Grow Your B2B SaaS

In a world where anyone can generate a “perfect” email with AI, does perfection even matter? According to Christopher Gannon, founder of Captivate Talent, what truly matters are the fundamentals: relationships, brand, and aesthetics. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, hosted by Joran from Reditus, Chris breaks down how startups should think about hiring go-to-market (GTM) talent, structuring teams, leveraging AI, and expanding into the US. This article summarizes their conversation into clear, actionable insights every founder should know.Key Timestamps(00:00) The Perfect Email Myth: Why Human Connection Still Wins(00:55) Meet the Masters of B2B SaaS Growth(01:31) Why Headcount Won’t Scale Your SaaS Revenue(01:51) From Filling Seats to Building a GTM Powerhouse(02:10) The Birth of Captivate Talent: A Founder’s Bold Pivot(03:33) The $1M ARR Question: When to Hire Your First GTM Pro(03:50) The Founder’s Dilemma: Sell It Yourself or Hire Early?(04:58) The Brutal Truth About Early-Stage Onboarding(05:39) Who Comes First—Sales or Marketing? The Real Answer(05:54) Never Outsource Your Superpower(07:20) Overhiring vs. Underhiring: The Startup Goldilocks Problem(08:16) The Rolodex Trap: Why Big Titles Burn Startups(09:22) Forget Titles—Hire for 12-Month Outcomes Instead(10:15) Inside the Ideal GTM Team Structure for SaaS Growth(11:08) The Secret Weapon: Your Customer Call Library(11:39) AI Is Taking Over GTM (But Here’s the Catch)(12:11) Beyond ChatGPT: How to Spot True AI Fluency(13:48) Reditus Break: The Affiliate Engine Powering B2B SaaS(14:11) How to Measure Real AI Impact in Your Workflows(15:06) “At the Table or on the Menu?” AI Skills That Protect Your Career(15:44) The Truth About GTM Hiring in a Post-Layoff World(16:24) Why Relationships Beat Perfect AI Emails Every Time(17:44) The Costly Mistake: Hiring an SDR for US Expansion(18:10) The Founder-Led Playbook for Cracking the US Market(19:09) The Full-Stack Expansion Model Every SaaS Needs(20:22) Stop “Testing” the US with One Hire—Here’s Why(22:08) PLG vs. Enterprise: When Remote Expansion Stops Working(23:33) Why Big Logos Abroad Don’t Impress US Buyers(24:24) US to Europe: How to Win with Local Talent and Presence(25:29) The Hidden Legal Maze of US Hiring(26:26) The Real Cost of US Expansion (and Cultural Fit)(28:34) The Culture Clash: Vacations, Burnout, and Commitment(29:21) Burn the Boats: The Only Way to Win in the US(30:12) The Future of GTM: How AI Is Rewriting Hiring Rules(31:16) From 0 to $10K MRR: Discipline Over Everything(32:47) From $10K to $10M ARR: Hire Ahead and Pay for Talent(36:49) Connect with Christopher Gannon and Captivate Talent

