The GTMnow Podcast

NEW: @Sheila Vashee (CMO of @Figma) joins GTMnow to share how she thinks about brand building across every stage. From selling brownies at age eight, to second marketing hire at Dropbox scaling to $1B+ in annualized revenue, to now leading marketing at one of the most beloved software brands in the world, Sheila has seen it all.

In this conversation, you’ll learn what brand actually means (hint: it's not your logo), how PLG companies make the leap to enterprise, why being obsessively close to your customers is a compounding advantage, and how AI is reshaping the marketing playbook without replacing the human craft that sets great brands apart.

Guest links:- Guest - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilavashee/
- Guest company - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/figma/
- Guest company website: https://www.figma.com/

Host links:
- Sophie Buonassisi - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/
- Sophie Buonassisi - X (Twitter): https://x.com/sophiebuona
- Newsletter: https://thegtmnewsletter.substack.com

Sponsors:
- HockeyStack - the AI platform that unifies GTM data to help teams convert, expand, and scale. Learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com/
- Granola - the AI notepad that turns meetings into action by capturing context, decisions, and next steps automatically. Head to granola.ai/gtmfund  and get three months free with the code GTMFUND.

Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/

Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.com/

Highlights:
00:00 – The brownie stand: why brand building started at age eight
03:55 – How Sheila defines brand: it's what people say when you're not in the room
05:08 – Joining Dropbox as the second marketing hire
06:07 – Space Race: the campaign that defined Dropbox's early strategy
06:56 – What consumer marketing taught her about driving revenue
08:29 – Measuring brand ROI through match market testing
09:15 – How Figma thinks about brand building at a macro level
11:21 – The PLG-to-enterprise equation: what Figma did early that Dropbox waited too long on
15:02 – Why building the enterprise team is both operational and optical
17:12 – How Figma ingests customer feedback at scale
18:26 – AI at Figma: enabling human creativity, not replacing it
21:13 – What the venture side taught her about staying sharp as an operator
22:33 – Why the shift from SEO to GEO is inevitable and what to do about it
23:24 – Why Reddit is back and social is a core growth lever
24:51 – The mentors that changed her trajectory
28:59 – One piece of advice: make good $h!t

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]

GTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/

Bill Binch (Operating Partner at Battery Ventures) joins GTMnow to share the operational frameworks he's built across 116 quarters on quota, and what actually changes when you move from driving revenue to advising an entire portfolio.

Before Battery, Bill was employee #16 at Marketo, where he led sales from zero revenue through IPO and a Vista Equity acquisition. He then served as CRO at Pendo, helping scale ARR to nearly $100M in only three years. His career spans some of the most defining sales organizations in enterprise software, from Oracle to PeopleSoft.

- Bill Binch - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-binch-302a4a2/,
- Battery Ventures - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/battery-ventures/
- Battery Ventures website: https://www.battery.com/

Host links:
- Max - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxaltschuler/
- Max - X: https://x.com/HackItMax
- Paul - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsirving/
- Paul - X: https://x.com/PaulGTM
- Newsletter: https://thegtmnewsletter.substack.com

Brought to you by: AngelList
From starting as a small, operator-led rolling fund, to evolving to an institutional platform, AngelList has been a core partner in every phase of GTMfund’s growth. Their software-first fund admin infrastructure allowed us to scale without sacrificing agility — from onboarding hundreds of LPs seamlessly to handling compliance, capital calls, and reporting as our fund size evolved.

As we expanded from Fund I to Fund II, AngelList took care of the back-office operations, allowing us to stay focused on what matters most: investing in world-class founders and building the strongest go-to-market network in venture.

They’ve scaled with us across funds and into the future.
If your fund is growing in size or complexity, check them out at https://angellist.com/gtmfund.

Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/

Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.com/

Highlights:
00:00 – Bill's career path: Oracle, Marketo employee #16, Pendo CRO, and choosing Arizona over tech hubs
15:01 – Battery's approach: why there's no one-size-fits-all playbook
19:56 – Outreach's accidental sales experiment: remote vs. in-person results
21:23 – What nobody tells you about the transition from CRO to operating partner
23:01 – Gold watch and slippers? Why operating partner is not a retirement plan
27:15 – Three audiences: prospective investments, portfolio companies, and Battery internal
31:42 – Investing in GTM tech: why Battery went 7 years between bets
34:44 – The Phil Fernandez warning: "your hand is on the wheel, now you're a passenger"
36:44 – Why every forecast should start with "my quota is" not "my forecast is"
38:33 – The metric most companies miss: plan vs. planned quota vs. actual quota deployed
40:05 – The mojo metric: 6 daily pipeline inputs that tell you everything
43:16 – Helping technical founders sell: the one-eyed man in the land of the blind
48:04 – Advice for operators who want to move into an operating partner role
51:03 – The sales and marketing dance: what real GTM alignment sounds like in a board room

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]

GTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/

Dan Lee (Co-Founder & CEO of Nooks) joins GTMnow to give a behind the scenes on how Nooks is launching a new Agent Workspace and AI Sequencing layer designed to operate across the full action set of a rep’s day — calls, emails, research, prospecting, and strategy.

