Podcasts about Saas

Creative diversity is a must to crack Meta's new Andromeda algorithm and dominate your market. We're offering you 30 monthly deliverables,10 ad types, media buying, and access to Tier 11's data suite to help you stay ahead.Get our exclusive Creative Diversification Package at: https://www.tiereleven.com/cd Are you really getting the most out of your ad spend? What if you could drastically reduce your ad budget while seeing better returns? Well, in today's episode, I'm walking through a real SaaS case study where we helped a company grow from $1,300 to $393,000 in monthly revenue.I break down the exact steps we took to transform this business. From the ground up, we overhauled their ad strategy, implemented creative diversification, and scaled back ad spend to improve their media efficiency ratio (MER). I'll show you how we used both Meta and Google Ads to create an efficient, low-cost acquisition funnel, driving massive results without constantly increasing spend. If you're ready to stop just throwing money at ads and start getting real results with less, this is a must-watch. In This Episode:- Case study: scaling from $1,300 to $393K/month- Executing the nCAC reducer framework- Implementing the creative strategy framework- Results from Meta, Google, and Data SuiteMentioned in the Episode:Previous episodes on Andromeda: https://perpetualtraffic.com/?s=andromeda Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel:Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1We Appreciate Your Support!Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Connect with Lauren Petrullo:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenepetrullo/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenpetrullo Consult Mongoose Media -

Why do entire organisations invest millions building resilient data centres yet leave their endpoints exposed to outages that can last days? That question kept coming back to me during my conversation with James Millington of IGEL at the Now and Next event, because it highlights a gap that most IT leaders still underestimate. James walked me through the reality he sees every day. Companies have high availability strategies for their servers, cloud platforms, and networks, yet the devices workers rely on remain the weakest point. When ransomware or system failure hits, the response often involves scrambling for spare laptops, calling suppliers, and hoping inventory exists. As James pointed out in our chat, many firms quietly rely on a handful of unused machines sitting in a cupboard. That approach might have worked a decade ago, but today's threat landscape exposes every delay. Our discussion centred on IGEL's dual boot approach, a fresh way to recover access within minutes by placing IGEL OS alongside Windows on the same device. Instead of waiting hours or even weeks to rebuild machines, organisations can simply switch to a secure environment that restores access to cloud apps, collaboration tools, and virtual desktops. James shared stories of analysts admitting no comparable solution exists, and of customers having light bulb moments as they calculated the true cost of endpoint recovery. The theme running underneath it all was simple. You cannot coordinate your crisis response unless your people have a working device in their hands. Everything else depends on that. This episode also reflects a wider shift in how organisations think about resilience. Leaders are beginning to question old assumptions about failover, preparation, and what it takes to keep people productive when attacks or outages strike. The conversations I heard throughout Now and Next showed that businesses are realising the endpoint is no longer a peripheral concern. It is the gateway to every service that keeps a company running. When that gateway fails, everything slows. James also shared lighter moments from his journey. His career began as a DJ, something he has circled back to at IGEL events, and it was fascinating hearing how skills from that era still show up in his approach to communication and timing. It reminded me how varied experiences shape the leaders driving today's conversations around security, SaaS evolution, Zero Trust, and the growing overlap between IT and operational technology. So here is my question for you. As cyber risks rise and downtime becomes harder to tolerate, how ready do you feel for the disruption that begins at the endpoint? I would love to hear your thoughts. Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by NordLayer: Get the exclusive Black Friday offer: 28% off NordLayer yearly plans with the coupon code: techdaily-28. Valid until December 10th, 2025. Try it risk-free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

On today's episode I stress-test Gemini 3.0 in Google AI Studio to see how good it really is as a designer, not just a code generator. Across the episode, I ask Gemini to redesign my personal website in a Windows XP–inspired style, build a restaurant analytics SaaS dashboard, and create a workout mobile app inspired by the “Brain Rot” app. Along the way, I experiment with prompts, visual annotations, and reference images to see how well Gemini takes feedback. By the end, he's rating each build. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 00:54 – Personal Website 15:48 – SaaS 21:52 – Mobile App 26:35 – AntiGravity 27:17 – Final rating and takeaways Key Points Gemini 3.0 can now generate full, styled web and mobile UIs (not just “purple Tailwind vibe-coded” layouts) when given strong prompts and references. greg-take-02 A Windows XP–themed personal site, built from a screenshot and a short prompt, impresses Greg enough that he considers redoing his actual homepage. greg-take-02 Visual annotation inside Google AI Studio (drawing on the canvas and commenting) is a powerful way to refine icons, backgrounds, and layout without “speaking designer.” greg-take-02 A restaurant analytics SaaS dashboard (“Chef OS”) shows how combining Dribbble shots + Teenage Engineering hardware as references pushes Gemini toward more tactile, “real button” UI. greg-take-02 The “Gains” workout app, modeled on the Brain Rot app, demonstrates that AI can remix an existing product pattern into a new behavior-change app with streaks, goals, and a reactive mascot. greg-take-02 Greg's big takeaway: good ideas + taste + references + Gemini 3.0 let non-designers ship highly differentiated experiences, raising their odds of standing out. greg-take-02 The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/ The Vibe Marketer - Resources for people into vibe marketing/marketing with AI: thevibemarketer.com Startup Empire - get your free builders toolkit to build cashflowing business - https://startup-ideas-pod.link/startup-empire-toolkit Become a member - https://startup-ideas-pod.link/startup-empire FIND ME ON SOCIAL X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/

In this episode, I sit down with Davi Strazza, who leads Adyen's business in North America. Davi brings a fascinating global perspective on payments, having spent over a decade at Adyen working across Brazil and now the US market. We dive into how Adyen's banking license, which they've held since 2021, fundamentally changes what they can offer to marketplaces, digital businesses, and SaaS companies that need to embed payments and finance into their platforms.Our conversation explores the competitive dynamics of the payments landscape, the future of stablecoins as a payment rail, and the five critical boxes that payment companies need to check to scale successfully. We also examine what American fintech can learn from Brazil's Pix system, discuss whether pay by bank will gain meaningful traction in the US, and look at how AI is transforming everything from personalized customer experiences to fraud prevention. For anyone interested in the infrastructure powering modern commerce, this is a must-listen conversation about what may be the most exciting time to be in payments.In this podcast you will learn:Davi's journey in fintech from Brazil to here in North America.How he describes Adyen today.Why they decided to get their own banking licenses in the US, UK and EU.How the banking license helps make their payments business more attractive.What is driving their momentum in the US.What brands get by working with Adyen over the legacy payments platforms.Why they talk about “unified commerce” and what it means exactly.How Adyen is preparing for a world where agentic commerce is commonplace.Davi's view on the future of stablecoins as a payment mechanism.Whether pay-by-bank has a future in this country.What the US can learn from the rapid adoption of Pix in Brazil.What he is most excited about for the future of payments.Connect with Fintech One-on-One: Tweet me @PeterRenton Connect with me on LinkedIn Find previous Fintech One-on-One episodes

In this episode of Chaos to Clarity, Eric Weiss sits down with Daniel Marashlian, Co-Founder and CTO of Drata, one of San Diego's fastest-growing SaaS startups.Daniel shares his 20-year founder journey, from building early web systems after the dot-com crash to co-founding Drata, a company now powering compliance automation for more than 8,000 customers.He opens up about what it takes to scale from a small, scrappy team to 700+ employees — and the hard lessons learned along the way.You'll hear how a painful compliance process in a previous startup inspired Drata's creation, and how Daniel transformed that frustration into a platform that changed how businesses build trust.In this episode:The early lessons that shaped Daniel's mindset as a founderHow Drata turned compliance from a blocker into a growth engineWhy “build a painkiller, not a vitamin” became his guiding principleThe breaking points that come with hypergrowth — and how to fix themWhen to layer, delegate, and hire before you're underwaterHow to turn security into a company culture, not a checkboxWhether you're a founder, CTO, or tech leader scaling fast, Daniel's story shows what it means to build systems, teams, and culture that can withstand rapid growth. Don't forget to subscribe to the Chaos to Clarity Podcast for more invaluable episodes to help you grow your business and stay ahead of the curve!To reach out to Eric, visit https://chaostoclarity.io/

Oktopost's VP of Marketing, Adi Krysler, joins the podcast to discuss how the platform is reshaping the way B2B companies approach social media. She explains why Oktopost was built specifically for the needs of B2B marketers—where relationships, attribution, and measurable business impact matter most—and how its social suite unifies publishing, employee advocacy, and social listening in one platform. Adi also shares how Oktopost empowers employees to become authentic brand ambassadors, strengthening trust and expanding reach far beyond traditional corporate channels. She explores the changing landscape of B2B marketing, the increasing overlap with B2C strategies, and what modern marketing leaders need to prioritise as expectations and technologies continue to evolve.   About Oktopost Oktopost is a B2B social media management platform that helps marketing and revenue teams drive engagement, measure success, and link social media to revenue growth. Trusted by thousands of marketing professionals at some of the world's leading B2B technology and professional services companies, Oktopost offers a comprehensive suite of solutions for social media publishing, employee advocacy, social analytics, social listening and marketing intelligence, all in one platform.   About Adi Krysler Adi is a seasoned marketing leader with an MBA and over 15 years of experience driving impactful marketing strategies in both corporate and startup environments, with companies like Wix.com, SAP, and Oktopost. Skilled in building go-to-market strategies, product positioning, and brand growth, she combines analytical insight with creative execution to elevate business outcomes. With deep expertise in SaaS and B2B marketing, she helps shape high-performing marketing initiatives, fostering cross-functional collaboration and bringing visionary leadership to the tech marketing landscape.   Time Stamps 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 00:02:49 - Overview of Oktopost's Services 00:05:58 - Measuring Impact of Employee Advocacy 00:07:30 - Oktopost's Unique Position in B2B 00:11:24 - Balancing Organic and Paid Social Strategies 00:15:47 - Influencer Marketing in B2B 00:19:14 - Future of the VP of Marketing Role 00:20:36 - The Importance of Choosing the Right Tools 00:21:12 - Best Marketing Advice Received 00:22:11 - Advice for New Marketers Quotes "In B2B, every relationship counts, every conversation has weight, every touchpoint can influence the buying decision." Adi Krysler, VP of Marketing at Oktopost. "We founded Octopost with the belief that B2B companies deserve their own dedicated platform that is built for these longer buyer journeys and for the multiple stakeholders." Adi Krysler, VP of Marketing at Oktopost. "The experiences that B2B buyers are looking for are getting more similar to the B2C, where everything is very fast and it's visual and it's personalized." Adi Krysler, VP of Marketing at Oktopost.   Follow Adi: Adi Krysler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adikrysler/ Oktopost website: https://www.oktopost.com/ Oktopost on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oktopost/   Follow Mike: Mike Maynard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard/ Napier website: https://www.napierb2b.com/ Napier LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/napier-partnership-limited/   If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast for more discussions about the latest in Marketing B2B Tech and connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes. We'd also appreciate it if you could leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform. Want more? Check out Napier's other podcast - The Marketing Automation Moment: https://podcasts.apple.com/ua/podcast/the-marketing-automation-moment-podcast/id1659211547

