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For early-stage startups, identifying the right GTM (Go-To-Market) motion can make or break the path to product-market fit. We had an insightful conversation with Viswajith Vishwaa, who leads product management at Growfin, to talk about his experiences and strategies for navigating the challenges of achieving product market fit (PMF) in sales-led SaaS organizations.
He describes his multifaceted role, "I'm a product manager on even days, sales engineer on odd days, and an eternal optimist on all days." And goes on to share valuable lessons on the importance of product education, assembling a dream team for success, and more.
Viswajith emphasizes the distinction between sales-led and product-led growth (PLG) strategies. He explains, "These are like two buckets in which a sales-led product and a PLG product would actually differ."
This differentiation is crucial in understanding how products evolve and cater to their respective markets. By sharing examples from his experience, he sheds light on the foundational aspects of building a product tailored to its intended audience.
Viswajith discusses the continuous journey toward achieving PMF, stating, "Product-market fit, in my experience, is not a stage; it's just a moving target."
This perspective challenges the conventional view of PMF as a milestone and instead presents it as an ongoing process of adaptation and growth. He encourages startups to remain agile and responsive to market changes and customer feedback.
Reflecting on his transition, Viswajith shares valuable insights: "One fundamental shift that was a slap on my face was...we as product managers when we go to our customers, we actually sell a product."
He highlights the importance of understanding the customer's decision-making process beyond the product features. This shift in perspective is crucial for product managers moving into sales roles, emphasizing the need to focus on solving customer problems rather than just selling a product.
Viswajith argues for the importance of product education throughout the customer journey, especially in sales-led startups.
He points out, "Product education is becoming super key these days," emphasizing how it helps in aligning stakeholders and shortening the sales cycle. By providing clear and concise product information, startups can facilitate better decision-making for their customers.
On the topic of PMF, Viswajith shares, "Fundamentally, we chose a segment, and if we are able to sell repeatedly to them and also achieve the value post six or like one month during their journey, that's what worked out as a PMF for us."
This approach underscores the importance of focusing on a specific market segment and closely monitoring customer value realization as indicators of PMF.
Discussing team composition, Viswajith suggests, "Early on, there'll be a lot of efforts on marketing...once we are able to find some kind of a channel fitment...then we try to structure the sales team."
This strategy highlights the importance of finding the right balance between marketing and sales efforts based on the product's market fit and channel effectiveness.
"The fundamental mind shift of solving for the customer and not selling your product”, says Viswajith. He advocates for using product education as a tool to bridge the gap between sales and customer understanding, ensuring that customers feel connected and well-informed about the product.
For early-stage startups, identifying the right GTM (Go-To-Market) motion can make or break the path to product-market fit. We had an insightful conversation with Viswajith Vishwaa, who leads product management at Growfin, to talk about his experiences and strategies for navigating the challenges of achieving product market fit (PMF) in sales-led SaaS organizations.
He describes his multifaceted role, "I'm a product manager on even days, sales engineer on odd days, and an eternal optimist on all days." And goes on to share valuable lessons on the importance of product education, assembling a dream team for success, and more.
Viswajith emphasizes the distinction between sales-led and product-led growth (PLG) strategies. He explains, "These are like two buckets in which a sales-led product and a PLG product would actually differ."
This differentiation is crucial in understanding how products evolve and cater to their respective markets. By sharing examples from his experience, he sheds light on the foundational aspects of building a product tailored to its intended audience.
Viswajith discusses the continuous journey toward achieving PMF, stating, "Product-market fit, in my experience, is not a stage; it's just a moving target."
This perspective challenges the conventional view of PMF as a milestone and instead presents it as an ongoing process of adaptation and growth. He encourages startups to remain agile and responsive to market changes and customer feedback.
Reflecting on his transition, Viswajith shares valuable insights: "One fundamental shift that was a slap on my face was...we as product managers when we go to our customers, we actually sell a product."
He highlights the importance of understanding the customer's decision-making process beyond the product features. This shift in perspective is crucial for product managers moving into sales roles, emphasizing the need to focus on solving customer problems rather than just selling a product.
Viswajith argues for the importance of product education throughout the customer journey, especially in sales-led startups.
He points out, "Product education is becoming super key these days," emphasizing how it helps in aligning stakeholders and shortening the sales cycle. By providing clear and concise product information, startups can facilitate better decision-making for their customers.
On the topic of PMF, Viswajith shares, "Fundamentally, we chose a segment, and if we are able to sell repeatedly to them and also achieve the value post six or like one month during their journey, that's what worked out as a PMF for us."
This approach underscores the importance of focusing on a specific market segment and closely monitoring customer value realization as indicators of PMF.
Discussing team composition, Viswajith suggests, "Early on, there'll be a lot of efforts on marketing...once we are able to find some kind of a channel fitment...then we try to structure the sales team."
This strategy highlights the importance of finding the right balance between marketing and sales efforts based on the product's market fit and channel effectiveness.
"The fundamental mind shift of solving for the customer and not selling your product”, says Viswajith. He advocates for using product education as a tool to bridge the gap between sales and customer understanding, ensuring that customers feel connected and well-informed about the product.
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