"Execution is everything." — Ethan Ruby, CEO and Co-founder of SaaSGrid

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Ethan Ruby, CEO and Co-founder of SaaSGrid, joins Jeff Martin to explore why metrics matter—and how the right data can change everything for B2B SaaS companies.

Ethan shares the pain that inspired SaaSGrid: endless hours wrangling messy data while running analytics at Craft Ventures. That frustration led to building SaaSGrid, a financial intelligence platform now used by 1,000+ SaaS companies to unify CRM, billing, and ERP data into a single source of truth for ARR, pipeline, retention, and more. The conversation dives deep into which metrics really move the needle at Series A, how execution gets measured, and why business—like jiu-jitsu—is a craft learned over time.

This episode is a must-listen for founders, finance leaders, and operators who want to align their team around clear, actionable insights—and scale with confidence.

Chapters:

00:00 The Importance of Metrics in Business Success

02:05 Understanding SaaSGrid and Its Impact

05:03 The Role of Data in Decision Making

07:51 Craft Ventures: Insights from Experience

10:48 The Art of Crafting a Business

13:52 Key Metrics for SaaS Companies

16:33 Balancing Leading and Lagging Indicators

19:29 The Journey to Series A Funding

22:25 Metrics for Series A Companies

25:01 The Evolution of Metrics in Growth Stages

27:49 Execution and Its Measurement

30:24 Adapting to Market Changes

33:12 The Craft of Business and Jiu-Jitsu

35:56 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies

https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Growth Team with the Peak Operating System™

https://www.collective-genius.com/

Got 5 minutes? Take the Peak Teams Assessment to see where your team needs to level up

https://www.collective-genius.com/peak-teams-assessment

#SaaS #Metrics #StartupGrowth #Execution #SaaSGrid #TechScenes #JeffJamesMartin #EthanRuby #B2B #ARR #Retention #CraftVentures #KPI #BusinessIntelligence #JiuJitsuMindset #Founders #SeriesA #peakos #collectivegenius #peakteamsbook

"The best sellers enable buyers to buy." — Gal Aga, CEO and Co-founder of Aligned

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Gal Aga, CEO and Co-founder of Aligned, joins Jeff Martin to unpack the future of B2B sales—from broken enterprise workflows to building digital spaces that make buying easier and faster.

Drawing on 17+ years of scaling SaaS companies from $1M to $100M ARR, Gal shares the moment he realized traditional sales enablement was no longer enough. In an era where 95% of buying happens without the seller in the room, Gal and his team built Aligned to offer “Buying Process as a Service”—a digital workspace where buyers and sellers collaborate in real-time, track next steps, and get deals done faster. From enabling cross-functional alignment to generating 65% of leads through LinkedIn, Gal offers a masterclass in modern selling and founder-led growth.

This episode is for anyone navigating high-stakes sales, building GTM systems, or leading a startup in a buyer-led world. Come for the tactics, stay for the mindset shift.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of a Founder

08:42 Understanding Sales Dynamics

17:55 Navigating Enterprise Sales Challenges

26:58 The Role of Alignment in Success

36:15 Leveraging LinkedIn for Growth

45:53 Final Thoughts and Personal Insights

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies

https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Growth Team with the Peak Operating System™

https://www.collective-genius.com/

Got 5 minutes? Take the Peak Teams Assessment to see where your team needs to level up

https://www.collective-genius.com/peak-teams-assessment

#B2BSales #SalesEnablement #FounderJourney #LinkedInGrowth #Aligned #TechScenes #JeffMartin #GalAga #SalesLeadership #EnterpriseSales #StartupGrowth #SalesProcess #CustomerSuccess #BuyerEnablement #StrategicNarrative

"Fundraising is not that easy." — Xiao Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Collov AI

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Xiao Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Collov AI, joins Jeff Martin to share how his team is transforming real estate staging with lightning-fast AI-powered visual generation—and what it really takes to fund and build a high-performance startup.

Xiao reflects on the early struggles of fundraising, the evolution of Collov’s business model, and the importance of finding product-market fit through continuous customer feedback. From hiring domain experts to building a lean team and defining clear KPIs, he unpacks the lessons learned from scaling a deep-tech company in a fast-moving category. Whether you're a technical founder navigating your first raise or a leader exploring AI's impact on traditional industries, this conversation offers a tactical look into focus, discipline, and building with purpose.

This episode is packed with startup wisdom—from leadership evolution to business model design to the power of saying no—making it a must-watch for anyone building at the intersection of AI and user experience.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Challenges of Fundraising

01:15 Introducing Call Of: AI in Visual Generation

04:59 Targeting the Real Estate Market

08:57 Building a Lean and Focused Team

10:30 Evolving Business Models and AI Innovations

16:02 Lessons Learned from Scaling Challenges

19:38 Hiring in the Competitive AI Landscape

23:26 The Importance of Customer Feedback

26:51 Strategic Goal Setting and Team Alignment

30:18 Leadership Evolution and Management Style

33:49 Advice for Technical Founders

38:38 Desert Island Scenario: Music Choices

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies

https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Growth Team with the Peak Operating System™

https://www.collective-genius.com/

Got 5 minutes? Take the Peak Teams Assessment to see where your team needs to level up

https://www.collective-genius.com/peak-teams-assessment

#AI #RealEstateTech #CollovAI #Fundraising #StartupLeadership #TeamBuilding #VisualGeneration #TechScenes #JeffMartin #XiaoZhang #Entrepreneurship #Startups #ProductMarketFit #CustomerFeedback #ScalingStartups #DeepTech