Cloud Radio | A SaaS Podcast

Ben Schaechter, Co-founder and CEO of Vantage, dives into cloud cost optimization and its growing importance amid rising cloud spending. He discusses the maturity levels organizations experience in cloud cost management and the starting point for seeking optimization services. Ben explains Vantage's role in alleviating the complexities of cloud costs, including challenges with major providers. He also shares insights on multi-cloud strategies and potential pitfalls, emphasizing that effective optimization can lead to long-term benefits despite initial concerns of vendor lock-in.

Our Guest: Elena Hutchison, formerly an Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Medallia, is now the Founder of Up/Right Analyst Relations. The firm offers coaching, consulting, and fractional analyst relations services, specifically designed to enhance companies' engagement with Gartner, Forrester, and other industry leaders.Episode Topics:Understanding the analyst relations function beyond quadrants + how analyst firms serve their own customersElena’s insights on the accuracy of Gartner’s Magic Quadrants and Forrester’s WaveElena expands on her “Most Important Sales Cycle of the Year” post Should companies always participate in an analyst Request for Information (RFI)?How can early + mid-stage companies best work with analyst firms?How analysts evaluate emerging vendors within categories + significance of vendor financial stabilityThe value of customer stories around ROI when collaborating with analystsHow to gain buy-in for an analyst relations program?Understanding the timeline for tangible, positive results from an analyst relations program.Elena’s insights on the differences between the largest analyst firms and niche analyst firms.Resources:https://www.uprightar.com/blog/your-analyst-evaluation-is-the-most-important-sales-cycle-of-the-yearhttps://www.uprightar.com/blog/debunking-five-myths-of-analyst-relations-for-startup-ceoshttps://www.saasboost.io/outsourced-sales-blog/top-saas-directory-and-review-sites-complete-guide-2023About Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings:Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio is a SaaS podcast covers all aspects of the business of software.Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter and writes "SaaSletter", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter on Substack.https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/https://twitter.com/SaaSletterhttps://www.saasletter.com/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Lead Routing Software, Sales Training + Onboarding Software, Sales Conversation Intelligence Software, and Partner Relationship Management (PRM) SoftwareBuilt upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guest: Claire Suellentrop recently published “Forget The Funnel”, a book outlining the Customer-Led Growth framework she and her partner Georgiana Laudi use in their consulting work with SaaS companies. Prior to founding Forget The Funnel, Claire was the Director of Marketing at Calendly.  Episode Topics - “Forget The Funnel” Excerpts We Dive Into:“Many marketing teams operate in a haphazard way, endlessly experimenting until something sticks. This is no way to generate long-term growth. In fact, it prevents sustainable and predictable growth. Most marketing teams don’t have time to stop, look around, and ask themselves, ‘Why isn’t this working?’”Customer Value Surprises + Disconnects - “Autobooks claimed to be an all-in-one tool - the research showed that only one feature set actually got small business owners through the door: online invoicing and payment processing.“Doing Too Many Customer Jobs To Be Done - “Step 4: Pick One Job. One of the biggest mistakes we see companies make at this stage is trying to solve all of their customers’ Jobs at once. That’s because each Job can represent vastly different customer needs and priorities.”Customer Value Mapping - “That’s the ultimate goal of the Customer-Led Growth Framework: making your customer’s experience quantifiable, unambiguous, and the bedrock of your organization: every department, every team, every decision.”And details on timelines and tactics for implementing Forget The Funnel at your companyEpisode Resources:https://www.forgetthefunnel.com/https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Funnel-Customer-Led-Predictable-Recurring-ebook/dp/B0C386KSTGAbout Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings:Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio is a SaaS podcast covers all aspects of the business of software.Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter and writes "SaaSletter", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter on Substack.https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/https://twitter.com/SaaSletterhttps://www.saasletter.com/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Session Replay Software, Sales Compensation Software, Digital Sales Room Software, and Direct Mail Automation Software Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guest: CJ Gustafson is the Chief Financial Officer of PartsTech, an automotive-focused vertical SaaS platform which recently raised a Series C led by OpenView Ventures.  He is also the author of Mostly Metrics, a metrics-centric SaaS newsletter. Episode Topics:The dichotomy between investor metrics and operator metrics. Metrics that investors can overemphasize.What metrics CJ  prioritizes when running a business?CJ's insights on raising a Series C in a challenging equity market in 2023. His advice on building out a finance function in an early stage company?Identifying potential sources of "financial athletes" to hire.CJ’s views on choosing the right company and maximizing the upside from your equity compensation..Episode Resources:https://www.mostlymetrics.com/https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/building-finance-teamshttps://twitter.com/cjgustafson222https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/https://kellblog.com/2022/10/11/you-cant-fix-a-cac-payback-period-the-operator-vs-investor-view-of-saas-metrics/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Virtual Event Software, Sales Compensation Software, and Direct Mail Automation Software Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guest: Nick Franklin is the Founder and CEO of ChartMogul, a subscription analytics SaaS suite with over 2,500 SaaS customers. ChartMogul recently launched a new CRM designed for B2B SaaS companies, which combines lead, trial, opportunity, and subscription data in a single platform.Episode Topics:The decision-making process for going multi-product and launching a CRM at ChartMogulNick's insights on over-reliance on expansion - 30%+ from expansion in ChartMogul’s  2023 Retention Report - and new logo productivityNick's advice on capital-efficient strategies for early-stage founders.What are some strategies and considerations for selecting geographical locations for employee recruiting?Episode Resources:https://mogul.io/ https://chartmogul.com/saas-retention-report/https://chartmogul.com/blog/introducing-chartmogul-crm/https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/softwares-over-reliance-expansion-matt-harney/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Virtual Event Software, Sales Compensation Software, and Direct Mail Automation Software Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guests: Pablo Dominguez and Matthew E. May of Insight Partners , a leading global asset management firm with over $90 billion in assets under management and an extensive portfolio of software investments. Their recent book, "What a Unicorn Knows", draws on their extensive experience working with successful startups and provides a guide for achieving rapid but lasting growth.Episode Topics:Streamlining experimentation with existing processes. How shortening “quote to cash” is a common lean process and accelerated value improvement in their work with portfolio companies?The perils of an over reliance on data-backed predictions for experimentation validity.Integrating experimentation strategies into your work and job descriptions.Responding to whether “visionary” or “optimizer” CEO/Founder types do better in their S.C.A.L.E framework, Matt and Pablo give their views on the foundational elements driving success.Episode Resources:https://www.insightpartners.com/ https://whataunicornknows.com/https://www.insightpartners.com/ideas/scaling-for-growth/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products. Recent report examples include: Virtual Event Software, Sales Compensation Software, and Direct Mail Automation Software Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guest: Ryan Walsh is the Founder and CEO of RepVue. Sometimes called “a Glassdoor for sales,” RepVue is the largest platform for crowdsourced ratings (140,000 and growing) of sales organizations globally. Episode Topics:The concept of RepVue and how it aims to solve the problem of information asymmetry in the sales rep hiring process.Ryan’s views on market conditions, including declining quota attainment and inbound lead flow.Why is quota attainment - currently in the 40% range across software - so low, and how does this situation happen?Asking the tough questions as an interviewee: understanding territories, quota attainment, a company's burn rate, and cash runway when considering new sales positions.How much product due diligence should sales reps conduct before joining a software companyIf Ryan were a growth equity or private equity investor, how would he assess the strength and health of a sales organization?Signs an SDR will become a successful Account ExecutiveEpisode Resources:https://www.repvue.com/Quota Attainment Data Trend - https://twitter.com/ryan_c_walsh/status/1636704102980648961About Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings:Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio covers all aspects of the business of software.Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter and writes "SaaSletter", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter on Substack.https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/https://twitter.com/SaaSletterhttps://www.saasletter.com/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products.Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guest: Cory Wheeler, Co-Founder + Chief Customer Officer of Zylo, a leading SaaS Management and Optimization platform with over $30 billion in SaaS spending under management. Zylo’s investor base includes Bessemer Venture Partners, GGV, and Menlo Ventures.Episode Topics:Zylo’s “2023 SaaS Management Index” report Cory’s view on a more challenging SaaS market environment - the 1st year with a decline in their platform-wide SaaS spendThe drivers of SaaS spending declines, like reductions in force and underutilized apps Stories of SaaS sprawl, including an organization with 49 different project management appsHow vendor customer success teams need to prove value and ROI at every renewalThe significant waste of unused licenses - 56% average monthly utilization in the 2023 Zylo SaaS Management IndexProject Management Tools as a prime example of SaaS sprawl and underutilizationBalancing SaaS tools for maximized ROIThe emerging trend of SaaS negotiation servicesImportance of governance in managing SaaS applications within organizations - balancing prudence against undue bureaucracy.A smart insight into the role of Enterprise License Agreements in mitigating risks from “shadow IT”Episode Resources:https://zylo.com/reports/2023-saas-management-index/https://www.saasletter.com/p/saasletter-cost-discipline-post-svbSaaSMe Podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMpzGma3CYOXHcibXCvz3?si=ad5a24f4e8f54234SaaSMe Podcast on Other Platforms:https://podcast.zylo.com/public/112/SaaSMe-Unfiltered%3A-The-SaaS-Management-Podcast-c316deeaAbout Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings:Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio covers all aspects of the business of software.Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter and writes "SaaSletter", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter on Substack.https://cloudradio.cloudratings.com/https://twitter.com/SaaSletterhttps://www.saasletter.com/About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products.Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.https://cloudratings.com/

