Helping SaaS build trusted content with third-party expertise • Co-Founder @ AudienceLed • GTM & Partnerships Operator • Your buyer trusts 👉 People, brands, and places they already transact with. Activate them.

I help SaaS revenue teams integrate third party expertise (the people, brands, and places) that influence their buyer to surround them (instead of spam them)  👉 where buyers already transact and spend their dwindling attention credits 👇

Buyers don’t believe brands as much as they believe the people, companies, & places they already work with and listen to.

That’s why your sales and marketing team need a network of trusted people in your ecosystem.

When you activate that network, you get:
👉Warmer doors opening faster
👉Higher win rates
👉Deals that close sooner
👉Bigger deal sizes

Proof I’ve lived this:
✅Built enablement programs that boosted partner retention by 70%
✅Created a partner motion that matched sales revenue with 1/3 of the headcount
✅Outperformed a full SDR + AE team using ecosystem plays
✅Scaled a business to $1M in less than 12 months → acquired

(And yes - I’m in the room developing relationships with the influential people your buyers already listen to.)

Activate an ecosystem-oriented modern go-to-market system that focuses on QUALITY and CONVERSION by:
1) Following me here for weekly systems sharing
2) Or DM me if you want me to show you how to:
- Map who your buyers already trust
- Layer partners into your GTM to build pipeline with less spend (without building any new systems)

Oh, I'm also writing a book on rewiring your mindset, which incorporates psychological, sociological, and philosophical concepts. Go-to-market with your market at www.audienceled.com

Will Taylor

I don't have an MBA, but since co-founding AudienceLed (my first business) in Feb 2025, we grew to $65k MRR.

Feb last year we closed a good month's start at ~$27k MRR. About 2.3x growth (in MRR).

MRR is nice, then we learned cashflow wasn't 100% (about 60% to start).

Since then, we've improved cashflow to ~80% and are aiming for 100% (thanks to Lauren Makielski).

Now we sit at $65k MRR ($780k annualized) contractually.

I reflected this weekend on what that means. Most businesses don't even make money in their first 6 months, even from seasoned business folk.

Since Feb of last year I have also:
- sold my home
- gotten engaged
- saw my brother get married
- went to Italy for another wedding
- went to Nicaragua for another one
- went to 2 conferences (out of pocket)
- planned a wedding (we'll my fiancé did most of it)
- had an offer accepted on a new home (firming conditions this week! 🤞)
- hired 3 people that were supposed to stay on and become partners but... life happens

... and of course interviewed hundreds of third party experts on behalf of our clients.

I am learning at scale. My brain is flooded with information across GTM and business at large.

AudienceLed is a conduit of knowledge share with, for, and through the ecosystem, funneled into our clients.

... and we have yet to even do our own marketing...

I am FIRED UP.

My grandma, who beat breast cancer twice, reminds me:
- buying/selling a home
- planning a wedding
- running a business
- having kids

... are all the top stresses of life.

Well grandma, I decided to take on 3/4 of those at once 😂

And I am grateful for the pain and effort this requires. 

Focusing on humanizing business and operationalizing relationships is worth it...

... every god damn hour of the day.

And I would not be here without the help of my network. Way too many to thank and show appreciation to... even if you've played a small part so far:

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! 🙏

And a big thank you to our clients, our partners, and of course our legendary team that gets deep into the trenches to deliver and manage the chaos... Rob, Lauren, Sam, Amy, Lydia, Dani, and anyone else who has been with us for the ride.

Happy Monday everyone. Much love.

If I can do it, so can you.

Get after it.

My entire career has been in go-to-market tech. Common Room has completely leveled up our craft. That's why I'm excited to share...

... that I get the honour to share that excellence - with and through people just like you - out to the market.

On Thursday Feb 26 @ 4PM ET we will have our first instalment of the new industry event "GTM Heroes Live" where you'll learn:

Real plays
From real customers
And real practitioners
With real experiences
And the real outcomes

AI is not coming for your job. But it will give you leverage.

