The Transaction

Double Down on What’s Working & Stay Focused with Eric Spett - Ep 49

Apr 3, 2025

Eric Spett, Founder and CEO of Scalebound, shares insights on sustainable growth for CEOs. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on your primary go-to-market channel rather than spreading resources too thin. Eric discusses the pitfalls of 'shiny object syndrome' and the value of sticking with proven strategies. The conversation also dives into the significance of in-person events and community engagement, offering humorous anecdotes and personal experiences that highlight the power of authentic connections in business.

49:08

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Eric Spett

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Focusing on proven primary demand channels, like organic social selling or cold calling, is crucial for sustainable business growth.

Building authentic communities and fostering meaningful human interactions is essential for successful demand generation and long-term customer relationships.

Deep dives

The Importance of Focus for Founders

Founders and executives often divert their attention to new and experimental growth channels without fully capitalizing on their current successful strategies. The podcast emphasizes that prior to embarking on new initiatives, leaders should assess the effectiveness of their existing methods, whether it pertains to social selling or cold calling. For instance, a conversation highlighted a CEO who was eager to explore outbound sales despite already having ample leads from inbound efforts, showcasing the common trap of seeking shiny new tactics. Instead, maintaining focus on proven channels can lead to sustained growth and better resource allocation.

Intro

5min

Lessons from Early Sales Struggles

21min

Navigating LinkedIn: Challenges and Connections

14min

Navigating Social Gatherings in a Fast-Changing World

2min

Building Community Through Strategic Event Hosting

3min

Food Memories and Focused Business Strategies

5min

Is your main go-to-market channel driving sustainable growth? Good, double down on it, don’t start splitting up your resources into a bunch of other directions.

Eric Spett is the Founder and CEO of Scalebound, providing operator-led coaching that helps CEOs scale with clarity and lead with confidence. Many in the audience may know Eric better as the Co-Founder of Terminus and his work evangelizing Account-Based Marketing. Eric joins co-hosts Craig Rosenberg and Matt Amundson to discuss the importance of focus for founders, why you shouldn’t wait to start selling until you find the perfect pricing model, and the power of in-person events and communities.

Also, Craig starts hearing voices and Matt shares his encounter with Andre 3000 in an Atlanta Shake Shack.

Critical Takeaways

Stay focused on your primary demand channel. So many companies shift focus to secondary channels prematurely. If a primary channel like organic social selling on LinkedIn or cold calling is working well, it’s crucial to thoroughly exploit this channel before diverting resources to a new one.
Avoiding "shiny object syndrome" ensures that the company’s energy and resources are directed toward proven strategies and tools that truly add value. It helps in maintaining strategic clarity and ensures the team remains aligned on critical business goals, thereby driving more sustainable growth.
Don’t overcomplicate your early-stage marketing strategies. Focus on a single selling proposition. For instance, ZoomInfo successfully built its business purely on outbound tactics. Finding and honing in on the company’s single greatest strength or 'superpower' can lead to substantial growth.
Building a community around your product or service can significantly enhance customer engagement and retention. In-person events are a great way to improve the activity and engagement within online communities.
Structured, curated communities can lead to higher customer retention and more effective peer-to-peer marketing. This helps in creating a robust, organic promotional network that can significantly impact long-term growth and customer satisfaction.
Experiment with new channels and strategies but avoid overcommitting to unproven methods at the cost of what’s already working.

Sponsored Segment

Ringmaster Conversational Marketing - The Transaction is sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Interested in becoming a sponsor of The Transaction? Contact thetransaction@samguertin.com

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:46 Introducing Eric Spett

04:21 First Deal Stories and Lessons Learned

13:05 Is Your Go-to-Market motion working? Good, Keep doing it.

23:47 Navigating Business Growth and Go-To-Market Strategies

24:11 The AI Dilemma in Business

25:41 Why LinkedIn can be A Double-Edged Sword for B2B Founders

34:00 The Power of Community Building for SaaS companies

46:14 Concluding Thoughts on Focus and Community

Epic Quotes

“Founders, CEOs, go-to-market executives are so quick to put a lot of focus and eggs in experimental baskets when the thing that they're doing really well is still working really well. Do it and keep doing it, keep your focus.” - Eric Spett
“I'm just really bullish on the need for human community and human connection.” - Eric Spett

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