We weigh the promise and peril of the AI agent economy, pressing into how overprovisioned non-human identities, shadow AI, and SaaS integrations expand risk while go-to-market teams push for speed. A CMO and a CFO align on governance-first pilots, PLG trials, buyer groups, and the adoption metrics that sustain value beyond the sale.• AI adoption surge matched by adversary AI• Overprovisioned agents and shadow AI in SaaS• Governance thresholds before budget scale• PLG trials, sandbox, and POV sequencing• Visualization to reach the aha moment• Buying groups, ICP, and economic buyer alignment• Post‑sales usage, QBRs, NRR and churn signals• Zero trust limits and non-human identities• Breach disclosures as industry standards• Co-sourcing MSSP with in-house oversightSecurity isn't slowing AI down; it's the unlock that makes enterprise AI valuable. We dive into the AI agent economy with a CMO and a CFO who meet in the messy middle. The result is a practical blueprint for moving from hype to governed production without killing momentum.We start by mapping where controls fail: once users pass SSO and MFA, agents often operate beyond traditional identity and network guardrails. That's how prompts pull sensitive deal data across Salesforce and Gmail, and how third‑party API links expand the attack surface. From there, we lay out an adoption sequence that balances trust and speed. Think frictionless free trials and sandboxes that reach an immediate “aha” visualization of shadow AI and permissions, then progress to a scoped POV inside the customer's environment with clear policies and measurable outcomes. Along the way, we detail the buying group: economic buyers who sign and practitioners who live in the UI, plus the finance lens that sets pilot capital, milestones, and time-to-value expectations.We also challenge sacred cows. Zero trust is essential, but attackers increasingly log in with valid credentials and pivot through integrations, so verification must include non-human identities and agent-to-agent controls. Breach disclosures, far from being a greater threat than breaches, are foundational to ecosystem trust and faster remediation. And while MSSPs add critical scale, co-sourcing—retaining strategic oversight and compliance ownership—keeps accountability inside. If you care about ICP, PLG motions, PQLs, NRR, or simply reducing AI risk while driving growth, this conversation turns buzzwords into a playbook you can run.Vamshi Sriperumbudur: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vamsriVamshi Sriperumbudur was recently the CMO for Prisma SASE at Palo Alto Networks, where he led a complete marketing transformation, driving an impact of $1.3 billion in ARR in 2025 (up 35%) and establishing it as the platform leader.  Chithra Rajagopalan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chithra-rajagopalan-mba/Chithra Rajagopalan is the Head of Finance at Obsidian Security and former Head of Finance at Glue, and she is recognized as a leader in scaling businesses. Chithra is also an Investor and Advisory Board member for Campfire, serving as the President and Treasurer of Blossom Projects.Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

Quer começar a ganhar dinheiro com o mercado digital, mas não sabe por onde começar? O Danilo Maia te mostra o caminho neste Kiwicast! Ele é especialista em criação de produtos low ticket e de softwares de serviço (SaaS), já faturou R$ 5 milhões e impactou mais de 100 mil alunos com seus produtos e serviços. Neste episódio, ele compartilha sua trajetória, os erros e acertos do caminho, e revela estratégias para transformar uma simples ideia em um produto digital lucrativo. ------------------- O que você vai aprender: -      Primeiro passo para criar um infoproduto-      Como identificar o problema do cliente para ofereceruma solução-      Ofertas para produtos low ticket: estratégias e dicasimportantes-      Depois da venda, o que fazer?-      O que é SaaS e como combinar ele com infoprodutos-      Ferramentas de IA para estruturar um SaaS E muito mais!Aprenda com quem vive o mercado digital na prática.Dá o play e deixe nos comentários qual foi o melhor insight que você tirou do episódio.Nosso Instagram é @Kiwify

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.

We're bringing this episode back because listeners couldn't get enough the first time around. Cameron sits down with Tom Keiser, COO of Zendesk, to unpack how he helped scale the SaaS powerhouse to a billion-dollar trajectory. Tom shares how he bridged the gap between IT and operations, built cadence-driven execution rhythms, and created visibility across the business while keeping the culture humble, fast, and customer-obsessed.If you're leading a growing company and need a blueprint for scaling without suffocating the entrepreneurial edge… this one hits hard.Timestamped Highlights01:11 Meet Tom Keiser and his path from CIO to COO02:00 Early days: Capgemini, E&Y, and stepping into tech leadership05:27 What Zendesk actually does (and how it scaled globally)07:33 How SaaS changed the business–IT power dynamic08:55 Why CIOs must become business partners, not tech overseers10:54 The PMO strategy that keeps Zendesk aligned as it scales12:04 Tom's weekly operational cadence pulled from retail13:50 Turning insights into action: Sales, pipeline, and global adjustments15:37 How Zendesk avoids bureaucracy while growing fast17:39 Culture: The Danish “Humbled It” mindset19:36 Saying no without killing momentum20:57 Managing customer support when your whole business is CX23:38 Omnichannel done right: Continuous conversations, not disconnected pings26:14 Machine learning inside Zendesk Guide29:18 How Tom balances immediate execution with long-term scaling32:55 What smaller companies can learn from Zendesk's growth34:34 Vulnerability and learning to step into discomfort as a leader36:25 When to trust your team and when to drop into details37:51 How Zendesk's founder transitioned out of day-to-day execution39:18 Market risks, public cloud, open-source, and economic uncertainty39:46 What 5G will unleash for future customer experiences43:12 Building whole leaders, not siloed operators44:13 Tom's advice to his 21-year-old selfAbout the GuestTom Keiser is the Chief Operating Officer of Zendesk, where he oversees global operations, IT, enterprise analytics, security, and go-to-market execution for one of the world's leading customer experience platforms. With 25+ years of experience across retail, technology, and SaaS, Tom blends deep technical expertise with business-led operational leadership. Before Zendesk, he served as CIO at L Brands and spent years in management consulting at Capgemini and Ernst & Young.

For episode 633 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Dan Mulligan, Head of Marketing at Reserve, a DeFi platform backed by Sam Altman and Peter Thiel. With over 12 years of experience in SaaS, fintech, and digital assets, Dan brings a proven track record of scaling products, growing user bases, and driving measurable business impact through marketing strategies.Before joining Reserve, Dan served as CMO at AscendEX and Tea Protocol, where he led marketing initiatives that fueled massive user adoption and retention. At Tea Protocol, he scaled the platform to 1M+ users, including 500K+ KYC-verified users, while at AscendEX, he drove trading volume, listings, and user engagement. Earlier in his career, Dan was a Senior Strategist at Verisk Analytics (S&P 500), where he built data-driven growth frameworks for enterprise SaaS solutions that generated over $20M in digital pipeline. ⏳ Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction(1:12) Who is Dan Mulligan?(2:53) What is Reserve?(4:31) What is a DTF?(7:32) DTF Partners(9:10) DTF Survey(10:55) Why is demand high for DTFs?(12:20) Launching a DTF(15:44) Marketing in Web3(18:52) Common marketing hurdles in Web3(22:15) DTFs on traditional brokerage platforms(24:32) Reserve roadmap for 2026(25:51) Crypto in Hong Kong 

In this episode, Tyler and Rick discuss the challenges faced by Leg Up Health during open enrollment, including issues with email communication and the impact of AI on consumer behavior. They explore the current health insurance landscape, the importance of product strategy and customer experience, and the role of content in engaging customers. The conversation also touches on shifts in search traffic and marketing strategies as they adapt to changing consumer needs.

After 20+ years at some of the most important Silicon Valley tech companies like Yahoo, LinkedIn, Oracle, Informix and NerdWallet, Bhaskar today leads investment of enterprise infrastructure companies at 8 VC.Bhaskar Ghosh spent 20+ years at some of the most important Silicon Valley tech companies before moving into venture capital as a Partner at 8VC.After completing his PhD in computer science from Yale, he worked across Yahoo, LinkedIn, Oracle, Informix and NerdWallet. He brings this experience to founders building the next generation of enterprise infrastructure companies.In this episode Bhaskar explains how IT services are being reimagined for India, a country that over the last 25 years turned its skilled workforce into a global services engine. We discuss the shift happening inside workflows most people do not think about: mid-office ops, call centers, insurance, travel and HR. These are areas where thousands of people move information every day, and where AI is now good enough to take over entire workflows.Bhaskar talks about the founders already building in this space, including those buying traditional services companies and rebuilding them with AI at the core. He also explains why this new wave will not behave, scale or be valued like SaaS, because this is no longer pure software. It is the reinvention of services.If you are a founder making engineering decisions, someone curious about the less visible layers of software, or interested in people who move technology forward, this conversation with Bhaskar is for you.00:00 –Trailer03:03 – How India will reimagine IT services (TCS, Infosys)04:32 – “why now” of services06:07 – How unstructured data became easier to handle?07:53 – What LLMs can do today with high precision10:35 – Use of GenAI will increase margins in services11:54 – Front & mid offices will become more productive and lean14:30 – Will a pure services business scale anymore?15:55 – Legacy service businesses + AI-first software20:04 – Real challenge to operate and scale such businesses20:33 – 3 reasons on why SaaS companies get higher multiples?22:06 – Network-effect players win big in SaaS24:18 – Replacing software v/s replacing services26:16 – Business without inherent network effects (yet)28:22 – Is AI unlocking TAM larger than Software era?30:57 – How prosperity of a country influences growth of Co's32:50 – India's tech talent is key to India-US corridor39:36 – Deeply disruptive AI Co's will come from India43:04 – How new-age AI services companies of India should grow in US?44:39 – Current BPOs have an unfair advantage47:21 – Will older BPOs understand the importance of AI?49:22 – A Moat in outcome-based pricing can replace old businesses51:50 – Has the US ever been sensitive to cost?55:23 – The new AI-enabled services have a Palantir-risk flavour58:47 – Where to build when model Co's eat forward & backward revenue?01:06:10 – What type of founding teams are needed?01:08:10 – How founders think about GTM is changing-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonSend us a text

