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Horizons Pod with Nate Desmond

Horizons Pod with Nate Desmond

De: Marketing insights from the cutting edge of growth
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 Subscribe at: https://horizonspod.com/ Join Nate Desmond as he dives deep into modern marketing. Each week, you'll hear war stories and tactical breakdowns from growth operators who've scaled products from zero to millions – from consumer apps saving tens of millions in acquisition costs to B2B companies charting their course to $100M+ in revenue. This isn't theory – it's a weekly masterclass in growth strategy, featuring makers and marketers who've built the products you use daily. Each episode unpacks the hidden mechanics behind viral loops, marketplace dynamics, enterprise sales motions, and acquisition strategies that actually work.

horizonspod.substack.comNate Desmond Economía
Episodios
  • Frustrated Customers Might Be Your Best Growth Segment with Iuliia Shnai | Horizons Pod

    Frustrated Customers Might Be Your Best Growth Segment with Iuliia Shnai | Horizons Pod
    Jul 8 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Iuliia Shnai is a co-founder of Papermark, an open-source DocSend alternative, who transitioned from academia to indie hacking and built multiple viral tools by learning to code in public.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 Product-Market Fit > Perfect ProductFirst launch doesn't need to be perfect - Papermark started with basic features and incomplete payment processing, yet customers still paid. Focus on solving a clear pain point first, then iterate based on real usage.2/ 🔄 Test Fast, Double Down on WinnersExperiment across multiple channels but be ruthless about cutting what doesn't work. Papermark tested 14+ marketing channels but only continued with 3 that showed real traction.3/ 💰 Don't Self-Limit Your PricingStart with lower tiers but always test higher price points - you'll never know if people will pay more unless you offer it. Papermark's highest tier became their fastest-growing segment after adding it despite initial hesitation.4/ 🎯 Alternative Marketing > Category CreationPosition against established competitors when possible. Papermark found success marketing as "DocSend alternative" because people actively search for alternatives when unhappy with market leaders.5/ 📊 Natural Virality > Forced Virality Build viral loops into core product functionality rather than forcing artificial sharing. Papermark grows through natural document sharing rather than "invite friends" campaigns.6/ 💪 Quick Content > Perfect ContentStart with 1-hour SEO articles to test performance, then improve pages that show traction. Don't over-invest in content before validating its impact.7/ 📱 Know Your Audience's PreferencesDifferent audiences respond to different tactics - enterprise customers didn't engage with micro-tools while marketing audiences loved them. Tailor approach to target customer behavior.—Where to find Iuliia Shnai:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iuliia-shnai/* X: https://x.com/shnai0—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Background 01:18 Early Product Development Experience 04:49 Transition from Academia to Startups 09:16 Discussion of Educational Technology 12:19 Early Marketing Strategies 18:08 Learning to Code and Building Tools 35:51 Marketing Attribution and Analytics 42:11 Product Development Strategy 47:00 Social Media Marketing Impact 56:25 Pricing Strategy Discussion 1:06:00 Micro Tools and Market Fit 1:08:42 Lightning Round Q&A—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
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    1 h y 13 m
  • How a Sales Leader REALLY Feels About MQLs with Leslie Venetz | Horizons Pod

    How a Sales Leader REALLY Feels About MQLs with Leslie Venetz | Horizons Pod
    Jul 1 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Leslie Venetz is a respected B2B sales strategist, keynote speaker, and the founder of The Sales-Led GTM Agency. With 15+ years of experience as a top-performing B2B sales professional and three-time Head of Sales, Leslie has established herself as an authority on outbound sales, email strategy, and creating buyer-centric sales experiences.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 The Money Myth: Top sellers aren't primarily motivated by commission• Once basic financial needs are met, money drops to 3rd-5th priority• Recognition, meaningful work, and team culture rank higher• Key insight: Build incentive structures around more than just cash2/ 🎧 Active Listening > Passive Silence • It's not just about not interrupting• Resist the urge to pre-plan your response• Focus on understanding vs. sharing your "similar story"• Use the 4R framework (including Resist) to improve listening skills3/ 💪 Earn The Right Before You Sell• Start by providing value before asking for attention• Apply this mindset to every interaction (emails, calls, meetings)• Test: "What have I done to earn the right to make this ask?"4/ 📊 Quality > Quantity for Account Load• Enterprise/ABM: ~50 accounts per rep• Transactional sales: 400-500 accounts• Work backward from revenue goals to determine actual needs5/ 🎯 Incentive Design Drives Behavior• Make quota attainment feel achievable• Structure bigger payouts at higher performance tiers• Allow reps breathing room for strategic territory management6/ 🤝 Marketing vs Sales: Partners Not Nemeses• Both face rejection and campaign failures• Attribution battles usually stem from executive pressure• Best results come from true cross-functional collaboration7/ 📝 Cold Email Excellence = Reduced Cognitive Load• Write at 3rd-5th grade reading level• Create visual space in messages• Make calls-to-action crystal clear• Focus on relevance to recipient8/ 📈 Product Led vs Sales Led: Choose Based on Price• PLG works best for products <$200/month• Higher price points justify full sales motion• Consider hybrid approach as you scale—Where to find Leslie Venetz: * The Sales-Led GTM Agency: https://salesledgtm.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslievenetz/* X: https://x.com/B2B_SalesCoach—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Leslie Venetz: Journey to Sales Leadership 01:46 Understanding Sales as a Helping Profession 06:45 Lessons from Early Sales Jobs 10:55 Navigating Product-Market Fit Challenges 16:46 Sales Strategies for Growth 19:51 Finding Product-Market Fit 24:36 The Art of Cold Outreach 32:35 Multi-Channel Sales Outreach Strategies 36:18 Multi-Channel Outreach Strategy 38:09 The Importance of Data Providers 39:43 Understanding Customer Acquisition Costs 42:41 Sales Development Rep Workload 46:25 Backtracking to Revenue Goals 48:05 The Misconceptions of Sales Motivation 51:17 Motivating Sales Teams Beyond Money 53:10 The Power of Active Listening 57:48 Incentive Design for Sales Teams 01:02:51 Earning the Right to Ask 01:06:55 The Role of MQLs in Sales—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
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    1 h y 7 m
  • How This Home Services Business 50x'd Revenue By Changing 1 KPI with Sam Preston | Horizons Pod

