The SaaS CFO

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, host Ben Murray welcomes John Glasgow, founder and CEO of Campfire—a fast-growing, AI-powered ERP solution built for modern finance teams. John Glasgow shares his background, from early days in finance at Adobe to leading partnerships at Invoice2Go and the inspiration behind starting Campfire.  Together, they explore the challenges of building a next-generation ERP, the role of AI in streamlining finance workflows, and Campfire’s rapid rise—including raising $100 million and landing marquee customers in just two years. You’ll hear insights on current trends in CFO tech stacks, best practices for disciplined growth, and why accounting is becoming more strategic than ever.  Whether you’re a SaaS founder, CFO, or just curious about the future of finance software, this episode is packed with honest lessons, actionable insights, and a look at what’s next for Campfire and the industry at large.  Show Notes:  00:00 "From Finance to Founding Campfire"  03:22 "Building the Modern ERP"  09:58 "Accelerating Growth in ERP Space"  11:44 "AI Growth and Rapid Funding"  14:37 "New Logo ARR Growth Focus"  17:21 "Building ERP: Focus and Conviction"  23:31 Capacity Planning and Growth Strategy  27:23 Finance Software Revolution Insights  28:54 "Ember AI: Agentic Workflows Evolution"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/campfire-raises-3-5-million-in-seed-round  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/campfire-secures-35-million-in-series-a  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/campfire-raises-65-million-in-series-b  John Glasgow’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnglasgow/  Campfire’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meetcampfire/  Campfire’s Website: https://campfire.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben Murray sits down with Kelby Zorgdrager, CEO and founder of Tritami, and Dave Murphy, go-to-market expert, to dive into the rapidly evolving world of corporate and technical training. With decades of experience in EdTech and a track record of building and exiting successful businesses, Kelby Zorgdrager shares his journey from leading Develop Intelligence to reimagining instructor-led training with Tritami. Dave Murphy brings his expertise in enterprise sales and AI marketplaces to the conversation, highlighting the industry’s shift towards live, customizable, expert-led experiences.  Together, they discuss how Tritami is leveraging AI and automation to streamline training logistics, empower engineering teams, and connect organizations directly with top-tier instructors—moving away from outdated, fragmented models. The conversation covers everything from their fundraising journey and building the initial MVP, to the importance of user-driven development, transparent pricing, and the growing demand for personalized learning in fast-paced tech environments.  Whether you're a SaaS leader, an engineering manager, or simply curious about the future of EdTech, this episode offers an insightful look behind the scenes at an innovative startup working to redefine corporate training.  Show Notes:  00:00 Disrupting Corporate Training Market  06:03 AI Tools Adoption Challenges  09:38 Rapid Feedback-Driven Product Iteration  13:06 "AI-Driven Training Automation Platform"  17:24 Flexible AI Training Models  21:11 Focus on User-Driven Development  22:16 "Testing Ads for January Launch"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tami-software-raises-400k-in-pre-seed-round  Kelby Zorgdrager’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelbyzorgdrager/  Dave Murphy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemurf/  TryTami’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/try-tami/  TryTami’s Website: https://www.trytami.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben Murray welcomes Duncan Barrigan, founder and CEO of Lunos, to share his story and expertise. Drawing on a decade of fintech experience—including scaling GoCardless into a multi-billion dollar company—Duncan Barrigan discusses his journey from consulting to launching his own venture.  Tune in to hear how Lunos is tackling the longstanding challenges of B2B payments and receivables. Duncan Barrigan explains how AI workers are reshaping the manual processes of accounts receivable, making it easier for businesses to get paid with less effort and greater speed.  Whether you’re a SaaS CFO, finance professional, or startup founder, you’ll gain practical insights into fundraising, go-to-market strategy, and lessons learned from the trenches of building a fintech startup. Don’t miss this energizing conversation packed with actionable advice and real-world experience!  Show Notes:  00:00 GoCardless Growth Journey  06:09 "Swinging Big with Venture Capital"  10:06 "Similar Questions, Divergent Answers"  13:07 "Direct Motion and SaaS Solutions"  15:56 "Two-Model Service Approach"  17:12 "Optimizing Onboarding and Efficiency"  20:20 Instant Value via AR Scanning  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/lunos-ai-secures-5-million-pre-seed-round  Duncan Barrigan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanbarrigan/  Lunos AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lunos-ai/  Lunos AI’s Website: https://www.lunos.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Aleks Đekić, CEO and co-founder of Alguna, a startup that's reimagining revenue management for modern SaaS and fintech businesses. With a background deeply rooted in product, engineering, and commercial roles across leading fintech and accounting startups, Aleks Đekić dives into the pain points that inspired Alguna’s creation and why flexible, end-to-end revenue automation is becoming essential for scaling tech companies.  