The SaaS CFO

On today’s episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I sit down with Luke Arrigoni, founder of Loti, a trailblazing SaaS company using AI to help individuals, celebrities, and brands find—and remove—content that doesn’t belong on the internet. Luke brings a fascinating background, moving from academic math and early data science roles to building cutting-edge machine learning products well before “AI” became the buzzword it is today.  We dig into the story of how an unusual client project turned into a fast-growing business now protecting everyone from concerned consumers to household-name celebrities to major intellectual property holders. Luke doesn’t just share the Loti origin story, he also gets real about the lessons learned in raising $24 million in venture capital, how their go-to-market evolved, and why the company is now laser-focused on market share over pure revenue growth.  Whether you’re curious about using AI for digital protection, want to pick up fundraising tips, or just love real stories from SaaS founders in the trenches, this conversation delivers actionable insights and some seriously honest founder wisdom. Plus, Luke teases a big expansion for Loti on the horizon—so you’ll want to hear what’s coming next.  Show Notes:  00:00 From Math to AI Innovator  05:36 Accelerating Growth and VC Success  07:33 Rethinking Venture Capital Necessity  11:41 "Value of Directness and Balance"  15:43 "Shifting Focus: Growth to Market Share"  16:26 Market Share vs. Revenue Optimization  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/loti-ai-secures-16-2-million-in-series-a  Luke Arrigoni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukearrigoni/  Loti’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goloti/  Loti’s Website: https://www.lotiai.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, I had the pleasure of speaking with Julio Martinez, co-founder and CEO of Abacum. Julio shares his path from investment banking and FP&A roles to building a top-tier financial planning and analysis platform that supports companies from Series B through IPO and beyond. He dives into how Abacum is redefining business planning for finance teams, empowering them to manage increasing complexity as they scale.  Julio discusses the fundraising journey, including what it took to secure over $100 million in capital and the different expectations at each round. He also breaks down the key SaaS metrics investors care about, strategies for efficient and sustainable growth, and the importance of building strong foundations rather than chasing shortcuts.  If you’re interested in metrics-driven growth, scaling SaaS businesses, or want a firsthand look at what it takes to lead a high-growth fintech startup, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Tune in to hear how Abacum is leveraging AI, developing a customer-obsessed platform, and what’s next on their roadmap.  Show Notes:   00:00 Versatile Business Planning Platform  04:23 Finance Targets in Diverse Sectors  07:08 Series B: From Ambition to Rationality  11:09 Building Strong, Sustainable Businesses  15:32 "Scaling Cold Outreach with Tech"  16:14 Targeted Email Outreach for CFOs  22:01 "Building Unbeatable, Sustainable Products"  23:43 "Building a Long-Term Iconic Business"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/abacum-raises-25-million-in-series-a  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/abacum-raises-60-million-in-series-b  Julio Martinez’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejuliomartinez/  Abacum’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abacum-io/  Abacum’s Website: https://www.abacum.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 today’s episode, we’re diving deep into the next generation of accounting software with Nicolas Kopp, CEO and founder of Rillet. Nicolas shares his journey from building a fully regulated bank to launching Rillet—an AI-first ERP platform designed to take on industry staples like QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct. With a background grounded in finance and accounting, Nicolas brings a fresh perspective to a market that’s long been dominated by legacy solutions.  We’ll discuss how Rillet is shaking things up for asset-light businesses in SaaS, AI, professional services, and fintech, and why the platform’s robust multi-entity, multi-currency capabilities have attracted mid-market companies ready to graduate from more traditional tools. Nicolas also sheds light on the challenges of building highly regulated, mission-critical systems from scratch, what’s behind their rapid customer adoption, and how an AI-native approach is changing expectations for accounting software.  From funding milestones and his recent $25 million Series A, to lessons learned about product-market fit and the nuances of scaling go-to-market through channels and inbound demand, Nicolas gives us the behind-the-scenes look at Rillet’s rise. If you’re curious about the future of financial software—or when it’s really time to make the leap from QuickBooks to a next-gen ERP—this conversation is for you. Let’s get started!  Show Notes:   00:00 "Comprehensive ERP System Advantages"  06:02 Business Growth from Transition Points  07:28 Streamlined ERP Solutions  12:37 Investment Insights: Backgrounds and Success  15:53 "Choosing Between Innovative ERP Solutions"  16:58 Rapid Success in Fundraising  22:15 Building Trust in B2B Sales  25:57 NPS and ARR Prioritized Over Retention  27:54 Focus on KPIs and AI  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/rillet-raises-25-million-in-series-a  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/rillet-raises-13-5-million-in-funding  Nicolas Kopp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-kopp/  Rillet’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-rillet/  Rillet’s Website: https://www.rillet.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 Andrew Black, CEO of Kovr, and Sri Iyer, the company’s founder and CTO. Kovr is shaking up the world of cybersecurity compliance, helping organizations dramatically speed up the process of achieving certifications like FedRAMP, HIPAA, and others—using the latest breakthroughs in generative AI.  