This is why Every Company's Partner Strategy Is Broken From Day One

What separates a productive sales team from one buried in operational work? For Srinivas Bandi, it comes down to eliminating the endless toil that keeps sellers away from actually selling. In this episode of Hunters and Unicorns, Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne sit down with Srinivas Bandi, Co-Founder and CTO of Aurasell, to explore how AI is reshaping the modern go-to-market stack and changing how sales teams work. They discuss why most sellers spend less than 25% of their time selling, how AI agents can automate everything from prospecting to forecasting, and why the future of sales is about letting humans focus on high-value conversations. The conversation also explores AI-native software, data ownership, the fragmentation of today’s GTM stack, and why companies need to focus on business outcomes rather than simply adding more tools. In this episode: • Why sales reps spend less than 25% of their time selling • How AI can move selling time from 25% to 75% • Why the future of sales is AI agents + human conversations • The problem with fragmented GTM stacks and 50+ tools • Why high-fidelity data is becoming a competitive advantage • How AI is changing product development and customer success • Why speed and execution are becoming critical moats • What the future of the GTM stack could look like About Srinivas Bandi Srinivas Bandi is the Co-Founder and CTO of Aurasell, with previous leadership experience at VMware, Nutanix, and Harness. He has spent his career building enterprise technology and scaling products across cloud, infrastructure, and AI. Subscribe to Hunters and Unicorns for conversations with the leaders building, scaling, and transforming high-growth technology companies. About Our Sponsor: Big thanks to Aurasell for sponsoring this episode. Aurasell is an AI-native GTM platform that replaces the 15+ disconnected tools your sales team is juggling — prospecting, deal management, forecasting, and coaching all in one place. Available as a layer on your existing Salesforce or HubSpot, or as a standalone AI-native CRM. https://www.aurasell.ai/ #HuntersAndUnicorns #SrinivasBandi #Aurasell #SalesAI #AIAgents #GTM #B2BSales #SalesLeadership #RevOps #RevenueGrowth #ArtificialIntelligence Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:09 — Welcome & Introduction 2:17 — Career — VMware to Nutanix to Harness 6:02 — Identifying a Company's Real Moat 9:09 — Creating Real Differentiation in a Crowded Space 15:38 — What Drew Him to Solving This Problem 20:28 — Building for the Future With Aurasell 26:33 — The Nutanix Product & Its Impact 30:41 — Balancing Customer Feedback With Product Vision 35:14 — Staying Ahead When Innovation Moves Fast 38:51 — Will the Founder Profile Change in the AI Era 41:34 — The Future GTM Stack 44:33 — Will AI Make the Market Too Noisy 47:35 — How the Seller Profile Will Change With AI 49:31 — Could Salespeople Ever Be Fully Replaced 52:02 — Aurasell's Impact on Sales Rep Productivity 56:04 — Is Customer Success Being Replaced by AI 58:02 — Closing

What separates a good partner strategy from a truly transformational one? For Akshay Rao and Tom Henderson, it comes down to one thing: turning partner strategy into real field execution. In this episode of Hunters and Unicorns, Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne sit down with the co-founders of a stealth startup and two of the most experienced leaders in partner and channel alliances, with experience at companies including Wiz, Zscaler, AppDynamics, and Skytap. They break down why companies struggle to capture their Partner Total Addressable Market (PTAM), why strategy often gets disconnected from execution, and how organizations can use partnerships to accelerate growth rather than simply generate sourced revenue. The conversation explores what a gold-standard partner strategy looks like, how to measure the true value of partner relationships, why focused partner ecosystems outperform “everything to everyone” approaches, and how field teams can turn individual deals into long-term partner momentum. In this episode: • The missing link between PTAM and field execution • Why partner strategy cannot live only on a PowerPoint deck • How to calculate the real value of a partner relationship • Why focused partner strategies outperform broad ecosystems • How deals can become “currency” for building partner momentum • The difference between sourcing revenue and accelerating TAM • How companies can unlock growth they couldn't achieve alone About Akshay Rao & Tom Henderson - Akshay Rao and Tom Henderson are veteran partner and channel executives who have worked together for more than 11 years across companies including Wiz, Zscaler, AppDynamics, and Skytap. They are now co-founders of a stealth startup focused on rethinking how companies build and execute transformational revenue through the channel ecosystem. Subscribe to Hunters and Unicorns for conversations with the leaders building, scaling, and transforming high-growth technology companies. #HuntersAndUnicorns #PartnerStrategy #ChannelSales #B2BSales #RevenueGrowth #GoToMarket #SalesLeadership #Partnerships #SaaS #techleadership Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:23 — Welcome & Introductions 3:06 — What Does Gold Standard Look Like? 5:20 — TAM & the Missing Link to Field Execution 8:18 — Opportunity Cost Across Company Sizes 9:28 — Strategy vs Execution — Where It Falls Apart 10:30 — How to Practically Identify Your Partner TAM 16:01 — Executive Sponsorship — The First Gate 20:40 — What Being Easy to Work With Actually Means 25:00 — Why Aren't More Reps Doing This? 31:50 — Multi-Party Attribution — The Real Problem 37:51 — How the Cisco Model Changed Partnering 42:27 — Can You Build Channel-First From Day One? 51:59 — Doomed at Every Size — The Core Frustration 1:00:12 — Why Would Anyone Work in Channel 1:02:20 — Why Tom Turned Down Jobs to Found Mobilize 1:05:30 — What Is Mobilize & How Does It Work 1:11:30 — Who Is Mobilize Built For & What's the Outcome 1:13:25 — Closing

