The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

Mark Roberge from Stage 2 Capital discusses the advantages and challenges of using AI for Go-to-Market strategies. He highlights how startups disrupt established players with their agility and innovation. The chapter also covers raising venture capital, the shift to efficiency, and strategic insights for hitting revenue goals in 2024.

Spenser Skates, experienced CEO and expert in growing and scaling businesses, shares key lessons on maintaining hypergrowth. Topics include expanding product suite, prioritizing iteration over perfection, AI in growth strategy, and building the right exec team for next stage of growth.

Scott Belsky, CSO, and EVP at Adobe explores the profound transformations taking place in the creative world. Topics include the impact of AI on creativity, the shift from productivity to creativity, incorporating creativity into enterprise workflows, and the importance of soulful creativity in a content-saturated future.

Nick Mehta, an experienced SaaS CEO, shares his top 10 failures in this podcast. Topics include embracing failure, the importance of company values, and lessons on patience and authenticity in the tech industry.

Jonathan Vassil, CRO of Toast, and Sam Blond, Founders Fund Partner, discuss Toast's customer acquisition strategies, highlighting the importance of setting expectations, in-person interactions, segmentation, and data analysis in optimizing business decisions. They also delve into the unique challenges of selling software to restaurants and provide tips for career growth and effective leadership.

In this podcast, Jason Lemkin answers questions about investing in a new product line, building vertical vs. horizontal, multiples in 2024, and more. He discusses strategic hiring and the challenges of securing pre-seed funding. The chapter also covers transitioning from founder-led sales to hiring AEs and the implications of the reopening IPO market. Additionally, there is a discussion on valuing early-stage startups in the SaaS industry.

Jason Lemkin, CEO and Founder of SaaStr, shares his thoughts on hiring a VP of Sales, using AI at early-stage companies, and investing in new product lines. He discusses the odds of startup success and the importance of founders who hustle and never quit. The chapter also covers M&A in the SaaS industry and the interest in investing in bootstrapped startups.

Aliisa Rosenthal, Head of Sales at OpenAI, discusses how AI is reshaping the way we work. Topics include the growth of chat GPT, the evolution of OpenAI models and innovations, expanding customer base with Chachi BT and API, the company's evolution and advanced data analysis tool, and the potential of Chat GPT and the role of AGI in assisting employees.

CMO of Datadog, Alex Rosemblat, explores tactics to close more deals with less budget. Topics include maximizing sales reps' effectiveness, the importance of lead routing, using case studies to improve sales communication, analyzing reasons for buying, and closing deals with a limited budget.

Expensify COO Anu Muralidharan shares strategies for achieving profitability and growth in SaaS startups. Topics include outsourcing for flexibility, bullish approach to launching products, leveraging automation to reduce expenses, and benefits of a small, powerful generalist team.