Alle afleveringen
68 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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The Zen of sales calls (aka: stop feeling anxious)
30 oktober 2026 · 24 min
Feel anxiety about sales calls? Dread? Or find that you’re on a sales “emotional roller coaster” talking with customers Lees meer
(if so, we’ve all been there)
Today we’re digging into the mindset behind feeling comfortable - even excited - about sales calls. And how to use customer demand and the formula from the PULL framework to make sales calls something you don’t dread.
This post: “The Zen of sales”
Post: The Demand Lens
PMF Camp / Group Cohort info: LINK
Rob on Lenny's Podcast: LINK
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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How to grow the fastest startup possible (no speed limits): The Case Study Factory
23 oktober 2026 · 38 min
If you could only take *one action* that would cause the fastest growth possible for your startup, what would you do? Lees meer
Cue: The Case Study Factory.
Rob breaks down why this is the mental model the fastest growing startups use to cause their products to blow through all speed limits.
The key is in thinking about your startup as a factor for producing success case studies - and understanding the machines (Pipeline + Sales + Delivery) in your factory and how to optimize them.
Recommend checking out the Substack post: How to grow the fastest
Want Rob to help diagnose your bottleneck? Info here
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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AMA: Workday PULL, B2C, AI in outbound
20 oktober 2026 · 21 min
We're answering your questions in this bonus! These are all taken from comments in YouTube. Leave a comment on an episode or email me: rc@reframeb2b.com. Lees meer
What changes about PULL in crowded markets w/ competition?
Are "Mandatory to buy" and "Weird not to buy" different?
How has AI changed the outbound / pipeline game?
What is PULL for Workday if it's not a good user experience? (HR software)
Does PULL apply to B2C, or just B2B?
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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PULL isn't a "rational argument" (in defense of "Me-search")
16 oktober 2026 · 24 min
This one is for all the analytical founders in our audience.
"Me-search" (the act of analyzing your own experience and projecting onto a group, like in marketing) is a villain in business schools, but Rob argues that it does hold an important insight within your reach:
Understanding how humans are not robots and more deeply grasping what PULL is and "feels like" - which is the driving force behind your startup. Lees meerWe discuss when an analytical approach vs. "feelings" is appropriate, and how to do the "me-search" exercise in your life to build the instinct of looking for PULL for customers, not rational arguments.
Read the full Substack post: In defense of "me-search"
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Latent Demand: Do customers always "know" what they'll buy?
9 oktober 2026 · 34 min
There's a frequent question that Rob gets from founders who are developing new technologies - it takes forms like: Lees meer
What if I'm creating a new category?
What if the customer doesn't know they need our product?
Today, we're digging into the concept of "Latent Demand" - what a customer prioritize right now if only there was a way.
The critical concept here is that a customer is leaning against something. In this episode, we'll try to understand what that looks like and implications for founders who suspect they are targeting a "latent demand" in customers.
Blog post: Latent Demand in Rob's substack, The Physics of Startups
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Choosing your ideal customer: Is buying optional?
2 oktober 2026 · 32 min
There's a bug in a founder's brain (or at least mine) that likes to fantasize about all the benefits for customer (alleviating pain points, delivering value, helping differentiate, ...), while ignoring the more important question: Lees meer
"Could they *not* buy?"
Rob helps us understand a different standard from what founders have historically used, which is requisite for a startup to find PULL at scale and hit hypergrowth: Is buying mandatory, or is it just optional?
There are some very subtle things that founders do wrong related to this, including:
Focusing on "happiest / most satisfied / most valuable" customers rather than the ones for whom buying is mandatory
Thinking probabilistically about customers ("4 in 10 customers with XYZ buy") instead of deterministically ("This very specific customer cannot not buy my product")
Hope this one helps you reframe the way you think about your ICP - because really, it's the most important early decision we founders make.
Full Substack post: Is buying optional?
Rob's ICP AI skill: https://github.com/RSSnyder13/icp
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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How to run customer discovery (aka: surfacing PULL fast)
25 september 2026 · 41 min
Customer discovery can be very intimidating. What do I ask? How do I build a connection? How do I improvise? Lees meer
We're digging into how Rob thinks about discovery, common mistakes, and ways that Rob uses to uncover real customer PULL that leads to purchases. For anyone who has waded into the murky waters of untangling what customers say, hopefully this helps to develop your intuition around what you are trying to achieve and how to get there.
