In this episode of the Hyperengage Podcast, Adil Saleh sits down with Paul Staelin, CCO of Vercel, to explore how customer success can scale in the developer-first era. Paul shares his journey from early startups to leading customer success at a $9B company, where he’s reshaping how enterprises and startups alike achieve outcomes with modern developer tools.
They discuss the evolving role of CSMs as “midfielders” rather than “strikers,” how AI is transforming health scoring, sentiment analysis, and success workflows, and why use case–driven segmentation is key to retention. Paul also dives into building hybrid success organizations, driving up GDR and NDR, and what early-stage founders should prioritize when hiring their first CSM.
From PLG motions and digital CS models to AI-powered playbooks and scaling enterprise relationships, this episode highlights the future of customer success and what it means for SaaS founders, revenue leaders, and GTM teams building for long-term retention and expansion.
In this episode of the Hyperengage Podcast, host Adil Saleh and guest ****Dennis Mortensen, Founder and CEO of LaunchBrightly, ****to explore how conversational AI and automation are reshaping customer support, product documentation, and startup efficiency.
Dennis shares insights on the evolution of conversational UI, emphasizing that language has now become a “solved science,” unlocking a new era of user interaction and AI-driven experiences. He reflects on how AI democratizes innovation, enabling small teams to build faster and more effectively than ever before, what once required millions now needs just a weekend and a laptop.
The conversation also dives into the impact of AI on jobs, with Dennis arguing that AI eliminates process noise rather than people, creating room for creativity and higher-value work. He discusses the philosophy behind LaunchBrightly, which automates outdated product documentation through smart screenshot generation, keeping help centers current and reducing customer friction.
Dennis also highlights the importance of solving real pain points over chasing new technology, building for long-term customer value rather than trends. They cover how AI-driven agents are transforming customer support, the power of strong workflow integrations and why lean, focused teams often outperform larger, bureaucratic ones. Finally, Dennis reflects on his entrepreneurial mindset focusing on playing the game for the love of it.
On this Hyperengage episode, host Adil Saleh sits down with Tudor Golubenco, CTO and Co-founder of Xata.io, who explains the shift from an Airtable-style “builder” DB to a Postgres-native platform for real workloads. The new Xata centers on copy-on-write branching (with data), built-in anonymization, and scale-to-zero—ideal for staging/QA without leaking PII. Instead of risky migrations, teams keep production on RDS/Aurora, spin up an anonymized staging replica on Xata, and branch instantly; trust first, production later.
Tudor shares how a ~25-person team and a flatter Postgres-first architecture boosted velocity and reliability, with generic Postgres tools (like blue-green deploys) planned for open source. In private beta, they optimize for revenue and churn while running qualitative loops to learn why accounts expand or leave, using light enrichment and direct founder outreach to spot high-intent users. He also covers investor alignment for patience, what he seeks in A-player engineers (product sense, platform ownership, proactive ops), and why Bay Area customer proximity matters as Europe’s deep-tech scene thrives.
Join Adil Saleh and Viktoria Izdebska, Founder of Octrace, on this episode of the Hyperengage Podcast as they unpack how predictive intelligence is reshaping modern sales. Viktoria shares how Octrace helps companies move beyond “spray and pray” outreach by using data-driven signals to predict when prospects are ready to buy.
They discuss the evolution of outbound in the age of AI, why timing now matters more than volume, and how Octrace’s models combine CRM data, macro shifts, and trigger events to deliver 6× stronger performance. Viktoria also explains how her lean team uses AI agents internally to stay fast and efficient, the importance of hiring generalists over pedigrees, and why the real SaaS moat is shifting from technology to data and distribution.
From enterprise sales to predictive GTM motion, this conversation is a masterclass for founders and GTM leaders navigating the new era of AI-powered growth.
Adil Saleh from Hyperengage Podcast interviews Joseph Lee, the founder of Supademo. They discuss the challenges and strategies of SaaS startups, highlighting the significance of platforms in enhancing onboarding processes and customer value. Joseph Lee shares his journey from working at Fresh Line to founding Supademo, based on the need to effectively demonstrate product value in non-tech-native industries. The conversation covers the role of AI in making onboarding processes interactive and personalized, the importance of building a user-friendly product, and maintaining rapid product development. Joseph Lee emphasizes the significance of being scrappy, moving quickly, and maintaining a lean team. They also touch on the company's growth strategies, including freemium models, product velocity, and SEO, and discuss operational principles and the future of tech evolution with AI. Lastly, Joseph Lee talks about the importance of SOC compliance for startups aiming to work with mid-market and enterprise customers.
