"The best sellers enable buyers to buy." — Gal Aga, CEO and Co-founder of Aligned

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Gal Aga, CEO and Co-founder of Aligned, joins Jeff Martin to unpack the future of B2B sales—from broken enterprise workflows to building digital spaces that make buying easier and faster.

Drawing on 17+ years of scaling SaaS companies from $1M to $100M ARR, Gal shares the moment he realized traditional sales enablement was no longer enough. In an era where 95% of buying happens without the seller in the room, Gal and his team built Aligned to offer “Buying Process as a Service”—a digital workspace where buyers and sellers collaborate in real-time, track next steps, and get deals done faster. From enabling cross-functional alignment to generating 65% of leads through LinkedIn, Gal offers a masterclass in modern selling and founder-led growth.

This episode is for anyone navigating high-stakes sales, building GTM systems, or leading a startup in a buyer-led world. Come for the tactics, stay for the mindset shift.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of a Founder

08:42 Understanding Sales Dynamics

17:55 Navigating Enterprise Sales Challenges

26:58 The Role of Alignment in Success

36:15 Leveraging LinkedIn for Growth

45:53 Final Thoughts and Personal Insights

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies

https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Growth Team with the Peak Operating System™

https://www.collective-genius.com/

Got 5 minutes? Take the Peak Teams Assessment to see where your team needs to level up

https://www.collective-genius.com/peak-teams-assessment

#B2BSales #SalesEnablement #FounderJourney #LinkedInGrowth #Aligned #TechScenes #JeffMartin #GalAga #SalesLeadership #EnterpriseSales #StartupGrowth #SalesProcess #CustomerSuccess #BuyerEnablement #StrategicNarrative

"Fundraising is not that easy." — Xiao Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Collov AI

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Xiao Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Collov AI, joins Jeff Martin to share how his team is transforming real estate staging with lightning-fast AI-powered visual generation—and what it really takes to fund and build a high-performance startup.

Xiao reflects on the early struggles of fundraising, the evolution of Collov’s business model, and the importance of finding product-market fit through continuous customer feedback. From hiring domain experts to building a lean team and defining clear KPIs, he unpacks the lessons learned from scaling a deep-tech company in a fast-moving category. Whether you're a technical founder navigating your first raise or a leader exploring AI's impact on traditional industries, this conversation offers a tactical look into focus, discipline, and building with purpose.

This episode is packed with startup wisdom—from leadership evolution to business model design to the power of saying no—making it a must-watch for anyone building at the intersection of AI and user experience.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Challenges of Fundraising

01:15 Introducing Call Of: AI in Visual Generation

04:59 Targeting the Real Estate Market

08:57 Building a Lean and Focused Team

10:30 Evolving Business Models and AI Innovations

16:02 Lessons Learned from Scaling Challenges

19:38 Hiring in the Competitive AI Landscape

23:26 The Importance of Customer Feedback

26:51 Strategic Goal Setting and Team Alignment

30:18 Leadership Evolution and Management Style

33:49 Advice for Technical Founders

38:38 Desert Island Scenario: Music Choices

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies

https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Growth Team with the Peak Operating System™

https://www.collective-genius.com/

Got 5 minutes? Take the Peak Teams Assessment to see where your team needs to level up

https://www.collective-genius.com/peak-teams-assessment

#AI #RealEstateTech #CollovAI #Fundraising #StartupLeadership #TeamBuilding #VisualGeneration #TechScenes #JeffMartin #XiaoZhang #Entrepreneurship #Startups #ProductMarketFit #CustomerFeedback #ScalingStartups #DeepTech

“Harvest now, decrypt later.” – Rebecca Krauthamer, CEO and Co-founder of QuSecure

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Rebecca Krauthamer, co-founder and CEO of QuSecure, joins Jeff Martin to explore the quantum frontier—and how it’s already reshaping cybersecurity. From quantum-safe encryption to the values that guide her team’s decisions, Rebecca shares what it takes to build both protective technology and an intentional culture in the face of exponential change.

The conversation spans the realities of quantum computing, including what makes it fundamentally different from traditional computing, and the urgent need for crypto agility. Rebecca also opens up about the hard choices founders face—like walking away from misaligned funding—and why saying no can ultimately protect your mission. From AI to quantum, from values to vision, this episode is packed with insight on how leaders can navigate the intersection of innovation, ethics, and security.

Whether you're building a tech company, exploring the next wave of computing, or simply trying to stay ahead of disruption—this episode is a must-listen.

Chapters

00:00 Building a Values-Driven Company Culture

00:45 Introduction to QuSecure and Quantum Computing

01:50 Understanding Quantum Computing: An Analogy

04:13 The Dual Nature of Quantum: Opportunities and Threats

06:21 Harvest Now, Decrypt Later: Cybersecurity Concerns

08:41 Implementing Quantum-Safe Solutions

10:25 From AI to Quantum: A Founder's Journey

12:25 Challenges of First-Time Founders

15:02 Leadership Through Company Values

16:58 Saying No to Misaligned Funding

19:25 Scaling Culture Through Growth

22:19 Learning Fast in a Fast-Moving Space

25:41 Creating Clarity Across Teams

27:49 The State and Future of Quantum Computing

33:06 Where QSecure is Headed

35:43 Final Thoughts and Founder Wisdom

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies 📘 https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Growth Team with the Peak Operating System™ 🌐 https://www.collective-genius.com/

Got 5 minutes? Take the Peak Teams Assessment to see where your team needs to level up - https://www.collective-genius.com/peak-teams-assessment

#QuantumComputing #Cybersecurity #QuSecure #AI #QuantumSafe #TechScenes #JeffMartin #RebeccaKrauthamer #Startups #Leadership #Encryption #PostQuantum #StartupCulture #FounderJourney #Innovation #ValuesDrivenLeadership