The SaaSiest Podcast

In this episode, we're joined by Søren Schønnemann, CEO, Factbird, the SaaS provider that helps manufacturers maximize their performance through manufacturing intelligence from Operator to Process Engineer to Plant Manager,  We talk to Søren about the hiring strategy and organizational evolution that he's taken the company on to support their rapid growth, from 8 to 90 people while going from startup to breaking 10m Euro in ARR in less than 4 years. Here are some of the key questions we address: - Why was his first 2 hires a Talent Aqcuistion specialist and a Sales Ops way before they had a commerial and GTM team in place? - How has his hiring philosphy evolved as the company needs evolved? - How do you balance the need for personal growth of staff vs the need of organization growth? - What have been some of the most tricky challenges through this growth spurt and how did they handle them? - Which are his biggest lessons learned from growing the organization at this pace, and what would he do differently next time? Tune in to learn how Søren and his team have supported the need of the organization with a unique look at who to hire at what point in time, spoiler alert it is not sales people to start with, to get to the 10m Euro mark.

In this episode, we're joined by Karel Callens, CEO & Founder, Luzmo, an embedded analytics platform, purpose-built for SaaS companies. They bring complex data to life with beautiful, easy-to-use dashboards, embedded seamlessly in any SaaS or web platform and are doing serving many well known customers across Europe and US.  We explore with Karel the concept of stacking S-curves on top of each other, making sure to always make the most of opportunities ahead and support an upward trajectory, even when that means pivoting, changing ICPs and more to make sure to fuel future growth! Here are some of the key questions we address: - How do you know it's time to evolve or expand your ICP? - What's the actual process you use when making that kind of pivot or expansion? - When you make a move to a new ICP, what happens to the existing one? - What impact does this kind of ICP shift have on the org structurally and culturally? - How do you align Sales, Marketing, Product, and CS around what might feel like a moving target - What have been your biggest missteps in making these transitions - and what did you learn from them? - We talked about stacking S-curves”—how do you plan that kind of growth without losing focus or diluting execution? Tune in to learn how Karel and his team have set up a process to future-proof their business and always be ready for the next thing, not just to follow but to lead and control their business destiny. 

In this episode, we're joined by Massimo Arrigoni, CEO, Beefree, a powerful design suite that lets you create no-code beautiful, high-performing emails that work with any marketing platform. Today the Beefree platform is embedded in over 1000 SaaS products powering the email component for some of the most well-known SaaS companies in the world.  We explore how an embedded and white label product strategy has fueled Beefree's growth and specifically what the learnings are from this journey. Here are some of the key questions we address:  - What does it really take from a company to offer an embedded white-label product? - How do you determine if a part of your product is a good candidate to be sold as an embeddable component? - What are the key differences between a traditional SaaS GTM strategy and an embedded/white-label model? - How do you price an embeddable SaaS component to reflect the value it provides without overcomplicating contracting? - How do you mitigate the risks or limitations of not being a domain expert in the industries you're embedding into? Tune in to learn how Massimo and Beefree have leveraged an embedded strategy to grow to 15m+ USD in ARR, 30% year on year growth with practically 0 churn and a happy customer base all over the world. 

In this episode, we're joined by Anna Jäger, VP Marketing at Sinch, a global leader in customer communications with over $3B in revenue and operations in 60+ countries. Anna shares hard-earned lessons from expanding into the U.S. - one of the most competitive and complex SaaS markets in the world. We explore how marketing strategies, buyer expectations, and team dynamics shift dramatically when crossing the Atlantic, and why failing fast, bold messaging, and the right hires are essential to making it work. Here are some of the key questions we address:  - What makes U.S. marketing radically different from EMEA? - Why do ROI-driven messages matter more in the States? - Should your first U.S. hires be local or from your European team? - What budget and timeline should you plan for? - How do you build one unified brand across very different regions? Tune in to learn how Anna and her team cracked the code and what you can take away for your own U.S. expansion journey.

In this episode, we sit down with Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Marketing at Atlassian, to unpack what lifecycle marketing really means and how one of the world's best-known SaaS companies makes it work at scale. Ashley walks us through Atlassian's approach to lifecycle marketing across its vast product suite, shares key moments that matter most in the customer journey, and breaks down what a successful campaign looks like in action. In this episode, you'll learn: What lifecycle marketing is (and what it isn't) How to identify the most critical touchpoints in the customer journey The metrics that matter most The pitfalls even experienced marketers fall into Whether you're running onboarding flows, retention campaigns, or upsell motion - this episode is packed with takeaways for any marketer looking to drive sustainable growth.

In this episode, we sit down with GTM strategist and best-selling author Maja Voje to dive deep into the concept of the Early Customer Profile (ECP) - and why it's more important than ever in the AI era. Maja explains what defines an ECP, where to find them, how to speak their language, and how to avoid the most common mistakes when launching new (especially AI-driven) products. We explore how to validate willingness to pay, protect yourself from underpricing, and structure a GTM team for success. This episode is a must-listen for anyone launching new products or features - whether you're an early-stage startup or an established company entering new territory. Here are some of the questions we addressed with Maja: What is an Early Customer Profile (ECP) and how does it differ from an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)? Where and how can you find your ECPs - especially in AI-related markets? How should you message and sell to early adopters who are skeptical or risk-sensitive? How do you validate willingness to pay before fully launching a product? What pricing models work best in early-stage AI product launches - and how do you avoid underpricing? What are the most common GTM pitfalls when launching new products or features? Who should be on your internal "launch squad" to successfully bring a new AI product to market? Tune in and find out how you can successfully launch your new AI feature set.

