Alexander Estner

I help early-stage SaaS founders build & execute their Go-to-market foundation to grow from €0 to €1 million ARR 🚀

3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU 👇
1️⃣ GTM Advisory - Work 1-on-1 with me in bi-weekly GTM sprints
2️⃣ GTM Audit - Get a 360° assessment of your current GTM status quo + custom action plan
3️⃣ GTM Content - Bi-weekly newsletter +  Daily LinkedIn posts + Free GTM Library

P.S. You will find the links to all 3 in the featured section.

Among other things, I help you with:
👉 Creating your early/ideal customer profile (ICP)
👉 Working on positioning, messaging & value proposition 
👉 Choosing the right pricing for your business (pricing model, value metric & packaging)
👉 Implementing the right sales strategy (sales-led vs. product-led)
👉 Mastering 2-3 growth channels to continuously generate new deals/trials
👉 Setting up the right tech stack in sales, marketing & customer success
👉 Building your commercial teams.

Send me a DM on LinkedIn or book a free 15-minute intro call to learn more about my offering.

Startup Consultant for B2B SaaS

As a freelance startup consultant, I help early-stage B2B SaaS Startups quickly grow their business with a powerful Growth Strategy 🚀


I work on both, strategic and operational, levels and help you with the following topics.

► For Founders (Launch to Seed Stage):
- Clarify, validate and stress test your business idea
- Win first paying customers and kickstart growth for your SaaS
- Develop and implement a powerful B2B SaaS Growth strategy
- Find product-market fit and close your first funding (business angels & seed)

► For Startups (Seed to Series A Stage):
- Accelerate your growth to 5M€+ ARR
- Review or implement a powerful B2B SaaS growth strategy
- Optimization of direct & indirect growth channels
- Create a growth team mentality, track the right KPIs, and set OKRs

► For more information:
- check out my website (www.alexestner.com)
- subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter for founders & early-stage startups (https://startupbusinesstips.substack.com/)

► Interested?
- Send me a DM on Linkedin

GTM is overwhelming, but this checklist will change how you think about it.

This checklist is your roadmap from €0 to €1M ARR.

90% founders start with tactics, skip the foundations. Then wonder why nothing sticks.

But GTM isn't just "getting customers". It's a systematic approach with 10 interconnected foundations.

1️⃣ Ideal Customer Profile
2️⃣ Positioning
3️⃣ Value Proposition & Messaging
4️⃣ GTM Collaterals
5️⃣ Pricing
6️⃣ Sales Motion
7️⃣ Channels
8️⃣ Forecasting & Planning
9️⃣ Internal Operating Systems
🔟 CRM & Tracking

Use this checklist to see what's lacking in your GTM Foundations right now, and start working on it to scale from 0-1mil ARR. 

PS: A few months ago I did my GTM Foundations series, go check it out at MRR Unlocked if you need help with your foundations. 

Link in the comments.

alex-estner

JSESSIONID

li_at

Talks about #saas, #b2bsales, #saassales, #saasgrowth, and #saasmarketing

'Hands-on’ GTM Advisor | Helping SaaS & AI founders build and execute their GTM foundation to grow from €0 to €1 million ARR with less trial and error👇

Let’s hear it from the founders who have successfully scaled their company from €0 to the 1€ million ARR and beyond.

In the latest mrrunlocked.com newsletter, 
I've asked 6 founders to share

❌ What went wrong and
✅ what worked

I asked each founder to share:

1️⃣ The painful mistake(s) they made in the 0-1 stage (that others should not make)

2️⃣ The best tips/things that worked for them.

You will learn from the insights of 6 amazing founders.

👉 Stefan Bader Co-Founder of Cello (Referral Software for SaaS)

👉 Andreas Michel Co-Founder of Ayunis / Locaboo (Software for municipalities)

👉 Hanno Lippitsch Co-Founder of Eversports (Software for sports venues)

👉 Simo Lemhandez Co-Founder of folk (The next gen of CRM)

👉 Adam Cleland Founder of asora (Software for modern family offices)

👉 Brice Maurln Founder of LGM For Sales & GTM (Software for Multi-Channel Outbound)

👇 What's your mistake or tip you wanna share?