Ian and Aaron are joined by John O'Nolan, creator of Ghost, to talk about double Laravel New'ing, side projects for your side projects, building an RSS reader, mastering Claude Code, and so much more.Sponsored by Bento, Flare, No Compromises, and Ittybit.Interested in sponsoring Mostly Technical?  Head to https://mostlytechnical.com/sponsor to learn more.(00:00) - Double Laravel New'd (08:52) - Claude Code Power User (21:26) - Queues! (32:58) - Your Side Project Has A Side Project (48:37) - All About Ghost (58:12) - Advice for Laravel New Believers Links:GhostMarco ArmentOvercastChartMogulJoel Spolsky on why you shouldn't ever do a rewrite

Defense technology has shifted from a social liability in Silicon Valley to commanding 35-40% of venture capital allocation—up from a historical 10%. This isn't just trend-following; it reflects fundamental market dynamics as SaaS becomes hypercompetitive and AI lowers barriers to entry, pushing capital toward deep tech where moats still exist. Blacklake, a defense holdco based in Austin, helps emerging defense companies navigate government procurement and expand into Europe, Asia-Pacific, and allied markets. In this episode, Jeff Crusey, EVP of Technology & Acquisition at Blacklake, reveals the emerging defense tech playbook, explains why lobbying ROI dwarfs traditional GTM spending, and details what actually matters when hardware meets government procurement. Topics Discussed: Why VC capital is rotating from SaaS to deep tech and defense The defense tech go-to-market playbook versus enterprise SaaS mechanics SBIR grant programs as non-dilutive capital for hardware development Lobbying and appropriations as core revenue drivers, not nice-to-haves Field deployment and operator feedback as the only viable iteration strategy Investor evaluation criteria for hardware-intensive defense businesses Emerging threat vectors in Arctic defense and orbital domain awareness GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Launch lobbying concurrent with SBIR Phase 1 applications: Companies initiating lobbying and appropriations work at the moment they apply for SBIR grants hit revenue milestones materially faster than those treating government affairs as a later-stage function. This means seed-stage companies maintain Capitol Hill presence—a pattern that didn't exist five years ago. The talent profile matters: government affairs hires need proven relationships within specific congressional committees and appropriations staff. Initial engagements typically involve external lobbying advisors with established networks, transitioning in-house at Series A when contract pipeline justifies dedicated headcount. This is consistently the highest-ROI channel in defense GTM. Optimize for deployment speed over system perfection: Modern conflict operates as continuous technological adaptation where capabilities become obsolete within weeks, not years. Companies achieving persistent field presence with operators—not laboratory perfection—win iterative cycles. The tactical approach: deploy minimum viable hardware to operational environments, capture real-world performance data and failure modes, then rapidly incorporate feedback into next iterations. This contradicts traditional defense procurement assumptions about "exquisite systems" and requires founders to resist over-engineering before battlefield validation. Solve the prototype funding problem through non-dilutive capital: Defense investors require working prototypes before capital deployment due to hardware risk profiles—fundamentally different from software's low marginal cost of iteration. This creates a chicken-and-egg problem: prototypes require capital, but capital requires prototypes. The solution path combines bootstrapping to early proof-of-concept, then leveraging SBIR Phase 1 grants (tens of thousands) to reach demonstrable prototype stage. Phase 2 awards (single-digit millions) fund production validation. Strategic founders pursue direct-to-Phase-2 pathways when possible, compressing the timeline from concept to validated demand signal. Strip technical complexity from investor communications: Defense founders with deep domain expertise consistently over-index on technical sophistication during fundraising conversations, losing investor attention before reaching commercial traction narratives. VCs evaluate market timing, defensibility, and path to scale—not engineering elegance. The correction: communicate technology at middle-school comprehension levels. This isn't condescension; it's recognizing that capital allocators optimize for portfolio construction, not technical peer review. Founders often feel they're "dumbing down" their innovations, but clarity on problem-solution fit and market size matters infinitely more than technical specifications during early fundraising stages. Treat SBIR phases as progressive demand validation, not just funding: The phased SBIR structure functions as government-backed demand signaling: Phase 1 validates concept feasibility, Phase 2 confirms development viability, Phase 3 demonstrates production readiness for potential program of record status. Investors decode these phases as risk reduction milestones. Phase 1 awards indicate government interest; Phase 2 awards (especially direct-to-Phase-2 or enhanced Phase 2) signal validated customer pull; Phase 3 contracts position companies for program of record awards worth hundreds of millions annually. Beyond capital, SBIR progression provides founder-market fit evidence and customer commitment that traditional LOIs cannot match in defense contexts. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

In this episode of SaaS Fuel, Thanos Diacakis shares battle-tested advice for scaling SaaS teams, streamlining delivery, and maximizing developer happiness. Drawing on his experiences at startups and tech giants like Uber, Thanos reveals counterintuitive strategies for improving software output, optimizing technical debt, rethinking backlogs, and harnessing new mental models. He breaks down the importance of incremental value, cross-functional collaboration, and avoiding the traps of over-planning. Whether you lead a small startup or an enterprise-scale engineering team, this conversation will challenge the way you think about speed, quality, backlog management, and long-term success.Key Takeaways00:00 "Checklists vs Software Complexity"03:19 Bug Fixing: Intuition vs Strategy08:24 Buckets: Features, Bugs, Investments, Risks09:47 Optimizing Feature vs. Platform Focus14:39 "Minimize Work in Progress"19:20 "Bug Backlogs: Input vs Output"20:39 Kanban Team Structure Guidelines26:38 "Rapid Progress in Coding Tools"28:21 "Minimal Planning, Bias for Action"31:48 "Delivering Incremental Customer Value"36:23 Collaborative Workflow Over Silos39:35 "Building Products That Inspire Use"42:53 "Accelerate: Building Effective Teams"44:11 Team Workflow Optimization Framework47:50 "Explore Mental Models Online"Tweetable QuotesWhy Slowing Down Software Releases Might Backfire: One of the things that would happen is if you slow down, how you ship to production is you'll have bigger batches and bigger batches, which means you might ship more bugs all at once and have to find them in a bigger QA cycle. — Thanos Diacakis "I also think we sometimes convince ourselves that we know more than we actually do and that we can plan a really long way out." — Thanos Diacakis Viral Product Development Mindset: "If you engage engineers and product in these creative discussions, you might find out, oh, I scoped out these 10 things, but turns out the customer gets 80% of the value from this one thing." — Thanos Diacakis Bureaucratic Bottlenecks in Big Companies: "They try to optimize locally for one particular function rather than optimize globally for shipping things out the door." — Thanos Diacakis Viral Topic: "Why Every Team Should Read Accelerate": So I think if I give anyone advices, if you haven't read Accelerate, then go read that book. Because it's basically lays out in terms of, and this is in terms of like core technical and procedural sort of infrastructural things that teams ought to have to be productive. — Thanos Diacakis SaaS Leadership LessonsBias Towards Action Over PerfectionAvoid waiting for perfect plans, especially with innovative projects; instead, learn by doing and iterating.Increase System VisibilityMake work in progress and team capabilities visible; this surfaces bottlenecks and areas for investment.Balance Short-Term and Long-Term GoalsStrategic investment in tooling, tech debt, and risk mitigation ensures sustainable delivery and value realization.Prioritize Collaboration Across FunctionsBreaking down silos between product, engineering, and design dramatically accelerates delivery and reduces defects.Ship Small, Ship OftenFrequent, incremental releases drive faster customer learning, boost agility, and reduce risk.Cultivate a Shared Language for OutcomesUse terms like investments and risk (not just features and bugs) to align business and technical priorities and drive meaningful...

In this episode of The SaaS Revolution Show, Alex Theuma speaks with Audrey Soussan, General Partner at Ventech, about how the early-stage SaaS landscape is evolving and what founders need to understand if they're looking to raise. Audrey shares insights from 15+ years investing across Europe, including: - Why AI is no longer a vertical but an expected layer in every SaaS product. - The difference between truly “AI-native” startups and mature SaaS companies adapting their stack. - What VCs like Ventech look for now at seed and Series A. - How founders should think about tech debt, market shifts, and timing. - Lessons from the InSided journey, from bootstrapping to acquisition by Gainsight. - How Ventech supports founders beyond capital, what collaborative board work looks like, and the importance of community. Audrey also discusses competitive dealmaking in AI, why expertise and unique datasets matter, and practical advice for founders raising in the current environment, and how to pitch if you're not building a pure-play AI product. Guest links: Linked - https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-soussan-0309b818/ Website - https://www.ventechvc.com/       Check out the other ways SaaStock is helping SaaS founders move their business forward: 

