Empowering the Channel Partner-led GTM motion with Shruti Ghatge of Zomentum
Channel Partner-led GTM is one of the strong pieces in SaaS customer acquisition. Unlike the digital marketing and sales driven customer acquisition, this mode is under leveraged. Find out how Shruti Ghatge (Co-founder & CEO, Zomentum) and her team is flipping Partner Relationship Management, and adding more power to the Channel Partner-led GTM with Zomentum.Zomentum's end-to-end Revenue Platform enables both Channel Partners and SaaS vendors to earn, grow, and manage revenue quickly and cost-effectively. From finding Partner customers on Reddit forums in its early days, Zomentum has grown into a company with almost 3500 partners. In 2021, they raised $13 Million in Series A funding. Shruti speaks to us about Zomentum’s founding philosophy, navigating early product market fit challenges, some very interesting ‘guerrilla research tactics’ like eavesdropping on office conversations, meeting geeky customers on Reddit forums, and requesting Partner customers if they could work from their offices, and how her experience as a VC investment analyst came as a leverage.Tune in for an entertaining and unusual conversation.Key Takeaways: 2:03 - What is Zomentum and what is its role in the SaaS world? 2:42 - Where did the idea for Zomentum originate? 4:56 - Shruti’s early days of building the company and its founding philosophy 6:21 - Ideal customer profile.10:53 - What are some examples of a 100% channel-driven sales motion? 12:51 - How does Zomentum recruit partners for the marketplace and what is its value proposition?13:04 - How do you solve the chicken egg problem?18:20 - Navigating product-market fit and challenges. 24:49 - What is their go-to-market strategy and how does it reflect on their organizational structure? 26:03 - Unconventional Wisdom - Reddit threads and Facebook communities to find customers. 33:09 - Why did Zomentum choose to acquire a company in its early days? 36:15 - Fundraising journey.37:53 - Tips on recruiting and retaining talent. 39:22 - Managing a cross-geographical team and shaping culture.40:33 - Practical tactics and takeaways in the area of sales and marketing.42:40 - Hiring practices in Zomentum’s early days.43:06 - Meeting her co-founder, Rahil Shah, and deciding on equity. 45:51 - Learnings for founders about dealing with investors/board in the early days of the company. Happy Listening!