SaaStr 836: The Step-By-Step Playbook for Building AI-Powered GTM Teams with Personio's CRO

Philip Lacor, CRO of Personio, shares his company's journey to building an AI-powered go-to-market motion, including 5 critical lessons learned and 4 real-world use cases delivering measurable results.

In this podcast, Philip breaks down:

✅ The 5 lessons for AI transformation: top-down + bottom-up motion, cross-functional teams, prioritization frameworks, building AI culture, and combining great stack with context

✅ How to build AI-powered workflows that actually work (not just more tools to test)

✅ Real use cases: Win/loss analysis, expansion SDR assistants, intent scoring, and AI chat

✅ Why their expansion SDRs went from 2 hours of research per day to 15 minutes while doubling pipeline per rep

✅ The truth about AI ROI: where it shows up and how long it takes

✅ How to get your team excited about AI (not scared of it) Philip doesn't hold back on what's working, what's failed, and what questions they still haven't answered.

If you're a CRO, founder, or GTM leader trying to figure out how to actually implement AI beyond the hype, this is the playbook.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

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Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

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More from SaaStr: https://www.saastr.com

📺 Subscribe for more AI & SaaS insights

#AIinSales #GTM #SaaStr #AIAgents #SalesAI #RevenueOperations

SaaStr 835: AI + B2B in 2026: Find the Tailwinds or Get Left Behind with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

Software spend is set to hit record levels in 2026, but you're not getting any of it unless you change.

SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin breaks down the paradox facing B2B companies right now: It's never been easier to scale to $100M (for a select few), while everyone else struggles. Half of all VC dollars are going into just 4 deals. IPOs ended the year with a whimper.

And that AI copilot you built? It doesn't count.

In this session, Jason shares the data on what's actually happening and what you need to do to capture your share of the hundreds of billions flowing into software.

Key insights:

• Why "seed is for suckers" in today's VC environment
• The 3 types of AI products that unlock budget (and the one that doesn't)
• Why 30% of new IT budget is going to AI and how to steal it
• The TAM expansion math behind Cursor, Gamma, and AI SDR tools
• Why copilots and AI features alone won't save you
• The efficiency metrics every founder needs to track in 2026

If you didn't reaccelerate growth in 2025, you get a D. You can't get a D in 2026.

🎤 Recorded at SaaStr London AI Summit | December 2025

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This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

---------------------

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 834: Why OpenAI Doesn't Pay Sales Commission (And Why It Works) with OpenAI GTM Leader Maggie Hott, and Harry Stebbings, Founder of 20VC

Discover how OpenAI's unique approach to B2B sales compensation is changing the game. In this interview with Harry Stebbings, Founder of 20VC, Maggie Hott, OpenAI GTM leadership, shares her experience at OpenAI, including why they don't pay sales commissions, and what B2B sales leaders can learn from this disruptive model.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

---------------------

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 833: AI and the Death of the 2021 Sales Playbook with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

Join SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin from SaaStr London as we tackle pressing topics in AI and sales during an engaging AMA session.

From discussing the evolution of inbound vs. outbound sales to detailing the transformative impact of AI on sales roles and outbound strategies, this session covers it all.

Learn about the importance of product expertise for selling AI solutions, the rise of AI SDRs, and why knowing your top three problems is crucial for effective outbound marketing. Plus, discover insights on the rapidly improving capabilities of AI agents and their implications for competitive moats. Whether you're a sales professional, marketer, or tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with actionable insights and future trends in the AI landscape.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

---------------------

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professionals, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 832: How to Use AI to Hyper-Customize Go-To-Market at Scale with SaaStr's CEO and Chief AI Officer

In this episode from SaaStr AI London 2025, SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin and SaaStr's Chief AI Officer, Amelia Lerutte discuss the implementation and optimization of AI SDRs within various business contexts. They focus on key AI agents used for sales processes, data aggregation, and the customization of outbound and inbound messages. Real-world results, like increased email response rates, are highlighted along with practical steps for setting up and training AI SDRs. They also offer advice on selecting the right vendors, the importance of human oversight, and leveraging AI to improve qualification and customer interactions. Key takeaways include how AI can handle more interactions consistently and efficiently and the role of AI in augmenting human sales capabilities.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

---------------------

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 831: How We Use 20+ AI Agents for Marketing & Go-to-Market with SaaStr's Chief AI Officer and CEO & Founder

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This episode is Sponsored in part by Salesforce:

Connect data, automate busywork and empower teams like nobody's business with the one platform that grows with you, every step of the way. Learn how Salesforce works for Startups at salesforce.com/smb.

---------------------

This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

---------------------

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 830: 6 Months Later, How Our AI SDRs Actually Work as AI Runs GTM with SaaStr's CEO and Chief AI Officer

In this episode, SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin and SaaStr's Chief AI Officer, Amelia Lerutte delve into their journey of integrating AI into our go-to-market strategy over the past six months. Starting with just one AI agent before SaaStr Annual in May, we've scaled to roughly 20 core agents by November, covering various use cases across marketing, sales, customer support, and operations.

Together they discuss the specifics of our AI implementations, the tools we have deployed, including Artisan, Qualified, and Salesforce's AgentForce, and share valuable insights on their performance, benefits, and challenges. Tune in to learn about the unexpected outcomes, the time and management required, and the significant impact on our efficiency and revenue.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by Salesforce:

Connect data, automate busywork and empower teams like nobody's business with the one platform that grows with you, every step of the way. Learn how Salesforce works for Startups at salesforce.com/smb.

---------------------

This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

Imagine having AI agents for every support task — one that triages tickets, another that catches duplicates, one that spots churn risks. That'd be pretty amazing, right? HappyFox just made it real with Autopilot. These pre-built AI agents deploy in about 60 seconds and run for as low as 2 cents per successful action. All of it sits inside the HappyFox omnichannel, AI-first support stack — Chatbot, Copilot, and Autopilot working as one. Check them out at happyfox.com/saastr

SaaStr 829: A Hands-On Guide to SaaStr's New AI Tools with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

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This episode is Sponsored in part by Salesforce:

Connect data, automate busywork and empower teams like nobody's business with the one platform that grows with you, every step of the way. Learn how Salesforce works for Startups at salesforce.com/smb.

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If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December.

SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year.

We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London.

Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com

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Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.