Imagine walking into an art gallery, where paintings of all colors, styles, and sizes adorn the walls, yet owning one feels impossible without guidance. In the world of B2B SaaS, that art gallery is your software, and the potential buyers are visitors seeking the perfect piece. Just as an art enthusiast needs a path to ownership, potential customers require a seamless and intuitive process to discover and purchase your software. Empowering these buyers is about guiding them on a journey, making the process as enjoyable as wandering through an art gallery, and making it easy to buy your product.

Enter Melissa Kwan, Cofounder and CEO of eWebinar, an artist in her own right in the world of SaaS. She's crafted a business model where customer desires meet business acumen, making the software purchase as delightful as a stroll through an art gallery. In today's episode, we will explore with Melissa the importance of aligning your company with personal values and making the software purchase process a joyful symphony of success.

High-Level Overview

• Personal Philosophy in Business Decision Making: Melissa talks about her unique approach to entrepreneurship, starting with a list of non-negotiables, focusing on what makes her happy, and how this philosophy guides her business decisions.
• Online Sales and Product Development: She emphasizes her desire to create a business that can be sold entirely online. This includes her preference to avoid in-person sales and her focus on building and selling a product through the internet.
• Building Business with Friends and Family: Melissa's choice to include friends and family in her business, both as team members and investors, highlights a personal and relational aspect of her business approach.
• Work-Life Balance and Lifestyle Design: She discusses her approach to weaving together work and life to create a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle. This includes working remotely, setting her own hours, and designing her business to align with her personal values and desires.
• Strategies for Startup Success: The conversation includes advice and guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs and startups, particularly in the product-led SaaS space. Melissa's insights cover areas like creative working instead of merely working harder, the importance of staying connected to the reasons for starting a business, and finding ways to delegate and automate for greater efficiency and happiness.

The 5 Elements of a Killer On-Demand Demo

An on demand demo is a video presentation that aims to sell a product or service to potential customers without any direct interaction. The goal is to address prospects' objections preemptively and efficiently guide them through the sales process. Melissa Kwan, a sales expert with nearly 20 years of experience, outlines the five essential elements of an on demand demo:

• Agenda: The agenda sets the tone for the on demand demo, providing a roadmap of what will be covered. By giving prospects a clear structure, they can anticipate what's coming and stay engaged throughout the presentation.

• Personal Story: Establishing credibility is crucial in sales. Sharing a personal story helps humanize the presenter and builds trust with the prospects. It also explains why the presenter is passionate about the product, increasing the likelihood of the prospects sharing that enthusiasm.

• Addressing Competition: Instead of focusing on competitors directly, the on demand demo concentrates on the problem the product solves and the unique features that differentiate it from other offerings. This approach avoids negative comparisons while highlighting the benefits of the product.

• Key Features as Customer Success Stories: Demonstrating the product's key features as customer success stories connects the prospect with real-world benefits. This approach goes beyond a mere product feature overview and shows how the offering can solve specific problems and improve the prospect's experience.

• Call to Action: A strong call to action at the end of the demo guides prospects toward the next step in the sales process. By clearly stating what action the prospect should take, the presenter increases the likelihood of converting them into customers.

By incorporating these five elements into their on demand demos, sales professionals can create compelling and persuasive presentations that address prospects' objections and effectively lead them to make a decision, resulting in higher conversion rates and successful sales outcomes.

Further Learnings

Follow Melissa on LinkedIn.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Integrating sales, marketing, and customer success
• Being easy, fast, and affordable
• The 5 major prongs of segment marketing
• Instilling empathy in your marketing
• The questions to ask to uncover needs

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

On today’s episode Patrick dives deep into the analysis of The AMEX effect, which is a phenomenon of pricing at the point where your customer doesn’t think much about the purchase. He walks through all the data and how to take advantage of this.
 

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

People are the hardest part of building a company.

Think about it - when you’re building a company, your people are the company. And if you’re terrible at finding great people, hiring great people, and keeping great people, then your company is going to fail.

Mike Volpe is an excellent example of someone who is great at all three of those. Currently the CEO of lola.com, he was able to put together one of the most all star marketing teams of the past couple of decades during his time as the CMO of HubSpot.

In this episode of Protect the Hustle, Mike walks us through his methodology for recruiting, hiring, and retaining stellar team members that allowed him to build the marketing department at HubSpot into what it is today.

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

This episode is an internal memo (slightly redacted and modified) on one of ProfitWell's core axioms of "feedback is non-negotiable." Patrick wanted to share it because he's been thinking about this memo quite a bit the past couple of weeks, and a lot of you have been asking for how we run ProfitWell. If you find these worthwhile, let us know and we'll publish more. Enjoy.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Imagine a meticulously planned space mission, where precision, openness, and shared understanding permeate every stage, from engineers poring over blueprints to astronauts preparing for liftoff and ground control teams monitoring every telemetry detail. Transparency, serving as a beacon amidst the dark expanse, ensures each decision is rooted in a shared mission objective, fostering an environment where mistakes are minimized, and success is within grasp. This celestial journey parallels the world of B2B SaaS, a digital cosmos where similar principles of precision, openness, and shared understanding drive success. The open-source model emerges as the guiding star, illuminating the path towards collaborative product development, informed by clear insights into user needs and market dynamics.

Guiding us on this digital odyssey is Ashley Kramer, CMO and CSO of GitLab, who embodies the principles of openness and transparency, quintessential for success in the SaaS world. Her experience in adopting these principles at GitLab, coupled with her literal journey as a former NASA employee, make her an invaluable guide for navigating the open-source universe. In today's episode, we dive into Ashley's insights into the open-source model, unearthing the transformative power of transparency and the pivotal role of consistent release schedules. Tune in as we explore how Ashley applies these principles at GitLab and how they can fuel your SaaS journey. It's time to strap in for an enlightening voyage through the SaaS cosmos.

High Level Overview:

• Transparency and clear communication are fundamental in a company, particularly in a SaaS or technology organization. Implementing a "safe framework" to manage the dissemination of sensitive information can alleviate fears about over-sharing and nurture trust within teams.
• Leveraging personal experiences can significantly enrich product development and marketing strategies. Direct exposure to user's pain points and needs results in a more empathetic and targeted approach.
• Implementing a regular release schedule, like GitLab's policy of releasing every 22nd of the month, instills discipline, creates a predictable environment, and enhances team alignment towards goals.
• Flexibility in roles, as demonstrated by Ashley juggling CMO, CSO, and Acting CTO roles, can offer a broader perspective of the company's functions and foster better collaboration across different units.
• Building a product that you yourself would use, as Ashley did when she chose GitLab as a platform while at Alteryx, leads to a more user-centric product, ultimately boosting its usability and appeal to customers.

Ashley Kramer's Guide to Open-Source:

Open-source is the cornerstone of the tech industry today. It endorses a culture of collaboration and transparency, fuelling shared growth, and promoting innovation. The open code permits constant evolution, security enhancements, and adaptations to meet diverse needs.

• Foster Transparency: Encourage openness not just in the product code but also in the company culture. This openness should extend to company policies, decision-making processes, and communication, creating a sense of inclusion and trust among team members.
• Clear Communication Guidelines: Establish a "safe framework" that outlines what information can be divulged and what should be kept confidential. This clarity eliminates confusion and reduces the risk of improper disclosure of sensitive data.
• Harness the Power of Customer Feedback: Customer feedback can provide invaluable insights into the product's strengths and weaknesses. This feedback should be regularly analyzed and integrated into the product development process to continuously enhance the product's value and align it more closely with user needs.
• Regular Release Schedules: Consistent, regular release schedules contribute to operational efficiency. This practice instills discipline in the team, ensures that developments are timely, and provides a sense of predictability for both the team and the customers.
• "Dogfooding": Use your own product, a practice often referred to as "dogfooding". This enables the team to gain firsthand knowledge of the product's usability and performance, identify potential issues early on, and develop a deeper empathy with end-users.

When embarking on an open-source strategy, remember that it involves more than just keeping the code open. It's a cultural shift towards openness, collaboration, and ongoing learning. It involves building a community that's united by a shared vision and is actively contributing towards the product's growth and success.

Further Learnings

Follow Ashley on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The democratization of automation
• Not hiring until it hurts
• Aligning on a singular strategy to empower individual execution
• Manufacturing a leveraged growth machine
• Straddling the many precipices of entrepreneurship

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode:

• The art of making technology
• The alignment of product, marketing, and sales 
• Prioritizing marketing initiatives 
• Knowing when to pivot and when to stay the course
• The common thread of successful companies

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• Why providing customers with a desired outcome is crucial

• How to align customer success properly within an organization and how to measure it

• The scoreboard Nick recommends using to help rationalize feedback

• Customer outcomes + great customer experience = customer success

Check out the making of Nick's rap song, "Who's Fired Up?" here.

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

In a world with seemingly infinite options and infinite marketing to show us those options, consumer purchasing behavior has changed dramatically. We've gone from a place of inherently trusting brands by default—after all, why would they lie—to distrusting brands by default. Turns out they lie all the time.

The result? Most marketing has shifted to needing to reinforce trust through free trials, money-back guarantees, and plenty of content. If you can "try before you buy" or at least feel like the brand's spoken to you enough, you'll feel more comfortable making a purchase.

One particular piece of content that's been on the rise are influencer and celebrity endorsements. As media becomes more and more fragmented, we end up trusting individuals over institutions. Let's explore this phenomenon with a bunch of data to answer, should you embark on influencer marketing even in B2B?

Go to http://protectthehustle.com/ for the full write-up

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Today, Patrick goes deep on defending hustle culture. He discusses how to better align what you want with your efforts, as well as how we'd be better off not judging others for their choices, and reminding you that you have agency.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode

• Interviews with Drift's David Cancel, Moz/Sparktoro's Rand Fishkin, Pillar's Sarah Hodges, Harvard Business School's Julia Austin, and Netflix's Patty McCord

• Why diversity is so important for your business, but how diversity is much more than a number or a proportion of your team

• Why we're so bad at cultivating diverse teams, including interview/recruiting bias, poor environments to foster diversity

• Research on resume bias in tech for women, PoC, Christians, and even Republicans

• Research on preference differences between men and women, as well as younger team members and older team members

• How to create the best environment to hold the line when it comes to diversity

• How to remove the bad kind of bias from your recruiting and hiring process

• How to inject some good bias into your recruiting and hiring process

This episode is produced by Dan Callahan, Benjamin Hillman, and Patrick Campbell. Additional support by Robert Byrne and Allissa Chan.

Protect the Hustle is a ProfitWell Recur Production. All rights reserved. 

Topics discussed in this episode.

• In 2021 and in general, you need a coach to give you proper outside perspective and to check your self-awareness.
• If you're in B2B SaaS, I recommend Dan Martell and his SaaS Academy program. There's no one I've met more helpful to SaaS Founders. And he offered up some 1:1 time to Protect the Hustle subscribers. You can book that time here.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Discovering intelligent talent
• Managing distributed teams well
• Building an engine that brings the world closer
• The mental framework behind scaling a company
• Finding comfort in increased delegation

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

In this episode, PC and Neel discuss the pros and cons around mandated vs. unlimited time off. Plus, what does the travel industry recovery look like?

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• The experience of purchasing software has drastically changed: it's broken
• Timing is everything especially if the market catches up
• How to handle fierce competition
• Can you brute force change in a market?
• Gutting Hubspot's product team and rebuilding 90% of the software
• Discovering customer centricity and getting as close as possible
• Going from persona to focusing on the end user customer experience.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Leveraging people skills
• The framework of customer experience
• Going the extra mile
• Creating an effective triage system
• stagnate, upgrade, or die

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Aligning your business with how customers buy
• How to implement product-qualified leads
• The stages of product-led growth
• How to measure success
• Simplifying onboarding

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• 02:01 - What makes a great SaaS community
• 10:10 - The Three Types of Investors
• 13:24 - Focusing on the interpersonal side of the business
• 18:20 - Building and Maintaining the Founder-Investor Relationship
• 23:44 - Embracing the silence during investor meetings

This is a Paddle production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• The relationship of the customer and product

• The shift in the market in relation to customer research

• How data plays into the market

• An introduction to customer research

• Understanding qualitative customer research

• Understanding quantitative customer research

• Frequent objections to data collection and rebuttals

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Every company goes up market eventually, especially in B2B. Most do so by expanding their offering, few actually make the leap from abandoning the low end of the market and going right at the enterprise instead. So how do you get there? Transitioning from the startup market to the enterprise world requires strategic pivoting and a proactive group effort. 