Andrew and Sri bring fascinating perspectives, drawing from deep experience in tech, government, and startups, including previous roles at Amazon Web Services, PwC, Lockheed, and Gartner. They talk about the pain points that tech companies and government agencies face when trying to deploy secure software in regulated environments, and how Kovr can cut compliance timelines from years to minutes.  If you’re curious about go-to-market strategies for AI-first startups, lessons learned from early fundraising, or how to build a SaaS business in a highly regulated market, this episode is packed with candid insights and actionable advice. Tune in to hear how Kovr is empowering innovators to get their products into the hands of customers faster, with less headache—and what’s next for this fast-moving team.  Show Notes:  00:00 "Compliance Challenges in Software Deployment"  03:43 Streamlining Compliance with AI  06:37 Target Customers: CISOs to DevOps Teams  11:11 Pursuing a $13B Market Opportunity  13:03 AI Traction and Trust Challenges  17:38 Navigating VC Relationships and Fit  20:17 Unlimited-Use Enterprise SaaS Licensing  23:48 Simplifying Gen AI Sales Model  28:26 Efficient AI: Smaller Models, Big Savings  30:25 "Focus on Sales Cycle Days"  33:44 "LinkedIn Profile: Kovr AI"  Links:   SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/kovr-ai-raises-3-6-million-in-seed-round  Andrew Black’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-black-5435b67/  Sri Iyer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sri-iyer/  Kovr AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kovrai/  Kovr AI’s Website: https://kovr.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! Today, we’re excited to speak with Nilo Pirttijarvi, co-founder of Inven—a rapidly growing AI-powered deal sourcing tool making waves in the M&A world. Nilo takes us through his journey from a background in consulting and investment banking to launching his first startup, inspired by the pain points he and his co-founders experienced firsthand in finding and analyzing acquisition targets. In this episode, you’ll hear how Inven is helping private equity, investment banks, and corporate M&A teams supercharge their deal pipelines—especially when it comes to those hard-to-find, niche targets in the middle market.  Nilo shares candid insights about Inven’s rapid growth, fundraising journey (including a recent €11.2 million Series A), and the lessons learned when building both relationships and ARR to attract top investors. We also dive into the startup’s operational metrics, go-to-market strategies, pricing models, and what’s next for this ambitious international team. If you’re interested in SaaS growth, fundraising, or the future of AI in deal sourcing, you won’t want to miss this conversation!  Show Notes:  00:00 Streamlining Company Analysis Process  06:20 Rapid Startup Growth Pathway  08:16 Relationships Over ARR in Investment  12:00 "Classic Global Sales Model"  13:59 M&A Tool User Variability  17:54 Competitive Multi-Tool Market Strategy  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/inven-raises-11-2-million-in-series-a  Niilo Pirttijarvi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niilo-pirttijarvi/  Inven AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inven-ai/  Inven AI’s Website: https://www.inven.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 

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Katherine Tobias, the dynamic co-founder and CEO of InsightWise. Katherine shares her inspiring journey from her early days consulting at KPMG and working in government to leading one of Australia’s fastest-growing startups. Driven by her passion for delivering real-world impact and navigating mountains of qualitative data, Katherine reveals how these experiences led her to launch InsightWise—a groundbreaking AI platform tailored for consultants and strategy teams.  Tune in as Katherine dives into the realities of startup life, fundraising, and what it takes to disrupt the consulting industry with innovative technology. She opens up about empowering both global enterprises and agile boutique firms with tools that turn unstructured data into actionable insights, while also building a tight-knit team with big ambitions. Katherine’s story is a masterclass in navigating career pivots, seizing opportunities, and harnessing AI to drive business transformation.  Whether you’re a SaaS founder, consultant, or tech enthusiast, you won’t want to miss this engaging conversation packed with actionable advice, honest reflections, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale a modern software company. Hit play and get inspired!  Show Notes:  00:00 From Oxford to Global Startup Success  03:12 Insightwise: AI Hub for Consultants  07:20 AI-Driven Data Synthesis Solutions  10:50 "Building Relationships in Consulting"  15:30 "First-Time Founder Fundraising Journey"  16:32 "Strategic Capital for Business Growth"  19:58 "Insightwise AI Free Trial"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/insightwise-closes-1-million-in-funding  Katherine Tobias’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-tobias-40857789/  InsightWise’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insightwise-ai/  InsightWise’s Website: https://www.insightwise.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

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Austin Carroll, the dynamic founder and CEO of Warrant. Drawing from her deep roots in marketing and product management at household names like Capital One, Mercury, and Brex, Austin shares how real-world challenges navigating regulatory approvals inspired her to launch Warrant—a platform harnessing AI to automate and streamline marketing compliance for the financial services industry.  Austin highlights the complexities and pitfalls of adhering to rapidly evolving federal, state, and local regulations in sectors like mortgage, insurance, and banking. She explains how Warrant checks marketing materials for compliance, helping companies of all sizes—from nimble startups to large enterprises—avoid costly missteps and accelerate their go-to-market strategies. Her journey provides invaluable insight into the needs of modern fintech marketers and compliance teams.  