Mostly Growth

Mostly Media

Mostly Growth is a podcast from Mostly Media where go-to-market strategist Kyle Poyar and CFO CJ Gustafson break down how modern companies make money. Each episode focuses on pricing, monetization, and benchmarks—translated into clear tactics and playbooks you can actually use. Built for finance, product, and sales operators who want to think like owners and be the CEO of their role.

  1. Which Decisions Should You Trust AI to Make?

    7 HR AGO

    Which Decisions Should You Trust AI to Make?

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, Kyle and CJ explore one of the most important questions in the AI era: what decisions should we actually delegate to machines? From agents spending money with corporate cards to handling customer support, hiring, and even sales, they break down where automation makes sense—and where it gets uncomfortable. Plus, how leadership changes when your job shifts from making decisions to setting the rules. — SPONSORS: RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com — 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/ — RELATED EPISODES: AI Is Breaking SaaS Pricing (Scott Woody) https://youtu.be/ujkZWqeHpQY Multi-Year Deals and the Illusion of Better Pricing | Russell Lester https://youtu.be/lCU0HFrp0YY — TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 ChatGPT sold a house 2:13 What are we delegating to AI agents? 3:04 Ramp's agent cards 5:06 Mastercard's open standard 7:14 Dynamic budget reallocation 9:38 Sponsors — RightRev | Tropic | HockeyStack 13:18 Domains of delegation 13:56 Meetings 16:08 Customer interactions 17:22 Sales 20:03 Internal announcements 22:19 Hiring and team management 25:42 Would you let AI buy software? 27:09 Flight rebooking scenario 29:36 Business blunders 30:38 Chipotle blunders 33:11 Credits #MostlyGrowthPodcast #AIAgents #Automation #FutureOfWork #SaaS

    30 min
  2. SaaS Is Back… but AI Is Changing the Business Model

    2 DAYS AGO

    SaaS Is Back… but AI Is Changing the Business Model

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, we unpack Sequoia’s thesis that the next $1T company will sell outcomes, not software. If selling tools puts you in a race against AI, does selling the work win instead? We break down which industries are most exposed, real-world examples, and what this shift means for moats, pricing, and valuation. — SPONSORS: HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. — 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/ — TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Preview and Intro 2:36 Sequoia's "Services as Software" report 2:56 The trillion dollar thesis 6:31 Which businesses to target 7:47 Barriers around personal information 9:00 Sponsors — HockeyStack | RightRev | Tropic 12:41 Services still need humans 16:28 Outsourced dev shops 18:17 Sequoia's 2x2 framework 20:40 Management consulting — is McKinsey dead? 23:33 Outsourced call centers 25:36 Law firms 28:37 Accounting firms 28:58 The 10x accountant 30:20 Moats in this space 33:51 How investors will value these companies 36:37 Hot Wheels, Nvidia, Altman brothers 37:32 Credits #MostlyGrowthPodcast #SaaS #AIAgents #ServicesAsASoftware #ProductMonetization

    38 min
  3. The Free-to-Paid Conversion Playbook for SaaS

    13 MAR

    The Free-to-Paid Conversion Playbook for SaaS

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, CJ Gustafson and Kyle Poyar break down one of the most overlooked levers in SaaS: free-to-paid conversion. With the average product converting just 8% of users, they unpack the tactics that actually move the needle—from attracting higher-intent users and improving onboarding to rethinking pricing, packaging, and sales-assist models. — SPONSORS: Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com — 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/ — RELATED EPISODES: AI Is Breaking SaaS Pricing https://youtu.be/ujkZWqeHpQY — TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Preview and Intro 2:33 What percent of apps do you pay for? 3:43 The 8% conversion benchmark 4:48 Start with marketing, not the product 6:50 Organic vs. paid channel conversion 8:39 Mid-funnel SEO explained 9:54 Sponsors — Tropic | Hockey Stack | RightRev 13:30 Finding mid-funnel SEO topics 14:42 State of paid search 17:26 Onboarding friction vs. motivation 21:10 Who owns conversion? 22:53 Free to paid as a compound metric 25:10 Pricing and plans as the fastest lever 26:08 Who owns pricing decisions? 27:08 Sales teams and conversion 30:23 AI agents as buyers 32:56 Agentic onboarding and future funnels 33:50 Business blunders — Cluey revenue scandal 35:41 Credits #MostlyGrowthPodcast #FreeToPaid #SaaS #ProductGrowth #ProductMonetization

    36 min
  4. The $50B IPO Is Coming | Who Goes Public Next?

    11 MAR

    The $50B IPO Is Coming | Who Goes Public Next?

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, CJ and Kyle break down one of the most consequential questions in tech right now: which major private company will IPO first, and just how big will it be? From Anthropic and SpaceX to OpenAI, Databricks, and Canva, they rank the candidates, debate the motivations to go public in an era of unlimited private capital, and unpack what it means when an IPO could raise $100 billion or more. They also dig into the murky world of split-valuation fundraising rounds — and what it signals about the current market. --- SPONSORS: RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what's already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com --- 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/ --- RELATED EPISODES: AI Is Breaking SaaS Pricing https://youtu.be/ujkZWqeHpQY --- TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Preview and intro 1:23 Intro banter and skincare routines 3:51 IPO candidates and capital intensity 5:28 Why go public when private capital is infinite? 6:00 The case for going public 8:32 Secondary market data and VC pressure 9:26 Ranking the candidates: Anthropic first 11:04 Sponsors — RightRev | Tropic | HockeyStack 14:48 IPO banking fees 16:13 SpaceX: second in line 17:00 SpaceX valuation and capital raised 18:01 OpenAI: third 19:33 Databricks: fourth 21:51 Canva: last on the list 24:05 Stripe 25:11 Honorable mentions: Ramp, Anysphere/Cursor, Plaid 26:37 Wildcard: Liquid Death 27:07 Business blunder: split-valuation fundraising 31:11 Credits #MostlyGrowthPodcast #IPO #AIStocks #SaaSGrowth #VentureCapital

    32 min
  5. 93% of Companies Aren’t Confident in Their Customer Success Model

    6 MAR

    93% of Companies Aren’t Confident in Their Customer Success Model

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, CJ and Kyle unpack one of the most confusing functions in SaaS: customer success. Based on a survey of 132 GTM leaders, they break down how CS teams are staffed, compensated, and structured — and why 93% of companies still aren’t confident they’ve gotten the model right. From P&L placement to comp plans to expansion ownership, they explore whether customer success is actually driving revenue or just absorbing budget. — SPONSORS: HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. — 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/ — TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro banter 3:24 CS team size benchmarks 5:13 93% lack confidence in their CS model 6:36 Renewal rates are solid 8:10 CS identity crisis 9:12 Where CS reports 11:44 CS on the P&L 10:02 Sponsors — Hockey Stack | RightRev | Tropic 13:41 P&L placement results 15:51 Staffing by count vs. revenue 17:44 CS as a coverage problem 18:28 CS is not paid like sales 20:14 MBO vs. commission vs. hybrid 22:01 Why commission is hard 23:13 Hybrid comp gets diluted 24:30 What CS is actually paid on 25:19 Pay on adoption, not NPS 27:26 NPS is not predictive 29:26 Who owns expansion revenue? 32:12 Should you charge for CS? 34:09 Takeaways 36:48 Credits #MostlyGrowthPodcast #CustomerSuccess #SaaS #RevOps #ProductMonetization

    37 min
  6. AI Pricing: Why No One Knows How to Price AI Yet

    4 MAR

    AI Pricing: Why No One Knows How to Price AI Yet

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, Kyle and CJ sit down with Metronome CEO Scott Woody to unpack one of the biggest questions in tech: how AI will actually make money. They discuss usage-based pricing, credit models, and why AI may push software toward value-aligned monetization—plus what happens when agents, not humans, start making purchasing decisions. — SPONSORS: Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com — LINKS:  Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-woody-21677121/ Metronome: https://metronome.com/ 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/ — RELATED EPISODES: Figma’s AI Credit Model: Should You Copy It? https://youtu.be/-ooA-jgApCs — TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Claude outage and AI habits 1:58 Stripe’s startup energy 3:33 The AI monetization question 4:12 Who’s getting AI pricing right 6:04 Are agents the real buyers 9:03 Sponsors — Tropic | HockeyStack | RightRev 12:44 ChatGPT pricing psychology 13:41 Why $9.99 beats $8.97 15:05 Agents optimize pricing decisions 18:22 Seats plus usage hybrids 20:08 Investors push usage pricing 22:40 Hard to change SaaS business models 23:52 Usage vs seat pricing battle 24:46 AI cost pressure forces change 25:56 Optimization proves real value 32:53 Credits are just a wrapper 34:22 Value across multiple products 35:29 Credits shift risk to buyer 36:11 Complex credits need sales 36:43 Credits move risk in pricing 37:58 Block layoffs awkward all-hands #MostlyGrowthPodcast #SaaSPricing #AIMonetization #UsageBasedPricing #CreditPricing

    42 min
  7. Figma’s AI Credit Model and the New Economics of SaaS

    27 FEB

    Figma’s AI Credit Model and the New Economics of SaaS

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, Kyle and CJ break down Figma’s new AI credit model and why investors sent the stock up 14%. They unpack hybrid seat + credit pricing, power-law usage, the fine print on overages, and what this means for SaaS monetization in the age of AI. Plus: Snapchat’s 25M paying subs and a cautionary overages tale. — SPONSORS: RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com — 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/ https://www.reuters.com/business/figma-jumps-ai-push-boosts-software-design-spending-2026-02-19/ https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/33459875669015-How-AI-credits-work https://www.saastr.com/salesforce-now-has-3-pricing-models-for-agentforce-and-maybe-right-now-thats-the-way-to-do-it/ https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/2025-state-of-saas-pricing-changes — RELATED EPISODES: SaaS Is Dead? The Market Thinks So. https://youtu.be/VMLuuaob1ZM — TIMESTAMPS: Podcast: 0:00 Wrong side of the bed 1:51 Investors reward monetization 4:36 Power users drive credits 5:10 Credit models surge in SaaS 7:25 Usage layered onto seats 9:08 Figma vs vibe coding 10:10 Sponsors — RightRev | Tropic | HockeyStack 13:51 What a credit costs 16:07 AI efficiency vs seat risk 19:17 Use-it-or-lose-it credits 20:53 Credit model fatigue 22:13 Salesforce’s AI pricing evolution 23:36 No single “best” pricing model 24:29 Late but polished AI rollout 25:42 Monetizing power users 27:05 Snapchat’s surprise subscription scale #MostlyGrowthPodcast #AIPricing #UsageBasedPricing #SaaSMonetization #ProductLedGrowth

    29 min
  8. SaaS Is Dead? The Market Thinks So.

    25 FEB

    SaaS Is Dead? The Market Thinks So.

    In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, CJ Gustafson and Kyle Poyar tackle the “SaaS-pocalypse.” With median EV/NTM revenue multiples grinding to a 10-year low and stocks like Salesforce, Oracle, Figma, and Asana sharply off their peaks, they break down the real bear case: collapsing retention, AI replacing SaaS, and startups outflanking incumbents. Then they explain why renewal rates, Rule of 40 profiles, and first-party data suggest SaaS isn’t dead—just repriced. SPONSORS: HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.com RightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.com Tropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how. — 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/ https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/the-era-of-capital-intensive-ipos-and-the-14b-ipo-you-probably-forgot-about — RELATED EPISODES: Pricing Strategy Guide: 7 Pricing Models Every Operator Should Know https://youtu.be/5nxETc2IhrA — TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Snowstorm Banter And Shovel Debate 01:47 Is SaaS Dead? 03:27 Zombie Or Thriving 05:15 AI Threat To Project Tools 06:48 Flexible Use Cases As Moat 07:11 DocuSign Debate 08:09 Contract Data As Strategic Asset 08:32 AI Update Spooks Security Stocks 09:06 Sponsors — HockeyStack | RightRev | Tropic 12:47 Market Panic Or Rational? 13:17 SaaS Multiples Hit 3x 15:27 From Revenue To EBITDA Multiples 17:37 DCF And Terminal Value Risk 19:43 Biggest SaaS Selloffs 20:28 Figma Down 80% 21:00 PLG Tools Hit Hardest 21:46 Seat Based Pricing Risk 23:12 Bear Case 3 Assumptions 25:16 AI Still SaaS Delivery 27:32 Incumbents Win With Data 29:48 Adoption Beats Vibe Coding 30:25 Reinventing SaaS In The AI Era 31:09 Build Vs Buy Accountability 32:06 Centralized Data Vs SaaS Stack 33:20 SaaS Sprawl And DIY Chaos 35:24 Vibe Coding Vs Enterprise Compliance 35:42 Cluely Interview Meltdown 37:35 Inside The AI Startup Chaos #MostlyGrowthPodcast #SaaS #AIinBusiness #ProductLedGrowth #TechStrategy

    38 min

About

Mostly Growth is a podcast from Mostly Media where go-to-market strategist Kyle Poyar and CFO CJ Gustafson break down how modern companies make money. Each episode focuses on pricing, monetization, and benchmarks—translated into clear tactics and playbooks you can actually use. Built for finance, product, and sales operators who want to think like owners and be the CEO of their role.

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