In dieser Folge tauche ich mit Dominic Blank – Mitgründer von Hyrise - in die Kunst des strategischen Vertriebsaufbaus ein. Als mehrfacher Gründer teilt Dominic wertvolle Erkenntnisse zum entscheidenden Übergang vom Founder Sales zur strukturierten Vertriebsorganisation.

Was dich erwartet:

• Die Gründer-Typologie: Wie tech-orientierte und vertriebsaffine Gründer völlig unterschiedliche Vertriebsstrategien benötigen
• Der kritische Wendepunkt: Wann genau der richtige Moment für den Aufbau deiner Vertriebsorganisation gekommen ist
• Die 5 essentiellen Grundlagen vor jeder Vertriebseinstellung: Problem, Lösung, Zielgruppe, Messaging und Verkaufsprozess
• Insider-Einblicke: Welche Vertriebsprofile in welcher Unternehmensphase den größten Impact haben
• Dominics persönliche Learnings aus dem Aufbau von Hyrise und der Begleitung zahlreicher B2B-Tech-Unternehmen

Meine Highlights:

• Warum das erste Vertriebsprofil je nach Gründertyp völlig unterschiedlich aussehen sollte
• Die brillante "Penicillin vs. Aspirin"-Methode zur Identifikation echter Kundenschmerzen
• Die Founder-Falle: Warum du mental niemals komplett aus dem Vertrieb aussteigen kannst (und solltest!)

Über den Gast:

Dominic Blank treibt als Mitgründer von Hyrise die Vertriebsexzellenz in der Tech-Branche voran. Mit seinen zwei Kernservices – dem strategischen Recruiting von Vertriebstalenten und dem zielgerichteten Training bestehender Teams – hat er den kompletten Überblick über erfolgreiche Sales-Strukturen. Seine Expertise aus mehrfachen eigenen Gründungen macht ihn zum idealen Sparringspartner für Unternehmen in der kritischen Wachstumsphase vom Founder-Led-Sales zum skalierbaren Vertriebsteam.

Wer diese Folge unbedingt hören sollte:

• Gründer an der Schwelle vom persönlichen Verkauf zum ersten Vertriebsteam
• Tech-Visionäre, die endlich einen strukturierten Vertriebsprozess aufbauen wollen
• Sales-Verantwortliche, die ihre Teams nach bewährten Prinzipien skalieren möchten
• Alle, die mehr Systematik und weniger Bauchgefühl in ihren Vertriebsprozess bringen wollen

Das Erfolgsrezept? Eine messerscharfe Zielgruppendefinition, tiefes Problemverständnis und ein systematischer Ansatz zur Vertriebsskalierung – gepaart mit kontinuierlichem Enablement für nachhaltige Performance.

Song by StockTune

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

What to expect:

• Stefan's 25-year journey as an entrepreneur, including how he navigated companies through pivots after they'd already achieved product-market fit
• A practical framework for assessing when your business needs minor adjustments versus a fundamental change in business model
• Why the AI revolution is forcing many B2B SaaS companies to consider pivoting to managed service providers
• The importance of systematically exploring alternative paths, even when your business is growing
• How to avoid founder blind spots when your current business model starts showing warning signs

My highlights:

• Stefan's "wake up in the middle of the night" test: If you can't see how your business survives the next 12 months, it's time to pivot
• His E3 model for balancing resources: Exploit what works, Experiment with promising ideas, and Explore future possibilities
• The revelation that 90% of VC-backed startups don't meet their initial plans, and why the best time to discuss pivoting is right after funding
• How his Pivot Framework, based on Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas, maps 49 different pivot patterns from studying 300+ companies

About my guest:

Stefan Zanetti is a veteran entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in founding and scaling multiple companies. After stepping back from his operational roles 18 months ago (though he remains board president of his last venture), he focuses on helping founders systematically approach pivots. Drawing from his own hard-earned lessons, including one company that lost 75% of its revenue, Stefan has developed a comprehensive framework for detecting when a fundamental business model change is needed and executing it successfully.

Who should listen to this episode:

• Founders of SaaS companies experiencing slowing growth or market saturation
• CEOs assessing whether their current challenges demand tactical fixes or fundamental pivots
• Leadership teams evaluating the impact of AI on their business model viability
• Investors seeking frameworks to help portfolio companies navigate existential challenges

The success formula?

Don't wait until you hit the wall – create systems to evaluate the fundamentals of your business model regularly, involve outside perspectives to overcome blind spots, and be willing to make tough choices when adjusting sales and marketing strategies isn't enough to resolve your growth challenges.

