaling Sales in SMB: What Actually Works41:00 Why ACV Isn’t the Problem—Pipeline Volume Is43:00 Where AI Is Already Working in Sales46:00 The Leadership Gap in AI Adoption48:00 What KD Wishes He Knew 15 Years AgoPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Irina Novoselsky is the CEO of Hootsuite, where she’s proving that social content is a revenue driver.Since stepping in as CEO, Irina has built one of the most effective LinkedIn presences in tech leadership. Her content drives 11.6M impressions per quarter, helps influence 40% of Hootsuite’s pipeline, and breaks every “best practice” that doesn’t serve the brand or the customer.In this episode, Irina breaks down her exact playbook for building a high-performing LinkedIn strategy, how she balances authenticity with outcomes, and why every CEO should treat social as a customer channel. We also get into her journey from Wall Street to tech, the lessons she’s learned as a first-time CEO, and how Hootsuite is turning employee advocacy into real growth.Topics we cover in this episode:-Irina’s framework for content that’s personal and performs- How her posts drive 40% of Hootsuite’s pipeline- Why she avoids praise posts and what she does instead- Building 3 content pillars every CEO should have- Why video became her unfair advantage on LinkedIn- Social selling vs. brand vs. pipeline—and how she thinks about ROI- The real reason most execs don’t post (and how to fix it)- What leadership actually looks like at the topPerfect for:- Founders looking to turn LinkedIn into a revenue engine- CEOs trying to balance thought leadership with real impact- Marketing leaders trying to get executive buy-in for contentConnect with Irina:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-novoselsky/- Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders in B2B SaaS and marketing!Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters00:00 Irina’s Journey from Finance to Tech03:10 The Moment She Started Posting on LinkedIn05:45 The PET Framework for High-Impact Posts08:00 Why She Writes Her Own Content (and Always Will)10:30 Commenting at Scale: Building Relationships in the Feed13:00 The Myth of CEO Content Being “Optional”16:20 Her 3 Content Pillars and Why They Work19:15 The Real ROI of Posting: 40% Pipeline Influence22:45 How Hootsuite Scales Employee Advocacy25:50 Building a Feedback Loop Between Social and Product28:15 Why Video Became Her Superpower on LinkedIn31:10 Executing Content with Limited Time (The CEO Reality)34:00 Balancing Authenticity, Leadership, and Audience Value37:30 Advice for Founders Scared to Show Up Online40:00 Creating a Company People Want to Follow#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbrandingDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders in B2B SaaS and marketing!Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/
Chris Evans is the co-founder of incident.io, an incident management platform built for modern reliability teams. He started the company in 2021 with two former Monzo engineers, and they’ve raised $62M, passed $10M+ ARR, and landed customers like Linear, Vercel, and Intercom.In this episode, Chris breaks down how they built trust with technical buyers, why the co-founders chose to stay sales-led (even with developer customers), and what’s really working in their GTM motion today. He also shares the role founder content played in landing their first customers, how the team picks between SF and London, and what’s next as they scale toward enterprise.Topics we cover in this episode:- How incident.io validated their first product by building in-house at Monzo- The early traction playbook: landing logos without a sales process or billing setup- Why the team stayed in London—until Series B pulled them to San Francisco- Selling to engineers vs. executives: how they handle messaging across personas- Building a solutions engineering team instead of a self-serve motion- Why they ditched spray-and-pray for signal-based outbound- Their ACV ranges and why they haven’t hit a $1M deal (yet)- Founder-led content: how early Twitter and now LinkedIn shaped pipelinePerfect for:- DevTool and SaaS founders targeting both ICs and execs- Founders navigating early-stage traction without a formal sales team- GTM leaders balancing sales-led and product-led growth- Engineers building “tools that should exist” and want to productize itConnect with Chris:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evnsio- incident.io: https://incident.io/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders in B2B SaaS and marketing!Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters00:00 From Monzo Bank to Co-Founding incident.io01:20 Culture Shock: Scaling from London to San Francisco04:15 Why They Delayed Building a US Office06:17 How the Founders Chose Their Roles08:43 Chris on Titles, Solutions Engineering & Field CTO10:56 Building the MVP Inside Monzo (and Burning It Down Later)12:44 The First Inbound Deals—Powered by Twitter, Not LinkedIn14:21 Selling Without a Product, Billing, or Order Forms16:18 Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Sales in Developer Tools18:12 How They Balance Messaging Across Personas20:20 Why They Prioritize the Buyer, Not the Exec21:26 From 100% Inbound to Targeted Outbound23:41 Using Signal-Based Outreach to Win High-Intent Accounts25:08 ACVs, Self-Serve, and Moving Upmarket27:08 How Etsy Pushed Them to Build an Enterprise-Ready Product29:02 Advice on When to Go After Big Deals31:17 “Be Loud on the Internet” – Founder-Led Brand at incident.io33:14 Why LinkedIn Still Works for Technical Audiences35:14 Founders Chris Looks Up To & His Own LinkedIn Strategy#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Peter Caputa is the CEO of Databox, a $10M+ ARR analytics platform that helps businesses centralize their data and make better decisions.Before joining Databox, Peter was one of the early sales leaders at HubSpotwhere he helped pioneer the agency partner program that fueled the company’s breakout growth.In this episode, Peter shares his full playbook for using LinkedIn as a CEO, why most founders still underrate brand and feedback loops, and how he spends 2–3 hours a day on content that drives real business outcomes.We also get into positioning, pricing, and why staying visible yourself is one of the most underused advantages in SaaS.Topics we cover in this episode:- Peter’s system for LinkedIn: writing, feedback, and scheduling- How CEO content helped Databox navigate SEO decline- The real ROI of posting daily (and how to measure it)- Why most attribution models undervalue social- How Databox used primary research to shape their GTM- The mindset shift most founders need to publish consistently- When calling BS publicly is worth it (and how to do it right)- Positioning strategy: how Peter narrowed ICP & launched new pricing- The HubSpot lessons he’s applying at Databox- Why RevOps agencies are replacing traditional B2B marketing firmsPerfect for:- Founders wondering if CEO-led content is worth the time- SaaS execs rethinking SEO, attribution, and content strategy- Marketing and RevOps leaders selling to mid-market companiesConnect with Peter:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pc4media/- Databox: https://databox.com/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters00:00 Peter’s Background: HubSpot → CEO at Databox02:05 Why Every B2B CEO Should Post on LinkedIn04:00 The Hidden Leverage of CEO Content06:15 Attribution Is Broken—but It Still Works08:40 Measuring Word-of-Mouth and Dark Social10:30 Why Search Declined & LinkedIn Rose12:55 ROI: How Peter Tracks Impact with 3 Metrics15:00 The “Two Hour a Day” LinkedIn System17:15 Primary Research, Customer Quotes & Content Flywheels20:45 AI, GPT, and Building an Internal Content Engine23:10 Product Marketing Content → LinkedIn Posts25:10 Should You Break the LinkedIn Rules?26:45 When (and How) to Call BS Publicly29:00 The Power of Differentiated Positioning31:00 Building a Strategy Map for GTM33:15 Serving Mid-Market Customers with Pricing & Product36:45 Strategy at $10M ARR vs. Early-Stage SaaS39:40 Why CEO Content Scales Better than You Think41:15 Why It’s Hard to Scale LinkedIn Internally43:10 Incentives That Actually Work for Employees44:30 Building a Reseller Engine for Content & Growth46:00 What Kind of Content Still Performs Best?48:00 What Peter Obsesses Over (It’s Not the Algorithm)50:10 Favorite Writing Lessons, Hooks, and Storycraft51:30 The #1 Priority if You Only Have 30 Minutes a Day53:00 Can a Founder-Led Content Agency Actually Help?#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Taylor Haren is the founder of Sales Automation Systems, running high-volume outbound campaigns for companies like RB2B, Fixer AI, and Directive, sending up to 8.5 million emails per month.In this episode, Taylor breaks down what actually works in cold outreach in 2025, why most people fail with it, and how to build systems that generate PLG signups, meetings, and revenue at scale.We will talk about:- Why cold email isn’t dead—but traditional tactics are- The “Navy SEALs vs. Carpet Bombing” framework for outbound- How to get a 3X reply rate by changing one line of copy- Offers that convert: what makes a good one, and how to test it- How Taylor built a system to analyze 250+ messaging variants- Tech stack recommendations for deliverability in 2025- The real reason most campaigns fail (it’s not the copy)Perfect for:- Founders wondering if outbound still works (it does)- Growth leaders building PLG or hybrid sales