In this episode, we speak with Frederic Laziou, CEO, Puzzel, a leading European provider of cloud-based contact center solutions, helping businesses deliver seamless customer service across multiple channels. Their AI-powered CX platform integrates voice, email, chat, and social media, enhancing efficiency and personalization. With 25+ years of experience, Puzzel continues to innovate, ensuring businesses stay ahead in customer engagement.  We talked with Frederic about their journey well on their way to reaching 100m Euro in ARR, how M&A has been an important strategy, and a focus on defining a product operating model that supports sustainable and continued growth. Specifically in this episode, we discuss how a focus on building the right things from a product perspective is key, which also at times means sunseting product programs and features that don't support the P&L in a positive manner. How do you assess which features are adding real value versus those that are just adding complexity? Once you identify redundant or low-value features, what practical steps do you take to sunset them?  How do you communicate this to customers, and what challenges can you expect to face in ensuring a smooth transition? What are the biggest cultural or leadership challenges shifting from a "feature factory" mindset to an outcome-driven approach?  This and much more. Tune in to learn mode from Frederic and his team's journey moving away from a feature factory to an outcome-driven product approach that drives tangible financial value to both the customer and the business.  

In this episode, we speak with Maja Lindström, CPO, Talentech, a leading developer of HR providing a seamless talent journey through a centralized platform. With main hubs in Oslo, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Copenhagen, Talentech's scalable solutions support every stage of the talent pipeline, offering personalization and flexibility to meet tomorrow's challenges. We talked with Maja about their M&A journey, 8 acquisitions to date and counting, and how you make the unifying process work from a product and technical staff perspective. Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are:  First, what are the different underlying strategies that can fuel an M&A strategy of this nature? What is the process of "onboarding" separate product teams into a new unified and larger team working on a platform strategy? What are the most common pitfalls to avoid here, and why? What is the process of integrating different products, at times on different tech stacks and different maturity levels? To be successful with this amount of frequent and large acquisitions, it requires a lot from the organization. Which are the key players, processes and characteristics needed from an organization to be successful in a process like this? How do you find a balance between product autonomy vs central platform thinking to avoid losing speed in deployment and releases? This is for all the product leaders out there and people considering an M&A strategy. Tune in to learn mode from Maja's journey of acquiring and integrating 8 product organizations into one platform unit.

In this episode, we speak with Mie Elmkvist Schneider, VP of Sales & CS, Queue-it, a leading developer of virtual waiting room services, empowering 1,000+ organizations worldwide to build and nurture trust with 25+ billion visitors annually by delivering reliable, fair, and transparent online experiences.  We talked with Mie about the important measures and KPIs to track for a sales leader when focusing on profitability. Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are:  What does your Sales Leadership Dashboard look like - what metrics are you keeping track of? What are the key metrics when focusing on profitability vs growth? Which are key metrics to focus on in new client acquisition vs existing customer expansion? Who is involved, why, and how in the ongoing process of monitoring these KPIs, and triggering necessary actions if/when needed based on deviations? What tool stack do you use to track this? This is for all the sales leaders out there, tune in to see if your dashboard aligns with Mie's and if there are any KPIs that you also need to double down on.

This is a special episode with our very own MC, our new Head of Community Management over here at SaaSiest!  We're building this community in the open together with all of you, and in this episode, we want to invite you on the inside, for you to start getting to know MC! And yes she does have full name, it is Marie Claire, but everyone calls her MC and we hope you will too

In this episode, Nataly Kelly, CMO, Zappi, a leading consumer insights platform that connects brands with consumers. Through AI-powered software that delivers connected insights, Zappi empowers brands to make faster, smarter, and consumer-driven decisions by leveraging real-time, continuous consumer feedback.  We talked with Nataly about the pressure CMOs have to AI-enable their organization, both from internal demands as well as external requirements to stay competitive and efficient. Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are:  What's the biggest misconception about adopting AI in marketing that you've seen among CMOs? With so many potential AI applications, how can CMOs determine where AI will deliver the most value for their specific organization? How should CMOs balance the pressure to adopt AI quickly with the risk of making investments that don't deliver results? What metrics or indicators should CMOs use to evaluate the success of their AI initiatives? What are some of the common mistakes CMOs make when integrating AI into their marketing strategy, and how can they avoid them?  It is clear that it is not about AI or not AI, it is about how and where to leverage AI for the greatest outcome of the business. Tune in to hear Nataly's thoughts on this from the CMO perspective.

In this episode, we speak to Diane Wiredu, a messaging expert and the founder of messaging consultancy Lion Words. She's been helping SaaS companies for a decade to achieve 'message-market fit. So they can cut through the noise, market more effectively, and sell more. We speak to Diane about Message-Market fit, what it is, why it is important, and how to achieve it! We particularly discuss her take on the process of developing the right message representing your business, and the unique value it provides to customers. Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are: What is Message-Market fit? Why is it important? Why do so many companies fail with this - common red flags? What are the 5 process steps to achieve a good Message-Market fit? How do you balance internal vs external factors when defining the right messaging? How do you launch the new messaging, from inception to publishing it externally? These are some of the questions we address with Diane, tune in if you also want to learn more about how to achieve Message-Market fit.

