Think the classic go-to-market playbook still works? Think again. In this episode, Brett Queener—architect of the original Salesforce GTM playbook and now Managing Director at Bonfire Ventures—breaks down why the old rules are obsolete and how AI agents are rewriting the future for solutions professionals.

Brett shares lessons from building Salesforce’s first SaaS playbook and explains why the next big opportunity isn’t in running the same playbook harder, but in embracing agentic software, vertical solutions, and a new breed of technical sales talent. If you’re still relying on endless tabs, manual workflows, and armies of explainers, it’s time for a wake-up call.

We dig into:

• How Brett’s journey from operator to VC shaped his view of what actually works in GTM today

• The moment he realized the old SaaS playbook was dead—and what triggered the shift

• Why user interfaces are disappearing (and what comes next for product design)

• Why Solutions Engineers are poised to become the new Account Executives, especially as AI automates the mundane

• How vertical AI solutions are creating massive opportunities—and why Bonfire Ventures is betting on them

If you’re a founder, sales leader, or solutions pro, this episode is your cheat code for surviving and thriving in the era of agentic software and AI-first GTM.

Key Takeaways

• Traditional GTM strategies are obsolete. AI agents and automation are fundamentally changing how software is bought, sold, and adopted.

• UX is becoming invisible. The future is less about screens and more about getting the job done with minimal friction.

• Solutions professionals (SEs) are the new sales stars. In a world where products actually deliver value, technical expertise and trust matter more than ever.

• Vertical AI solutions offer outsized opportunity. Context-rich, focused products are easier to build, sell, and scale in the AI era.

• The best founders are relentless executors. Talent density, speed of iteration, and a nose for revenue matter more than ever as tech gets commoditized.

Tune in for a candid, forward-looking conversation with one of SaaS’s original playbook architects—now helping fund the next generation of GTM disruptors.