May Habib has witnessed this first hand, as she played a pivotal role in the market transition of content intelligence platform Qordoba. May oversaw a considerable transformation with Qordoba, moving from the low end of the market as a content localization product to selling to giant enterprises like Marriott, Visa, and Condé Nast. She's steadfast in the mindset that training is everything, and you must prioritize heavy coaching, transparency, and feedback in the process. Listen here to see how she did it so successfully.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Transitioning markets (from startup to enterprise) through strategic pivoting
• Training your team for proactivity through heavy coaching
• The value of transparency and feedback in your process of transition

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Just as a diligent gardener cultivates a seed into a flourishing plant that provides nourishment, so does a savvy entrepreneur nurture their audience before introducing a product. Whether you're tending to a garden or building a business in the B2B SaaS world, the principle remains the same: understand your environment, your seed (or idea), and its potential yield. In the business context, this means knowing what your customers need before planting the idea that becomes your product, thus creating a fertile ground for successful launches and enduring customer relationships.

Enter Anthony Kennada, CEO and Co-Founder of AudiencePlus, and a true connoisseur of audience cultivation. Embodying the "Audience before Product" approach, Kennada accentuates the necessity of comprehending your target persona and curating content specifically for them. With hands-on experience in discerning his audience's preferences before launching a product, Kennada's expertise in audience building across various channels is invaluable. Today's episode will probe into Kennada's unique insights on audience building and explore the benefits of prioritizing your audience before product development. Join us for this enlightening discussion and learn how to nurture your own audience garden.

High Level Overview:

• Prioritize audience building: Anthony Kennada emphasizes the importance of developing an audience before creating a product, ensuring a strong foundation for product-market fit and better customer engagement.
• Understand your target persona: Anthony suggests deeply understanding your target persona to tailor content and narratives that resonate with them, fostering a stronger connection with your audience.
• Test and learn from various channels: Anthony shares his experiences testing different channels, like LinkedIn and TikTok, and learning from the results to optimize audience engagement and growth.
• Start small and iterate: Anthony encourages starting with a small team and low-budget projects, learning from your experiences and iterating to improve your audience building efforts over time.
• Build a muscle around content creation: Anthony highlights the importance of practice and consistency in content creation to improve your skills and build a stronger connection with your audience.

Audience Building 101

Audience building is the process of cultivating a loyal and engaged following for your business, nurturing their needs and desires, and establishing strong customer relationships that pave the way for successful product launches. Throughout our interview, Anthony stresses the importance of what this means and how de-platforming your audience from social media sites is crucial. Here are some strategies to think about.

• Identify your target persona: Take the time to research and understand the demographics, psychographics, and behavior patterns of your ideal audience members. This includes their preferences, pain points, and motivations. Developing a comprehensive persona helps create a strong foundation for your audience building efforts and ensures that your messaging is relevant and impactful.
• Develop tailored content: With your target persona in mind, create content that addresses their unique needs, interests, and challenges. This could include blog articles, videos, webinars, or podcasts that provide valuable information and insights. By offering content that resonates with your audience, you'll be able to foster a stronger connection and enhance their trust in your brand.
• Experiment with various channels: Explore different platforms and media types to reach your target audience effectively. For example, try using social media platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, or Twitter to share your content, or consider launching a podcast or video series. Regularly analyze the performance of each channel and adjust your strategy accordingly to maximize engagement and reach.
• Iterate and improve: As you test different content formats and channels, pay close attention to your audience's responses, engagement levels, and feedback. Use this data to refine your approach, optimize your efforts, and continuously improve your audience building strategy. This iterative process will help you stay attuned to your audience's preferences and ensure that your messaging remains relevant and effective.
• Be consistent: Consistency is key in audience building. Establish a content schedule and stick to it, regularly producing and sharing high-quality content with your audience. Consistent engagement helps maintain a strong connection with your audience, builds trust, and positions your brand as a reliable source of valuable information.

By implementing these strategies, you'll be well on your way to building a loyal and engaged audience for your SaaS business. Remember that audience building is an ongoing process, requiring continuous learning and adaptation to stay connected with your audience and meet their evolving needs. With dedication and persistence, your audience building efforts will lay the groundwork for long-term success and growth.

Further Learnings

Follow Anthony on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The Tedious Transition from Perpetual Software to Subscriptions
• The Fundamentals of a Stable Business
• Efficient Use of Capital
• The Single Unlock to Building Something Awesome

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

This week's guest is John Griffin, co-founder and CRO of m3ter, who joined Neel Desai at SaaStock 2022 to discuss the importance of usage-based billing in SaaS and its impact on businesses. John emphasizes the need for SaaS companies to focus on customer success to drive adoption and product usage, and shares his thoughts on the future of SaaS, suggesting that it will involve a combination of product-led growth (PLG) and traditional enterprise sales motions.

High Level Overview:

• Usage-based billing aligns customer value with product usage, driving adoption and increased revenue for SaaS businesses.
• The future of SaaS involves a combination of product-led growth (PLG) and traditional enterprise sales motions, with the most successful companies deploying both strategies.
• Customer success departments are crucial in driving adoption and ensuring customers get the most value from a product, making them vital for businesses using usage-based billing.
• SaaS companies can benefit from ingesting cost data along with usage data, enabling them to show finance departments the correlation between customer usage and company costs.
• Identify the appropriate usage metric for your product, ensuring it directly correlates with customer value.

A Crash Course on Usage-Based Pricing:

Usage-based pricing is a billing model where customers are charged based on the actual usage of a product or service rather than a flat fee or subscription. It aligns product usage with customer value, creating a more symbiotic relationship between the provider and the customer. Here are some key points to consider when implementing usage-based pricing in your business:

• Pricing tiers: Set clear and transparent pricing tiers to help customers understand the costs associated with different usage levels.
• Track usage: Continuously monitor and optimize your pricing model, as usage patterns and customer needs may change over time.
• Enable your customers to succeed: Provide customers with tools to track and manage their usage, helping them avoid unexpected charges and better control costs.
• Customer success teams: Invest in customer success teams to drive adoption, increase product penetration, and ensure customers are getting the most value from your product.
• Hybrid values: Consider a hybrid pricing model combining usage-based and subscription elements if it better suits your industry or product type.
• Internal transparency: Present a clear view of costs and margins to finance departments, demonstrating the alignment between customer usage and company expenses.

Further Learnings

Follow John on LinkedIn and check out m3ter for more on Usage-Based Pricing.

Today, Patrick goes into probably the most obvious, superficial point we could learn from Disney. It's lazy analysis. And why we need to go deeper to uncover why this is so powerful for every subscription business out there.

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Answer the five questions here: https://forms.gle/TsTckkK5QokH1U6w6

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Being a champion for small businesses 
• Democratizing success with technology 
• Why accountants are superheroes 
• When growth isn’t the goal
• The “number 8 wire” mentality.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode:

• Earning the right to educate
• Weaponizing your ego
• Generating demand
• Characteristics of success
• The key to leverage

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• Having a product team that can say “no” in order to stay on plan

• Choosing one singular focus and target customer instead of trying to do everything

• The future goals of Yesware

• Keeping product and sales focus, and how it's made Yesware successful

• Getting your team aligned and on board with direction

• The Characteristics of a great salesperson

This episode is produced by Dan Callahan, Benjamin Hillman, and Patrick Campbell. Additional support by Steve Cerasoli and Allissa Chan.

Written by Mary Matton

Protect the Hustle is a ProfitWell Recur Production. All rights reserved. 

Get the full writeup for the episode here

• Get early access to the internationalization resource
• SaaS Revenue Growth by Region Data
• 50% of SaaS Operators don't localize prices
• Customers in different regions have varying WTP
• Regions with most non-card payment methods

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The Next Wave of Video
• Being Simple But Powerful
• How Monetization Adds Value to a User
• The Signal to Move Upmarket
• Having a Culture of Open Debate

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Using mega trends as a tailwind to growth
• Building product principles into your business
• How to choose the right problems to solve
• The foundational pillars of building product
• The discomfort around decision-making tradeoffs

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode

• You have to remain authentic. Much of authenticity stems from accepting vulnerability.
• Surround yourself with the right people. Your tribe should support your future, not your past.
• Find a way to constantly pay it forward and contribute to your community.

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the field guide here

Topics covered in this episode:

• How to avoid getting sucked into traps
• Using perspective to get everyone on the same page
• Creating tools to reveal answers
• The importances of shared language
• Understanding nuances to unlock frameworks

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Innovating a Product with Real Demand
• Understanding How People Work Differently
• Establishing a Consistent Market Fit
• Hard Lessons of a Dynamic Business Environment
• Working Toward Common Goals with Differing Values

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Today's guest is Zandra Moore. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Panintelligence, an embedded analytics platform for SaaS vendors. Beyond the stellar work she does in tech, Zandra is a champion of inclusivity. In our interview with her and Andrew Davies recorded at SaaStock in 2022, Zandra discusses several topics that make you a better operator. Perhaps most importantly, she beats the drum on intentional inclusivity.

High Level Overview

• A look into taking a loss leading business component from one company and spinning it out into Panintelligence.
• Bringing people from outside the tech industry into tech.
• Utilize different training materials to let people consume an understanding of your product in a way that works for them.
• Thinking of your business as a data company, not just a software company.
• Nailing your go-to-market motion with a hyper focused Ideal Customer Profile.

Zandra's Talent Pipeline Blueprint

Zandra provided valuable insight into what building out a roster of high caliber operators looks like. Here is a guide based on her advice.

• Focus on diversity from the top down: Zandra stresses the importance of having a board that is representative of the folks within your company. By having diversity at the top level, it fosters diversity naturally in all areas below.
• Recruit outside the tech sphere: Zandra elucidates that bringing people from outside the tech industry into tech can offer a valuable perspective to folks who are not., You can invest in retraining programs like Northcoders. This will help create a more diverse workforce and bring in new perspectives.
• Utilize different training materials: Zandra recommends providing different training materials to let people consume an understanding of your product in a way that works for them. This can help with onboarding and getting people into the funnel. Panintelligence has their own courses offered on their site.
• Be intentional about inclusivity: Zandra explains that her own mother provided an example by working in tech instead of telling Zandra to get into tech herself. By bringing her passion and energy for the industry into the home, Zandra’s mother inspired Zandra to follow suit. She lists Ahead Partnership as a Leeds area organization that helps the private sector play a transformational role within their community.

Following Zandra's advice, it is essential to focus on diversity from the very start when building a talent pipeline. This means recruiting from outside of the typical tech sphere, as well as utilizing different materials to effectively train people from diverse backgrounds. Taking the time to prioritize diversity and inclusivity can ensure that you can build a team that is well-versed, experienced, and capable of taking on any task.

Further Learnings

You can learn more about Zandra Moore by following her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Additionally you can follow along with what Zandra is up to with LeanInLeeds and No Code Lab.

This week's guest is Kyle Poyar, Operating Partner at OpenView. Kyle sat down with Patrick Campbell at SaaStock 2022 to discuss the ins and outs of product-led growth and how businesses can capitalize on this strategy to propel their success.

Throughout the conversation, Kyle and Patrick delve into the importance of focusing on product usage as a key driver for customer acquisition, retention, and expansion. They discuss how companies like Zenefits have harnessed the power of sidecar products to provide additional value to their customers while strengthening their overall product offering. Kyle also shares valuable insights on why it's crucial to pay attention to user feedback and continuously iterate on product design to stay competitive in the market.