P.S. The link to the full guide with all the insights is in the comments below.

CEO @ Cello | Referrals on Autopilot

Cello

Co-Founder & CEO bei Ayunis / Locaboo | SaaS 👨🏻‍💻 | GovTech 🚀

Ayunis / Locaboo

CEO at Eversports

Eversports

Co-founder @ folk CRM | Forbes 30U30

folk

CEO at asora | Software for the modern family office

asora

CEO chez LGM | Get more Replies with Multichannel Outbound.

LGM For Sales & GTM

I've asked 20+ experts on their best GTM advice for 0->1€ M ARR

We cover positioning, ICP, messaging, content, pricing, CRM/KPIs.

You will hear the best tips from experts, including

Anthony Pierri 
Jon Itkin 
Andrej Persolja 
Talya Heller G. 💡 
Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ 
Toni Hopponen 
Douwe Wester 🟢 👉  
Björn W. Schäfer 
Ashley Herbert Popa 
Sara Stella Lattanzio
Romana Kuts  
Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz 
Rob Litterst 
Arnaud Belinga 🧊🔨 
Dirk Sahlmer 

And the best tips from founders, including
Andreas Michel 
Stefan Bader 
Adam Cleland 
Hanno Lippitsch 
Simo Lemhandez 
Brice Maurln 

The episode goes lives this sunday. 

👇 So sign up on mrrunlocked.com to get all tips in your inbox + a free gift: 50 top GTM infographics for free.

No alternative text description for this image

If you're a first-time founder, GTM is tough. 

To help you, I have compiled 9 of my TOP Infographics that are most important for your GTM when you're going from 0 to mil ARR⬇️

1) GTM Myths 

-> You need to unlearn what you're doing wrong, before you even get started in the right direction!

2) 360-degree GTM audit

-> Use it to understand the current state of your GTM - to identify your starting point. 

3) 3 stages till 1 mil ARR

-> 0 to 1 mil ARR is not one, but three stages. Understand each stage to know what to expect in your GTM journey. 

4) GTM Foundations for SaaS

-> This is like a beginner's overview of everything that makes up GTM. Refresh your GTM concepts.

5) GTM Foundations Checklist 

-> This is where things start getting real. Keep this checklist in hand to track everything you need, to build your GTM Foundations.

6) Your ICP changes over time 

-> ICP is one of the most misunderstood concepts in GTM. Understand the nuances related to your ICP thoroughly. 

7) The Power of Niching Down

-> If you don't niche down right now, you won't be able to scale tomorrow.

8) How to find your ICP

-> Once you know that it is important to have 1 ICP, use these 3 steps to actually find your ICP.

9) 6 phases of founder-led sales 

-> Through this entire journey of 0 to 1mil ARR, know that you (the founder) have to be involved in sales. Learn it through the 6 stages of founder-led sales. 

Hopefully, these 9 will give you a headstart in your GTM. 

---
You can access all of these Infographics for free on https://lnkd.in/eKJXxGzE

I've asked 16 experts to share their best tip for 0-1€ million ARR

So let's hear what they recommend founders👇

 🎯 Positioning & Messaging

Anthony Pierri 
Nobody will care about your outcomes if they don’t know what product category you fit into. Choose one clear category or use case as your anchor and you’re already 80% ahead.

Jon Itkin 
Assess your market’s maturity before positioning. Early markets reward bold vision, mature ones need precision. Match strategy to reality, not someone else’s playbook.

Andrej Persolja 
Stay close to power users through a private channel like Slack. Their feedback shapes your roadmap, messaging, and what to double down on.

Talya Heller G. 💡  
Test your sales story before scaling; story-market fit comes first. Test with first 3–5 customers, pick a villain, frame the struggle, paint the payoff. Rewrite if it doesn’t close.

Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️  ️ 
Build a Messaging & Positioning Library early. It becomes the context engine for every campaign and asset.