Leverage = Online SuccessBuilding Businesses With WordsTim Stoddart didn't grow up dreaming about entrepreneurship. He didn't have a flashy origin story. But over the years, he's quietly built a portfolio of successful online businesses with writing and SEO at the core of it all. In this episode of Just Keep Learning, we dig into how Tim went from addiction recovery to leading companies like Copyblogger, and why being boring might just be your secret weapon.We talk about how the creator economy often sells hype over substance, and why slow, consistent action beats viral growth every time.From Recovery To ResilienceTim's path started in a rehab facility. But it wasn't just sobriety he was after. It was purpose. He began writing online, sharing his thoughts and lessons. That simple act of self-expression turned into a habit, then a skill, then a career.By focusing on value and mastering search, Tim grew a loyal audience and turned his writing into multiple income streams, including SaaS, courses, and content businesses.Copyblogger, SEO, and Sustainable GrowthTim now runs Copyblogger, one of the most iconic platforms in content marketing. But his approach isn't built on trends or shortcuts. It's about timeless principles: show up, write well, and optimize for discovery.He shares the real difference between content creators and business owners, and why you need to understand distribution, especially SEO, if you want to build long-term leverage.Punching Through The NoiseTim doesn't buy into the shiny tactics of the influencer world. He believes in staying focused, practicing jiu-jitsu (literally and metaphorically), and building systems that work even when you're not “on.”He also shares insights on managing energy (not just time) and why discipline is a more reliable path than motivation.Lessons For Aspiring CreatorsMaster one platform before jumping to another Writing is the highest-leverage skill online Focus on service, not status SEO isn't dead. It's just underutilized by creatives Stay consistent when no one's watching You can't fail if you don't quit Memorable Quotes“Be willing to be boring. That's where the growth happens.”“People chase followers, but I chase freedom.”“Writing is thinking. And thinking clearly is a competitive advantage.”“Being in the top 1% is easy, most people quit way too early.”Final Advice For CreatorsForget going viral. Build value. Learn SEO. Own your platform. And above all, just keep showing up. The only way to lose is to stop.Connect With Tim StoddartWebsite: timstodz.comCopyblogger: copyblogger.comGuest BioTim Stoddart is a writer, entrepreneur, and digital strategist who helps people grow their audience and income through content. He's the CEO of Copyblogger and founder of multiple online businesses, including SEO companies, SaaS tools, and media platforms. With a background in recovery and self-discipline, Tim teaches a practical, sustainable path to success, one built on writing, service, and consistency. CHECK OUT THE JKL STORE FOR HELP MAKING YOUR BOOK, PODCAST AND BUSINESS DREAMS COME TRUE!FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Stripe holding your money or freezing payouts? Here's why reserves happen — and what ecommerce brands, subscription businesses, and online sellers can do to get their funds released faster.If Stripe is suddenly holding your money, placing a “% reserve,” freezing payouts, or delaying transfers, you're not alone. Thousands of ecommerce brands, subscription businesses, coaches, SaaS companies, and online sellers get hit with Stripe reserves every year. When Stripe thinks your business model, refund rate, dispute patterns, or chargeback risk are too high, they lock down your funds — and once a reserve is in place, getting your money back can feel impossible.In this video, we break down why Stripe freezes your funds, the difference between a fixed reserve and a rolling reserve, the most common reserve triggers, and what actually helps you get payouts released faster.You'll learn:► What a Stripe reserve really means► How reserves work (rolling reserve, capped reserve, and upfront reserve)► The risk signals Stripe uses to flag merchants► How long reserves typically last — and when you'll get your money back► What YOU can do to show Stripe you're reducing risk► Why now is the time to add a backup payment processor before things get worseStripe reserves rarely come out of nowhere — but they definitely feel like it. If you want stability, predictable cash flow, and fewer frozen payouts, it might be time to look at a high-risk merchant account that won't surprise you with sudden fund holds.Are you ready to switch to a merchant account and protect your payment processing? Reach out to DirectPayNet today!

Send us a textWords can trigger audits, budget panic, or calm execution, and few words carry more weight than “leak” and “breach.” We unpack the real differences, the legal and regulatory implications of each, and how precise language shapes incident response. From there, we get hands-on with CISSP-ready concepts—data states, DLP, CASB, DRM, minimization, sovereignty, and sensitivity labels—and translate them into moves you can make this week.We start by mapping data states—at rest, in transit, in use—and explaining why data in use often deserves the strongest controls. You'll hear how teams over-index on storage encryption while under-protecting live workflows, and how to fix that with device posture checks, least privilege, just-in-time access, and application-layer monitoring. Then we dive into data minimization: setting clear retention rules, automating deletion, and killing the “we might need it someday” habit that inflates breach impact and eDiscovery pain. Along the way, sensitivity labels become the glue for governance, tying classification to access, encryption, and audit.Next, we stress-test common tools. DLP is great at stopping careless exfiltration but struggles with insiders who have legitimate access, so we show how to tune policies, coach users, and add approvals for mass exports. DRM protects intellectual property but introduces compatibility and friction; we outline how to pilot it with high-value content and measure productivity impact. For cloud journeys, CASB delivers visibility into sanctioned and shadow SaaS, enforces consistent policies, and even helps manage data egress costs—vital for budgets and compliance. Finally, we navigate data sovereignty, cross-border flows, and practical tactics like regional storage, masking, and pseudonymization to keep regulators satisfied and data safe.Whether you're studying for the CISSP or leading security strategy, you'll leave with clear definitions, sharper communication, and a toolkit for governing what you keep, protecting what you use, and deleting what you don't. If you found this helpful, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a teammate who still calls every incident a breach.Gain exclusive access to 360 FREE CISSP Practice Questions at FreeCISSPQuestions.com and have them delivered directly to your inbox! Don't miss this valuable opportunity to strengthen your CISSP exam preparation and boost your chances of certification success. Join now and start your journey toward CISSP mastery today!

Leandro Perez joins to cut through the AI hype and share what's actually working. With Agentforce handling 850,000 conversations and managing 85% of customer inquiries, Leandro reveals the reality behind the marketing claims and addresses the "SaaS is dead" narrative head-on. From managing 30,000 weekly customer inquiries with AI agents to transforming his entire marketing team's workflows, Leandro offers a brutally honest look at what it takes to lead through a technological revolution. This isn't just theory: it's a practitioner's guide to implementing AI at scale, including the mistakes, the breakthroughs, and the systematic approach required to bring an entire organisation along for the journey. Guest Introduction Leandro Perez is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Australia and New Zealand at Salesforce, where he guides strategic direction and market positioning for the world's leading AI-powered CRM.  With a Computer Science degree from UNSW and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology, Leandro brings over 20 years of experience combining technical expertise with business acumen.  He previously led global corporate messaging at Salesforce and partnered closely with CEO Marc Benioff. He's a Fellow of The Marketing Academy, serves on the AANA Board, and is a recipient of the Salesforce Chairman & CEO Award. Key Topics AI reality at Salesforce: Agent Force handles 850,000 conversations with 85% resolution"SaaS is dead" narrative: Why enterprise software needs governance, permissions, reliability, not just quick AI codeLeading transformation: Year-long journey from lone voice to company-wide quarterly Agent Force Learning DaysProcess mapping first: Document crown jewel processes to identify pain points before introducing AISystematic change: Company-wide learning days, mandatory training (100% Agent Blazer status), permission to experimentPractical AI adoption: Landing pages, social automation, Slack summaries, 80% email engagement, plus failed experimentsExperimentation culture: Identifying early adopters, showcasing wins, balancing air cover with performance Resources & Links People Mentioned: Marc Benioff - Salesforce CEO & Co-FounderRoby Sharon-Zipser - hipages CEO & Co-Founder Companies & Tools: Salesforce - AI-powered CRM platformAgentforce - Salesforce AI agent platformTrailhead - Salesforce learning platformFisher & Paykel - Appliance manufacturerGoodyear - Tire manufacturerRemarkable - Digital paper tablethipages - Online tradie marketplaceChatGPT - AI chatbotGemini - Google AI assistantPerplexity - AI search toolElevenLabs - AI text-to-speechAANA - Association of National Advertisers Subscribe to the xG Weekly Newsletter for weekly insights on B2B growth across APAC: https://xgrowth.com.au/newsletter Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Leandro Perez Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Timestamps:4:58 - Diversity in tech: challenges and opportunities6:08 - Recruiting challenges in tech13:00 - Supporting girls in STEMThis episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on December 4th to hear an exclusive panel discussion with visionary leaders sharing what it takes to go from building companies to funding them. Link is in the bio! This episode was originally a live conversation recorded at the SEF.Growth Founders Conference back in June 2025.Episode Summary:Beat Knecht is the co-founder and CEO of the TV streaming provider Zattoo, and a general partner at the VC fund REALR. She also founded Genistat and Levuro. Bea holds a BA in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.Carla Bünger is the co-founder of Phoenix Technologies, a tech cluster that drives the AI landscape through its sovereign hyper-secure IT infrastructure (kvant Cloud) and its SaaS solutions in frontier technologies. She also co-founded KORE Technologies Switzerland. Carla holds an MA in International Relations from the Geneva Graduate Institute.Sandra Trittin is the co-founder and CGO of beebop.ai, a power grid orchestration software which unlocks grid flexibility within consumer devices, turning it into a valuable, tradable asset. She also founded Futurize Energy. Sandra holds an MBA from Mannheim Business School.During their chat with Silvan, our 3 guests discussed the current representation of women in tech in the Western world. Women are significantly underrepresented in tech, especially in leadership roles (e.g., only 22% of AI professionals in Switzerland are women). They face career obstacles such as stereotypes, biases, and societal filters that hinder their progress.Diverse teams drive innovation, but the tech industry often overlooks this potential. To improve gender representation, proactive efforts are needed, including:Encouraging risk-taking (critical for startups and leadership).Building support systems (mentorship, peer networks).Fostering STEM environments for girls to ensure future diversity.Addressing unconscious biases in hiring and promotions.Ultimately, empowering women in tech requires systemic change, from education to workplace culture, to unlock their full potential and drive long-term progress.

When Erica Kuhl joined Salesforce as employee #176, nothing about her role or title suggested she would go on to build one of the most influential customer communities in SaaS history. Given a broken website, no roadmap, no team, she hacked together the first Salesforce Community with duct-taped technologies, raw conviction, and a fierce belief that customers needed a place to help each other.That grassroots experiment eventually grew into a 17 million-member global community, became a blueprint for digital customer success, and reshaped the way enterprise SaaS companies think about adoption, retention, and product feedback loops.Today, Erica is EVP & GM at Gainsight, leading community, education, and in-app product experience—and shaping the emerging category of Digital Customer Success.This episode is a masterclass in community-powered retention, scrappy innovation, and how one person can build an entirely new motion inside an organization long before the market knows it needs it.---Timestamps0:00 – Preview 0:58 – Meet Erica Kuhl: EVP at Gainsight & Former Employee #176 at Salesforce3:39 – What Early Salesforce Adoption Actually Looked Like6:25 – Teaching Admins Before Admins Existed9:40 – Why Erica Pitched a Community Before “Community” Was a Thing11:25 – Building the First Salesforce Community13:43 – Scaling Without Support19:30 – How Community Became a Strategic Retention Lever 24:44 – Defining Digital Customer Success26:35 – Where to Start: Crawl–Walk–Run for Digital CS30:25 – Why Community Multiplies GRR31:28 – Closing Thoughts---What You'll Learn- How the first modern SaaS community was built—from scratch, without buy-in- Why peer-to-peer engagement scales support, adoption, and product feedback- How to tie community engagement directly to retention (and why it's essential)- Why COVID reshaped the priority of customer marketing and always-on programs- How community, education, and in-app experiences converge into Digital CS- Where digital CS programs should start and how to avoid fragmented experiences- The cultural mindset needed to build community programs that actually survive- Practical tactics for early-stage community building: seeding, puppeteering, protecting, and aligning---Check out the Key Takeaways & Transcripts: https://www.gainsight.com/presents/series/unchurned/---Where to Find Erica:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericakuhl/Podcast: In Before the LockWhere to Find Josh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/---Resources Mentioned:* Gainsight Community* Brian Oblinger's Community Strategy Academy* Skilljar * Salesforce Community

