Get Paid with Manny Medina

Manny hosts Mickey Haslavsky of Enso, who's flipping the script on AI agents in the most refreshing way.Mickey says their mission at Enso is to reduce the prices of services, just in general, for small businesses.While lots of AI companies chase enterprise dollars or build complex multi-agent systems, Mickey's team is printing money with a simple contrarian approach: deliver "good enough" AI agents to small businesses at a flat $49/month.Some key insights from our conversation:* "SaaS is pretty much dead... some of the agents that we're building, you would have to raise like a seed round like three years ago, like raise like $5 million and have a team of like 10 engineers to build them."* "I don't buy this story of losing jobs. What's really important is reaching those who couldn't afford an agency before, who couldn't pay $3,000 for SEO or $5,000 for social media design."* "SMBs don't churn because they go out of business - they churn because they pivot constantly. That's why our unlimited access model works."Mickey's belief that LLMs will become completely commoditized, allowing companies like his to use cheaper models from anywhere (including Deepseek) to deliver services that previously required expensive agencies.The future might not belong to the fanciest AI, but to those who make it accessible, affordable, and actually useful for the millions of SMBs who just need to get things done.What do you think? Is this the true democratization of AI, or are there limits to the "good enough" approach? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agenttalk.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob Litterst (HubSpot exec & SaaS pricing guru) just dropped some mind-blowing insights about how AI is completely disrupting traditional software business models. Whether you're building AI products or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this episode is packed with spicy takes on where the industry is headed.Three explosive themes that'll blow your mind:* The Death of Per-Seat Pricing: The old way of charging per user is getting absolutely demolished by AI agents. Rob breaks down how companies are being forced to evolve or die as AI native startups come gunning for their lunch. Traditional SaaS companies are scrambling to figure out how to price their products when algorithms are replacing humans left and right.* The Human Premium Paradox: Humans are becoming a premium feature in software. While AI handles the grunt work, companies are starting to position human expertise as the ultra-premium tier. But this creates an insane challenge: how do people gain expertise if AI is handling all the entry-level work? Rob dives deep into this existential crisis facing professional services.* The Revenue Bloodbath is Coming: Companies that don't adapt their pricing models are about to get absolutely wrecked. Rob shares war stories about how AI native startups are growing to $100M+ ARR with tiny teams, while traditional players are stuck in old pricing models that don't match how value is created anymore. The race is on to figure out outcome-based pricing before it's too late.This conversation gets into the nitty-gritty of how companies are navigating this transition - from baby steps toward outcome-based pricing to full-blown business model transformation. If you want to understand how AI is reshaping the fundamentals of software business models, this episode is a must-listen.Whether you're a founder, product leader, or just fascinated by how AI is changing the game, Rob brings deep insights from both the trenches at HubSpot and his broad view across the industry. Don't miss this one - the future of software pricing is being written right now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agenttalk.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"35% of projects fail, and the numbers haven't budged in 20 years."That's what kept Shawn up at night before founding Coworked. After two decades in project management, he'd seen every methodology, tool, and framework come and go - yet the fundamental problems remained stubbornly unchanged.Shawn is building an AI project manager that could transform how work gets done. But not by replacing humans - by unleashing them.Harmony, Coworked's AI agent is rewriting the rules of project management. While most AI companies are focused on chatbots and automation, Coworked is tackling something far more ambitious: creating an AI teammate that handles everything from resource allocation to risk analysis.What's fascinating is how they've navigated enterprise adoption. When they first pitched to project managers, they hit a wall of resistance.But then they had an insight - they were talking to the wrong people.PMO leaders immediately got it. Not as a way to reduce headcount, but as a solution to a persistent problem: how to handle 2x the projects without 2x the team.Thanks for reading Agent Talk! This post is public so feel free to share it.Project managers spend up to 80% of their time on process tasks rather than strategic work. As Shawn puts it: "There's a subtle but crucial difference between replacing a job and replacing a role."Harmony handles the routine while enabling humans to focus on what matters.Their early results are turning heads. Fresh out of Techstars, they're already landing enterprise clients who see the potential to transform their project delivery.Perhaps the most interesting part is their insight about AI adoption: success comes not from elimination, but elevation. It's not about replacing project managers - it's about making them superhuman.AI transformation isn't just about automation - it's about reimagining how work gets done. And sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come not from replacing humans, but from freeing them to do what they do best.Just as we saw with Zendesk revolutionizing customer support, Coworked is showing us what's possible when we think bigger about AI's role in enterprise transformation. The question isn't whether AI will transform project management - it's how fast organizations will adapt to this new reality. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agenttalk.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zendesk's journey isn't just another AI adoption story - it's a masterclass in how even enterprise companies can reinvent themselves in the age of AI.While others rushed to add AI features, Zendesk took the bold step of completely reimagining their business model.What's fascinating is how they navigated the classic innovator's dilemma: "It's one thing to understand it, it's another thing to be in it and live it," as Kelly puts it.They didn't just add AI - they fundamentally changed how they deliver and capture value.Think about their evolution:* Started investing in AI years before ChatGPT* Built global AI teams across three continents* Developed models trained on 18 billion support tickets* Shifted from seat-based to outcome-based pricingWhile most SaaS companies are stuck in the "more seats = more revenue" mindset, Zendesk recognized a fundamental truth: "You've got these dueling factors... seat contraction and AI arriving on the scene." Their response? Align their success directly with customer outcomes.It’s interesting to note that even their private equity owners, typically viewed as cost-cutters, became their biggest champions for transformation. As Kelly says"We've got investors that are actually pushing us to go faster and to spend a lot of time on this very topic versus playing defensively."Zendesk’s approach shows that successful AI transformation isn't about following trends - it's about solving real business problems at scale - just like with last week’s Synthesia episode.Instead of charging for tokens or interactions, they focused on what customers actually care about: resolved support errands and tickets.Notice how Zendesk is being a pro at handling the transition:* starting with clear success metrics* offering predictable pricing through commits* and finally building trust through incremental value delivery.This story isn't just about AI - it's about how enterprise software evolves when technology enables fundamentally new business models.The question isn't whether to transform, but how to do it while keeping your customers' trust. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agenttalk.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Synthesia's success wasn't about chasing the latest AI trends, but about solving real business problems with a relentless focus on enterprise-grade features and workflows.In this first episode, Manny talks to Victor Riparbelli, founder and CEO of Synthesia that raised $180M in Series D.What's fascinating is how Synthesia navigated the classic enterprise software challenge: balancing the "wow factor" with sustainable business value.While most AI companies get caught in the "sugar high" of viral demos, which is why we’re seeing massive churn problems right now. Synthesia on the other hand focused on the unsexy but crucial elements: ISO certification, enterprise security, and seamless workflows. As Victor puts it, "These boring things unlock bigger and bigger deal sizes."Think about their evolution:* Started with avatars that grabbed attention* Built out comprehensive video editing capabilities* Added enterprise-grade security and collaboration* Developed deep integration with business workflowsThe results speak volumes: Their customers aren't just trying AI - they're fundamentally transforming their video production.As Victor says, "For the same budget of producing two traditional videos, we can now make 400 AI-powered ones."Watch how they're shifting from charging per video creation to focusing on video consumption and engagement. It's a masterclass in aligning pricing with actual business value.Synthesia's journey shows that building for lasting impact beats chasing the latest AI trends. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agenttalk.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.