S4E1 - How to bootstrap two SaaS companies to a combined $10M ARR With Michael Kamleitner

When embarking on the journey of building a Software as a Service (SaaS) company, founders often face a many challenges at different stages of growth. One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked is the process of finding the right people to fill key positions within the organization. Whether it's identifying the perfect fit for a lead role or building a strong management team, the importance of having the right individuals in place cannot be understated. This task requires a keen eye for compatibility in terms of go-to-market strategies, target audience alignment, and overall vision for the company's growth. 

In the Season 4 opener of the Grow your B2B SaaS podcast, host Joran Hofman engages in a candid conversation with Michael Kamleitner, CEO at Walls.io and Founder at Swat.io. Together, they explore Kamleitner's journey in bootstrapping two successful SaaS companies to a combined $10 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Key Timecodes

• Show intro - (0:00)
• Introduction of Michael Kamleitner - (0:28)
• Founding of SWAT.IO and WALS - (1:09)
• SWAT.IO as the first startup - (1:24)
• Entrepreneurship aspirations - (1:32)
• End goals for both companies - (1:39)
• Motivation behind running two companies - (1:48)
• Current ARR of both companies -(2:14)
• Total number of employees - (2:31)
• Funding status of the companies -(2:38)
• Decision on bootstrapping vs. funding - (3:04)
• Ideation process for startups - (3:53)
• Importance of agency experience in product ideas - (4:30)
• Achieving product-market fit - (5:05)
• Transition from service model to software - (6:18)
• Challenges of transitioning from agency to SaaS - (7:28)
• Go-to-market strategy evolution - (8:08)
• Shift from sales-led to product-led growth - (8:51)
• Importance of content marketing and SEO - (10:36)
• Challenges with differentiation and pricing - (14:08)
• Handling unexpected costs in business - (19:42)
• Lessons learned from Twitter API cost incident - (21:32)
• Advice on hiring and building a strong team - (29:20)
• Importance of networking and community support - (31:18)