Together, they explore Alguna’s journey from early frustrations with billing and quoting tools, through their acceptance into Y Combinator, to fundraising and building a team distributed across the US and Europe. Aleks Đekić shares insights on when SaaS companies should upgrade their revenue management stack, how Alguna’s hybrid pricing and billing platform addresses the needs of subscription and usage-based businesses, and why net revenue retention is his north star metric. Plus, they weigh in on industry trends, from the rise of AI and new software categories to the evolving landscape of revenue management and automation.  Tune in for an engaging conversation about the future of SaaS finances, product-led growth, and lessons learned in building and scaling a next-generation SaaS infrastructure company.  Show Notes:  00:00 Founding Frustrations Spark AI Tool  03:34 "Modern CPQ and Billing Solution"  06:55 Scaling Challenges for Post-Series A Startups  11:11 Raising $4M for Infrastructure Startup  16:06 Focused Sales and Purposeful Growth  17:42 Pricing Strategy and Customer Metrics  20:48 AI Pricing and Monetization Challenges  24:57 "Adapting Quickly to Market Needs"  Links:   SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/alguna-raises-4-million-in-seed-round  Alek’s Jekic LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksdjekic/  Alguna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/algunahq/  Alguna’s Website: https://alguna.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben Murray welcomes Matt Blumberg, CEO of Markup AI, to discuss his remarkable journey through the tech startup world. With over two decades of leadership experience—including building moviefone.com, scaling Return Path to $100 million in revenue, and leading executive search disruptor Bolster—Matt Blumberg brings a wealth of insight into startup growth, business transformation, and adapting to evolving technology.  In this conversation, Matt Blumberg shares the story behind Markup AI, a company redefining how businesses safeguard their content using AI-powered “content guardian agents.” He discusses the recent rebranding from Acrolinx, the impact of large language models on both product and customers, and their transition into a new API-first, consumption-based business model. Listeners will hear lessons about navigating private equity ownership, fundraising for transformative pivots, and crafting multi-pronged go-to-market strategies—from enterprise sales to developer-driven adoption.  Tune in for an honest look at leadership, innovation, and what’s next for Markup AI in the dynamic world of SaaS and AI content management.  Show Notes:   00:00 "AI Guardian for Perfect Content"  03:51 Acrolinx's AI Evolution  09:33 "Defining AI Content Guardians"  11:18 Private Equity Risks in Mid-Market  13:57 AI Adoption Strategies in Enterprises  18:44 "AI Growth and Rebrand Focus"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/markup-ai-raises-27-5-million-in-funding  Matt Blumberg’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blumbergmatt/  Markup AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/markupai/  Markup AI’s Website: https://markup.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! This week, Ben Murray sits down with Albert Gozzi, the co-founder and CEO of Aleph, an innovative AI-driven FP&A platform transforming how finance teams operate. Originally from Argentina, Albert Gozzi shares his journey from Procter & Gamble to Bain, and later as a startup CFO, where he experienced firsthand the frustrations of spreadsheet-heavy workflows in finance. Together, they dive into the founding story of Aleph, its mission to streamline financial data and workflows, and how the company’s AI-powered solutions are empowering finance and FP&A teams to work smarter and faster.  In this episode, you'll get insider insights on Aleph’s rapid fundraising journey—having recently closed a $30 million Series B and totaling $47 million to date. Albert Gozzi candidly discusses what investors look for at each funding round, the nuances of scaling go-to-market efforts, lessons learned from dozens of investor rejections, and why finding product-market fit is just the beginning. Plus, they uncover how Aleph’s unique approach to implementation and pricing is winning fans among CFOs in mid-market and private-equity-backed businesses.  If you want a behind-the-scenes look at building and scaling a modern SaaS finance platform, this is the episode for you. Tune in to hear the latest on Aleph’s roadmap, practical advice for SaaS founders, and where the future of FP&A is headed.  Show Notes:  00:00 "AI-Powered Financial Data Management"  03:59 "Flexible Platform for Mid-Market"  08:18 "Road to Series C"  11:01 "Importance of Market Repeatability"  16:19 "Fast Implementation Drives Success"  20:24 "CAC Payback: A Cautious Metric"  22:14 "Doubling Down on AI Advancements"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/aleph-raises-29-million-in-series-b  Albert Gozzi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertgozzi/  Aleph’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getaleph/  Aleph’s Website: https://www.getaleph.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Nathan Gwilliam, the founder and CEO of PodUp, for an in-depth look at building and scaling a SaaS business in the ever-evolving world of podcasting. Nathan shares his journey as a serial entrepreneur, from launching his first business at BYU to building and selling three successful companies—including Adoption.com, the world’s most-used adoption platform.  Nathan takes us behind the scenes of PodUp, a platform designed to streamline every aspect of podcast creation, growth, and monetization through a suite of over 60 integrated tools—including sophisticated AI features. He opens up about the inspiration behind PodUp, the challenges of integrating dozens of technologies for content creators, and how a focus on both software and done-for-you services (through Pod Allies) is redefining the podcasting ecosystem.  