The LeanScale Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Guy Rubin, founder and CEO of Ebsta, to talk about how AI and data are reshaping the world of B2B sales and revenue operations.Guy breaks down how relationship data, CRM automation, and predictive analytics can help sales teams build stronger pipelines, improve forecasting, and close deals faster. We also discuss the biggest mistakes sales orgs make when managing data — and how to fix them.💡 What you’ll learn:How AI and CRM data are redefining RevOpsThe biggest bottlenecks in pipeline managementPractical steps to make data actionable for your sales teamHow to build a relationship-first sales motion that scales

In this episode of The LeanScale Podcast, we sit down with Kevin White, a marketing leader who’s helped shape the future of B2B tech at companies like Segment, Retool, and Common Room, and now leads marketing at Scrunch AI — an AI-first customer journey platform.Kevin breaks down one of the most important (and overlooked) shifts in modern marketing:🌐 Your website is no longer built just for humans.AI bots are crawling, interpreting, and relaying your site’s information to real buyers — and that “bot traffic” could become 50–90% of your visitors in the coming years.We discuss:How to make your website AI-friendly (and why it matters now)The difference between bot traffic and AI user intentWhy traditional SEO is dead, and “AEO” (AI Engine Optimization) is nextHow Scrunch AI helps marketers monitor and optimize for AI retrievalsKevin’s career journey from startup operator to AI marketing pioneerIf you’re a marketer, founder, or growth leader, this episode is a must-watch.👉 Connect with Kevin White on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevbosaurus/👉 Learn more about Scrunch AI - https://scrunch.com/👉 Subscribe for more conversations with the innovators shaping the future of marketing.#Marketing #AI #SEO #AEO #B2B #ScrunchAI #KevinWhite #DigitalMarketing #Podcast

Planning season doesn’t have to be chaos.In this Vasco x LeanScale Webinar, Anthony Enrico (CEO of LeanScale) and Guillaume Jacquet(Vasco) share a framework for building a growth plan your board will actually buy — one that aligns RevOps, Finance, and Leadership around the same goals.They unpack:📈 How to reverse-engineer your ARR targets with a realistic growth model💡 Why sales cycles, ramp times, and pipeline coverage make or break your plan💰 How to calculate true unit economics that investors care about📊 The secret to winning board trust with data (and avoiding the February “reforecast hell”)⚙️ How to turn planning into a living, continuous process — not a one-time spreadsheetWhether you’re a founder, RevOps leader, or CFO, this session will help you turn growth planning from a painful ritual into a scalable operating system.👉 Download the free Growth Model Template👉 Learn more at vasco.com and leanscale.team👉 Subscribe for more sessions on data-driven growth and revenue operations#RevOps #B2B #RevenueOperations #SaaS #StartupGrowth #Vasco #LeanScale #BusinessStrategy #Webinar

In this episode of The LeanScale Podcast, we sit down with Jack Jackson — award-winning executive strategist, startup advisor, and author of The Reaction to Inaction.Jack shares 18 years of hard-earned lessons from scaling companies, leading Fortune 500 teams, and studying what really drives performance. Together we unpack:The hidden cost of hustle culture and performative productivityWhy most corporate “action plans” failHow to empower every employee — from CEO to intern — with his Action FrameworkWhy America’s innovation edge is slipping, and how we can reclaim itIf you’ve ever felt trapped in endless meetings or frustrated by red tape, this episode is for you.👉 Grab Jack’s book “The Reaction to Inaction”👉 Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders redefining business growth.#Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Startups #Podcast #Innovation #JackJackson #ReactionToInaction

In this episode of the LeanScale Podcast, we sit down with Khurram Kalimi — a tech leader with experience at Oracle, Microsoft, and now co-founder of DynCorp. Khurram shares his candid perspective on how AI is transforming sales and marketing — and why overreliance on automation may be holding teams back.We dive deep into:Why authenticity and empathy still drive real sales successThe hidden dangers of AI “shortcuts” in marketingHow to build lasting relationships and networks that open doorsThe importance of purpose, motivation, and mindset in entrepreneurshipPractical advice for founders and sales leaders navigating today’s noisy marketWhether you’re building a startup, scaling a sales team, or simply curious about the future of business in the AI era — this conversation will give you actionable insights and timeless wisdom.👉 Connect with Khurram Kalimi:   / khurramkalimi  👉 Learn more about LeanScale: www.leanscale.team