    How This Home Services Business 50x'd Revenue By Changing 1 KPI with Sam Preston | Horizons Pod
    Jun 24 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Sam Preston is the CEO of Service Scalers, a specialized marketing agency focused on helping home service businesses grow through digital marketing.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 Your numbers tell the real story > Your gut instincts- Track the full funnel: leads → appointments → deals → revenue- One client went from $200k to $10M after switching budget between keywords based on revenue data (not just lead volume)- Key metrics: lead volume, appointment rate, close rate, revenue per lead source2/ 📞 Phone Calls > Form Fills for Service Businesses - Get prospects on the phone to build rapport and set appointments- Use call tracking numbers to attribute leads to marketing channels- Consider tools like CallRail to dynamically swap numbers based on traffic source3/ 🤝 Annual Contracts > Monthly Retainers- Predictable revenue enables hiring better talent- Better talent drives better results for clients- Creates positive feedback loop of growth- Similar to how service businesses can benefit from maintenance packages4/ 👥 Hiring Philosophy: Values + Skills > Just Skills- Key interview questions reveal values alignment:- "What rule did you break at your last job?"- "When have you put your job at jeopardy?"- Look for people willing to do the right thing, even when difficult5/ 🎨 Simple Website > Fancy Design- Clear services and location- Strong call-to-actions (not "Learn More")- Basic social proof- Job-to-be-done focused copy- Mobile-first design with persistent click-to-call6/ 🔄 Test Lead Sources Before Scaling- Start with Facebook groups for free leads- Graduate to aggregators for paid leads- Move to Google Ads once you have budget- Add broader marketing channels at scale7/ 💼 Perfect Agency Partnership = High Standards + Good Treatment- Don't just "pay and get out of the way"- Don't micromanage either- Hold accountable while treating team well- Think of agency as extension of your team8/ 🎯 Track Metrics That Matter- Lead source performance (volume AND revenue)- Appointment set rate- Close rate- Return on ad spend- Give every role ONE key metric to optimize—Where to find Sam Preston: * Service Scalers: https://www.servicescalers.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampreston/* X: https://x.com/HeySamPreston—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Personal Insights 00:52 Understanding Home Service Businesses 06:56 Marketing Strategies for Home Service Businesses 15:03 Hiring and Budgeting for Marketing 21:41 Tracking Leads and Optimizing Websites 25:22 Effective Marketing Strategies for Home Services 27:12 The Power of Story Branding 29:23 Converting Leads into Sales 31:40 The Importance of First Impressions 33:36 Optimizing for Mobile Experience 34:38 Understanding Jobs to Be Done 36:15 The Role of Social Proof 38:13 Scaling a Home Service Business 39:25 Hiring for Growth 42:15 Identifying the Right Talent 48:42 Creating a Positive Work Culture 51:49 Balancing Automation and Hiring 55:30 Tailoring Marketing Strategies for Home Services 58:17 The Importance of Client Retention and Revenue Predictability 01:01:13 Creating Recurring Revenue Streams in Home Services 01:04:19 Managing Staffing and Demand in Service Businesses 01:05:31 Identifying Pain Points for Business Growth 01:09:02 Building Effective Partnerships with Agencies 01:11:39 Key Performance Indicators for Home Service Businesses—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
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    1 h y 13 m
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