In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli explores how AI is reshaping SaaS pricing and monetization. Drawing on insights from Bessemer Venture Partners’ AI Pricing and Monetization Playbook, Julian examines why traditional seat-based subscription models are increasingly under pressure.

For years, SaaS thrived on predictable per-seat pricing with high margins and minimal variable costs. AI changes that equation. With compute costs tied to tokens, inference, and GPU usage, margins can compress if pricing isn’t aligned with value creation.

Julian breaks down the shift from selling access to aligning pricing more closely with outcomes. He explores copilots, AI agents, and AI-enabled services, and discusses the implications of the coming 2026 renewal cycle for founders and buyers alike.

If you’re building or investing in AI-powered software, this episode offers a practical lens on pricing strategy, margins, and long-term sustainability.

👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com

📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

Let’s grow together!

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain AI. Sean shares his journey from Fountain’s first angel investor to CEO, leading the company through a 10x revenue increase in just five years.

Fountain AI automates hiring and management for high-volume frontline teams. Sean highlights the distinction between traditional desk-based employees and the frontline workforce, which represents 70% to 80% of people globally. He points out that most frontline workers lack resumes or LinkedIn profiles, making mobile-first communication essential for a population often overlooked by standard technology.

The conversation explores Sean’s Zero-Based Leadership framework, which challenges leaders to evaluate every meeting and tactic from scratch to ensure they drive the business forward. Sean also discusses growing a suite of 12 successful products and the importance of intentional communication during rapid scaling.

Together, they break down what makes a leadership transition work, from maintaining historical context to evolving personal styles as a business expands. Sean explains how mobile-first automation and rigorous internal product hurdles helped Fountain strengthen its execution while serving millions of workers worldwide.

If you are interested in how zero-based thinking can turn operational complexity into scalable growth, this episode offers a practical look at evolving as a tech leader.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli sits down with Sarah Lehman, CEO of Zartico, and Gord Boyce, professional EOS Implementer. Together, they explore how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helps fast-growing companies bring structure, clarity, and discipline to rapid growth.

Sarah shares Zartico’s journey from explosive early growth to what she calls a company refounding. After scaling quickly during COVID and launching a powerful new visitor intelligence platform, Zartico reached a point where growth was amplifying chaos. Sarah explains why she revisited EOS, how working with an experienced implementer changed the outcome, and what it looks like to build scalable systems without slowing momentum

Gord brings the operator’s perspective, drawing on decades of experience as a tech CEO who scaled companies through high-growth phases. He explains why EOS works for entrepreneurial teams, why leadership cadence and accountability matter, and how an external facilitator accelerates results by keeping teams focused on execution

Together, they discuss leadership alignment, accountability charts, Level 10 meetings, KPIs, and why CEOs benefit from participating in the process rather than trying to run it alone.

If you are leading a growing company and looking for a proven framework to support your next phase of growth, this episode offers practical insight from leaders who have lived it.

👉 Visit us at GrowthElevated.com

📲 Follow us on LinkedIn for daily leadership inspiration and updates.Let’s grow together!

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Rick Lindquist sits down with Yeshwanth Pulijala, co-founder and CEO of Scalpel AI, and Julian Castelli, operating partner at Mercia Ventures.

Scalpel AI is transforming the surgical supply chain using computer vision to ensure every operating room has the right instruments at the right time.

Yeshwanth shares how Scalpel is tackling inefficiencies that have existed for decades in surgical logistics, saving hospitals time and money while improving patient outcomes.

Julian discusses how he supports founders like Yeshwanth as an operating partner, helping them navigate U.S. expansion, build stronger teams, and scale operations with structure and speed.

Together, they break down what makes the partnership between investors and founders work, from trust and transparency to clear priorities and shared accountability. Yeshwanth explains how working with Julian helped Scalpel strengthen hiring, finance, and go-to-market execution as the company accelerates growth in the U.S.

If you are interested in how AI, partnership, and operational expertise can turn complex challenges into scalable solutions, this episode offers a practical look at the power of collaboration between founders and operating partners.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Andy Barraclough, founder and CEO of Voxpopme, and Betsy Shaak, the company’s VP of Product.

Voxpopme is an AI-powered qualitative insights platform that helps brands understand customers through video, turning everyday conversations into powerful data.

Andy and Betsy share how they are transforming traditional market research, once dominated by slow, expensive focus groups, into fast, scalable, and human-centered insights powered by AI.

They explain how the platform lets companies capture real customer voices, run research in minutes instead of months, and surface insights that drive better product decisions.

The conversation also dives into the art of building great products. Andy and Betsy reveal how their product team works closely with engineering and customers, balancing founder intuition with data-driven discovery. They discuss trust, rapid prototyping, prioritization, and how AI is changing what is possible for both product teams and researchers.

If you are interested in how technology, empathy, and speed are reshaping customer understanding, this episode is packed with lessons from two leaders building the future of product insight.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks with Justin Nassiri, founder and CEO of Executive Presence and a former Navy officer, McKinsey consultant, and serial entrepreneur. Justin shares how he helps CEOs and executives build credibility and influence on LinkedIn.

He explains why LinkedIn has become the most powerful platform for business leaders. He shares how executives can overcome the fear of posting, shift from self-promotion to education, and use storytelling to engage their audience. Julian and Justin discuss the data behind what actually works on LinkedIn, how to turn interviews into high-performing content, and why consistency matters more than perfection.

They also explore Justin’s journey from submarine officer to Silicon Valley founder to leadership advisor, the lessons he learned about timing, product market fit, and the mindset that separates successful entrepreneurs from struggling ones.

If you’ve ever wondered how top executives use LinkedIn to grow their brand, attract opportunities, and inspire their teams, this episode breaks it all down.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli sits down with Park City High School head football coach Josh Montzingo to unpack the leadership journey behind one of Utah’s most inspiring sports turnarounds.

Coach Montzingo reflects on his experience transforming a struggling high school football team through character development, cultural alignment, and meaningful relationships.

He also explains how mentorship, fundraising, delegation, and personal growth shaped his philosophy and how he guided a high-school football team and its leadership council to redefine their values in pursuing lasting success .

The episode covers parallels between coaching and corporate leadership, how to scale with limited resources, and the mindset needed to do hard things as a team or community.

This podcast gives valuable lessons and insights to those who are leading a startup or sports team.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Explore expert insights, practical strategies, and powerful tools to elevate your impact in business.

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.

Let’s grow together!

In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli talks about annual planning with Gord Boyce, a veteran tech CEO and EOS implementer, and Keziah Wonstolen, founder and CEO of Vannin Chief of Staff, an award-winning entrepreneur and former Accenture Chief of Staff.

They share why most companies start planning too late and how shifting the process earlier can set your team up for success.

Gord explains how EOS tools like vision building, rocks, and Level 10 meetings turn strategy into action. Keziah highlights the role of a chief of staff in keeping the process on track, aligning teams, and ensuring consistent communication.

You’ll hear practical tips on retrospectives, top-down and bottom-up planning, quarterly reviews, and how to keep your plan simple and achievable. They also reveal the pitfalls of big-enterprise planning and how to adapt in today’s remote, fast-paced work environment.

So, If annual planning feels overwhelming or messy, this episode will give you a clear playbook to simplify the process, align your team, and make strategy execution part of your culture.

Ready to take your leadership to the next level?

👉 Visit us at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for daily leadership inspiration and updates.