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AI search is becoming one of the most important customer acquisition channels for brands. But Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) require a different strategy from traditional SEO.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Todd Sawicki, Co-Founder and CEO of Gumshoe AI, to discuss the evolution of AI search, what it takes to build a startup, and how marketers can improve their visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and other AI platforms.Todd explains why AI search does not simply repeat the top Google results, why brands must understand what AI says to different buyer personas, and how content, citations, technical accessibility, and sentiment influence whether a company gets recommended.We discuss:• Todd’s journey from Disney and the early internet to becoming a serial entrepreneur• The most challenging and fulfilling parts of being a startup CEO• Why the zero-to-one stage is both difficult and rewarding• How GEO and AEO have matured since 2024• Why AI search represents a new customer acquisition channel• How Gumshoe uses personas and synthetic users to analyze AI recommendations• The difference between traditional SEO and AI search optimization• Why AI sentiment matters• Gumshoe’s five-part GEO framework: visibility, content, citations, technical readiness, and sentimentLearn more about Gumshoe: https://gumshoe.aiFollow Todd Sawicki on LinkedInCHAPTERS00:00 Introduction00:44 Todd Sawicki’s founder journey08:25 The role and responsibilities of a startup CEO10:44 The most fulfilling part of building a company14:48 Why Todd built Gumshoe18:30 What makes Gumshoe’s approach to GEO unique23:50 Why GEO and AEO are different from traditional SEO25:04 How AI sentiment influences brand recommendations28:22 Where to follow Todd and learn more#GEO #AEO #AISearch #GenerativeEngineOptimization #AnswerEngineOptimization #GumshoeAI #StartupsUneditedFollow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

How do you build a B2B SaaS company that wins customers, keeps them, and delivers value they’re willing to pay for? On this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with entrepreneur and investor at In Revenue Capital, Justin Gray to discuss founder led sales, go to market strategy, customer retention, and SaaS pricing. Justin shares the thinking behind InRevenue’s investment approach and why he looks for vertical B2B SaaS companies with proven traction, founders who sell, and opportunities to grow through partnerships. We get into what still works in the traditional SaaS playbook, how buyer expectations have changed, and why proving customer ROI needs to happen throughout the customer relationship. We also discuss the challenges of raising prices after early discounts, using complementary free products to open doors, and the shift toward consumption and outcome based pricing. If you’re a startup founder, investor, or sales and marketing leader building a sustainable SaaS business, this conversation is for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introducing Justin Gray 00:39 From entrepreneur to investor: The InRevenue thesis 03:08 Founder led sales and the changing venture capital landscape 06:50 What Justin looks for in vertical B2B SaaS companies 09:21 Does the traditional SaaS sales playbook still work? 12:09 Understanding buyers and delivering value upfront 14:05 Customer retention, expansion, and sustainable growth 16:55 Proving customer ROI and defending against competitors 20:58 Changing pricing after discounts and free trials 24:17 Using complementary free products to win customers 26:07 Consumption and outcome based pricing 27:30 Customer enablement and forward deployed engineers 28:22 Closing thoughts and where to follow Justin Subscribe to #StartupsUnedited for candid conversations about entrepreneurship, startup growth, sales, marketing, and venture capital. #StartupsUnedited #B2BSaaS #FounderLedSales Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/ Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

