How to Build a Repeatable Growth Motion in 2025?   7 Lessons from Raunak Datt

In the latest episode of Sales Unlocked by Ginni AI, I sat down with GTM leader and startup growth expert Raunak Datt to unpack how B2B startups can build repeatable, scalable growth motions — without relying on luck, hustle, or guesswork.

We covered a lot in 60 minutes, from the rise of the GTM Engineer to tactical tips on cold outreach, AI tools, and growth experiments.

Here are 7 key lessons worth bookmarking:

1. GTM 2.0 Is Here and It’s All About Intelligence

“GTM 2.0 is about orchestrating data, tools, and automation to drive smarter decisions and faster results.”

In the GTM 1.0 era, sales and marketing ran on spreadsheets, manual workflows, and fragmented tools. GTM 2.0 is all about intelligence. Think CRMs enriched with buyer intent data, automated workflows, and AI agents supporting SDR tasks.

The new standard: be faster, smarter, and more precise in how you identify, engage, and convert your ideal customers.

2. The GTM Engineer Is the Role Every Startup Needs

“A GTM Engineer brings the builder mindset into the sales and growth world.

The GTM Engineer is a hybrid operator — someone who can work with tools like Clay, Smartlead, and Zapier to build lists, enrich data, run automations, and launch campaigns with minimal hand-holding.

This role is rising in popularity because it bridges the gap between growth ideas and execution. For early-stage teams, it’s often the most efficient way to scale without building a large SDR team.

3. Repeatable Growth Starts with Clarity, Not Channels

“If you can’t describe your ICP, message, and offer in one sentence, you’re not ready to scale.”

Too many startups chase channels (email, paid ads, LinkedIn) without validating the basics. Before investing in outbound or hiring reps, you need:

• A clear, validated ICP

• A message that resonates

• An offer that converts

Only when you have these can you build a motion that’s truly repeatable and scalable.

4. Experiment Velocity Is the Ultimate Growth Lever

“Startups that test more, learn faster. It’s not about being perfect — it’s about being in motion.”

Structured experimentation is a key competitive advantage. Aim for 3–5 experiments every two weeks. Some are big (a new channel), others small (tweaking a LinkedIn message or pricing page copy).

The key is not just to test, but to track your experiments. Use a simple sheet to log hypotheses, goals, audiences, and results. This turns trial and error into a true learning engine.

5. The Right Tools Help You Move Fast (But Don’t Overstack)

“Start with tools that help you learn faster, not look fancy.”

Recommended GTM tool stack includes:

• Clay for list building and enrichment

• Swarm for warm intros from your network

• Lemlist or Smartlead for outbound campaigns

• LinkedIn voice notes for personalized outreach

The point isn’t to have the biggest stack — it’s to pick tools that increase speed, relevance, and insight. Avoid the trap of tool fatigue.

6. Cold Outreach Isn’t Dead — It’s Evolving

“Voice notes on LinkedIn are crushing it. Email alone isn’t enough anymore.”

"Multichannel is king. Cold email + LinkedIn + voice notes + calls = win."

While email response rates have dipped, multichannel is thriving. Layering cold email, LinkedIn messages, voice notes, and even cold calls (in markets like Saudi) leads to double-digit response rates.

The formula: Relevance + timing + format.
Cold calling still works in some sectors like F&B and legal. WhatsApp and voice messages stand out. Don’t write off a channel, test, adapt, and see what works for your ICP, then double down.

7. Don’t Scale Your Sales Team Until It Hurts

“Only hire when you, as the founder, are stretched so thin you can’t do it anymore.”

One of the biggest mistakes founders make is hiring too early, bringing in salespeople before they’ve built a strong GTM foundation.

Wait until founder-led sales becomes a bottleneck, then bring on the right people.

When hiring, look for reps who thrive in ambiguity and aren’t afraid to test and learn. And as you scale, document learnings, build your playbook, and use tools like Ginni AI to coach reps and ensure consistency across every call.

Final Nuggets

• Founder-led sales doesn’t end early, it’s a channel that scales and compounds through personal branding and trust.

• Cold calling still works, especially in the right industries and regions.

• Content-led growth and “GEO” (Generative Engine Optimization) are rising trends worth exploring.

• Multichannel outbound + warm intros = underrated growth engine.

Closing Thought

“A startup is a learning machine. Your only job is to learn faster than everyone else.”

Building repeatable growth isn’t a one-time event — it’s a mindset.

Test fast. Learn fast. Adjust faster.

If you're building your GTM motion and want to hear the full conversation, you can watch the recording here →

🔍 Explore how Ginni AI helps sales teams coach reps, analyze sales calls, and build smarter GTM strategies: https://ginni.ai