High Level Overview:

• Product-led growth is a powerful strategy where product usage drives customer acquisition, retention, and expansion.
• To harness product-led growth, businesses must focus on creating effective and user-friendly products that exceed user expectations.
• Sidecar products, free offerings that complement the core product, can help attract customers early in their journey and increase the chances of conversion.
• Companies like Zenefits have successfully implemented sidecar products to broaden their suite of offerings and generate more value for their customers.
• Listening to customers and iterating on product design is crucial for continuous improvement and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

A Crash Course on Product-Led Growth:

Product Led Growth (PLG) is a valuable approach to growth that focuses on getting customers to use the product, rather than relying on traditional sales and marketing. This guide will introduce you to the key components of PLG according to Kyle Poyar and how to leverage them for success:

• Quantitative Insights: The first step in PLG is to gain a better understanding of your customers' journey. Invest in a product analytics platform to gain quantitative insights into how users interact with your product. This will help you identify features that are being used, as well as unsuccessful user journeys.
• Session Replays and Recordings: In addition to quantitative insights, you should also look at session replays and recordings of user journeys. This will help you gain empathy with your users and identify areas where you could improve their experience. Tools such as Hotjar and FullStory can be used to get these insights.
• Micro Surveys: Micro surveys are a great way to get feedback from users on their experience with your product. Services such as Sprig allow you to collect user feedback on usability and product experience. This will help you better understand how users are engaging with your product and identify areas for improvement.
• User Testing: User testing is another great way to get feedback from users. It involves sending out prototypes and collecting feedback, through videos and questionnaires. This is helpful when targeting audiences that you have not reached yet, as you can get feedback on whether your product is compelling to them.
• Sales Assist Motion: You should also consider using a sales assist motion, even when you are trying to move towards PLG. This involves getting an email from the customer, running a rich through a service such as Clearbit and then using that data to inform how much resource investment you should put on the account. It is important to differentiate between customers that need a sales assist motion and those that can self-serve.

Product Led Growth is a powerful tool for software businesses. By leveraging the tools discussed in this guide, you will be able to get a better understanding of your customers' journey and identify areas for improvement. With the right approach, you can unlock success with PLG.

Further Learnings

Follow Kyle on LinkedIn and check out OpenView for more on Product-Led Growth.

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The transparency rule
• Personalization and authenticity
• How marketing is evolving
• Maintaining a sustainable sales cycle
• Reducing operational inefficiencies

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the Beyond the Budget Podcast here.

Hey Protect the Hustle fans, I hope you're loving the insights from this season. I have something special for you today which is the first episode of our new podcast Beyond the Budget. It's all here in in this email, and if you love it, reply to this email and I'll make sure you get new episodes every Friday. Protect the Hustle will be back next week!

Who is Hassaan Ahmad?

Hassaan Ahmad is a seasoned financial executive currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer of WTFast. Possessing a unique blend of experience and insight, Ahmad navigates the challenging landscapes of tech startups with a multi-faceted approach. He wears several hats, managing core accounting functions, forecasting future financial trends, managing cash flow, and addressing investor expectations. A risk-taker at heart, Ahmad believes in embracing change and maintaining balance in life's highs and lows. His dynamic career journey, which spans different economic cultures and market challenges, underpins his empathetic approach to understanding customer needs in various global regions.

Hassaan is an experienced CFO, specializing in early-stage and tech startups. He has served as the CFO of wtfast, where he implements internal control systems and KPI monitoring. His diverse experience spans strategic financial consulting, overseeing financial management for a nano-materials startup, advising startups at FasterCapital, and managing a significant credit portfolio in corporate banking at HBL - Habib Bank Limited. He began his career at PwC.

What to Expect

• Introduction and Background: Hassaan Ahmad's role as a CFO at an early-stage tech company and his approach to various responsibilities.
• The Dual Role of a CFO: Discussion on managing both current financial health and future financial planning, and the challenge of resource allocation in a startup.
• Investor Relations: Insights into managing investor expectations and the continuous fundraising process for early-stage tech companies.
• Life Lessons from an Unconventional Career: Ahmad shares his philosophy on choosing battles, embracing failure, and the importance of maintaining hope.
• Global Market Challenges: Ahmad's realization about disparities in customer challenges across different regions, inspired by his personal experience of trying to buy an album in the '90s.
• Balance in Life: Ahmad discusses his methods of decompressing and maintaining balance (we get pretty insightful here).
• Conclusion: Ahmad reflects on the importance of being ready to embrace opportunities and the thrill of navigating the ups and downs of life and career.

Where to Find Hassaan

Give Hassaan a follow on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Get notified as soon as Protect the Hustle is live: http://www.protectthehustle.com/

Pricing is one of those topics that sits at the nexus of uncomfortable and long term, which means companies often don’t think about it for far too long. Even when they eventually figure it out, they don’t touch it again for years.

In this episode, Patrick provides a compact, yet thorough, guide to pricing strategy and tells you exactly where and how to get started.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.  

Today, we're sharing a framework for becoming a media company, including why you should abandon your current inbound strategy and move to media. HubSpot bought a media company for this very reason.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode

• Accepting the lows with the highs of entrepreneurship
• The importance of a support system
• Trust & loyalty comes through being human & garnering interactions
• Building community
• The people are what make a company successful

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics discussed:

• How HubSpot developed a data-driven sales playbook
• The powerful potential of combining marketing and customer success
• The Science of Scaling
• Leading indicators that signal a readiness to scale
• What to do when scaling breaks

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• Interviews with Crazy Egg's Hiten Shah, ProfitWell's Facundo Chamut, and ProfitWell team members Erin Phinney, Neel Desai, Peter Zotto, and Ben Hillman

• Why feedback is crucial to your business

• How feedback makes us disinclined to be obedient

• How to use feedback as leverage in our favor to get people on board to give great feedback

• Actionable methods to solicit feedback and proper environments to give it

• What constitutes feedback and how to interpret all kinds

This episode is produced by Dan Callahan, Benjamin Hillman, and Patrick Campbell. Additional support by Robert Byrne and Allissa Chan.

Protect the Hustle is a ProfitWell Recur Production. All rights reserved. 

Topics covered in this episode

• The saga of Brian Halligan's purchase of Jerry Garcia's guitar

• The differences of running a company with 2 to 20 people, 20 to 200 people, 200 to 2,00 people, and beyond

• Recognizing that mistakes happen but ensuring that mistakes do not happen more than once

• Maintaining high-performance and how slacking in one area can lead to the downfall of the entire company Everything is tied together.

• There is no hero ball in a Scale-Up

• Death by overeating vs starvation by not executing

• Going into other markets after championing marketing automation

• Staying focused on the long arduous journey of creating a great company

• The hunger to be a pillar company in Boston that makes your children proud.

• Staying motivated by going after big meaty problems and staying determined with horizon planning

Topics covered in this episode

• The primary reasons for Moz's failure and what Rand would've changed about the operation
• The implications of creating an anti-active usage product
• The lessons Rand extracted from early failure and how he picked back up again as a secondary founder
• The cruciality of leveraging your resources—namely, people and product—to optimize for the right thing

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Imagine standing in a gym, facing an overwhelming array of free weights, machines, and fitness programs. Choosing where to start is challenging, and without proper guidance, you may squander your resources on ineffective methods, yielding little progress. Now picture an experienced personal trainer, like Andres Glusman, who directs you towards exercises that are proven to work, align with your personal goals, and minimize risks. This scenario finds its echo in the B2B SaaS landscape, a complex gym of infinite growth strategies where identifying productive strategies from unproductive ones demands the expertise of a growth experimentation maestro.

Andres Glusman, the Co-Founder and CEO of DoWhatWorks, is this expert trainer in our metaphorical gym. With real-world experience, including being part of the team that launched MeetUp.com, Andres possesses a unique perspective on steering SaaS businesses towards effective strategies and away from potential pitfalls. In today's episode, we're joining him on the gym floor to delve into the world of growth experimentation and uncover how smart growth experimentation can revolutionize your SaaS business. So, gear up and prepare to unravel the secrets of effective growth experimentation.

High-Level Overview

• Embrace Experimentation: Andres Glusman champions the idea of running growth experiments within your organization. The principle is simple, yet profound - test a variety of strategies, learn from the outcomes, and optimize based on what works.
• Learn From Successes: Drawing on his experience with MeetUp.com, Andres teaches us to focus on techniques that have already proven successful. It's the equivalent of not wasting time on ineffective workout techniques in a gym.
• Avoid Past Failures: Andres emphasizes the importance of avoiding strategies that have already proven to be ineffective. His philosophy cuts down on wasted time and resources, akin to not spending effort on futile exercise routines.
• Leverage Real-World Experience: With his involvement in the launch of MeetUp.com, Andres stands out as a seasoned 'trainer'. He offers invaluable, practical lessons, far from theoretical knowledge, which he gleaned from his hands-on experience.
• Guided Learning is Key: Andres underscores the importance of guided learning in growth experimentation. Much like having a personal trainer in a gym, having someone who knows the ropes can help avoid missteps and accelerate progress in the complex landscape of SaaS growth strategies.

Learning from Successful Experiments

In the competitive world of SaaS, the difference between success and stagnation often lies in one's ability to conduct and learn from successful growth experiments. As any seasoned gym-goer can tell you, finding the most effective exercise regimen takes time, patience, and a lot of trial and error. This approach is just as applicable when it comes to orchestrating growth in SaaS businesses. The most successful companies aren't those who shy away from experimentation, but those who learn from their winners, optimize, and then iterate.

• Trial and Embrace Change: Be prepared to experiment with different techniques, products, or strategies. Embrace change and understand that some experiments will work better than others.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Lean heavily on data to determine your 'winning' experiments. This ensures that your strategy is rooted in fact, not guesswork or bias.
• Continuous Learning: Even a successful experiment can be improved. Never stop learning, iterating, and experimenting. There's always room for improvement.
• Focus on the Customer: All experiments should ultimately improve the customer experience. If they're not, reassess your strategy and pivot accordingly.
• Organizational Buy-In: Everyone within the organization should be aligned on the value of experimentation and be prepared to learn from the results, whether they're positive or negative.

In conclusion, learning from successful growth experiments isn't just about finding what works and sticking to it. It's about understanding why it works, and how you can apply those learnings to other areas of your business. It's about taking calculated risks, analyzing your results, and using this data to guide your future strategies. It's a continuous journey, not a destination. With this mindset, your SaaS company will be well-positioned to stay ahead of the competition and sustain long-term growth.

Further Learnings

Follow Andres on LinkedIn.

Company culture means a lot of things to a lot of different people, not because culture has a lot of definitions, but because culture has been co-opted by perks, ping pong tables, and snacks in the kitchen. In reality, culture is behavioral, it’s the collection of habits that we accept and tolerate within our company and it will make or break your business.

Culture is hard though, because it's your responsibility to hire the right people, nurture the right behaviors, and let people go when they aren't fitting the future. As a group, we're pretty terrible at this, particularly that last one. 

To help, on this week's episode of Protect The Hustle, we interview one of the most prolific figures in People Operations and HR, Patty McCord, the former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix and author of Powerful, a book that's taken high growth companies by storm. We discuss how Patty went from Texas border towns and Oregon lumber yards to making the tough decisions to push Netflix to a $160B market cap, which included redefining what HR is supposed to be inside a company. 

Topics covered in this episode:

• How HR and People Operations became legal and anything but helping people do their best work within a company

• How writing down your values is pretty much the last step in the culture cultivation process

• How to model behavior instead of punishing or negatively reinforcing people

• How management has ultimate responsibility for all of this

• How to apply these learnings to your hiring process

• How to nurture your current team and stamp out politics

• How to let people go who are no longer a fit for the mission

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Over the past century we've gone through a few waves in purchasing behavior. After setting up infrastructure in the industrial revolution we entered a wave of mass production and consumerism. People could purchase lots of goods from a variety of options for the first time and they took advantage of the shift. Suburbs blossomed and our consumptive economy boomed.

What comes after the foundations of consumption though? Well - choice.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

This episode is a deep dive on Twitter's decision to enter the subscription world. I've been talking about this for quite some time (as has Scott Galloway, and plenty of Twitter team members have been trolling those posts, so I hope I helped ;)), but to me this is the perfect move and it's not because of the obvious stock market reasons. Let's jump in.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

This week, Patrick and Neel discuss the considerable thought that should go into a company statement when presented with a sensitive and significant event—and how action can speak louder.

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Imagine a towering oak tree, its roots sprawled and deeply anchored in fertile soil while its branches stretch towards the sky. This magnificent tree embodies resilience, as it stands unshaken through the harshest of seasons - whether it be the biting cold of winter or the searing heat of summer. This resilience is its lifeline, and a testament to the principle that having strong roots can help one weather the most tumultuous storms.

Now, let’s pivot this to the B2B SaaS landscape. It's an ecosystem where rapid innovation, cut-throat competition, and incessant disruptions are routine. To thrive here, much like the oak tree, a company must possess deep roots in the form of a solid foundation, a resilient team, and a robust product. And who better epitomizes this spirit than Mikita Mikado? Through personal hardship and real-world challenges with his company, PandaDoc, Mikado has proven himself to be as resilient as the sturdy oak. Stay tuned as today’s episode takes you through Mikita Mikado's inspiring journey, and the strategies that have enabled him to build and sustain a successful venture despite adversities.