AI is fundamentally changing how brands get discovered, how marketers create, and even who marketers are actually marketing to.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with David Berkowitz, Founder & Fractional CMO at High Caliber AI, to unpack what the shift from traditional search to AI search really means for marketers, brands, agencies, and entrepreneurs.David and I have known each other for nearly two decades, going all the way back to the early days of the social media revolution. Now we find ourselves at the beginning of another major shift.We dive deep into Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), AI search, LLM visibility, personalization, AI advertising, agentic workflows, and vibe coding.One of the biggest ideas from our conversation is that marketers now have two audiences: humans and AI.With traditional SEO, the objective was largely to rank in Google, earn the click, and then persuade the human who landed on your website.With ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and other AI platforms, the AI itself is increasingly interpreting, filtering, summarizing, recommending, and sometimes taking action on the information it finds.That changes how brands need to think about content, visibility and marketing.We also get into what is happening with AI agents inside companies, whether AI is actually replacing jobs yet, and why much of what people call agentic AI today still looks more like highly automated workflows than complete human replacement.Then we dive into one of the areas both David and I have become obsessed with: vibe coding.David shares how he went from having essentially no business building software a few years ago to shipping around 30 products in three months using AI tools.That may be one of the biggest changes coming to marketing.The modern marketer is increasingly becoming a builder.Topics we cover:• GEO vs traditional SEO• How AI search engines interpret brand content• Why marketers now need to market to humans AND bots• The growing importance of context and buyer personas• AI powered personalization• The future of advertising inside AI platforms• ChatGPT and conversational advertising• AI agents and agentic workflows• Whether AI is actually replacing marketing jobs• Human orchestration of AI agents• Vibe coding for marketers• The rise of the marketing engineer• Building software without traditional engineering resources• How David shipped roughly 30 AI powered products in three months• What the AI enabled marketer of the future looks likeChapters00:00 David Berkowitz and nearly 20 years of marketing innovation02:38 The AI and LLM revolution03:15 GEO vs traditional SEO05:40 How AI fundamentally changes search06:29 Marketers now have two audiences: humans and bots07:25 Why personalization is becoming more important09:48 Can AI finally deliver true personalization?13:48 The future of advertising inside ChatGPT and AI platforms17:03 AI agents, automation and the future of jobs19:51 Is AI actually replacing people?21:16 Agentic commerce and persistent AI searches22:39 Why most AI agents are still workflows24:44 How AI makes marketers dramatically more productive25:05 Vibe coding and building products without engineers26:37 The rise of the AI enabled marketer27:07 David built around 30 products in three months29:32 Building marketing technology with AISubscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, operators and builders exploring what is actually changing across startups, marketing, sales, AI and technology.#StartupsUnedited #ArtificialIntelligence #AISearch #GEO #AEO #SEO #VibeCoding #AIMarketing #Marketing #AIAgents #GenerativeAIFollow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

AI has completely changed what it means to build a startup.In Episode 107 of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Alex Ray, Principal at Pioneer Square Labs, to talk about how AI is transforming startup creation, competitive moats, go to market, AI search, and what founders need to get right in this new environment.Alex has spent his career building companies. At Pioneer Square Labs, he works on taking ideas from zero to one, talking to customers, building prototypes, testing markets, and ultimately determining which ideas have the potential to become venture backed companies.Today, that process is moving faster than ever.Alex believes that with a clear enough spec, he can now launch a new product every day.That creates an entirely new challenge for founders.**If everyone can build software faster and cheaper, what becomes your moat?**Alex shares a great framework for thinking about this.Imagine your entire GitHub suddenly became public and anyone could download your code and run it.Would you still have a valuable business?We discuss why code alone may no longer create a sustainable competitive advantage and why network effects, proprietary data, distribution, brand, customer relationships, and other advantages outside of the product itself are becoming increasingly important.We also explore how go to market is changing.AI has made it easier than ever to generate personalized cold outreach, but that has also created more noise. Alex explains why warm introductions, referrals, events, dinners, communities, and real world relationships are becoming powerful growth channels again.Alex calls it the return of the blue blazer era.We then dive into the story behind Gumshoe and why Alex and the PSL team recognized early that AI search represented a major new distribution channel.Companies they worked with were beginning to see organic traffic decline after years of consistent SEO growth. People were getting answers from Google AI Overviews and AI platforms without clicking through to websites.That led Alex and the PSL team to start investigating how brands could become more visible inside AI search.What they discovered was much bigger.Consumers and businesses are already using ChatGPT and other AI platforms to research and discover products.The next evolution is AI agents actually making more purchasing decisions and eventually transacting on our behalf.That means marketers need to start thinking beyond whether humans can find their brands.The question becomes:Can AI find your brand, understand your products, recommend them, and eventually purchase them?We also talk about why Gumshoe saw such immediate market pull, the importance of its data, its persona-based approach to GEO, and why years of tracking AI visibility can create a meaningful competitive advantage.Finally, Alex shares his perspective on founder-market fit, domain expertise, customer discovery, and why understanding the problem deeply remains one of the most important parts of building a successful company.We talk about why founders need to become domain experts, why customer pull matters, and why one of the biggest startup mistakes is building something around a problem people simply do not care enough about.Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