Our Guest: Scott Stouffer, Founder + CEO of ScaleMatters, a Go-To-Market (GTM) Optimization Software Platform.Episode Topics:What to do if you inherit bad RevOps data + systemsHis take on the SaaS industry's declining sales quota attainment levelsThe dangers of focusing too much on late-stage pipelineAreas of waste at the top-of-the-funnelThe ROI of investing in RevOps to eliminate GTM wasteHow tech stacks are often the root cause of GTM wasteWhy everyone invests in RevOps too lateReinvesting savings into growth + equity value creationHis perspective on cold investor outreachEpisode Resources:scalematters.comAbout Cloud Radio by Cloud Ratings:Made for "full stack" cloud + SaaS operators, Cloud Radio covers all aspects of the business of software.Our host - Matt Harney - is active on Twitter @saasletter and writes "SaaSletter", an investing-oriented SaaS newsletter on Substack.About Cloud Ratings:Cloud Ratings is a customer outcomes-focused, data-driven software research analyst firm. We exist to allow organizations to make more confident, lower-risk software purchasing decisions.Our Cloud Ratings Category Reports combine user reviews with verified vendor data to impartially identify leading software products.Built upon investigative customer interviews, our True ROI Reports quantify and provide 3rd party validation of a software product’s business value.cloudratings.com