High Level Overview:

• Building a resilient SaaS business requires strategic planning: Mikita Mikado emphasizes the importance of setting up a strategy every year, breaking it down into manageable initiatives with their own set of KPIs and goals.
• The resilience of a company is reflected by its leadership: Mikado's personal resilience, developed from hardships faced early in life, has been crucial in steering PandaDoc through challenging times.
• Resilience can be cultivated: While Mikado's resilience was forged through difficult circumstances, he posits that it can be developed through various means and continuous training.
• A successful SaaS business is adaptable and versatile: Like PandaDoc, businesses must be prepared to evolve and adapt to new market conditions, customer demands, and technological advancements.
• Resilience propels growth in the face of adversity: Despite facing numerous challenges, Mikado has grown PandaDoc significantly, demonstrating how resilience is key to business success.

Mikita Mikado's Resilience

Resilience is more than just a buzzword; it is a cornerstone for success. It is the quality that allows us to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change, and keep going in the face of adversity. It is the thread that weaves itself through every challenge, every failure, and every success story. In the context of a SaaS company, resilience can be the difference between survival and extinction, between thriving and merely surviving.

• Resilience is forged through experience: Mikado's resilience was developed through his experiences of hard, tedious labor as a child. These experiences shaped his perspective and taught him the value of hard work and tenacity.
• Resilience is transferable: The resilience that Mikado developed in his personal life has translated into his professional career. It's enabled him to navigate the myriad of challenges in building and growing a successful SaaS company.
• Resilience is a team effort: Mikado highlights that his co-founder and team members at PandaDoc each have their own stories of resilience, which collectively contributes to the resilience of the company as a whole.
• Resilience is about persistence: Despite facing significant challenges, Mikado’s unwavering commitment to his goals serves as a testament to his resilience. His mantra of persistence continues to drive PandaDoc forward.

Beyond these points, it's vital to understand that resilience is not just about enduring; it's about adapting and learning. It’s about using setbacks as stepping stones, rather than stumbling blocks. It’s about viewing challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than roadblocks. In this light, Mikado’s resilience is an inspiring lesson for all of us, demonstrating that the true test of resilience lies not in the challenges we face, but in how we face them.

Further Learnings

Follow Mikita on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Topics covered in this episode:

1. What makes your business is more than just a piece of tech.
2. Subscriptions make better citizens of the world.
3. The fundamental shift occurring with your customers.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Throughout human history, sacred texts and religious congregations have epitomized the enduring power of collective belief. This sense of community, united by a shared doctrine, forms a bond that transcends boundaries, emphasizing not just individual salvation but a collective spirit that uplifts and unifies. Similarly, while a SaaS company is distinct from a religion, it thrives on the relationships it fosters within its user base, emphasizing connections, shared experiences, and the collective value they bring.

Lloyed Lobo of Boast.AI, having delved into the successes of iconic companies like Apple, Atlassian, and more, offers insights into harnessing community-driven growth in his book, "From Grassroots to Greatness." Today's episode takes listeners on a journey with Lloyed, highlighting the significance of community-led growth in B2B SaaS, with his book serving as a beacon for those seeking to deepen their understanding.

Get Lloyed’s new book, 'From Grassroots To Greatness: 13 Rules to Build Iconic Brands with Community Led Growth' (Top New Release on Amazon) at https://FromGrassrootstoGreatness.com

High-Level Overview

• The Power of Collective Belief: Drawing parallels between religious congregations and the potential of building strong communities within the B2B SaaS sector.
• Relationships and Connections in SaaS: Discussing the importance of nurturing relationships, fostering connections, and creating shared experiences among users.
• Case Studies of Iconic Companies: Analyzing the growth and community-building strategies of enduring companies like Apple, Atlassian, CrossFit, Harley-Davidson, HubSpot, and others.
• Lloyed Lobo's Insights and Learnings: Delving into Lloyed's research, his interactions with over a thousand leaders, and the distilled knowledge he provides in his book.
• Community-Led Growth in B2B SaaS: Exploring the transformative impact of community-driven growth strategies on businesses and understanding its long-term benefits.

Community-Led Growth

In an era where customers no longer buy products but experiences, the importance of community-led growth cannot be understated. Building a community fosters genuine connections, creating a platform where customers don't just use your product, but actively champion it. This human-centric approach positions companies at the forefront of consumer minds, forging deeper ties and ensuring longevity in a rapidly evolving market landscape.

• Value-driven Content Creation: Start by generating content that is both educational and beneficial to your target audience. This builds trust and positions your brand as a thought leader in your domain.

• Engaging Forums and Groups: Create spaces, be it online forums or social media groups, where your community can engage, ask questions, and share their experiences. This not only facilitates peer-to-peer learning but also provides invaluable feedback.

• Exclusive Events and Webinars: Host events that offer exclusive insights, previews, or discussions. This not only fosters a sense of belonging but also gives members a reason to stay engaged and involved.

• Collaborative Product Development: Involve community members in beta testing, feedback rounds, and even ideation sessions. This not only improves your product but makes them feel valued and integral to your brand's success.

• Community Ambassadors: Identify and nurture active members to become ambassadors. They can further evangelize your brand, offering a more authentic voice that resonates with potential customers.

• Feedback Mechanisms: Implement clear channels through which community members can provide feedback on products, services, or even community activities. This ensures continuous improvement and adaptability.

While the tactics to cultivate community-led growth can vary, the underlying principle remains consistent: value your community members as co-collaborators, not just consumers. Their collective wisdom, enthusiasm, and advocacy can drive your brand to new heights. As you venture into this realm, remember that genuine engagement and mutual respect are the keystones of any thriving community. Embrace them, and watch your brand flourish in ways you'd never imagined.

Topics covered in this episode:

• What is positioning?
• Dissonance between revenue timeliness and marketing priorities
• Category creation and adoption.
• How to position your product.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

In the world of American football, the coach is the linchpin, melding individuals with varying strengths, fears, and ambitions into a singular, winning force. They transcend mere instruction, turning raw talent into a harmonized strategy, creating trust, camaraderie, and synchronized action on the field.

Similarly, in B2B SaaS, managers are the driving force, identifying and harnessing the unique capabilities of their teams. Dave Kline of MGMT Accelerator embodies this synergy, mastering the art of team cohesion both in sport and business. Today's episode dives deep into the art of effective management, exploring how to optimize individual potential for collective triumph with insights from the master himself, Dave Kline.

High-Level Overview

• Embracing Limitations: The episode delves into the idea of differentiating between genuine limitations and self-limiting beliefs. The story of the artist with handshakes is used as an example to demonstrate how limitations can be embraced and turned into a source of creativity, forcing one to think outside the box and foster innovation.
• The Power of "And": Dave Kline discusses the potential of viewing situations as non-binary. Instead of "either-or" situations, he introduces the concept of "and," suggesting that it's possible to be two things at once, breaking traditional molds or expectations. This topic touches upon not being confined by titles or traditional methods.
• Codifying Culture: The significance of understanding, preserving, and conveying the culture of a growing company is stressed. Dave Kline emphasizes the intrinsic values seen in the first few members of a company and the importance of documenting these values to ensure they aren't diluted as the company grows.
• Language Precision with Values: The episode also touches upon the importance of sharp language when defining company values. Instead of generic terms like "integrity," the idea is to find specific, resonant terms that truly represent the company's values, attracting the right kind of employees and repelling those who might not align with the company's mission.
• Advice for Entrepreneurs: There are multiple moments in the episode where Dave Kline offers advice to those building software businesses from the ground up. Key takeaways include the importance of staying true to one's values, understanding the difference between perceived limitations and actual ones, and ensuring the company's culture and values are clearly communicated and upheld.

Codifying Your Culture

In the dynamic realm of SaaS, a company's culture isn't just an ethereal concept; it's the very backbone of sustainable growth, innovation, and team harmony. A strong, clearly defined culture guides decision-making, promotes consistency, and most importantly, fosters a sense of unity among the workforce. To not merely sustain but truly thrive, businesses must recognize the intrinsic value of their cultural DNA and make intentional efforts to nurture, articulate, and preserve it.

• Identify Core Values: Begin by understanding the foundational values that your company stands for. What principles drive decision-making? What ethical standards are non-negotiable? Establish these clearly.

• Document Company Stories: Historical anecdotes and tales of company milestones often carry the essence of the organizational spirit. Capture these stories; they serve as living testimonials of your culture.

• Consistent Communication: Whether it's through monthly meetings, newsletters, or casual chats, ensure that the cultural ethos is always a part of the conversation.

• Leadership Modeling: Leaders and managers should exemplify the cultural standards, acting as role models for the rest of the team.

• Hire and Train Accordingly: Seek out potential hires who align with your cultural values. During onboarding, place significant emphasis on culture to ensure new members understand and embody it.

• Feedback Loops: Regularly solicit feedback on how well the team feels the company is upholding its cultural tenets. This helps in real-time adjustments and reinforces the importance of culture.

• Celebrate Cultural Wins: Recognize and celebrate when team members or departments particularly embody the company culture, reinforcing its importance.

In conclusion, while technological advancements and business strategies are pivotal, it's the unseen cultural threads that often weave the fabric of long-lasting organizational success. Codifying culture isn't about imposing a set of rules; it's about crystallizing what's already there, ensuring that as the company grows and evolves, its heart and soul remain intact.

In the stillness of dawn, a lone runner paces the streets, their commitment to the run a silent battle against the comfort of rest. This is the power of accountability: when another joins the run, the journey changes—each stride is shared, and the motivation multiplies. What was once a struggle becomes a pact, as they urge each other forward, embodying the resilience and shared dedication that turn individual effort into collective endurance.

Today, we dive into the parallels between this partnership and the world of B2B SaaS with Tanya Alvarez, Founder of OwnersUP. Tanya stands as the quintessential accountability partner for SaaS leaders, teaching them to channel the spirit of a marathoner to achieve long-term success. We'll uncover how the principles of accountability can catalyze growth, foster relentless pursuit of goals, and transform the solitary sprint of business into a synchronized stride towards triumph. Join us as we explore the synergy of teamwork and accountability with Tanya, and learn how to make your business run a race where every step counts.

High-Level Overview

• Goal Prioritization: Strategies for entrepreneurs to prioritize tasks effectively to ensure progress towards their most important objectives.
• Accountability Groups: The role and importance of accountability groups for entrepreneurs to stay focused and motivated, sharing the concept of Owners Up as a platform that facilitates such groups.
• Balancing Work and Personal Life: Tanya's personal journey from being a workaholic to achieving a healthier work-life balance, particularly after becoming a parent.
• The R.A.P. Method: Tanya introduces the Review, Assess, and Prioritize method as a daily productivity tool for entrepreneurs to wrap up their day and plan for the next.
• Building Supportive Communities: The significance of creating a supportive network or "village" for entrepreneurial success and parenting, emphasizing the importance of community in personal and business growth.

The R.A.P. Method

The R.A.P. method, developed by Tanya Alvarez, is a systematic approach designed for entrepreneurs to enhance their daily productivity and maintain focus on their most impactful tasks. It’s a reflective process that encourages regular review and assessment, allowing for the prioritization of actions that drive the most value for their businesses.

• Review (R): Reflect on the day’s activities, noting accomplishments and areas of improvement. This is a time for celebration of what was achieved and understanding what could be done better.
• Assess (A): Evaluate the day on a scale of one to five to determine what made it a five and what didn’t. This helps in identifying what tasks or actions contribute to the most productive days.
• Prioritize (P): Decide on the top three tasks that, if completed, would make the next day successful. These should be tasks that align with the overall business objectives and personal goals.

This method goes beyond simple task management; it's a strategic approach for entrepreneurs to align their daily actions with their larger business goals. By implementing the R.A.P. method, founders can ensure that their efforts are not just busywork but are meaningful steps towards their company's growth and success. It's a tool for turning the chaotic hustle into a directed effort that pays off in the long run.

Topics covered in this episode:

1. Don’t be a solution searching for a problem
2. Tall Poppy Syndrome in Canada
3. Cultivating a culture of competition
4. The importance of stepping away 

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• Having a product team that can say “no” in order to stay on plan

• Choosing one singular focus and target customer instead of trying to do everything

• The future goals of Yesware

• Keeping product and sales focus, and how it's made Yesware successful

• Getting your team aligned and on board with direction

• The Characteristics of a great salesperson

This episode is produced by Dan Callahan, Benjamin Hillman, and Patrick Campbell. Additional support by Steve Cerasoli and Allissa Chan.