What if motivation is actually the thing holding you back? In this episode of Hunters and Unicorns, hosts Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne sit down with Sean Conway, an eight-time world record holder, extreme endurance athlete, keynote speaker, and performance coach—to unpack the mindset behind sustained high performance. Sean explains why motivation is an unreliable energy source, how world-class performers build systems instead of relying on willpower, and why consistency always beats intensity over the long run. From breaking endurance records to coaching high performers, he shares practical lessons that apply just as much to software sales, leadership, and business as they do to elite sport. In this episode: Why motivation is overrated The system that creates consistent performance How to build discipline that lasts Lessons from breaking eight world records Why ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results Endurance principles every sales leader should know How to perform under pressure without burning out Building habits that outperform talent Subscribe for more conversations with the world's top founders, operators, and GTM leaders sharing the playbooks behind exceptional performance. With thanks to our sponsor Aurasell AI. #HuntersAndUnicorns #SeanConway #SalesLeadership #Performance #Motivation #Discipline #SystemsThinking #Sales #Leadership #highperformance 0:00 — Trailer 1:17 — Introduction & Sponsor 3:01 — How Many World Records 7:49 — Elite vs Average Iron Man Time 9:20 — Was He Always Innately Motivated 12:50 — Was He a Sporty Kid 15:00 — Why Has He Been Able to Achieve This 16:55 — Community Within the Pillars 24:44 — From a Low Point to an Audacious Goal 31:55 — Practical Implementation of the Plan 36:28 — Getting Up Every Morning for 105 Days 39:33 — The Power of Having a Plan 41:24 — Factoring in Distractions and Life 43:18 — Mentally Dealing With Derailed Plans 44:25 — Was There a Point He Wanted to Quit 47:20 — End Goal vs Breaking It Into Segments 49:30 — Being Present in the Now 51:47 — Parallels to Business and Sales 56:50 — Motivation Levels Through the Journey 1:01:37 — Work Outside of Endurance 1:03:39 — What He Looks for in Coaching Clients 1:12:23 — Closing

What does it really take to scale a software company from $35M to $2B ARR? In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne sit down with Dan Barrett, SVP International at Figma and former MongoDB leader, to unpack the lessons behind one of SaaS's most remarkable growth stories. Dan shares why he hates the word "playbook," how MongoDB evolved through multiple sales transformations, and why the best leaders focus on developing people—not following a rigid process. The conversation explores authenticity in leadership, building high-performance teams, scaling PLG and enterprise sales motions, customer success, AI's impact on software sales, and the leadership lessons that helped Dan grow from a first-time manager into one of the industry's most respected sales leaders. In this episode: • Scaling MongoDB from $35M to $2B ARR • Why Dan hates the term "playbook" • The leadership epiphany that changed his career • Building trust without fear or intimidation • PLG vs enterprise sales models • What great sales organizations do differently • How to develop future sales leaders • Why authenticity is a leadership superpower • AI, SaaS, and the future of enterprise sales Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders building the next generation of SaaS companies. #HuntersAndUnicorns #DanBarrett #Figma #MongoDB #SalesLeadership #SaaS #EnterpriseSales #PLG #CustomerSuccess #b2bsales Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:02 — Introduction & Sponsor 1:56 — Welcome Dan Barrett 2:35 — Dan's Career & the Epiphany Moment 9:00 — Pressure Before the Epiphany 10:02 — QBRs With John McMahon 11:50 — Fighting for Space to Change 13:37 — From MongoDB to Figma 17:21 — Where PLG Goes Wrong 19:00 — Rethinking the Playbook 23:55 — Learning What Works at Figma 31:46 — Playbook vs Authenticity 33:32 — Moving Into Customer Success 38:06 — Knowing When to Leave MongoDB 41:00 — Sustaining Energy for Nearly a Decade 43:31 — Hunters & Unicorns Origin Story 48:21 — Will Salespeople Survive AI 51:20 — The Future of Figma 54:03 — Closing