📢 Special Offer: Use discount code GWRLEANSCALE to get 33% off Flowlie ProAre you a founder preparing to raise capital? In this episode, we sit down with Vlad Cazacu, founder & CEO of Flowlie, a fundraising operations platform built to help startups find the right investors faster and save hundreds of hours in the process.Vlad shares his journey from Romania to Silicon Valley, his experience as a VC, and how those lessons inspired him to build Flowlie — a tool that gives founders the structure, data, and network insights to run a successful fundraising process.You’ll learn:✅ Why most fundraising success is 80% preparation, 20% execution✅ How Flowlie’s investor fit scoring & network analysis uncover the best intros✅ The #1 mistake most founders make when raising✅ How to save 100–300 hours on your next fundraise🔗 Learn more about Flowlie: https://www.flowlie.com/If you’re an early-stage founder looking to fundraise smarter, this conversation is packed with insights you don’t want to miss.

In this episode, we sit down with Zayd Ali, the founder and CEO of Valley, to explore his journey from building and exiting two successful LinkedIn outbound agencies to creating a powerful, AI-driven platform.Zayd's story is a masterclass in turning firsthand pain points into a market-disrupting product. He shares how his experience running agencies for everyone from financial advisors to emerging fund managers gave him a deep understanding of the inefficiencies of traditional prospecting.In this conversation, you'll discover:Zayd's founding story, from starting a serendipitous agency at 17 to a successful exit in 2023.How his past experience with the "old guard" of LinkedIn tools inspired him to build a unified, all-in-one AI solution.The five core functions of Valley that allow it to act as a 24/7 AI-powered clone of you, including sourcing high-intent leads and crafting personalized messages in your voice.A live demonstration of the Valley platform and how it's designed to bring significant impact to any team living on LinkedIn.If you're a founder, sales leader, or anyone looking to scale your LinkedIn prospecting, this is a must-watch to see the future of outbound in action.#Valley #AIinSales #SalesTech #LinkedInAutomation #OutboundSales #FounderStory #Startup #GoToMarket #B2B #AI #RevenueOperations #SalesStrategy

In a fast-paced SaaS world, how do you find and hold onto momentum?In this episode, we sit down with Theo Pavlich, Director of GTM Operations at Edera, to discuss their unconventional journey and powerful philosophy on what it takes to succeed and build a winning team.Theo shares their insights on why they prioritize curiosity and the desire to learn over traditional experience or a perfect resume. They believe that bringing in diverse perspectives is key to avoiding stagnation and unlocking a company's true potential.In this conversation, you'll learn:Why an "unconventional" background can be a massive advantage in RevOps and GTM roles.The surprising questions Theo asks to identify truly curious and adaptable candidates.How to build momentum in your career by embracing new tools and systems.The story of a cold email that landed Theo their dream job by pitching a CEO on a shared vision for culture and talent.If you're an operator, a hiring manager, or a professional looking to make your next big move, this episode is a masterclass in challenging the status quo and creating your own path.#GoToMarket #GTM #RevenueOperations #RevOps #SaaS #CareerGrowth #Hiring #StartupLife #Leadership #SaaS #Edera #CareerAdvice #TechJobs #Operators

Join us for a powerful conversation with Prakash, the founder of Subskribe, as he shares the inspiring story behind the company's creation. Before starting Subskribe, Prakash was a business technology leader at a cybersecurity firm that skyrocketed from less than a million to a billion dollars in just five years.He quickly realized the immense challenges of scaling a quote-to-cash process. They tried every product on the market, but nothing could keep up with their explosive growth while maintaining compliance and efficiency.In this episode, Prakash reveals:Why the quote-to-cash process is one of the most painful and complicated problems for scaling SaaS companies.How seeing this struggle from every angle—as a buyer, a product leader, and a builder—ignited his passion to create a better solution.The philosophy behind Subskribe and its mission to standardize a complex process for the entire industry.A live demo of the Subskribe platform, showing how they've built a product to solve the problems he experienced firsthand.If you're a founder, operator, or anyone in a SaaS company dealing with the complexities of billing and revenue operations, this is a must-watch.#Subskribe #SaaS #FinTech #QuoteToCash #CPQ #Billing #RevenueOperations #RevOps #StartupStory #Founder #TechStartup #GoToMarket #B2B