I first came across Common Room during my time at Reveal (acquired by Crossbeam) and immediately thought about how data can be properly contextualized.

"This is exactly what partnerships needs to impact revenue..." I thought.

Then I dove in. Got an account. Created content with them. Became an advocate for them. And now we work together at AudienceLed.

Sales leaders and practitioners who are stressed to build pipeline do not need another data tool. They don't need more lines of commoditized information to weed through. They don't need another custom CRM field.

They need a place to take action. 
They need prioritized, contextualized information at the ready.
They need PIPELINE gosh darn it!!!

👉 AI doesn't need new gatekeepers.

The promise from other vendors has been leverage for everyone... but then they've created a "specialist trap."

They force you to confuse complexity with leverage. But complexity is a barrier, especially when it is outside of the system of action. 

Leverage should REMOVE work... not add additional headcount.

Common Room has built GTM AI that gives leverage. Not replacement of people. It solves for stale data, research time, CRM management, and figuring out who to prioritize, what to say, and when to say it.

We are going to show you how.

Right from the people - just like you - in the field.

If this resonates with you and you want content that actually moves the needle, join us this Thursday, February 26 @ 4 PM ET to hear from Saad Khan, Jacki Leahy 🪄... with a special appearance from Heath Barnett 🤙, your peers, and YOU.

Everyone is welcome on stage!

Let's figure this out - together.

Here's the link. Bring your hot topics and questions: https://lnkd.in/gS3_W4tP

The bar is so incredibly low. Treat buyers like humans. Respond in a timely manner, empowered by AI. I am deep into the GTM AI scene with the clients we serve. I'm seeing some things:

I just got back from Common Room's SKO. Holy. Moly. This team is on fire. Some of the brightest minds operating here.

Common Room has exciting updates you'll continue to see from people you trust - their customers, their partners, themselves, and allies in the space.

Everyone can buy data from the 5x5 Coop. Everyone can white label another providers intent data. But not every solution is contextualizing it and making sense of it like Common Room is.

Another team - Spara - is taking AI sales and marketing conversion and doing it the right way. Contextualized information, real time, right when you are asking questions and need more information. The implications are massive... take your signals (from Common Room and/or Sequel.io) and leverage that in real time in systems like Spara.

Sequel.io (not a client) taking event data and passing it to other places (pay attention here!). 

The list goes on.

Your buyers want:
- Real time
- Right time
- Right message
- Right relevancy

Spam cannons will not deliver that.

Enterprise and mid-market companies need to deliver a better EXPERIENCE as any vibe-coded app can give the same spot functionality.

Vibe-coded companies look for easy buttons. That's why they spam you.

The sea of noise only continues to grow... to break out of it you need to get intentional.

You need to focus on humanizing the buyer. 

At AudienceLed we are out here, in the field, executing at scale and plugging into all of these systems. 

Blog content on websites as playbooks from experts.

Round-up reports of complimentary brands (AEO + SEO benefits...)

Stories with customers delivered to accounts based on look-alike data + the right signals.

Ads being relevant because of better targeting (shout out Vector 👻!) + more human content.

Humanizing the buyer's journey requires activating the ecosystem.

Keep watching. I post weekly. Follow along. More content soon 👀

Content is your secret to inbound networking. It also increases your "luck surface area." Here's what I mean:

On a recent episode with Sam Yarborough and Jason Yarborough 🐻 on the Friends With Benefits Podcast I dug into my journey with content.

It has allowed me to meet people I would never have been able to meet.

It has gotten me new jobs and new roles.

It has allowed me to start a business.

It has gotten me direct $.

The more you are out there, the more people know you for something. 

And you don't need to be right all the time.

There are people that will be cheering you on in complete absolute silence all while they learn from you. Sometimes they never engage.

But they will still see the content... They will still learn...

