I am excited to have Stefan Bader, CEO and co-founder of Cello, a referral automation platform used by Typeform, Miro, and VEED. He's a 2x founder who spent a decade in B2B software, including as CRO at Shore. Stefan recently launched the GTM10 Awards, gathering insights from 800+ operators at companies like OpenAI, Stripe, and Gong.
In this conversation, Stefan Bader, CEO and co-founder of Cello, a referral automation platform where he discusses his journey as a two-time founder, the challenges of managing sales talent, the evolution of go-to-market strategies, and the impact of AI on sales and marketing. Stefan shares insights on building successful referral programs, the importance of personal incentives, and the shift from co-marketing to co-products. He also emphasizes the need for companies to adapt to changing marketing channels and the significance of a strong product design in driving growth.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Stefan Bader and Cello
02:40 Lessons from Early Ventures
05:08 Identifying and Addressing B2B Referral Challenges
09:03 The Future of Cold Calling and Go-to-Market Strategies
12:10 Navigating Channel Collapse and New Opportunities
14:32 Successful Referral Programs: Key Variables
16:32 The Complexity of Referral Automation
18:04 Shifts in Sales Strategies and Customer Success
21:10 The Evolution of Co-Marketing to Co-Products
23:30 Developer Experience and Tools
24:30 The Role of AI in Sales and Business Development
26:26 Finding Design Partners: Startups vs. Enterprises
27:24 Subversive Marketing and Growth Loops
30:17 Advice for Future Professionals
32:13 Reflections on Starting Cello
Stefan's Links
LDN/ X – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-bader/
Website - https://cello.so/
My Links
Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe
YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/