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SHOW: 975Rohan Sathe, CEO and Co-Founder of Nightfall AI, discusses the rise of Shadow AI, where employees unknowingly leak sensitive corporate data through generative AI tools like ChatGPT. We explore how Nightfall's AI-native approach transforms autonomous systems to defend against AI-powered data exfiltration across SaaS apps, endpoints, and browsers. SHOW TRANSCRIPT: The Cloudcast #975 TranscriptSHOW VIDEO: https://youtube.com/@TheCloudcastNET NEW TO CLOUD? CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS" SPONSORS:[Mailtrap] Try Mailtrap for free[Interconnected] Interconnected is a new series from Equinix diving into the infrastructure that keeps our digital world running. With expert guests and real-world insights, we explore the systems driving AI, automation, quantum, and more. Just search “Interconnected by Equinix”.[TestKube] TestKube is Kubernetes-native testing platform, orchestrating all your test tools, environments, and pipelines into scalable workflows empowering Continuous Testing. Check it out at TestKube.io/cloudcastSHOW NOTES:Sunday Perspective touches on Shadow AINightfall websiteTopic 1 - Welcome to the show, Rohan. Give everyone a brief introduction, including your time at Uber Eats.Topic 2 - How do you define Shadow AI? We hear Shadow AI compared to Shadow IT back at the start of cloud. However, this looks different because everyone's learning curve is much smaller. For Shadow IT to happen, you had to know IT (servers, storage, etc.). Is this the correct way to think about the problem?Topic 3 - How big is the Shadow AI problem today?Topic 4 - Normally, data leaks would be discovered by traditional DLP (data loss prevention) tools. In my experience, those tools have been cumbersome and clunky, and you often face the classic trade-off between user productivity and security, as well as the need to lock down access. How has this mindset evolved in the era of AI? Topic 5 - What happens when AI-powered attacks meet AI-powered defense?Topic 6 - Let's talk about the technical architecture. How does Nightfall actually work across SaaS apps, endpoints, browsers, and AI tools?FEEDBACK?Email: show at the cloudcast dot netBluesky: @cloudcastpod.bsky.socialTwitter/X: @cloudcastpodInstagram: @cloudcastpodTikTok: @cloudcastpod

Tal Moore is the CEO and Co-Founder and Dave Stickland is the President and Co-Founder of Popsmith. Follow Tal on Instagram at @TalMoore and Dave Stickland at @stickland_dave.FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: @andrewjfarisEmail: podcast@ajfgrowth.comWork with Andrew: ajfgrowth.comINTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠.

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by security researchers Tori Murphy and Anna Seitz to unpack two financially motivated cyber threats. First, they explore the Payroll Pirates campaign (Storm 2657), which targets university payroll systems through phishing and MFA theft to reroute direct deposits. Then, they examine Vanilla Tempest, a ransomware group abusing fraudulent Microsoft Teams installers and SEO poisoning to deliver the Oyster Backdoor and Recita ransomware.   Together, they discuss how attackers exploit trust in identity, code signing, and SaaS platforms and share practical steps organizations can take to strengthen defenses, from phishing-resistant MFA to stricter executable controls and out-of-band banking verification.  In this episode you'll learn:       How Payroll Pirates diverted university salaries through SaaS HR phishing schemes  Why universities are prime targets for identity-based cyberattacks  How Vanilla Tempest evolved from basic ransomware to complex multi-stage attacks  Some questions we ask:      How are attackers stealing credentials and paychecks?  Why do attackers create inbox rules after compromising accounts?  What alerts should organizations monitor for these types of attacks?  Resources:   View Tori Murphy on LinkedIn   View Anna Seitz on LinkedIn  View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn   Investigating targeted “payroll pirate” attacks affecting US universities  Microsoft Threat Intelligence healthcare ransomware report highlights need for collective industry action    Related Microsoft Podcasts:                    Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson  The BlueHat Podcast  Uncovering Hidden Risks        Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts     Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider    The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network. 

In this episode, Nina Olding, Staff Product Manager at Weights & Biases and formerly at Google DeepMind, working on trust and compliance for AI, joins Randy to explore the UX challenges of AI‑driven features. As AI becomes increasingly woven into digital products, the traditional UX cues and trust‑signals that users rely on are changing. Nina introduces her framework of the three “A's” for AI UX: Awareness, Agency, and Assurance, and explains how product teams can build this into their AI‑enabled products without launching a massive transformation programme.Key Takeaways— As AI features proliferate, the UX challenge is less about the technology and more about how users perceive, understand and trust the interactions.— Trust is based on three foundational dimensions for AI‑enabled products: Awareness, Agency, Assurance.— Awareness: Make it clear when AI is involved (and when it isn't). Invisible AI = risk of misunderstanding. Magical AI without context = disorientation.— Agency: Give users control, or at least the option to opt‑out, define boundaries, choose defaults vs advanced settings.— Assurance: Because AI can be non‑deterministic, you must design for confidence—indicators of reliability, transparency about limitations, ability to question or override outputs.Chapters00:00 – Intro: Why AI products are failing on trust00:47 – Nina Old's journey from Google DeepMind to Weights & Biases03:20 – The UX of AI: It's not just a chat window04:08 – Introducing the Three A's framework: Awareness, Agency, Assurance08:30 – Designing for Awareness: Visibility and user signals14:40 – Agency: Giving users control and escape hatches21:30 – Assurance: Transparency, confidence indicators, and humility28:05 – Three key questions to assess AI UX30:50 – The product case for trust: Compliance, loyalty, and retention33:00 – Final thoughts: Building the trust muscleFeatured Links: Follow Nina on LinkedIn | Weights & Biases | Check out Nina's 'The hidden UX of AI' slides from Industry Conference Cleveland 2025We're taking Community Questions for The Product Experience podcast.Got a burning product question for Lily, Randy, or an upcoming guest? Submit it here. Our HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A...

A story about how "everyone agrees" is the most dangerous lie in SaaS.This episode is for SaaS founders frustrated watching their solution solve real problems—but wondering why no one actually buys it.Most healthcare startups don't fail because their tech doesn't work. They fail because they can't find anyone willing to pay for it.Mariano Garcia-Valiño, Founder and CEO of Axenya, spent 18 months proving his preventive care model worked clinically—reducing diabetes costs by 20% and mortality risk by 18%. Then he spent another year without selling a single dollar because insurers, hospitals, and patients all had reasons not to care enough to pay.He found the answer by buying a healthcare broker and changing who he sold to: employers in Brazil who actually bear the cost and have the timeframe to benefit from prevention.This inspired me to invite Mariano to my podcast. We explore why solving the right problem for the wrong buyer kills traction—and how changing your business model changes who cares. Mariano shares how he rejected the obvious paths (selling to insurers, doctors, or patients) and instead built a broker model that aligns incentives with outcomes. You'll discover why clinical proof means nothing without economic urgency.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Acknowledge you cannot please everyoneMaster the art of curiosityAim to be different, not just betterMariano's story is proof that the best solution dies without the right buyer—and why changing your business model, not your product could be the easy way out.Here's one of Mariano's quotes that captures the challenge he faced:"It's one thing to actually see the problem and find a technical solution for the problem. It's a different thing to deploy it in the right place within a very complex value chain that has a lot of incentives that are not well aligned."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why solving a highly valuable and critical problem alone won't create a market without economic incentive alignmentWhat happens when you build for huge global humanity problems instead of expensive local onesWhy focusing on who pays reveals better opportunities than focusing on who usesHow buying your distribution channel creates stickiness competitors can't copyFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Mariano Garcia-Valiño, Founder and CEO at Axenya Website: axenya.com

Joseph Avanzato is the Security Operations and Forensics Group Leader at Varonis. In this episode, he joins host Paul John Spaulding to discuss the common tactics attackers exploit and mistakes made by enterprises that lead breaches, as well as how Varonis is uniquely positioned to help public and private customers around the world investigate, contain, and evict attackers from their network. This episode is brought to you by Varonis, whose AI-powered data security platform secures your data at scale – across IaaS, SaaS, and hybrid cloud environments. To learn more about our sponsor, visit https://www.Varonis.com.

70% of enterprise AI projects never reach production. The solution: Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs). In this episode, Vikram Vaidyanathan and Rocketlane CEO, Srikrishnan Ganesan unpack the rise of the FDE model, from Palantir's origins to how AI companies use it today to bridge the gap between prototypes and production. They discuss why traditional SaaS orgs break in AI, the governance needed to scale FDE teams, and why India is emerging as the global engine room for AI deployment. A crisp breakdown of the role shaping the future of enterprise AI. Chapters  00:01:29 -  Introduction to the Z47 podcast  00:04:16 - The 70% problem: Why enterprise AI fails to scale 00:05:25 - The origin story: Inside Palantir, where it all began 00:12:43 - Evolving from deployment to GTM engine 00:14:23 - The Vision Selling era: from POCs to production ROI 00:17:09 - What does a great FDE motion look like? 00:18:59 - Building with FDE DNA: How Rocketlane practices what it preaches 00:24:06 - Product, success, or stand-alone: Where should FDEs sit? 00:26:22 - Scaling the FDE model: from speed to structured governance 00:33:38 - Pairing on-site FDEs with India's 24×7 talent engine 00:34:21 - AI adoption as India's next big export 00:37:49 - FDEs: The human bridge between AI promise and delivery  