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, hosts Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne sit down with Olivier Zieleniecki, Global Vice President of Partners at MongoDB, to discuss why the future of enterprise sales will be built around partnerships, ecosystems, and AI. As cloud marketplaces, hyperscalers, and AI continue reshaping how software is bought and sold, Olivier explains why traditional sales frameworks are no longer enough on their own. The next generation of sales leaders must learn how to leverage partner ecosystems, build strategic alliances, and create value beyond a single product or transaction. Drawing on nearly 20 years of enterprise software experience, Olivier shares how MongoDB scaled through partner-led growth, why partnerships are becoming a force multiplier for revenue, and what future CROs need to master to stay relevant in the AI era. In this episode: • How AI is changing enterprise sales • Why partnerships are becoming critical to growth • The evolution of partner-led revenue • How hyperscalers changed software buying • What great enterprise sellers do differently • Why future CROs must understand ecosystems • Strategic partnerships vs transactional selling • Building long-term customer value in the AI era • The future of software go-to-market   About Olivier Zieleniecki: Olivier Zieleniecki is the Global Vice President of Partners at MongoDB, leading the company's worldwide partner ecosystem strategy. Over the course of his career, he has helped scale enterprise software organizations while building strategic partnerships that drive long-term growth. About Hunters & Unicorns: Hunters & Unicorns explores the strategies, leadership lessons, and growth playbooks behind the world's most successful software companies through conversations with elite founders, operators, and GTM leaders. With thanks to our sponsors Aurasell. Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:20 — Introduction 3:10 — How Software Selling Is Changing 5:12 — How Hyperscalers & AI Are Reshaping the Landscape 7:50 — How Partner Complexity in Deals Has Changed 10:24 — Olivier's Career Journey Into Channel 13:57 — Why These Choices Are Setting Him Up for CRO 15:25 — Strategic vs Sourcing — What's the Difference 17:50 — How to Measure Partner Impact & Influence 19:20 — How Enterprise Sellers Should Work With Partners 21:30 — What Sellers Are Getting Wrong With Partners 23:15 — What Best Practice Actually Looks Like 27:43 — Has the Partner Team Ratio Changed at MongoDB 28:58 — How AI Is Impacting the Partner Ecosystem 30:57 — How AI Channel Strategy Differs From Cloud Alliances 32:40 — Will Classic Sales Principles Survive the AI Era 34:44 — The Guiding Principle Behind the Wizard of Oz Nickname 36:54 — How Partner Landscapes Differ Globally 38:31 — Biggest Predictions for Channel by 2030 40:35 — Tools to Track & Measure Partner Success 43:23 — Should Channel Become a Letter in MEDPIC 44:26 — Closing

In this episode, Peppa Wise, SVP of Go-To-Market at Multiverse, breaks down the real differences between scaling from 0 to 10 million, 10 to 100 million, and beyond. From early-stage hustle and chaos to building scalable systems, leadership teams, and world-class sales processes, this conversation is packed with lessons most operators only learn the hard way. Peppa shares the painful mistakes that shaped her leadership journey, including the year Multiverse fell behind on productive capacity, why hiring the wrong people can quietly destroy growth, and why great leaders must learn to balance accountability with empathy. The conversation also explores AI, workforce transformation, leadership psychology, sales rigor, emotional resilience, and why Multiverse believes the future of work depends on helping companies actually adopt AI — not just buy new tools. If you're building a startup, leading a sales team, scaling a company, or trying to become a better leader, this episode is full of hard-earned insights you can apply immediately. With thanks to our sponsors Aurasell. Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:18 — Introduction & Guest Overview 2:59 — What Separates the 0-10, 10-100 & 100M+ Stages 4:48 — Early Learnings & What to Overcome in the 0-10 Journey 7:00 — What Leadership Looks Like at 0-10 8:58 — Reflecting on Your 0-10 Self & Mistakes Made 10:24 — How Mentorship Fuelled Evolution Through Each Stage 13:01 — Is It Okay to Specialize in One Stage 15:38 — What Is Your Long-Term Ambition 17:12 — Have You Changed as a Person Through This Journey 19:46 — How to Coach Leaders Being Inauthentic 21:16 — Were There Any Real Career Low Points 24:26 — What Does Maniacal Productive Capacity Mean 25:57 — What Signals Show Someone Is Ready to Promote 28:38 — Where People Go Wrong With Productive Capacity 33:10 — How to Manage Emotion Under Pressure 37:54 — What Separates First From Second Line Leaders 40:13 — Do You Hire People Similar to Yourself 42:32 — What Changes Has Donn Driven in Year One 45:45 — What Excites You Most About This Next Phase 48:13 — Why Multiverse Is Still the Destination 49:46 — Common Misconceptions About Multiverse 51:17 — Closing & Final Thoughts

