Compress the pre-call into three slides
Pre-call machine: ChatGPT value prop on the account, cross-ref yours, Deep Research the pair, compress into a Google Doc, Zapier to Slack and a three-slide POV deck.
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James Kaikis
The B2B sales cycle is collapsing. I highlight how GTM Operators navigate the change. | GTMshift + SolutionExec | Co-Founded PreSales Collective (Acq. 2021)
ex-PavilionThe B2B sales cycle is collapsing. Most GTM teams haven't caught up yet.
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I've spent the last decade operating inside this shift — across Sales, Solutions, and GTM leadership at companies like Salesforce and Showpad, then as a founder. In 2020 I co-founded PreSales Collective, which grew to 35,000+ members across four business lines before being acquired by Sylva in 2021. That experience — building a category-defining community from zero — shapes everything I believe about where GTM is heading. Now I run two things: GTMshift - research, interviews, and live events for GTM leaders navigating the AI shift. Engineering Tailwinds is our flagship event series bringing together revenue and engineering leaders redefining how B2B companies go to market. SolutionExec - the first executive private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. Co-founded with Jeff Margolese, GVP of Global Solutions at ServiceNow. I cover: The collapse of the traditional B2B sales cycle → AI's role in redefining how companies sell and buy → Why Solutions and PreSales is the most strategically critical GTM function right now Active on LinkedIn, Substack, and in rooms that matter. If you lead revenue, solutions, or GTM at a B2B SaaS company - follow me. com | com
GTM Index
- SOLUTIONEXECJOB
- Co-Founder9M
Co-Founder
SolutionExec
The first executive private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. Co-founded with Jeff Margolese, GVP of Global Solutions at ServiceNow. Programming, peer roundtables, and content for VP and C-level Solutions Executives navigating the next era of go-to-market.
- GTMSHIFTJOB
- Founder7Y 9M
Founder
GTMshift
Research, interviews, and live events for GTM leaders navigating the AI shift in B2B SaaS. Home of Engineering Tailwinds - a live event series bringing together revenue and engineering leaders redefining how B2B companies go to market. Publishing consistently on what the modern GTM motion actually looks like in practice.
- GTMFUNDJOB
- Limited Partner4Y 11M
Limited Partner
GTMfund
LP in GTMfund, a venture fund backed by and investing in the next generation of go-to-market leaders building category-defining B2B SaaS companies.
- STAGE 2 CAPITALJOB
- Limited Partner, Stage 2 C…4Y 7M
Limited Partner, Stage 2 Capital Catalyst
Stage 2 Capital
LP in Stage 2 Capital Catalyst, supporting early stage B2B SaaS founders with go-to-market coaching and capital.
- PAVILIONJOB
- CRO Functional Leader11M
CRO Functional Leader
Pavilion
Led the CRO functional track at Pavilion, developing programming and content for revenue leaders across the B2B SaaS community.
- TESTBOXJOB
- Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)7M
Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
TestBox
Operated as Chief Revenue Officer at an AI-powered demo and sandbox platform for B2B software buyers. Led GTM strategy across sales, solutions, and customer experience. Pivoted the company's category positioning, rebuilt the GTM motion, and drove meaningful pipeline growth in a capital-efficient environment.
- Head of GTM1Y 3M
Head of Go-To-Market / Chief Solutions Officer
TestBox
Joined to build and lead the solutions and GTM motion at an AI-powered demo and sandbox platform for B2B software buyers. Rebuilt the go-to-market approach from the ground up post pivot.
- SYLVAJOB
- General Mgr (Post PSC Acqu…1Y 7M
General Manager (Post PSC Acquisition)
Sylva
Post-acquisition leadership role managing the PreSales Collective business under Sylva following the November 2021 acquisition.
- PRESALES ACADEMYJOB
- Co-Founder (Acquired, Nov…1Y 11M
Co-Founder (Acquired, Nov 2021)
PreSales Academy
Built alongside PreSales Collective, PreSales Academy was created to solve a different problem — access. Not everyone has a clear path into a Solutions or PreSales career, and we believed that needed to change. PreSales Academy provided a 10-week job-ready training program designed to bring underrepresented talent into one of the fastest growing roles in B2B SaaS. From training to placement, we built the pipeline that the industry wasn't building itself.
- PRESALES COLLECTIVEJOB
- Host: The PreSales Podcast…3Y
Host: The PreSales Podcast (Acquired, Nov 2021)
PreSales Collective
https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast PreSales Podcast is dedicated to bringing awareness to the amazing work being done by amazing PreSales professionals around the globe. Launched every Monday at 5 am CT, PreSales Podcast is the podcast for Sales Engineers, Solutions Consultants, Solution Architectures, Value Engineers, and all future PreSales professionals. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2CwKZTy Apple: https://apple.co/30yRvBq Google: https://bit.ly/3hk9YbB
- Co-Founder (Acquired, Nov…3Y 5M
Co-Founder (Acquired, Nov 2021)
PreSales Collective
In 2020, we saw a gap - there was no real home for Solutions and PreSales professionals to learn, grow, and connect at scale. So we built one. PreSales Collective grew from a simple idea into a global movement — 35,000+ members, four business lines, a full-time team, a podcast, events, and a certification program — all dedicated to elevating the PreSales profession. What started as a community became a category. In November 2021, PreSales Collective was acquired by Sylva — a milestone that validated just how underserved this profession had been and how much it needed a dedicated home. Building PSC shaped everything I believe about GTM today - that the Solutions function is the most strategi…
- SALESFORCEJOB
- Dir, Solutions Eng0M
Director, Solutions Engineering
Salesforce
Led Solutions Engineering teams at one of the most sophisticated GTM organizations in enterprise SaaS. Built firsthand understanding of how world-class solutions motions operate at scale.