Beyond the tech, Austin opens up about her path as a female founder, candidly discussing the fundraising process, her unique go-to-market approach, and the lessons learned from early customer traction. Whether you're passionate about fintech, compliance, or entrepreneurship, this conversation offers a compelling look at the future of AI-powered marketing compliance and the vision of a founder determined to solve one of the industry’s most pressing challenges.  Show Notes:  00:00 Streamlining Crisis Communication Compliance  06:09 Regulatory Challenges in Financial Compliance  07:12 Targeting Small to Mid-Market Clients  10:59 Strategic Market Engagement Approach  16:57 Entrepreneurship: Play to Your Strengths  17:51 Conversation-Driven Fundraising Strategy  21:40 Tracking Key Business Metrics  25:37 "Sign Up for Newsletter Now"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/warrant-raises-720k-in-pre-seed-round  Austin Carroll’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austincarroll/  Warrant’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/warrant/  Warrant’s Website: https://www.hellowarrant.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 today’s episode, I’m excited to sit down with Adam Chrigström, founder and CEO of Big Audience Machine (BAM). Adam’s journey has taken him from studying economics to a successful run in brand marketing and research, leading to the launch and acquisition of Play Pilot—a streaming guide that reached over six million monthly users.  After serving as Head of AI at the acquiring fund, Adam launched Big Audience Machine, a cutting-edge content marketing platform designed to help companies turn strategy and deep brand understanding into effective, multi-channel content. Adam shares what inspired him to build BAM, lessons he’s learned from pivoting in the creative and SaaS industries, and practical advice for founders navigating early-stage growth, team building, and fundraising in today’s AI-driven market.  We’ll talk about how BAM is helping both agencies and in-house teams, what they’ve learned from working closely with pilot customers, and what’s coming next as they prepare for an exciting public launch. Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or just looking to glimpse the future of content and branding, tune in for Adam Chrigström’s story and insights!  Show Notes:  00:00 Pivot from Pre-Production Platform  05:46 "BAM: Streamlined Content Marketing Platform"  07:35 Effective AI-Driven Content Strategy  11:10 AI's Limitations in Brand Intuition  14:57 "Early-Stage Branding Strategy Development"  20:40 Early-Stage Product and Customer Engagement  21:54 "Data Challenges and Future Plans"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/big-audience-machine-raises-350k-in-funding  Adam Chrigström’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-chrigstr%C3%B6m/  Big Audience Machine’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/big-audience-machine/  Big Audience Machine’s Website: https://www.bigaudiencemachine.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, we welcome Yana Lapitskaya, the CEO and co-founder of YAI, an innovative platform designed to enhance the quality of AI-generated marketing content. With over 15 years in marketing and a successful agency exit under her belt, Yana shares her journey from agency founder to SaaS startup leader, and how her hands-on experience shaped her vision for YAI.  Yana discusses the challenges marketers face with AI-produced content and explains how YAI’s tools improve brand voice, clarity, SEO, and prepare businesses for the changing landscape of AI-enabled search. She also offers a behind-the-scenes look at building her team, refining the product, and developing go-to-market strategies that resonate with both agencies and enterprise brands.  Tune in to hear valuable lessons on early-stage SaaS fundraising, product activation metrics, and the drive it takes to launch and grow a tech company. Whether you're a marketer, founder, or SaaS enthusiast, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration from a leader at the forefront of marketing technology.  Show Notes:   00:00 Marketing Expert in Tech Innovation  05:48 "Multi-Brand Marketing Efficiency"  09:46 Dual Approach Market Strategy  11:58 "Challenges of Bootstrapping and Scaling"  16:07 Key Metric: Activation Rate  17:31 Startup Focus: User Value & AI Integration  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/yai-secures-250-000-in-seis-funding  Yana Lapitskaya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanalapitskaya/  YAi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yai-digital/  YAi’s Website: https://yai.digital/  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, I’m joined by Anna Berger, founder and CEO of Trayd—a game-changing construction payroll and compliance software. Anna shares how her career in marketing and personal roots in the construction industry inspired her to tackle the toughest back-office challenges specialty contractors face, from HR and scheduling to payroll and compliance.  We dive into Anna’s journey from working at top ad agencies and Marriott International to becoming a two-time founder and YC alum. She opens up about the challenges and wins of building Trayd, raising $4.5 million in seed funding, and the importance of customer retention and consistent branding in SaaS growth.  If you’re passionate about SaaS, vertical solutions, or just love a good founder story, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Tune in to learn how Anna and her team are streamlining complex operations for contractors and driving rapid growth in an industry that’s overdue for innovation!  Show Notes:   00:00 Diverse Founder Background Advantage  03:31 Unified Construction Software Solution  06:38 Family-Driven Construction Insight  10:56 Startup Fundraising Journey  14:39 CEO Focus: Retention and Growth Metrics  16:37 "Dogfooding to Improve Customer Experience"  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/trayd-raises-4-5-million-in-seed-round  Anna Berger’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annajberger/  Trayd’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/traydinc/  Trayd’s Website: https://www.buildtrayd.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