Together, Ben and Nathan discuss PodUp’s fundraising journey, the nuances of working with angel investors versus VCs, and key metrics that drive sustainable SaaS growth. Nathan also offers practical advice for founders on raising capital, finding the right investors, and why bootstrapping a functional MVP can dramatically improve your fundraising odds. Whether you’re a creator, entrepreneur, or SaaS enthusiast, this episode is packed with firsthand insight and actionable takeaways for anyone looking to win big in the creator economy.  Show Notes:  00:00 "Integrated Platform Solving Time Constraints"  06:23 "Comprehensive Content & Monetization Tools"  07:40 Podcast Monetization Strategy Explained  12:56 "Board Accountability and Updates"  14:11 Bootstrap Before Raising Money  18:13 DIY Software Market Challenges  22:13 Key Metrics for SaaS Survival  26:39 "Choosing SaaS Use Cases Wisely"  27:26 "SaaS vs Service Business Valuations"  30:37 "Start & Grow Your Podcast"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/podup-raises-5-8-million-in-funding  Nathan Gwilliam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathangwilliam/  PodUp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/poduppodcasting/  PodUp’s Website: https://podup.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Ali Hussain, CEO and co-founder of Tabs, for an insightful conversation about the evolving landscape of finance technology. Ali shares his journey as an entrepreneur and operator, discusses the genesis and growth of Tabs, and dives deep into the world of revenue automation for B2B companies.  Tune in as Ali explains how Tabs leverages AI and automation to streamline everything from order-to-cash and revenue recognition to forecasting and metrics reporting. You'll hear about the company's impressive growth since its founding in 2023, the state of AI adoption among CFOs and finance teams, and Ali’s perspective on the dynamic ERP space.  Ben and Ali also talk shop about fundraising milestones, go-to-market strategies, and key financial metrics for SaaS companies scaling from Series A to Series B. Whether you’re interested in the future of AI-driven finance operations, the rise of best-of-breed finance tech stacks, or practical insights on team building and product innovation, this episode is packed with actionable advice for finance leaders and SaaS founders alike.  Show Notes:   00:00 AI-Driven Finance Automation Platform  04:36 B2B Growth Focused on Sales  08:13 CFOs Embracing AI Adoption Shift  12:18 "Modern ERP Collaboration Overlegacy"  15:23 "Sales-Finance Integration via AI"  19:30 Finance Expansion and Accountant Channels  21:58 "ERP Market Ripe for Disruption"  25:53 "AI Business Fundamentals & Metrics"  27:45 Automation, Margins, and Customer Focus  31:48 Cash Forecasting Insights for CEOs  34:20 "Finance Innovation & Future Outlook"  37:23 "Making Systems Transparent"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories:   https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-raises-7-million-in-seed-round  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-secures-25-million-in-series-a-funding  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-raises-55-million-in-series-b  Ali Hussain’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-hussain786/  Tabs’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamtabs/  Tabs’ Website: https://tabs.inc/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray sits down with Ari Bleemer, co-founder and CEO of One Crew, to dive into the world of construction tech and SaaS for so-called "less sexy" industries. Ari shares the story of how his background in computer engineering and management consulting at Bain led him to uncover a massive technology gap in the construction sector—specifically among paving contractors. You'll hear how One Crew is carving out its place as an all-in-one operational platform for contractors, streamlining every step from leads to invoicing, and eliminating the patchwork of spreadsheets and mismatched software solutions that have long plagued the industry.  Ari opens about the challenges and wins of fundraising, going from a tough seed round to a preempted Series A, and offers valuable insights for founders facing similar hurdles. We also talked about One Crew’s go-to-market strategy, pricing decisions, favorite metrics, and exciting upcoming launches—including their move into enterprise and new features like a subcontractor portal and AI-powered insights. Whether you’re a SaaS founder, investor, or just curious about digital transformation in traditional industries, this episode is packed with practical lessons and inspiration.  Let’s jump into the conversation with Ari Bleemer.  Show Notes:  00:00 Bridging Construction Tech Platform Gap  03:22 Demand for Effective Industry Technology  07:19 Scalable Business Solutions Guidance  10:40 Scaling to Serve Larger Enterprises  12:45 Venture Funding Challenges and Successes  17:06 Optimizing Go-To-Market Strategy  19:59 "Seasonal Growth Challenges and Metrics"  23:26 Enterprise Platform & AI Integration Launch  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/onecrew-raises-3-25-million-in-seed-round  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/onecrew-raises-7-5-million-in-series-a  Ari Bleemer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aribleemer/  OneCrew’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getonecrew/  OneCrew’s Website: https://www.getonecrew.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Brett Carlson, co-founder and CEO of ServiceUp, has over 25 years in tech and is on a mission to revolutionize vehicle repairs for fleet operators. He discusses the staggering $250 billion opportunity in the outdated repair market and how ServiceUp pivoted from consumer-focused services to target large fleets like Amazon and UPS. Brett shares insights on raising $70 million, adapting to investor expectations, and using AI-powered voice agents to streamline operations. His journey offers valuable lessons for tech entrepreneurs navigating the startup world.