Cloud Radio | A SaaS Podcast

Tim Sanders - G2 - The AI Answer

Our Guest: Tim Sanders [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderssays] is the Chief Innovation Officer at G2 [https://www.linkedin.com/company/g2dotcom] and a fellow at Harvard’s Digital Data Design Institute [https://d3.harvard.edu/]. A longtime researcher of market trends and business technology, Tim focuses on AI adoption, AI agents, and the rise of answer engines in the software buying journey. Episode Topics: * AI’s role in reshaping the B2B software buying journey, from early research to shortlist creation. * The rise of “one-shotting” and how buyers now compress days of vendor research into a single AI prompt. * How G2 reviews, category rankings, and high-authority third-party sources influence AI recommendations. * Why enterprise buyers are moving faster toward AI-assisted buying as teams get leaner and workloads increase. * The new importance of “winning the answer” in ChatGPT, Gemini, and deep research tools. * Mentions vs. citations vs. recommendations: which ones actually influence software buying decisions? * Deep research is the new buying battleground, where the final recommended vendors matter more than general visibility. * Why AI-driven traffic may convert better than traditional search traffic. * The content shifts from polished corporate messaging to fresh reviews, proof points, Q&A content, and human-answer-shaped thought leadership. * YouTube transcripts, podcasts, LinkedIn, reviews, and niche publications are emerging sources of AI visibility. * The difference between machine learning, bots, and agents. * The executive “30% rule” for AI literacy and why leaders should reframe business problems as prediction problems. * Why companies need to close the trust gap between AI reliability and employee adoption. * How AI changes hiring and promotion by increasing the value of judgment, curiosity, feedback, and “taste.” * Inside G2’s own AI-first experiments, including generative summaries, dynamic FAQs, and learning how to make complex product pages easier for machines to understand. Resources: https://learn.g2.com/g2-2026-ai-search-insight-report [https://learn.g2.com/g2-2026-ai-search-insight-report]  https://learn.g2.com/g2-2025-ai-agent-insight-report [https://learn.g2.com/g2-2025-ai-agent-insight-report]  https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/profound-g2-partnership [https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/profound-g2-partnership]  https://university.tryprofound.com/ [https://university.tryprofound.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://6sense.com/science-of-b2b/buyer-experience-report-2025/ [https://6sense.com/science-of-b2b/buyer-experience-report-2025/] https://promptwatch.com/ [https://promptwatch.com/]  https://spotlightar.com/ [https://spotlightar.com/] https://firstpagesage.com/seo-blog/generative-engine-optimization-geo-explanation/ [https://firstpagesage.com/seo-blog/generative-engine-optimization-geo-explanation/]  https://graphite.io/five-percent/ai-is-much-bigger-than-you-think [https://graphite.io/five-percent/ai-is-much-bigger-than-you-think?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.similarweb.com/blog/marketing/geo/build-prompts-from-keywords/ [https://www.similarweb.com/blog/marketing/geo/build-prompts-from-keywords/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]  About Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings: Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio is a SaaS podcast [https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/] covers all aspects of the business of software. Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter [https://twitter.com/SaaSletter] and writes "SaaSletter [https://www.saasletter.com/]", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter [https://www.saasletter.com/] on Substack. https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/ [https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/] https://twitter.com/SaaSletter [https://twitter.com/SaaSletter] https://www.saasletter.com/ [https://www.saasletter.com/] About Cloud Ratings: Cloud Ratings [https://cloudratings.com/] is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions. Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports [https://cloudratings.com/category-reports/] combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Board Management Software [https://cloudratings.com/board-management-software/], Account-Based Marketing Software [https://cloudratings.com/account-based-marketing-abm-software/], Cap Table + Equity Management Software [https://cloudratings.com/cap-table-equity-management-software/], Lead Routing Software [https://cloudratings.com/lead-routing-software/], and Sales Training + Onboarding Software [https://cloudratings.com/sales-training-software/]. Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value. https://cloudratings.com/ [https://cloudratings.com/]

