Forecasting isn’t just about predicting revenue—it’s about changing the future.
In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we sit down with Daren Lauda, CEO of Outset, to break down how most SaaS companies are investing in go-to-market growth with zero clarity on when returns will land.
Daren brings decades of enterprise GTM experience (Salesforce, PTC, Fortiv) and is now on a mission to fix revenue forecasting with interpretable AI. We talk about:
- The flaw in traditional pipeline models
- How to map campaign ROI to month-specific returns
- Why generative AI won’t replace human insight—but should enhance it
- The real reason your sales and marketing spend is under fire
If you're a SaaS founder or GTM leader navigating tighter budgets, complex buying cycles, and pipeline anxiety—this one’s for you.
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⏱ Chapters
00:00 Intro & Daren’s Path from Infantry to CEO
03:45 Forecasting the when of ROI
06:10 Why near-bound referrals still win
08:42 Ideal customer profile for Outset
11:20 Predictive analytics vs. AI hype
14:25 Common forecasting mistakes
16:50 Managing sales & marketing like a P&L
20:10 Product roadmap & customer feedback
23:38 Outbound messaging that actually works
27:30 The magic wand: fixing customer acquisition
📚 Resources
🔗 Outset: https://www.outsetops.com
🔗 Connect with Daren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darenlauda
🔗 Big North Marketing: https://www.bignorthmarketing.com