SaaS Backwards - Reverse Engineering SaaS Success

David Karandish, Founder and CEO of Capacity, shares insights from his journey in scaling an AI-powered support automation platform to over 20,000 customers. He discusses why many AI products stumble and the crucial need for integration to drive SaaS success. David contrasts 'salad' vs. 'brownie' AI projects, emphasizing the importance of real solutions. He also explains his compound startup strategy and how aligning teams behind a vision was key to overcoming initial resistance. His insights offer valuable lessons for SaaS founders navigating growth challenges.

Send us a textGuest: Prasanth Chilukuri, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Soul Street Ventures -- The biggest threat to early-stage SaaS growth isn’t competition. It’s founder distraction, unfocused GTM motions, and chasing quick wins instead of building a real business.In this episode, Prasanth Chilukuri, co-founder and managing partner of Soul Street Ventures, joins host Ken Lempit to reveal why most early-stage SaaS companies struggle long before product issues surface — and how disciplined strategy, a tight ICP, and hands-on founder coaching unlock meaningful, scalable traction.Drawing on his experience both as a SaaS founder (Tekmetric) and investor, Prasanth explains why “scale with soul” isn’t just a mantra, but a framework for building durable companies that don’t rely on hype, vanity channels, or coast-driven valuation games.Key takeaways from this episode:Why misaligned ICPs and GTM distractions quietly stall early-stage SaaSHow to test, retest, and refine GTM motions using real customer behaviorWhy AI discoverability is reshaping marketing efficiency (and what to do about it)How venture style differs across regions — and why it matters for foundersWhy founder coachability, discipline, and mindset are the strongest predictors of growthHow unique SaaS data assets create new value (and why most companies underuse them)If you’re a B2B SaaS founder, CRO, or CMO navigating early-stage go-to-market, evaluating AI’s impact on your product, or preparing for institutional capital, this episode offers a practical, grounded playbook for building a company that truly lasts.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Mark Walker, CEO at Nue.io -- SaaS pricing isn’t breaking because of AI — it’s breaking because most revenue systems were never built for the speed and complexity of today’s models.In this episode, Mark Walker, CEO of Nue.io, joins host Ken Lempit to unpack why modern SaaS and AI companies are abandoning legacy CPQ and billing stacks for a flexible, unified revenue infrastructure built for rapid change.Key highlights:Why legacy CPQ + billing can’t support modern SaaS pricingHow committed consumption + bank-billed models are reshaping monetizationWhy speed of configuration is now a GTM advantageWhat RevOps must rethink as pricing experiments explodeHow elite teams thrive on hard problems and high-velocity executionIf you’re a B2B SaaS founder, CRO, CMO, or RevOps leader navigating complex pricing models, upgrading your revenue stack, or preparing for next-gen AI monetization, this conversation will change how you think about scaling.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Brent Adamson, Co-Author of The Framemaking Sale & Co-Founder of A to B InsightSaaS sales teams obsess over beating competitors—but the real battle isn’t across the table. It’s in the buyer’s mind.In this episode, Brent Adamson—co-author of The Challenger Sale and The Challenger Customer and Co-Founder of A to B Insight—joins host Ken Lempit to reveal why most SaaS deals are lost to no decision at all, and how his new book, The Framemaking Sale, helps buyers build the confidence to act. Brent explains how the sales playbook has evolved from “teach them what to think” to “help them trust themselves”—and why the future of B2B growth depends on changing how we sell, not what we sell.Key insights from this episode:Why no decision—not competitors—is killing SaaS dealsHow to turn buyer anxiety into deal confidenceWhy “trusted advisor” means helping customers trust themselvesHow marketing and sales can guide smarter, faster SaaS buyingThe mindset shift every B2B sales leader needs nowIf you’re a B2B SaaS CRO, CMO, or founder looking to increase close rates, reenergize your go-to-market, and win against the status quo, this conversation will change how you think about selling.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Melanie Nabar, Vice President at Volition Capital -- SaaS founders often see only two funding paths—venture or private equity—but there’s a smarter middle lane that keeps control where it belongs: with the founder.In this episode, Melanie Nabar, Vice President on the Software Team at Volition Capital, joins host Ken Lempit to unpack how growth equity works, when it’s the right fit, and the scale-up mistakes that stall promising SaaS companies.Key insights from this episode:Why growth equity can fuel SaaS scale without losing controlThe biggest post-funding hiring mistake founders makeHow AI is reshaping go-to-market efficiency in SaaSIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO, CRO, or founder navigating scale-up challenges, funding strategy, or go-to-market transformation, this episode will help you see where real growth capital fits—and how to make it work for you.