#364 – How 46 Labs scaled to $80M by solving the problems others ignored

A story about creating something desirable by choosing to be different—on purpose.

Most SaaS companies don’t fail because of bad tech.

They fail because they try to win by copying playbooks that were never made for them.

Trevor Francis, Founder and CEO of 46 Labs, took a different path. A former telecom engineer, he bootstrapped 46 Labs into an $80M infrastructure business by staying lean, solving the problems others ignored, and resisting the pressure to follow the VC script.

In this episode, we explore Trevor’s approach to staying capital-constrained, solving real customer problems, and how rejecting venture capital became their biggest advantage.

We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – Offering something truly valuable and desirable – Aiming to be different—not just better

Trevor’s story is proof that long-term traction often starts by doing what most others avoid.

By listening to this episode, you’ll learn: – Why staying lean for 12 years built more leverage than funding ever could – What made billion-dollar carriers trust a small, unknown startup – How to scale through acquisition without losing your culture – The power of constraint when building long-term momentum

This episode is for sales-led SaaS founders who feel pressure to chase funding, follow trends, or expand too fast—and want a smarter way to build something that lasts.

You can learn more about this weeks’ guest:

Trevor Francis, CEO

Company: 46labs.com