ProductLed Podcast

In this special republished episode of the ProductLed Podcast, Wes Bush and Laura Kluz discuss The Product-Led Playbook—and announce that we're giving away the entire book for FREE on October 7, 2025. This playbook is the no-BS guide to actually implementing PLG, based on analysis of 324+ companies, and explores why some product-led companies see millions in ARR while others crash and burn. The book is structured around nine components, which guide companies from building a solid foundation to scaling for exponential growth. The first stage includes crafting a winning strategy, identifying the ideal user, and creating an intentional product model. The second stage involves establishing a frictionless onboarding process and developing powerful pricing strategies. The final stage focuses on actionable data, growth processes, and team development. The playbook offers a step-by-step approach to operationalizing PLG and is full of templates and canvases designed for team collaboration. Intended primarily for B2B software founders and early-stage go-to-market teams, this playbook provides a structured method for effectively implementing PLG—and it's yours for free next week. Sign up at productled.com/newsletter to get the free playbook on October 7th. Key Moments: 02:01 – Why the playbook was created: analyzing 324+ companies to find what separates winners from losers. 04:52 – The surprising discovery: founders were more successful with PLG than senior product executives. 06:19 – The 9 components of the ProductLed System and why strategic order matters. 11:37 – How to use the playbook (hint: it's not a one-time read). 13:34 – Who this book is for and who should be involved. 14:54 – The 3 main outcomes: Effortless Revenue, Lean Scale, and Durable Growth. 17:46 – What didn't make it into the book (and why less is more). 20:37 – How to get the free audiobook starting next week.

Most SaaS founders struggle to break through the noise in an increasingly commoditized market. With everyone using the same cold email tools and personalization tactics, how do you actually stand out and scale to eight figures? In this presentation from Founder's Summit (December 2024), Nathan Latka—who's deployed $180 million across 519 SaaS deals—reveals the three proven moats that separate $10M+ companies from the rest. These aren't theoretical frameworks; they're real playbooks with actual revenue data from companies that have cracked the code. Key Highlights: 02:57: The three moats that work best for the future06:14: Build social proof monuments 11:22: How Odoo undercuts Shopify 17:04: Turn free users into marketing armies16:01: The winning strategy Resources: 💰 FounderPath  📊 getlatka.com 🧠 Sign up for the ProductLed Newsletter

Most SaaS founders dream of selling their company, but few understand what makes an acquisition target attractive to buyers. What if you could learn from someone who's actually on the buying side? In this episode, Tim from SaaS.Group breaks down how they've built an $80M ARR portfolio by acquiring 25 small SaaS companies - and reveals exactly what they look for, how they evaluate deals, and what happens post-acquisition. This is a masterclass in both building businesses buyers want and understanding the acquisition landscape. Key Highlights: 03:44: Why they focus on 1-10M ARR companies versus larger deals05:01: The organic evolution toward product-led companies06:18: 100% ownership strategy - why they don't do minority stakes11:00: The $100M revenue milestone and why it's just another number16:05: First year struggles - why acquisition was meant to leapfrog early-stage pain22:10: The 6-7 core acquisition criteria that determine green lights28:00: The Rule of 40 framework for balancing growth and profitability33:17: Post-acquisition playbook - from pricing to AI positioning44:27: Biannual performance reviews and radical transparency culture49:17: Brand manager hiring - internal promotions vs technical generalists52:25: SaaS Academy and leadership development programs56:23: The three moats being built to become unstoppable58:26: Why $1B in 3 years would actually hurt the business Stop building in isolation and start understanding what buyers actually want. Whether you're planning an exit or just want to build a more valuable business, this conversation reveals the acquisition playbook from someone who's deployed $80M+ in capital. Resources: 📧 Contact Tim - tim@saas.group 💼 SaaS.Group - Acquiring profitable SaaS companies 📚 Book Recommendations - Humanocracy, Traction 🌱 Side Project - Ecosia.org (green search engine)

In this episode of the ProductLed Podcast, we’re diving into the 3X Framework—a simple yet powerful process to consistently pull the right growth levers week after week. You’ll learn how to expose your biggest bottlenecks, explore high-impact solutions, and exploit the winners to drive predictable growth. Key highlights: 00:09 – Why most founders struggle to pull the right growth levers 01:40 – The 3X Framework: Expose, Explore, Exploit 03:00 – How to avoid the “squeaky wheel syndrome” 06:06 – Case study: CloudSpot’s signup conversion challenge 12:24 – Turning solutions into quick wins, experiments, and long-term bets Resources: 🚀 Try the Growth Co-Pilot for free 📔 Learn more about the ProductLed Roadmap at productled.com/roadmap 🧠 Sign up for the ProductLed Newsletter

In this episode of the ProductLed Podcast, we’re re-sharing a part of the audiobook for The ProductLed Playbook—this time diving into the Predictable Growth Process, a proven system for turning strategy into results with disciplined execution and alignment. Key highlights: 00:36 – Why execution beats innovation every time 02:00 – The Predictable Growth Process framework 02:29 – Quarterly, Monthly, and Weekly meeting rhythms that drive results 12:10 – Setting top focus and projects for maximum impact 21:59 – Why speed is the ultimate competitive advantage Resources: 📖 Book your free ProductLed Growth Session here. 📔 Buy the ProductLed Playbook here. 🧠 Sign up for the ProductLed Newsletter

Discover why 97% of buyers prefer to try products before purchasing. Learn the three transformative stages of becoming a product-led business: laying a solid foundation, enabling self-serve customers, and sparking rapid growth. The discussion emphasizes the need for continuous updates to your product-led strategy. Plus, check out a quick-start action plan to jumpstart implementation and a free session offer to further enhance your product-led journey!

Join Claudiu Murario, CEO of InnerTrends, as he unveils the secrets to accurately track product-led growth (PLG) metrics. He reveals why teams often overlook activation and explains how to transition from flawed Google Analytics metrics to reliable first-party data. Learn about the essential technical setup for tracking your go-to-market funnel, the significance of defining your first strike event, and the critical benchmarks every SaaS company should monitor. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to data-driven decisions!

Discover the proven system behind generating over $1 billion in self-serve revenue. Learn why companies fail at product-led growth and the importance of hands-on implementation. Unpack the three-stage ProductLed System: Start, Build, Scale. Explore the unique role of a cross-functional VP of Growth and how DIY approaches can be time-consuming. Plus, find out what a typical engagement looks like and why a 90-day results guarantee is a game-changer in consulting.

Are you drowning in metrics that don't matter? Discover the essential ones that can truly drive growth. A unique tool, the Reverse Funnel Scorecard, reveals your biggest bottlenecks, allowing your team to focus on impactful projects. Learn the difference between strategy and execution problems and why key usage indicators can prevent churn. Plus, practical tips to maximize upgrades in the crucial first week. Say goodbye to guessing what's broken in your funnel and embrace data-driven decision-making!

Gaurav Bhattacharya, founder and CEO of Jeeva AI, shares his incredible journey of scaling a startup from $0 to $5M ARR in just 8 months. He reveals their unique 'different not better' approach and highlights the launch strategy that quickly attracted over 10,000 users. Gaurav discusses avoiding the feature trap by focusing on user experience and shares insights on his successful community engagement that spiked their follower count from 500 to 23,000. His mindset shift on maintaining high energy proves crucial in navigating the startup landscape.