In this episode, we speak to Dirk Sahlmer, Head of Origination, at SaaS Group, a conglomerate of independent SaaS businesses founded by experienced industry veterans with proven entrepreneurial, investing, and product backgrounds. Dirk speaks to 500+ SaaS CEOs a year and has a firm take on what good looks like! We particularly discuss his take on Exit Readiness from a founder and business perspective, which KPIs to have in order, what process to be ready for, and more. Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are: When is a good time to sell your SaaS business? Which are the key value drivers defining the value of your business? What common red flags will lead an acquirer to pass on you?  What type of historical and current data do you need to have available at all times, ready to share with an acquirer?   These are some of the questions we address with Dirk, and if you're a founder looking to sell your SaaS you'll find this episode useful. Tune in!

In this episode, Wendy Harris, a seasoned revenue leader from DropBox, Gong, and others, now a founder of The Wendy Harris, a Leadership Coaching Academy, shares her learning on what good and successful leadership looks like. We talked to Wendy about the critical aspects of leadership in revenue organizations, emphasizing the importance of honest communication, accountability, and self-awareness. We discussed the critical aspects of what a good leader looks like,  mapping it out on her Flamingo Leadership Framework: Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are: What is the single most important trait to have as a SaaS Revenue leader? What sets strong-performing leaders apart from average ones? How can you use the Flamingo Leadership framework to evolve leaders in your organization? How do you as a leader create a feedback culture?  Why should employees choose the boss instead of the job? If you're interested in learning more about effective leadership or if you just want to find out if you're a pigeon, flamingo, or peacock  - tune in!

In this episode, Adam Holmgren, Head of Demand Gen, Rillion, the Accounts Payable Automation Software supporting over 3,000 companies across over 50 countries. We talked with Adam about the process and structure of running successful LinkedIn ad Campaigns, particularly looking into the flow and goals of the different layers of a campaign.   Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are:  How the Linkedin Ad Platform is fundamentally different from other platforms and thus requires a different approach? What is the best way to define and continuously refine target lists for best outcomes? Which are the 3 key layers in a successful campaign? Understanding why your goal is not to drive traffic to your site in the first cold layer of the campaign process? How do you design a good retargeting strategy to continue to drive the demand? What is the look and feel of a good ad? What is the breakthrough of a few examples? How should you measure ROI on LinkedIn ad spend? If you're keen to step up your Linkedin Ad game this is a must listen to episode - Tune in!

In this episode, Malin Schmidt, founder and CEO of Kodiak Hub, takes us on her journey from the shipping and oil industries to building a game-changing SaaS platform transforming global supply chains. Malin shares how Kodiak Hub is empowering strategic Enterprise buyers, tackling skepticism, and redefining procurement with transparency and trust at the core.  We dive into the challenges of competing with large legacy players, and how understanding enterprise dynamics is key to their success. At the heart of Malin's insights? Building scalable, sustainable growth while staying true to Kodiak Hub's mission of creating solutions that actually deliver value. Some of the questions we discuss in this episode are: What are the key ways to demonstrate a superior value-to-investment ratio and outplay competitors with more resources? How can smaller players effectively get trust and demonstrate a great understanding of the complex dynamics of enterprise stakeholders better than legacy giants? What onboarding strategies can help deliver faster time-to-value compared to larger competitors? Why openness and seamless interconnectivity through efficient APIs is crucial for winning against established systems? How does the “Land & Expand” strategy enable smaller players to build trust and grow within enterprise accounts? If you're curious about how you also can win in the Enterprise space against the legacy giants then this is a must-listen episode. Tune in!

What's the secret to turning partnerships into a SaaS growth engine? In this episode, Victor Wrede, Co-founder and CSO of Scrive, reveals how the company is transforming business workflows with electronic signatures and digital contracts. He shares the strategies behind building strong partnerships, integrating seamlessly into customer workflows, and creating solutions that stand out in competitive markets. Victor also opens up about the lessons learned from navigating partner dynamics, the importance of joint initiatives, and the fine balance between direct sales and partner-driven growth. What you'll take away: How Scrive creates efficiency through streamlined solutions The game-changing impact of strategic partnerships in SaaS Insights on thriving in dynamic marketplaces The role of collaboration in driving long-term success Practical advice for scaling through innovation and teamwork If you're ready to take your SaaS growth to the next level, this episode is filled with ideas and strategies to help you get there. Grab a coffee, tune in, and let's dive into the world of smarter partnerships!

What if AI is not just the future of SaaS but the catalyst for redefining its very essence?  In this thought-provoking episode of the SaaSiest podcast, we explore the vast and transformative potential of AI with Christina and Henrik from Verdane, a leading venture capital firm shaping the future of SaaS. They take us on a journey through the changing landscape of technology, discussing how AI is not only influencing the products SaaS companies deliver but is also revolutionizing the way these businesses scale and compete. Is AI just a tool for automation, or does it hold the key to unlocking deeper innovation? From optimizing decision-making processes to enhancing customer experiences, this episode uncovers how AI is becoming the backbone of intelligent, data-driven growth.  Here are some of the thought-provoking insights you'll hear: Discover how AI is becoming a core strategy for scaling smarter and faster. How AI is amplifying human intelligence, unlocking new opportunities. The power of AI to drive smarter, more precise business decisions. What's next for AI in SaaS, and how should companies prepare? If you're wondering how to navigate this AI-driven future and what steps you can take to stay ahead, don't miss this episode! 

Ever wondered how product marketing can truly drive a company's growth and alignment? In this episode, Samuel Winderö, Global Director of Marketing and Communication at Avinode Group, takes us through his journey in product marketing and explains why it's crucial to integrate product marketing early in the development process. He shares how Avinode Group is thriving in the business aviation sector and the importance of aligning product development with customer needs for effective positioning. What's in this episode: How product marketing connects product and marketing teams Why early integration of product marketing is a game-changer Avinode Group's success in the business aviation industry Key skills every product marketer needs to succeed The evolving role of product marketing as companies grow Want to know how product marketing can transform your business? This episode is packed with insights you don't want to miss!