Read this week's Substack: 37 ways to ask about PULL
Topics covered:
What we're really trying to do with customer discovery
How to ask about "all of PULL" in one question, rather than breaking into pieces and wasting time
The "fallback questions" to have in your hip pocket if early responses are frustratingly vague / not revealing PULL
The "break glass in case of emergency" option
How your approach to discover should change after you find PMF
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The Product-Market Fit Map (where should you focus?)
18 september 2026 · 32 min
Every founder has a million different things they could be doing, but where should they focus? What will actually move the needle and unlock their business to take off? Lees meer
In this episode, we get an inside view on how Rob works with a new startup that comes to him. Objective #1: Find the right place to focus. For you to run this same diagnostic on your startup or product, you need a conceptual model of what a startup is (the case study factory), a causal model of why startups take off (PULL) and then a practical approach that identifies where you should focus.
Post: The Product-Market Fit Map
Resources for each spot you might find yourself in:
Developing a causal model: Because / Despite
Conceptual model of your startup: The B2B standard
No idea or customers: Inverting the idea stage (with Cyberstarts)
Can't get sales calls: Phenomenology of cold outbound
Multiple different case studies: No more PULL hypotheses
More push than pull: Are they pulling?
Getting calls, not converting to sales: Buying is weird and rare
Converting sales but churn: Retention is the hard part
Attacking the bottleneck: Strict productivity
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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When to make your first sales hire?
11 september 2026 · 32 min
There's a lot going on with a first sales hire - When? Who? What to hire them for? Lees meer
It's a question that Rob sees from a few angles, often taking the form of: "I can't sell my product but I think someone with sales experience can" or "My sales calls are showing promise but aren't closing and I think someone else would do a better job."
Rob's take: You need to understand your case study and the way that your startup is operating like a factory. When volume is running through and you become the bottleneck, that's the moment. Rob and RC dig into this concept and what it means for founders in this situation.
Post: When are you ready to scale sales?
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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No more PULL Hypotheses! (introducing the PULL Anecdote)
4 september 2026 · 29 min
Sorry, folks. The PULL Hypothesis is out. Rob observed that founders and teams were holding too tightly onto the PULL Hypothesis and too tempted by abstractions, which prevented them from understanding and serving customer demand. Lees meer
BUT - fear not. Today, we discuss the PULL Anecdote, which, speaking personally (as Rob's cohost), I think is a hugely liberating concept and I'm excited to put into action. By tying explicitly to a single, real human being's real PULL, the PULL anecdote overcomes important limitations that were making it hard for founders to get out of "abstractions" to "reality" and really seek to understand what customer's are trying to accomplish but are blocked.
Post: No more PULL hypotheses
PMF Camp! Interested in the Sept PMF Camp? Info here: LINK or reach out directly to me: rc@reframeb2b.com
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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What CAUSES startups to take off? (Because / Despite / Irrelevant)
28 augustus 2026 · 34 min
Why does a startup with a great product, a strong team, and glowing pilot feedback still fail to sell? But others with rudimentary products, ugly sales materials, and first-time teams take off? Lees meer
Rob gives a way of understanding startup success (or lack there of) - including "because" factors and "despite" factors, a way to separate what actually causes someone to buy from what they buy in spite of, plus a third bucket most founders never separate out: what's simply irrelevant.
He explains why doing all the "right" things (research, pain points, design partners, funding) doesn't predict whether customers will buy, why customers will buy from an unfinished product when the real priority is there, and why it gets harder to diagnose what's actually working the more a company scales and adds people with their own theories of causality.
Post: Because / Despite
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Cold Outbound (from Rob's a16z talk)
21 augustus 2026 · 35 min
Everyone's favorite topic - outbound! Lees meer
Think about your LInkedIn or email inbox - what makes most cold outbound so bad? Rob breaks down what actually causes someone to take a meeting from a cold message, and what you are probably doing that's shooting yourself in the foot.
Rob introduces the "hierarchy of interestingness," a way to rank what's actually interesting to your recipient instead of what you want to tell them, plus the specific landmines that quietly kill response rates even when the core message is good.
