The Science of Scaling

Back in 2013 Christopher O'Donnell and I were told to bring HubSpot CRM to market. Now we’re reuniting to discuss the future of sales and what jobs will survive the AI era.

Think your team's ready to ditch the SDR/AE/CSM split? Get our free guide to the full-cycle seller model: 🔗 https://clickhubspot.com/n59s

Christopher is now the founder of Day AI, and he's spent years thinking about the same questions I have: what actually happens to sales roles, CRM, and go-to-market design once AI in sales can do 2-10x the work of a human. In this conversation, we get into why the SDR/AE/CSM specialization era is ending and the "full-cycle athlete" seller is coming back, and what jobs survive an AI-native world.

-Mark

Get the Science of Scaling Database! Real Playbooks from Billion-Dollar Companies: ⁠⁠https://clickhubspot.com/scienceofscaling

Every founder needs to sell. If you're not comfortable selling, then get comfortable.

I see too many founders think that once they've secured the first revenue & gotten Series A they can hire a professional sales team. Wrong.

Today's guest Frederic Kerrest (Co-Founder, Okta) tells us why it's so important for founders to be salespeople, and the when & how to start building your team.

Use referral code: SOS to request your spot at this year's  ⁠⁠HubSpot AiSummit 2025⁠⁠ in San Francisco on June 11.

The Science of Scaling is a HubSpot Media podcast in partnership with Hubspot for Startups// ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about HubSpot for Startups⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ // Produced by Matthew Brown

Get the Science of Scaling Database! Real Playbooks from Billion-Dollar Companies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://clickhubspot.com/scienceofscaling⁠⁠⁠⁠

When budgets are tight and every rep needs to perform, you need force multipliers, not more headcount.

Sometimes you need Rule of 40 -- a private equity orientation that can still lead to great success for the founders, the executives, and the investors.

Mark Wayland (CRO, Box) talk about how only a few months into his grow at all costs company he found himself with an activist investor and a pivot to Rule of 40.

The Science of Scaling is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media in collaboration with ⁠HubSpot For Startups⁠ // Produced by Matthew Brown.

Get the Science of Scaling Database! Real Playbooks from Billion-Dollar Companies: ⁠⁠https://clickhubspot.com/scienceofscaling

You've navigated your company to unicorn status. Crack the champagne, ring the bell, and hang the banner. Only, months later the macro changes.

Now, you need to pivot the model, pivot the playbook, and pivot the team.

Today I'm joined by Carina Brockl, (fmr. CRO, Aurora Solar) who faced these challenging shifts and tells us how she navigated them.

The Science of Scaling is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media in collaboration with ⁠HubSpot For Startups⁠ // Produced by Matthew Brown.

Get the Science of Scaling Database! Real Playbooks from Billion-Dollar Companies: ⁠⁠⁠https://clickhubspot.com/scienceofscaling

There's tremendous conviction that AI is eating the software ecosystem.

Well, today we speak with Andy Shorkey (CRO, Writer).

Not only is he navigating all the complexities of bringing native AI products to market, he's also reinventing the way that go-to market is done internally in a far more efficient way in the post AI world.

LINKS

Exclusive ICP Expansion Guide: https://clickhubspot.com/ahk

The Science of Scaling is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media in collaboration with ⁠HubSpot For Startups⁠ // Produced by Matthew Brown.