Written by Mary Matton

Protect the Hustle is a ProfitWell Recur Production. All rights reserved. 

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode

• The primary reasons for Moz's failure and what Rand would've changed about the operation
• The implications of creating an anti-active usage product
• The lessons Rand extracted from early failure and how he picked back up again as a secondary founder
• The cruciality of leveraging your resources—namely, people and product—to optimize for the right thing

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out Leah's PLG Breakdown here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The One Rule that Makes a Good Email
• Mapping Out an Email Journey
• Getting from Value Realized to Value Achieved Moments
• How to Deal with Non-Responsive Readers
• Keeping Readers Focused on Your Message

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The Itch to Strategically Operate
• A System for Firing and Developing People
• Keeping the Rhythm with the Operational Success
• Building a Culture of Learning
• Sharing Numbers in a Way that Motivates

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode:

1. Building a career off problem solving
2. The growing skills gap
3. Keeping pace with innovation
4. Developing a learner’s mindset
5. The growth of silicon slopes

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

You’re standing at the edge of a vast canyon. You gaze across the seemingly endless expanse. The wind whistles through the rocky outcrops, the sun casts long shadows and a river snakes its way far below. You might not want to, but you’re about to navigate this canyon. To traverse this challenging terrain, you’ll need to understand the hidden paths, the potential pitfalls, and the best way to navigate the unpredictable environment…

The canyon we speak of represents the complex and ever-changing world of B2B SaaS. Navigating this landscape requires keen insight, adaptability, and the ability to identify macro trends that drive the industry forward.

Enter Doug Pepper, a Partner at ICONIQ Capital. He has proven himself to be an adept guide in the realm of B2B SaaS. Serving on the boards of several high-profile companies and investing in numerous others. Through this, Doug has gained a deep understanding of what it takes to thrive in the competitive world of SaaS. With years of experience and an impressive track record alongside the likes of Marketo, Canva, and Calendly, Doug is prepared to help you scale and succeed. His knowledge of the SaaS economic landscape, combined with his unique insights, make him an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand and navigate this challenging territory.

High Level Overview:

• Economic downturns are inevitable, and companies should adopt a "wintertime" mindset to successfully navigate through these challenging times.
• Focusing on long-term sustainability, profitability, and efficiency is essential for SaaS companies to thrive in uncertain economic environments.
• Maintaining a strong company culture, prioritizing product development, and ensuring customer satisfaction are key factors that determine a company's success.
• A strong board of directors can provide valuable guidance and support to help companies weather economic storms.
• The current valuation multiples in the SaaS market are more realistic and sustainable compared to those of recent years; however, there is potential for some growth in valuation multiples.

Survive to Thrive in 2025:

Preparing for an economic downturn as a SaaS company involves adopting a forward-thinking approach, focusing on the foundational aspects of the business, and being ready to adapt to changing market conditions. Companies that take a proactive approach and prioritize long-term success will be better positioned to weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side.

• Adopt a "wintertime" mindset: Be prepared for slower growth and challenging market conditions by focusing on long-term sustainability. This involves building a financial buffer, anticipating potential risks, and devising strategies to tackle obstacles that may arise during an economic downturn.
• Focus on profitability and efficiency: Evaluate and improve your unit economics to ensure a clear path to profitability. This includes optimizing operational processes, reducing costs where possible, and making data-driven decisions to maximize revenue and minimize expenses.
• Maintain a strong company culture: Foster a supportive and motivating environment for your employees to ensure they stay engaged and committed. This involves open communication, employee recognition, and providing opportunities for professional development to keep your team motivated during tough times.
• Prioritize product development: Continuously invest in improving and expanding your product offerings to meet the evolving needs of your customers. Focus on innovation and differentiation to stay ahead of the competition and maintain your market share, even during a downturn.
• Ensure customer satisfaction: Keep your customers happy by providing excellent service and addressing their needs promptly. Implement customer retention strategies such as personalized outreach, targeted promotions, and regular feedback collection to maintain strong relationships and reduce churn rates.

Weathering the storm of an economic downturn as a SaaS company requires a combination of strategic planning, adaptability, and a focus on the core aspects of the business. By taking these steps, companies can not only survive but thrive in the face of economic challenges, positioning themselves for long-term success and growth in the B2B SaaS industry.

Further Learnings

Follow Doug on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In this episode, PC and Neel share their take on these burning topics: 

• Google's platform flex on Zoom
• Facebook Shop
• Joe Rogan's move to Spotify

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Shame led to work ethic
• When to give up on your dreams
• The shift from marketing to brand affinity
• The unlock to content distribution
• Wistia’s internal content mandate

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• 02:13 - Zeroing in on Sales Roles
• 08:23 - Hiring someone with a fire in the belly
• 14:07 - SDR Training, Enablement and Progression
• 21:00 - Setting up sales opportunities for success
• 39:01 - The value of compassionate leadership

This is a Paddle production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Today's guest, Anna Gong, founded Perx Technologies in 2014. Her discussion with Paddle's Neel Desai is a curious one when it comes to the topic of game theory and gamification. While gamification might feel gimmicky and drive shallow customer engagement, it can actually be a tool for good (if done properly). Neel and Anna go over a number of topics in the episode but we'll give you an overview of what you need to know below.

High Level Overview

• Utilize different game theory mechanics such as leader boarding, badging, teaming, social virality, quests, missions, and other games.
• Focus on increasing financial literacy and wealth savings, rather than just driving user behavior for spending.
• You can augment your enterprise motion with Product-Led Growth with an initiative to rally behind.
• Use AB testing to determine the most effective way to engage customers.
• Don't just dangle a voucher or cash back, but continuously engage customers.

Using Game Theory to Drive Customer Loyalty

Game theory is a powerful tool for driving customer loyalty and engagement. By utilizing different mechanics such as leader boarding, badging, teaming, driving, social virality, quests, missions, and other games games, you can create a challenging effort to achieve a purpose that customers will be more likely to engage with. Here are some tips for using game theory to drive customer loyalty:

• Utilize Different Mechanics: There are a variety of mechanics available to use when employing game theory to drive customer loyalty. These include leader boarding, badging, teaming, driving, social virality, quests, missions, and other games games. Each of these mechanics can be used to create a challenging effort that will give customers a sense of purpose and get them more engaged with your product or service.
• Instant Gratification: Customers need to be instantly gratified and rewarded for frequently interacting with a brand, rather than just being offered a voucher or cash back. Utilizing game theory rewards can help to ensure that customers are rewarded for their loyalty and will keep coming back.
• Focus on Financial Literacy: Rather than always focusing on spending, it can be beneficial to pivot campaigns to increase financial literacy and wealth savings. This can be done through creative campaigns that aim to solve certain business challenges.
• Be Creative: Utilizing game theory to drive customer loyalty is an effective way to increase engagement and loyalty. However, it is important to be creative and think outside the box. Consider different strategies and mechanics to create a unique experience that will get customers excited about your product or service.

Further Learnings

Follow Anna Gong on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Play Flappy Bird (at your own risk) here.

Topics covered in this episode

• Building, scaling and distribution: the new challenges for software companies
• How first perfecting a single product can lead to multi-product success
• Discovering the competitive edge of a market
• Leveraging the location benefit of Chennai
• The power of alignment and managing your team
• The value of an integrated user experience

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Christian’s early SaaS origins
• Solving customer problems
• The roadmap to success
• Getting your customers to trust you
• What makes London perfect for SaaS

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Imagine a grand theater on the cusp of a captivating performance, each individual, from actors to orchestra to stagehands, contributing to a seamless spectacle that leaves the audience enchanted. This beautiful balance is strikingly akin to a successful business, where different departments - marketing, sales, product development, and customer success - perform harmoniously on the market stage to mesmerize their audience, the clientele. When marketing campaigns align perfectly with sales strategies, it creates a symphony that attracts and retains clients, thereby fostering customer satisfaction.

This ensemble performance of a business is where our guest, Udi Ledergor, the Chief Evangelist at Gong, comes into play. Drawing from his expansive experience in harmonizing marketing initiatives with sales objectives, Udi provides valuable insights into nurturing cross-functional collaboration, akin to a director coordinating a multifaceted stage performance. In today's episode, we delve into Udi's expertise on aligning marketing and sales teams, building a cohesive company narrative, expanding product offerings, and crafting magical marketing moments that captivate customers.

High-Level Overview

• The Evolution of the Marketing Team at Gong: In the early stages of Gong, marketing and sales teams were under the same leadership, allowing for seamless collaboration. As the company grew, the marketing team evolved into a more specialized function, still maintaining strong cross-functional ties with sales.
• Designing Sales and Marketing Alignment: Gong fosters a culture of mutual respect between sales and marketing by facilitating open conversations, aligning on shared metrics, and ensuring collaboration on larger objectives. By adopting this strategy, Gong has been able to drive its growth by better addressing market demands.
• How to Know if Growth Problems are Internal or External: Evaluating growth problems requires identifying if the limitation is the market size or an internal process. If a company is hitting its sales and marketing goals but still not growing, it's likely that the market size is the constraint.
• Challenging Best Practices: Gong believes in not simply accepting the status quo. They regularly challenge best practices by initiating unconventional and sometimes controversial strategies to provoke thought and incite conversations, leading to improved problem-solving and innovation.
• How Good Marketing Creates Magic: Drawing from his love of performing arts, Udi Ledergor emphasizes that successful marketing should create moments of magic and entertainment for its audience. In a world where people are inundated with content, creating an engaging and memorable experience can set a company apart.

Benchmarking Growth Internally vs Externally

Benchmarking growth in the business landscape involves a meticulous examination of both internal operations and external market factors. Distinguishing whether a growth problem is internal or external can be a challenging endeavor, but it is crucial for devising appropriate solutions. The following points provide a comprehensive breakdown of the process and strategies used at Gong, illustrating an effective approach to this challenge.

• Understanding Lead Quality: Gong's evaluation begins with an assessment of lead quality. By comparing new leads with historical conversion rates and data from over six years of sales, they can detect any significant shift in the type or quality of leads they're attracting.

• Analyzing the Sales Process: With leads in hand, attention is then directed to the sales process itself. Gong uses its own tool to ensure sales teams are using the most updated sales messages and decks, identifying and rectifying any deviations promptly.

• Win-Loss Analysis: Following this, Gong delves into reasons for lost deals. By categorizing and analyzing why business was lost, the team is able to discern whether issues like pricing, discounts, or competition played a role in the outcome.

• Adjusting Strategy Based on Findings: Armed with this insight, Gong then formulates responses to the common customer concerns identified. This includes strategies like flexible payment terms and offering free product trials, indicating a tailored approach to mitigating loss reasons.

To summarize, benchmarking growth is a comprehensive process that delves into understanding lead quality, analyzing the sales process, and conducting a rigorous win-loss analysis. By dissecting these components, businesses can equip themselves with a deeper understanding of their growth issues, enabling them to develop targeted solutions and drive successful outcomes.

Further Learnings

Follow Udi on LinkedIn.

Protect the Hustle is a ProfitWell Recur Production.

Benjamin Hillman - Show Producer
Dan Callahan - Creative Producer
Robert Byrne - Show Intern
Allissa Chan - Creative Intern

Co-Hosted by Patrick Campbell and Ben Hillman
Additional Production by Patrick Campbell

Patty McCord's book Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility: http://bit.ly/powerfulpm
The current Netflix Culture Deck can be found here: https://jobs.netflix.com/culture
The archived culture deck can be found here: http://bit.ly/netflixculturearchive

Topics discussed:

• How HubSpot developed a data-driven sales playbook
• The powerful potential of combining marketing and customer success
• The Science of Scaling
• Leading indicators that signal a readiness to scale
• What to do when scaling breaks

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics covered in this episode

• Building, scaling and distribution: the new challenges for software companies

• How first perfecting a single product can lead to multi-product success

• Discovering the competitive edge of a market

• Leveraging the location benefit of Chennai

• The power of alignment and managing your team

• The value of an integrated user experience

This episode is produced by Dan Callahan, Benjamin Hillman, and Patrick Campbell. Additional support by Robert Byrne and Allissa Chan.

