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Index/SaaS Backwards
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Ep. 184 - Why Traditional SaaS GTM Collapses in a Self-Service World

SaaS Backwards · 2026-01-02 · 35 min

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Topics in this episode

Product-led growth (PLG)B2B SaaS growthSaaS go-to-market strategyAI in SaaSSaaS Revenue Operations

Episode notes

Send us Fan Mail Guest: Dave Boyce, Executive Chairman & EVP of Product at Winning by Design - Most SaaS companies are still built to sell. Today’s buyers want to activate, experience value, and decide on their own. In this episode, Dave Boyce, Executive Chairman and EVP of Product at Winning by Design , joins host Ken Lempit to explain why SaaS GTM is shifting from lead handoffs to self-service activation, AI-driven automation, and system-based growth. Dave shares why PLG isn’t about removing humans, but focusing them on higher-value work - while usage-based pricing and automation blur the line between acquisition, onboarding, and expansion. He also challenges traditional planning models, arguing that people don’t scale, systems do. Key takeaways: Activation is replacing lead handoffs in SaaS growth PLG and AI redefine when humans should engage Usage-based pricing lowers friction and builds habit Systems, not headcount, unlock scale If you’re a SaaS leader rethinking GTM for an AI-driven, self-service world, this episode delivers a practical, no-hype perspective. - Stalled pipeline? Lost deals? Diagnose your GTM gaps with a free, actionable checkup. Get your free SaaS GTM Checkup

Related episodes across the Index

Other episodes covering the same guests and topics, from across The B2B Podcast Index.

  • 25 Years of (Product-Led) Growth: Actionable B2B Lessons From Leah TharinEveryone Hates Marketers · on Product-led growth (PLG)96 / 100
  • VC: How Benchmark Picks AI Winners - Max 10 Bets a Year, 5 Partners | Chetan Puttagunta (GP)The GTMnow Podcast · on Product-led growth (PLG)89 / 100
  • How a Startup Used a Single Customer Review to Land 10k SignupsMarketing for Startups with Fexingo · on B2B SaaS growth87 / 100
  • 178: Activation Is Broken: Why Most SaaS Teams Get It Wrong (and How to Fix It)Move The Needle · on Product-led growth (PLG)87 / 100
  • Growth lessons from Darren Chait (beehiiv CMO /ex-Calendly)Demand Geniuses: Revenue-Driven B2B Marketing · on Product-led growth (PLG)85 / 100
  • Episode 180: Lifecycle marketing in 2026: How to engage with buyers in AI era with Ashley FausFull-Funnel B2B Marketing Show · on Product-led growth (PLG)85 / 100

More from SaaS Backwards

All episodes →
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  • Ep. 198 - How to Make Your SaaS Company More Fundable94 / 100
  • Ep. 197 - The SaaS Retention Problem Starts Before the Customer Signs75 / 100
  • Ep. 196 - The SaaS Opportunity Hidden Inside Services79 / 100
  • Ep. 195 - Why Code No Longer Drives SaaS Value in the AI Era89 / 100
All SaaS Backwards episodes →