Post: The Phenomenology of Cold Outbound
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Why your product makes it hard to see demand ("The Demand Lens")
14 augustus 2026 · 27 min
Why is it so hard for founders to see real demand, even when it's all around? Lees meer
Rob breaks down "the demand lens," the practice of removing your product from the picture entirely so you can see where people are actually stuck, versus the "supply lens" most founders default to without realizing it. That difference is what decides whether you're solving a real problem or just shouting into a world that was doing fine without you.
Post: The Demand Lens
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The 'No-Speculation' Rule (for the overthinking founder)
7 augustus 2026 · 29 min
Why do founders waste so much energy thinking about things they can't actually know? Lees meer
Rob breaks down his "no speculation rule," the topics he treats as off limits because they waste time without ever being answerable. The three traps: guessing the future, assuming what customers mean, and building abstractions like personas.
Post: The "No Speculation" Rule
Get in touch
Thinking about onboarding team members to PULL or something else? Email RC: rc@reframeb2b.com
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The Physics of Enterprise Sales
31 juli 2026 · 30 min
Does selling to a Fortune 100 company need a different playbook than selling to a small business? Lees meer
Rob's take: enterprise sales runs on the same physics as other deals - you're still looking for one person with PULL. We discuss why procurement isn't actually your buyer, how to spot the person inside a big org who can buy, and why the "project plan to purchase" is where deals quietly stretch from one month to six or twelve.
Bonus: Rob's conversation with Newt Gingrich: YouTube | Apple Podcasts
Post: The Physics of Enterprise Sales
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The $1M ARR founder calendar
24 juli 2026 · 26 min
What should a founder's calendar actually look like? (and if someone looked at your calendar, would they believe finding product market fit or growing your business is your #1 priority?) Lees meer
Rob introduces the Calendar Standard: a simple framework for how founders should spend their time if they're serious about reaching product-market fit and scaling from $0 to $1 million ARR. Includes a practical weekly schedule you can use today.
Post: The Calendar Standard
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Debunking Startup mythology: "Pain Points" (and why they're worthless)
17 juli 2026 · 22 min
Why do some people with obvious pain points never buy? Lees meer
Rob explains why founders are often taught to look for the wrong thing. Pain points may create interest, but they don't create purchases. Instead, he introduces the concept of PULL points, the conditions that make a customer unable to delay a project and unable to solve it with their existing options. Use these to stop mistaking enthusiasm for buying intent and start identifying customers who are actually trying to buy.
Post: PULL Points vs. Pain Points
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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What "Good" actually looks like for startups
10 juli 2026 · 43 min
How do you know if your startup is actually on track? Lees meer
A founder recently asked Rob a simple question: What does good actually look like? Rob realized that most founders don't have clear standards for evaluating whether their startup is making progress or quietly stalling. In this episode, Rob introduces a practical framework for assessing startup health across the entire customer factory - from pipeline and PULL to close rates, cycle times, and customer success.
Covered in this episode:
The six metrics every founder should track
What a repeatable case study actually looks like
How many customer conversations you should be having each week
The close rates and sales cycles high-performing startups achieve
Your leading indicator of customer retention
Post: The B2B Standard (v1)
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Five Lessons from 50 Startups That Reached $1M ARR
3 juli 2026 · 34 min
What do startups that reach $1 million ARR have in common? Lees meer
Rob has helped more than 50 startups grow from $0 to $1 million ARR. In this episode, he reflects on the patterns that show up across startups and industries, including five lessons from those journeys.
Post: My 5 biggest lessons from 50x $0-$1M+ journeys
Covered in this episode:
Why PULL is the underlying cause of startup growth
Why nearly every successful startup "unfolds"
Why the product customers want is usually much smaller than founders imagine
How founders accidentally make sales harder than they need to be
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Are they pulling? (aka: avoiding "seems-like-pull-but-isn't")
26 juni 2026 · 31 min
People with PULL try to buy. People without PULL often sound interested, ask questions, and give positive feedback - but don't initiate purchase-shaped actions. Lees meer
Rob explores one of the most costly mistakes founders make: confusing enthusiasm with PULL. We explore why things customers say like "This would solve our biggest pain point" or "This would save us millions" often lead founders down dead ends.