Protect the Hustle is a ProfitWell Recur Production. All rights reserved. 

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The importance of training
• Designing workflows
• Creating training infrastructure
• Tracking progress & accountability
• The future of training

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Understanding the Root of Customer Wants
• Building an Intentional Culture
• The Leapfrog Differentiator
• Living Out Your Weirdness
• The Secret to Uncomfortable Conversations

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Think of your company's value as a rare treasure, and imagine the best way to get it into the right hands. Content marketing, when executed flawlessly, acts as the perfect delivery service, transporting your company's unique offerings directly to a curious and engaged audience. In B2B SaaS, this precision becomes paramount, with the content acting as customized parcels, addressing the specific needs of each client.

Jose Cayasso, commonly known as Caya, is at the forefront of this strategic delivery system. As the CEO of Slidebean, he has amassed over 350,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel, turning content delivery into an art. Today, we'll dive deep with Caya, understanding how to craft content that doesn't just inform but resonates and engages. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind Slidebean's massive success and learn how to transform your content into the ultimate delivery tool.

High-Level Overview

• Passion for Content Creation Over Monetization: Caya expresses his passion for creating content rather than focusing on monetization, highlighting the value he places on the content itself over the potential revenue it might generate.
• Welcoming and Supporting the Startup Community: Katy Hammond and Caya discuss the need for honesty and validation in the startup community, especially for early-stage founders, and how to create a more welcoming environment.
• Challenges and Lessons from Failed Content Series: They delve into lessons learned from the retired series "Five Minute Tech" and the importance of creating evergreen content that remains valuable to viewers for years.
• Content Strategy Differences with YouTube and TikTok: Caya elaborates on the differences between YouTube and TikTok, highlighting the long-term monetizable value of evergreen content on YouTube and the accessibility of TikTok for companies and creators.
• The Importance of Honest Feedback in Idea Validation: Caya emphasizes the value of honest feedback in the startup community, discussing the common issues founders face in validating their ideas and the importance of critical rather than merely positive responses.

Leveraging Content Marketing

In today's digitally-driven world, content marketing stands as one of the most powerful tools for startups to gain visibility, establish authority, and foster relationships with potential customers. It provides a cost-effective way to communicate a brand's value proposition while resonating with the target audience's needs and preferences. When done right, content marketing not only drives organic traffic and boosts SEO but also cultivates trust, turning passive readers into active customers and brand advocates.

• Define Your Audience: Before creating content, understand who you're speaking to. Create detailed audience personas to cater content to specific needs and pain points.
• Tell a Story: Go beyond traditional promotional tactics. Narrate the journey of your startup, share success stories, or discuss challenges and how you overcame them.
• Quality Over Quantity: It's more beneficial to produce high-quality, in-depth content less frequently than churning out low-value content regularly.
• Leverage Different Mediums: Diversify your content portfolio. Use blogs, videos, podcasts, webinars, and infographics to cater to varied audience preferences.
• SEO is Key: Research relevant keywords and integrate them seamlessly into your content. This ensures that your content gets discovered by the right audience.
• Engage and Interact: Use content to foster a two-way conversation. Encourage comments, feedback, and share user-generated content to build community and trust.
• Analyze and Adjust: Regularly monitor content performance using analytics tools. Understand what's working and what's not, and tweak your strategy accordingly.

In conclusion, leveraging content marketing is not just about populating a blog or sharing videos sporadically. It's a strategic endeavor that requires consistency, understanding of the audience, and continuous learning. As startups are in a unique position to be agile and innovative, they can capitalize on content marketing to carve a niche for themselves in crowded markets. The journey might be demanding, but the results in terms of brand loyalty, awareness, and revenue growth are well worth the effort.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The recipe to embrace resistance to change
• Navigating the exposure to perfection
• The unsatisfactory answer to nailing company culture
• The key to repeatable scaling success

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

For decades we've been talking about active usage in the context of retention. After all, if someone is using the product, then they must be happy, right? Our market has changed though as we're able to measure outcomes better and automate more than we ever have before.

The result—our fixation on active usage may no longer be valid.

In fact, the data actually suggests that the least used products have the best retention, as long as they have a measurable outcome. I get that's a bit counterintuitive, so let's explore this concept with a nice framework, some examples, and of course the data to determine if you should be building a product for usage at all.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Destigmatizing the Cannabis Industry
• How to Measure Word of Mouth
• Creating Delightful Moments
• The Ingredients for Strong Word of Mouth
• Missteps to Avoid in the Word of Mouth Process

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics covered in this episode

• There is no perfect formula for building a business
• Hardships and how to navigate them
• Examples from the ProfitWell Crew
• Using operational redundancies
• Building the right team
• Getting through hardship by doing what you love

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Check out the detailed field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• 01:59 - What makes an IPO a good idea
• 14:03 - Maintaining control of the process
• 20:43 - Crafting your IPO Story
• 31:49 - Was the IPO worth it?

This is a Paddle production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

We’ve all got a favorite band. They start off small, playing in tiny venues and relying on word of mouth to build their fan base. Their raw talent and charisma attract a following, akin to how an innovative product captures the market. However, to make a real impact, bands must dream bigger and venture beyond their local scene. This calls for a proactive approach, akin to a world tour, where they engage with fans on a larger scale, promoting their music and playing in major venues.

Similarly, in the B2B SaaS realm, a company with a stellar product can build an initial customer base through organic, product-led growth. However, to truly accelerate and attain unparalleled success, incorporating a sales-led motion is essential. This entails a deep understanding of customers, personalizing approaches, and delivering value beyond the product. Like the band embarking on a world tour, this synthesis of strategies requires tactical planning, strategy, and execution. Guiding us through this journey is Tim Geisenheimer, CEO and Co-Founder of Correlated, whose expertise in seamlessly integrating sales-led and product-led strategies proves invaluable for companies seeking to harmonize and leverage these growth approaches.

High Level Overview:

• Leveraging User Data for Outreach: Cold outreach is more effective when it's personalized. Tim Geisenheimer emphasized the importance of utilizing user data to add value in communications, thus creating an impactful sales conversation.
• Security Can Be an Ice-Breaker: When approaching existing customers for upselling or new prospects, leading with security insights can capture their attention, as security is a prime concern for most businesses.
• Balance Between Sales-led and Product-led Is Key: Tim pointed out that while having a strong product is crucial, it's equally important to have a sales-led motion to actively reach out to potential customers who can benefit from your product.
• Be a User of Your Product: “Dogfooding” your product helps you understand its value and talk about it convincingly. Correlated uses its own product, and Tim highlights how this practice can make the product better and also improve communication with customers.
• Cold Outreach is Evolving: In the PLG (product-led growth) space, pure cold outreach is becoming less effective. Tim suggests that the days of cold sequencing are numbered, and companies need to adapt by providing more value and personalization in their outreach.

Implementing Sales-Led with Tim Geisenheimer:

Integrating a sales-led approach in a product-led business is akin to adding a turbocharger to an already powerful engine. By complementing the organic growth generated by the product with proactive sales efforts, businesses can achieve a level of growth that is greater than the sum of its parts. Tim Geisenheimer’s insights reveal the importance of this balanced approach.

• Utilize Existing User Data: Tailor your outreach and communication based on how your product is already being used by the prospect or customer. This customization makes your message resonate more and shows that you are attentive to their needs. When reaching out to customers, it's essential to go beyond generic messaging. By analyzing the user data and understanding their interaction with your product, you can craft a message that addresses their specific pain points or highlight features they might not be utilizing fully. This shows that you have put thought into understanding their business and are genuinely trying to add value.
• Initiate Conversations with Security: Begin conversations with insights on security. This can be an effective way to engage potential clients as it immediately addresses a critical concern. Security is a universal concern among businesses. By initiating the conversation with how your product can enhance security, or providing insights into security best practices, you tap into a top priority for the potential customer. This approach can help in establishing your brand as an authority and building trust early in the conversation.
• Create a Defined ICP (Ideal Customer Profile): Know which companies would most benefit from your product and focus your outreach efforts on them. This focused approach makes your sales efforts more efficient and effective. Having a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile allows your sales team to target the right businesses with precision. This means that the communication and outreach efforts are directed at those who are most likely to benefit from your product. It saves time and resources, and increases the probability of closing deals as you are talking to the most relevant audience.
• Employ Your Product in Your Sales Process: Use your own product to understand it better and to find customers. This firsthand experience enables you to discuss your product more authentically and persuasively. Using your product internally (“dogfooding”) enables you to identify its strengths and weaknesses. This insight is invaluable when communicating with customers because you can talk about real-world applications and benefits. Moreover, your sales team can provide genuine recommendations and tips, making the conversation more relatable and engaging for the potential customer.
• Evolve Your Outreach Strategies: Recognize that cold outreach needs to evolve. Integrate more value-driven, personalized approaches to engage potential customers effectively. Cold outreach strategies are rapidly becoming outdated. People are more likely to engage with communications that provide value. It’s essential to adapt your outreach strategies by incorporating personalized messages that are relevant to the recipient. This could include sharing insights, industry trends, or ways your product can solve specific challenges they might be facing.

Implementing a sales-led approach to a product-led business is not merely about boosting sales efforts. It’s about intelligently leveraging the strengths of your product, understanding your customers, and communicating value in a personalized manner. As Tim Geisenheimer’s experience illustrates, this approach not only enhances customer engagement but also positions your company for sustainable growth in an ever-evolving market.

Further Learnings

Follow Tim on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In the verdant heartland, rivers carve their paths, each with a destination in mind, much like the complex currents of market demand. These rivers, shaped by the terrain, can be directed and harnessed using tools like dams and pipes, ensuring every drop finds its purpose. Similarly, in the B2B SaaS world, these currents of demand transform into intricate systems, beautifully epitomized by the "Demand Waterfall".

Sidney Waterfall, the SVP of Marketing at Refine Labs, emerges as the maestro of this intricate landscape. With a profound understanding of these digital waterways, she's the beacon guiding businesses through the ebb and flow of demand. Dive in with us as Sidney reveals the mysteries of the Demand Waterfall, offering insights into turning potential interest into definitive outcomes.

High-Level Overview

• Tracking Macro vs. Micro Data Points: Sidney Waterfall discusses the common mistake businesses make by focusing too much on micro processes and missing out on the more critical macro data points. CEOs and leaders need to understand broader trends and insights to gauge what's working and what's not.
• The Importance of Conversion Sources: Sidney talks about how businesses often get bogged down in tracking conversions at the channel or tactic level, thereby missing the bigger picture. She emphasizes understanding the macro-level perspective like the pipeline source or conversion source.
• Technical vs. Marketing Perspective: Sidney and Andrew talk about whether The Vault’s primary audience is technically inclined founders or those with marketing job titles. Sidney mentions how many founders lead their sales and go-to-market strategies and how their content caters to such audiences.
• The Demand Waterfall: A lighter segment of the discussion revolves around Sidney's surname, Waterfall, and its relevance in the marketing world, especially in relation to the demand waterfall concept. She shares a humorous story about her VP thinking her surname was a pen name.
• Effective Go-to-market Strategy: Sidney provides advice to go-to-market leaders, emphasizing the importance of focus. She suggests that instead of spreading thin and trying multiple channels or tactics, businesses should hone in on one or two and execute them well.

The Demand Waterfall

In the intricate world of B2B SaaS, the Demand Waterfall emerges as a lucid metaphor, helping businesses visualize and optimize their process of turning potential interest into tangible outcomes. Just as rivers traverse through valleys to find their end goal, the Demand Waterfall guides businesses through various stages of capturing, nurturing, and finally converting demand, ensuring that no opportunity is missed.

The Demand Waterfall can be visualized like this:

• The Spring (Source): This is where the water (potential customers) first gushes out. It represents the marketing and promotional efforts to create awareness.

• Buckets (Flow): As the water flows down, it goes through various buckets representing different stages, like capturing interest (demand capture), nurturing the interest, and converting it into actual sales.

• Different Flows: Some buckets might be filled from multiple outlets, representing different departments (like sales, partners, etc.) working together to channel the water effectively.

• Last Bucket (Conversion): This is where water, having passed through all stages, collects in its final form, representing successful sales or partnerships.

In simple terms, The Demand Waterfall is an organized way of visualizing how businesses attract, engage, and ultimately convert potential interest into successful sales, with every department working harmoniously together, just like a series of interconnected buckets handling flowing water.