In this episode, we sit down with Justin St. Louis Wood, an operator's operator who has led new initiatives at companies like Novisto. Justin has a unique ability to cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters: building a strong foundation.Too often, operators get stuck in the weeds—tinkering with dashboards, chasing the latest AI trends, and never taking a step back. Justin reveals a powerful model for taking a company from zero to sprinting by focusing on foundational principles first.In this conversation, you'll learn:Why the best operators don't chase trends but rather build from first principles.The critical first steps to take when joining a new company, especially after a Series B round.How to partner with your CRO to revolutionize revenue intelligence and measure the right activities.Why understanding your sales team's daily reality—from leads to territory—is essential for building success.The importance of building systems that empower Account Executives and enable them to succeed.If you're an operator, founder, or leader looking to build a scalable and sustainable GTM strategy, this is a masterclass you won't want to miss.#GoToMarket #GTM #RevenueOperations #RevOps #SalesOps #StartupLife #SalesStrategy #Leadership #SaaS #Novisto #B2B #FirstPrinciples #Operations #Startups #SalesEnablement

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Amplemarket co-founder Micael Oliveira, who shares his unique journey from physicist to sales innovator. Micael and his team of fellow scientists discovered a fundamental flaw in the traditional sales process—it was fragmented, inefficient, and lacked a scientific approach.In this episode, Micael reveals:The moment he realized the sales tech stack was "fundamentally broken"Why he decided to build a consolidated platform that combines data, engagement, and machine learningThe challenge of building three companies at once to create a truly unified sales solutionWe'll also get an in-depth look at the Amplemarket platform itself, seeing how it helps sales teams connect with the right buyer, at the right time, with the right message.If you're a startup founder, sales leader, or anyone passionate about building smarter, more efficient GTM strategies, this is a must-watch episode.#Amplemarket #SalesTech #GoToMarket #GTM #RevenueOperations #RevOps #SalesProcess #B2Bsales #StartupFounder #SalesStrategy #Automation #MachineLearning #AIinSales #SaaS

Join Anthony and Neel Kamal from BoostUp.ai and AdamX for a deep dive into the trenches of GTM and the revolutionary potential of AI. Neel shares the journey of building AdamX, an AI-first company born directly from the GTM struggles and insights gained from BoostUp.AI is like inventing fire—it's not just about the raw power, but about building the "pan" to truly leverage it. We explore why even the best products don't always achieve 100% conversion and how critical it is to understand how your buyers perceive your solution, especially in high-value B2B sales where committees and multiple personas are involved.Discover how a downturn in 2020 (remote meetings, falling conversion rates) and the advent of ChatGPT in 2022-2023 sparked intense "brain sessions" that led to the creation of AdamX in 2024. This conversation is a raw look at the relentless effort and strategic pivots required to build truly impactful technology from the ground up, driven by the real pains of CROs, CMOs, and CEOs.Tune in to learn how AI is not just a tool, but a paradigm shift that demands a fundamental rethinking of GTM strategy and buyer engagement.#AIFirst #GTMLandscape #RevOps #SalesStrategy #B2BTech #StartupJourney #AIInnovation #ProductBuilding #FounderLife #ChatGPT #ConversionRates #BuyerJourney #SaaS #Leadership #LeanScale #NeelKamal #BoostUpAI #AdamX

After a career spanning strategy, sales, and product, Yogi found the breakthrough insight that led to founding PeopleLens: sales performance isn’t just a revenue problem — it’s a people problem.In this episode, Yogi shares the story behind PeopleLens, an AI-powered platform that helps sales teams unlock better results by focusing on the individuals behind the numbers. From a firewall company’s downturn to a revelation in GTM coaching, he walks us through how supporting managers and reps with the right data — not just more tools — drives real transformation.Learn why making every rep a better performer and every manager a better coach is the new frontier in revenue growth.#SalesPerformance #AIinSales #PeopleLens #SalesLeadership #SaaSFounders #SalesCoaching #RevenueGrowth #SalesEnablement #GTMStrategy #Yogi #B2BSaaS #StartupTools #RevOps

