In this candid and insightful interview, we are thrilled to bring you an engaging discussion with Gal Deitsch, the tenacious founder of Aligned, a cutting-edge B2B sales tech company. Hailing from Tel Aviv, Deitsch shares the compelling narrative behind the inception of Aligned, a company born out of a real-life experience that highlighted the glaring gaps in orchestrating sales in the modern, digital world.

Deitsch's vision of creating a collaborative workspace, a "single source of truth" for deals, aims to help sellers and buyers close deals faster by centralizing content, conversations, and processes.

In our conversation, he not only delves into the workings of Aligned but also touches on topics such as his initial struggles, the importance of embracing AI, and insights on securing funding. Join us as we explore the journey of Aligned, its mission, and Deitsch's experience as an entrepreneur on a mission to revolutionize the sales tech landscape.

Gal Deitsch Unveils Aligned's Origins: Building Bridges in B2B Sales with a Single Source of Truth

In the realm of high-stakes B2B sales, orchestrating multifaceted deal negotiations and closing them can be tantamount to moving mountains. Gal Deitsch, the Co-founder and CEO of Aligned, embarked on his journey to bring some much-needed simplicity to this intricate process. The foundation of Aligned came about from a transformative experience Gal had during his stint as a Sales Director, where an otherwise lucrative $300,000 deal slipped away. The reason wasn't a dearth of product superiority or a lack of compelling offer, rather the orchestration of various stakeholders turned out to be the Achilles' heel. As Gal shared, "There's a huge, huge fail scene in deals today. Multiple forms of communication and stakeholders make it very hard to orchestrate." This profound revelation opened the path towards the conception of Aligned.

Aligned, in essence, is a collaborative platform in the B2B space, providing a singular workspace for both sellers and buyers. It's designed to accelerate deal closure by centralizing content, conversation, and process, ensuring all the key pieces fit together cohesively. The primary goal is to eliminate the communication chaos that can often impede a successful negotiation. Gal succinctly encapsulates Aligned's mission, "We're enabling sellers and buyers to centralize their content, conversation, and process under a single source of truth for the deal."

The journey from ideation to realization was far from a cakewalk. Gal quit his full-time job and started working as a consultant, advising young CEOs and VPs of sales at small startups. This not only gave him breathing room to thoroughly analyze the market and its competition but also to flesh out his novel idea. When reflecting on his initial steps, Gal remarked, "I Googled 'how to build a startup,' 'how to make sure your idea is good,' 'how to find a co-founder.' It takes time to research and look for the right answers." Today, Aligned has evolved, acknowledging the indispensability of artificial intelligence, and they are proactively integrating AI into their offerings, seeing it as an opportunity rather than a threat. Gal believes, "If you don't make friends with AI, you're being left behind. Better keep up with innovation." Indeed, the future for Aligned looks exciting as it continues to carve its path in the B2B Sales Tech space.

Betting on a Winning Horse: The Startup Journey of Gal Deitsch and the Digital Sales Revolution

In a market that demands results before investment, Gal highlights the essentials for entrepreneurs seeking venture capital (VC) support. Reflecting on his journey, Gal lays down the basic tenets of securing funding. "You gotta have a really, really, really strong problem you want to solve, a clear indication of how you want to solve it, and show initial traction before you speak to the VCs." His key takeaway, encapsulated in the metaphor of VCs betting on a sure-running horse, underscores the importance of demonstrating tangible progress and potential to any investor.

Having navigated their initial funding phase with a dexterity borne from their sales background, Gal and his team present an optimistic picture. Their ability to package their startup as an enticing investment, coupled with their strategic position within a booming industry, kept rejections to a minimum. "We were pretty fortunate in terms of the funding and we didn't have the majority of challenges that we're seeing for other startups," Gal shares, an acknowledgment of both skill and serendipity.

