
Sales-Led, Marketing-Supported: GTM Philosophy That Scales | The GTM Kickback #87 w Trent Waterhouse
Trent Waterhouse has spent 35+ years scaling B2B technology and software businesses as CEO and CMO at private equity-backed companies across Gores Group, Marlin Equity, and Angeles Equity Partners. He's driven EBITDA swings of up to $80M and led successful exits to acquirers including GE, Constellation Software, and Enghouse.In this episode, Trent breaks down the GTM philosophy that has guided his work across every business he's touched: build a sales-led, marketing-supported organization — and do what you say you're going to do. We get into what that model actually looks like in practice, why so many organizations fail to execute it despite claiming to, and how that foundation of trust and accountability compounds over time into a culture that genuinely drives revenue.What we cover:- Why the sales-led, marketing-supported model holds up across different industries, company sizes, and PE mandates- What true sales and marketing alignment looks like structurally — and what has to change when it breaks down- How "do what you say you're going to do" functions as more than a personal value — and why it's the operating principle behind high-performing GTM teams- How Trent applies this philosophy when walking into a new portfolio company for the first timeIf you're a revenue leader, operator, or investor looking to build GTM organizations that actually scale, this one is worth your time.The GTM Kickback is a podcast for go-to-market leaders, revenue operators, and the investors who back them.



