TMMF #036 · June 25, 2025

The Go-To-Market Strategist

Mastering Customer Discovery, Positioning & Channel Selection.

Guest: Maja Voje Messaging Show notes

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Why listen

The signal, minus the noise.

“74% of products fail not because the products are bad but because of GTM mistakes. And even average products succeed if the plan is solid.”

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of go-to-market strategy with Maja Voje, a seasoned GTM strategist who has spent 15 years working with companies across the spectrum – from unicorns like Google and Rocket Internet to enterprises like Bayer and Heineken, as well as over 800 startups.

We explore the universal truths about successful go-to-market strategies that many founders overlook, with Maja emphasizing the critical importance of customer discovery. She shares insights on why companies resist talking to customers despite knowing they should, and how this resistance stems from evolutionary psychology, ego, and prioritization challenges.

Steal these ideas

At 00:59, Chris and Maja dig into the universal truth about go-to-market success — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation
At 02:00, Chris and Maja dig into why companies avoid customer discovery — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation
At 05:58, Chris and Maja dig into making go-to-market a science — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation
At 09:58, Chris and Maja dig into the beachhead strategy for market segmentation — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation
At 13:58, Chris and Maja dig into positioning vs

Key topics covered

A skimmable map of the conversation.

Start with the idea you need, then jump into the full episode when something catches.

The Universal Truth About Go-To-Market Success

At 00:59, Chris and Maja dig into the universal truth about go-to-market success — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Why Companies Avoid Customer Discovery

At 02:00, Chris and Maja dig into why companies avoid customer discovery — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Making Go-To-Market a Science

At 05:58, Chris and Maja dig into making go-to-market a science — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

The Beachhead Strategy for Market Segmentation

At 09:58, Chris and Maja dig into the beachhead strategy for market segmentation — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Positioning vs. Branding: What Comes First

At 13:58, Chris and Maja dig into positioning vs. branding: what comes first — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Building in Public: Strategic Approaches

At 18:58, Chris and Maja dig into building in public: strategic approaches — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Creating a Differentiated Value Proposition

At 24:58, Chris and Maja dig into creating a differentiated value proposition — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Testing Messaging with Limited Resources

At 31:58, Chris and Maja dig into testing messaging with limited resources — a useful jump-in point if you want the practical part of this episode without scanning the whole conversation.

Show notes

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Use the timestamps as shortcuts: scan the arc, skip the obvious bit, replay the useful bit.