In the world of artificial intelligence and software as a service, companies are no longer just competing on features. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, Joran Hofman sits down with BetterPic founder Ricardo Ghekiere to discuss The B2B SaaS Nightmare and how SaaS founders can grow without recurring revenue. Companies today are also competing on how they price their products and how they scale. This episode highlights how one company made millions without using monthly subscriptions. Instead, they leveraged one-time payments, smart marketing, and simple but powerful strategies. You'll learn how they managed costs, raised prices, and succeeded through alternative growth channels. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build or grow an AI business without relying on monthly payments.Key Timecodes(00:00) – Cracking AI Pricing: LTV, AOV & Unlocking Paid Channels(00:58) – $4M Without Subscriptions? BetterPic’s One-Time Revenue Model(01:44) – “Wait, No MRR?” Reactions to Explosive Non-Recurring Growth(02:18) – Revenue is Revenue: The SaaS Case for One-Off Cash Flow(02:46) – Inside BetterPic: AI Headshots, B2B vs B2C, and Single-Purchase Strategy(03:28) – Subscription Apps vs Specialized AI Headshots: Who Wins?(03:51) – Why Headshots Don’t Need Recurring Revenue + 45-Day Sprint Strategy(05:14) – Starting From Zero: The E-Commerce Mindset in SaaS(06:07) – From 70% COGS to 90% Margins: The AI-Native Advantage(06:44) – Building a Cost Moat: Raising Prices & Outspending Competitors(07:47) – Cutting GPU/API Costs: Internal AI Infra & Multi-Provider Routing(08:21) – The Recurring Revenue Goldmine in AI Infrastructure Optimization(08:36) – AI-Native vs AI Features: Pricing Pains of OpenAI APIs(09:36) – Why Buyers Choose AI-Native: QuickBooks vs Xero Example(11:02) – Open Source vs Closed LLMs: Pricing, Quality & Competitive Moats(11:52) – The Risk of No MRR: Surviving the Consumer AI Tsunami(13:18) – Pivot to Better Studio: Turning AI Headshots Into Recurring B2B(13:54) – Dual Engines: Scaling One-Time Sales While Building Recurring Revenue(15:16) – Fundraising Without MRR: Convincing Investors to Bet on the Team(17:10) – Startup Valuation: Group-Level Investment Across Two Brands(17:42) – How Low AOV Shapes Channel Strategy(18:57) – SEO & LinkedIn Hacks(19:56) – The Affiliate Engine: (20:42) – Stripe Upfront vs Net-30 Payments(21:04) – Designing High-Converting Affiliate Programs With Real Incentives(21:39) – Where the Affiliate Traffic Comes From: YouTube, Reddit, Display Ads(22:30) – SEO Benefits of Affiliates: Backlinks, Listicles, and Rankings(23:34) – LLM-Generated Listicles: Dominating Google & AI Discovery(24:16) – How a $49 AOV Made Google Ads Profitable(25:34) – Scaling Paid Channels: CAC, LTV, and AOV in Sync(25:59) – Paid Channel Stacking: The Compounding Effect in Growth(26:25) – No MRR? Fast Sales Cycles & Upfront Payments Explained(28:17) – Speed to Value: AI Headshots Delivered in 30 Minutes(28:58) – Pricing Agility: Changing Prices Without Legacy Contracts(29:10) – Pushing to the Middle Tier: Packaging Strategy With Amplitude Data(30:15) – Rapid Pricing Iteration: 7-Day Tests & Volume-Based Experiments(31:32) – Fast Consumer Feedback vs Slow SaaS Trial Cycles(32:07) – GTM Strategy: Make Two Big Bets a Year & Know CAC Limits(33:04) – Pricing Drives Channel-Market Fit: SEO, Affiliates, YouTube(33:45) – $12K Self-Serve Deals: Going Upmarket With Confidence(34:25) – Automating Jobs-to-Be-Done: The AI-Native Future(36:50) – How to Get to $10K MRR: Focus on One Channel First(38:12) – Enterprise GTM Shift: Better Studio’s Move to Events & Partnerships(39:14) – Scaling From $10K MRR to $10M ARR: Building Full-Funnel Teams(40:37) – Recap: One-Off SaaS, AI Margins, SEO/Affiliate Flywheels(42:54) – Reporting Rhythms: Monthly KPI Bingo & Health Metrics.

Are you a SaaS founder wondering How to Build a Growth Operating System That Helps Teams Deliver Real Value? Growing a B2B SaaS company can often feel messy. Teams try lots of different tactics, hoping that something will finally work. But this kind of scattered approach rarely leads to long-term, repeatable success. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS Podcast Joran Hofman sits down with growth expert and coach Andrew Capland. Andrew explains how to move beyond one-off growth hacks and start building what he calls a Growth Operating System. This system helps teams focus on delivering real value, work together more effectively, and create results that can scale over time.Key Timecodes(00:00) - Cold Open: North Star Metric, Activation vs Retention, and Copying Playbooks Pitfalls(01:02) - Host Introduction: B2B SaaS Growth Operating System with Andrew Capland(01:46) - Why Tactics Alone Fail: The Case for a Growth Operating System in B2B SaaS(02:01) - Andrew’s Journey: From Growth Content to Executing a Growth Operating System(03:40) - When to Implement a Growth OS: From Random Acts of Growth to Repeatable Systems(04:20) - Growth OS Building Blocks: Strategy, KPIs, Rituals, Templates, Frameworks(05:37) - Plug-and-Play Templates: Customizing the Growth Operating System for Your Stage(06:25) - Growth Strategy 101: North Star, Vision, Levers, Bets, and Milestones(07:25) - Choosing a North Star Metric: Activation and Retention as Leading Indicators(08:31) - Activation Example: The Facebook “7 Friends in 5 Days” North Star Metric(09:43) - Defining Activation: Customer Interviews, Milestones, and Value Realization(10:47) - Cross-Functional Growth: Sales, Product, CS Inputs and Growth Leadership(12:26) - Earning Ownership: Become the Expert on the Problem (Activation/Retention)(15:14) - Sponsor Break: SaaStock Dublin – B2B SaaS Founder Networking and Investors(16:45) - Founder vs Growth Leader: Ownership Shifts from Early Stage to Scale(17:35) - Common Growth Mistakes: Copy-Pasting Big Tech Playbooks vs ICP Fit(19:06) - Case Study: Airbnb Referral Program Copycat That Flopped (and Why)(20:13) - Managing Growth Setbacks: Trophy File Mindset and Learning-First Experiments(23:08) - Using AI in Growth: Train on Your A/B Tests, Learnings, and Audience Data(25:16) - Documentation is a Growth Lever: Standardize Learnings and Onboarding(26:20) - Hiring Your First Head of Growth: Skill-Problem Fit and Translating Jargon(28:40) - Alignment First: What Growth Owns, Accountability, and Collaboration Rules(29:20) - Problem Selection: Scoping High-Leverage Bets and Measuring Outcomes(30:34) - Low-Volume SaaS: Qualitative Research, Session Recordings, and User Testing(32:12) - Essential Tool Stack: CRM/Marketing Automation, Product Analytics, In-App Messaging(33:45) - The Next 2–3 Years: Train AI on Proprietary Growth Data to Predict Outcomes(35:23) - Stage Advice: From 0–10K MRR—Find One Acquisition Channel and One Retention Channel

