We still have room.
This is an exclusive gathering at TC Disrupt of AI-first founders and forward-thinking VCs, reshaping the future of software, which will take place on October 28, in San Francisco, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. We have a bigger space, and more spots have opened up.
This is where the future of SaaS gets built, funded, and scaled.
A descent into the strobelit underground of the 80s and 90s industrial, EBM, and darkwave made for smoke-filled floors and steel-cold hearts. BTW, this ChatGPT Spotify connector is wild. I had been asking AI to help make the playlists, and now you can just import them directly into Spotify.
Founders always ask me: "How much should I spend on marketing?" But that’s the wrong question.
The right question is: "What actually matters at your stage?"
(Click here to get the Google sheet of Sample B2B Startup Marketing Budgets. Don’t request access. Make a copy and go to town on this version.)
Because I've seen pre-seed startups blow $5,000/month on Google Ads when they don't even have a functional signup page. I've watched seed-stage companies hire a full-time content person before they've figured out what content they need, let alone what converts. And I've seen a Series A startup run an expensive OOH (Out Of Home, think billboards and bus shelters) brand campaign targeting developers (I guess they take the bus) when they couldn’t effectively explain the product in a 30-minute-long Zoom call.
Your marketing budget isn't just about how much you spend. It's about what works, and where you should focus at each stage.
Here's the breakdown that most other marketers won’t give you.
Pre-Seed: $10,000/Month (Or: Get to Default Alive)
The Reality: At pre-seed, you're not "doing marketing." You're running science experiments with a credit card. Your entire job is to figure out if anyone actually wants what you're building before you run out of money.
Focus: Content and your core messaging.
Here's Where Your $10K Actually Goes:
Content Marketing: 40% ($4,000/month)
AI automation tools ($1,500)
Actual human copywriting ($1,500)
Social media management ($700)
Design and visuals ($300)
Digital Foundation: 25% ($2,500/month)
Website development and hosting ($1,500)
Email marketing tools ($500)
Analytics and tracking ($500)
Lead Gen & Events: 20% ($2,000/month)
Events and trade shows ($1,000)
Social media / newsletter ads ($800)
List building ($200)
Brand Development: 15% ($1,500/month)
PR and outreach ($800)
Marketing collateral ($400)
Brand identity ($300)
Seed Stage: $35,000/Month (Or: Time to Figure Out What Actually Works)
The Reality: You've raised some money. Congratulations. Now comes the hard part: spending it so it has a big impact. At seed, you have just enough traction to be dangerous. Now you need to build a growth marketing engine.
Focus: Amplifying your message with paid.
Here's Your $35K Breakdown:
Growth Marketing: 45% ($15,700/month)
Paid ads / Paid social ($4,000)
Events and trade shows ($4,000)
Newsletters ($2,500)
Influencer partnerships ($2,000)
Referral program incentives ($1,500)
Growth experiments ($1,000)
Community building ($500)
List building ($200)
Content Marketing: 21% ($7,300/month)
AI automation tools ($2,500)
Content and copywriting ($3,500)
Video content production ($1,000)
Design and visuals ($300)
Marketing Technology: 13% ($4,500/month)
CRM and marketing automation ($2,000)
Analytics and attribution tools ($1,500)
A/B testing tools ($400)
Social media management platforms ($600)
Digital Foundation: 11% ($4,000/month)
Website development and hosting ($2,500)
Analytics and tracking tools ($1,000)
Email marketing tools ($500)
Brand Development: 10% ($3,500/month)
PR agency or consultant ($2,000)
Marketing collateral ($700)
Brand identity and design ($500)
Brand partnerships ($300)
Series A: $100,000/Month (Or: Building the Machine)
The Reality: You've raised more money. You have real traction. Now you need to operationalize go-to-market. Series A isn't about scrappiness anymore. It's about systems, processes, and predictability.
Focus: Creating go-to-market SOPs (Standards Operating Procedures).
Here's How You Spend $100K Without Lighting It on Fire:
Growth Marketing: 45% ($45,000/month)
Google Ads and search marketing ($15,000)
Social media advertising ($12,000)
Display and programmatic ($6,000)
Retargeting and remarketing ($4,000)
Testing emerging channels ($3,000)
AI automation ($2,000)
Growth experiments ($1,000)
Email marketing tools ($1,000)
Community building ($1,000)
Brand Development: 20% ($22,000/month)
PR agency retainer ($9,000)
Website development and hosting ($5,000)
Brand campaigns ($2,500)
Design and creative tools ($1,000)
Thought leadership ($1,000)
Brand identity and design ($1,500)
Content Marketing: 20% ($20,000/month)
Content team salaries/contractors ($10,000)
AI automation tools ($4,000)
Video/audio production ($3,500)
Graphic design and visuals ($2,500)
Marketing Operations: 15% ($15,000/month)
AI and marketing automation ($4,000)
CRM and sales tools ($3,500):
Analytics and BI tools ($3,000)
Testing and optimization tools ($2,500)
Analytics and tracking tools ($2,000)
Remember, These Budgets Aren't Rigid Rules
The best founders I work with know that there is no prize for following this precisely. They use them as a starting point, then adapt based on what's actually working for their business. Maybe you need to plow every dollar into paid ads? Or maybe it’s events and hackathons?
It’s about understanding what matters at your stage, investing in the fundamentals, and making every dollar you spend count.
Click here to get the Google sheet of Sample B2B Startup Marketing Budgets that this edition of the newsletter was based on.
No new show this week. I am busy moving.
Watch episode 018: This episode hits Apple CEO rumors, OpenAI’s app marketplace, the rise of spec-driven development, deepfake ethics, and the grind behind creating viral content. Plus: Mark Cuban’s AI challenge, Sora’s cultural shockwave, and Gregory’s chaotic SF event planning.
NEW From Zero to 1M in ARR - How to Market Your Startup: Slides from the most popular talk at Seattle Tech Week. →
How to Monetize Your Climate Startup: Strategies for transforming environmental tech into businesses. →
100 Reasons Customers Say “No” (And How to Make Them Say “Yes”): A Comprehensive Google Sheet breaks down 100 fixes. →
30-Day SaaS Growth Plan Template: Designed for technical founders who’d rather be building. →
How to get your first 1,000 followers on 𝕏: Building a large following on 𝕏 in 2025 is still possible. →
VC Pitch Deck Templates for Founders: Based on the legendary Sequoia deck, built for real fundraising. →
Perhaps you’ve been following me on social media and reading this newsletter, but you’re hesitant to reach out. I can promise you this: Vibe Your SaaS is a fraction of the cost of Y Combinator, and you will get way more value.
But here's what makes VYS different: You get me, Gregory Kennedy, a Silicon Valley veteran and three-time startup head of marketing. Every week for one hour. Plus, phone, email, and chat access. No gatekeepers.
I'm Gregory Kennedy, former creative director, 3x head of marketing, and founder of Vibe Your SaaS. I help early-stage startups build real momentum with strategic clarity, AI-driven execution, and zero BS.
How am I doing? What do you want more of, or maybe less of? Write me back and let me know your thoughts. I will write you back. It’s a promise.
