# How Software Startup InsightSquared Wrestled with Creating an Optimal Sales and Marketing Strategy

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/cold-call-634317/how-software-startup-insightsquared-wrestled-with-creating-an-optimal-sales-and-marketing-strategy.md
Podcast: [Cold Call](https://stenobird.com/podcast/cold-call-634317)
Published: 2026-03-17T11:10:39+00:00
Episode link: https://hbr.org/podcast/2026/03/how-software-startup-insightsquared-wrestled-with-creating-an-optimal-sales-and-marketing-strategy
Audio file: https://audio.hbr.org/cold-call/20260313164835-HowSoftwareStartupInsightSquaredWrestledwithCreatinganOptimalSalesandMarketingStrategy.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1907

## Resource

Software startup InsightSquared had recently hit $2 million in revenue and secured an $8 million round of venture capital. However, the founders disagreed on the path ahead, specifically on the sales and marketing plan. Should they focus on a sales-centric approach to growth or a marketing-centric one? Which strategy was optimal for their venture’s next phase of growth? Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Mark Roberge joins Brian Kenny to discuss the case, “InsightSquared: Developing the Sales and Marketing Plan” and ideas related to his new book, The Science of Scaling.

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## Transcript

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