Want to hear the full story? And learn how to do this yourself?...

Watch the episode:
https://lnkd.in/gwjPzTH4

Cold email reply rates? ~5%. Connect rates? Single digits. 70%+ of B2B buyers expect RELEVANT experiences before they engage...

The bar is low.
And yet… most teams are still blasting 'personalized' emails.

Or... even worse...
The system is hidden behind a gatekeeper (usually an expensive one).

Common Room's SKO taught me one important thing:
👉 Third-party data is a commodity and the market was sold a lie that it all needs to be 'engineered' together.

Their focus?

Creating the cockpit for revenue teams to actually execute. Not some siloed data centre that requires APIs or Zaps or a degree in data.

Make it make sense.
Make it easy.

Everyone has access to the same data.

Not everyone can:
- Resolve identity properly
- Contextualize that data
- Route and prioritize people intelligently
- Empower reps *in real time*
- And deliver a human experience at scale

I wrote this week about other solutions doing this well. Now, I'm hosting two top experts - in the field practitioners that the market trusts - on Common Room's new live series.

GTM Heroes Live 🦸‍♀️

A community-driven space to talk about what is actually working. 

From us. 
From the experts. 
From YOU.

First session:
Signals on signals on signals. What’s next?

I’ll be joined by Saad Khan and Jacki Leahy 🪄 to unpack:
- GTM AI done the right way
- Why data alone isn't enough
- And why gatekeeping cannot be the solution (your wallets depend on it)

Thurs. Feb 26 | 1pm PT / 4pm ET
https://lnkd.in/gS3_W4tP

If you care about building real GTM experiences that humanize buyers - not just engineered workflows treating them like a datapoint - join us.

"You're wrong, do this" will never work in an industry trained to click easy-buttons to build pipeline... especially when it no longer works.

Instead, we need to:
- Align with their incentives
- Integrate into their existing workflows + behaviours
- Still give them an easy button (perhaps even easier than before)

The first wave of partnerships failed.

Not because it was wrong. Not because it didn't work... but because it was being gate-kept with jargon and vendor-speak.

(I should know...)

I'm on a mission to change that - to create seamless integration of a buyer-first mentality into GTM motions. Through trust. Through the ecosystem.

Full convo with Olivier Roth and The Swarm 🔆 here: https://lnkd.in/gqD32yUF

Top GTM teams turn partner overlap + signals into ready-to-send emails. NOT showing up to a meeting saying "where are my leads?"...

Pipeline moves faster in the tools you already have.

In my recent piece with Crossbeam, I broke down what actually makes AI useful in B2B sales.

No 28 step workflow with a dissertation of a prompt.
It’s better context.

Here’s the simple system I advise teams to run:
➡️ Pull second-party partner overlap from Crossbeam
➡️ Layer in first-party CRM data + third-party signals like funding
➡️ Let automation move it into the CRM and sequencer
➡️ Use AI to explain why it matters and draft the opener

Not as a Slack alert alone.
Not as a random CRM field.
But inside the rep’s existing workflow.

Sellers need to stay in rhythm.

In this flow, the message references a real partner their prospect already trusts.

Static data → active workflow.

AI is only powerful when it connects dots sellers don’t have time to connect.
Otherwise it’s just an email assistant.

In the article, I also break down:
✅ The 6 biggest mistakes teams make when introducing partner data
✅ How to make signals explainable so managers trust them
✅ The minimal stack I recommend to operationalize this
✅ A simple checklist to pilot ecosystem-powered AI without overwhelming RevOps.

If AI isn’t improving win rates or cycle time, it’s probably missing ecosystem context ;)

Full article here: https://lnkd.in/gu4s8Qd9

Thanks for having me Andrea V. + Crossbeam!

Prog.AI

Prog.AI is AI-enabled data platform that helps to find and hire software developers based on their actual code contributions on GitHub and Stack Overflow combined with Linkedin data. Our mission is to enhance our partners’ ability to support clients in targeting top tech talent.

