Navigating Vertical Software Success

This chapter examines the vertical software model, emphasizing Olo's achievements in the restaurant sector and drawing parallels with other industries. The discussion highlights the significance of customer concentration, professional services, and the dynamics between franchisors and franchisees for maximizing profitability and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, it explores the critical role of finance leaders in technology companies and the integration of specialized tools to enhance operational efficiency.

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In this episode, CJ is joined by Peter Benevides, CFO of Olo, a leading vertical SaaS company powering digital ordering, payments, and guest engagement solutions for popular restaurant brands. Peter explains how Olo successfully expanded into payments and used this as a strategic advantage. He breaks down how the company stacks S-curves through continued product expansion and adoption, and how this enables them to increase revenue without increasing the take-rate. The conversation also covers pricing strategy and how Olo balances subscription and consumption-based models. Peter also sheds light on what it's like selling into franchise businesses and lessons learned from other vertical SaaS companies like Veeva.

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@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(01:53) Sponsor – NetSuite | RightRev | Planful

(05:24) An Introduction to Olo

(08:34) Reaching Larger and Smaller Enterprises

(10:34) The Focus on Guest-Facing Technology

(13:22) The Evolution of Payments at Olo

(16:38) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta | Tropic

(20:33) The Card-Not-Present Offering and Fraud