Ecosystem Alpha where Strategy meets GTM Execution

Sebastian Hoelzl and Will Schnabel
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Welcome to Ecosystem Alpha, the briefing for executives navigating the 2026 Trust Crisis. We move beyond the broken funnel to drive Net Revenue Retention, Agentic AI adoption, and the Rule of 40 efficiency investors demand. The future belongs to the leaders who view their connected ecosystem not as a "channel," but as their most unfair advantage in outperforming the competition. Join us as we sit down with CEOs, CFOs, CROs, and other GTM leaders to pull back the curtain on the revenue receipts of the ecosystem era: Strategy in the boardroom. Execution in the CRM.

Episodes

  1. The Hyperscaler Multiplier: Hard-Wiring Your GTM into the Google Cloud Ecosystem

    MAY 15

    The Hyperscaler Multiplier: Hard-Wiring Your GTM into the Google Cloud Ecosystem

    In this episode, Sebastian and Will are joined by Rebecca Potts, a leader in strategic industry partner sales at Google Cloud, to demystify the complex world of hyperscaler partnerships. Rebecca explains why simply being "listed" in a marketplace is no longer enough and provides a roadmap for partners to stand out in a crowded ecosystem. The conversation dives deep into the "hyperscaler multiplier," revealing how successful partners align their solutions with the specific business problems customers are trying to solve. Rebecca also shares critical insights on "burning down" committed cloud spend and why technical POCs are being replaced by rapid, AI-driven business outcomes. Key Takeaways: Solve, Don't Just List: Why specificity in solving industry-specific business problems is the key to standing out to field sellers. The "Burn Down" Strategy: How to connect partner solutions to a customer's committed Google Cloud spend to accelerate deals. AI-First Mentality: Shifting from technical POCs to demonstrating 90-day business outcomes using forward-deployed engineers (FDEs). Relationship Building: The "dating to marriage" analogy of building long-term, trust-based partnerships in a hyperscale world. Chapters What Business Problem Are You Solving? The Key to Standing Out Understanding Cloud "Commits" and the Backlog Strategy The Role of System Integrators in Owning the Process Flipping the Script: The Shift to AI-First Mentality What is an FDE? Moving from Slides to Real Results Rapid Delivery: The 90-Day Outcome Cycle Common Pitfalls: Why Great Stories Sometimes Fail to Launch Partner Success Stories: Tiger Analytics & Tech Systems From Dating to Marriage: Building Trust in Partnerships The Impact: Why Partner-Led Deals are 56% Larger Rapid Fire Round & Rebecca’s Career Lessons Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    36 min
  2. The Better Together Paradox: Why Joint Value Props Fail, And How to Fix Them, Richard Evans

    MAY 6

    The Better Together Paradox: Why Joint Value Props Fail, And How to Fix Them, Richard Evans

    In this episode of Ecosystem Alpha, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with Richard Evans, a veteran SaaS leader and current Managing Partner at Hatchd Marketing Group, to deconstruct the "Better Together" Paradox. Richard shares insights from his diverse career as a CRO and Head of Marketing, explaining why the traditional approach to joint value propositions often fails to resonate in the modern sales cycle. We dive deep into the mechanics of the "Franken-deck," exploring how the shift from "inside-out" product-centric pitches to "outside-in" ecosystem stories can cut through the noise of AI-generated content. Richard also shares revenue receipts from his career, including how to verticalize a general product through strategic partnerships—and explains why overcoming the 9% trust barrier in vendor messaging requires a radical refocus on peer validation and credibility. Chapters The Franken-deck Dilemma: Deconstructing why the traditional partner logo slide at the end of a sales deck acts as a distraction rather than a value-add. Outside-In Positioning: Shifting from "me-centric" product pitches to using account signals to lead with a customer’s existing tech stack. The 9% Trust Barrier: Analyzing shocking G2 data on vendor credibility and the power of peer communities in influencing enterprise buying. Verticalizing the Generalist: A case study on outperforming competitors by wrapping general products in vertical-specific ecosystem stories. The PMM Intersection: Navigating the friction between product marketing and partner marketing to build cohesive upstream messaging. Marketing Fundamentals: Richard’s "must-read" classics for grounding marketing strategy and his predictions for the future of Agentic AI. Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    38 min
  3. The Efficient Frontier: Why the Future of Sales is Ecosystem-Led with Todd McCormick