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

In this special 100th episode, host Björn sits on the other side of the microphone as guest Rico Wyder interviews him about his journey as a podcaster, author, and entrepreneur.

What to expect:

• The story behind how Björn started the podcast two years ago and his reflections on reaching 100 episodes
• A deep dive into Björn's personality through his self-described three key traits: playful spirit, structured approach, and sporting passion
• His unexpected path into sales, from selling ads for a school magazine to working at a mobile phone store without owning a mobile phone
• Candid insights about his experience writing his book "Funky Flywheels" and why he wanted to create a resource he wished he'd had when starting his companies
• How Björn manages his work-life balance and the importance of intentional breaks from social media and business

Highlights:

• Björn's unique colour-coded wardrobe system that reflects his structured yet playful personality
• His practical approach to finding the right amount of structure when working with early-stage startups
• The story of how he narrowly avoided burnout in December despite having his most successful year professionally
• How trail running has become his secret weapon for mental recovery and relaxation

About the guest/host:

Björn is a go-to-market specialist, author of "Funky Flywheels," and the regular host of this podcast. With a background in founding three companies and supporting over 150 startups, he specialises in helping early-stage companies (€1-10M ARR) establish effective sales processes and structures. Turning 45 this year, he balances his professional pursuits with family life, regular trail running, and his weekly challenge of climbing Uetliberg, Zurich's local mountain, at least once a week.

Who should listen to this episode:

• Regular listeners curious to learn more about the voice behind the microphone
• Founders interested in Björn's personal journey and the philosophy behind his structured approach
• Anyone struggling with work-life balance and looking for practical insights on recharging
• Go-to-market professionals who want to understand the person behind the frameworks

The success formula?

Find the balance between playfulness and structure, establish consistent routines while remaining flexible, prioritise physical and mental health, and always stay curious about new challenges, like Björn's upcoming exploration of Gen AI applications in Q2.

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

What to expect:

• Why investors no longer fund multiple attempts at finding product-market fit and what this means for founders
• Dave's counterintuitive approach to measuring product-market fit: "If 70% of new users hit first impact before running out of attention span, you can start scaling"
• The danger of hiring experienced revenue leaders too early and why curious problem-solvers outperform decorated executives at this stage
• How to build a revenue architecture with proper instrumentation before attempting to scale
• Take an inside look at how HubSpot, MongoDB and Unity successfully launched new growth initiatives by creating dedicated "pods" outside their core structure

My highlights:

• Dave's brilliant framework: "You need three things - mindset, talent, and time. It will take 18 months to iterate into a new business that works"
• His candid perspective on why founders struggle to know when to pivot: "You're simultaneously convincing investors, employees and yourself that you're onto something"
• The tactical blueprint for building your first commercial team: Hire director-level sales leaders and heads of demand generation, not CMOs
• Why a CEO should insist that all go-to-market leaders get certified in revenue architecture: "I don't want to waste time translating between silos"

About the guest:

Dave Boyce brings a wealth of experience from both enterprise (Oracle) and high-growth SaaS environments. As Chief Strategy Officer at Winning by Design, he's helped countless companies build scalable revenue architectures. His upcoming book, "Freemium" (August 2025) explores how companies can successfully implement product-led growth strategies. Dave's unique perspective bridges traditional enterprise sales and modern PLG approaches, making him the perfect guide for founders navigating the growth journey.

Who should listen to this episode:

• Founders who've achieved initial traction but are unsure if they genuinely have product-market fit
• CEOs building their first commercial team beyond founder-led sales
• Established companies ($10M-100M ARR) looking to rediscover growth through new verticals or products
• Anyone responsible for aligning product, marketing, sales and customer success

The success formula?

Don't scale until you've confirmed product-market fit through usage data, build a unified commercial language with proper instrumentation, hire curious problem-solvers at the director level, and give them time to iterate toward success.


P.S. Highly recommend. Pre-order Dave's book, "Freemium" (gets published in August 2025)

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

Gordana McNamara embodies the ideal Funky Flywheels ambassador. After 14 years of running her own marketing agency and 7 years of optimising B2B tech startups, she now builds scalable sales engines. As a self-described "HubSpot nerd," she bridges system implementation with strategic frameworks, making Funky Flywheels operational in real business environments.

This episode is ideal for all the Funky Flywheels readers eager to discover practical ways to implement the strategies from the book!

