In this episode of Mostly Growth, CJ Gustafson and Kyle Poyar bounce between sharp SaaS insights and delightfully weird internet culture. They start with an unexpected dive into competitive bird-watching apps, then break down recent software mergers like Superhuman + Grammarly + Coda and what they signal about scaling, cross-sell strategy, and private equity mechanics. CJ and Kyle explore why PE portfolios are becoming powerful distribution channels for AI solutions, how niche data “signals” are outpacing generic ones in sales, and share hedge-fund-style tactics for uncovering proprietary business information. The conversation rounds out with “business blunders” — from Y-axis chart crimes to clickbait headlines — and a lively discussion on Spotify’s pricing power and how companies should (and absolutely should not) communicate price increases.
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LINKS:
Mostly Metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com
CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/
Growth Unhinged: https://www.growthunhinged.com/
Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/
Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/
Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/
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RELATED EPISODES:
The Layer-Cake Playbook for Vertical SaaS Growth | with Roland Ligtenberg
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Preview and Intro
00:01:09 Sponsors – Pulley and Metronome
00:03:31 Birding, Big Year & AI Bird Apps
00:06:08 Software M&A Trends in SaaS
00:08:23 Superhuman–Grammarly–Coda Reverse Merger
00:10:00 How Larger Valuations Attract a New Investor Class
00:11:21 Streaming Wars & Platform Consolidation
00:12:46 Private Equity as a Distribution Channel for AI
00:14:14 How PE Firms Drive Multi-Company Expansion
00:15:22 AI for Efficiency: The PE CFO Playbook
00:17:10 When AI ROI Really Matters in PE
00:18:49 Signal-Based Selling: High-Intent Buyer Detection
00:20:41 Signal Fatigue & the Hunt for Better Data
00:22:16 Why Proprietary Signals Win
00:23:31 Creative (and Creepy) Data Tactics
00:25:35 Pinterest vs. Google: Aspirational vs. Actual Behavior
00:26:43 Blurring Work & Personal Signals in AI Tools
00:27:12 The Michael Jordan of Y-Axis Crimes
00:29:59 Notion Agents Billboard: “Let Them Cook”
00:31:57 Pricing in the Real World: Spotify
00:34:26 How to Communicate a Price Increase
00:35:06 Closing Credits
#MostlyGrowthPodcast #PricingStrategy #AIGrowth #GoToMarket #PrivateEquity