Toni Hopponen 
Design your homepage like a traffic controller: green light for best-fit users, stop sign for others.

💬 ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)

Douwe Wester 🟢 👉  
Start with early customers and watch what they *do*, not what they *say*. Cluster high-signal users, define ICP from results, and update quarterly.

Björn W. Schäfer 
Treat ICP as an ongoing discipline. Segment by ROI, validate with data, and build an anti-ICP list.

Ashley Popa 
Niche down. Broad targeting kills traction. Focus on customers who upgrade and stay, then expand using the bowling-pin approach.

Alexander Estner (me)
Focus on your GTM foundation before scaling: know who benefits most, clarify how you’re different, and master turning pipeline into predictable, repeatable revenue.

✍️ Content Marketing

Sara Lattanzio 
Shape one sharp narrative tied to audience pain. Build in public, pick channels intentionally, and stay consistent. Distribution matters more than production.

 Romana Kuts 
Interview customers. Five calls beat fifty brainstorms. Start with one pain point, turn it into five angles and ten content pieces, reuse relentlessly, and track revenue impact.

💰 Pricing

Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz 
Treat pricing as a process. Set its purpose, differentiate by value metrics, and review quarterly.

Rob Litterst 
Keep pricing simple early. Validation > Perfection. Start with value-hacking to learn what people will pay, then move to growth- and profit-hacking.

📊 CRM & Tracking

Arnaud Belinga 
Before €50–100k ARR, just sell. After micro-PMF, pick a simple CRM tied to your channels and follow up relentlessly.

Dirk Sahlmer 
Track 3–5 metrics that drive better decisions. Focus on leading indicators like activation and CAC payback.

Bonus tip by Rob Kaminski 
1 product, 1 avatar, 1 channel, 1 tactic, for 1 year gives early founders the focus they need.

--
Want to deep dive into each tip? Check out the latest mrrunlocked episode. Link is in the comments.

17 experts' tips turned into a 39-slide GTM masterclass for 0->1€ M ARR 👇 

You learn about:
✅ Positioning & Messaging
✅ Ideal Customer Profile
✅ Content Marketing
✅ Pricing
✅ CRM & KPI Tracking

Including tips from experts, including

Anthony Pierri
Jon Itkin 
Andrej Persolja
Talya Heller G. 💡
Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ 
Toni Hopponen 
Douwe Wester 🟢 👉 
Björn W. Schäfer
Ashley Herbert Popa
Sara Stella Lattanzio
Romana Kuts
Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz
Rob Litterst 
Arnaud Belinga
Dirk Sahlmer
Rob Kaminski

👉 What tip can you share?

17 expert tips for 0 to 1€M ARR

Lead magnets are evolving from traditional whitepapers and e-books.

Here's a list of different formats you can use to create high-quality lead magnets for your SaaS 

𝟭. 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 & 𝗘-𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀
Instant utility. Copy-paste and go.

- Email templates (lemlist )
- Sales coaching guides (Grain )
- Website optimization e-books (Webflow)

𝟮. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 & 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀
Higher commitment = higher intent leads.

- Video selling masterclass (Vidyard )
- Video creation course (Tella )

𝟯. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 & 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘀
Live interaction builds stronger relationships.

- Sculpt Conference (Clay )
- SaaS Happy Hour (Paddle )

𝟰. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
Quantify the problem. Make the pain tangible.

- Webinar ROI calculator (Livestorm )
- Equity dilution calculator (Cake Equity)

𝟱. 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀
Quick wins. Solve one micro-problem fast.

- LinkedIn headline generator (@Taplio)
- Webcam test (Livestorm)
- AI conversation rank checker (Octolens)

𝟲. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵
Original data = credibility + shareability.

- State of Meetings (Calendly)
- SaaS Pricing Report (Valueships)
- GTM Benchmarks (ChartMogul )

All these companies have amazing lead magnets you can take inspiration from. 

Keep in mind, though, different formats solve different problems at different buyer stages. 

Match format to your ICP's most urgent need.