Karim Fanous - Engineering Management in the Age of AI

Our Guest: Karim Fanous [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karimfan] is the Senior Vice President of Engineering at StrongDM [https://www.strongdm.com/], a cybersecurity company, and the writer behind Cumulative [https://www.cummulative.io/], a Substack focused on engineering management, building startups, and how AI is reshaping the craft of software. Episode Topics: * Why VPE is “people + product + processes”  and how breakdowns show up as business problems (growth, quality, churn, GTM). * How “buggy processes” reveal themselves at the exec level through growth stalls, quality pain, churn, and GTM friction? * Executive interview questions that reveal whether an engineering leader can connect engineering to business reality. * The common scaling fallacy: doubling engineers does not double output. * “AI made us faster… not necessarily better”: how AI boosts strong engineers, but used carelessly amplifies technical debt. * Why human review won’t scale in an agent-driven world and why software will need machine verification to move at “GPU speed.”? * Engineering shifts toward architecture, integration, trade-offs, experiments, and validation. * The “10x engineer” debate in the AI era. * AI security risks: non-deterministic systems + autonomous actions require controls beyond RBAC. * Inside StrongDM’s approach on agents treated like coworkers with identities, visibility, and feedback that improves behavior. Resources: https://www.cummulative.io/ [https://www.cummulative.io/]  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karimfan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karimfan] https://www.strongdm.com/ [https://www.strongdm.com/] https://www.cummulative.io/p/ai-agents-are-here-security-isnt [https://www.cummulative.io/p/ai-agents-are-here-security-isnt]  https://www.cummulative.io/p/preparing-for-a-world-where-humans [https://www.cummulative.io/p/preparing-for-a-world-where-humans]  https://www.cummulative.io/p/how-do-you-interview-a-vp-of-engineering [https://www.cummulative.io/p/how-do-you-interview-a-vp-of-engineering]  About Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings: Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio is a SaaS podcast [https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/] covers all aspects of the business of software. Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter [https://twitter.com/SaaSletter] and writes "SaaSletter [https://www.saasletter.com/]", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter [https://www.saasletter.com/] on Substack. https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/ [https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/] https://twitter.com/SaaSletter [https://twitter.com/SaaSletter] https://www.saasletter.com/ [https://www.saasletter.com/] About Cloud Ratings: Cloud Ratings [https://cloudratings.com/] is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions. Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports [https://cloudratings.com/category-reports/] combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Board Management Software [https://cloudratings.com/board-management-software/], Account-Based Marketing Software [https://cloudratings.com/account-based-marketing-abm-software/], Cap Table + Equity Management Software [https://cloudratings.com/cap-table-equity-management-software/], Lead Routing Software [https://cloudratings.com/lead-routing-software/], and Sales Training + Onboarding Software [https://cloudratings.com/sales-training-software/]. Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value. https://cloudratings.com/ [https://cloudratings.com/]

Godard Abel - G2 - Software Buying In The Age of AI

Our Guest: Godard Abel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/godardabel/], Co-Founder and CEO of G2 [https://www.g2.com/], the world's largest and most trusted software marketplace. He previously built cloud CPQ pioneers BigMachines (acquired by Oracle) and SteelBrick (acquired by Salesforce). Episode Topics: * AI across the stack: Infrastructure, data, models, and applications—where the most significant opportunities and risks lie * Incumbents vs. startups: Why the next decade will reward incumbents with data and trust, and AI-first challengers with 10x user experiences * G2’s AI strategy: From generative engine optimization (GEO) to G2 AI as a buying assistant * Future of software buying: Will AI shorten shortlists? How buying cycles, transparency, and seller roles are evolving * Marketing in the AI era: Risks of losing optimized website conversion funnels and how vendors must retool * Endurance in entrepreneurship: Lessons from the Leadville 100 on perseverance and keeping vision through valleys Resources: G2 2025 Buyer Behavior Report [https://learn.g2.com/2025-g2-buyer-behavior-report?utm_source=CloudRatings_PODCAST] Godard Abel LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/godardabel/]