Post: Are they pulling?
Covered in this episode
The difference between enthusiasm and PULL
Why pain points, ROI, and positive feedback are often misleading
What "trying to buy" actually looks like
Why founders waste months chasing prospects who were never going to buy
How to "play dumb" to uncover what customers are really thinking
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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If your product hasn't taken off (radical simplification)
19 juni 2026 · 22 min
Your startup has customers. Revenue is growing. So why does growth still feel harder than it should? Lees meer
Rob tackles one of the most frustrating challenges founders face: knowing your product works, but not knowing why growth isn't accelerating. Rob explains why the issue is almost always traced back to just two causes:
1. You haven't identified who truly has PULL for your product, or
2. You're doing something that prevents those people from buying.
Post: If your product hasn't taken off
Covered in this episode
The two root causes behind most startup growth problems
How to narrow your ICP
Why most sales processes create friction instead of momentum
A simple way to audit your sales calls for hidden problems
The signals that tell you whether a prospect actually has PULL
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Learn from 2 *real* founder sales calls (Rob teardowns)
12 juni 2026 · 14 min
Post: Watch me roast Sliq's sales calls Lees meer
Sales teardown #1: https://youtu.be/3TsrrMSXIfg
Sales teardown #2: https://youtu.be/9a78RWkaALM
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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What founders get wrong about pilots / POCs / trials
5 juni 2026 · 31 min
Your pilots are going well. Users are getting value. Usage is increasing. So why aren't customers buying? Or buying still is painful? Lees meer
Rob unpacks a common startup assumption: if a pilot succeeds, the customer will buy. He explains why pilots, demos, procurement reviews, and other parts of the sales process never cause a purchase. Instead, they can only prevent one.
Understanding that distinction helps founders design shorter sales cycles, avoid endless pilots, and focus on the factors that actually drive buying decisions.
Post: Pilots, POCs, and Trials
In this episode:
The two things that actually cause a purchase
What procurement, security reviews, and compliance really do
How to uncover the reason behind a pilot request
Why "success criteria" can be a trap
How to design pilots that accelerate deals instead of delaying them
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The first two things that matter in a startup ("Aero mode")
29 mei 2026 · 28 min
When founder is getting started, they might be juggling multiple different ICPs and value props. Rob in this episode discusses why the goal is to eliminate all the "might work" and get to "weird if it didn't work" --> then translate that into a "weird not to meet" when a customer is in that situation. Lees meer
Post: Aero mode
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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What happens after PMF?
23 mei 2026 · 23 min
Rob's buddy found PMF a few months ago and went from ~bankrupt to more than $1M ARR in less than three months. What happens in that case? Lees meer
Rob and RC discuss what changed to find PMF, and what the experience is post-PMF. Also, what do you do as a founder - where do you focus? And how does your approach pre-PMF affect your post-PMF life? (tl;dr: a lot)
Preorder Rob's book - "The Power of PULL" - and take a screenshot of your receipt! (we'll tell you what to do with it soon) https://amzn.to/48KC1yv
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Post: The reward is harder work
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The PULL Quickstart Guide (a PMF hierarchy)
15 mei 2026 · 27 min
Rob has distilled PULL into its most important elements - arranged in hierarchical order so that a founder knows where to focus first. This conversation includes the common error of getting the order wrong, Rob's commentary on the three most important parts of PULL, and examples of how these show up with founders. Lees meer
Highly recommend reading the full substack post, "The PULL Quickstart Guide"
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Investor PULL (what VCs actually want)
8 mei 2026 · 29 min
This is about VCs but also isn't about VCs. PULL can be found all over a startup - obviously with customers, but also, investors have PULL and they're trying to accomplish something specific. Rob works with founders to shape pitch decks and has fundraised - there's a hard-won lesson about what VCs are trying to accomplish, and the HUGE trap that smart, thoughtful founders building solid businesses fall into. Lees meer
This is an example of a broader lesson - things that look the same "when you're squinting" - are often fundamentally different, and that drives how you sell, how you build, and more.