Check out how to create and distribute your lead magnets: https://lnkd.in/ePHrCjDE

---
P.S. Want my best lead magnet? Get 50+ free GTM assets on https://lnkd.in/exxgARTi

For your content to work, 

you need 3 types of content to be in sync

TOFU → To get attention
MOFU → To build trust
BOFU → To convert

Most founders live in TOFU, which helps you get likes, but not so many conversions. 

Let's how each layer works:

1️⃣ TOFU (Top of Funnel) → Awareness content

-> This isn't about your product. It's about topics your audience actually cares about.

-> This builds your audience, helps you get reach, and generate engagement. 

Eg - The 5 biggest productivity myths that are slowing your team down”

2️⃣ MOFU (Middle of Funnel) → Consideration content

-> This is where you go deep. Real frameworks. Actual insights.

-> Content only you could write. Battle-tested stuff.

-> This is where trust happens. Your ICP thinks: "This person actually knows their shit."

Eg - How to reduce project delays by 30%, a step-by-step breakdown”

3️⃣ BOFU (Bottom of Funnel) → Conversion content

-> Show proof. Share results. Remove objections.

-> Social proof. Real outcomes. Clear next step.

Eg - “What happens when you ditch spreadsheets and manage projects the smart way”

Here's the ideal mix:
20% TOFU – Reach plays that pull in new eyes
60% MOFU – Deep, educational, ICP-focused
20% BOFU – Case studies, results, CTAs

Ivan Peric and I have created this framework to help you build your founder brand on LinkedIn. Use it the next time you're creating your content strategy.

Content Strategist & Founder @contentmotion.io | Ich baue eine Content-Agentur für B2B Tech

To optimize your SEO, use these high-intent keywords ⬇️

1. Pain Point/Problem Keyword
Example: “How to export contacts from LinkedIn” 

2. Pricing & Cost Keywords
Example: “Affordable CRM for solopreneurs”

3. Comparison Keywords
Example: “Notion vs. Asana” | “Best alternatives for HubSpot”

4. Competitor-Specific Keywords
Example: “HubSpot CRM vs. Salesforce”

5. Feature-Specific Keywords
Example: “CRM with VOIP calling”

6. Integration Keywords
Example: “Best payroll software that integrates with QuickBooks”

7. Product Category + Audience Keywords
Example: “Project Management software for law firms”

8. Benefit-Driven Keywords
Example: “How much time can I save with a virtual assistant?”

9. Educational Keywords
Example: “How to create a high-converting SaaS homepage”

10. Location-Based Keywords
Example: “Best invoicing software for German freelancers”

11. Template-Based Keywords
Example: “Best LinkedIn post templates for SaaS founders”

These money keywords focus on users who are already very much aware and ‘in the market’ and will help you make the most of your SEO investment.

I’ve been calling myself a solopreneur for over 4 years now.

So I was super excited when Stephanie Sgura asked me to be part of her solopreneurship movement.

In May 2026: Solopreneur Revolution - Live on Tour

The first Summit, that's 100% focused on Solopreneurship:
- Business, Marketing, Sales, AI...

(it's for the German-speaking community)

And I'm part of it 🎉

The best part:

You get early access to the secret pre-sale (4.-7. 12.)

🔹 lowest ticket prices ever

🔹 early Access to all Workshops (limited to 30 seats)

📍 I will be in Vienna myself. 

What you can expect from the summit:

→ Content & Insights for solopreneurs

→ Transformational workshops of successful solopreneurs

→ Networking with peers

→ Roasting Area to get feedback on your business

→ Limited to 200 tickets per event (Vienna & Berlin)

Who's interested in joining and meeting in Vienna?

🎟️ Comment or just send me a DM and I will send you the link to the secret pre-sale.

Over the last 12 months, I've created 50+ infographics on SaaS GTM.

The beauty of them is that they visually communicate the core concept.

Here are my top 10 on go-to-market for SaaS/AI founders 👇

Top GTM Infografics

Here's a list of partners, agencies, and consultants whom I’d highly recommend to every early-stage SaaS founder.

