RB2B

What's Adam Robinson's dark GTM secret? 🤫 Does he even operate with a plan? 📈 Or just wing it like everything else he does? 🤷🏻♂️ He digs into it on Aakash Gupta's podcast: https://lnkd.in/gn4sCCfQ

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Over the past 24 months, Sam Jacobs and I have racked up 75M+ views on Linkedin, turning content into 8-figures of revenue. We’ve built brands that EVERYBODY in GTM knows. But now, we both think we're screwed: Like all social networks before it, it's only a matter of time before Linkedin robs you of your organic reach, and makes you pay for ads. And we’re not sure of the alternative... Many people have warned that AI will crush SaaS, and the only moats besides network effects are: 1. Brand (in 2025, that means personal brand) 2. Community (acquire w/ product, retain w/ community) If you follow me on LinkedIn, you know I’m trying to double down on both. BUT… I’m not doing NEARLY as good of a job with community as Sam is. So, I’m bringing him on “UnF*ck My Startup” LIVE tomorrow to figure out how us early stage SaaS founders can build community better. And, of course, what the future of brand building on Linkedin might look like. I’m going to ask Sam: 1. How early is too early to start with community? 2. How do you balance giving value vs. monetizing? 3. What would he do differently if he was selling SaaS too? 4. What do we do when the great Linkedin Apocalypse comes? You won’t want to miss this show! It’s tomorrow 3pm EDT. Join us here: https://lnkd.in/gPtx-RN2

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What is Adam Robinson's #1 key to success in business? 🔑 Is it endlessly 💩 posting on LinkedIn? 🤔 Is it something more meaningful? 🧘 Either way, he talks about it at length on The Tech Founders Podcast with Marcus Papin: https://lnkd.in/gPmmZaSb

In November, I spent $7,500 on cold emails, $10,000 on SEO, $33,000 on Linkedin ads, and $20,000 on high-quality video. Then I turned it all off. Why? Because I’m going to invest $25,000/mo in my newest GTM motion: I’m calling it “Swag-Led Outbound (SLO)” Here’s my 8-step 2025 “SLO” Playbook: 1. Get NoBoringDesign to create the dopest swag ever 2. Post about it, do a giveaway, make it go viral 3. Send swag to people who say THEY’LL post about it 4. Give a hoodie to every single person that takes a demo. 5. Send a full swag box to everybody who joins the $10m ARR Club (my private community for startup founders—DM me if you want to join).  6. Walk around industry events and hand out cards that have QR codes to the store w/ coupon codes for t-shirts or hoodies. 7. Outbound people who we want to look at RB2B w/ a swag box. 8. Send all of our UGC creators a SWAG box. TAKEAWAY I want to invest an irresponsible amount of $$$ getting B2B people our SWAG. I think it’s going to lead to breakout growth in 2025. It could very well be the future of go-to-market. And that’s why I’m calling it… “Swag-Led Outbound”.

What does LinkedIn want? 🤷🏻♂️ Has Adam Robinson figured it out? 💭 Or is he just selling more founder-brand 🐍 oil on The Tech Founders Podcast with Marcus Papin? https://lnkd.in/gPmmZaSb

Founders think the biggest risk of VC money is running out of cash and making nothing. It’s not. It’s getting trapped—stuck running a successful business into the ground, chasing an exit that will never come. And making nothing. Here are two $50-100M examples that prove it: This company ACT-ON (see below) raised $53m: - 17 years later they sold for $53m to a SPAC  - 20% was cash, the rest was stock - 2x Revenue multiple As Jason M. Lemkin said the other day… "Just plain tough." Now, let's look at Keap (formerly Infusionsoft). - Raised $100m - Acquired 23 years later for $80m  - Under 1x Revenue Rough. Why do I advocate for bootstrapping? Compare those two outcomes to another startup... Maropost - bootstrapped by Ross Andrew Paquette in the same marketing automation space - but he did it right. Check out these Maropost stats: - Founded 2011 - $0-$30m ARR in 5 years 2011-2015 - $20m+ EBITDA 2015-2022 (Straight to founder) - 2022 Roll-up strategy >>> more EBITDA (to founder) The first time I heard what Ross had done seven years ago, I made it my goal in life to accomplish something like it. The idea of generating massive amounts of cash and answering to nobody was so appealing for so many reasons. And we’re not quite there yet, but we’re getting close. TAKEAWAY Nothing is more exciting in the life of a young founder than closing a huge round at a monster valuation. It’s impossible to not feel rich, even if you didn’t take secondary (and most don’t). Let me tell you what no young founder ever thinks about… The ACT-ON/Infusionsoft outcome. You work for 20 years, sell for less than you raised, and walk away with nothing. And for every ACT-ON and Infusionsoft that hit the tape, there are another 1,000 zombies … Who have raised WAY too much with no way out. I would love to ask the founders of either company one question and one question only… “Wouldn’t you have rather done it like Maropost?”

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