models- Anyone testing cold email and struggling with resultsDon’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for more unfiltered conversations with SaaS founders and operators building differently.Connect with Taylor:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorharen/- Sales Automation Systems: https://www.salesautomation.systems/- Episode with Garrett, CEO of Directive: https://youtu.be/_ln2Tw_GFWc?si=Yw2RpVdpYLZgMjWxConnect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Intro: What Taylor’s Building02:00 Cold Email in 2025: What Still Works05:12 The “Carpet Bomb” Playbook (PLG at Scale)07:40 Why the Old Multi-Touch Sequences Are Dead09:30 How Offers Shape Everything in Cold Email12:40 Blending High-Volume and Targeted Sales15:45 Garrett from Directive’s Copy Beat the AI 18:30 When Cold Email Can Replace Ads (and Why)21:10 Why One Email Every 60 Days Is the Sweet Spot23:40 Copy That Converts: Taylor’s Full Framework27:15 Subject Lines, Hooks, and Real Personalization30:20 AI vs Human-Written Cold Emails32:00 How to A/B Test Messaging the Right Way36:00 $100M Offers and Irresistible Cold Hooks39:10 Cold Email as a GTM Testing Tool41:00 The Rule of 1,000: Why You’re Not Sending EnoughPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Peter Walker is the Senior Director of Insights at Carta, the leading cap table platform with over 45,000 customers and one of the most followed B2B voices on LinkedIn. In this episode, Peter breaks down how he built Carta’s insights function from scratch and how it's become one of the most effective brand-building machines in SaaS. He shares how data storytelling fuels their content engine, what makes a great graphic, and why every B2B company should have a voice in the public conversation.Topics we cover in this episode:- How Carta turned data into a brand moat- The 3 core skills behind a great insights team- Peter’s system for publishing daily, high-impact LinkedIn content- What makes a great data visualization (and what doesn’t)- How to test and scale content ideas through comments and reposts- The CTA and chart format that drives thousands of subscribers- Carta’s long-term approach to insights: not leads, just value- Why most B2B brands should stop gating data and start storytelling- Peter’s LinkedIn growth from 2K → 137K and the flywheel behind itPerfect for:- B2B marketers building thought leadership around data- SaaS founders exploring brand-led growth- Operators looking to create LinkedIn-native content systems- Anyone wondering how to turn usage data into viral insightsConnect with Peter:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjameswalker/- Carta: https://carta.com/- Data Desk Newsletter: https://carta.com/data/- How to create engaging data graphics: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/peterjameswalker_the-5-step-guide-to-building-data-graphics-activity-7341517849120731136-aTKA/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters:00:00 Building the Insights Function at Carta02:10 How Carta Uses Data to Fuel Daily Content05:00 Carta’s Distribution Flywheel: LinkedIn → Email → Events08:45 Who Should Build an Insights Function12:30 What Makes Data “Interesting” Enough to Publish14:40 Usage Data vs. Market Data (and What You Can Do With It)17:10 Privacy, Contracts, and How to Handle Sensitive Data19:30 Measuring Success: The 6-Month Rule21:00 Who Should Be the Public Face of Insights?22:40 The Rise of Embedded Creators in B2B24:50 The Equity Insight That Blew Peter’s Mind27:00 LinkedIn Growth: 2K to 137K and the Tipping Point30:10 Text + Image vs. Video: What Works on LinkedIn33:00 How to Use Comments to Supercharge Distribution35:40 The Right Way to Follow Up with Creators36:40 The Three Kinds of Data Stories That Work38:45 Newsjacking, Press Coverage, and Ecosystem Relevance42:50 Visual Design: What Makes a Chart Work46:10 The Tableau → Figma Workflow Explained49:20 Use One Chart for One Story—Then Scale It52:00 The Importance of Staying Curious (and Consistent)54:00 Peter’s Final Advice for SaaS Brands and CreatorsPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