If you're wondering how AI is changing sales, startup GTM strategy, and revenue growth, this episode is for you. In Episode 106 of #StartupsUnedited, I interview Mark Roberge, Co-Founder of Stage 2 Capital, former HubSpot CRO, and author of The Science of Scaling, explains how the best startups are using AI to improve sales productivity, measure AI ROI, and build AI-first GTM organizations. After evaluating more than 500 startups every month, Mark shares the patterns he sees separating companies creating real competitive advantage from those simply adding more AI tools. In this episode you'll learn: How AI is changing startup go to market strategy Why Revenue Velocity is one of the most important sales metrics How to measure AI ROI across your sales organization Why selling time may become the most important KPI for sales leaders How AI agents automate CRM updates, meeting preparation, forecasting, and account planning How AI can coach sales reps better than traditional sales managers Why first principles thinking matters when building AI native sales teams The future of Salesforce, CRM platforms, and AI powered sales workflows The biggest mistake companies make when defining their Ideal Customer Profile Lessons from reviewing hundreds of venture backed startups every month Whether you're a founder, CEO, CRO, VP of Sales, RevOps leader, or GTM executive, this conversation provides a practical framework for building an AI-first revenue organization. Guest: Mark RobergeCo-founder, Stage 2 CapitalFormer CRO, HubSpotAuthor of The Science of Scaling Chapters: 00:00 Introduction00:30 How AI Is Transforming Startup Go to Market 02:15 Why Companies Are Questioning AI ROI 03:30 Understanding Revenue Velocity 05:05 The Fastest Way AI Improves Sales Productivity 06:55 Why Selling Time Matters 08:15 Automating CRM Updates and Sales Workflows 10:00 AI Sales Coaching 12:30 The Future of CRM and AI 15:35 The AI Sales Stack17:00 Learning From Your Best Sales Reps 18:30 Why First Principles Matter21:20 The Biggest ICP Mistake 23:00 The Science of Scaling 24:00 Mental Health and Responsible AI Leadership If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe for more interviews with founders, investors CROs, CMOs, and operators building the next generation of startups, AI companies, and go to market organizations. #AI #Startups #AISales #GoToMarket #RevenueOperations #RevOps #SalesLeadership #SalesAI #ArtificialIntelligence #B2BSales #StartupGrowth #SaaS #Founders #VentureCapital #MarkRobergeFollow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

AI is transforming marketing faster than most teams can adapt. In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Brad Smith, Co-Founder of uSERP and Founder of Codeless Interactive, to discuss how marketers can move beyond AI hype and build practical systems that drive results. Topics covered include: • GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) • The future of AI Search • How AI agents actually fit into marketing workflows • Why most companies are automating the wrong things • Building operational systems that make AI effective • Content creation workflows powered by AI • Brand voice, messaging, and AI governance • Human-in-the-loop AI processes • Marketing operations for the AI era • The biggest mistakes companies make when implementing AI One of Brad's key insights: "AI is great at taking something from 25% to 75%. The challenge is the work before and after." If you're a marketer, founder, CMO, growth leader, agency owner, or anyone trying to understand how AI will impact marketing, this conversation provides a practical framework for deploying AI without creating content debt, operational chaos, or low-quality outputs. Subscribe for more conversations with founders, marketers, operators, and investors exploring the future of technology, startups, marketing, AI, and go-to-market strategy. Chapter Titles: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Why Most Companies Use AI Incorrectly 03:00 AI Is Best From 25% to 75% 05:00 Building AI Workflows & Marketing Agents 10:30 Creating AI Guardrails & Brand Voice 15:00 The Reality of AI Agents in Marketing 19:30 Can AI Fully Automate Content Creation? 24:00 Best Tools for AI Agents 28:00 Governance, GEO & The Future of AI Search 30:00 Final Advice for Marketing Leaders #StartupsUnedited #AIMarketing #GEO #AEO #AISEO #AISearch #MarketingAI #AIAgents #ContentMarketing #B2BMarketing #SEO #GenerativeAI #MarketingOperations #CMO #GrowthMarketing Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/ Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

