
How Software Startup InsightSquared Wrestled with Creating an Optimal Sales and Marketing Strategy
From Cold Call by HBR Presents / Brian Kenny
March 17, 2026 · 32 min · Episode 278
About this episode
Mark Roberge joins Brian Kenny to discuss InsightSquared's strategic dilemma between sales and marketing approaches for growth.
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.
People in this episode
Host: Brian Kenny
Guest: Mark Roberge
Topics covered
- sales strategy
- marketing strategy
- startup growth
- venture capital
- business development
Keywords
- InsightSquared
- sales-centric
- marketing-centric
- venture capital
- startup strategy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: InsightSquared, Harvard Business School
Books & works: The Science of Scaling, InsightSquared: Developing the Sales and Marketing Plan
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