Over the past few years, I’ve built relationships with these amazing service providers.

If you’re a SaaS founder and need help with:

✅ Content & SEO
✅ Recruiting
✅ Paid Marketing (Google, LinkedIn)
✅ Design
✅ Sales
✅ Pricing

I’ll connect you with the right people.

You don't need to do a cold outreach, I'll help you with warm intros to vetted experts.

Content & SEO
--> Talk to Romana Kuts  and Ugljesa D. 

Website & Design
--> Talk to Florian Goertzen Tarik Yayla Tobias Giesen or Maximilian Fleitmann

Recruiting
--> Talk to Elvin Kingma Jan Mark Lingthaler Miguel Marques Dominic Blank 

Sales
--> Talk to Manuel Hartmann (post 1€ million) and Julius Dany (for SDR/cold calling)

LinkedIn & Google Ads
--> Talk to Christoph Schachner and Agata Krzysztofik 

Pricing Consulting (post 1€ million ARR)
--> Talk to Rob Litterst and Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz 

GTM advisory (post 1€ million ARR)
--> Talk to Björn W. Schäfer Daniel Zsolt Rényi  and Matteo Tittarelli ⚡️ 

Check the link in the comments to see the entire list of partners.

Btw, who am I missing on the list?

Founder @ SaaStorm + B2B SaaS SEO, LLMO & Content Advisor + Certified Content Engineer (@ AirOps’25)

Founder at Contentmonk.io | Sharing my strong takes on content, growth, SEO/AEO, and SaaS.

Design & Webflow for SaaS startups @ DailyDesign | START Munich

High-performing Webflow Websites for B2B SaaS that convert visitors into customers

Co-Founder Growably | B2B SaaS websites that convert visitors into customers 💯 | Webflow Premium Partner Agency 🤝🏼

🎨 Design-as-a-Service @ magier | 🏰 Co-Founder @ Wizard Ventures ► Building an Internet Holding

Connecting GTM talent & executives to SaaS companies with accuracy + speed ⚡️ || Ex- SaaS sales professional

Helping 🇩🇪 SaaS professionals find their next ideal step in their career | Founder Chapter.

I help startups hire great remote engineers | Founder @ Remote Crew

🏗 Helping software companies hire and train great sales talent I 🔥 Passionate sales entrepreneur I 🎙️Podcast host Sales Expressed

Helping DACH B2B software firms to scale sales quickly, efficiently & without 6-figure mistakes with done-for-you pipeline generation, fractional sales & HubSpot services.

Co-Founder & CEO at REP | The last sales agency you need

Owner @ Demandgap | Building The Anti-Agency | LinkedIn & Google Ads for B2B

🚀 Helping Businesses Grow with Google Ads | Coaching For Marketing Leaders I Ex-VP Growth | Ex-Google

Building the first stop for pricing and packaging.

The Pricing Guy || AI SaaS eCom B2B || ex-McKinsey

From Founder-Led Sales to scalable GTM Engines | €1–10M ARR | Revenue Rhythm by Funky Flywheels 🕺

Decent marketer and mildly interesting guy | founded Klear B2B

B2B positioning, websites, launches & content | Duolingo streak keeper 🇯🇵

3 massively underrated GTM tactics for bootstrapped founders⬇️

1. Mine negative reviews for leads

Every 1-star review tells you who is unhappy and if they'd pay to fix.

-> Search G2/Capterra/Reddit for competitors
-> Filter for 1-2 star reviews
-> Build a lead list from reviewer names
-> Reach out: "Saw you struggled with X. We built Y to solve it. Want a demo?"

2. Go where micro-communities live

Your first 100 customers won't come from ads. They'll come from Reddit, Slack groups, Discord.

-> Join 3-5 communities your ICP hangs in
-> Help for a week, share free resources
-> Mention your product when it fits
-> DM engaged members with trial invites

3. Get listed in directories

Capterra, G2, Product Hunt, AppSumo, get in front of buyers with intent. You can even build your own. They rank on Google, attract your ICP, and drive traffic to your product.