In this episode, Angeley Mullins, CCO at Resourcify, takes us inside her journey through tech, offers a sneak peek into her upcoming book for founders, and explains how Resourcify is helping companies break free from analog waste management with digital solutions. She dives into why sustainability can't just be a buzzword, the real impact of physical marketing, and why user-generated content is key to authentic brand building. At the core of her insights? How to create a brand that lasts, connect meaningfully, and use storytelling to transform the sustainability landscape.   What's in this episode: Why sustainability must be more than a buzzword How Resourcify is driving the shift to digital waste solutions Creative, budget-friendly marketing tactics that deliver The power of physical outreach and authentic user-generated content Reviving referral programs and reconnecting in person The secrets to storytelling that makes a brand unforgettable Curious about how to build a brand that doesn't just survive but truly matters? This episode is your roadmap.

Think you need to create a whole new category to win? Think again. In this episode of the SaaSiest Podcast we had a chat with Matt Lerner, the founder & CEO of SYSTM and a seasoned tech and venture capital expert, who reveals why focusing on growth levers beats the allure of creating new categories. Matt dives into his personal productivity hacks, from his morning routine to daily goal setting, and shares how his time at PayPal shaped his growth philosophy. He stresses the power of experimentation in finding a scalable go-to-market strategy and the critical role of understanding your customers' needs, not just building for the sake of it. Here are a few key takeaways from the episode: Why morning routines can turbocharge productivity. How startups can avoid the trap of unnecessary category creation. The Jobs to Be Done methodology for uncovering what your customers really want. The magic of strategic messaging transformations that boost conversion rates. Insights on managing investor expectations and staying laser-focused on growth. Whether you're a founder or part of a scaling startup, Matt's no-nonsense approach will leave you inspired to prioritize your customers and experiment your way to success. Don't miss this one!

In our latest episode, we're joined by Birte Sten, the CRO at Centra and industry leader in SaaS. From her early days as a competitive swimmer to leading high-impact sales teams, Birte shares how she's used a structured, factory mindset to drive scalability and growth in the SaaS space. She dives deep into building a sustainable go-to-market strategy, customer retention, and enabling others in the organization to create lasting impact. What's covered in this episode: What does it mean to adopt a “factory mindset” in sales, and how can it enhance efficiency and scalability? How does revenue architecture support both acquisition and retention, and why is this balance essential for sustainable growth? How can companies use a systematic framework to create a growth formula and measure success with a data-driven approach? Why is it crucial to understand your ICP when scaling, and how can it guide your strategy? This episode is packed with Birte's hard-won insights. Make sure to tune in to learn from her strategic roadmap for growth and scalability. 

In this episode, we had an insightful conversation with Saahil Karkera, VP of Customer Success at Oaky, to explore how customer success is evolving into a critical driver of growth and efficiency in the travel tech space. Saahil dives into his approach to building high-performing CS teams, with a focus on strategic initiatives that go beyond the day-to-day tasks of customer management. Here are some highlights from our discussion: Saahil's strategy for segmentation, prioritizing future potential value over current revenue to boost retention and expansion. The importance of identifying white space opportunities within existing accounts to unlock new growth. Why customer success qualified leads are becoming key to showing the value of CS teams in driving revenue. We also explore the growing need for CS professionals to adopt a commercial mindset, the power of sales and CS collaboration, and the operational benefits of having a dedicated CS Ops role to streamline efficiency. If you want to elevate your customer success strategy and see real results, this episode is a must-listen!

In our latest episode of the SaaSiest podcast, Chris Cunningham, Founding Member & Head of Social Marketing, ClickUp, shares how you need to adapt your communication on Social Media to meet the needs of a demanding audience, in times when there is an abundance of information and competitors all fighting for the same attention and budgets. Chris discusses the evolution of ClickUp's marketing strategies, emphasizing the importance of humor, brand awareness, and innovative content creation. He shares insights on scaling content production, leveraging social media for engagement, and the challenges of converting views into signups. He also highlights the significance of building brand loyalty through creative partnerships and the need for companies to humanize their brands. The discussion touches on the Validate 48 challenge, budgeting for social media, and ClickUp's bets, including a focus on long-form content. These are some of the questions we answered: How can SaaS companies effectively leverage social media to drive brand awareness and customer engagement? What is the key to balancing humor and professionalism in B2B marketing content? How do you track the success of short-form content in terms of sign-ups and business growth? Why should companies consider hiring a dedicated creator to manage their social media strategies? What role does consistency play in building a strong social media presence and maintaining audience engagement? Don't miss this episode—tune in to gain inspiration from Chris's journey and advice!

In our latest episode, Gauri Chawla dives into the pivotal role that partnerships play in fueling revenue growth for B2B SaaS companies. She shares insights on building structured partner ecosystems, ensuring marketing alignment, and maintaining strong communication. Whether you're just starting to explore partnerships or looking to enhance your existing programs, this episode offers actionable tips to make partnerships a powerful growth driver for your business.   Key questions we explore in the episode: How can B2B SaaS companies leverage partnerships as a key growth lever? What systematic approach should organizations adopt for successful partnerships? How do trust and alignment with company strategy impact partner relationships? What role does enablement play in ensuring partner success? How can co-selling strategies enhance the effectiveness of partnerships? Join us as we unpack the secrets to thriving partner ecosystems and learn how to navigate the complex landscape of B2B partnerships for long-term success.  

