PE focus on operational ROI

In this episode of Mostly Growth, CJ Gustafson and Kyle Poyar bounce between sharp SaaS insights and delightfully weird internet culture. They start with an unexpected dive into competitive bird-watching apps, then break down recent software mergers like Superhuman + Grammarly + Coda and what they signal about scaling, cross-sell strategy, and private equity mechanics. CJ and Kyle explore why PE portfolios are becoming powerful distribution channels for AI solutions, how niche data “signals” are outpacing generic ones in sales, and share hedge-fund-style tactics for uncovering proprietary business information. The conversation rounds out with “business blunders” — from Y-axis chart crimes to clickbait headlines — and a lively discussion on Spotify’s pricing power and how companies should (and absolutely should not) communicate price increases. 

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SPONSORS:

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LINKS: 

Mostly Metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com

CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/

Growth Unhinged: https://www.growthunhinged.com/

Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/

Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/

Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/

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RELATED EPISODES:

The Layer-Cake Playbook for Vertical SaaS Growth | with Roland Ligtenberg

https://youtu.be/yPxWvhPISKo

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:00 Preview and Intro

00:01:09 Sponsors – Pulley and Metronome

00:03:31 Birding, Big Year & AI Bird Apps

00:06:08 Software M&A Trends in SaaS

00:08:23 Superhuman–Grammarly–Coda Reverse Merger

00:10:00 How Larger Valuations Attract a New Investor Class

00:11:21 Streaming Wars & Platform Consolidation

00:12:46 Private Equity as a Distribution Channel for AI

00:14:14 How PE Firms Drive Multi-Company Expansion

00:15:22 AI for Efficiency: The PE CFO Playbook

00:17:10 When AI ROI Really Matters in PE

00:18:49 Signal-Based Selling: High-Intent Buyer Detection

00:20:41 Signal Fatigue & the Hunt for Better Data

00:22:16 Why Proprietary Signals Win

00:23:31 Creative (and Creepy) Data Tactics

00:25:35 Pinterest vs. Google: Aspirational vs. Actual Behavior

00:26:43 Blurring Work & Personal Signals in AI Tools

00:27:12 The Michael Jordan of Y-Axis Crimes

00:29:59 Notion Agents Billboard: “Let Them Cook”

00:31:57 Pricing in the Real World: Spotify

00:34:26 How to Communicate a Price Increase

00:35:06 Closing Credits

#MostlyGrowthPodcast #PricingStrategy #AIGrowth #GoToMarket #PrivateEquity