AI search is changing how buyers discover brands.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Devin Pickell, Founder of Do I Need SEO, to discuss why YouTube has become one of the most important channels for SEO, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and AI visibility.As platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews increasingly cite YouTube videos in generated answers, brands can no longer afford to think about YouTube as simply a social media platform. It is now a critical search engine and knowledge source.We discuss:• Why YouTube is one of the most cited sources in AI-generated answers• The relationship between SEO, GEO, AEO, and AI visibility• Why Reddit and YouTube are dominating AI citations• How AI search is changing the B2B buying journey• The role of video content in modern demand generation• YouTube SEO best practices for startups and enterprise brands• How founders, CEOs, and subject matter experts can build authority through video• The future of search, discovery, and brand visibilityWhether you're a founder, CMO, demand generation leader, SEO professional, content marketer, or growth executive, this conversation provides a practical roadmap for building visibility in an AI-first world.Guest:Devin PickellFounder, Do I Need SEOSubscribe for more conversations on AI, marketing, growth, startups, SEO, GEO, AEO, and the future of digital discovery.#SEO #GEO #AEO #AIVisibility #YouTubeSEO #ChatGPT #GoogleAIOverviews #GenerativeEngineOptimization #AnswerEngineOptimization #B2BMarketing #ContentMarketing #DemandGeneration #ArtificialIntelligence #StartupsUnedited

AI search is changing how buyers discover brands.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Jake Sotir, SEO & Organic Growth Manager at Practice Better, to break down how AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), AI visibility, and LLM-powered search are reshaping modern marketing.If you are a founder, CMO, growth marketer, SEO leader, or agency trying to understand how ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews are impacting the funnel, this episode is packed with practical insights.Topics covered include:The evolution from traditional SEO to AEO/GEOWhy AI search and LLM visibility matter in 2026How ChatGPT and AI engines influence the buyer journeyClickless search and zero-click attribution challengesWhy branded search is becoming more importantHow Reddit, YouTube, and third-party citations impact AI visibilityHow to structure content for AI search enginesFAQ-driven content strategies for LLM optimizationThe role of schema, summaries, and semantic contentAI search attribution and self-reported attribution modelsTools for tracking AI visibility and LLM search performanceHow growth marketers should adapt their SEO strategies for AI discoveryJake also shares tactical tips on:✅ Building AI-friendly content✅ Structuring blogs for LLM citation✅ Using question-answer formatting✅ Creating hidden AI-readable company pages✅ Monitoring AI search visibility and sentimentWhether you call it AEO, GEO, AI SEO, AI search optimization, or AI visibility, one thing is clear:Brands that fail to adapt to AI-powered discovery risk becoming invisible online.Hosted by Jorge Soto (me!).Brought to you by Gumshoe.ai helping brands and agencies understand how AI search engines discuss, recommend, and cite their brands.🎙️ Follow #StartupsUnedited for more conversations on:AI searchB2B growthStartup GTMSEO & AEOContent strategyAI visibilityDemand generationModern marketing systemsConnect with Jake Sotir on LinkedIn for more insights on SEO, AEO, GEO, and organic growth.#AEO #GEO #SEO #AISearch #ChatGPT #GenerativeEngineOptimization #AnswerEngineOptimization #AIVisibility #B2BMarketing #GrowthMarketing #ContentMarketing #LLM #AISEO #StartupMarketing #DemandGeneration #StartupsUnedited #GumshoeAIFollow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

AI is changing more than software.It is changing the entire economics of SaaS.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with pricing and go-to-market expert Roee Hartuv, Senior Pricing Advisor & Head of GTM Expertise at Willingness to Pay, to discuss why traditional seat-based SaaS pricing is breaking, how AI is destroying margins, and what founders need to understand before they accidentally price themselves into a disaster.We cover:Why seat-based pricing no longer works in the AI eraWhy AI companies have lower margins than traditional SaaS businessesThe rise of usage-based, credit-based, and outcome-based pricingWhy outcome-based pricing is harder than most people thinkHow companies like Salesforce are experimenting with AI pricing modelsWhy some AI startups are losing millions because of bad pricing decisionsHow founders should think about packaging, pricing, and unit economicsWhy AI companies need to obsess over costs, not just revenue growthIf you are building, investing in, or operating an AI startup, this episode will completely change the way you think about pricing strategy.#AI #SaaS #PricingStrategy #ArtificialIntelligence #B2B #Startups #StartupAdvice #GTM #Salesforce #UsageBasedPricing #ProductLedGrowth #VC #Founders #StartupsUneditedRoee Hartuv, Jorge Soto, Salesforce, OpenAI, Anthropic, Fin.aiFollow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