—
If you want to learn how to execute each of these tactics, check out the latest episode of MRR Unlocked where Zdenko Zvada talks about these in detail. Link in the comments.

How to create a GTM slide for your pitch deck

Investors can smell fluff from a mile away; you can't woo them with fancy GTM channels. They need real proof of 

✅ What has worked in the past 
✅ How do you plan to scale it 

Include these 2 sections in your GTM slide to make it foolproof 

1️⃣ Current scenario

- Show how you've built a repeatable growth engine 
- Mention how you've been acquiring customers today

2️⃣ Plan to scale 

- Chart out your exact plan to scale the engine you've built currently 
- Show how you'll acquire the next set of customers

Basically, reassure investors that 

✅ You've got the blueprint to utilize the funding 
✅ You're ready for growth

---
Majd Alaily has written an entire guest post about how to make the best pitch deck (11 slides) for your startup. This is only 1 slide of the deck. Check out the whole episode at MRR Unlocked. Link in the comments.

3x Founder | ex-Google | Design Thinking | Let's Launch, Grow, Fundraise For Your Startup Together.

11 slides of a winning pitch deck👇

If you're struggling to get funded, you can start by redoing your pitch deck

Here are the 11 most important slides of a pitch deck - 

(in the right order)

1️⃣ Problem 
2️⃣ Solution
3️⃣ Unique Value 
4️⃣ Traction
5️⃣ Competition
6️⃣ Market
7️⃣ Revenue Model
8️⃣ Ambition
9️⃣ Team 
🔟 GTM
1️⃣1️⃣ Ask

If you're skipping any of these slides, you're not giving investors all the information they need to make a decision. 

Check out the carousel below to see the summary of each slide. 

---
Majd Alaily has written an entire episode on "Why pitches fail" for MRR Unlocked. Check the link in the comments to see the full episode.

5 recommendations to better organize your pricing page menu 👇

1️⃣ Keep Plan Names Simple
Don’t overthink naming.
Clarity beats creativity. 

Start with what people expect to see:
Free, Basic, Starter, Standard, Pro, Premium, Plus, Teams, Business, Enterprise.

2️⃣ Show the Monthly Cost
Display the monthly cost right below the plan name (even for annual billing). 

Tie it clearly to your pricing metric so users immediately understand how cost scales.

3️⃣ Include the Billing Period
Always indicate how billing works. 

A toggle above the pricing grid (monthly ↔ yearly) is the standard and most intuitive approach.

4️⃣ Highlight Key Features and Usage Limits
After naming and pricing, call out the core features and usage thresholds for each plan. 

Keep it concise — aim for about five items max. Focus on what truly drives pricing or differentiates plans.

5️⃣ Add Clear CTAs
Every plan needs a specific next step.

For free or PLG plans: “Get Started.”

For sales-led motions: “Request a Demo” or “Contact Sales.”
Different plans can have unique CTAs depending on your GTM model.

These are the essentials. If you can convey all key details across these elements, you don’t need anything extra. Keep it focused and simple.

How to create thought leadership content for your startup?

Here are 7 questions you need to ask yourself -

Great thought leadership content educates, challenges assumptions, and provides actionable insights.

This means writing only about topics where you truly have expertise. 

The best content and sweet spot lies in the intersection of 
✅ Your expertise and 
✅ What your audience needs to know.

7 questions you need to ask yourself - 

1️⃣ In which area or topic do potential customers need to perceive you as an expert?

2️⃣ What industry-specific knowledge can you provide?

3️⃣ What core concepts must potential customers understand before your solution "clicks" for them? 

4️⃣ What widespread beliefs in your industry do you strongly disagree with?

5️⃣ What would make selling your product easier if more people understood these concepts?

6️⃣ What trends (e.g., regulations, technological developments, market pressures) could negatively impact your customers if they don’t adapt?

7️⃣ What recurring questions do you frequently get asked?

Once you answer these questions, you will find your pillars and create relevant content for your ICP

Cloudflare is down again....so half of the internet is not working 🤗

So I take a rest...

