Hedra CEO Michael Lingelbach breaks down how his generative video app went from zero to millions of users and an eight-figure run rate in months — then deliberately slowed down to rebuild a V2 that enterprises would pay for. We dig into the prosumer-to-pro upsell, why free users are a false signal, and how a creator-seeded launch can outpull ad spend.
Michael shares the GTM that signs enterprise contracts every few days with no outbound, the exact moment he killed feature churn to ship a real workflow, and what to hire (and fire) in the first 10 people. If you’re building AI or any early product, this is a must-listen blueprint on getting from hype to revenue.
Why You Should Listen
- How Hedra hit an 8-figure run rate in months — with a prosumer → enterprise wedge
- The “free user” trap: why signups ≠ demand and how to price for pain
- When to pause growth to build V2 that actually sells (workflow > tech demo)
- A creator-led launch playbook that drives virality without paid influencers
- Hiring early: bring in a talent lead fast, staff for speed, survive co-founder changes
Keywords
AI video, generative AI, product market fit, Hedra, Michael Lingelbach, creator tools, PLG, enterprise SaaS, go to market, startup growth
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:25 Why he built his own proprietary models
00:10:19 Target use cases faceless channels marketers podcasts
00:15:31 Early hiring lessons
00:38:00 Free vs paid
00:51:03 V2 launch and shift to enterprise
00:53:46 Hitting eight figure run rate and scaling GTM
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