In today’s crowded SaaS market, having a great product simply isn’t enough. understanding why human psychology still wins in B2B SaaS sales is very crucial. Many companies generate significant interest, such as leads, web traffic, or downloads, but still struggle to convert that attention into reliable revenue. The real issue isn't a lack of data; it’s a misunderstanding of how B2B buyers actually make decisions.In this episode of Grow Your B2B SaaS, Joran Hofman hosts Jessica Pely, co-founder of Loyee.ai and former fintech CTO, to discuss why great products alone do not win in SaaS. Jessica emphasizes the need to align go-to-market strategies with real buyer behavior. Her approach combines behavioral science, data, and AI and delivers a clear takeaway: sustainable growth comes from better targeting based on behavioral signals and executing with focus.Key Timecodes(0:00) – Cold Open: Signals vs. Noise in Go-To-Market, Sales Overconfidence in B2B SaaS(0:49) – Guest Intro: Jessica Pely – LOI AI, Behavioral Economics Meets SaaS(1:30) – Origin Prompt: Behavioral Targeting in SaaS Sales(1:43) – PhD to CTO: Rational Biases & Enterprise Sales Strategy(2:58) – Founding LOI AI: Identifying Pain-Driven Accounts & Buyers(3:13) – Conversion Struggles: Interest ≠ Paying Customers in SaaS(3:38) – Targeting Models: Spray-and-Pray vs. Signal-Based Go-To-Market(4:56) – Chasing Logos: How Social Bias Derails SaaS Sales Focus(5:05) – Psychology in B2B Sales: Biases from Both Sides of the Table(5:21) – Buyer Biases: Status Quo, Risk Aversion, Loss Aversion(6:50) – Adoption Dynamics: Early Adopters vs. Most-in-Pain Accounts(8:23) – Sales Overconfidence: Deal Cycles, Forecasting & Coaching(8:30) – Sponsor Break: SaaStock Dublin – Founders, VCs, Meetings(9:39) – AI in Sales: Misconceptions & The Human Element(9:58) – 3 AI Use Cases: Automation, Insights, Autonomous Decisioning(11:17) – AI as R&D: Hire AI Like a Junior, Align with GTM(12:54) – Garbage In, Garbage Out: Build Your Sales Knowledge Base(13:43) – ICP vs. TAM: Best-Fit Profiles & Signal-Based Markets(15:15) – Customer First: Twin Companies & Lookalike Targeting(16:02) – Competitor Displacement: Migration Targeting via Pain Points(16:47) – Too-Broad Signals: Salesforce ≠ Clear Jobs-To-Be-Done(17:37) – JTBD + Job Ads: Scraping for AE Needs & Verification Pain(19:27) – Early-Stage Focus: Iterate, Learn, Focus on Fit(21:00) – AI for ICP Scoring: Cut Through Noise with Fit + Pain(22:38) – Qualitative Signals: Culture, Pricing, Sales Motions & ML(23:48) – Operating Rhythm: Reassess ICP Quarterly(24:29) – More Data Isn’t Better: Limit GTM Signals to 10–15(25:45) – Human vs. AI Outbound: 2x2 Matrix for Outreach Strategy(28:33) – Growth Principle: Focus Over More – Execute Deeply(29:01) – Future of SaaS Sales: Automation + Human Differentiation(30:02) – Stage-Based GTM: Scaling from 0 → $10M ARR(31:24) – Document Everything: Train AI, Onboard Faster

Maja Voje, an expert in AI and go-to-market strategies for B2B SaaS, shares her insights on AI's transformative impact on marketing. She discusses how AI agents are enhancing workflows, personalizing outreach, and automating lead generation. Maja emphasizes the necessity of balancing automation with human engagement to maintain trust. She also addresses the risks associated with AI-driven processes and highlights the importance of pilot testing for effective integration. Her insights serve as a playbook for SaaS teams looking to harness AI effectively.