I recently asked Stefan Bader to share the most painful mistakes and best tips he learned growing Cello from 0-1€ million ARR 👇

Let's hear his advice.

1) Mistakes
❌ Building things that don’t scale without a tech-debt repayment habit

In the early days, it’s fine to build scrappily and prioritise speed over clean architecture. However, paying down tech debt must become a continuous habit; otherwise, you will eventually trap yourself in a system that slows you down instead of enabling you. We had to learn this and work our way back out.

❌ Title game: Giving out VP titles too early.

At this stage, everyone should be an IC. You have C-level + Senior/Lead/Head is fine, but avoid VP because it creates the wrong expectations and limits flexibility later. Yes, we learned from our mistake.

❌ Being ruthless at hiring: If it’s not a clear “hell yeah,” don’t hire.

Early hires shape culture disproportionately - compromising here slows you down and creates clean-up work later. Retrospectively, the most expensive mistakes we made were related to this.

2) Hacks / Tips
✅ Don’t entirely build your GTM on rented land

When platforms move the goalposts, visibility collapses overnight. Make sure you own some of your channels -> referrals, communities, integrations

✅ Signal > noise - Low-signal volume kills conversion

Build intent-based outbound that gives AEs real buying context - not vanity metrics.

✅ Measure Product–Channel Fit like Product–Market Fit

Even great products fail if their channels collapse. Track CAC payback and conversion drift - they can be early warning signs.

✅ Practice subversive marketing - Break out of the mainstream.

Surprise your market with creative, high-signal plays that challenge expectations and earn organic attention. Make sure you always create value first for your target audience.

✅ Stay launch-ready

Channels degrade faster than most teams react. Build a launch muscle: ship, test, rebuild - fast.

✅ Collapse silos early

Product, sales, and marketing should run as one GTM system. Fragmented teams can’t adapt when channels shift.

---
I asked 5 other founders to share their mistakes and tips, too. You find all of this in my latest mrrunlocked newsletter. Link is in the comments.

I've teamed up with Maria Ledentsova and Nikolas Chapoupis to deep dive into all the steps that founders/teams need to take to activate founder and employee brands on LinkedIn.

The result: The Ultimate Founder & Team LinkedIn Playbook (+ Free Templates)

You will learn:
--> What is a good founder LinkedIn profile?
--> 3 key sections of your LinkedIn profile (Banner, Headline, Featured Section)
--> 6 LinkedIn No-Go’s
--> 4 steps to turn employees into Thought Leaders
--> How to set up your content engine
--> Collection of 10 teams (founder & employees) using LinkedIn to drive pipeline, including well-known examples like Maxim Poulsen Roxana Irimia Michel Lieben 

but also 'hidden' personal brands like Jenny Terry Ashley Duncan Eric Stark 

And tool recommendations, including Scripe (P.S. Eva Egg being a great example of a powerful banner), Kondo: Superhuman for LinkedIn DMs or socialkit or SocialKit

Plus a free Bonus: 5 Headline Templates to steal.

Don't miss this one.

On Sunday, 14:30 CET, the guide is being published on https://lnkd.in/dr7_qJav

Pricing I/O

VP of Growth

Ali Mamujee

Investor and advisor to growth-stage startups.

Founder

Mercatus is now Charles River for Private Markets

Over 11 years, I scaled from employee #5 to help build a leading private equity software company that manages trillions of dollars of assets, culminating in a 9-figure acquisition by State Street.

Led strategic product strategy, M&A, GTM, positioning, and pricing across private markets tech.

Global Head of Product, Private Markets

Led global positioning, marketing, GTM, and pricing.

Vice President of Product Strategy

Senior Director of Product Management

Director of Customer Success

Senior Investment Associate

VERT Investment Group

Key team member of a leading cleantech merchant bank.

Senior Investment Banking Associate

Created pretty Excel models and PowerPoints during the 2008 financial crisis.

Investment Banking Analyst

Element Markets

Renewable energy project finance hedge fund based in Houston.