Check out Rob's full lecture: "Notes on the physics of startups": LINK
Post: Investors have PULL, too
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Buying is weird and rare (a reality check)
1 mei 2026 · 26 min
Founders are inherent optimists - that's why (despite all the warnings of battle-scared entrepreneurs) we continue to start businesses. It is the cheerful burden we carry as we march into the abyss. Lees meer
But GIVEN THAT'S THE CASE - how can we avoid that optimism crippling our chances at finding product-market fit? In this convo, Rob discusses the cold, harsh reality of launching a startup, the risks that optimistic founders run, and how to avoid them.
Also, Rob deadlifted 400lbs.
Check out Rob's full lecture: "Notes on the physics of startups": LINK
Post: Buying is weird and rare
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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How Rocksalt.ai went from Push to Pull
24 april 2026 · 47 min
The Lightspeed-funded startup Rocksalt had some traction, but it wasn't clear they had really found Pull. They had sales, but there was friction in the sales calls. They were trying to decide between three different ICPs. And retention and consistent use wasn't as consistent as they wanted. Lees meer
In this conversation, cofounders Arjun Moorthy and Anita Moorthy join Rob to discuss how they used the PULL way of thinking to change their approach to identifying their ICP, outbound, their sales process, their sales deck, and how their product evolves.
Learn more and get in touch with Arjun and Anita:
Website: https://www.rocksalt.ai/
Arjun LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunmoorthy
Anita LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amoorthy/
Email: arjun@rocksalt.ai , anita@rocksalt.ai
X/Twitter: https://x.com/anitamoorthy , https://x.com/juicemoorthy
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Post: Rocksalt's journey from Push to PULL
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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DECK DROP - Rob's latest
17 april 2026 · 9 min
Whatever you're doing, make time to read through Rob's latest deck: "Notes on the Physics of Startups" Lees meer
Access here (free): LINK
Work with Rob: robsnyder.org
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Cause vs. Benefit | The Quickbooks lesson
10 april 2026 · 20 min
When someone buys something, they get a bunch of benefits and they may use a variety of different features, all of which provide an array of different benefits. After they buy, they explain what they like about our product based on these post-hoc benefits they received after they purchased it. Lees meer
But the benefits do not *predict* why someone buys. In this conversation Rob gets into the difference between cause vs. benefits of a purchase, and a surprising lesson from Quickbooks and Bobby Moesta.
Post: Cause vs. Benefit
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The fusion engine for progress (PULL applied to capitalism)
3 april 2026 · 37 min
Rob is zooming out this week to look at what PULL means in the context of capitalism, and in particular, why it is the only system that can possibly serve people. It's taking a micro-understanding of how demand and PULL work, and thinking about its broader implications - and what this means for social entrepreneurship and alternative economic organizations. Lees meer
Post: The fusion engine
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Translating customer language 101
27 maart 2026 · 48 min
One of the most challenging things about identifying PULL in customers is understanding what they are telling you. In this conversation, Rob discusses the “hairball” that customers often spit out - a mix of demand, supply, history, random red herrings - and how to translate that into Demand. Lees meer
Post: Customer language 101
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Rob's B2B Sales Call Script (finally)
20 maart 2026 · 50 min
Rob's B2B Sales Call Script: LINK Lees meer
You asked, Rob answered. Rob is open-sourcing his sales call script that he uses with founders and heads of sales to identify PULL and pitch supply in a way that customer's want (and actually understand and buy).
In this conversation, Rob discusses common failure modes in sales calls that he sees and walks through key elements of the sales call script - from Demand to Supply.
Post: Rob's Sales Call Script
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Behind a $300M exit: Interview w/ Palash Soni from Goldcast
13 maart 2026 · 47 min
Palash Soni founded Goldcast, a video-first B2B event marketing platform which was acquired by CVent in December 2025 reportedly for $300M. Lees meer
Palash and Rob have known each other for several years, and in this conversation they discuss the evolution of Goldcast, why Goldcast survived when better funded competitors didn't, the acquisition process, choosing the right market, the experience of being acquired, and more.