Joey Gilkey, CEO of Titan X, specializes in helping companies boost their connect rates through effective outbound sales strategies. He dives into the critical differences between outbound and inbound sales, emphasizing trust-building as a cornerstone of success. Joey shares insights on transitioning from a services model to B2B SaaS, the importance of personalized outreach, and mastering strategic conversations. He also discusses the changing dynamics of B2B sales, highlighting how technology can enhance connection rates and the need for sales teams to adapt.

Are you wondering why Your SaaS GTM Isn’t Working, And How to Fix It with Operational Discipline? In today’s competitive business environment, success depends not just on great products, but on how effectively you bring them to market. Yet, many companies struggle with go-to-market (GTM) strategies that fall apart under pressure. Why? Because marketing and sales often operate in silos, pulling in different directions instead of working as a unified force. Think of it this way: marketing should act as the recon team, gathering intelligence, identifying opportunities, and setting the stage. Sales, on the other hand, is the strike team—responsible for execution and closing. When these two functions are misaligned or overloaded with conflicting motions, the result is confusion, inefficiency, and missed revenue. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS Podcast, Joran Hofman sits down with Head of GTM Garrath Robinson to explore why most GTM strategies fail—and how a disciplined, military-inspired approach can help businesses stay focused, aligned, and ready to win. This episode is brought to you buy ⁠SaaStock⁠.As a valued listener of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, we’ve got something special for you! As a valued participant, you have the exclusive opportunity to get a 30% discount on tickets to SaaStock Europe this October - the leading conference for AI & SaaS founders, investors, and leaders.Key Timecodes(0:00) – The Battlefield of Business(1:12) – Meet Garrath Robinson: From Combat Veteran to Growth Architect(1:39) – GTM Gone Wrong: Real-World Horror Stories(5:52) – What Is a Go-To-Market Motion, Really?(7:17) – When Motions Collide(8:33) – Leadership Fails and GTM Breakdown(13:26) – Inside the Strike Operating System(19:51) – Signal Calibration: Finding What Really Moves the Needle(22:47) – Marketing 2.0: From Arts & Crafts to Operational Powerhouse(26:09) – Avoiding the GTM Trap: Common Pitfalls to Watch For(31:43) – Give It Time: The Patience Behind Real Transformation(33:16) – The People Behind the Process(35:12) – Garrath’s Golden Rule: Discipline Over Dollars(36:41) – Building the Future: Gut Instinct, Fundamentals, and Human Connection(39:33) – Scaling Revenue: From 0 to $10K MRR and Beyond(44:15) – Wrapping Up: Key Takeaways + Connect with Garrath Robinson

KaraLynn Lewis, a Fractional GTM & Partnerships Leader, shares her expertise in building successful SaaS partnerships. She discusses the common pitfalls that lead to partnership failures and the importance of mutual value creation. KaraLynn explains the different types of partnerships, including referral and affiliate models, and offers actionable strategies for establishing effective partner programs. She emphasizes the significance of accountability and understanding partner goals to foster enduring relationships that drive revenue.