What does it really take to build a company that wins - and gets acquired by a giant like Salesforce?In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with John Andrews (Co-Founder & CEO of Cimulate, now part of Salesforce.com) to break down the real playbook behind building, scaling, and exiting a category-defining AI company.We go deep on:Why your co-founder choice is everything (and how to get it right)The truth about building world-class startup teamsHow top CEOs stay calm under pressure when everything is on fireWhy agentic AI is the biggest shift since the internetHow AI is rewiring e-commerce, search (GEO/AEO), and buying behaviorWhat founders and execs MUST understand about AI-driven discoveryJohn has built and exited multiple companies, worked with organizations like Nike and Oracle, and now sits at the center of one of the most important shifts in commerce: agentic AI.His take?👉 “The future is agentic - and it’s happening faster than anyone realizes.”🧠 Key Takeaways-Startups don’t fail because of ideas - they fail because of team composition-The next wave of growth isn’t SEO… it’s GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)-AI agents will become the new front door to your business-The best founders are emotionally steady, not reactive⏱️ Chapters00:00 Intro02:15 The #1 mistake founders make when building teams08:40 How to pick the right co-founder15:10 Staying calm as a CEO (when everything breaks)22:30 What “agentic commerce” actually means31:45 AI vs SEO: The rise of GEO/AEO40:10 How AI will change how customers buy forever48:20 What founders should do right now🔥 Who This Is ForStartup founders (0→1, 1→10)GTM leaders & operatorsAI / SaaS buildersE-commerce & retail executivesAnyone trying to understand what AI actually means for business📈 Why You Should WatchBecause this isn’t theory.This is from a CEO who:Built multiple companiesSold to enterprise giantsIs actively shaping the future of AI-powered commerce👇 Connect & FollowSubscribe for more unfiltered conversations with top founders and operators.Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

What does startup success really look like?In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Eric Litman, a serial founder whose companies have consistently led to major outcomes, to unpack the real, unfiltered truth behind building companies, managing pressure, and staying grounded through it all.This isn’t a highlight reel.This is what founders actually go through.🔥 What You’ll Learn:-Why startup success is never linear (even if it looks that way)-The hidden reason most founding teams fail (and how to avoid it)-How to handle conflict, ego, and pressure as a CEO-The mental shift required to detach your identity from your company-Lessons from building a robotics company used by brands like Equinox & Four Seasons-Why kindness and emotional intelligence might be your biggest competitive advantage💡 Key Takeaways:-“Every day is a fight.” - the reality behind “perfect” founder journeys-Founders don’t fail because of product - they fail because of people and relationships-The hardest problems in startups are interpersonal, not technical-Success isn’t an outcome - it’s the discipline of continuously improving as a human👤 About Eric Litman:-Serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits-Early experience working with Steve Jobs’ NeXT-Built and scaled a robotics company to 100+ locations-Known for tackling hard, complex problems that create real-world impact🎙 About #StartupsUnedited#StartupsUnedited is hosted by (me) Jorge Soto - a 25+ year GTM operator, founder, and advisor - bringing raw, unfiltered conversations with founders, operators, and investors building the future.No scripts. No fluff. Just real conversations.🚀 If You’re a Founder, Operator, or Investor…This episode will challenge how you think about:SuccessIdentityLeadershipAnd what it actually takes to build something meaningful🔔 Subscribe for MoreIf you’re building, investing, or thinking about startups in the AI era - subscribe for weekly conversations designed to give you an edge.