Guy Rubin - Ebsta - 2025 GTM Benchmarks

Guy Rubin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubinguy/?originalSubdomain=uk] is the Founder + CEO of Ebsta [https://www.ebsta.com/?utm_source=CloudRatings_SaaSletter], a revenue intelligence platform [https://www.ebsta.com/?utm_source=CloudRatings_SaaSletter] that guides sales teams to more effective sales processes, pipeline reviews and forecast calls with Revenue Insights.  Episode Topics: * Overview of Ebsta’s 2025 GTM Benchmarks Report [https://benchmarks.ebsta.com/2025-gtm-benchmarks?utm_source=CloudRatings_SaaSletter]. Produced in partnership with Pavilion, the report covers $48 billion of pipeline across 655,000 opportunities, analysis of 240,000 minutes of seller discovery calls, and a survey of 2,000+ CROs + Sales Leaders. * Guy’s perspective on the 11x velocity gap between top and bottom sales performers – up from 4x in 2022. * Why top performers are 455% better at discovery – and what B & C players lack. * The importance of engaging 6+ stakeholders early in the sales cycle to boost win rates from 12% to 40%+. * The power of visual playbooks, AI-driven nudges, and qualification signals to drive consistency. * Ebsta’s approach to forecast accuracy. * The return of 360 sellers – handling full-cycle sales for stronger buyer relationships. * High-performing sales channels: Partner/Referral (1.3x velocity), Organic (1.2x), Outbound (1.05x), Events (0.78x), Paid (0.68x). * Investing in partner programs, communities, and warm referrals to raise win rates. * Why disqualifying non-ICP deals early boosts productivity – 24% more likely among top reps. * The human factor in sales management – helping the sales team through structure, not micromanagement. * Ebsta Client Example: the role of data-driven RevOps in aligning leadership and driving 29% revenue growth. * Why relationships still matter – even in an AI-powered B2B sales world. Resources: https://benchmarks.ebsta.com/2025-gtm-benchmarks [https://benchmarks.ebsta.com/2025-gtm-benchmarks?utm_source=CloudRatings_SaaSletter] https://www.saasletter.com/p/value-selling [https://www.saasletter.com/p/value-selling] https://www.saasletter.com/p/sales-check-engine-light [https://www.saasletter.com/p/sales-check-engine-light]

Ben Pippenger - Zylo - 2025 Zylo SaaS Management Index

Our Guest: Ben Pippenger [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpipp/] is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Zylo [https://www.linkedin.com/company/zyloapp], a SaaS management platform that helps businesses gain full visibility into their software usage, optimize licensing, and streamline renewals.  Episode Topics: * Overview of Zylo’s SaaS Management Index annual report, which covers $40 billion of SaaS spend * The AI adoption surge in software spend  - 75 percent increase in spending. * The Rising of SaaS Costs - increased by 9.3 percent year over year. * The shift from traditional seat-based pricing to usage and value-based models. * Ben’s takes on the decline of multi-year SaaS contracts in recent data. * Ben’s insight to IT’s shrinking influence over SaaS. * Increasing SaaS waste - $21 million annually on unused software licenses. * Strategies to manage and reduce rising SaaS costs effectively. * What are some hidden costs of long-tail SaaS purchases? * Ben shares vendor negotiation tactics and cost-saving strategies to optimize software investments. Resources: https://zylo.com/reports/2025-saas-management-index/ [https://zylo.com/reports/2025-saas-management-index/] https://zylo.com/ [https://zylo.com/] https://www.saasletter.com/p/zylo-saas-management-index-2025 [https://www.saasletter.com/p/zylo-saas-management-index-2025] About Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings: Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio is a SaaS podcast [https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/] covers all aspects of the business of software. Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter [https://twitter.com/SaaSletter] and writes "SaaSletter [https://www.saasletter.com/]", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter [https://www.saasletter.com/] on Substack. https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/ [https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/] https://twitter.com/SaaSletter [https://twitter.com/SaaSletter] https://www.saasletter.com/ [https://www.saasletter.com/] About Cloud Ratings: Cloud Ratings [https://cloudratings.com/] is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions. Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports [https://cloudratings.com/category-reports/] combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Board Management Software [https://cloudratings.com/board-management-software/], Account-Based Marketing Software [https://cloudratings.com/account-based-marketing-abm-software/], Cap Table + Equity Management Software [https://cloudratings.com/cap-table-equity-management-software/], Lead Routing Software [https://cloudratings.com/lead-routing-software/], and Sales Training + Onboarding Software [https://cloudratings.com/sales-training-software/]. Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value. https://cloudratings.com/ [https://cloudratings.com/]