In our latest episode of the SaaSiest podcast, Gabriela Warren, CMO of Puzzel, shares her journey from political science to leading marketing in tech. She emphasizes the importance of seeing beyond marketing metrics, stressing that CMOs must listen, learn, and understand team dynamics to drive success. Gabriela discusses her quick wins in the role, the challenges of managing both up and down, and her vision for Puzzel's future in the AI-driven contact center market.  These are some of the questions we answered: How has Gabriela's political science background shaped her approach to marketing? Why is it essential for CMOs to understand the broader business beyond just marketing metrics? What quick wins can new CMOs focus on to establish credibility? How can aspiring CMOs prioritize continuous learning from their peers? Don't miss this episode—tune in to gain inspiration from Gabriela's journey and advice!

In this episode, we speak with Gökçe Ceylan, Principal, Oxx, the specialist SaaS investor. The firm's strategy is built around the concept of “Go-To-Market Fit”, developing a structure for thinking about how to build a repeatable, sustainable growth engine that accelerates and propels the growth of SaaS companies.  We talked with Gökçe about how you can apply math, to more areas than you'd think in your SaaS, to make the right decisions!  Here are some of the things we talked about:  - What is Bayesian statistics and why does it matter for us in SaaS? - How do you see Bayesian statistics transforming decision-making in SaaS companies? - What are specific examples where a SaaS successfully applied decision trees to simplify their sales process? - Many founders struggle with pricing strategies. How can game theory, specifically positive-sum games, help them reframe pricing conversations with customers? - What are the key challenges in applying these mathematical frameworks to non-technical aspects of SaaS businesses? This and much more was discussed as we explored how applying mathematical principles can help CEOs and leaders make better decisions for their organizations. Tune in to learn how you can apply this thinking in your business as well. Bonus, you will hear about the templates that will get you started!

In this episode, we speak with Adam Robinson, CEO, Retention.com & RB2B , 20m+ in combined ARR and growing at a fast rate, fueled by a strong founder brand! We talked with Adam about how he has built a personal brand as a CEO that benefits the business! In just 2 years he's gone from limited presence to being one of the most heard voices in B2B SaaS leadership with 100k followers on Linkedin. The best part of this, it moves his business and revenue forward! Here are some of the things we talked about:  - What is the purpose of a CEO/Founder personal brand? - How did Adam go about it to build up his brand?   - What does it take in terms of resource and time allocation to build and grow a strong personal brand as a CEO? - What defines Adam's content strategy that gets him this engagement? - How do you measure the success and ROI of this exercise? Make sure to tune in to learn how Adam is fueling the growth of his business to a large extent by being a trusted and valuable source of knowledge to his potential customers. Being authentic, credible, and having the courage to stand his ground, and at times dear to be different has worked wonders for him. This episode is for all leaders who are looking to build a strong personal brand that customers, partners, and competitors will trust and look up to.

In this episode, we speak with Anthony Roux, Head of Product Developer Platform at Miro, the AI-powered visual workspace that brings teams together to collaborate and make faster decisions, with over 500M in ARR and millions of users all over the world!  We talked with Anthony about what it takes to build a Developer Platform around your core product and how to acquire, enable, and incentivize external development resources to build on top of your product. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - What is the meaning of a Development Platform? Why build one in the first place? - What are the key components of a successful Development Platform?   - How do you identify your IDP (Ideal Developer Profile)? - Which metrics shall you use to measure the impact and success of your Development Platform initiative?   Make sure to tune in to learn how Miro is building their ecosystem with a development program that takes care of the onboarding, enablement, and incentives for developers to continuously extend the core product!

In this episode, we chat with Johan van Mil, Co-Founder and managing partner at Peak, a venture firm specializing in seed and pre-seed investments in software companies and marketplaces. Johan shares insights from his journey as an entrepreneur and investor, diving into what makes Peak's investment strategy unique. We discuss the approach to evaluating seed investments, including the crucial role of team dynamics, resilience, and investor-founder fit. These are some questions that are answered in this episode: What criteria do investors use to assess the potential of early-stage software companies? What are the most common reasons deals fall through during due diligence? How can a company proactively address those potential issues? Sometimes deals die right away - What red flags or “deal-breakers” are you seeing more often when evaluating startups now? How can companies build a competitive fundraising process that creates urgency and drives better terms from investors? What should founders consider when choosing investors to ensure a successful partnership? Tune in to catch all of Johan's insights on what it takes to raise capital today for your early stage SaaS.

In this episode, we speak with Kevin Goeminne, CEO of CHILI Publish, an AI-powered creative platform that integrates into your MarTech stack to help brands and agencies create designs at scale with reduced operational costs. We talked with Kevin about what it takes to win the business and trust of Fortune 500 companies, from the process of getting in front of them, winning and finally growing these accounts to $1m ARR accounts. Here are some of the things we talked about: - What proven strategies and channels have you leveraged to get in front of the right decision-makers in these Fortune 500 companies? - What strategies or tactics have been most effective in navigating the lengthy and complex procurement processes typical of Fortune 500 companies? - Which organizational requirements do you need to fulfill working with a Fortune 500 company? - What is the ideal team structure internally that will actively manage the relationship with a Fortune 500 customer? - What are the most costly pitfalls and mistakes one can make when doing business with Fortune 500 companies? These are some of the many questions we address with Kevin. Please tune in to learn more about how CHILI Publish is having success winning the trust and business of the likes of Coca-Cola, Mars, Roche, and many other Fortune 500 companies.

In our latest episode, we're catching up with Daniel Eisenberg, Head of Expansion at Deel, to dive into how the company is shaking up the global HR space. Deel has been on a fast track, expanding rapidly across businesses of all sizes and eyeing that big $1 billion ARR milestone within a year. We also chatted about Deel's growth playbook—how they're fueling the pipeline with smart growth marketing, an agile SDR/BDR setup, and tight-knit collaboration between AEs and SDRs. Daniel also shared some golden insights on why events and networking are key to building strong relationships and driving Deel's growth forward. Here's a few key takeaways from the conversation:  What's behind Deel's rapid rise, and how will they keep up the momentum to hit $1 billion ARR? How does the SDR team nail global outreach with a personalized touch and local language expertise? What role do events and networking play in Deel's pipeline strategy, and how do they keep these efforts aligned with their overall growth goals? Which metrics matter most in measuring success, and how does Deel balance automation with the personal touch in their sales and marketing? Tune in to hear more about how Deel is navigating the challenges of global HR and using innovative strategies to fuel their impressive growth.

In this episode, we speak with Jonas Jonsson, CEO, 4C Strategies, the leading provider of organizational readiness and military training management solutions through their Exonaut® software and advisory services. Founded in 2000, 4C Strategies today serves military, public, and private clients in more than 70 countries around the globe.  We talked with Jonas about how a strong Service & Consulting arm within the organization can be an accelerator for long term ARR growth. We talked about the opportunity this provides them, but also the challenges that come with a setup of this kind with a relatively large Service & Consulting arm. Here are some of the things we talked about: - How does your service arm contribute to your company's overall value proposition, especially in an industry where software solutions are often seen as sufficient? - In what ways has having a significant service arm helped you differentiate from competitors who primarily focus on product alone? - How do you manage the potential risks and challenges associated with maintaining a large service arm, such as scalability and profit margins? - What metrics or KPIs do you use to measure the success of your service arm, and how do these metrics align with your company's long-term strategic goals? - What organizational structures do you recommend for a Product and Service organization to operate as one? These are some of the many questions we address with Jonas. Please tune in to learn more about how they have managed to leverage Services & Consulting to ultimately grow their software ARR!

In this episode, we speak with Stijn Smet, Head of Customer Success at Whale, the AI-powered software for documenting processes and training employees. It helps companies systemize and scale by aligning employees with procedures and processes and boosting compliance with policies and regulations. We talked with Stijn about how CS teams can leverage product usage data to unlock future revenue customer revenue, reduce churn, and create more stickiness. Here are some of the things we talked about: - What are the critical types of product usage data that CS teams should focus on? - How can CS teams utilize product usage data to drive additional revenue? - How do you measure the return on investment (ROI) of your CS initiatives using product usage data? - What tools and technologies do you recommend for integrating and analyzing product usage data to ensure the insights are both reliable and actionable? These are some of the many questions we address with Stijn. Please tune in to learn more about how your CS team can leverage your product usage data to accelerate upsells.

In this episode, we speak with Bas Willems, VP of Corporate and Product Marketing, DataSnipper, the Intelligent Automation Platform within Excel that accelerates the speed and quality of your audit and finance procedures. We talked with Bas about product marketing, and the importance of product marketers to understand the customer and translate their needs into marketing material.  Here are some of the things we talked about: - Should you use memes when marketing your product? - What are the key metrics to measure product marketing effectiveness? - How can you connect with the audience on an emotional level and thus build a stronger brand?  - What makes an excellent product marketer?  These are some of the many questions we address with Bas. Please tune in to learn more about how DataSnipper leveraged product marketing on their journey to $1 billion, and how you can strengthen your brand by applying effective product marketing.

In this episode, we speak with Joliene van Grieken, Founding Partner, The Growth Syndicate, a collective of experienced growth leaders focused on helping B2B software companies develop their in-house capabilities to ensure unprecedented, sustainable growth. We talked with Joliene about Demand Generation, how it differs from lead capturing, and most importantly, how you can create demand for your offerings. Here are some of the things we talked about: - Why does a successful Demand Generation Strategy start with understanding the information consumption patterns of your ICP, rather than their purchasing behavior? - What is the role of sequencing touchpoints in this strategy? - Short-term vs long-term play, how do you find the balance? - How do you include your existing customers in your demand generation strategy? - How to report and motivate investment internally in the organization? These are some of the many questions we address with Joliene. Please tune in to learn more about how a demand generation strategy done right can accelerate your revenue expansion.

In this episode, we speak with Erwin van der Vlist, Founder of Speakap, the employee experience platform that improves communication, facilitates better onboarding and learning experiences, and helps you take meaningful action on employee feedback to improve productivity, coordination, and engagement. We talked with Erwin about the expansion and success of Speakap in the US, particularly looking into how they had to pivot their initial market entry, absorb the lessons learned, and eventually find the key growth levers to win in the US. Here are some of the questions we addressed:  - What is the role of a founder in the US expansion? - What are the reasons why your initial attempt at US expansion might not work out as planned? - What signs and KPIs indicate it's time to invest in a full-scale local revenue team? - Which converting channels are best to leverage to build top-of-funnel pipe as a newcomer to the States? - How do you build external customer trust during the early phase? These are some of the many questions we address with Erwin. Please tune in to learn more about his journey to the US, and all the steps taken to establish a fast and profitable operation over there! 

In this episode, we speak with Lise Tangen Hansen, Managing Director, Annalect Norway, the marketing prediction and consumer insight company helping clients boost campaign ROAS using cutting-edge AI predictive Analytics. We talked with Lise about how to do a price increase that sticks! She walks us through her 6-point checklist that covers all internal and external key decisions and communication points to deliver a pricing increase project that is well received by the market. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - What does it mean to have a Pricing Narrative? - How do you harmonize the price increase with the narrative? - Which customer variables are key to identifying to help you define a priority list for the price rollout to existing customers? - How, in practice, do you execute an overarching pricing increase? - How do you bring this message to your customer? - How can you leverage A/B testing in the rollout process?  These are some of the many questions we address with Lise. Please tune in to learn more about her 6-step formula to deliver a successful price increase project, where customers not only accept the price increase but also understand the value you provide to them.

In this episode, we speak with Krzysztof Szyszkiewicz, Partner at Valueships, the pricing consultancy firm that helps companies become more profitable by optimizing their strategy, pricing, value understanding, and overall revenue-related processes. We talked with Krzysztof about the importance of pricing and how it can impact a company's profitability. We discuss insights from our recent report on SaaS pricing trends in the Nordics, highlighting the lack of differentiation in pricing plans and the missed opportunity for add-ons. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - What role should pricing have in your company?  - How do you prevent value deterioration when adding new features? - Why do you need to be careful when discounting your product offerings? - How do you leverage add-ons to drive increased profitability? These are some of the many questions we address with Krzysztof. Please tune in to learn more about the challenges of pricing, the importance of differentiation, and the impact add-ons can have on your business.

In this episode, we speak with Vladan Soldat, Founding Partner, Nobel Recruitment, the SaaS Sales Recruitment Agency that helps connect commercial talent with fast-growing SaaS companies in Europe. We talked with Vladan about hiring your first external VP of Sales. We particularly discuss the approach to attract and retain a VP of Sales when you are an early-stage SaaS and still building up brand awareness. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - When is the ideal time to hire a VP of Sales for a business? - Which strategies are effective in attracting candidates for a new, fast-growing company? - What steps are involved in the screening process for hiring a VP of Sales? - What are common mistakes to avoid when hiring a VP of Sales? - Which red flags should be looked for in the hiring process of a VP of Sales? These are some of the many questions we address with Vladan. Please tune in to learn how you can attract, retain, and compensate your first external VP of Sales when you are an early-stage SaaS.

In this episode, we speak with Sofia Alexus, CEO, Kundo, the customer service platform that helps you simplify customer service with consolidated ticket management, AI tools, and self-service solutions for recurring questions. We talked with Sofia about the rebranding and positioning exercise they are just doing. We particularly discuss the process leading up the final brand and position statement, and how that has been inspired by the B2C fashion industry. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - Why focusing on building moats might not be right if you have access to the fastest river down to the ocean? - What we can learn from the B2C industry when it comes to positioning and branding? - How does the processes look like to define a new brand and positioning? - How to engage your customers in your branding and positioning work? These are some of the many questions we address with Sofia. Please tune in to learn more about how they are approaching this work, with inspiration from the B2C world to get closer to their customers.

In this episode, we speak with Dirk Jonker, CEO & Founder, Crunchr, the people analytics and reporting platform,  that layers on top of your existing HR systems to consolidate disparate data sources into easily accessible people insights. We talked with Dirk about the challenges of product development and positioning in an evolving market. We particularly discuss the internal and external decisions you need to make to get early admirers to become paying customers. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - What requirements are put on product development when building for a yet non-defined market segment? - How do you position and sell a product in a market segment that is still evolving? - What requirements are put on leadership and communication when aiming to hit a moving target? - How can you leverage competitors to define your role in this new market? These are some of the many questions we address with Dirk. Please tune in to learn more about how Dirk and his team are positioning themselves to win in a market that is just developing.

In this episode, we speak with Hatla F. Johnsen, CEO of uQualio, the cloud-based Video Learning Platform designed to make it easy to start making your own video training program for employees, sales partners, end-users, or who your viewers may be. We talked with Hatla about the benefits of having a fully lean and distributed team, in particular the methods she's put in place for the team to feel togetherness and be efficient. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - How do you build a lean, distributed, and outsourced team in a cost-effective way that is performing on a high level? - What expectation does this set on communication flows and setting expectations methods compared to non-distributed team setups? - How to enable great collaboration between different external teams? - What is required from the leadership side to run an organization with a distributed team around the world? These are some of the many questions we address with Hatla. Please tune in to learn more about the steps she is taking to build her distributed team for global success.

In this episode, we speak with Haukur Hannesson, CEO of AGR, the powerful and easy to use inventory optimisation platform which provides you with the necessary tools to operate with precision and efficiency. We talked with Haukur about AGR's journey from offering customized solutions to transitioning to a more streamlined standard SaaS product. And the positive impact of the transition on the AGR team and the challenges of managing cash flow during the shift to a subscription-based model. Here are some of the things we talked about:  - Why being willing to say no to customers are key to building a successful SaaS product! - What key changes was required in order to transition to a SaaS product? - Why you have to say no to unnecessary customizations? - Will you require additional funding during the shift to a subscription-based model? These are some of the many questions we address with Haukur. Please tune in to learn more about the steps he took in the process of transitioning to a SaaS product.

In this episode, we speak with Helena Tivell, VP of People, Kognity, the all-in-one digital teaching and learning platform - with interactive content, analytics, and assessment support. We talked with Helana about the importance of continuously developing the leaders of your organization. In particular, we looked into some of the methods she uses to develop and upskill her leaders and why it matters: - What is the responsibility of a VP of People role? - How do you further develop and enhance leaders' ability to lead? - What tools and methods are used to support this process? - How do you decide on which areas to focus the upskilling in? - How do you ensure the learnings live past the training sessions? These are some of the many questions we address with Helena. Please tune in to learn what steps she's taken to continuously support the leadership team with an upskilling process.

