The GTM Engine Behind 10M+ Users | Franz-Josef Schrepf | S4:E3

In Season 4, Episode 3 of Force and Friction Podcast, we welcome Franz-Josef Schrepf, GTM and partnerships leader at Opus Clip and one of the most thoughtful voices redefining the partnership space.

Franz played a key role in scaling Hopin from 16 employees to hypergrowth during the pandemic and is now helping Opus Clip scale past 10 million users through a product-led and partner-powered strategy.

In this episode, we unpack Franz’s playbooks, frameworks, and first-principle thinking behind building GTM engines that scale, and how partnerships go from tactical to transformative when they’re aligned with what customers actually need.

Franz-Josef Schrepf

Franz-Josef Schrepf is a leading voice in the partnerships space and currently serves as Head of Strategic Partnerships at OpusClip, the world’s #1 AI video editing tool used by over 10 million creators and businesses globally.

Before OpusClip, he was part of the early team at Hopin and StreamYard, helping build one of the fastest-growing startups in European history. 

Beyond execution, Franz is also a storyteller and educator. He’s the author of The Book on Partnerships, host of the Partner Ship podcast, and leads monthly Partnership Leaders meetups in San Francisco, creating connection and tactical learning for ecosystem and revenue professionals alike.

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Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

From Crisis to Breakout: Franz’s Unexpected Journey into GTM

Franz shares how a failed startup and a global pandemic unexpectedly led him into the Hopin rocketship, where he learned to build under pressure and follow signals others missed, like the rise of agencies during virtual event chaos.

“We didn’t have enough capacity. Agencies had too much. Partnerships became the bridge.”

Lessons from Hopin: The 1,000 Leads a Day Playbook

At the height of COVID-19, Hopin was fielding over 1,000 inbound leads per day. Franz describes how the team scaled fast, iterated faster, and turned chaos into clarity by leaning into rapid-fire experimentation and partner ecosystems.

“If you pitch 20 times a day, you figure it out fast. That pressure became our best teacher.”

Partnerships as a Culture Shift, Not a Headcount Hire

Franz explains that partnerships aren’t just a function, they’re a fundamental shift in how organizations go to market. He addresses the internal resistance many partnership teams face and why indirect GTM feels risky to leadership.

“It’s speed versus control. And CEOs don’t like giving up control.”

 
The SaaS Buying River: Mapping the Flow of Partner Value

Franz introduces his “SaaS Buying River” analogy, explaining how to identify where you fit in the customer’s journey, and which partners flow upstream (lead gen) or downstream (expansion/integration). He later tied this thinking to Winning by Design’s Bowtie model.

“Before the Bowtie, we had the River. Either way, it’s about meeting your customer where they are.”

Scaling Opus Clip: PLG + Partner-Led Precision

With Opus Clip’s rapid rise past 10M users, Franz explains how product-led growth laid the foundation, but partnerships are now helping the team build stickier workflows, expand to new audiences, and scale implementation.

“AI clipped the content. Partnerships helped distribute and expand it.”

 

The Myth of ‘Too Early’ for Partnerships

Through experience and community research, Franz debunks the idea that partnerships come after product-market fit. He reveals why early-stage companies that start small and stay focused can see huge long-term leverage.

“Most CEOs wait too long. Partner leaders know Day One is the best time to start.”

Barney Partnerships and the Customer Blind Spot

Franz warns against “Barney Partnerships” feel-good, founder-to-founder deals that never deliver. The biggest red flag? No customer overlap.

“Your boss isn’t your boss. The customer is. And they can fire the whole company.”

Operational Rigor: The 15-Minute Partner SLA

Drawing on a standout case study from Olga Laikova at monday.com, Franz highlights how operational excellence, like responding to partners in 15 minutes can lead to measurable revenue gains and become a true differentiator.

“If you’re first to respond, you’re the one the partner pitches. That’s how deals get won.”

The Four C’s and First Principles for Partner Success

Franz shares key frameworks from The Book on Partnerships, including the Four C’s (Customer, Commitment, Capability, Culture) and his belief that customer overlap is the most important signal of partner success potential.

“Build with the customer in mind. Always. Then, and only then, layer on the rest.”

Buy your copy of The Book on Partnerships on Amazon

 

Final Thoughts

Franz-Josef Schrepf brings a rare blend of founder-level insight, GTM execution experience, and partnership precision to this episode, and the result is a true masterclass in how to build and scale with intention.

If you’re working in GTM, partnerships, RevOps, or early-stage SaaS leadership, this episode is packed with frameworks to help you:

• Move faster without sacrificing trust

• Build ecosystems rooted in customer value

• Avoid “Barney” partnerships and deliver real outcomes

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A little about Mike who hosts the show.  Please connect with us on LinkedIn we would love to have you as part of our professional networks.

Mike Midgley is the CEO at 6teen30 Digital and a dynamic digital entrepreneur, nxd, strategist, public speaker, Winning by Design certified Revenue Architect and Host at The Force & Friction Podcast.

Mike has achieved successful six and seven-figure exits over a 30+ year career, raised in excess of £1.6m [$2.5m] in Venture Capital and franchised his businesses 68 times.

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