📊 Ebsta integrates multiple data sources into Salesforce for a single source of truth in sales analytics.💌 Email and calendar data capture 70% of communications often missing from CRM.🤖 AI-powered call intelligence auto-populates qualification scores from conversation transcripts.📈 Relationship scores provide a powerful indicator of deal health and likelihood to close.🔍 Pipeline insight tools allow reps and managers to identify stalled deals and prioritize actions.📉 Forecasting tools support bottoms-up submissions with manager overrides for accuracy.🧠 Emphasis on clean, structured data as the foundation for effective AI-driven sales strategies.Key Insights📉 Sales Performance Disparity and Deal Slippage: Despite extensive sales tech investments, 80% of reps miss quotas and nearly 40% of deals slip in the pipeline. This highlights a systemic visibility and insight problem rather than a lack of tools. EPA addresses this by consolidating fragmented data into actionable insights, enabling organizations to close the performance gap between top and bottom sellers.📧 Data Enrichment by Capturing Historical Communications: EPA’s ability to retrospectively pull in emails, meetings, and interactions missed from CRM fills a significant data gap—up to 70% of communications are missing in traditional systems. This historical data enriches opportunity records and provides a more accurate relationship health picture, which is crucial for forecasting and pipeline management.🤖 AI-Driven Qualification Automation Enhances Accuracy and Reduces Bias: By analyzing call transcripts, the platform auto-generates qualification scores (e.g., MEDDIC) and flags gaps in qualification without adding administrative burden on reps. This standardizes data capture across diverse teams, reduces subjective bias in forecasting, and pinpoints where reps need coaching, thus improving pipeline quality.🔄 Relationship Scoring as a Leading Indicator of Deal Success: The relationship score aggregates communication frequency, depth, and stakeholder engagement, serving as a predictive measure of deal progression. Managers and reps can quickly identify which relationships require nurturing, helping to focus efforts on high-impact activities that improve win rates.📊 Pipeline Visualization and Intelligent Alerts Drive Proactive Sales Management: The platform’s pipeline insight dashboards highlight deals with warning signs such as stalled stages, lack of multi-threading, or missing next steps. This real-time visibility empowers reps to self-correct and managers to intervene early, turning potential losses into wins.📅 Bottoms-Up Forecasting with Manager Oversight Improves Commitment and Accuracy: EPA encourages weekly forecast submissions from reps, backed by comprehensive data and AI insights, and allows managers to adjust forecasts based on qualification and risk assessments. This collaborative approach promotes accountability, realistic pipeline health assessment, and more reliable revenue predictions.🧩 Data Foundation is Critical for AI-Enabled Sales Intelligence: The conversation stresses that as sales organizations increasingly adopt AI tools, the accuracy, completeness, and structure of their underlying data become paramount. Without a unified and clean data foundation like the one EPA provides, AI outputs risk being ineffective or misleading. This insight positions EPA not only as a sales tool but as a strategic enabler for future AI-driven revenue operations.

Zev Lebowitz on Attio: The CRM That Adapts to YouWhy are most CRMs so rigid? In this episode, Zev Lebowitz breaks down what makes Attio different — a CRM built to be the most flexible, scalable, and easy-to-use tool out there. Whether you're building a startup or scaling an enterprise team, Attio is designed to mold around your workflow, not force you into someone else's system.Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Attio empowers businesses to build custom workflows, scale operations, and stay lean — all without sacrificing simplicity. 💡👇 WATCH NOW to see how the right CRM can actually work the way you do.#CRM #Attio #SaaS #ProductivityTools #StartupTools #TechDemo #WorkflowAutomation #SalesOps #ZevLebowitz #B2BSoftware #SaaSProduct #Founders #RevOps

Today, David Walker (Founder & CEO, Spara) shows how a single multimodal AI layer (chat, email, and voice) can meet buyers anywhere they engage—then route, qualify, and book in real time. If you’re juggling 30–70 GTM tools and watching outbound performance slide, this episode is your playbook for turning every inbound touch into pipeline.What you’ll learn • Why outbound is losing signal—and where inbound AI wins • How one model powers chat, email, and voice for consistent CX • Capturing proprietary intent data (questions buyers actually ask) • Smart routing: AE vs SDR vs self-serve in real time • Speed-to-lead tactics that 2–4× MQL capture over “form-gated chat” • The low-lift way teams train Spara without creating net-new contentLive demo highlights • Navigator (bottom-right chat) vs Smart Bar (“ChatGPT for your site”) • Instant scheduling + autonomous email follow-up • Voice pre-call to tailor human demos • Lead enrichment, CRM sync, and rep alerts

What if the secret to scaling RevOps isn’t hiring more—but building smarter?In this episode, Steve Dinner Discuesses Why Structure (Not Headcount) Builds Great RevOps | LeanScales x Steve Dinner (Owner.com)What if the secret to scaling RevOps isn’t hiring more—but building smarter?In this episode, Steve Dinner, VP of Revenue Operations at Owner.com, shares how his team runs a high-impact GTM engine with zero in-house admins or devs—thanks to one thing: structure. From hiring to alignment to execution, Steve unpacks how structure creates clarity, unlocks better talent, and drives results across revenue functions.💡 Forget the chaos of early-stage teams that call themselves “lean”—Steve’s redefining lean as intentional, agile, and systems-driven. Whether you're building from scratch or evolving a startup RevOps team, this is a masterclass in doing more with less.🏗️ You’ll learn:• Why structure is more powerful than headcount• How to build a RevOps team without admins or devs• What agile revenue operations looks like in real life• How structure enables better hiring and team alignment• Scaling GTM systems that grow with your businessIf you’re leading RevOps at a startup or scaling your go-to-market strategy, this episode is packed with tactical insight and strategic clarity.🔔 Subscribe to LeanScales for unfiltered conversations on building better revenue operations from the ground up.#RevOps #StartupRevOps #AgileRevenueOperations #BuildRevOpsTeam #RevenueOperationsStrategy #LeanScales #SteveDinner #OwnerDotCom #GTMLeadership #LeanRevenueTeamse Why Structure (Not Headcount) Builds Great RevOps | LeanScales x Steve Dinner (Owner.com)