What to expect:

• Gordana's "aha moment" with Funky Flywheels and why she now uses it as her daily reference guide
• Exclusive screen-sharing of her meticulously crafted Miro boards that translate abstract concepts into actionable sales blueprints
• Her step-by-step method for selecting and implementing the perfect sales strategy based on specific ACV ranges
• The practical integration of HubSpot lifecycle stages with Funky Flywheels methodology for seamless execution
• How she strategically combines sales frameworks like MEDDIC and SPICED to create customised approaches for different client scenarios

My highlights:

• Witnessing how the Funky Flywheels framework transforms from theory into living, breathing strategy documents
• Gordana's methodical verification of every KPI formula in the book and how she applies them to measure real-world sales performance
• Her disciplined approach to staying strategically focused while avoiding the common trap of getting "lost in the details"

About the guest: Gordana McNamara exemplifies the ideal Funky Flywheels practitioner. After 14 years of managing her own marketing agency and 7 years of optimising B2B tech startups, she now applies the framework's principles to build scalable sales engines for companies like Norea Intelligence. As a self-proclaimed "HubSpot nerd," she effectively combines system implementation with strategic frameworks, making Funky Flywheels operational in real business environments.

Who should listen to this episode:

• Funky Flywheels readers seeking concrete examples of how to implement the book's strategies
• Sales and marketing leaders who need a systematic approach to building effective go-to-market motions
• Operations professionals looking to translate sales theory into documented, repeatable processes
• Go-to-market teams struggling to align sales methodologies with their customer acquisition funnel

The success formula?

Transform theoretical concepts into daily sales actions by creating visual strategy maps, aligning them with your CRM system, selecting appropriate frameworks based on your specific ACV, and continuously measuring results through the right KPIs.

Song by StockTune

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

Was dich erwartet:

• Wie Daniel vom klassischen BWL-Studenten zum Mitgründer eines innovativen AI-Sales-Tools wurde
• Deep Dive: HoneySales' Ansatz zur Automatisierung von B2B-Prospecting mit künstlicher Intelligenz
• Einblicke in die Marktbearbeitung im SMB-Segment (bis 500 Mitarbeiter)
• Der schmale Grat zwischen PLG (Product-Led Growth) und Sales-Led-Strategien
• Warum die richtige Lead-Qualifizierung wichtiger ist als das bloße Sammeln von Kontakten
• Die Herausforderung des "Time to Value" bei Sales-Tools und wie HoneySales sie angeht
  
  

Meine Highlights:

• Die klare Vision zur Reduzierung von Verkaufsfriktionen durch intelligente Automatisierung
• Der pragmatische Ansatz zur Kundenakquise im B2B-Bereich
• Daniels Einblicke in die Zukunft von AI-Sales-Tools: Mehr Automatisierung, weniger manuelle Konfiguration

Über den Gast:
Daniel Brusch ist Mitgründer von Honeysales, einem KI-gestützten Tool zur Vertriebsautomatisierung. Nach seinem BWL-Studium baute er zunächst den B2B-Vertrieb bei Comatch (heute MALT) auf, bevor er in den VC-Space wechselte. Mit HoneySales entwickelt er innovative Lösungen, die Vertriebsprozesse durch künstliche Intelligenz effizienter gestalten und den Fokus auf qualifizierte Leads statt auf Quantität legen.

Wer diese Folge unbedingt hören sollte:

• Sales-Verantwortliche in B2B-Unternehmen, die ihre Vertriebsprozesse optimieren möchten
• Gründer und Führungskräfte, die nach neuen Wegen suchen, ihre Go-to-Market-Strategie zu verbessern
• Tech-Interessierte, die mehr über praktische Anwendungen von KI im Vertrieb erfahren wollen
  
  

Das Erfolgsrezept?
Eine klare Identifikation der richtigen Leads durch KI, automatisierte Ansprache und ein datengetriebener Ansatz zur kontinuierlichen Optimierung des Vertriebsprozesses.

Song by StockTune

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

In dieser Folge spreche ich mit Julian Wiedenhaus – Mitgründer und CEO von PlanCraft – über den Aufbau einer erfolgreichen SaaS-Lösung für das Handwerk und die perfekte Balance zwischen Product-Led-Growth und menschlichem Vertrieb.