Post: Behind a $300M Exit
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The "PULL Theory" of business
6 maart 2026 · 45 min
A startup is not many things - it's "one thing" - and it obeys laws of evolution. The best way to understand how the evolution works is through the PULL framework, and Rob sheds light on the continuum - from outreach and discovery to demo and onboarding / delivery. Lees meer
Post: The PULL theory of business
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Exponential PULL (aka: stop slogging it out)
27 februari 2026 · 46 min
Why do some startups take off ($25M ARR within 2 years) while others - with equally talented founder teams, with equally unique tech, with equally attractive markets, … - struggle to reach $500k, $1M or just feel like they’re pushing instead of customers pulling? Lees meer
Rob jumps into that question in this week’s Substack and this podcast. The answer is that PULL is not linear - it’s logarithmic - and that explains how startups can have such divergent outcomes.
Post: Exponential PULL
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Learning from Infomercials: How to describe your product
20 februari 2026 · 41 min
Today we’re learning from true masters of their craft - the heroes behind infomercials and “As seen on TV” product - who understand PULL more intuitively than the best marketers. Lees meer
Rob breaks down the “TurboPump” infomercial, which communicates just about everything a customer needs to know within 16 seconds. Lessons include:
Sequencing a sales call
How to describe how your product works
How to improve your sales calls using this approach
How to differentiate your supply vs. others
Turbo Pump infomercial: YOUTUBE https://youtu.be/MtzSgzijGyk?si=4EfpEv7MaffDvRAc
Breathe Easy Humidifier infomercial: YOUTUBE
Post: How to describe your product (quickly)
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Is your customer BLOCKED or COPING?
13 februari 2026 · 51 min
There are two types of PULL out there. If a customer has either of them - and if your Supply fits - they will rip a product out of your hands. Here is how Rob defines them: Lees meer
COPING PULL: A buyer who is prioritizing a project right now, but their current approach is sufficiently bad that they are COPING - struggling against their current approach.
BLOCKED PULL: A buyer who would prioritize a project right now if they could - but their existing options are unworkable, so they are BLOCKED.
In this episode, Rob dives into the difference between the two, case studies of each, how to find them, and common pitfalls that founders run into.
Substack post: Blocked or Coping?
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Cyberstarts: Inverting the idea stage
6 februari 2026 · 48 min
Cyberstarts (VC focused on cybersecurity) has an insane hit rate - its first fun turned $50M into $2B within 3 years investing in 9 founders. Founded by Gili Raanan, their approach (which they call "Sunrise") inverts the pre-idea / pre-product stage. Instead of choosing a market / technology to bet on, they invest in founder teams pre-product, use a network of CSIOs to identify demand, validate by selling, then begin to build the product. Lees meer
In this episode, Rob breaks down Cyberstarts' approach from the lens of PULL and customer demand - including why Cyberstarts' approach has an advantage over other VCs, what can be learned from both a founder and a VC perspective - and a few areas that he would approach differently.
Invest like the Best interview with Gili Raanan: Spotify, transcript, Cyberstarts webpage
Rob's Substack post here, Inverting the idea stage
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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How companies become generational
30 januari 2026 · 52 min
A frequent critique Rob hears of "Sell then build" is that it's fine for a 'lifestyle business' but can't possibly result in a unicorn or generational company. ...Right? Lees meer
So Rob dug into the histories of some of the leading tech (Microsoft, Oracle, Hubspot), Deep-tech (NVIDIA) and consumer (Nike, Starbucks) companies.
... turns out, they follow similar themes:
Figure out some sort of a market need by selling and delivering something
Learn the shape of the real opportunity by selling and delivering something that’s not quite right.
Avoid attempting to (1) predict the future or (2) convince the market.
At some point, benefit from demand waves or dams. (related post)
Post: How companies become generational
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The aerodynamics of sales
23 januari 2026 · 45 min
Rob discusses the evolution of sales calls from the first version (often awkward, typically clunky and uncomfortable for the prospect, and not effective) to the various iterations he sees with each step improving incrementally. Lees meer
The discovery sharpens, then the customer targeting, then the pitch, the demo, the sequencing of calls, and the offer / conversion.
This is a very practical episode and Substack for founders and early sales hires that are noticing 'friction' in their sales process and struggling to understand how to think about improving.
Post: The aerodynamics of sales
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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How to understand customers
16 januari 2026 · 45 min
A lot of the advice around "understanding / empathizing with customers" or "being customer centric" advises interviews or maybe even visiting customers. But it doesn't go far enough. Rob discusses why "forward deploying" is critical - and not just visiting customers, but what to actually do when you're there. Rob discusses what to look for, and how the "calendar" and "to-do list" come into play. Lees meer
Great post / conversation if you've wondered how to generate a PULL hypothesis, how to understand your customer, or what to do when you do customer visits.
