What do you want from me?

“What do you want?”

It’s a simple question, but the most powerful ones usually are. Every week, the best newsletter topics come from real sales calls, the wildest replies from prospects, or the handful of social posts that actually spark a DM or a heated debate. But here’s the truth: readers aren’t prospects. Readers aren’t “users.” This newsletter isn’t a cold outbound. It’s a conversation. The fact that you read this—sometimes contest, sometimes teach, sometimes just reflect—means you’re already in it deep with me. That’s why I always want to lean in and ask: what do you want?

Real Feedback Beats Evergreen

Earlier this year, I made the rookie move of pre-scheduling three “evergreen” editions on topics like pricing models, customer onboarding, and the future of RevOps. I figured: these are universal, valuable forever, right? Turns out, opening up my inbox Wednesday morning to reader replies is worth more than the best “timeless” takes. Since then, my open rates dipped. Engagement slid. And that little voice started asking: am I letting people down by being less present, less real?

How I Gather Topics—And Why It’s Not Enough

Here’s the playbook for every newsletter edition:

• Review client communications: Where are teams struggling, celebrating, or just completely lost?

• Reflect on sales calls and prospect replies: What’s sparking objections, and what’s actually moving deals forward?

• Social engagement: Which posts and replies get beyond “nice share" and into real pushback or action?

But those signals don’t always align to what matters to founders, operators, and builders reading this. You’re not just another prospect. The challenge is: how do I get the real pulse from people like you—who read, reflect, maybe even challenge me privately?

My Journey (and Why It Matters)

You might know bits of my background:

• Built customer relationships in the trenches, selling hardgoods in B2B

• Scaled sales and launched marketing campaigns for global manufacturers crossing $200m/year

• Failed (plenty) launching my own startups, ran fractional CMO, VC, and advisor roles, ran accelerators, and saw SMBs through to acquisition

That mix means one thing: I’m always looking for patterns that translate, not just playbooks that recycle. Whether it's the mistake that sinks a $20m SaaS in the Midmarket, the pricing trick that moves needles in SMB, or why every agency still fumbles billing—even in 2025—my goal is to dig where the water is deepest.

Your Turn: What Should We Dive Into?

So, here's the real ask: What do you want to learn, challenge, or explore together? Whether it’s a question about scaling a sales team, automating customer acquisition, fixing broken RevOps systems, or just running a better weekly invoice—drop me a reply. Email me directly at [email protected]. I read every note. Often, your responses spark the next week’s big idea.

No prompt too simple. No struggle too niche. Let’s shape this together.

Reply if you’re up for trading notes, grilling my opinions, or just want something specific covered next week. Hit reply or email me direct.

—Grady