What if your Slack channel could handle your customer support tickets, triage issues, and even generate documentation—all without lifting a finger?In this episode, we sit down with Tony Tom, Founder and CEO of Orca, to dive deep into how Orca is flipping the script on B2B customer support. Tony reveals how Orca uses an account-first model, integrates seamlessly with Slack, and leverages AI not just to answer tickets—but to actually improve your product.You’ll learn: • Why traditional ticketing systems are broken for B2B • How Orca auto-triages messages across Slack, email, and Discord • How AI-generated docs from Loom videos are changing support forever • Why context—not just answers—is the future of customer success • How Orca closes the loop between support, product, and leadershipIf your go-to-market or post-sales team lives in Slack, you need to hear this.🔗 Learn more: getorca.ai📩 Subscribe for more B2B tech deep dives.#B2Bsupport #SaaS #CustomerSuccess #AItools #SlackIntegration #TechStartups

How do you scale go-to-market (GTM) strategy in the AI era—without burning cash or your brand?In this episode, we sit down with Lloyed Lobo—cofounder of Boast and Traction—to unpack what modern startups need to know about building a lean, effective GTM machine.🔍 What you’ll learn: • Why AI is making GTM harder, not easier—and how to stand out • The biggest GTM mistake founders make in their first 90 days • Why “revenue per FTE” is the new north star metric • Anthony’s go-to tools for outbound, lead scoring, onboarding, and retention • The founder-led sales rule: why you shouldn’t hire reps too early • What repeatability really looks like (and how to measure it) • How LeanScale scaled their ops agency without outside funding🔥 Whether you’re an early-stage founder, RevOps pro, or trying to modernize your GTM stack, this conversation is packed with practical insights and playbook-level advice.👉 Subscribe for more GTM + RevOps breakdowns.💡 Learn more about LeanScale: https://www.leanscale.team/#RevOps #GTM #StartupGrowth #AItools #LeanScale #LloydLobo #SalesStrategy #HubSpot #Clay #Amplemarket #B2Bgrowth #Founders

Highlights🩺 RevOps is like a general physician diagnosing business problems by treating root causes, not just symptoms.🔍 Empathetic listening and stakeholder engagement are essential for uncovering nuanced issues.📊 Data validation and collaboration with cross-functional teams help triangulate problems precisely.🤖 Automation and AI increasingly optimize workflows, improve data hygiene, and prevent operational issues.📅 Regular bi-weekly checks and real-time monitoring ensure timely problem resolution akin to preventative healthcare.🚀 Scaling RevOps requires balancing human touch with technology-driven insights.🌱 Key skills for RevOps professionals include being a people person and possessing curiosity for continuous learning.Key Insights🩺 RevOps as the “General Physician” of the Business:RevOps professionals must resist the urge to jump to conclusions based solely on past experiences or data. Like doctors who diagnose symptoms through careful questioning, RevOps needs to actively listen, build trust, and gather complete context before prescribing solutions. This mindset fosters deeper problem understanding and long-term fix rather than quick patches.🧩 Cross-Functional Empathy and Holistic Problem-Solving:Given each department’s unique KPIs and priorities, RevOps must “put themselves in others’ shoes” to understand what issues are genuinely impactful and worth addressing immediately. Shock’s approach of connecting dots—from marketing activities and lead quality to sales pitches and routing systems—demonstrates how layered understanding helps uncover root causes.📊 Data Hygiene and Process Discipline are Foundational:“Junk in, junk out” resonates strongly. Implementing strict controls on what data enters core systems like CRM, billing, and subscription platforms ensures higher quality outputs and decision-making. Tightening workflows, restricting unauthorized access or edits, and regular data audits are preventative measures to avoid systemic issues.🤖 Leveraging AI for Efficiency and Predictive Insights:AI-powered ICP