- Senior Mgr, Solutions Eng1Y 3M
Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering
Salesforce
- Job: SolutionExec — Co-Founder · 2026-01 – present · 7 mo — The first executive private network built exclusively for Solutions leaders in B2B SaaS. Co-founded with Jeff Margolese, GVP of Global Solutions at ServiceNow. Programming, peer roundtables, and content for VP and C-level Solutions Executives navigating the next era of go-to-market.
- Job: GTMshift — Founder · 2019-01 – present · 7y 7mo — Research, interviews, and live events for GTM leaders navigating the AI shift in B2B SaaS. Home of Engineering Tailwinds - a live event series bringing together revenue and engineering leaders redefining how B2B companies go to market. Publishing consistently on what the modern GTM motion actually looks like in practice.
- Job: GTMfund — Limited Partner · 2021-11 – present · 4y 9mo — LP in GTMfund, a venture fund backed by and investing in the next generation of go-to-market leaders building category-defining B2B SaaS companies.
- Job: Stage 2 Capital — Limited Partner, Stage 2 Capital Catalyst · 2022-03 – present · 4y 5mo — LP in Stage 2 Capital Catalyst, supporting early stage B2B SaaS founders with go-to-market coaching and capital.
- Job: Pavilion — CRO Functional Leader · 2025-01 – 2025-12 · 11 mo — Led the CRO functional track at Pavilion, developing programming and content for revenue leaders across the B2B SaaS community.
- Job: TestBox — Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) · 2024-12 – 2025-07 · 7 mo — Operated as Chief Revenue Officer at an AI-powered demo and sandbox platform for B2B software buyers. Led GTM strategy across sales, solutions, and customer experience. Pivoted the company's category positioning, rebuilt the GTM motion, and drove meaningful pipeline growth in a capital-efficient environment.
- Job: TestBox — Head of Go-To-Market / Chief Solutions Officer · 2023-09 – 2024-12 · 1y 3mo — Joined to build and lead the solutions and GTM motion at an AI-powered demo and sandbox platform for B2B software buyers. Rebuilt the go-to-market approach from the ground up post pivot.
- Job: Sylva — General Manager (Post PSC Acquisition) · 2021-11 – 2023-06 · 1y 7mo — Post-acquisition leadership role managing the PreSales Collective business under Sylva following the November 2021 acquisition.
- Job: PreSales Academy — Co-Founder (Acquired, Nov 2021) · 2021-07 – 2023-06 · 1y 11mo — Built alongside PreSales Collective, PreSales Academy was created to solve a different problem — access. Not everyone has a clear path into a Solutions or PreSales career, and we believed that needed to change. PreSales Academy provided a 10-week job-ready training program designed to bring underrepresented talent into one of the fastest growing roles in B2B SaaS. From training to placement, we built the pipeline that the industry wasn't building itself.
- Job: PreSales Collective — Host: The PreSales Podcast (Acquired, Nov 2021) · 2020-06 – 2023-06 · 3y — https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast PreSales Podcast is dedicated to bringing awareness to the amazing work being done by amazing PreSales professionals around the globe. Launched every Monday at 5 am CT, PreSales Podcast is the podcast for Sales Engineers, Solutions Consultants, Solution Architectures, Value Engineers, and all future PreSales professionals. Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2CwKZTy Apple: https://apple.co/30yRvBq Google: https://bit.ly/3hk9YbB
- Job: PreSales Collective — Co-Founder (Acquired, Nov 2021) · 2020-01 – 2023-06 · 3y 5mo — In 2020, we saw a gap - there was no real home for Solutions and PreSales professionals to learn, grow, and connect at scale. So we built one. PreSales Collective grew from a simple idea into a global movement — 35,000+ members, four business lines, a full-time team, a podcast, events, and a certification program — all dedicated to elevating the PreSales profession. What started as a community became a category. In November 2021, PreSales Collective was acquired by Sylva — a milestone that validated just how underserved this profession had been and how much it needed a dedicated home. Building PSC shaped everything I believe about GTM today - that the Solutions function is the most strategi…
- Job: Salesforce — Director, Solutions Engineering · 2021-02 – 2021-02 · 0 mo — Led Solutions Engineering teams at one of the most sophisticated GTM organizations in enterprise SaaS. Built firsthand understanding of how world-class solutions motions operate at scale.
- Job: Salesforce — Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering · 2019-10 – 2021-01 · 1y 3mo
- School: University of Nevada-Las Vegas — Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
- School: Ohio University — Master’s Degree, Sports Sciences
- School: University of Nevada-Las Vegas — Bachelor’s Degree, Education
Skills
Playbooks
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