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Rob Belcher, Managing Director at SaaS Capital -- SaaS founders often think equity is the only path to growth—but giving up ownership isn’t the only option.In this episode, Rob Belcher, Managing Director at SaaS Capital, joins host Ken Lempit to break down how growth debt works, what investors really look for in valuations, and how B2B SaaS leaders can finance smart without losing control.Key insights from this episode:Why growth debt can fund SaaS expansion without heavy dilutionThe financing ladder every founder should understand—from angels to private equityHow valuation multiples are shifting and what drives them higherThe role of clean contracts, retention, and growth rate in exit outcomesWhy AI is creating a “priced for perfection” split in SaaS valuationsIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO navigating fundraising, growth efficiency, or exit strategy, this episode will help you sharpen your playbook.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Braydan Young, Co-Founder and CEO at SlashExperts -- Buyers don’t want another “book a demo” button—they want proof from people like them.In this episode, Braydan Young, Co-Founder and CEO of SlashExperts (and previously co-founder of Sendoso), joins host Ken Lempit to share how buyer-led growth is reshaping SaaS sales and why the old way of running references at the end of the deal cycle is broken.Key insights from this episode:Why moving customer references earlier can shorten sales cycles by 4–6 weeksHow authentic peer conversations double conversion rates compared to demosWhat CROs can learn from Sendoso’s hypergrowth—and its “we grew too fast” momentWhy handwritten notes and simple gifts outperform flashy, expensive onesHow to turn the “dark funnel” into a competitive advantageIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO looking to accelerate pipeline, increase deal size, and close faster with fewer wasted demos, this episode is a must-listen.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Courtney Hiller, Founder of All Points Agency -- You wouldn’t hire one person to build your product, sell it, and run support. So why are B2B SaaS companies still expecting one marketer to manage a million-dollar media budget?In this episode, Courtney Hiller, founder of All Points Agency, joins host Ken Lempit to break down how to build a modern media engine that actually performs—and why yesterday’s paid strategy won’t cut it in 2025.Key insights from this episode:Why splitting strategy, creative, and media buying unlocks performanceWhat most in-house teams get wrong about channel mix and audience targetingHow to fix attribution when your sales cycle is 6–12 monthsWhy creative volume—not just creative quality—is the new growth leverHow to use Reddit, Meta, and programmatic without wasting your budgetIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO managing six-or seven-figure ad spend, this episode will help you rethink your team structure, channel strategy, and ROI expectations.Referenced in the episode:How Brand Building and Performance Marketing Can Work Together - Harvard Business Review---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Hikari Senju, Founder & CEO at Omneky -- AI isn’t just generating ad copy—it’s reshaping the entire performance marketing playbook for B2B SaaS. In this episode, Hikari Senju, founder and CEO of Omneky, shares how the platform evolved from an enterprise solution to a self-serve powerhouse—and why smart creative strategy matters more than big budgets. Key insights from this episode: Why brute-force creative testing consistently outperforms guesswork How ad performance data can directly inform GTM messaging Why brand inconsistency across platforms kills trust and conversion How AI-powered ads are becoming core to revenue strategy If you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO looking to improve ROAS, scale faster with fewer resources, or make AI actually work for your GTM team, this episode is a must-listen. ---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.

Send us a textGuest: Adir Ben-Yehuda, CEO at Autonomy AI -- The go-to-market playbook for AI SaaS is being rewritten in real-time, and those who cling to old models risk being left behind. In this episode, Adir Ben-Yehuda, founder and CEO of Autonomy AI, joins host Ken Lempit to share how his team went from zero to 70 customers in months by ditching outdated frameworks and building a brand buyers can trust.We unpack: ✅ Why “Crossing the Chasm” no longer applies in the age of ChatGPT ✅ How brand marketing now beats lead gen in AI go-to-market ✅ What it really takes to convert skeptical enterprise buyers ✅ The shift from SEO to “share of response” in AI search platforms ✅ Why every SaaS GTM leader must become an orchestrator—not just a doerAdir also breaks down the sales motion that helped Autonomy scale so quickly—and shares how his team leverages live demos and social proof to close deals in a single call.If you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO navigating AI adoption, rethinking pipeline strategy, or looking for a more effective way to win technical buyers, this episode is your cheat code.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.