In this episode, we speak with Daan Assen, Founder, SwipeGuide, the platform that empowers frontline teams to connect knowledge, collaboratively solve problems, and continuously improve processes to ensure sustainable production patterns. We talked with Daan about selling to some of the world's largest organizations and the role of the Pilot project in such a sales process! In particular, we are looking into the methods to secure and deliver a successful Pilot project that roles over to a full-fledged & long-term relationship: - What is your definition of a pilot? What is the purpose? - Should you charge for Pilots? - Which key metrics do you prioritize during a pilot to determine its success and potential scalability? - Who should be running the pilot from the seller's side? - How do you ensure engagement from the prospect side on pilots? - What strategy or tactic can significantly increase pilot-to-full-product conversion rates? These are some of the many questions we address with Daan. Please tune in to learn how they are successfully leveraging Pilots to accelerate sales cycles and what methods they are using to increase pilot-to-full-product ratio.

In this episode, we speak with Bas van Wijk, VP Commercial Operations, AskCody, the Meeting Management Platform for Microsoft that's driving meeting efficiency through an intelligent Meeting Management and Resource scheduling Platform, and has helped shape the relationship between real estate, organizations, and technology at more than 2500 offices globally. We talked with Bas about getting your inbound lead engine going! In particular, we are looking into the process of some of the early steps in this process: - Per definition, what does it mean to be an inbound-driven business? - What are the main difficulties moving from a sales-led to a marketing/inbound-led approach? - Which are some of the very steps to take here, and why in that order? - How do you manage the potential revenue gap that may take place in a transition period? - What changes does this require to a team and org structure that previously was sales-led? - What effects does it have on revenue predictability? These are some of the many questions we address with Bas. Please tune in to hear how Bas successfully executed this transition and now operating a fully inbound-led business, sharing his learnings along the way.

In this episode, we speak with Ingrid Bonde Akerlind, Principal, Oxx, a specialist SaaS investor, who provides each entrepreneur with a support system of unique specialist expertise and network, and a culture of unfaltering partnership and absolute conviction. The firm's strategy is built around the concept of “Go-To-Market Fit” (GTMF), developing a structure for thinking about how to build a repeatable, sustainable growth engine that accelerates and propels the growth of SaaS companies. We talked with Ingrid about what happens after you find Product-Market-Fit (PMF)! In particular, what are some of the key decisions to get right at this point and common pitfalls to avoid: - What is the difference between PMF vs GTMF? - Which metrics matter at this point and why? How do you know if your commercial initiatives will bring you closer to your target unit economics? - What decisions are key to make regarding your organization and team structure at this phase? - How can you leverage go-to-market experiments, and what are they anyway? - What are the signs that your SaaS has truly achieved Go-To-Market fit? These are some of the many questions we address with Ingrid. Please tune in to hear when Ingrid untangles what happens after you graduate from the “seed stage” and need to figure out how to (re)organize your efforts as you grow.

In this episode, we speak with Markus Ståhlberg, CEO & Co-Founder, N.Rich, the Account-based GTM Platform best suited for fast-growing mid-market and enterprise companies. It's been recognized in the 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Account-Based Marketing Platforms report and is the only provider Headquartered in Europe. We talked with Markus about how to approach a market where you are up against competition that has more funding, bigger teams, and greater spending! In particular, we are looking into the process of outplaying them rather than outspending them: - How do you differentiate your offering in a market with larger competitors, and ensure it resonates with your target customers? - What tactics can be used to get the initial attention on your terms? - Can limited resources, in fact, be a competitive edge? How can you leverage that you are a “smaller” player towards the customer? - What strategies are feasible to build a loyal customer base and meet their needs better than your competitors? - Which are the common traps to avoid when going up against the big ones? These are some of the many questions we address with Markus. Please tune in to hear how Markus' learnings from being the up and commer in a market with established large players can inspire you to run strategies and plays that help on your journey.

In this episode, we speak with Vincent Jong, VP Product, Dealfront, the Go-to-Market Platform giving sales and marketing teams the data, applications, and insights they need to win any European market.  We talked with Vincent about how you can approach a PLG motion, from a product and commercial perspective! In particular, we are looking into a step-by-step approach: - How shall a PLG approach be combined with the humans in the Go-to-Market - What type of small experiments can be leveraged to introduce PLG elements into a human-driven GTM operation - What key strategies do you employ in the product design to ensure immediate value delivery and a frictionless onboarding experience for new users? - How do you integrate product analytics and user feedback mechanisms to continuously refine the product experience, prioritize features, and drive user engagement in a PLG context? These are some of the many questions we address with Vincent. Please tune in to hear how Vincent is paving the way for a PLG & human-led approach, one step at a time, to further improve the customer experience.

In this episode, we speak with Janus Klok Matthesen, Co-founder and CTO, Pixelz, the post-production software for global brands, retailers, and photo studios, having retouched more than 55 million product images and counting.  We talked with Janus about the entrance of AI into the day-to-day work tasks! In particular, we are looking into how AI will change the role of the engineering teams going forward: - What is the role of the Engineer in the AI future? - Who does what, person vs machine? - What are the low-hanging efficiency gains with the introduction of AI for engineering? - Which AI tool sets are you using in your engineering team to maximize efficiency and value? - What are the risks you foresee with AI in engineering? These are some of the many questions we address with Janus. Please tune in to hear how Janus sees the future of engineering teams and their roles in this new era of building software.