Was dich erwartet:

• Wie PlanCraft seit 2018 eine benutzerfreundliche Digitalisierungslösung für Handwerksbetriebe entwickelt hat
• Einblicke in die Series-A-Finanzierung von 12 Millionen Euro mit Creandum im Sommer 2023
• Die strategische Segmentierung nach Unternehmensgrößen (1-20 Mitarbeiter) vor der Spezialisierung nach Gewerken
• Der clevere Aufbau des Vertriebsfunnels: von gewerke-spezifischer Leadgenerierung bis zum 7-Tage-Trial
• Wie PlanCraft mit Preismodellen von nur 29€/Monat eine hocheffiziente Go-to-Market-Strategie entwickelt hat
• Die Rolle von Product-Kennzahlen und Customer Success beim Management des gesamten Kundenzyklus
• Warum PlanCraft statt auf Demo-to-Close auf Product-Experience-to-Close setzt
• Die Herausforderungen beim Skalieren des Teams und der Wissensweitergabe in der Wachstumsphase

Meine Highlights:

• Die datengetriebene Trial-Optimierung mit Onboarding-Scores und Aktivierungsraten
• Julians Einblicke zur richtigen Paketierung von Funktionen für optimale Expansion-Chancen
• Der ehrliche Blick auf die Reifung des Unternehmens nach der Series A

Über den Gast: Julian Wiedenhaus ist CEO und Mitgründer von PlanCraft. Er startete das Unternehmen 2018 aus einer konkreten Erfahrung heraus: Sein Mitgründer Alexander betrieb einen Zimmereibetrieb mit 20 Mitarbeitern und erlebte hautnah den Mangel an einfach bedienbaren Digitalisierungslösungen für das Handwerk. Mit PlanCraft entwickelten sie eine SaaS-Lösung, die heute von Handwerksbetrieben im Bau- und Ausbaugewerbe genutzt wird und nach erfolgreicher Series A mit Creandum weiter wächst.

Wer diese Folge unbedingt hören sollte:

• SaaS-Gründer, die einen produktgetriebenen Vertriebsprozess aufbauen wollen
• Product- und Sales-Teams, die an der optimalen Verzahnung beider Bereiche arbeiten
• Vertriebsexperten im Bereich niedrigpreisiger B2B-SaaS-Lösungen (Sub-10K ACV)
• Handwerksunternehmen, die nach zeitgemäßen Digitalisierungslösungen suchen

Song by StockTune

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com

As we navigate today's capital-efficient growth environment, this conversation from August 2023 is more relevant than ever. Back then, I spoke with Benedikt Meuthen (former VP of Sales at deskbird), who scaled his sales team from 0 to 15 reps in just one year – and made the same mistake countless founders and sales leaders STILL make today.

What to expect:

• Why data collection is significantly more important than most sales leaders realize, and how to get your team to embrace it
• The critical mistake of scaling headcount before perfecting your sales process with a smaller team
• A counterintuitive approach to sales enablement that starts everyone at the same level regardless of prior experience
• How people management in a remote environment takes up to 30% of a sales leader's time—far more than most anticipate

My highlights:

• Ben's candid admission about how ego drove his desire to build a massive team before the processes were ready
• His practical approach to lost deal analysis using a combination of dropdown menus and free text fields in HubSpot
• The real-world example of how proper data collection directly influenced product roadmap decisions and increased win rates
• His refreshing honesty about falling into the same traps he once criticized his former leaders for creating

About the guest:

Benedikt Meuthen is a sales leader who faced the challenge of rapidly scaling a B2B sales team in a remote environment. With prior experience at companies like Showpad and Asana, he brought valuable lessons to his role, but still discovered new insights while building his team. His willingness to openly share successes and missteps provides a valuable learning opportunity for other sales leaders facing similar growth challenges.

Who should definitely listen to this episode:

• Sales leaders preparing to scale their teams beyond 5-10 people
• Founders who are transitioning from founder-led sales to building a sales organization
• RevOps professionals looking to implement effective data collection processes
• Anyone managing remote sales teams across different locations and time zones

The success formula? Build a solid data foundation from the start, perfect your sales process with a small team before scaling headcount, implement consistent enablement regardless of experience levels, and allocate significantly more time for people management than you think you'll need.

Editor's note: This episode was originally published on August 14, 2023. However, its lessons about scaling without proper processes are even more relevant today as companies face pressure to be more capital-efficient while maintaining growth.

Editor's call to action: Who should I invite to my podcast show next? 🤔

Song by StockTune

- - -
Björn's Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernwschaefer
Order Now: My GTM Book Funky Flywheels 🕺💃

1. GER: https://amzn.to/3Sgi8qk
2. ENG: https://amzn.to/4g2Ly49

My Homepage: www.rowing8.com