Topics covered in this episode

• The relationship of the customer and product
• The shift in the market in relation to customer research
• How data plays into the market
• An introduction to customer research
• Understanding qualitative and quantitative customer research
• Frequent objections to data collection and rebuttals

This episode was produced by Dan Callahan, Benjamin Hillman, and Patrick Campbell. Additional support by Robert Byrne and Allissa Chan.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 
All rights reserved. 

Go to http://www.protectthehustle.com/ to get the data Patrick talked about in this episode.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The last millisecond experience
• Phase transitions of growth
• Avoiding premature optimization
• Centralized vs distributed teams

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The Accidental Entrepreneur
• The Desire for Elevated Status
• Selling Transformation or Identity Reinforcement
• The Cyclical Nature of Marketing
• Frequency Required for a Messaging Breakthrough

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.  

This interview was recorded in January of 2023

Answer our five questions here.

Navigating through the expansive ocean, you're aboard a ship under the charge of a capable captain, supported by a proficient crew. This voyage, like any entrepreneurial venture, thrives on the synergy between astute leadership and effective governance, the essence of a safe and successful journey. It's a testament to the ability to chart a course amid uncertainties, addressing hurdles, and cultivating growth along the journey. Translating this metaphor to the dynamic sphere of B2B SaaS, the turbulent seas represent the rapidly evolving tech industry.

Like our capable captain, SaaS leaders must confidently steer their company through fluctuating tech trends and shifting customer expectations. It's here we introduce our guest, Christa Quarles, CEO and Board Director at Alludo. Christa's exemplary leadership and governance, akin to our sea captain's, has seen her successfully guide her tech 'vessel', Alludo, through the challenging waves of the tech industry, drawing on her invaluable experiences at OpenTable, Nextdoor, and the Walt Disney Company. In this episode, we'll voyage into the depths of leadership and governance, guided by Christa's wisdom, curiosity, and unwavering commitment to company success in the turbulent waters of B2B SaaS.

High-Level Overview

• Christa’s experience as a Disney executive: Christa leveraged her learnings from a media giant like Disney to approach the tech industry with a unique lens. Her diverse experience allows her to bring creativity to problem-solving and incorporate it into tech leadership, underscoring the value of cross-industry learning.

• The attributes of a successful CFO sales pitch: According to Christa, a CFO's pitch needs to be backed by solid data, a compelling narrative, and the capacity to connect on a personal level. This reinforces the idea that successful financial communication goes beyond numbers; it also involves storytelling and interpersonal skills.
• Fostering a culture of innovation while focusing on financial targets: Christa highlights the importance of creating a balance between driving innovation and hitting financial targets. She emphasizes that it's not about being solely profit-driven, but fostering a culture where teams can innovate and create, fostering company growth.
• Dismantling the divide between leaders and the people they manage: Christa shares the idea of creating a more egalitarian atmosphere in the workplace. She believes in breaking down hierarchical barriers and fostering open dialogue, showing that leadership is about understanding and empathizing with your team, not just directing them.
• Creating systems to encourage the uncorrupted to seek power: Inspired by Brian Koss's book "Corruptible", Christa talks about the need to build systems that promote ethical individuals to seek power. This underlines the role of governance structures in creating an environment where integrity is valued and encouraged.

Creating Systems for Leadership and Governance

Leadership and governance aren't just buzzwords - they are fundamental pillars upon which sustainable, successful businesses are built. They set the tone for company culture, guide decision-making, and provide a framework for achieving long-term goals. When we get these two elements right, we create a thriving environment that fosters innovation, maintains financial targets, and encourages ethical practices.

Based on the insights from Christa Quarles, CEO at Alludo, here are some practical steps to implement effective leadership and governance in your own business:

• Foster a Culture of Innovation: Encouraging employees to think creatively isn't about collecting occasional ideas; it's about embedding a culture where employees continually question and challenge the status quo. Leaders should provide a safe environment where risk-taking is appreciated and failure is seen as an opportunity to learn. By promoting cross-departmental collaboration and creating an open forum for idea exchange, organizations can unleash the power of collective intelligence.
• Strike a Balance with Financial Targets: Prioritizing innovation does not mean overlooking the financial health of the business. Leaders should be clear about how innovation initiatives tie back to business objectives and overall financial health. This may involve creating financial models that value long-term gains over short-term profits or investing in technologies that can drive operational efficiency. Balanced scorecards can be useful tools in this regard, allowing companies to measure performance across a range of metrics, not just financial ones.
• Promote Open Dialogue: Effective leadership isn't about having a monopoly on ideas or making unilateral decisions. Leaders should actively solicit feedback and input from employees at all levels of the organization. Regular town halls, open-door policies, and anonymous feedback channels can all help in promoting open dialogue. When employees feel heard and valued, they're more likely to be engaged, productive, and loyal to the company.
• Seek Diversity in Experience: A diverse leadership team brings a variety of perspectives and experiences to the table, enabling the organization to navigate complex challenges more effectively. This might involve hiring leaders from different industries, backgrounds, or disciplines, or promoting internal candidates who have worked in various functions or departments. Such diversity not only fosters creativity and innovation but also signals to the entire organization that diverse experiences and viewpoints are valued.
• Encourage Ethical Individuals to Seek Power: It's crucial to make leadership positions attractive and accessible to individuals who demonstrate high ethical standards. This may involve redesigning recruitment and promotion processes to emphasize ethical conduct, creating mentoring programs to develop ethical leaders from within the organization, or establishing clear codes of conduct that outline expected behaviors. Moreover, companies should ensure their reward and recognition systems incentivize ethical behavior and hold leaders accountable for their actions.

A final note to consider is the importance of continuous learning and curiosity in leadership. Leaders should never stop asking questions, seeking understanding, and learning about the world around them. It is through this relentless quest for knowledge that they can guide their teams with wisdom, make informed decisions, and drive their companies towards success. Remember, successful leadership and governance systems are not static; they evolve and adapt over time, much like the businesses they guide.

Further Learnings

Follow Christa on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Picture a cobblestone street bathed in twilight. A lone street performer, clad in worn-out garments, dances with vigor to a tune no longer in style. There's a crowd around them but, as the camera moves closer, you notice their faces passing by without meeting the gaze of our performer. Despite the dancer's passionate performance, with sweat pouring down their brow, not a single soul stops to watch. This somber scene reflects the cruel reality of being unnoticed despite giving your all. Just like the performer, companies in the bustling B2B SaaS landscape often find themselves clamoring for attention. To capture the audience’s heart, it’s not about shouting features; it’s about showing the depth and soul of your product through stories that resonate and evoke emotions.

Enter Tyler Lessard, the VP of Marketing and Chief Video Strategist at Vidyard - a maestro in content marketing. Like a seasoned choreographer, Tyler knows the moves to enthrall an audience without uttering a word. He’s the guiding light who shows how to weave storytelling into marketing, so your company doesn’t end up like the disheartened performer in the rain. In today’s episode, we’ll pirouette through the realms of content marketing, exploring how to craft stories that not only show but deeply connect, and ensure your product dances gracefully into the hearts of its audience.

High Level Overview

• Showing Instead of Telling: Tyler Lessard emphasizes the concept of showing instead of telling in content marketing. Like a street performer, it's essential to captivate audiences through engaging and visual storytelling, which creates an emotional bond and authentic connection with them.
• The 3 Pillars of Sales Feed’s Success: Sales Feed, a content channel Tyler mentions, is built on the principles of Reach, Resonance, and Conversion. It focuses on extending the content to a wider audience, ensuring it has a lasting impact through resonance, and successfully driving desired actions.
• Using Humor in Content Without Crossing the Line: Tyler talks about the importance of humor in content but emphasizes the need for balance. Humor can humanize your brand, but it’s essential to ensure it aligns with your brand’s voice and doesn’t offend or alienate your audience.
• Building a Scalable Rapport Engine: By focusing on authentic content that shows rather than tells, and being consistent in engaging the audience through relevant, relatable, and resonant content, businesses can build a scalable rapport engine. This approach helps to forge deeper connections with the audience.
• Looking Inside and Outside of Tech for Content Inspiration: Tyler highlights the importance of looking both within and outside of the tech industry for content inspiration. He mentions following influencers on LinkedIn and also looking to consumer content creators like YouTubers and TikTokers for fresh ideas and perspectives.

Building a Scalable Rapport Engine

Building a Scalable Rapport Engine is about nurturing relationships and creating an environment where your audience feels connected and valued. Like a well-tended garden, it requires consistent care, the right mix of elements, and a genuine touch to make it thrive. This approach will not only attract more people but will keep them coming back, laying the foundation for a strong and vibrant community around your brand.

• Embrace Video Content: As Tyler Lessard highlights in the interview, video is a powerful medium that allows you to show instead of tell. With video, you can bring stories to life, display product features in action, and put a human face to your brand. It's not just about the polished and professional content; sometimes, a raw and authentic video can make a greater impact. Consider different types of video content such as testimonials, product demonstrations, behind-the-scenes, and educational content to engage your audience.

• Engage with Your Audience Regularly: Consistency is key in building a scalable rapport engine. Just like Tyler strives to post on LinkedIn at least three times a week, it's crucial to have a regular presence on your chosen platforms. Moreover, engage with your audience through comments, messages, and actively participate in discussions. This creates a sense of community and makes your audience feel like they are part of something bigger.

• Use Humor Judiciously: Humor can be a double-edged sword. When used effectively, it can humanize your brand and make your content memorable. However, it’s essential to stay aligned with your brand values and be mindful of cultural sensitivities. As Tyler mentions, the humor should be self-deprecating or light-hearted without crossing lines that might offend your audience.

• Draw Inspiration from Various Sources: In an ever-evolving content landscape, it's important to keep your content fresh and innovative. Tyler draws inspiration from various sources, including his children's YouTube recommendations and trending TikTok creators. Don’t limit yourself to the corporate world. Sometimes the most groundbreaking ideas can come from the most unexpected places.

• Stay Authentic and Show, Don’t Tell: Authenticity is the cornerstone of building a rapport engine. Show the genuine side of your brand through storytelling and visuals. As Tyler points out, you don't have to come up with a grand idea every time; sometimes sharing a quick tip or an interesting story can be just as effective.

In conclusion, building a scalable rapport engine is akin to weaving a rich tapestry with threads of authentic content, regular engagement, judicious use of humor, diverse inspiration, and showing the heart of your brand through visuals and storytelling. Like Tyler Lessard and his team at Vidyard, cultivate an ecosystem where meaningful connections can thrive, and your brand can flourish in the hearts of your audience.

Further Learnings

Follow Tyler on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Check out the field guide here

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Marketing-driven growth vs. product-driven growth
• The ingredients that make up community
• How community drives the potential of a tech ecosystem
• The drive to stand out and be different
• Unlocking your authentic self with a willingness to adapt

This is a Paddle Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Going Smaller to Get Bigger
• The Consumer is always in pursuit of Value
• The Open Secret to Success
• Amelia Earhart’s Role in Category Creation
• The Need to Sacrifice to Specialize

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

In the heat of the championship game, imagine your favorite sport and the team captain standing at the center of the huddle. Their experience and familiarity with the weight of the trophy make them the leader every team desires to guide them toward victory. Like the world of sports, B2B SaaS thrives on strong leadership, with the ability to navigate software development complexities, manage multiple teams, and keep a keen eye on the evolving market landscape. The guidance of an experienced leader can mean the difference between championship glory and having to rebuild from scratch.

Enter Oliver Fisher, the CTO of Homebase, with a rich history at FreshBooks, Microsoft, Google, and Shopify. He may not be the LeBron James or Wayne Gretzky of SaaS, but he knows a thing or two about leading teams of various sizes. In this episode, we'll explore Oliver's valuable advice on successful team leadership in B2B SaaS, discussing the human aspects of leadership, the importance of structure, and fostering an ownership mentality among team members. Join us to learn from a seasoned SaaS veteran who has navigated leadership challenges and emerged victorious time and time again.

High Level Overview:

• Embrace the human aspect: Oliver Fisher emphasizes the importance of understanding and valuing the human element in technology, as it ultimately drives innovation and team cohesion.
• Encourage ownership mentality: As a leader, cultivating an environment where team members take responsibility for their work empowers them and contributes to overall success.
• Structure leads to freedom: A well-defined organizational structure, despite initial constraints, can provide a foundation for creativity and flexibility within a team.
• Emphasize fairness and communication: Addressing compensation disparities and fostering open communication among team members can lead to a more harmonious and productive work environment.
• Adaptability and learning from failures: Leaders should embrace change, continuously learn from experiences, and not be afraid of taking risks, as even failures can offer valuable lessons for personal and professional growth.

