GTM: The End of GTM Sprawl: How HockeyStack is Rebuilding Go-to-Market Around AI, with Co-Founder Emir Atli
GTM: The End of GTM Sprawl: How HockeyStack is Rebuilding Go-to-Market Around AI, with Co-Founder Emir Atli  
Podcast: The GTMnow Podcast
Published On: Tue Feb 17 2026
Description: Emir Atli (Co-founder and CRO of HockeyStack) joins GTMnow to share how go-to-market is shifting in the AI era — from fragmented tools and GTM sprawl to unified, AI-native platforms built on a single data foundation.Originally known for attribution and market intelligence, HockeyStack is evolving into a central operating system for go-to-market, spanning marketing, sales, and post-sales through AI agents, blueprints, and an execution layer.We also explore weekly GTM sprints, founder-led content as a pipeline driver (even with In this episode, we cover:- Why you can’t layer AI onto legacy GTM — you must rebuild GTM around AI- The “sprawl crisis” and why siloed tools break without a single data foundation- HockeyStack’s evolution from attribution to a unified GTM operating system- AI agents, blueprints, and the shift from reporting to execution- Why consolidation is moving from tools to full buyer journey control- The case for a winner-takes-all GTM platform- How AI increases leverage across reps, managers, and pipeline reviews- Weekly GTM sprints and faster iteration cycles in the AI era- Founder-led content as a core growth engine and pipeline driver- LinkedIn as a top channel for MQL-to-opportunity and deal acceleration- The 10-year mindset, YC lessons, and building a generational companyGuest links: Emir Atli - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emiratli/- HockeyStack - Website: https://www.hockeystack.com/- HockeyStack - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hockeystack/Host links:- Sophie Buonassisi - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiebuonassisi/- Sophie Buonassisi - X (Twitter): https://x.com/sophiebuona- Newsletter: https://thegtmnewsletter.substack.comSponsors:Granola - the AI notepad that turns meetings into action by capturing context, decisions, and next steps automatically. Head to https://www.granola.ai/?via=gtmfund&dub_id=ytmcNnCjtlqCbgH5 and get three months free with the code GTMFUND.Transcript available under the episode here: https://gtmnow.com/tag/podcast/Subscribe to GTMnow for the latest episodes! https://gtmnow.com/Highlights:00:00 – The GTM sprawl crisis and why AI breaks in siloed systems01:50 – From attribution to a GTM operating system02:41 – Launching AI agents, blueprints, and the execution layer in 202603:57 – Building a single data foundation across the buyer journey05:09 – Why GTM must be rebuilt around AI (not layered with tools)06:23 – Doing "more with more" and increasing management leverage07:30 – Tool consolidation vs controlling the buyer journey08:48 – 2026–2028: the great GTM consolidation wave09:01 – The case for a winner-takes-all GTM platform10:10 – Moat: data foundation + application layer11:35 – Expanding horizontally across marketing, sales, and post-sales14:28 – Running GTM in weekly sprints like an engineering org14:46 – Content as a core investment and distribution strategy15:26 – Why connected TV works for B2B brand trust16:43 – Faster GTM iteration cycles in the AI era17:47 – LinkedIn as the top pipeline and opportunity channel18:12 – Product stories, personal stories, and data stories in content21:02 – How founders carve out time to create content22:43 – Generating first customers from LinkedIn with 23:45 – Founding journey: pivoting into market intelligence25:37 – YC lesson: make something people love before scaling27:18 – The 10-year commitment mindset from YC advice30:13 – Executive coaching and founder bottlenecks31:53 – In-person culture and competing in the AI era33:26 – Whiteboarding interviews vs AI-generated case studies34:35 – Final advice: build a good business and enjoy the processFor inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email gtmnow@gtmfund.comGTMnow is a media brand brought to you by VC firm, GTMfund: https://gtmfund.com/