What does it really take to scale a sales team inside a billion-dollar company without losing culture, performance, and leadership quality along the way? In this episode, Peppa Wise and Euan Blair break down the real playbook behind scaling one of the fastest-growing teams in the UK. From the chaos of the 0 to 10 million stage to building sustainable systems at scale, this conversation dives deep into leadership, hiring, productive capacity, mentorship, sales culture, and the lessons most founders only learn after painful mistakes. Peppa shares her journey from one of the early hires at Multiverse to leading a 120+ person go-to-market organization, while Euan opens up about building a mission-driven company during one of the biggest shifts in the future of work and AI. The episode also explores: - Why most companies fail when scaling teams - The leadership traits that matter most in hypergrowth - Why top performers don’t always become great leaders - The hidden cost of hiring the wrong people - How elite sales organizations maintain standards while scaling fast - The role AI will play in reshaping workforce productivity - Why culture and mentorship become even more important at scale If you're a founder, sales leader, startup operator, or anyone building inside a fast-growing company, this episode is packed with lessons you rarely hear shared this openly. With thanks to our sponsors, Aurasell. Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:03 — Introduction & Guest Overview 2:18 — Peppa's Role at Multiverse 3:02 — How Peppa Ended Up at Multiverse 9:18 — Early Interactions & What That Dynamic Was Like 11:58 — The Transition From SaaS to Services 13:11 — Were You All In From Day One 15:27 — When Did You Start Seeing Proof in the Numbers 17:37 — Were You Ever Intimidated Bringing In Great Talent 19:34 — How the Relationship Between Peppa & Euan Evolved 23:02 — Bringing Donn Into the Business 26:55 — What Donn Brings to Peppa Personally 29:42 — Was Don's Impact Felt Instantly or Gradually 32:50 — How a Visionary Founder Stays Grounded 35:40 — What Excites You Most About the Next Few Years 39:02 — What Could Stop Multiverse From Being Successful 40:38 — Fine-Tuning Direction or Focused on Execution 41:58 — Why Multiverse Is the Right Place to Join Right Now 47:32 — Closing & Final Thoughts

What does the future of hiring, leadership, and company building actually look like in the age of AI? In this episode, Rhys Hughes, Executive Talent Partner at GV, joins us for a fascinating deep dive into the battle for talent happening inside the world’s fastest-growing AI companies. From billion-dollar compensation packages and the rise of vertical AI startups to what founders are really looking for in executives, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how the next generation of iconic companies are being built. We explore the reality of scaling in today’s market. Why velocity has become one of the defining traits of elite founders, how culture is becoming more important than compensation, and why networking and relationship-building are now critical career advantages in an AI-driven world. Rhys also shares incredible insight into what’s happening inside the venture ecosystem at GV, where the biggest opportunities are emerging across AI, robotics, life sciences, frontier tech, and enterprise software — alongside the major risks and bottlenecks founders are navigating in real time. If you're interested in AI, startups, venture capital, hiring, go-to-market strategy, or the future of work, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:30 — Introduction & Guest Overview 2:29 — The Battle for Talent in the AI Era 4:36 — Profound Differences in This New Market 6:39 — How Organizations Are Attracting Talent & How Candidates Are Choosing 9:20 — How to Evaluate a Strong Equity Package 11:41 — Are New Comp Models Like Anthropic's Driving the Right Behaviours 14:36 — How Founders Are Approaching Go-to-Market in the AI Era 17:30 — How Does a Company Stand Out 21:44 — What Velocity Really Means & Why It Matters 23:05 — What Rhys Is Seeing From Founders Right Now 26:12 — Rogue Founders: GV's Red Lines & What They Look For 29:17 — Why Building VC Talent Relationships Is Non-Negotiable 36:19 — What Sectors & Trends GV Is Most Excited About 38:14 — Specific AI Trends Shaping GV's Investment Thesis 42:50 — Biggest Bottlenecks That Could Slow Everything Down 44:29 — How GTM Talent Should Get on the Radar of Top Portfolio Companies 47:50 — The Biggest Mistakes People Make Choosing the Wrong Company

