#391 – How Pete Hunt turned a tool into a tribe

A story about users competitors can't steal

This episode is for SaaS founders wondering why their users like the product but don't love it.

Second movers usually copy the leader's playbook.

Pete Hunt, CEO of Dagster Labs, took a different path. He joined as Head of Engineering in 2022, became CEO ten months later, and inherited a company that was #3 or #4 in a crowded category. Today they're #2 overall—and #1 for greenfield deployments.

The difference? Pete built a product with values so clear that choosing it feels like choosing sides.

And this inspired me to invite Pete to my podcast. We explore what happens when users choose you for reasons competitors can't copy. Pete shares why being #2 means you have to be 10x more aggressive, why relabeling a version number created an inflection point without changing code, and what broke when his sales forecasts started slipping.

You'll discover why the real challenge wasn't preserving his culture—it was changing it.

We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – Acknowledge you cannot please everyone – Master the art of curiosity

Pete's journey proves that remarkable companies don't just build tools—they build tribes.

Here's one of Pete's quotes that captures his contrarian belief about technical buyers:

"These technical folks connect with the values of the product in an emotional way. It's a very powerful thing. People would choose JavaScript frameworks based on their values—something that becomes their identity. People say brand marketing doesn't work on developers. I just think it's completely wrong.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn:

• Why healthy pipeline numbers lie
• Why crossing the chasm meant changing culture, not preserving it
• What a version number change did that new features couldn't
• Why sales teams hold onto deals they should kill

For more information about the guest from this week:

Guest: Pete Hunt, CEO of Dagster Labs

Website: dagster.io