This episode of the Hyperengage Podcast features Adil Saleh in conversation with Oliver Quittek, the CRO at Viio, a platform aiding in SaaS spend management for enterprises. They discuss the challenges startups and enterprises face in managing AI and SaaS expenses, emphasizing the need for a 360-degree overview of SaaS applications. Oliver details Viio's approach to discovering and optimizing SaaS tools usage, their integrations with various systems, and the importance of data security. He also highlights the shifts in responsibilities within organizations regarding SaaS spend management and how Viio assists different personas from finance to IT in achieving cost savings and compliance. The conversation concludes with a discussion on company culture, market expansion plans, and an invitation to networking events across the US by Adil Saleh.
In this episode of the Hyperengage Podcast hosted by Adil Saleh , Jacqueline Cheong, CEO and co-founder of Artie, shares insights about her company’s unique technology that optimizes time and manages data storage efficiently. Jacqueline explains how her husband, Robin Cheong, who co-founded the company and has extensive experience with databases and distributed systems, was pivotal in addressing data streaming challenges faced at companies like Zendesk and Opendoor. She discusses the evolution of their product from its inception at Y Combinator, the complexities they encountered with enterprise-level data streaming, and the importance of real-time data processing. Jacqueline also touches on AI’s role in enhancing data infrastructure, the challenges of enterprise sales cycles, and their future product roadmap, which includes expanding database support and introducing sophisticated features. Additionally, she highlights the value of her personal coach, Roz, and recommends the book The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh for leadership inspiration. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of women in leadership roles and overcoming imposter syndrome.
In this episode of the Hyperengage Podcast, Adil Saleh sits down with Kaius Meskanen, CEO of Choicely, to explore how no-code and AI are transforming mobile app development. Kaius shares his journey from architecture and military service to building Choicely, a platform that enables anyone to create production-ready mobile apps in just a day, without writing a single line of code.
They discuss how Choicely’s AI-powered builder can turn websites into mobile apps in under 90 seconds, the growing demand for native mobile experiences, and why mobile apps are becoming essential for SaaS businesses of all sizes. Kaius also dives into customer success strategies, scalability challenges, and how Choicely is making enterprise-grade apps accessible to SMBs at a fraction of the cost.
From AI agents and SDK integrations to customer adoption and retention, this episode highlights the future of app development and what it means for entrepreneurs, SaaS founders, and product teams looking to deliver world-class mobile experiences.
On this episode, host Adil Saleh interviews Dan Thomson, CEO and founder of Sensay.io, to explore Sensay's journey in the AI industry. Sensay.io is a hybrid platform focused on building hyper-personalized AI chatbots for various use cases like sales, marketing, and customer support.
Dan discusses how the concept of digital immortality inspired the platform's development and the challenges of maintaining focus in a rapidly evolving AI landscape. The conversation also covers Sensay’s efforts in customer education, the economic aspects of API usage, and the company's principles like using AI to optimize workflows.
This episode goes over the importance of niche targeting for customer acquisition and effective communication in managing remote teams.
In this episode of the Hyperengage podcast, we welcome Simone, the founder of Sharly.ai, an AI-first platform focused on improving workflow management and operational excellence. Simone discusses the journey of onboarding a million users in the first year, challenges faced by startups, and the importance of staying grounded and data-driven.
He emphasizes the critical role of AI in enhancing productivity and the evolving landscape of automation for business functions. The conversation dives deep into customer success, retention strategies, and the future of AI in various industries, offering valuable insights for tech enthusiasts and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Join Adil Saleh and Ioanna Onasi, Co-Founder & CEO of Dextego, on the Hyperengage podcast as they explore the transformative impact of AI on sales coaching and talent development. Ioanna shares her journey from an HR and psychology background to leading an AI-powered startup focused on improving sales performance through proactive coaching and human-centered AI models.
The discussion covers Dextego's unique approach to integrating with CRM systems, the importance of specialized AI coaches, and how AI can amplify the influence and coachability of sales teams. Ioanna also highlights the significance of empathy and trust in leadership, and offers a glimpse into Dextego's future plans, including expanding into customer success and other company departments.
Join Adil Saleh and Emily Maxie, Interim SVP of Sales & Marketing at Firm360, on this episode of the Hyperengage podcast as they explore how Firm360’s all-in-one platform is transforming accounting firms with AI-driven sales and customer success strategies. Emily shares her journey from marketing leader to sales leadership, the importance of mastering fundamentals, and how custom GPT tools are boosting sales team efficiency. They discuss Firm360’s unique focus on accounting workflows, robust onboarding and retention processes, and building a lean, motivated team culture. Emily also offers inspiring insights on women in tech leadership and the future of SaaS innovation in niche verticals.
In this episode of the Hyperengage podcast, host Adil Saleh speaks with Brad Micklea, the CEO and founder of Jozu. They discuss the difficulties of scaling AI models and agent workflows for enterprises. Brad shares his insights on the importance of self-hosting AI models to maintain data security and competitive differentiation. He emphasizes the challenges enterprises face, the significance of having senior engineers, and the strategic direction post-funding. The conversation touches on Jozu's focus on offering high-standard tools that blend traditional code with AI models, targeting regulated industries, and the critical role of trust and security in AI adoption.