    APR 30

    The Efficient Frontier: Why the Future of Sales is Ecosystem-Led with Todd McCormick

    In an era where "growth at all costs" is no longer the gold standard, how can sales leaders drive durable, sustainable revenue? This week on Ecosystem Alpha, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with veteran sales leader Todd McCormick to discuss the evolution of the "Lone Wolf" CRO into a collaborative, ecosystem-focused strategist. Todd breaks down the "CAC crisis" and explains why borrowing trust from partners is the most efficient way to scale in today’s trust-deficient market. Key topics discussed in this episode: The Efficiency Shift: Moving from vanity pipeline metrics to high-quality, partner-influenced leads that actually convert. Proving Partner Value: How to talk to your CFO about reallocating budget toward partnerships to drive down Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC). The Modern BDR: Why the traditional cold-calling model is broken and how an AI-first, partner-aware outreach strategy is winning the new logo game. Real-World Results: Todd shares how he doubled win rates and reduced sales cycles by nearly three months through strategic ecosystem alignment. Chapters: Intro: Welcome to Ecosystem Alpha Growth at All Costs vs. The Efficiency Frontier Breaking Down CAC: Proving Partner Value to the CFO Getting Sales Buy-In: Solving the Compensation Conflict Borrowing Trust: Why Buyers Don't Trust SaaS Sellers ABM and Strategic Account Planning in the Enterprise The Evolution of the SDR: AI-First and Partner-Aware Reallocating Marketing Budgets for Better Outcomes The Ecosystem Flywheel: Achieving Durable Growth Real-World Results: Doubling Win Rates with Partners Rapid Fire: Overrated Metrics and Building Partner Trust Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    41 min
  4. The RevOps Blueprint: Connecting Data, Partnerships, and Sales Velocity with Dhwani Dalal

    APR 22

    The RevOps Blueprint: Connecting Data, Partnerships, and Sales Velocity with Dhwani Dalal

    In this episode of Ecosystem Alpha, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with Dhwani Dalal, Revenue Operations Leader at Brio.Co, to dissect the "RevOps Blueprint" for the modern software era. As the traditional linear sales funnel gives way to more complex, interconnected buyer journeys, the role of Revenue Operations has transformed from a back-office "fix-it" function into a strategic architect of the go-to-market (GTM) engine. Dhwani shares her wealth of experience from leadership roles at Yotpo, DocuSign, and Squarespace to explain how RevOps acts as the "glue" that binds marketing, sales, and partnerships together. We explore the concept of the "Trust Tax"—the friction caused by fragmented data—and how building an AI-native infrastructure can lead to better win rates, faster sales velocity, and superior capital efficiency. Key takeaways include: The Evolution of RevOps: Shifting from managing spreadsheets to designing the future of GTM strategy. Solving the "Trust Tax": Why a single source of truth is mandatory for account executive (AE) adoption. Ecosystem-Led Growth: How to embed partner signals directly into the buyer journey to drive higher win rates. Modern Metrics: Moving away from "useless" MQLs toward Blended CAC and ecosystem-specific velocity. The AI-Native Tech Stack: Leveraging orchestration layers like Glean AI to automate field labor and drive data integrity. Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    37 min
  5. How CCOs Use Ecosystems to Eliminate Churn and Own NRR with Darren Kennedy