- In my role I build partnerships with HR Tech, Martech and Data companies to provide access to our unique dataset and offer solutions in areas such as recruiting, developer marketing, developer relations and community building,
- Responsible for developing strategic enterprise accounts, prospecting, hosting demos, negotiating and closing deals

Partnerships and Business Development

Improve

Improve is a forward-thinking startup dedicated to elevating corporate values as well as employees' productivity and well-being through AI-powered habit-tracking platform

Partnerships and Business Development Adviser

Position²

Being a member of the revenue team, I am leading the partnership program for VC/PE firms and martech vendors. In this role I:
- Lead internal cross-functional teams alignment efforts (marketing, sales, product, legal, delivery),
- Managed teams' trainings and certifications by marketing technology partners (Demandbase, Conversica),  
- Developed ideal partner (IPP) criteria and target lists,
- Lead new partner outreach efforts,
- Managed relationships with existing partners to generate bi-lateral referrals, 
- Lead co-marketing initiatives to drive adoption of in-house developed marketing analytics platform Arena Calibrate (webinars with partners, offline events, PR initiatives, speaking engagements and expert consultations).

Position² is a fast-growing Demand Generation company, venture backed by Accel Partners. We are dedicated to super-ambitious global startups and enterprise brands that have the goal to exponentially scale and grow their business. Position² offers a cohesive line of Demand Generation products which includes Marketing Automation, Content Marketing and Paid Acquisition.

Digital Partner Manager

Self-employed

As a Partnerships and Business Development professional my goal is to help tech companies leverage Partner-Led-Growth and build mutually beneficial strategic partnerships that create new revenue streams, amplify market reach through co-marketing initiatives, contribute to the growth of their customer base and drive innovation.
My expertise and passion are specifically in collaborating with B2B SaaS tech companies in the verticals of Martech, HR tech, Future of Work and Edtech with a special focus on building partnerships with Venture Capital /Private Equity firms. I bring a unique blend of strategic insight, industry knowledge, network, and relationship-building expertise backed by over 8 years of experience in Communications which allow me to facilitate successful and mutually beneficial strategic partnerships.

Partnerships and BizDev Consultant

Tanoshi

- Coordinated partnership programs to develop and implement joined PR and marketing strategies with publishers of kids educational apps (such as Nancy Drew Codes and Clues) that led to increasing the market share and pipeline by 20%   
- Developed relationships with K-12 educational and after school institutions to support product distribution channels
- Managed marketing and PR programs to drive product awareness and sales, resulting in 200% website traffic growth one month after the launch; Developed go-to-market strategy, messaging and positioning of the product
- Launched the Tanoshi kids computer in the media securing publications in top tier tech outlets
- Managed product reviews program securing reviews by top US bloggers

Tanoshi is a Silicon Valley company founded with the purpose of developing Fun + Educational consumer electronic products for today’s school age kids. Tanoshi is a new age-appropriate and affordable full featured kids computer with the Google Family Link app pre-installed. Our mission is to bridge the tech gap and make computers available to all families.

Partnerships and Marketing/PR Specialist

IgniteX

- Managed 4 accounts; implemented successful marketing communications programs for growing tech startups in the industries of edtech, fintech, venture capital, impact investing, healthtech, cloud, data centers etc.
- As a client-facing professional lead the PR project, which included conducting audits, establishing success metrics, creating engagement plans, producing performance reports, reporting to the client, facilitating on-boarding of new clients
- Created case studies and proposals/audits for new business pitches
- Presented the agency to potential customers during new business pitches 
- Implemented different marketing communications programs for growing tech startups ranging from business press outreach and news announcements to key influencer liaison, speaking and awards program and thought leadership program
- Launched several tech startups in the US market securing coverage in top-tier business and tech media and blogs