Scaling a SaaS startup isn’t just about product-market fit or revenue numbers, it's about people, culture, and leadership. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, host Joran Hofman sits down with Hugo Pereira, the Co-founder of Ritmoo and author of Teams in Hell: How to End Bad Management, to discuss ways of building SaaS partnerships that actually drive revenue.If you’ve ever wondered why some startups skyrocket to $100 million ARR while others stall at $1 million, the difference often lies in what happens behind the scenes. Hugo has helped scale multiple companies and has seen it all the pitfalls, the patterns, and the principles that actually work. In this episode, brought to you by SaaStock, Hugo shares hard-earned insights for founders who want to scale with clarity, not chaos.As a valued listener of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, we’ve got something special for you! As a valued participant, you have the exclusive opportunity to get a 30% discount on tickets to SaaStock Europe this October - the leading conference for AI & SaaS founders, investors, and leaders.Key Timecodes(0:00) - Introduction: Building Structure in Startups and the Importance of Customer Feedback(1:00) - Episode Overview: What SaaS Companies Fail to Do in Culture and Team Dynamics(1:10) - Guest Introduction: Hugo Pereira, Co-founder of Rytmo and Author of "Teams in Hell"(1:35) - Scaling Experience: Helping Companies Grow from $1 Million to $100 Million in Revenue(2:05) - Story of Startup Failure: Culture and Team Challenges in a B2B SaaS Company(3:14) - Founding Team Impact: Old-School Mindsets and Lack of Customer Validation(4:23) - Realities of Startup Culture: Authority-Driven Environments and Their Effects(5:40) - Importance of Early Culture: Building Trust vs. Toxicity from Day Zero(6:39) - Defining Culture: Values, Behaviors, Rituals, and Systems in an Organization(8:03) - Common Failures in Scaling: Process Breakdowns, Founder Control, Lack of Alignment(9:24) - Complexity of Scaling: Need for Structure and Clear Ownership in Growing Teams(11:27) - Misconceptions of Growth: Confusing Traction with Understanding and Clarity(12:06) - The Evolution of Startups: From Hustle to Frameworks and Repeatable Systems(13:38) - Importance of Alignment: The Why Now Story and Trust Building in Teams(14:56) - Customer Ties: The Role of Deep Customer Relationships in Scaling Success(17:57) - Feedback and Misalignment: Warning Signs of Cultural and Team Misalignment(19:20) - Remote Work Challenges: Maintaining Alignment and Feedback in Hybrid Setups(21:23) - Hero Culture Warning: Overworking and Glorifying Output without Results(22:00) - Scaling Trust and Accountability: Shared Expectations and Frequent Feedback(25:03) - Feedback Loops: Formal and Informal Check-Ins to Foster Open Communication(28:59) - Leadership Pitfalls: Behaviors That Can Kill Morale and Momentum(32:17) - Best Advice for SaaS Founders: Never Lose Sight of Your Initial Why(33:38) - Future of SaaS: Preparing for Slower Deal Cycles and Community Engagement(35:27) - Advice for Early-Stage SaaS: Prioritize Conversations Over Conversions(36:55) - Scaling to 10 Million ARR: Focus on Repeatable Motions and Community Building(41:15) - Where to Find Hugo's Book: "Teams in Hell" Available on Amazon

Why 80% of Outbound Sales Fails, and how to Fix It? Outbound sales is one of the most powerful yet misunderstood channels for SaaS growth. Despite the growing popularity of automation tools and AI-driven messaging, most outbound efforts still fall flat. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS Podcast, Joran Hofman interviews Besnik Vrellaku, founder of SalesFlow.io, to dissect exactly why outbound often underperforms and more importantly, how founders can fix it. Whether you're a SaaS startup trying to land your first 50 customers or a scaling team looking to build a repeatable outbound engine, this conversation delivers practical, no-nonsense insights you can use immediately. Besnik shares what’s broken in most outbound strategies, the mindset shift founders must adopt, the real economics behind outbound success, and how tools like AI and intent data are changing the game in 2025. If you’ve ever asked yourself “Does outbound still work?” this episode gives you the honest, data-backed answer.Key Timestamps(0:00) – Episode intro by Joran Hofman(0:52) – Guest intro: Besnik Vreljaku(1:32) – Icebreaker: "Worst cold outreach fail you’ve seen?"(3:11) – Does outbound still work? (Spoiler: Yes, but it’s evolving)(4:25) – Why SaaS founders should care about outbound (esp. bootstrapped)(6:10) – Case study: Niche ICPs (e.g., affiliate program migration)(7:40) – #1 Mistake: Low AOV (< $5K) → Hard to scale(9:57) – Solution: Start with high-ACV customers(10:39) – ACV vs. AOV: What’s the difference?(12:07) – Step 1: Choose the right tool (Security > shiny features)(14:13) – Step 2: Niche down ICPs + use social proof(14:38) – Step 3: Hyper-personalization (Custom variables > generic)(16:45) – Pro tip: Use AI (Claude, Warmly) for data enrichment(17:48) – Avoid fake personalization (e.g., fake logos)(20:04) – SalesFlow's benchmark: 35% reply rates(21:47) – Rejections: "No" is the start of the conversation(26:07) – Future trend: First-party data + AI prospecting(27:49) – Why LinkedIn > Email (email deliverability drop)(29:02) – $0–$10K MRR: Validate with outbound interviews or paid ads(30:48) – $10K–$10M ARR: Bet on people + brand momentum(32:12) – Expect compromises: AI competitors, pricing pressure(34:39) – Recap of key takeaways(36:19) – Connect with Besnik