James Hawkins is the co-founder & co-CEO of PostHog, a dev-first product suite built to help teams build better software, faster. Since launching in 2020, PostHog has grown to 100+ people, 14 products, and a plan to hit $100M ARR by 2026, all while staying lean, shipping fast, and having fun.In this episode, James breaks down how they got early traction, why building for developers demands a different growth mindset, and what it actually takes to scale multi-product SaaS in public. Topics we cover in this episode:- Why PostHog focused on shipping speed instead of sales- The real story behind PostHog’s $100M ARR target- Building multiple products at once with 2-person teams- The value of shitposting (and why it still works)- How James thinks about brand, attention, and developer trust- Why they replaced product managers with empowered engineers- PostHog’s approach to retention, performance reviews & team design- Growing through word of mouth vs. optimizing for ROI- Lessons from building and monetizing open source software- James’ advice on fundraising, agency hiring, and long-term thinkingPerfect for:- DevTool founders scaling without a salesteam- B2B SaaS teams building multi-product platforms- Founders looking to build a brand, culture, and a presence on LinkedInDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders reshaping B2B SaaS and marketing!Connect with James:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-hawkins/- PostHog: https://posthog.com/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Intro & PostHog’s Mission01:35 Setting a $100M ARR Goal (When They Had $0)04:20 Long-Term Thinking & Taking Big Swings06:05 Why Having Fun Is Strategic07:12 Shitposting for Brand and Attention10:00 The Day They Hit Product-Market Fit13:40 Early-Stage Lessons: Why Velocity is more improtant than Validation16:00 Pricing Strategy for Open Source Tools18:30 Competing in Existing Categories (and Why)21:15 Why Product Engineers Don’t Have Deadlines24:00 No Roadmaps, No Meetings, No Bureaucracy26:30 Hiring for Ownership and Accountability28:15 How They Evaluate Performance Without Goals30:00 Product Engineer Hiring Criteria & Red Flags32:15 Talking to Users (Without Forcing It)34:40 Developer Marketing That Actually Works37:00 Four Reasons People Choose PostHog39:05 Brand, Word of Mouth, and Developer Taste41:10 Being the News vs. Chasing It43:00 When They Shipped the Wrong Product45:30 Building a Data Warehouse to Compete with Snowflake47:05 Why Hard Products Drive Retention49:00 Letting Engineers Decide What to Fix51:00 How AI Is Used Inside PostHog53:15 Fundraising Advice for DevTool Founders55:20 Final Thoughts & ClosingPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Santosh Sharan is the founder of ZeerAI, who helped scale companies like Apollo, ZoomInfo, and RB2B. ZeerAI is building AI agents that act like your best sales rep, engaging with buyers, answering questions, and moving deals forward without needing a human.In this episode, Santosh explains why most sales and marketing channels are failing, how LinkedIn became his #1 source of demand, and how AI agents will transform how we buy and sell software.He also walks through the exact playbook he used to go from 5K to 44K followers, run 200+ meetings, and build product-market fit, before shipping a product.Topics we cover in this episode:- The system behind 200+ meetings booked through content- Why most B2B GTM motions are broken (and how to rebuild them)- How Santosh grew from 5K to 44K LinkedIn followers in one year- What “buyer agents” are and why they’re the next GTM role- How he used content to test pricing, positioning, and demand- What it takes to get 50+ qualified calls from a single post- Why repeatable conversations are better than repeatable automations- The future of pricing, value-based offers, and go-to-market opsDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders reshaping B2B SaaS and marketing!Connect with Santosh:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssharan/- ZeerAI: https://zeer.ai/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/Chapters00:00 Santosh’s Background: From ZoomInfo, Apollo to ZeerAI02:15 Why Most GTM Motions Don’t Work Anymore05:00 What Happens When Everyone Copies the Same Tactics07:45 The LinkedIn Strategy That Replaced Outbound10:10 The System Behind 200+ Meetings Booked Through Content13:30 From 5K to 44K Followers in 12 Months15:50 How Content Became the Primary Validation Engine18:40 What to Post (And Why It’s Not About You)21:15 The Real Power of CTA Posts (And What Kills Them)24:10 Why repeatable conversations are better than repeatable automations27:30 How to Get Buyers to Come to You, without a Demo Funnel29:50 Why Buyer Agents Will Replace SDRs (And What That Means)32:00 The Death of Seat-Based Pricing34:45 How to Build a Category Without Spending $500K36:30 Building a Community Before Product39:00 The Office Hours Strategy That Drives Pipeline41:45 Advice for Founders Starting From Zero#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Gal Aga is the co-founder and CEO of Aligned, a deal room platform used by teams at HubSpot, Salesforce, Intel, and more. In the last year, Gal went from a few thousand followers to 74,000+, gets up to 1M impressions per week, and attributes 65% of Aligned’s leads directly to LinkedIn.In this episode, Gal breaks down exactly how he writes high-performing posts, the system behind