From Downing Street to Disrupting the Future of Work! What does it really take to build a $500M+ company that’s reshaping how the world learns and works? In this episode, Euan Blair, Founder & CEO of Multiverse, joins us for a candid, high-energy conversation on building a mission-driven business that actually scales. From reimagining apprenticeships as a global workforce revolution to breaking down the science behind elite B2B sales, this episode is packed with insights most founders never hear. We dive into the reality of the journey. Key hires, tough mistakes, and the inflection points that change everything, alongside a powerful perspective on AI and why it will either transform or disrupt the future of work as we know it. If you're interested in startups, sales, AI, or building something that truly matters, this is one you don’t want to miss! With thanks to our sponsors Aurasell. Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 0:54 — Euan Blair Introduction 01:49 — Sponsor: Aurasell 03:07 — Why Euan Chose Founding Over Politics & Finance 05:11 — Was Being a Founder Always the Plan 07:36 — Shaping the Vision & Early Surroundings 09:00 — Why VCs Invested in Multiverse 11:10 — Preparing for First Fundraise 12:34 — Life After Getting the Money 14:20 — Jeremy: The Game-Changing Hire 22:44 — Building the First Sales Team 26:10 — Tough Learnings & Biggest Mistakes 28:30 — Moments of Self-Doubt as a Founder 30:36 — What Really Motivates Euan 33:55 — AI & Workforce Displacement 36:04 — Why Euan Appointed Don D'Arcy's 40:22 — Keeping Pace with AI Change 42:32 — How the CEO Role Is Evolving 43:50 — Multiverse vs Typical SaaS Model 46:00 — What It Takes to Succeed Here

Today we sit down with Doug May, SVP of Productivity at Harness, to discuss one of the most critical yet overlooked aspects of a healthy organization: Sales Productivity. Doug has had an illustrious career at elite organizations including Datadog and Databricks, and he brings that expertise to Harness, where he has cut ramp time in half and increased per-rep contribution by 43%. We explore the "F1 engineering team" analogy of GTM support, why productivity metrics are the ultimate indicator of a company’s health, and the specific questions every candidate should ask to de-risk their next career move. 🙌 Thanks To Our Sponsor! Aurasell AI: https://www.aurasell.ai   🏹 Key Topics Covered 00:00 - In this episode 02:44 – What is Sales Productivity Strategy? 04:00 – The F1 Analogy 05:15 – Measuring Every Step of the Process 07:45 – Cutting Ramp Time in Half at Harness 09:05 – Optimizing the Hiring Profile 12:02 – How Investors Use Productivity as a Health Signal 13:57 – Questions to Ask During Recruiting 18:23 – Benchmarks for Rep Attainment 20:00 – The Six Secrets of Excellence 25:34 – Productivity Leadership and the CRO 31:12 – Understanding CAC and Scalability 42:45 – The 5X Win Rate Improvement   💥 3 Biggest Lessons: The F1 Engineering Team Approach: Doug views the productivity function as the engineering team behind an F1 driver. Elite sellers are the drivers, but they shouldn't be dropped into any car. A world-class productivity strategy provides the fuel (pipeline), the GPS (RevOps), and the tools to optimize every contributor's horsepower to ensure they reach "elite" status. De-Risk Your Career with Data: Candidates should scrutinize an organization’s health through productivity metrics, not just OTE. Key indicators include ramp time (e.g., 7 months vs. 15 months), the percentage of ramped reps achieving quota, and average deal size. If a CEO does not list sales productivity as one of their top three success metrics, it is a sign that the organization may view sales as a cost center rather than an investment engine. Decision Velocity is Critical for Growth: In a high-growth environment, waiting to make decisions is not an option. Doug highlights the concept of one-way vs. two-way doors: identifying which decisions are reversible so the team can maintain high velocity. This agility allows an organization to respond to data in real-time and win the competitive race. 💬 Notable Quotes "We are basically there to optimize the horsepower of every single seller in the organization." "Any change is incremental until you pile them on top of each other." "If sales productivity is not one of [the top three metrics], I should probably walk away." "Great talent... can make hay in any field if they’re supported properly." "You have to be willing to do the hard, hard stuff." 🙌 Thanks for listening! This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel! 🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse #salesproductivity