Post: How to understand customers
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Do I have a "PMF problem" or "Sales Execution problem"?
9 januari 2026 · 47 min
Among the hardest parts of early sales calls is figuring out what isn't working - "Do I have PMF but I'm screwing up the sale, or do I just not have PMF yet?" Rob breaks down how he diagnoses what is going on in a sales call, and how founders can apply as they are improving their sales calls and navigating early sales. Lees meer
Post: Sales problems vs. Product-market fit problems
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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How to start a sales call ("Discovery" that doesn't suck)
19 december 2025 · 42 min
Discovery is very important - but it's poorly understood what exactly you should be looking for in the first moments of a sales call and founders almost always screw it up. This leads to a confused customer being grilled with random questions and the founder struggling to connect with the customer and generate interest in their product (the wrong way to think about it). Lees meer
In this episode, Rob discusses how to properly run demand discovery at the start of a call - using the PULL framework and a simple process that will immediately improve the quality of your calls.
Post: How to start a sales call
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Nobody "wants" AI (and other lessons from Henry Ford)
12 december 2025 · 47 min
Highly recommend reading this week's Substacak as the language around supply and demand is precise: LINK Lees meer
Rob Snyder dives into how to think about Demand as it relates to AI - using both historical (Ford) and contemporary (Jump, Loveable, AI SDRs) examples.
This convo should be helpful for entrepreneurs, investors and marketers thinking about AI, product positioning, categories, identifying AI-related demand.
Post: Nobody "wants" AI
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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PULL is everywhere (AKA: Your business is not the exception)
5 december 2025 · 44 min
If you wonder if "PULL" is relevant for your business ("But I sell into enterprise!" "I'm in B2C!" "I sell hardware!" ... " so PULL doesn't apply"), this week's conversation is meant for you. Lees meer
Rob and RC discuss some common examples of selling into large businesses / deep tech / hardware / B2C from a "PULL" perspective.
Leave comments with questions for upcoming Substacks or to address in future podcast episodes.
Post: PULL is everywhere
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The PULL framework (finding PMF)
21 november 2025 · 49 min
PULL (Project-Unavoidable-Looking for options-encountering Limitation) is the key concept that founders need to understand to sell and find PMF. Lees meer
Rob has refreshed his definitions and this conversation dives into topics like:
Defining PULL (when customers "rip a product out of your hands")
How to use PULL in sales calls
SUPER common misconceptions about customer demand (e.g., desire for a product, pain points)
Understanding customers' to-do list...and a bunch more stuff.
Post: The PULL framework, in detail
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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The 3 sales pathologies (Helpful, Noble, Smart)
14 november 2025 · 49 min
Rob and RC dive into three common (and self destructive) sales pathologies that Rob sees in founders: Lees meer
The "Helpful" founder who thinks s/he can sell by showing how helpful they are to customers
The "Smart" founder, who thinks that by impressing customers with deep knowledge (or avoiding embarassing oneself), customers will buy
And the "Noble" founder, who is deeply focused on their mission and thinks this mission will cause customers to buy
As Rob explains, each of these pathologies are wrong because they misunderstand demand. And this episode dives into each, how to diagnose, and how to course correct yourself.
Post: Helpful, noble, smart... and poor
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/
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Strict Productivity (aka: Understanding superhuman founders)
7 november 2025 · 39 min
Rob and RC discuss productivity based on a foundational understanding of *what is a startup* which is the necessary foundation for doing productive things. Lees meer
Conversation addresses the constraint-theory approach to understanding your startup, identifying bottlenecks, and practical ways Rob sees great founders tackling bottlenecks. Also get into why there is so much performative LARPing in startup-world.
Post: Strict productivity
Links
Rob's Substack: The Physics of Startups
AI Rob waitlist: https://robsnyder.org/ai-rob
Work with Rob 1:1: https://www.robsnyder.org
Get The Power of PULL: Amazon (https://amzn.to/48KC1yv), Barnes & Noble: (https://bit.ly/4dyMTSv)
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsnyder1/