his three-post-per-week cadence, and how content became the foundation for hiring, expansion, and product-market fit.Topics we cover in this episode:- The system behind Gal’s 3M/month LinkedIn reach- How 65% of Aligned’s leads come from content- Writing posts that drive 400+ leads without ads- Gal’s exact weekly routine and how long each post takes- Building your narrative by testing in public- The difference between being a thought leader vs. having a strong POV- Why engagement hooks and polished writing still matter- Using LinkedIn to improve hiring, expansion, and even fundraisingDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders reshaping B2B SaaS and marketing!Connect with Gal:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galaga/- Aligned: https://alignedup.com/Connect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Gal’s Background & Aligned’s LinkedIn Strategy01:20 From 0 to 74K Followers in 12 Months03:15 How 65% of Leads Come from LinkedIn05:40 The Business Case: Why Brand is Bigger than Channel07:45 Content’s Hidden ROI: Hiring, Retention, Events, Funding10:05 Gal’s Weekly Writing Workflow (Sun–Fri Breakdown)13:20 Why Each Post Takes 2–3 Hours to Write15:05 The Role of Hooks, Tone, and Authenticity17:45 Comment Strategy, Engagement Cadence & Inbox Limits20:20 How He Prioritizes What to Write (100+ Hook Bank)24:30 The Anatomy of a Great Post: Hook, POV, Takeaway27:30 Why Bullet Points and Contrarian turns into Scroll Stopper30:10 What Makes Content Commentable (and Shareable)32:30 The CTA Playbook Gal Uses in His Posts35:00 Why Links Don’t Kill Reach (If the Post Is Good)37:20 Newsletter Plans, Repurposing, and What’s Next40:00 Gal’s Framework for Thought Leadership That Actually Performs42:30 Advice for Founders Who Want to Start But Feel Behind#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding
Jason Fried is the co-founder of 37signals the company behind Basecamp and HEY, and a pioneer of calm company building. In this episode, Jason explains why he doesn’t chase trends like AI, how 2-person teams launch new products inside 37signals, and what it really means to build with taste, not speed.Topics we cover in this episode:- Why Basecamp hasn’t added AI, and why that’s not a problem- How Jason avoids FOMO, even as trends explode- Why 37signals builds multiple products with just 60 people- What “product taste” really means—and how to hire for it- The future of craftsmanship in a world of AI- Jason’s unstructured workdays and creative flow- How he’d build if he started from scratch in 2025- Why content ≠ content, and how writing built 37signals’ brand- When to ship vs. when to keep buildingDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insights from industry leaders reshaping B2B SaaS and marketing!Connect with Jason:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-fried/- Basecamp: https://basecamp.com/- Hey: https://www.hey.com/- Books: https://basecamp.com/books- REWORK Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwo5Hcps5IkBBAv1-_HPOMvC4Rn1p8lsQ&si=7tq91JJ-GS4pgY1vConnect with me:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/ - Website: https://www.project33.io/ - Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH Chapters00:00 Why Basecamp hasn’t added AI, and how Jason thinks about it03:20 Avoiding FOMO and chasing trends05:50 What Jason would do if he had to start from scratch08:00 Making multiple products with just 60 people10:18 How 2-person teams launch new tools at 37signals12:00 The story of a product they killed—and why14:30 Does SaaS still have room for new ideas?16:15 The real opportunity: simpler software18:30 Why trades might be the most future-proof jobs20:05 The future of craftsmanship in an AI world22:10 Jason’s spontaneous workdays and unstructured flow24:45 What makes a good day at work26:15 When to ship vs. when to keep building30:00 How to make decisions without chasing competitors33:00 Why Jason hates the term “content”34:45 Writing, trust, and brand building the 37signals way37:00 Redesigning products without alienating your users39:30 Jason’s philosophy on culture: it emerges, not planned43:00 Taste, talent, and how 37signals hires designers49:00 What taste really means—and how to spot it51:30 Jason’s favorite products: from V-Drums to a 1978 Porsche54:00 Why legacy doesn’t matter (and ego does)56:30 What Jason would prioritize if building a village63:00 New book teaser: Make It Up As You GoPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/Website: https://www.project33.io/#linkedin #founderledmarketing #linkedinads #linkedinagency #founderbranding #saas #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #demandgen #content #b2b #revenue #contentmarketing #performancemarketing #videomarketing #personalbranding