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Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

From Crisis to Breakout: Franz’s Unexpected Journey into GTM

Franz shares how a failed startup and a global pandemic unexpectedly led him into the Hopin rocketship, where he learned to build under pressure and follow signals others missed, like the rise of agencies during virtual event chaos.

“We didn’t have enough capacity. Agencies had too much. Partnerships became the bridge.”

Lessons from Hopin: The 1,000 Leads a Day Playbook

At the height of COVID-19, Hopin was fielding over 1,000 inbound leads per day. Franz describes how the team scaled fast, iterated faster, and turned chaos into clarity by leaning into rapid-fire experimentation and partner ecosystems.

"If you pitch 20 times a day, you figure it out fast. That pressure became our best teacher.”

Partnerships as a Culture Shift, Not a Headcount HireFranz explains that partnerships aren’t just a function, they’re a fundamental shift in how organizations go to market. He addresses the internal resistance many partnership teams face and why indirect GTM feels risky to leadership.

“It’s speed versus control. And CEOs don’t like giving up control.”

The SaaS Buying River: Mapping the Flow of Partner ValueFranz introduces his “SaaS Buying River” analogy, explaining how to identify where you fit in the customer’s journey, and which partners flow upstream (lead gen) or downstream (expansion/integration). He later tied this thinking to Winning by Design’s Bowtie model.

“Before the Bowtie, we had the River. Either way, it’s about meeting your customer where they are.”

Scaling Opus Clip: PLG + Partner-Led PrecisionWith Opus Clip’s rapid rise past 10M users, Franz explains how product-led growth laid the foundation, but partnerships are now helping the team build stickier workflows, expand to new audiences, and scale implementation.

“AI clipped the content. Partnerships helped distribute and expand it.

The Myth of ‘Too Early’ for Partnerships

Through experience and community research, Franz debunks the idea that partnerships come after product-market fit. He reveals why early-stage companies that start small and stay focused can see huge long-term leverage.

“Most CEOs wait too long. Partner leaders know Day One is the best time to start.”

Barney Partnerships and the Customer Blind Spot

Franz warns against “Barney Partnerships” feel-good, founder-to-founder deals that never deliver. The biggest red flag? No customer overlap.

“Your boss isn’t your boss. The customer is. And they can fire the whole company.”

Operational Rigor: The 15-Minute Partner SLA

Drawing on a standout case study from Olga Laikova at monday.com, Franz highlights how operational excellence, like responding to partners in 15 minutes can lead to measurable revenue gains and become a true differentiator.

“If you’re first to respond, you’re the one the partner pitches. That’s how deals get won.”

Learn more at www.forceandfrictionpodcast.com