Analyst - Project Finance Intern

Frog Capital Ltd

One of the best jobs I ever had. I read cleantech business plans all day in a beautiful London art studio. I worked with really smart partners and got a front row seat of venture capital deal execution.

Analyst - Venture Capital Intern

Strategy & GTM Advisor | Follow me for strategy, growth, and leadership tips.

I lead Growth at Pricing I/O, the leading hands-on SaaS pricing consultancy.

Our track record:
→ 400+ software companies
→ 98% client satisfaction
→ 15x average Year 1 ROI

Before joining Pricing I/O, I was their client. I spent 11 years at Mercatus, a private equity software company:

→ Started as employee #5
→ Navigated 7 promotions
→ Eventually became Global Head of Product & Marketing
→ Built global teams and owned pricing and GTM strategy
→ Hired Pricing I/O in 2019, a key inflection point
→ Delivered 40% YoY and 85% ACV growth
→ Led to a 9-figure exit to State Street (Fortune 250)
→ Company now manages $1.8+ trillion in private equity assets for the world's largest investors

I lived the pricing struggle every leader fears:
→ Sleepless nights: Are we leaving millions on the table?
→ Boardroom wars: Everyone has an opinion on price
→ Investor pressure: Triple revenue AND keep customers happy

If your feel the same way at your software company, let's talk.

Connect:
→ Book a FREE pricing strategy call at pricingio dot com
→ Join The Moat, my free newsletter for SaaS leaders for an inside look at our growth playbook.

Top 10 career myths that will hold you back:
(and what to do instead)

I’ve watched talented people derail their careers for 15+ years - often because they followed the wrong advice.

Here are the 10 myths I see derail people the most:

1. Work hard and success will follow
→ Corporate graveyards are filled with hard workers
→ Combine smart work with strategic visibility

2. Keep your career options open
→ Jack of all trades trap stops growth
→ Focus on deep expertise + broad awareness

3. Leaders must have all the answers
→ This creates bottlenecks.
→ Build a team smarter than you and unleash their genius

4. Never leave before 2 years
→ Time served doesn't equal value created
→ Make moves that multiply your growth

5. Always be available
→ Recipe for burnout
→ Set clear boundaries. Be reliable, not available 24/7

6. Never show weakness
→ Old school thinking breeds toxicity
→ Strategic vulnerability builds unstoppable teams

7. Never say no to opportunities
→ This dilutes your impact
→ Be selective. Only say yes to what amplifies your goals

8. Network, network, network
→ Random connections = zero value
→ Build genuine relationships through shared interests

9. Follow your passion
→ Passion rarely comes first
→ Master valuable skills, passion follows expertise

10. Fake it till you make it
→ Fastest way to lose credibility
→ Learn it while you earn it. Authenticity + competence wins

What would you add to the list?

♻️ Share to help someone avoid these myths.

I watched Harry Dry speak at Dave Gerhardt’s Drive event:

He showed two versions of the same post by Eric Glyman (CEO of Ramp).

One post made Ramp the hero.
The other made the customer the hero.

Nothing about the product changed. 
But the second one stuck.

Because when you make your product the hero, prospects compare features.

When you make your customer the hero, they compare outcomes.

And that shift changes everything downstream:

Sales stops defending capabilities and starts exploring fit.

Deals move faster because you're solving their problem, not explaining yours.

Customers evangelize differently - they talk about what they achieved, not what you built.

I’ve seen this pattern across dozens of SaaS teams.

Teams who lead with “here’s what we do” end up in longer cycles and price fights.

Teams who lead with “here’s who you become” get pulled into deals.

Make your customer the hero.
It’s not just better storytelling - it makes you unforgettable.

♻️ Repost for your network

 Credit: Dave Gerhardt, Exit Five, and Harry Dry

taplio

The Battle

Alexander Estner

Ali Mamujee

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Performance ScoreAlexander Estner's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAli Mamujee's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Alexander Estner

Ali Mamujee

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Alexander Estner's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAli Mamujee's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreAlexander Estner's LinkedIn Performance