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Vignesh Ravikumar, Partner at Sierra Ventures, to break down what actually matters in building and scaling startups in the AI era.They go deep on:-Why AI gets you 80% of the way, but not the last mile-The rise of “systems of context” as the real competitive moat-How founders should think about moats in 2026 and beyond-What separates elite startup teams from everyone else-Why hiring the right early team dramatically increases success odds-The truth about AI replacing SaaS (and where it won’t)-How great founders sell vision to attract top talent, customers, and investorsVignesh also shares tactical frameworks for:-Building defensible AI products-Creating trust in AI systems-Scaling from product #1 to multi-product companiesIf you're a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand what actually wins in the AI era, this episode is a must-watch.🔥 Key Takeaways-AI is powerful, but context + decision-making data is the real moat-Great founders don’t sell ideas, they sell belief-Early team quality is one of the strongest predictors of success-The future of AI apps depends on capturing human decision logic-Winning startups will move fast AND build compounding products👇 Connect with Vignesh RavikumarSierra Ventures: https://www.sierraventures.comPodcast: Unpacked (UNPAK3D)LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vravikumar1🚀 About #StartupsUnedited#StartupsUnedited is hosted by Jorge Soto and features real, unfiltered conversations with founders, operators, and investors building the future.👉 Watch the full episode and drop your biggest takeaway in the comments

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Jonathan Friedman to break down how AI is fundamentally changing how startups are built, funded, and scaled.Jonathan shares his journey from building companies like DemoStack to rethinking the entire startup playbook - and why the traditional VC-backed model may no longer be the default path for ambitious founders.We dive into:The rise of the “indie startup” model - small teams, big ambitions, minimal fundingWhy AI + modern infrastructure are eliminating the need for large, bloated teamsHow product experience is becoming more important than featuresWhat happens when anyone can build software (even non-technical founders)The hidden cost of speed - and how founders can stay grounded in an accelerating worldWhy attention, creativity, and taste are becoming the new competitive advantagesJonathan also shares deeply personal insights on burnout, travel, and finding clarity outside the startup grind, and why stepping away might be the most powerful move a founder can make.If you're a founder, operator, or investor trying to understand what building a company looks like in the AI era - this is a must-listen.

Is sales development dead in the age of AI? Not even close.In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with John Moore, Head of Business Development at Cimulate (now part of Salesforce), to break down what actually works in modern outbound sales. While most teams are chasing AI tools, John is quietly building one of the highest-performing SDR/BDR teams in today’s market - proving that fundamentals, discipline, and smart execution still win. 👉 In this episode, you’ll learn: Why SDRs and BDRs are still critical in 2026 The exact traits of top-performing sales development reps How to balance personalization vs. scale in outbound Why most SDR teams fail (and how to fix it) Cold calling strategies that actually convert today The habits that separate elite reps from average ones How great sales leaders coach - not just manage If you're a founder, sales leader, SDR, or building a GTM team, this is a must-watch. ⚡ KEY MOMENTS 00:00 – Intro to #StartupsUnedited01:00 – John Moore’s journey into sales 05:30 – What makes a great SDR in today’s AI-driven world 10:00 – Habits of top-performing BDRs 14:00 – Personalization vs scale (critical outbound strategy) 18:00 – What great SDR leaders do differently 25:00 – Building high-performing sales teams 🎯 WHO THIS IS FOR SDRs / BDRs trying to stand out Founders building outbound motion Sales leaders scaling teams Anyone navigating AI + sales If you’re building or scaling a GTM team, subscribe for more real conversations with operators in the trenches. Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/ Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge

In this episode of #StartupsUnedited, I sit down with Daniel Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of DataGrail, for a candid conversation on AI agents, data privacy, shadow AI, startup leadership, and what it really takes to build a SaaS company in a rapidly changing market. Daniel breaks down how AI is reshaping hiring, privacy operations, and the future of work, why shadow AI is becoming one of the biggest risks inside modern organizations, and how DataGrail is helping companies manage privacy in a world filled with SaaS sprawl, automation, and evolving regulation. This episode covers: How AI agents are already replacing certain jobs Why privacy teams may soon spend more on AI workflows than headcount The rise of shadow AI and hidden risk inside organizations What founder-CEOs get wrong when building in complex markets How DataGrail is thinking about responsible AI adoption internally The future of privacy, compliance, and AI-powered business operations If you're a startup founder, SaaS operator, privacy leader, security professional, or AI builder, this conversation is packed with real insight on where the market is heading. Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with founders, operators, and builders on #StartupsUnedited. #StartupsUnedited #JorgeSoto #DanielBarber #DataGrail #AI #AIAgents #DataPrivacy #PrivacyCompliance #ShadowAI #SaaS #StartupFounder #Cybersecurity #FutureOfWork #B2BSoftware Follow me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startupjorge/ Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupjorge