Advith Chelikani, Co-founder and CTO of Pylon, shares insights from his transition from engineer to entrepreneur. He discusses the critical role of product velocity in customer retention and the challenges of scaling customer success in early-stage startups. Advith emphasizes the necessity for founders to stay connected with their customers and explores the balance between growth and operational efficiency. The impact of AI in enhancing customer support and effective hiring strategies that have fueled Pylon's expansion are also key highlights.

Brian Balfour, Founder and CEO of Reforge and former VP of Growth at HubSpot, discusses enduring laws of customer retention amidst the AI evolution. He explains why many AI products face high churn rates and stresses the importance of natural usage frequency for retention. The conversation touches on the rapid collapse of product-market fit and how businesses can adapt their strategies. Balfour also explores how AI reshapes product development, emphasizing the need for cohesive customer feedback and intuitive design tools.

Today on the show we have Emeric Ernoult, the Founder and CEO of Agorapulse.In this episode, Emeric shares his experience navigating Agorapulse’s bold pivot from serving SMBs to targeting mid-market and enterprise clients.We then discussed the challenges of combating endemic churn, why moving upmarket was critical for growth, and the lessons learned from multiple pivots along the way.We wrapped up by discussing the complexities of scaling a SaaS business while bootstrapped, including how to align product, marketing, and sales when shifting to a new customer segment.Mentioned ResourcesAgorapulseEpisode 44 | Challenges tackling SMB churn and how to overcome themChurn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show we have Paul Yacoubian, founder and CEO of Copy.AI. In this episode, we explore how Copy.AI evolved from an AI copywriting tool into a full-scale enterprise workflow automation platform.Paul shares how LLMs (Large Language Models) are reshaping go-to-market strategies, the challenges enterprises face in AI adoption, and why data management is the biggest bottleneck for AI-driven automation.We also dive into Paul’s approach to angel investing, why he prioritizes founders over funding stages, and how companies should think about customer activation, churn, and retention in an AI-powered world.Mentioned ResourcesCopy.AIChurn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Yuriy Timen, an investor and advisor to companies like Airtable, discusses his journey from leading growth at Grammarly to forming high-impact product teams. He emphasizes the vital alignment between growth marketing and product for maximizing retention. The conversation dives into strategies for balancing user acquisition and retention, the significance of initial user experiences, and the pitfalls of scaling too soon. Yuriy also shares insights on fostering retention-driven growth strategies that seamlessly guide users from acquisition to activation.

Today on the show we have Saravana Kumar, the CEO and Founder of Kovai.co.In this episode, Saravana shares his journey from launching a single-product business to building a multi-product SaaS company. He reflects on the challenges of scaling multiple products and offers candid insights into why he wouldn’t recommend his approach.Saravana also reveals the story behind Churn360, the customer success product he ultimately decided to shut down after significant investment, and what this taught him about market fit and opportunity cost.We then explore the signals that led to Kovai.co expanding into new products, the strategies behind scaling Document360, and how Saravana balances managing multiple SaaS products with distinct go-to-market motions.Finally, Saravana discusses why onboarding is critical to fighting churn, the importance of aligning product-market fit with sales strategies, and what SaaS founders need to know before attempting a multi-product approach.Mentioned ResourcesSaravana Kumar  Kovai.coDocument360ZendeskFreshdeskIntercomChurn360 GainsightVitallyBrian BalfourFour Fits For $100M GrowthUiPathClayChurn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

In this engaging conversation, Kyle Poyar, Co-founder and Operating Partner at Tremont, shares his transition from consultant to SaaS pricing expert. He discusses the shift from seat-based to success-based pricing, highlighting the challenges and strategic advantages involved. The role of AI in enhancing customer value and retention is underscored, alongside actionable tips for aligning pricing with customer success. Kyle also explores the need for tailored solutions and provides insights into overcoming market challenges to drive growth and reduce churn.

Today on the show we have Tim Schumacher, the Co-Founder of SaaS Group, a company specializing in acquiring and scaling SaaS businesses.In this episode, Tim shares his insights on how SaaS founders can prepare their businesses for acquisition, covering key metrics, processes, and strategies to stand out in the market.We then discussed the importance of revenue, profitability, and team structure in determining valuation and how SaaS Group evaluates potential acquisitions.We wrapped up by exploring post-acquisition integration, including how SaaS Group supports acquired companies to maximize growth while maintaining their unique culture.Mentioned ResourcesTim Schumacher Saas.groupSedo.com GoDaddyOpen AI Adobe FigmaChurn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Elliott Poppel, CEO and founder of General Collaboration, shares his journey from working at Meta to launching a new communications platform. He discusses identifying activation milestones that distinguish engaged users from casual visitors, emphasizing their role in boosting early retention. Elliott also addresses the challenges of merging multiple tools into a user-friendly experience while navigating notification overload. Lastly, he reflects on lessons learned as a three-time founder, highlighting the balance between user acquisition and sustainable growth.

Elias Torres, Founder and CEO of AgencyAI and former VP of Engineering at HubSpot, discusses his journey from selling Drift for $1.2 billion to launching an AI-driven customer success platform. He highlights the role of AI in streamlining customer interactions and emphasizes the shift toward outcome-based pricing models. Elias also tackles the challenges of scaling success teams and the necessity of a unified 'customer brain' for better insights. His vision for a $10 billion company showcases the transformative power of technology in enhancing customer engagement.