    APR 15

    How CCOs Use Ecosystems to Eliminate Churn and Own NRR with Darren Kennedy

    In this episode of Ecosystem Alpha, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with Darren Kennedy, a seasoned services leader from ServiceTrade, to discuss why the modern Chief Customer Officer (CCO) must act as an ecosystem architect. Darren shares insights from his career at Salesforce and Pardot, explaining the critical shift from "growth at all costs" to a focus on efficiency and customer lifetime value. We dive deep into the mechanics of the "un-churnable account," exploring how technical integrations and partner co-delivery serve as the primary levers for Net Revenue Retention (NRR). Darren also shares "revenue receipts" from his current role—including a staggering 29.4-point NRR increase linked to integrations—and explains how borrowing trust through "unreasonable hospitality" can repair client relationships and solve complex implementation hurdles. Chapters Formal Introduction: Darren Kennedy and the DNA of a services leader Beyond NPS: Moving past lagging indicators to track real-time adoption and workflows The 29.4% NRR Hook: The statistical correlation between integrations and stickiness Partnership "Give to Get": Building the infrastructure to support a delivery ecosystem Borrowing Trust: Navigating co-delivery and the "whose client is it?" mindset The Operational Shift: Moving CSMs from "brute force" to partner-led solutions The "Why" Factor: Using change management to align teams with ecosystem motions Vertical SaaS Nuances: Why "word matters" and how relationships differ in blue-collar industries Revenue Receipts: Saving a high-risk account through a partner-led "save" Rapid Fire: Unreasonable hospitality and the most useless CSM metrics Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    41 min
  6. Predictive Partnerships with AI: From Logo Soup to Closing the Activation Gap with Jon Mead

    APR 9

    Predictive Partnerships with AI: From Logo Soup to Closing the Activation Gap with Jon Mead

    In this episode of Ecosystem Alpha, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with Jon Mead, the founder of PartnerBridge, to discuss why a staggering 80% of partnerships fail and how to move away from the "logo soup" approach. Jon shares his journey from sales engineering to founding a solution that uses data signals and AI to predict partner success. We dive deep into the mechanics of Partner Fit, exploring why pricing alignment and company maturity are often overlooked. Jon also shares "scars" from his past, including a failed pitch to Deloitte, and explains how flipping the partnership funnel to an invite-only model can drastically lower your CAC and augment your outcomes. Chapters Introduction to Ecosystem Alpha and guest Jon MeadFormal Introduction: Jon Mead and the PartnerBridge origin storyWhy Partnerships Fail: Moving past "logo soup" and reactive motionsPartner Fit: Navigating pricing alignment, ICP, and company maturityThe AI Shift: Using data signals to map influencers and watering holesCost Analysis: The "hard numbers" behind onboarding and strategic drainTime-to-Value: Driving efficiency through quick wins and risk reductionThe "Easy Button": Using sales kits to embed partners into GTM motionsFlipping the Funnel: Why an exclusive, invite-only approach winsRevenue Receipts: Learning from a failed GSI pitch at DeloitteRapid Fire: Overrated partner criteria and multiverse sci-fiClosing Thoughts and guest recommendations Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    35 min
  7. Why 'Partnerships' is a GTM Problem, Not a Department with Bryan Brown

    APR 2

    Why 'Partnerships' is a GTM Problem, Not a Department with Bryan Brown

    In this episode of Ecosystem Alpha, hosts Sebastian and Will are joined by Bryan Brown, co-founder of Go-To-Market Partners, to explore the fundamental breakdown of the traditional go-to-market (GTM) engine. Bryan discusses the death of the "Franken-GTM" and explains why CEOs must shift from being passive observers to active owners of GTM strategy to drive alignment across sales, marketing, product, and customer success. Learn about the "Silo Tax," how disconnected handoffs hurt the customer journey, and why a partner-led motion is often the most efficient path to lowering CAC and achieving sustainable growth. Bryan also shares the critical diagnostic questions every leadership team must answer to ensure they are truly aligned. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Ecosystem Alpha and guest Bryan Brown Formal Introduction: Bryan Brown and the GTM Operating System Why GTM is Broken: Moving past the "Franken-stack" and old funnel approaches The CEO’s Mandate: Why the CEO must own GTM ownership, even if they don't run it The "Silo Tax": How departmental silos create a high tax on business efficiency The Partner-Led Motion: Driving capital efficiency and lower cost of acquisition Defining Partnerships: Navigating Channel, Ecosystem, Reseller, and Referral models Revenue Receipts: GTM success stories from Apollo, Snowflake, and Monday.com The Alignment Check: 8 critical questions every executive team must be able to answer Rapid Fire: Hiring SDRs vs. Partners and the most useless board metrics Personal Insights: Leading with a "heart at peace" and the impact of the Anatomy of Peace Closing Thoughts and next guest recommendation Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast⁠⁠ 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    42 min
  8. Why Wall Street Values Networks Over Software with Jamie Kiggen