With growth being a perennial goal, the team leverages their sales acumen in a unique approach, termed as Product Led Growth (PLG). This model allowed users to experience the product first-hand, encouraging viral growth as satisfied customers drew in more users. Gal reveals, "We have sellers signing up to the platform, they're using digital sales rooms to communicate with buyers. Buyers then are excited and they sign into the platform." This symbiotic cycle of growth characterizes the company's success, but Gal is quick to note the challenges, too. His quote resonates, "On one hand, you want to run really, really fast and grow as fast as possible. On the other hand, the market is not what it used to be, and you want to make sure that you're efficient, and you have enough gasoline to run the time." The delicate balance between speed and sustainability in a changing market is a challenge he faces head-on.

An Inside Look into Gal Deitsch’s Remote Working Magic and Growth Mantras

In a fascinating reveal, Gal discussed how his firm fosters a globally dispersed yet unified workforce. A weekly remote happy hour is the secret sauce, where every Thursday evening, team members from across the globe connect for some fun and learning. The company invites influencers, comedians, and experts to add zest and intellectual stimulus to these sessions. Gal highlights that this practice has not just maintained team coherence but has also served as an avenue to cultivate a unified vision despite geographical constraints.

In the race of building a robust team, Gal laid bare the qualities he cherishes while bringing new members on board. "Simplicity, teamwork, playfulness, and an innate hunger to strive" form the key criteria. The selection, Gal asserts, is not merely based on one's professional skills but whether their personal ethos resonates with the company's values. He divulges, "We are not just hiring employees, we are bringing builders who will be the future team leaders, directors and the fundamental building blocks of our company."

In the tumultuous market scenario, Gal confidently remarked about his company's unique positioning. He perceives his firm as the lifeline for sales teams striving to cut through the noise and close deals in this chaotic market. The product isn't just another software, it's an aid to survival, a resource that clients can rely on to seal their deals and safeguard them from falling through. As Gal wisely sums it up, "We are their extra lives in the game." Now that's a perspective worth embracing!

Redefining Collaborative Sales: An Insightful Journey with Gal

From a thought-provoking blend of innovation, teamwork, and commitment to simplicity, Gal enlightens us on how his organization has become a cornerstone of unity and progression in the world of digital sales. Every Thursday, the team leans into a virtual "happy hour," inviting influencers, lecturers, and comedians to spark creativity and foster unity among the team, irrespective of geographical boundaries. "It's something that unifies the team and brings them together," Gal affirms. This unifying principle transcends into their operations as they strive to keep their teams intact and to build a company culture that fosters growth and innovation.

At the heart of their hiring process, simplicity, collaboration, and teamwork dominate. "We put a lot of emphasis on teamwork, working together as a team," Gal states. Their unique hiring approach prizes those who are straightforward in thought and action, and who naturally embody their company's values. The organization believes in nurturing builders who can evolve into team leaders and directors, creating a self-sustaining cycle of growth within the company. As Gal succinctly puts it, "the builders today will be team leaders and directors in the next round. And these are the building blocks of our company in each and every department."

As we delve into the future, Gal presents a visionary outlook for the sales industry. The advent of 'Aligned' aims to bring about a revolutionary change, transitioning from the traditional email-driven sales techniques to a collaborative platform for sellers and buyers. He sees Aligned becoming the go-to for managing everything revolving around a deal. This leap towards an era of streamlined sales processes is born out of a desire to simplify the buyer's life, making the buyer's journey as easy as possible, "to simplify the buyer's life, not only the seller's life, and that's what we did with Aligned."

In the inspiring words of Gal, "It's always better to regret something you did than something you didn't. You only lose when you stop trying." His resilience and persistent strive towards innovation and simplification serve as the catalyst behind his revolutionary sales platform, setting a new norm in the digital sales landscape.

Rusana Shkaraban

Podcast Host at Temy

Are you ready to peel back the layers and uncover the real story behind industry leaders’ success? As a Podcast Host and Writer at Bright Founders Talk, that’s exactly what I’m here to do. Whether the journey was smooth sailing or filled with bumps in the road, I’m here to get our guests to remove the smoke and mirrors and share their authentic experiences. We all have a story to tell, and my job is to get to the nitty-gritty of it all, picking their brains to reveal secrets to their success.