♖ My 2026 Playbook

Hi Friends,

Happy New Year!

I'm writing this on New Year's Day, sitting on a balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Puerto Aventuras, a small town tucked between Cancun and Tulum.

Our extended family is with us. It’s a second home for the Mamujee family where it’s been a 7 year tradition to end the year together here.

We've spent the last week swimming in cenotes, taking long walks, and sharing meals that stretch for hours. The kind of slow, unhurried time that's hard to find during a normal year.

I feel refreshed. Calm. Grateful.

And something else I didn't expect: Of all the years in my career, this is the one I have the least anxiety about, yet feel the most motivated.

That's a strange combination. Usually, ambition comes with a side of stress. But right now, I have clarity on what matters. At work. At home. And with this newsletter.

It's been a few weeks since my last issue. A flu knocked out me and the family around Thanksgiving. Then came the sprint to close the year strong at Pricing I/O. Then holiday travel. And honestly, I needed the space to reflect.

I have clarity now. Here's what's ahead.

What I'm Focused on at Pricing I/O in 2026

I'm four months into leading Growth at Pricing I/O. The honeymoon phase is over. Now comes the real work.

We have an ambitious 40% growth target from last year. It's achievable if we stay urgent and focused. Three priorities are consuming my attention:

1. Improving Our Sales Win Rate

We're good. But "good" isn't the goal.

I've been running diagnostics on every deal, won and lost, looking for patterns. What separates the ones we close from the ones that stall? Early signs point to a greater focus on multi-threading conversations with senior stakeholders, improving our discovery consistency and improved storytelling to deliver confidence & urgency.

Expect me to share what I learn. The insights apply way beyond pricing.

2. Building an Inbound-First GTM Motion

Most B2B companies default to outbound. Hire SDRs, blast emails, hope something sticks.

We're going the opposite direction. Inbound-first. Content that earns attention. Thought leadership that builds trust before the first call. A sales process that feels like a conversation, not a campaign. Unique and generous is my mantra.

It's harder to build. But it compounds. And it's more aligned with how I believe business should work: generosity before extraction.

We're also launching something big this year. It's ambitious, it's been in the works for a while, and it will change who we are as an organization. More to come.

3. Assembling a World-Class Growth Team

We are actively recruiting. And I've learned something important: culture fit matters more than a polished resume.

We'd rather hire someone hungry and aligned than someone impressive and misaligned. The wrong hire doesn't just slow you down. It changes the energy of the entire team.

If you know someone exceptional marketing, sales, and delivery who wants to help software companies rethink pricing, send them my way.

Beyond Work

3 priorities I'm committing to this year outside of work:

1. Health first. I turn 40 in September. Yikes. Somewhere in the chaos of the last few years, I let go of the daily habits that used to keep me sharp. This year, I'm bringing them back. Consistent sleep, movement, and recovery. No negotiation.

2. Deeper connections. I've spent too much time behind screens. This year, I'm prioritizing face to face connection. Conferences, dinners, trips to reconnect with colleagues and friends. If you're ever in Houston (or I'm in your city), let's make it happen. Call or text me at 832-630-6241.

3. More fun with family. Aleena is 12 now. Leeana is 8. The window where they actually want to hang out with me is shrinking. I refuse to miss it. We're planning an international trip in October, and we let the kids help pick the destination through an random drawing.

See where the Mamujee family is heading this October.

Changes for The Moat

Given everything above, I'm moving The Moat to a bi-weekly cadence.

Twice a month feels right. It's sustainable for me and lets me share real lessons from the work, not rushed takes to hit a deadline. I may send something impromptu in between.

Here's what you'll get:

• What I'm building and learning in real-time

• Books, speakers, and ideas that are shaping my thinking

• Honest reflections on the wins, the losses, and the messy middle

Thank you for being here, especially for the Moaters checking in with me over the break.

Let's make 2026 count.

'Til next time,

-Ali

P.S. What's one thing you're going all-in on this year? Hit reply. I read every response.

P.P.S. Long-time readers know I called a Texans Super Bowl before the season started. After an 0-3 start, people thought I was delusional. Now we've won 8 straight and are one of the hottest teams in the NFL. The Moat willed this into existence, and I'm not stopping now: Texans win the Super Bowl in 2026. I am going to continue to speak it into existence.

About Me: I'm Ali, VP of Growth at Pricing I/O. I write about growth, GTM execution, and building winning teams. Based in Houston, surprisingly still married, father of two, and still feel confident in my predictions that the Texans and Rockets will win championships in 2026.