S7E13 - Scaling SaaS in 2026: AI, Talent, and the Future of People Operations with Hotske Wesselius

Nov 18, 2025

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Scaling SaaS in 2026: AI, Talent, and the Future of People Operations is becoming a core focus for growing B2B companies as AI reshapes how teams work, how customers buy, and how leaders build the next generation of SaaS organizations. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, recorded live at SaaS Summit Benelux in Amsterdam, host Joran speaks with Hotske Wesselius about how AI will reshape scaling in 2026. With a background in marketing and a career shift into people and talent acquisition, Hotske supports SaaS companies in hiring and retaining top talent. Their discussion explores how AI is changing the buyer journey, customer success, people management, culture, team structures, search behavior, partnerships, go to market strategies, efficiency, and the overall pace of competition. The theme is consistent. AI will not remove the need for people, but it will transform how teams work, what skills matter, and how leaders manage and support their organizations. The episode also offers advice for founders at various revenue stages and the mindset shifts needed to thrive in a fast changing environment.

Key Timecodes

(0:00) – AI Breakthrough Intro: B2B SaaS in 2026, Scaling, Buyer Journey, Customer Success, People Leadership
(0:47) – Talent Secrets: Hotske Wesselius on Marketing, Recruiting, Hiring Top SaaS Talent
(1:12) – Scaling Revolution: What Will Separate Winning B2B SaaS in 2026 (AI-Driven Orgs)
(1:26) – Skill Upgrade: New Capabilities for the AI Era — Agents, Enablement, Leadership
(2:13) – Buyer Shift: AI Search, Findability, and Customer Support Automation
(3:11) – Data Reality Check: People Analytics Built on Engagement + Results
(3:33) – Automation Wave: Headcount vs AI, Cognitive Tasks, Reporting, AI “Brain” Roles
(4:31) – Human-in-the-Loop: Training, Building, and Governing AI Inside SaaS Companies
(4:52) – Culture Reset: Designing Strong Company Culture in the Age of AI
(5:29) – AI-First Shift: Changing Mindset at Scale (Miro Example)
(5:56) – Leadership Hack: Using ChatGPT for Feedback, Tone, and Empathetic Communication
(7:03) – Hyper-Personalization: Tailoring Communication via Personality Types (DISC)
(7:44) – Empathy Engine: How AI Improves Manager Communication & Employee Experience
(8:15) – Pro Tip: Use AI as Your Personal Empathy Coach
(8:29) – Sponsor Spotlight: Reditus — B2B SaaS Affiliate & Referral Growth
(9:25) – Efficiency Mode: Growing Fast in 2026 with AI Automation