---
title: SaaS Backwards Episode 182 - What Most SaaS Founders Get Wrong About Go-to-Market
description: Learn how modern SaaS companies are transforming revenue systems to adapt to today's fast-paced market and complex pricing models.
---

[SaaS Backwards Podcast ](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com)

# [SaaS Backwards Episode 182 - What Most SaaS Founders Get Wrong About Go-to-Market](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com/saas-backwards-episode-182-what-most-saas-founders-get-wrong-about-go-to-market)

 Written by [Rachel Krate](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com/author/rachel-krate) | Dec 5, 2025 7:31:09 PM

Guest: Prasanth Chilukuri, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Soul Street Ventures

The biggest threat to early-stage SaaS growth isn’t competition. It’s founder distraction, unfocused GTM motions, and chasing quick wins instead of building a real business.

In this episode, Prasanth Chilukuri, co-founder and managing partner of [Soul Street Ventures](https://soulvp.com/), joins host Ken Lempit to reveal why most early-stage SaaS companies struggle long before product issues surface — and how disciplined strategy, a tight ICP, and hands-on founder coaching unlock meaningful, scalable traction.

Drawing on his experience both as a SaaS founder (Tekmetric) and investor, Prasanth explains why “scale with soul” isn’t just a mantra, but a framework for building durable companies that don’t rely on hype, vanity channels, or coast-driven valuation games.

Key takeaways from this episode:

- Why misaligned ICPs and GTM distractions quietly stall early-stage SaaS
- How to test, retest, and refine GTM motions using real customer behavior
- Why AI discoverability is reshaping marketing efficiency (and what to do about it)
- How venture style differs across regions — and why it matters for founders
- Why founder coachability, discipline, and mindset are the strongest predictors of growth
- How unique SaaS data assets create new value (and why most companies underuse them)

If you’re a B2B SaaS founder, CRO, or CMO navigating early-stage go-to-market, evaluating AI’s impact on your product, or preparing for institutional capital, this episode offers a practical, grounded playbook for building a company that truly lasts.

Prefer to watch the episode? [Check out this episode's video here](https://youtu.be/Dn-8vkgEtWc). 

Other resources to check out:

[Interview with Vinay Bhagat, Founder and CEO of TrustRadius who publishes a yearly report about how B2B buyer behavior is changing.](https://blog.austinlawrence.com/blog/leveraging-the-buyers-voice-to-increase-saas-sales-engagement)

[The Lead Gen Mistake I Guarantee You’re Making – how to create content that better identifies intent from today’s b2b buyer.](https://blog.austinlawrence.com/blog/the-lead-gen-mistake-i-guarantee-youre-making)

[And, if you want an outside look at your content with actionable advice, take advantage of our Content Audit. *Valued at $20K in free consulting*](https://info.austinlawrence.com/free-content-audit)

[View full post](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com/saas-backwards-episode-182-what-most-saas-founders-get-wrong-about-go-to-market)

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