The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors
SaaStr
The Official SaaStr Podcast is the latest and greatest from the world of SaaStr, interviewing the most prominent operators and investors to discover their tips, tactics and strategies to attain success in the fiercely competitive world of SaaS. On the side of the operators, we center around getting from $0 to $100m ARR faster, what it takes to scale successfully and what are the core elements of hiring. As for the investors, we learn what metrics they hone in on when examining SaaS business, what type of metrics excites them and what they look for in SaaS founders.
Episodes
Mentioned books
13 snips
Oct 11, 2024 • 33min
SaaStr 764: State of the Cloud 2024: The Cloud AI Era with Bessemer Venture Partners, Anthropic, Jasper, Abridge and EvenUp
Join Sameer Dholakia from Bessemer Venture Partners, Julia Chapin of Abridge, Kate Jensen from Anthropic, Rami Karabibar of EvenUp, and Timothy Young from Jasper as they dive into the transformative impact of AI across industries. They discuss building defensible business models and highlight the importance of trust and partnerships to sustain growth. The conversation also covers adapting SaaS and healthcare communications through AI innovations, and the essential strategies for user retention in this rapidly evolving tech landscape.
46 snips
Oct 9, 2024 • 43min
SaaStr 763: The Secrets to Selling and Scaling in Vertical SaaS with Slice's CRO Loren Padelford
In a compelling discussion, Loren Padelford, CRO of Slice and former Shopify Plus executive, shares his insights on selling and scaling in vertical SaaS. He breaks down how Slice supports independent pizzerias with tailored software solutions, emphasizing the distinct strategies needed to compete with larger chains. Loren discusses the resilience of the pizza industry, key characteristics of effective sales teams, and the importance of building trust with SMBs. A must-listen for those looking to understand the nuances of vertical SaaS!
5 snips
Oct 4, 2024 • 50min
SaaStr 762: How to Build a Product Customers Love and Drive Nearly $1B in Revenue Along the Way with Klaviyo CEO Andrew Bialecki and SaaStr CEO and Founder, Jason Lemkin
Join Andrew Bialecki, CEO and Co-Founder of Klaviyo, a top marketing and customer data platform, as he shares insights on building a product that customers adore. He discusses Klaviyo's journey to nearly $1B in revenue and its transformation from small businesses to enterprise markets. Discover the impact of strategic partnerships, like the pivotal collaboration with Shopify, and learn about their IPO experiences and innovative product features that drive customer loyalty in e-commerce.
11 snips
Oct 2, 2024 • 30min
SaaStr 761: How to Build Pipeline and GTM Alignment with Datadog’s CMO Sara Varni
Sara Varni, CMO of Datadog, previously led marketing at Twilio and Attentive. She dives into aligning sales and marketing for pipeline success and shares her insights on the importance of cross-department collaboration. Varni discusses the complexities of pipeline generation across different market segments and highlights strategies for enhancing synergy between teams. She emphasizes balancing aggressive sales tactics with a positive developer experience, ensuring respectful engagement while maintaining brand integrity.
5 snips
Sep 27, 2024 • 40min
SaaStr 760: CRO Confidential: Rippling’s Top 3 Growth Tactics for Driving Revenue at Scale with Rippling CRO Matt Plank and Former CRO at Brex Sam Blond
Matt Plank, the current CRO at Rippling, shares insights alongside Sam Blond, former CRO at Brex. They discuss Rippling's remarkable ascent to a $14B valuation. Key tactics include evolving outbound sales strategies, blending traditional methods with AI, and the crucial alignment of marketing and sales teams. They also dive into the transition from customer success to account management, emphasizing the need for empathy-driven customer relationships that boost revenue and retention. Tune in for actionable growth strategies from industry leaders!
5 snips
Sep 25, 2024 • 29min
SaaStr 759: 5 Metrics that Matter When Raising Your SaaS Series A and Series B Round with Christoph Janz, Partner at Point Nine Capital
Christoph Janz, a Partner at Point Nine Capital and a SaaS investment expert, shares crucial insights for founders seeking Series A and B funding. He highlights five metrics that can make or break an investor's decision. Janz emphasizes the importance of clear, self-explanatory data to avoid lengthy discussions. This clarity not only boosts confidence among investors but also allows founders to engage with more potential backers simultaneously. It's all about showing growth, efficiency, and retention while having robust financial models in place.
7 snips
Sep 20, 2024 • 45min
SaaStr 758: Avoid These Common Founder Mistakes to Hire a Great VP of Sales in 2024 with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin
Jason Lemkin, SaaStr CEO and Founder, shares invaluable insights on hiring a VP of Sales. He discusses the common founder mistakes that can derail the hiring process, emphasizing candidate enthusiasm and product knowledge. Lemkin explains the necessity of due diligence and personal selling experience, warning against the pitfalls of relying solely on investor advice. He highlights how rigorous recruitment processes are crucial for business growth and the far-reaching impact of a poor hire on startup success.
24 snips
Aug 31, 2024 • 33min
SaaStr 757: 10 Cheat Codes I Learned While Scaling to $400M with Yext and Roam Founder Howard Lerman
In this engaging conversation, Howard Lerman, Founder at Roam and Yext, shares unconventional strategies for scaling SaaS businesses. He emphasizes mastering storytelling and highlights the daring approach of live demos. Lerman criticizes one-on-one meetings as unproductive and recommends Sunday night executive meetings for effective planning. He also discusses leveraging strategic advisors and maintaining control over critical areas like product-market fit. His unique take advocates for creativity in business, allowing founders to truly embody their vision.
Aug 14, 2024 • 36min
SaaStr 756: From Challenges and Churn to Triumph - How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Support at Scale with Monday.com's VP of Customer Experience
Natalie Margolin, VP of Customer Experience at monday.com, dives into her strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction in a fast-growing environment. She discusses the challenges of scaling support teams while meeting increased demand. The conversation highlights the role of AI in transforming customer interactions and how integrating chat features can boost satisfaction. Natalie emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and balancing automation with the human touch, ensuring expert support remains central in their approach.
9 snips
Aug 9, 2024 • 31min
SaaStr 755: How to Optimize Sales Performance, SaaStr CEO Jason Lemkin Answers Your Top SaaS Sales Questions
Jason Lemkin, the CEO of SaaStr and a sales performance guru, shares invaluable insights on optimizing sales strategies. He critiques outdated quarterly business reviews and emphasizes the need for effective check-ins and new hire training. The importance of retaining 'lone wolf' sales reps and tailoring hiring practices for different market segments is discussed. Lemkin also addresses the critical collaboration between sales and marketing, highlighting how startups can enhance their revenue through smart hiring and team dynamics.