The conversation explores why top of funnel is changing the fastest, why traditional sequencing tools optimize the “move” but not the strategy, and how AI systems that learn from rep behavior can compound advantage over time. As adoption deepens, automation can move from ~40% of outbound execution toward 70% and beyond, while switching away resets that intelligence.

We also discuss the broader category shift: customers pushing AI-native tools to take on incumbents, the rise of agent workspaces as the new interface for GTM teams, and why calls remain the most data-rich channel in outbound compared to silent email non-responses.

Guest links:
Guest - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan9lee/
Guest company - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nooksapp/
Guest company website: https://www.nooks.ai/

Host links:
Sophie Buonassisi - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/
Sophie Buonassisi - X (Twitter): https://x.com/sophiebuona
Newsletter: https://thegtmnewsletter.substack.com

Sponsors:
HockeyStack - the AI platform that unifies GTM data to help teams convert, expand, and scale. Learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com/

Granola - the AI notepad that turns meetings into action by capturing context, decisions, and next steps automatically. Head to https://www.granola.ai/gtmfund and get three months free with the code GTMFUND.

Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.com/

Highlights:
00:00 – Announcing the Agent Workspace and AI sequencing product
01:25 – Why sales is fundamentally human (even in the AI era)
02:39 – The Agent Workspace as the human–AI interface
02:56 – Why legacy sequencing tools were built for a manual world
04:14 – The sales chess analogy: understand the board before making the move
05:02 – Reps spend too much time "making the move"
06:00 – Nooks as a simulation engine: suggesting the next best move
07:07 – The reason for the email isn't in the email
07:45 – Signal vs. noise: reasoning like a rep
10:00 – Why calls are the most data-rich outbound channel
10:25 – Using calls to move up the org chart
13:12 – The sales iceberg analogy: what's above vs. below the surface
13:38 – Don't pay enterprise reps to find phone numbers
14:15 – Doing more with less vs. doing more with more
15:00 – Why sales remains competitive even with full automation
16:38 – Owning the end-to-end prospecting workflow
18:53 – How Nooks learns from rep decisions over time
19:15 – The path from 40% → 90% AI-written emails
19:58 – Reimagining sequences with org chart intelligence
22:17 – Evolution from virtual classroom to virtual sales floor
25:11 – Pivoting into the sales use case before ChatGPT
26:08 – Near-death experiences and surviving the pivot graveyard
27:03 – Nooks' six core values
27:57 – "Ask why" as a core operating principle
28:39 – Ruthless prioritization as a startup advantage
29:25 – AI literacy as a hiring filter for GTM roles
30:07 – Making sales sexy for top engineers
31:31 – Hiring across the board in 2026

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]

GTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/

Emir Atli (Co-founder and CRO of HockeyStack) joins GTMnow to share how go-to-market is shifting in the AI era — from fragmented tools and GTM sprawl to unified, AI-native platforms built on a single data foundation.

Originally known for attribution and market intelligence, HockeyStack is evolving into a central operating system for go-to-market, spanning marketing, sales, and post-sales through AI agents, blueprints, and an execution layer.

We also explore weekly GTM sprints, founder-led content as a pipeline driver (even with <100 followers), and the long-game mindset behind building a generational company from age 20 after YC.

In this episode, we cover:- Why you can’t layer AI onto legacy GTM — you must rebuild GTM around AI
- The “sprawl crisis” and why siloed tools break without a single data foundation
- HockeyStack’s evolution from attribution to a unified GTM operating system
- AI agents, blueprints, and the shift from reporting to execution
- Why consolidation is moving from tools to full buyer journey control
- The case for a winner-takes-all GTM platform
- How AI increases leverage across reps, managers, and pipeline reviews
- Weekly GTM sprints and faster iteration cycles in the AI era
- Founder-led content as a core growth engine and pipeline driver
- LinkedIn as a top channel for MQL-to-opportunity and deal acceleration
- The 10-year mindset, YC lessons, and building a generational company

Guest links:
Emir Atli - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emiratli/
- HockeyStack - Website: https://www.hockeystack.com/
- HockeyStack - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hockeystack/

Host links:
- Sophie Buonassisi - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/
- Sophie Buonassisi - X (Twitter): https://x.com/sophiebuona
- Newsletter: https://thegtmnewsletter.substack.com

Sponsors:Granola - the AI notepad that turns meetings into action by capturing context, decisions, and next steps automatically. Head to https://www.granola.ai/?via=gtmfund&dub_id=ytmcNnCjtlqCbgH5 and get three months free with the code GTMFUND.

Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/
Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.com/

Highlights:
00:00 – The GTM sprawl crisis and why AI breaks in siloed systems
01:50 – From attribution to a GTM operating system
02:41 – Launching AI agents, blueprints, and the execution layer in 2026
03:57 – Building a single data foundation across the buyer journey
05:09 – Why GTM must be rebuilt around AI (not layered with tools)
06:23 – Doing "more with more" and increasing management leverage
07:30 – Tool consolidation vs controlling the buyer journey
08:48 – 2026–2028: the great GTM consolidation wave
09:01 – The case for a winner-takes-all GTM platform
10:10 – Moat: data foundation + application layer
11:35 – Expanding horizontally across marketing, sales, and post-sales
14:28 – Running GTM in weekly sprints like an engineering org
14:46 – Content as a core investment and distribution strategy
15:26 – Why connected TV works for B2B brand trust
16:43 – Faster GTM iteration cycles in the AI era
17:47 – LinkedIn as the top pipeline and opportunity channel
18:12 – Product stories, personal stories, and data stories in content
21:02 – How founders carve out time to create content
22:43 – Generating first customers from LinkedIn with <100 followers
23:45 – Founding journey: pivoting into market intelligence
25:37 – YC lesson: make something people love before scaling
27:18 – The 10-year commitment mindset from YC advice
30:13 – Executive coaching and founder bottlenecks
31:53 – In-person culture and competing in the AI era
33:26 – Whiteboarding interviews vs AI-generated case studies
34:35 – Final advice: build a good business and enjoy the process

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]
GTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/

Amanda “Robby” Robson (Founder of Modern Technical Fund) joins GTMnow to break down how she evaluates companies at the very earliest stages and why discipline matters more than ever in today’s market.

Amanda has spent over a decade in venture before launching Modern Technical Fund, investing across verticals ranging from security and compliance to developer tools at firms like Norwest and Cowboy Ventures. Her investment thesis is centered on backing elite technical founders early and helping them translate deep engineering talent into real products, real customers, and real momentum.

In this conversation, we unpack how Amanda thinks about founder quality, market timing, and risk when there’s limited data and plenty of noise, which is more critical than ever in an AI-heavy investing environment.

Guest Links
Amanda’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-robson-7227685b/
Amanda’s Twitter: https://x.com/robby_mtf
Modern Technical Fund’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-technical-fund/
Modern Technical Fund website: https://moderntechnicalfund.com/

Host links:
Max - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxaltschuler/
Max - X: https://x.com/HackItMax
Paul - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsirving/
Paul - X: https://x.com/PaulGTM
Newsletter: https://thegtmnewsletter.substack.com

Brought to you by: AngelList
From starting as a small, operator-led rolling fund, to evolving to an institutional platform, AngelList has been a core partner in every phase of GTMfund’s growth. Their software-first fund admin infrastructure allowed us to scale without sacrificing agility — from onboarding hundreds of LPs seamlessly to handling compliance, capital calls, and reporting as our fund size evolved.

As we expanded from Fund I to Fund II, AngelList took care of the back-office operations, allowing us to stay focused on what matters most: investing in world-class founders and building the strongest go-to-market network in venture.
They’ve scaled with us across funds and into the future.
If your fund is growing in size or complexity, check them out at www.angellist.com/gtmfund.

Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/
Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.com/

Highlights:
00:00 – Why Modern Technical Fund exclusively backs technical founders
02:15 – What actually defines a “technical founder” beyond coding ability
03:45 – Why product judgment and customer instinct matter early
05:05 – How early teams split engineering and go-to-market roles
07:10 – When investor advice helps and when it gets in the way
09:05 – Why calibrating the hiring bar matters more than providing playbooks
12:40 – How network-driven support helps founders see what “great” looks like
15:45 – Why valuation discipline sets the bar in today’s market
17:10 – When first-time founders become too risky at certain prices
19:40 – How early-stage defensibility often comes down to the team
27:20 – Why TAM momentum matters more than static market size
30:30 – How small markets quietly turn into billion-dollar categories
39:55 – What separates real AI companies from AI theater
41:40 – Why infrastructure and data tools benefit most from AI tailwinds

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected]
GTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/

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