    MAR 26

    Why Wall Street Values Networks Over Software with Jamie Kiggen

    Wall Street Values Networks Over Software: Discover how the Validation Multiplier and partnership-led ecosystems drive efficient growth, net negative churn, and superior SaaS valuations.In this episode of the Ecosystem Alpha Podcast, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with Jamie Kiggen, a past CFO for multiple SaaS businesses and Wall Street investor. They dive deep into the Validation Multiplier to explore why Wall Street increasingly values business networks and ecosystems over traditional standalone software. Jamie shares his "insider's perspective" on the transition from growth-at-all-costs to a focus on efficient growth and unit economics. The conversation covers how ecosystems act as strategic capital providers, the impact of AI on business planability, and why specific metrics like expansion revenue and net negative churn are the true indicators of a healthy, scalable business. Whether you are a founder, investor, or SaaS leader, this episode provides a masterclass in driving long-term valuation through partnership-led growth. Chapters Introduction to Jamie Kiggen and the Validation Multiplier Scalability, Predictability, and the Shift to Efficient Growth Unit Economics: Cost to Acquire vs. Lifetime Value Predictability in SaaS and the Strategic Impact of AI Partnerships as Intellectual and Strategic Capital Evaluating Investments: Direct Sales vs. Partner Organizations The Critical Role of Product Management in Ecosystems The Investment Phase: Transitioning to Indirect Revenue Overrated Metrics: The Risks of Committed ARR (CARR) Why Net Negative Churn Commands a Premium Multiple Final Thoughts and Lessons from The Great Gatsby Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast⁠ 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    48 min
  9. Why Trust is the New Currency in GTM ft. Forest Yule Donovan

    MAR 10

    Why Trust is the New Currency in GTM ft. Forest Yule Donovan

    Traditional lead gen is broken, and buyers are tuning out. In the current market, trust is the most valuable currency you have. Welcome to the very first episode of Ecosystem Alpha, the podcast where ecosystem strategy meets GTM execution. Today, hosts Sebastian and Will sit down with Forrest Donovan, Senior Director of Strategic Alliances at Full Story, to roast the old-school funnel playbook and discuss what actually works in 2026. Forrest shares how top teams are moving away from the volume-based "how" economy and stepping into the "who" economy by leveraging trusted partner networks. We break down how to use AI as a scalpel—not a sledgehammer—to build hyper-personalized co-selling material, why the industry is shifting from Software as a Service (SaaS) to Results as a Service (RaaS), and the anatomy behind a massive multi-million dollar partner-sourced deal. If your response rates are dropping and your sales team is frustrated, this episode is your blueprint for a new way forward. Welcome to Ecosystem Alpha: The GTM Trust CrisisIntroducing Forrest Donovan from Full StoryThe GTM Roast: Why the Traditional Demand Gen Waterfall is BreakingGetting Above the Noise: Using AI & Ecosystems to Build TrustThe Shift from SaaS to Results as a Service (RaaS)Anatomy of a Deal: Breaking Down a Multi-Million Dollar Co-Sell WinRethinking KPIs: Why We Need a "Partner Impact Score"Outro & Nominating Our Next Guest: George at High Touch⭐️ Leave a Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Ecosystem Alpha on Spotify and leave us a 5-star review! It helps us bring more incredible guests onto the show. Legal Disclaimer for Ecosystem Alpha: The Podcast 1. No Professional Advice: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or otherwise). 2. Views Expressed: The opinions expressed by guests on this program are their own. Ecosystem Alpha does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by guests, and their appearance does not constitute an endorsement of the guest or the entity they represent. 3. Professional Titles: Guest titles and business affiliations are provided as of the date of recording. Ecosystem Alpha makes no representation regarding the current status of a guest’s employment or their authority to bind any mentioned third-party entities. 4. Limitation of Liability: By listening to this podcast, you agree that Ecosystem Alpha and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided in this program.

    36 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Welcome to Ecosystem Alpha, the briefing for executives navigating the 2026 Trust Crisis. We move beyond the broken funnel to drive Net Revenue Retention, Agentic AI adoption, and the Rule of 40 efficiency investors demand. The future belongs to the leaders who view their connected ecosystem not as a "channel," but as their most unfair advantage in outperforming the competition. Join us as we sit down with CEOs, CFOs, CROs, and other GTM leaders to pull back the curtain on the revenue receipts of the ecosystem era: Strategy in the boardroom. Execution in the CRM.

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