--- title: The GTM Engine Behind 10M+ Users | Franz-Josef Schrepf | S4:E3 description: Tthe strategies of FranzJosef Schrepf in scaling GTM over 10m Users, leveraging partnerships, & driving growth at Opus Clip on the Force & Friction Podcast image: https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Franz-Josef%20Schrepf%20Podcast%20Hero.png --- [![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg) ![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg)](https://mikejmidgley.com/) [![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg)](https://mikejmidgley.com/) - [Meet Mike](https://mikejmidgley.com/meet-mike) - [Speaking](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/s4-e3/javascript;) - [The Strategy Compass](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/the-strategy-compass) - [Moonshot Thinking](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/moonshot-thinking) - 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Community Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Community%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-20-4411-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Community%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-20-4411-AM.png)](https://forceandfriction.6teen30.com/resources) [![F&F - Apple Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Apple%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-31-1378-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Apple%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-31-1378-AM.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-force-friction-podcast/id1516315339) [![F&F - Spotify Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Spotify%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-49-47-2059-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Spotify%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-49-47-2059-AM.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/1nQRBuZDdtx2fBBpia2Ubn) [![F&F - Amazon Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Amazon%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-30-0665-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Amazon%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-30-0665-AM.png)](https://music.amazon.de/podcasts/a0fd412e-8dff-47d3-9d76-3ffbacef890b/the-force-friction-podcast) 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](https://hopin.com/) from 16 employees to hypergrowth during the pandemic and is now helping [Opus Clip](https://www.opus.pro/) 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. [![F&F\_Franz-Josef Schrepf Bio\_V2-1](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F_Franz-Josef%20Schrepf%20Bio_V2-1-4.png?width=1000&height=1000&name=F%26F_Franz-Josef%20Schrepf%20Bio_V2-1-4.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-josef-schrepf/) ### 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***,](https://www.amazon.com/Book-Partnerships-Startups-Partners-Acquired/dp/B0DC6CH4LJ/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VF8gNLWj8eqJEc2XKRX5lnD3w5AVOPghwLAgOJMj6Hr_coBqRE35ow0EGJTJviyzRIPrjq8WFhNPneYTHr4y3mucVoskzss1CAEGwpFeCTlX4_csZ9Byj7tOIO3s4SJnug8cg8pCj-g1mNAluwABGLBIwFb89zNcez7Z21PIZ-ZOnuYGPUaqZHIwFXKm1luQSKV-qSpjNS4KHbsfT3t_7VYqi3VTlFHA_g5LW4GyErU.h9E0vLo3YxibmDXBsGUmwmbycCWfnSLv4HmD1r2WdWE&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+book+on+partnership&qid=1743092690&sr=8-1) host of the [**Partner Ship podcast**](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwaNZ4HHb_bpxVs-HZM4A2w), and leads monthly [**Partnership Leaders meetups in San Francisco**](https://partnershipleaders.com/chapters/san-francisco/), creating connection and tactical learning for ecosystem and revenue professionals alike. [Follow Franz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-josef-schrepf/) Watch the Episode: --- Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode: ### F**rom 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](https://winningbydesign.com/). > > > ***“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.”*** > > > [***![Opus Clip - Force & Friction Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Opus%20Clip%20-%20Force%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast-4.png?width=1122&height=985&name=Opus%20Clip%20-%20Force%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast-4.png)***](https://www.opus.pro/) ### **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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgalykova/) at [monday.com](https://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.”*** > ***[![The Book on Partnerships - Force & Friction Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/The%20Book%20on%20Partnerships%20-%20Force%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast-3.png?width=174&height=253&name=The%20Book%20on%20Partnerships%20-%20Force%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast-3.png)](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Partnerships-Startups-Partners-Acquired/dp/B0DC6CH4LJ)*** > > Buy your copy of [The Book on Partnerships on Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Partnerships-Startups-Partners-Acquired/dp/B0DC6CH4LJ) > >   > > ### **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 --- ### Ready to be Our Next Guest Contributor? 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Mike has achieved multiple exits over a 30+ year career, raised Venture Capital and franchised his businesses 68 times. [Follow Mike](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-midgley/) ![MJM - Graphics\_Navigate Every Stage - Hashtag](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MJM.com%20-%20Website/MJM.com%20-%20Website%20-%20Graphics/MJM%20-%20Graphics_Navigate%20Every%20Stage%20-%20Hashtag.png?width=432&height=51&name=MJM%20-%20Graphics_Navigate%20Every%20Stage%20-%20Hashtag.png)   ![Stay Ahead with Mike’s Insights   Get straight to the point with actionable insights, no fluff, no spam. 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