The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship
Omer Khan
Welcome to "The SaaS Podcast," hosted by Omer Khan, your premier source for everything related to software as a service (SaaS), startups, and entrepreneurial success. Each episode delves deep into the strategies and stories of founders and experts who have made their mark in the SaaS industry. Through insightful interviews and discussions, Omer explores the various facets of business growth, from growth hacking to navigating the challenges that come with managing a startup. Listeners can expect to gain valuable insights on how to propel their SaaS ventures to new heights. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned veteran in the startup scene, or someone fascinated by the world of SaaS, this podcast offers actionable advice and lessons learned from those who have experienced the journey first-hand. Dive into episodes that cover a wide range of topics including innovative marketing strategies, product development, customer acquisition, and much more.
Episodes
400: Yembo: From Cold Calls & Rejections to Scaling an AI Startup - with Zach Rattner
In this episode of the SaaS Podcast, host Omar Khan interviews Zach Ratner, co-founder and CTO of Yembo, an AI-powered platform designed to assist the moving and insurance sectors with virtual home surveys. Starting as a software engineer, Zach noticed the potential of AI in object recognition which led him to leverage this technology in a traditionally low-tech industry. Alongside his co-founder Sid, Zach faced early rejections and had to step far out of his comfort zone by making cold calls and attending industry events. Despite initial product limitations and customer churn, their persistence paid off, enabling Yembo to process hundreds of hours of video daily and serve customers globally, achieving high seven-figure revenues with a team of 70.
399: LeanData: Overcoming New Category Challenges to 8-Figures - with Evan Liang
In this informative episode of the SaaS podcast, host Omer Khan engages with Evan Liang, co-founder and CEO of LeanData. They delve into the challenges and triumphs of building a SaaS company that pioneered a new category in the market. Initially, LeanData struggled with slow growth and the difficulty of educating the market about its innovative product. However, through creative strategies such as event marketing and focusing intensely on customer success, LeanData managed to significantly grow its customer base and revenue. The discussion covers the company's evolution, from solving internal pain points with CRM data to becoming a leader in revenue orchestration for over 1000 enterprises.
398: saas.group: Scaling Bootstrapped SaaS via Acquisitions - with Tim Schumacher
In this insightful episode of the SaaS podcast, host Omer Khan sits down with Tim Schumacher, co-founder of saas.group, to discuss the intricacies of scaling bootstrapped SaaS companies via acquisitions. Schumacher shares his journey and the founding of saas.group, which specializes in acquiring small, independent SaaS businesses. With a portfolio of 18 companies generating over $60 million in annual revenue, saas.group offers a dual path for SaaS founders looking to either exit or accelerate their business growth by leveraging the group’s resources. The episode delves into the criteria for acquisition, the importance of a founder-friendly approach, and the balance between autonomy and support provided to acquired companies.
397: A Guide to Buying & Selling a SaaS Business on Marketplaces - with Juan Ignacio García
Omer Khan interviews Juan Ignacio García, founder and CEO of Boopos, focusing on the intricacies of the SaaS marketplace. They explore the attractive option of buying an established SaaS business as an alternative to building from scratch, emphasizing benefits like bypassing early growth pains and inheriting a customer base. Selling a SaaS business is depicted as a potentially transformative venture, providing substantial financial return but requiring careful preparation to maximize business valuation and ensure a smooth transaction. The discussion also covers common mistakes, financing options, and strategic advice for both buyers and sellers in the SaaS marketplace.
396: From Bootstrapping Struggles to a $60M Exit and Beyond - with Bob Moore
In this insightful episode of the SaaS podcast, host Omer Khan talks to Bob Moore, co-founder and CEO of Crossbeam. Moore shares his rollercoaster journey in the tech startup realm, emphasizing the critical phases of his entrepreneurial ventures with RJ Metrics and Crossbeam. He delves into the initial challenges of finding product-market fit and securing funding during the tumultuous economic climate of 2008. The conversation also covers the strategic pivots and innovations that led to the successful $60 million exit of his second startup, Stitch, and the subsequent creation of Crossbeam. Moore candidly discusses the importance of learning from past mistakes, the role of effective partnership management in SaaS growth, and how Crossbeam addresses complex data-sharing challenges in partnerships.
394: SightCall: The Long Road to Building a Scalable Enterprise SaaS - with Thomas Cottereau
Thomas Cottereau shares his entrepreneurial journey of creating SightCall, a cloud-based platform providing visual assistance via augmented reality to solve customer service challenges remotely. Starting as a telecom engineer, Cottereau's inspiration came from his extensive background in building internet infrastructure and recognizing the gap in real-time communications that merged telecom with modern software. The narrative delves into the initial challenges of bootstrapping, developing a prototype, and the transformative partnership with Salesforce that led to securing HP as a major client. Cottereau discusses the subsequent scaling challenges, including legal hurdles leading to a rebrand, internal conflicts during rapid growth phases, and the pressures of managing substantial venture funding while maintaining a company's strategic direction and culture.
393: Circle: Scaling a Community Platform from Seed to $19M ARR - with Andrew Guttormsen
In this enlightening interview with Andrew Guttormsen, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Circle, we dive deep into the journey of scaling Circle from its inception. Initially intended to be a slow-growth, possibly bootstrapped business, the surge in demand for online community tools due to the pandemic spurred rapid growth and funding. Guttormsen shares the struggles of adapting to a sudden influx of enterprise customers, refining customer support, and the importance of early customer interactions that were foundational in building Circle’s reputation. He candidly discusses handling negative feedback and the value of direct engagement with the community in enhancing the product. By the end of the episode, Circle boasts over 10,000 customers, demonstrating impressive growth and adaptability in the competitive SaaS market.