Senior Account Executive

GlobeIn

- Oversaw vendors’ product descriptions on GlobeIn online marketplace
- Launched and executed GlobeIn social media presence (Facebook & Twitter); Grew GlobeIn Facebook community 100% monthly over the first 6 month period
- Lead Globein content marketing efforts

Social Media Manager

Ketchum

-  Managed two account teams servicing Fortune 500 companies IBM and HSBC and several external agencies; trained and supervised seven junior employees 
-  Grew revenue from one account by 20% over a one year period, and then by another 10% the following year
-  Worked cross-functionally with client's (IBM) various lines of business (hardware, software, services) with a range of solutions for multichannel PR and marketing campaigns;
-  Lead PR efforts for IBM’s $6 million worth geographic expansion program in Russia and CIS in 2012
-  Developed and nurtured long-lasting relationships with media partners;
-  Lead marketing communications efforts for IBM’s $6 million worth geographic expansion in Russia and CIS in 2012
-  Drafted case studies;
-  Generated contract renewals and new services sign-ups; 
- Established success metrics for existing clients and presented monthly performance reports in front of clients
- Developed a regional media base (20 Russia’s largest markets) and integrated it into agency’s operations, which sped up the time spent for preparing regional PR campaigns by 50%;
-  Organized multiple successful press events and press-tours in Europe

Account Manager

McGrath/Power Public Relations

Assisted account teams servicing ACCESS Systems Americas and Mohr Davidow Ventures with different tasks:
- Media and analyst base maintenance,
- Research of media and speaking opportunities,
- Media monitoring, compiling daily and weekly media alerts,
- Completing agency marketing tasks and new business research

Public Relations Intern

ABC 10News San Diego | KGTV Channel 10

- Provided research and fact-checking to ensure newsworthiness of stories,
- Gathered evidence and prepared story profiles for production by the investigative team (“I-Team”),
- Worked with online databases of governmental, judicial and consumer protection organizations (BlackBook, BBB),
- Conducted interviews with news sources, coordinated with reporters and producers.

Investigative News Intern

Partnerships and Business Development | B2B | SaaS | Corporate Communications | Unlocking strategic partnerships 🚀 | Building programs that drive revenue 📈| Passionate about connecting people and businesses 👋🏻

As a Partnerships and Business Development professional my goal is to help tech companies leverage Partner-Led-Growth and build mutually beneficial strategic partnerships in the HR Tech and Martech spaces that create new revenue streams, amplify market reach through co-marketing initiatives, contribute to the growth of their customer base and drive innovation.

My expertise and passion are specifically in collaborating with B2B SaaS tech companies in the verticals of HR Tech, Future of Work and Marketing Technology with a special focus on product and agency partnerships as well as partnerships with Venture Capital firms. I bring a unique blend of strategic insight, industry knowledge, network, and relationship-building expertise backed by over 8 years of experience in Communications and Business Development.

My expertise/achievements:
- Partner and customer prospecting, closing, retention and renewal (grew revenue from accounts by 20% over a one year period, and then by another 10% the following year) 
- Partner account/portfolio management (managed portfolios of up to 15 partners and several external agencies)
- Project and program management (built internal processes and facilitated cross-functional teams alignment to launch partnership programs, optimized day-to-day project coordination and acted as primary liaison to the cross-functional team members for partnership programs)
- Offering 8+ years of experience at digital and communications agencies as account and partner manager responsible for growing and renewing accounts
- Building partner programs: Defining criteria for Ideal Partner Profile, leading activities to align internal teams with the partner program, developing GTM strategies for partner programs
- Crafting and implementing partner co-marketing programs (created communication strategies for launching new and supporting legacy partnerships)
- Negotiating and closing partnership agreements
- Effectively partnering with internal teams to reach the alignment goals with the overall partnership strategy (sales, marketing, product, legal, customer success)
- Strong ability to gather, analyze, and communicate data-driven insights to drive decision-making and enhance partnerships.

Drop me a line! :) galina.shmeleva@gmail.com

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