In this episode of Between Product and Partnerships, Cristina Flaschen speaks with Therese Stowell, VP of Product Launch at Anaplan, about what it takes to design scalable, repeatable product launch systems inside fast-moving SaaS organizations. Therese shares her nonlinear career journey, from Microsoft engineer, to artist, to product leader, and how that diverse background shaped her systems-driven, people-centric approach to orchestrating product launches across a complex enterprise.A Systems Approach to Product LaunchEarlier in her career, Therese was asked to fix a recurring challenge familiar to many SaaS companies - products that didn't generate meaningful revenue, features stuck in beta, and launches that left go-to-market teams scrambling. Working with a technical program manager, she developed an Alpha - Beta - GA framework that introduced clear milestones, stronger decision-making, and alignment across product, marketing, sales, enablement, support, and services.That experience led her to Anaplan, where the sheer volume of innovation required a dedicated function to “tune the revenue engine.” As Therese describes it, product launch isn't just about getting a feature out the door, it's about coordinating every part of the organization so the product lands with clarity and customer value.Cross-Functional Alignment and the Real Work of LaunchingTherese outlines two parallel tracks that determine whether a launch succeeds:Go-to-market readiness. Translating product insights into pitch decks, messaging, and enablementTechnical readiness. Ensuring presales, professional services, and support teams understand how the product works under the hoodBecause these streams mature at different times, communication and cross-functional orchestration become essential. Therese also shares how introducing a new “production release” milestone (separate from GA) helped set better customer expectations and create a more reliable internal rhythm.A Framework for Better LaunchesTherese breaks down her repeatable approach to designing and improving launch processes:Discovery. Understand engineering's release lifecycle and gather cross-functional requirementsDesign. Translate a long list of tasks into a coherent, sequenced plan with defined decision pointsBuild & Iterate. Start small, gather feedback, and refine continuously instead of waiting for a perfect processScaling Launch at AnaplanAnaplan's rapid innovation pace required Therese to expand the product launch function, adopt proper project management tooling, and build reporting that helped each department manage its workload. With 30+ concurrent launches, her team introduced efficiency practices, such as agenda-based meeting participation, to reduce thrash and ensure alignment without unnecessary meetings.Looking AheadTherese's advice? While process and tooling matter, at least half of a successful launch comes down to people. Transparent communication, early involvement, collaboration, and guiding teams through behavioral change are what allow launch processes to take root and scale across an organization.For more insights on partnerships, ecosystems, and integrations, visit www.pandium.com To learn more about Anaplan and their product innovation, visit www.anaplan.com

*Are we finally reaching Peak eVTOL? Jason and Alex on Joby's big Abu Dhabi moves and Archer's purchase of LA's Hawthorne Airport.On a PACKED Monday TWiST, Jason is BACK from MENA and Tokyo. Hear tales from his whirlwind trips launching new Founder University satellite programs… and find out why construction and fintech are BOOMING across the Middle East.PLUS Ramp raised $300M… here's why Alex calls the round “pretty baller.” We question why AI companies are growing SO MUCH FOUNDER than their SaaS counterparts. We're digging into the Problem with Dropbox.AND we're saying goodbye to KitKat, the beloved SF bodega cat who was reportedly run over by a Waymo. Here's why Jason's not too broken up about it (but he's JUST JOKING!)

So there's this guy, Bora Celik. Software engineer, thirty years in the game. Last year he tells his investors something crazy: SaaS is dead. Not dying. Dead. And here's the thing - he might be right. See, while everyone's playing with ChatGPT, asking it questions, Bora's building these things called AI agents. They don't just answer questions. They do the work. Like, actually reach out to influencers, negotiate deals, send products, follow up. No humans involved. One of his clients, Harney & Sons Tea, they've got agents running their entire influencer program. The agents find people, check their engagement rates, send emails, track who posts. Everything. And the wildest part? The CEOs of these $100 million companies are building their own agents now. Using tools anyone can access. Today, Bora shows us exactly how.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSN8N Agent Builder: https://n8n.io/ai-agents/Agentic Brand Newsletter: https://agenticbrand.ai/Agentic: https://a.gentic.co/WORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Sanish Mondkar is the Founder and CEO of Legion Technologies, a company specializing in AI-powered workforce management solutions that optimize labor efficiency and enhance hourly employee engagement. Under his leadership, Legion has become a trusted platform for automating scheduling, forecasting, and communication across major industries. Before Legion, Sanish served as Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at SAP, and earlier at Ariba. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from the University of Pune and a master's in computer science from Cornell University. In this episode… In today's fast-paced world of retail, hospitality, and other hourly-based industries, companies are racing to balance efficiency with employee satisfaction. But as technology reshapes how businesses operate, can AI actually make hourly work more engaging, flexible, and fulfilling? Sanish Mondkar, a seasoned technology leader and AI innovator, believes it can. He explains that traditional workforce management systems were built to control labor costs, not empower people — and that's where AI can fundamentally shift the equation. By automating scheduling, predicting demand, and empowering employees with control over their work schedules, companies can reduce attrition while fostering a more motivated workforce. Sanish also points out that real transformation comes when AI is transparent, explainable, and trusted by both managers and frontline workers. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Sanish Mondkar, Founder and CEO of Legion Technologies, to discuss how AI can drive employee engagement and operational excellence. They talk about Legion's AI-powered scheduling innovations, the "trifecta" that reduces attrition, and how automation builds trust between employers and staff. Sanish also shares lessons from scaling Legion with major brands like Dollar General and Philz Coffee.

Scaling SaaS in 2026: AI, Talent, and the Future of People Operations is becoming a core focus for growing B2B companies as AI reshapes how teams work, how customers buy, and how leaders build the next generation of SaaS organizations. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, recorded live at SaaS Summit Benelux in Amsterdam, host Joran speaks with Hotske Wesselius about how AI will reshape scaling in 2026. With a background in marketing and a career shift into people and talent acquisition, Hotske supports SaaS companies in hiring and retaining top talent. Their discussion explores how AI is changing the buyer journey, customer success, people management, culture, team structures, search behavior, partnerships, go to market strategies, efficiency, and the overall pace of competition. The theme is consistent. AI will not remove the need for people, but it will transform how teams work, what skills matter, and how leaders manage and support their organizations. The episode also offers advice for founders at various revenue stages and the mindset shifts needed to thrive in a fast changing environment.Key Timecodes(0:00) – AI Breakthrough Intro: B2B SaaS in 2026, Scaling, Buyer Journey, Customer Success, People Leadership(0:47) – Talent Secrets: Hotske Wesselius on Marketing, Recruiting, Hiring Top SaaS Talent(1:12) – Scaling Revolution: What Will Separate Winning B2B SaaS in 2026 (AI-Driven Orgs)(1:26) – Skill Upgrade: New Capabilities for the AI Era — Agents, Enablement, Leadership(2:13) – Buyer Shift: AI Search, Findability, and Customer Support Automation(3:11) – Data Reality Check: People Analytics Built on Engagement + Results(3:33) – Automation Wave: Headcount vs AI, Cognitive Tasks, Reporting, AI “Brain” Roles(4:31) – Human-in-the-Loop: Training, Building, and Governing AI Inside SaaS Companies(4:52) – Culture Reset: Designing Strong Company Culture in the Age of AI(5:29) – AI-First Shift: Changing Mindset at Scale (Miro Example)(5:56) – Leadership Hack: Using ChatGPT for Feedback, Tone, and Empathetic Communication(7:03) – Hyper-Personalization: Tailoring Communication via Personality Types (DISC)(7:44) – Empathy Engine: How AI Improves Manager Communication & Employee Experience(8:15) – Pro Tip: Use AI as Your Personal Empathy Coach(8:29) – Sponsor Spotlight: Reditus — B2B SaaS Affiliate & Referral Growth(9:25) – Efficiency Mode: Growing Fast in 2026 with AI Automation

Every founder dreams of standing out, but too many end up sounding the same. Michelle Erikson, Vice President at Straylight Capital, has witnessed her share of B2B SaaS investment trends. In this episode, Michelle explores what she sees as the (unwelcome) "commoditization of entrepreneurship," which sectors this benefits and diminishes, and when marketing can be the key differentiator in a crowded deal landscape. She also shares how marketers can influence investment conversations, when it's crucial to have a "professionalized" brand, and the advantages and pitfalls of a founder-led strategy.

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Publisher Doug Green speaks with Rob Bye, President & Founder of Zenture Partners, about why the traditional telecom procurement and management model is breaking down—and how AI-driven lifecycle management can restore clarity and control for large enterprises. Zenture Partners is a strategic consultancy and AI-powered lifecycle management provider focused on giving enterprises full visibility into, and control over, their global telecom ecosystem, from contracts and circuits to invoices and risk. Bye explains that most large enterprises now live in a state of telecom chaos: hundreds of vendors, hundreds of invoices, and little understanding of contract terms, renewal dates, dependencies, or actual business impact. The old world of a single global MPLS provider has given way to an “internet everywhere” model, with 16,000+ ISPs worldwide, SD-WAN, and cloud-first architectures. At the same time, IT priorities have shifted—cloud infrastructure, security, AI-infused SaaS and CX platforms now consume leadership attention and budget, while telecom is largely ignored “as long as nothing is on fire.” When things break, teams react, extinguish the fire, and then move straight back to higher-visibility projects. Traditional telecom brokers and “no value” agents, Bye argues, have often added complexity rather than removed it. Unlike familiar IT resellers and VARs, telecom agents rarely bring a unified, data-driven platform to the enterprise. Zenture's model is different: it acts as an extension of both IT sourcing and network teams, combining consulting plus a global AI-enabled platform. Enterprises still contract directly with service providers, while the carriers fund Zenture through residual commissions. For customers, the Zenture platform is delivered at no cost, with no contract, ingesting data from TEM systems, carrier portals, invoices, and spreadsheets into a single pane of glass and highlighting where attention is truly needed. AI is at the center of this transformation. Zenture uses AI to continuously evaluate inventory, identify high-risk sites (such as shared last-mile paths or POP exposure), benchmark pricing, and generate recommendations on whether to renew, replace, or upgrade services as contracts approach term. Agentic AI is also used to integrate with carrier marketplaces and portals, automating quoting, ordering, status checks, inventory updates, and billing validation across hundreds of providers. Instead of humans manually combing through dense, ever-changing telecom invoices, AI flags changes, ties new charges to past orders, and confirms that disconnects and adds have been billed correctly, allowing IT and sourcing teams to focus on decisions, not data entry. Looking ahead, Bye sees AI-driven procurement reshaping RFIs, RFPs, benchmarking, and contract review. Enterprise “house” agents will query external platforms like Zenture's marketplace, shrink long vendor lists to a short set of best fits, and then assist stakeholders with risk analysis and legal review. But this doesn't eliminate the human partner; it elevates them. As Bye puts it, “AI isn't going to replace anyone—it's like the moving walkway at an airport. It just helps you get where you're going faster.” Zenture's client success managers increasingly act as digital workforce managers, overseeing and training AI agents while still providing strategic guidance on vendor consolidation and cost optimization. Ultimately, Zenture Partners aims to help enterprises move from a reactive, invoice-driven view of telecom to a strategic, outcome-focused model—consolidating vendors, simplifying billing, optimizing costs, and freeing IT teams to concentrate on cloud, security, and customer-facing innovation. To learn more about Zenture Partners and its AI-powered lifecycle management platform, listeners are invited to visit https://www.zenturepartners.com/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Most teams think the answer to growth is simple. Add more. More markets, more products, more layers, more plays. The layer cake approach.It almost never works.It adds complexity, drains focus, and breaks what was already working.In this episode, Toni Holbein and Personio's Koen Stam talk about a better path. Instead of piling on new initiatives, fix the foundation. Improve the things that already drive revenue. Tighten ICP. Narrow focus. Sell better. Enable buyers. Strengthen the ecosystem around you. Document the process so the business does not depend on a few heroes.Do less. Execute better.This episode is brought to you by ZoomInfo, the Go-To-Market Intelligence Platform. ZoomInfo gives you high-quality B2B data and sales intelligence on in-market buyers across companies of all sizes, powered by AI-driven automation with integrated outreach tools to help your GTM teams build pipeline and close deals faster. Check them out at zoominfo.com/revenue-formula Want to work with us? Learn more: revformula.io(00:00) - Introduction (04:37) - Addressing the Great Pipeline Starvation (07:22) - Challenges of the Layered Approach (14:58) - Understanding Revenue Sources (19:19) - Data-Driven Decision Making (24:36) - The Parking Lot Exercise (27:43) - Vanity in Expansion (30:28) - Understanding Y our ICP (31:43) - Building a Target List (34:23) - Enabling Buyers (38:51) - Leveraging Ecosystems (43:55) - Process Over People (48:35) - Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

Ian and Aaron discuss screen time for kids, the impending launch of Database School, why Ian acquired Bootstrapped.fm, and more.Sponsored by Bento, Flare, No Compromises, and Ittybit.Interested in sponsoring Mostly Technical?  Head to https://mostlytechnical.com/sponsor to learn more.(00:00) - The Screen Time Conundrum (12:56) - Public Service Announcement (23:18) - Database School Is Launching Next Week! (32:26) - Thanksgiving Plans (38:29) - Acquiring Bootstrapped.fm Links:Wall StreetThe Secret Life of PetsClaude CodeBrowser testing in Pest 4Database SchoolJason Beggs"Rich enough not to waste time"Andrey ButovBootstrapped Episode 43: The UserScape DevelopersBootstrapped Episode 46: Jeffrey Way of LaracastsPluribusIs It Cake?

In this action-packed SaaS Fuel episode, host Jeff Mains welcomes AI entrepreneur Alberto Rizzoli, co-founder and CEO of V7. They dive into the transformative power of AI in automating repetitive and complex knowledge work, discuss the accelerating pace of AI innovation, and unpack how both large enterprises and smaller teams can prioritize, implement, and benefit from next-generation “agentic” AI. Alberto Rizzoli candidly shares insights on the future of SaaS, practical applications in B2B, go-to-market challenges, the evolving demands on leadership and hiring, and what it takes to stand out in a world where technology is no longer a lasting moat.Key Takeaways00:00 AI Revolution: Transforming Technology04:00 AI Reducing Administrative Costs06:21 "Measuring AI's Impact on Knowledge"09:41 "AI as Workforce Revolution"15:53 "Startups Compete on Quality"18:27 "Tech Giants Dominate AI Future"22:27 "AI Implementation Leadership Needed"25:55 "Evaluating AI Tools Effectively"29:31 AI Adoption Requires Trust31:46 "Shift in GTM Strategies"35:48 "AI Automation Careers in Demand"37:20 "V7Labs: AI Workflow Automation"Tweetable QuotesViral Topic: The Real Value of AI in Knowledge Work: "Even if you had the money to ask a lawyer and that were not an issue, you would still first ask ChatGPT because you get an instantaneous answer and there is no friction towards that." — Alberto RizzoliAI & the Future of Work: "Keeping a human away from their family and children for five hours to do some work that AI can do in five minutes by consuming a lot less relative energy will actually be kind of the best of both worlds." — Alberto RizzoliQuote: "There is still an enormous amount of unrealized value from AI. There is still close to no AI usage at the world's largest companies." — Alberto RizzoliAI's Impact on Infrastructure Investment: "We've never seen so much investment in power generation since World War II. So it really is a paradigm shift that's happening." — Alberto RizzoliBalancing Creativity and Responsibility: "the creative side is something that we enjoy, but there's so many things that are jobs that things that we have to do, things that always." — Jeff Mains Viral Simplicity in User Interfaces: "instead of having to figure out, you know, how the watch was built, we're just asking what time it is." — Jeff Mains The Cycle of Innovation and Investment: It almost becomes self fulfilling because there's so much money pouring into it. And that drives innovation, which brings more money, which drives more innovation. And I think it does become self fulfilling to some degree. — Jeff Mains SaaS Leadership LessonsPrioritize Deep Automation: Leaders should focus AI efforts on well-documented, high-frequency processes, not just shiny new initiatives.Embrace the Player-Coach Model: Middle management is evolving. Future leaders need to be hands-on contributors who coach, not just oversee.Build for Scalability: The best AI tools get you 80% of the way—allocating resources to push to 100% is critical for lasting impact.Hire for Tech Fluency: Hiring should emphasize technical problem-solvers across all departments, especially those who can identify and implement automation.Champion Change Management: Assign a dedicated AI implementation owner to drive adoption—this role will multiply team productivity.Invest in Quality, Not Hype: In a fast-copying landscape, the long-term winners are those who create the best user...

In this episode, we're joined by Jeppe Schytte-Hansen, CEO and Co-founder of Omnidocs, a SaaS company that's moving fast: €22M+ in revenue, 1,500 customers, 155 employees, and four acquisitions in the last 18 months after bringing in private equity for the first time. Jeppe breaks down what it really takes to turn a steady, profitable SaaS into a buy-and-build platform, from product alignment and enablement to the emotional reality of killing someone's “version 2.0” and managing the slowdown that almost everyone underestimates. We spoke with Jeppe about choosing PE over VC, building a 14-point M&A framework, and why one plus one rarely equals two in the first year. He explains the “integration foxtrot” (quick–slow–quick–slow), how to preserve culture across six offices and four countries, and why Omnidocs is betting big on the shift from traditional documents to “fluid formats” in the coming years.  Here are some of the key questions we address: What is the 14-criteria M&A evaluation framework, and what are the two instant disqualifiers? Why does every buy-and-build strategy start with a slowdown, and how do you shorten it? What makes product alignment the hardest part of M&A, and how do you decide when to kill a nearly-finished product? How do you structure integration squads and seven integration tracks across acquired companies? What does it take to enable sales teams to manage multiple products without slowing down new logo acquisition? How do you avoid overestimating cross-sell potential, especially in the first 12–18 months? Which are key roles and people to drive a successful pre, during and post-acquisition process?

Today, we're joined by Karen Chao, Chief Product Officer at Flowspace, an ecommerce logistics platform, where she's also taken on a role as head of marketing. Previously, Karen held product leadership roles at Apple, Replicon, Innit, and more. In this episode, Karen shares: How she ended up running Marketing on top of Product, and how bringing these two functions under one leader has improved go-to-market for Flowspace The biggest surprises she's uncovered running marketing as a product leader, from chaotic tool stacks to the next wave of AI-powered go-to-market automation And how Flowspace's product team uses AI tools like Cursor and Claude to accelerate discovery and prototyping, and even ship small bug fixes straight to production without Engineers involved Links Karen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen1chao/ Flowspace: https://flow.space/ Resources (Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo Chapters 00:00: Intro 02:06: Karen's career highlights 03:59: How Karen and Flowspace are using AI in their team workflows 15:11: The intersection of product and marketing 22:13: What's surprised Karen most about transitioning from product to marketing 29:12: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Karen Chao.

Pricing is one of the most powerful yet least understood growth levers in SaaS. Most founders either ignore it for years or treat it like a guessing game. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim share their guide to pricing for busy founders. They cover the three phases of pricing, how to tell if it's time to revisit your pricing, and how to run data-driven pricing experiments without wasting months or hiring a six-figure consultant. If you've ever felt unsure about what to charge, how to test new prices, or when to hire expert help, this episode breaks it all down step by step. Got a question you'd like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven The Motivation Code Assessment  Irrational Labs Guide to Willingness to Pay Street Pricing by Marcos Rivera Pace Pricing Chapters (00:00:35) - Catching up on hobbies, motivation, and the “Motivation Code” assessment(00:13:50) - The Busy Founder's Guide to Pricing(00:15:20) - The three phases of pricing maturity(00:18:30) - When and how to move from guessing to testing(00:21:40) - Pricing that drives net revenue retention and expansion(00:25:00) - Real examples: Intercom and Zendesk pricing overhauls(00:28:00) - Why pricing can be a hidden growth bottleneck(00:31:00) - Signs your pricing is broken and how to identify them(00:34:50) - The process for pricing research once you identify that pricing could be a problem(00:37:30) - Step 1: Pricing interviews and qualitative insights(00:39:00) - Step 2: Willingness-to-pay surveys and Van Westendorp questions(00:48:25) - Step 3: Product analytics and finding signal in usage data(00:53:00) - Turning insights into pricing hypotheses and running pricing experiments the right way(00:57:30) - DIY vs. hiring a pricing consultant(01:08:15) - Who should own pricing internally and how often to revisit it(01:17:10) - Closing thoughts: pricing as the easiest lever most founders ignore

Discover how to accelerate your startup's growth, without all the typical corporate roadblocks, by focusing on strategy and execution.   In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Andy Culligan, Fractional CMO, CRO, and Marketing Advisor, who shares insights on scaling SaaS startups smarter and faster. He reveals the importance of strong execution and alignment between marketing and sales, offering real-world examples from his own experience helping companies overcome growth challenges. Andy emphasizes the power of being agile and staying ahead in a competitive market by building the right team and using AI to streamline processes.   Key Takeaways: → Successful marketing for SaaS requires a focus on both volume and high-ticket clients, depending on your product offering. → Marketing teams often face roadblocks, and it's critical to provide them with the tools and processes to stay on track and reach goals. → Many SaaS companies struggle with hiring skilled professionals quickly — Andy's team helps plug that gap with experienced marketers. → The typical challenge for SaaS startups is executing their go-to-market strategy, and Andy's team helps implement plans that drive immediate results. → Andy's company, Purple Path, focuses on delivering scalable marketing solutions by combining experienced strategy with agile execution.   As a Fractional CMO, CRO, and Marketing Advisor, Andy Culligan helps your sales and marketing teams focus on commercial success. His approach is a pure account-based marketing play. Providing your organization with a bullshit-free approach to Account Based Marketing (ABM), motivating and exciting your teams and delivering better outcomes, i.e. revenue.   Connect With Andy: Website: https://andyculligan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-culligan/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this HANDS-ON episode of GTM Live, we're ditching theory and building a real go-to-market strategy live—using AI, public data, and a completely different approach to finding and messaging prospects.Join host Amber Williams and special guest Jordan Crawford, the "OG GTM Engineer" and early advisor to Clay, for a masterclass in pain-qualified segmentation. Watch as Jordan demonstrates how to use ChatGPT to identify prospects who actually need your solution and craft messages that deliver independent value before you ever ask for a meeting.What You'll Learn:Why traditional ICP scoring is "mental masturbation for executives" and what to do insteadHow to work backwards from customer pain using public data and AIThe game-changing concept of "the list is the message"How to identify demonstrable value props that competitors can't replicateWhy vertical SaaS has a hidden advantage (and what horizontal SaaS can learn)PLUS: Real-time walkthrough: Finding pain-qualified prospects for a clean energy platform using only ChatGPT and public dataAI has transformed tools from "access" to "power tools" overnight. Leaders can no longer delegate strategy to RevOps and hope for the best. You need to get your hands dirty with the data to understand what's actually possible.

Episode web page:  ----------------------- Episode summary: In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Nathan Isaacs talks with marketing powerhouse Bill Macaitis—former CMO of Slack, Zendesk, and Salesforce—about how B2B companies can scale efficiently by prioritizing customer experience, building authentic brands, and embracing new go-to-market models. Bill shares lessons from his career and dives into the importance of customer-centric cultures, long-term thinking, and the strategic use of AI in modern marketing. What you'll learn in this episode: Why capital-efficient growth beats “growth at all costs”—and how to build it The playbook for operationalizing customer centricity in a B2B environment How to align teams across marketing, product, and sales with shared metrics What most companies get wrong about attribution models How AI can empower marketers—without replacing them The secret to building a B2B brand people actually love (and talk about) Tips for individual contributors to challenge legacy playbooks and advocate for change About the guest: Bill Macaitis is an executive advisor and board member who has led marketing at some of the most iconic names in SaaS, including Slack, Zendesk, and Salesforce. Known for his customer-first approach and bold brand vision, Bill now advises AI startups on how to build scalable, loved companies from the ground up. Resources & Links: Bill Macaitis on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmacaitis/) SaaS CMO Pro website (https://www.saascmopro.com/) SaaS CMO Pro newsletter (https://saascmopro.substack.com/) Bill's YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSCMOPro/videos) Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/) Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Doug Green interviews Lyle Pratt, Founder & CEO of Vida.io, following the company's announcement of a $4 million Series A funding round—a major milestone marking rapid growth, platform maturity, and expanding traction across MSPs, SaaS vendors, and business software providers. Pratt explains that Vida.io is an AI Agent Operating System for business, designed to help companies deploy, manage, monitor, and scale AI agents that perform real work across voice, SMS, email, and web chat. While many products offer a chatbot or voice agent, Vida.io delivers the full operational backbone required for real-world use: observability, SOC 2/HIPAA compliance, billing-as-a-service, UI components, and detailed interaction scoring. Since the last podcast, Vida.io has grown dramatically, surpassing 100 million AI agent interactions and onboarding a rapidly expanding network of partners. Initially focused on MSPs, the platform is now widely adopted by SaaS companies that embed AI agent capabilities directly into their vertical applications—roofing, moving, and other SMB-focused sectors—bringing instant scale to Vida.io's distribution. A key breakthrough discussed in the interview is Vida.io's ability to deliver low-latency, high-intelligence voice agents that reliably meet real-world customer experience expectations. “If latency is off even slightly, users get frustrated. We had to solve that,” Pratt notes. The result: AI agents that in many cases outperform humans, including one customer reporting 40% more meetings booked compared to human-based calling teams. Vida.io's partner program remains the company's primary growth engine. MSPs are now using AI agents to capture revenue from call flows they previously handed off to outsourced call centers—often redirecting hundreds of thousands of monthly minutes back into their own billing. The platform also supports direct SIP registration, enabling AI agents to function as standard PBX extensions across NetSapiens, Broadsoft, Metaswitch, and other systems widely deployed by MSPs. Pratt emphasizes that the AI revolution is fundamentally redefining UCaaS and business communications: “When the price of intelligence approaches zero, the entire enterprise software ecosystem transforms.” Even if LLM progress froze today, he argues, the impact on communications and business automation would still be historic. As the industry approaches 2026, Pratt sees a major new revenue frontier for MSPs—one that doesn't require deep AI expertise but does require timely action. Vida.io provides the tools to make AI agent deployment fast, repeatable, and profitable. To learn more or join the partner program, visit https://vida.io/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

Continuum is solving the multi-party return problem in B2B supply chain—a transaction involving distributors, manufacturers, and end users that previously took 30-45 days and now completes in 30-45 seconds. In this episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Alex Witcpalek, CEO and Founder of Continuum, to unpack how he's building what he calls "reverse EDI" in a market of 1.5 million distribution and manufacturing companies across North America. After 13 years selling technology into this space, Alex is now growing 8x year-over-year by turning customers into the primary acquisition channel through network effects. Topics Discussed: Why multi-party returns require replicating order management, warehouse management, and procurement systems simultaneously The tactical sequencing of building network businesses: solving for independent value, achieving critical mass, then activating network effects How Continuum navigates deep ERP integrations (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Epicor) plus bespoke business logic across multiple supply chain tiers Facebook retargeting, BDR outbound, events, and customer referrals as the four channels driving growth in a non-PLG market Why business model differentiation is the only remaining moat when technical barriers collapse Building domain expertise distribution systems using AI-powered LMS fed by sales call recordings GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Choose problems where you can capture 100% of addressable market, not fractional share: Alex deliberately avoided competing in CRM, sales order automation, or accounts payable—categories where even dominant players cap at 25-30% market penetration. Instead, he targeted multi-party reverse logistics, a greenfield problem no one else was solving. This strategic choice eliminates competitive displacement risk and allows every prospect conversation to focus on change management rather than competitive differentiation. Founders should map their TAM against competitive saturation: markets where you can own the entire category create fundamentally different growth trajectories than fighting for fragments. Sequence network businesses: independent value → critical mass → network activation: Alex was told by investors 18 months in that network effects "weren't going to work." His insight: "When you don't have a network, you don't sell the network. It's just in your plans and how you're building." Continuum sold P&L impact, manual labor reduction, and customer experience improvements to early adopters while building network infrastructure invisibly. Only after achieving density in specific verticals (HVAC, electrical, plumbing) did they surface the network value proposition. This sequencing prevents the cold-start problem—founders building marketplace or network businesses must design standalone value that makes the first 100 customers successful independent of network density. Exploit high pain thresholds in legacy industries as competitive barriers: Supply chain companies accept 30-45 day return cycles, manual warranty claims on paper, and playing "guess who" by phone to find inventory across distributor branches. Alex notes they have "extremely high pain threshold" from living with broken systems for decades. While this creates longer education cycles, it also means competitors won't enter (too hard) and once you prove ROI, switching costs become prohibitive. Founders should reframe customer inertia: industries tolerating obvious inefficiencies offer category creation opportunities with built-in moats, not just sales friction. Business model architecture is the only defensible moat—technical differentiation is dead: Alex is building his own e-signature platform (Continue Sign) and AI LMS using vibe coding to prove technical moats no longer exist. Continuum's defensibility comes entirely from network lock-in: displacing them requires disconnecting manufacturers like Carrier, Daikin, and Bosch plus their entire distributor ecosystems simultaneously. He references EDI (1960s technology still dominant today) as proof that network effects create permanent advantages. Founders must architect switching costs, network density, or proprietary data advantages into their business model—technology alone provides zero protection in the AI era. Match channel strategy to actual ICP behavior, not SaaS conventions: Continuum's top lead source is customer-driven network growth—distributors recruiting manufacturers and vice versa. Facebook retargeting works because their 50+ year-old supply chain buyers "are trying to comment on their grandkids' pictures," not scrolling LinkedIn. BDR outbound still delivers high win rates in an industry where business happens on handshakes, making events critical. This channel mix would fail for PLG products but works perfectly for enterprise cycles with $40K ACVs and 90-day sales processes. Founders should ethnographically research where their specific buyers actually spend attention rather than defaulting to LinkedIn, content marketing, or PLG based on what works in adjacent categories. Use 90-day enterprise cycles and multi-stakeholder complexity as qualification, not friction: Continuum runs enterprise sales motions for $40K deals because multi-party returns touch 16 constituents across sales, customer service, fleet, supply chain, warehouse, purchasing, and finance. Rather than trying to simplify buying, Alex uses this complexity as a filter—companies willing to coordinate VP of Supply Chain, COO, and CFO alignment are serious buyers. He layers three value propositions (P&L impact, labor reduction, customer experience) knowing different stakeholders weight them differently. Founders selling into complex environments should embrace multi-threading as a qualification mechanism that improves win rates and reduces churn, not overhead to eliminate. //  Sponsors:  Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire  Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM  

Richardson Dackam, a solo developer known for rapidly creating AI-first SaaS products, shared insights into his development process during a recent episode of the Business of Tech. Dackam emphasizes the importance of identifying manageable problems that can be solved quickly, which he refers to as "done for you ideas." His approach involves extensive research to create a Product Requirement Document (PRD) and context engineering for AI agents, enabling him to build prototypes in a matter of hours or days. He leverages various services, such as Magic Link for authentication and Superbase for databases, to streamline his workflow.Dackam's success is exemplified by his application, 8nodes, which serves as a workflow generator for N8n, currently attracting around 500 users. He utilizes multiple distribution channels, including his YouTube channel and contributions to AI communities, to promote his tools. Although 8nodes is not yet generating revenue, Dackam is focused on improving the product's speed, which he identifies as a critical pain point for users. He tracks user engagement metrics daily to inform his optimization efforts.The episode also addresses the balance between rapid prototyping and maintaining product reliability and compliance. Dackam asserts that he builds with an SOC 2 compliance mindset, ensuring that user data is handled securely. He discusses the challenges of scalability and uptime, noting that he relies on services like AWS and Vercel to manage these aspects effectively. By separating his landing page from the application, he ensures that marketing efforts remain uninterrupted even if the app experiences downtime.For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT service leaders, Dackam's approach highlights the potential for rapid development cycles while maintaining a focus on security and compliance. His insights into the challenges of integrating AI into business processes underscore the need for organizations to understand their workflows before adopting automation solutions. As businesses navigate the complexities of AI deployment, the emphasis on iterative improvement and user feedback can inform strategies for successful product development and market fit.