In this episode of the Hyperengage podcast, Adil Saleh sits down with Erik Braund, Founder & CEO of Katmai, to explore how they’re transforming the future of remote work with immersive, data-driven virtual headquarters. Erik shares the personal and generational entrepreneurial journey that led to Katmai’s creation during the COVID-19 crisis, driven by the urgent need for meaningful digital collaboration. They discuss the evolving workplace—from remote startups to global enterprises—and how Katmai is helping teams replace rigid calendars and Zoom fatigue with spontaneous, human-first interactions. Erik dives deep into their customer segments, success metrics, and how Katmai’s smart environments foster culture, productivity, and visibility. The conversation also touches on AI integration, qualitative insights, and why Katmai is building for people, not avatars.
In this episode of the Hyperengage podcast, Adil Saleh sits down with Philippe Mizrahi, Co-founder & CEO of Linkup, to discuss how they’re building core infrastructure for AI agents to access real-time, factual data from the internet. Philippe shares the origin story of Linkup, which was created to solve the messy and inefficient way most AI applications connect to online data. They dive into how Linkup quickly became a top performer on factuality benchmarks, powering use cases across sales automation, market research, and business intelligence. Philippe also talks about their lean, engineering-driven team, product-led growth strategy, and how they’re preparing for a future where AI agents are the primary users of the web.
Join Adil Saleh on the Hyperengage podcast as he sits down with Joel Varty, CTO of Agility, to discuss the transformative impact of AI on SaaS technology. Joel shares insights from his 20+ years of experience, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into technical and non-technical workflows. The conversation covers AI's role in code generation, the future of agent-to-agent interactions, and maintaining scalable, secure infrastructure in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Joel also highlights the importance of customer-centric values and the core principles guiding his team at Agility.
Join Adil Saleh and Ryan Milligan, VP of Sales, Marketing, and Revenue at QuotaPath, on this episode of the Hyperengage podcast, as they explore the intersection of AI and sales performance in SaaS organizations. Ryan discusses his journey from RevOps leader to VP, driving sales strategy with data-backed insights. The conversation dives deep into how AI is not a replacement for humans but a powerful tool for human augmentation in the sales process, from automating outbound prospecting to improving CRM management. Ryan also sheds light on QuotaPath’s unique approach to compensation plans, driving higher-quality revenue by aligning sales incentives with business goals. They discuss the evolution of compensation structures in usage-based pricing models and how QuotaPath integrates seamlessly with sales tech stacks to help teams optimize performance. Ryan also shares insights on future product developments, including AI-powered plan builders, and the potential of AI in enhancing adoption and retention metrics for SaaS companies.
Join Adil Saleh and Angelos Chronis, Co-Founder and CEO of Infrared City, on this episode of the Hyperengage podcast as they dive into the world of AI-powered climate simulations and urban resilience. Angelos shares his journey from architect and academic to deep-tech founder, building a platform that brings real-time environmental insights to decision-makers in architecture, real estate, and city planning. The conversation unpacks the technical evolution behind Infrared City—from early wind simulation models in 2019 to commercial rollout—and the unique challenge of combining physics, AI, and domain expertise. Angelos reflects on building a mission-driven team, the importance of staying close to academia, and how Infrared is democratizing access to complex climate data. They also discuss global expansion, regulatory AI, and how Infrared is empowering professionals to make climate-smart decisions at every step of the built environment lifecycle.
Join Adil Saleh and Lindsay Liu, Co-Founder and CEO of Super, on this episode of the Hyperengage podcast as they explore the intersection of AI and real estate SaaS. Lindsay shares her journey of launching Super, a customer service automation platform designed specifically for property managers, and how the company is redefining front desk support with AI-powered workflows. The conversation dives deep into the challenges of balancing automation with human touch, especially in industries like real estate where empathy and physical operations still matter. Lindsay also discusses how Super is serving underserved segments like single-family rentals, the evolution of AI tools since 2021, and how staying lean and customer-focused has shaped their growth. They touch on the future of specialized agents, the importance of education in onboarding, and how AI is transforming both internal operations and customer success measurement.
Host Adil Saleh interviews Ramsey Pryor, CEO of Rumi.ai, exploring the platform's evolution in conversational AI. Born during the pandemic, Rumi was designed to transform virtual meetings by introducing a real-time heads-up display for meeting summaries and integrations with tools like ClickUp and Slack.
Rumi's core mission is of creating "perfect recall" for meetings, focusing on the role of context in AI responses and building a centralized repository of meeting data to capture institutional knowledge across organizations.
However, there are challenges of maintaining product focus amid rapid technological innovation, while prioritizing customer feedback and the potential for AI-driven features to streamline workflows and improve organizational efficiency.