Leading High-Performing Teams:

The importance of leadership lies in its ability to shape an organization's culture, establish trust, and provide a clear vision for the team. Effective leaders recognize the need to balance depth and distance in their approach, enabling them to delve into the details while maintaining a long-term perspective. Based on our conversation with Oliver here are some thoughts to keep in mind when building a high-performing team:

• Hiring: Being actively involved in the hiring process ensures the selection of team members who align with the organization's values and culture. This is fundamental in building a strong and capable team that can work towards common objectives and achieve the desired outcomes.
• Structure: Establishing a well-defined structure within the organization sets clear boundaries and expectations for team members. This structure aids in creating an environment where individuals can grow professionally, contribute their unique skills, and work towards the organization's goals with confidence.
• Depth: Engaging in the details of the organization and understanding the intricacies of the work being done is crucial for effective leadership. This allows leaders to make well-informed decisions, support their team, and ultimately contribute to the overall success of the organization.
• Distance: Maintaining a long-term perspective enables leaders to create a clear vision for the future, prioritize goals, and navigate challenges as they arise. It is essential to balance this distance with depth to ensure both the present and future success of the organization.
• Trust: Cultivating trust within the organization is a cornerstone of effective leadership. By creating a supportive environment, leaders empower individuals to express their ideas, take risks, and learn from their experiences. Trust also encourages collaboration and fosters strong relationships among team members.

Further Learnings

Follow Oliver on LinkedIn.

Every company goes up market eventually, especially in B2B. Most do so by expanding their offering, few actually make the leap from abandoning the low end of the market and going right at the enterprise instead. So how do you get there? Transitioning from the startup market to the enterprise world requires strategic pivoting and a proactive group effort. 

May Habib has witnessed this first hand, as she played a pivotal role in the market transition of content intelligence platform Qordoba. May oversaw a considerable transformation with Qordoba, moving from the low end of the market as a content localization product to selling to giant enterprises like Marriott, Visa, and Condé Nast. She's steadfast in the mindset that training is everything, and you must prioritize heavy coaching, transparency, and feedback in the process. Listen here to see how she did it so successfully.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Transitioning markets (from startup to enterprise) through strategic pivoting
• Training your team for proactivity through heavy coaching
• The value of transparency and feedback in your process of transition

This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.

Imagine you're preparing to open a brand-new restaurant in a bustling city. The cuisine is exquisite, the ambiance is perfect, and the service is impeccable. But as the doors open and potential customers walk by, they don't seem drawn to your establishment. The problem? Your menu is confusing, the descriptions are bland, and the name of the restaurant doesn't resonate with the passersby. This is the power of messaging. Without clear and enticing messaging, even the most outstanding offerings can struggle to attract an audience.

Enter Peep Laja, the founder of Wynter, a platform dedicated to perfecting messaging through customer insights. With years of experience in the world of B2B SaaS, Peep has become a go-to advisor for startups and established companies alike. He understands the importance of storytelling, positioning, and messaging in a competitive market and knows how to guide businesses to achieve maximum impact. In today's episode, we'll dive deep into Peep's journey and his insights on creating powerful messaging for your B2B SaaS, and why telling a better story is crucial for startups looking to make their mark.

High Level Overview:

• Messaging is crucial: Effective messaging is essential to attract and engage your target audience, even if you have an outstanding product or service.
• Focus on storytelling: In competitive markets, telling a compelling story sets you apart and helps capture the attention of potential customers.
• Balance audience recruitment and sales: Carefully manage the recruitment of your target audience and sales efforts to prevent churn and wasted investments.
• Expand cautiously: Identify new market segments by gradually expanding your ideal customer profile, one at a time, to avoid overextending your resources.
• Stay agile and adaptable: In the ever-evolving world of SaaS, it's essential to stay flexible and adapt to market changes to ensure your messaging remains relevant and effective.

A Crash Course on Messaging:

Messaging is the art of crafting clear, concise, and engaging communication that resonates with your target audience. It includes your brand's story, positioning, and overall communication strategy, all of which play a vital role in attracting customers and promoting your product or service.

• Step 1 - Identify Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): To begin crafting your messaging, you need to know your target audience. Identify your ICP – the type of customers who are the best fit for your product. In Peep's case, he began with B2B SaaS VIP marketing CMOs, but later expanded to other roles within the same industry
• Step 2 - Establish a Clear Value Proposition: Once you know your ICP, create a value proposition that speaks to their needs and desires. This should clearly articulate the unique benefits your product offers and how it solves their problems. Be concise and specific, and avoid using buzzwords or jargon that might confuse your audience.
• Step 3 - Develop a Compelling Story: To stand out in a saturated market, tell a story that resonates with your ICP. Peep suggests focusing on "things beyond the product" – like better storytelling, stronger messaging, and more effective positioning. This will help you connect with your audience and differentiate your brand from competitors.
• Step 4 - Test and Iterate: Once you have crafted your messaging, test its effectiveness with real customers. Peep's company, Wynter, specializes in gathering customer insights to help fine-tune messaging. Use feedback from your target audience to optimize your messaging and ensure it resonates with them.
• Step 5 - Align Messaging Across Channels: Ensure that your messaging is consistent across all marketing channels – from your website and social media to email campaigns and sales materials. This will help reinforce your brand identity and make your messaging more memorable.
• Step 6 - Monitor and Update Messaging: As your business grows and your target audience expands, regularly review and update your messaging to stay relevant. Keep an eye on market trends, customer feedback, and competitor activities to ensure your messaging remains compelling and effective.

By following Peep Laja's crash course on messaging, you'll be well-equipped to create a powerful narrative for your SaaS business that resonates with your target audience and drives growth.

Further Learnings

Follow Peep on LinkedIn and check out Wynter for more on messaging.

Picture this: you're attempting to make your favorite cocktail with a blender, the vital tool that promises to unify varied ingredients into a symphony of flavors. However, misusing this powerful device or misunderstanding its capabilities can lead to a catastrophic concoction, much like the unintended mess when AI is poorly incorporated into your business. In the B2B SaaS realm, AI mirrors this high-tech blender, capable of transforming your services, processing customer needs, and unveiling potential you never knew existed. But be wary, the allure of AI's mesmerizing whirl can deceive, causing more harm than good when the focus is on the technology's novelty rather than tangible outcomes.

As we navigate this intricate landscape, our expert mixologist for this journey, Rudina Seseri, steps up to the bar. As the founder and managing partner of Glasswing Ventures, Rudina has perfected the art of mixing AI into business operations. Under her guidance, we learn that leading with outcomes, rather than the mere fascination of AI, can help avoid misuse and leverage this tool to solve real-world problems effectively. In today's episode, Rudina unpacks the complexities of AI implementation, helping us avoid the common traps that turn AI dreams into nightmares. So, buckle up as we explore the exciting yet challenging world of AI in B2B SaaS with Rudina, transforming your approach to AI and setting you up for a taste of success.

High-Level Overview

• It's crucial to lead with outcomes, not with the lure of AI: This means focusing on the results and value AI can bring to the business, rather than the novelty of AI itself.
• AI implementation requires strategic thought: It's not about embracing AI for the sake of it, but about a thoughtful integration strategy that aligns with business goals.
• AI should be used as a tool for competitive differentiation: It can allow companies to uncover hidden insights, streamline processes, and anticipate customer needs.
• Risks associated with AI need to be identified and mitigated: Without a clear understanding of potential challenges, AI can lead to more problems than it solves.
• A balanced approach is required when dealing with AI: It's essential to combine strategic implementation, human judgment, and automation to achieve the desired outcomes.

Strategically Implementing AI

Strategically implementing AI within your business is akin to a finely tuned orchestra, where each instrument plays its part to create a harmonious symphony. When done right, AI can be the maestro that harmonizes your processes, uncovers hidden insights, and anticipates customer needs, leading to a symphony of innovation and efficiency.

• Outcome-Centric Approach: Focus on the business outcomes that you desire, and use these as a compass when integrating AI within your business.
• Understand the Tools: A solid understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations allows for effective integration. Implement AI where it makes strategic sense and brings real value.
• Risk Assessment: Identify potential challenges and risks associated with AI implementation. Mitigation strategies should be in place before the onset of AI integration.
• Balance AI with Human Judgment: While AI can offer impressive automation and insights, it's important not to underestimate the role of human judgment in making key decisions.
• Continuous Learning and Adaptation: AI is a fast-evolving field. It's important to stay current and adapt your strategies as AI technologies and best practices evolve.

In conclusion, implementing AI in your business is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires a thoughtful and nuanced strategy that aligns with your business goals, coupled with an understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations. The sweet spot lies in harmonizing AI capabilities with human judgment to achieve the desired outcomes. The magic happens when AI is not viewed as a novelty, but as an integral tool for business growth.

Further Learnings

Follow Rudina on LinkedIn.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Innovation in customer success
• Establishing a retention focal point 
• Optimizing retention
• What most companies miss with retention 
• Who owns churn and expansion revenue.

This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space. 

In the world of art, a master painter captivates audiences not only with the visual beauty of his creations but also with the emotions they evoke, turning admirers into passionate investors in his masterpieces. Similarly, in the B2B SaaS landscape, the true art lies in crafting products and services that not only draw in a dedicated community but also compel them to become advocates, monetizing the profound relationships built.

Enter Yannick Veys, the CMO and Co-founder of Hypefury (a Paddle customer), whose expertise in cultivating and monetizing a social media audience is unparalleled. With Hypefury's noteworthy acquisitions, including the Elon Musk-acknowledged acquisition of Black Magic, Yannick showcases how to turn digital admiration into tangible success.

High-Level Overview

• Acquisitions Enhancing Audience Tools: Yannick Veys discusses how they strategically acquired businesses that added complementary features, expanding their suite of tools for audience growth and engagement.
• Challenges with Automation & API Changes: The challenges faced due to automation, especially with tools like chatbots and the implications of major API changes by platforms like Twitter, affect how businesses engage with and grow their audience.
• The Balance of AI and Human Touch: The conversation delves into the role and limitations of AI and chatbots in audience engagement. Yannick stresses the importance of a personal voice and human connection in audience building, predicting potential restrictions against over-automation on platforms.
• Effective Monetization Strategies: Yannick shares specific tactics they employ to help their customers monetize their audiences, such as creating urgency with countdowns, leveraging FOMO, and automated promotions that tactfully engage audiences without overwhelming them.
• Advice and Encouragement for Audience Building: The closing remarks provide advice for those starting on their audience building journey. Yannick emphasizes persistence, the importance of authentic engagement, and the idea that while beginnings might be slow, consistency and genuine interactions will lead to growth.

Digital Alchemy

In today's hyper-connected digital age, the potency of building and monetizing a social media audience cannot be overstated. Garnering a devoted audience is the crux of creating both brand loyalty and a sustained revenue stream. In the vast sea of online businesses, an engaged audience not only amplifies a brand's voice but directly translates to its financial prosperity. But how does one craft a magnetic social media presence and, more importantly, monetize this engagement effectively?

• Strategically Curate Content: Just as Yannick Veys emphasizes, the quality and relevance of content cannot be ignored. Ensure your posts resonate with your audience, offering value and establishing your brand as a thought leader.

• Authentic Voice and Engagement: Adopt an authentic voice and engage genuinely. Automated responses might be quick, but they lack the human touch that audience members yearn for. As Yannick noted, people want to interact with humans, not robots.

• Introduce Automation Strategically: While a genuine touch is invaluable, strategic automation, like the 'autopilot' function Yannick mentioned, can increase engagement and followers. Implement automation for actions like promotions without losing your brand's voice.

• Create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Limited-time offers, countdowns, and exclusives can drive immediate action from your audience. As Hypefury demonstrates, creating a sense of urgency can significantly boost sales.

• Monetize Through Diverse Channels: From affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, to online courses or webinars—ensure you're not putting all your eggs in one basket. Diversification is key to sustained revenue.

Building and monetizing a social media audience is as much an art as it is a science. It requires a deep understanding of one's audience, the agility to adapt to changing trends, and the creativity to offer value consistently. While the digital landscape might be ever-evolving, the fundamental principle remains: Understand your audience, offer them undeniable value, and the monetization will follow.