The Role of AI in GTM — Derek Evjenth, Adobe
About the episode
If AI can find the lead and write the email… what still separates the best GTM teams from everyone else?
In this episode of Futureproof, Xano CEO Prakash Chandran talks with Derek Evjenth, longtime go-to-market leader and current enterprise sales lead at Adobe, about what it really takes to build a successful GTM strategy in the age of AI. Derek draws on his journey from bootstrapped founder at Second Media to Salesforce enterprise rep, startup advisor, and now Adobe leader to explain why mastering fundamentals still beats chasing shortcuts. Together, they dig into how AI changes research and outreach, where human connection still wins, how to manage change inside sales orgs, and why maybe, just maybe, AI isn’t the secret to the last mile of selling.
Topics covered include:
- Fundamentals over shortcuts: Why a clear sales process, ICP definition, and stage discipline matter more than any single AI tool.
- AI as a force multiplier, not a closer: How AI can collapse hours of research into minutes — but can’t replace real conversations, trust, and in-person connection.
- The new AI-literate seller: Why BDRs, SDRs, and AEs need prompt engineering, call recording, and data hygiene as part of their core skill set.
- Beyond the sale: How post-sale partnership, call insights, and customer success alignment turn wins into long-term, referenceable relationships.
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Chapters
00:00
Intro and Guest Background
Prakash introduces Derek Evjenth, covering his experience across startups, Salesforce, advisory roles, and now enterprise sales at Adobe.
01:00
Early Career and Founder Story
Derek shares how competitive hockey shaped his mindset, how he broke into media sales, and how he bootstrapped Second Media from almost nothing to a successful exit.
04:00
From Startup to Enterprise (and Back Again)
How ten years building a company, then time at Salesforce and multiple startups, gave Derek a 360° view of GTM across every stage.
06:00
Mastering the Fundamentals of Sales
Derek breaks down what “fundamentals” really mean — clear stages, disciplined process, deep ICP understanding — and why they’re non-negotiable in any sales org.
08:00
AI and the Changing Sales Process
From 1:1 emails to mass outreach to today’s AI-powered research: how sales has evolved, and why the “spray and pray” era is over.
11:00
AI SDRs vs. Human Connection
Derek shares his take on AI-driven SDRs, where they might work in transactional sales — and why complex enterprise deals still require real humans.
14:00
Becoming AI-Literate as a Seller
Why new sellers need prompt engineering and AI fluency, and how tools like ChatGPT can make BDRs and SDRs dramatically more effective.
17:00
Change Management and Workflow Disruption
Why reps resist workflow disruption, and how to sell teams on 10–20% time savings.
20:00
Enterprise vs. Startup Adoption
The contrast between nimble startups and risk-averse enterprises, and why security, governance, and brand safety drive tool choices at scale.
23:00
The New Buyer and Deep Discovery
How AI-powered research lets sellers skip surface-level questions and focus discovery on real pain, metrics, and business value.
26:00
Efficiency Over Growth-at-All-Costs
Derek contrasts the “growth at all costs” era with today’s efficiency-driven mindset, where tight stacks, lean teams, and AI-powered productivity matter most.
29:00
Post-Sale Success and Retention
Why the sale is only the midpoint: Derek explains how he partners with customer success and uses context to ensure smooth handoffs and real value realization.
33:00
Tools of the Trade: AI in the Sales Stack
Derek shares his favorite tools, from Microsoft Copilot to Sybill and Fyxer, and explains why call recording and CRM integration are now fundamentals.
37:00
Evolving Lead Generation and Brand Affinity
How buyers now discover tools via social, communities, and PLG — and why strong brand, simple value props, and smart creative matter more than ever.
40:00
Lightning Round: Myths and Misconceptions
Derek tackles common beliefs — from “in-person meetings aren’t that important” to “more salespeople equals more revenue” — and why he disagrees.
42:30
Predictions and Advice for GTM Leaders
Derek shares a contrarian prediction about AI’s role in GTM, and offers closing advice for leaders trying to balance experimentation with clear-eyed focus.
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