Dear SaaStr: How Do I Reject a VC Without Spoiling the Relationship?
Dear SaaStr: How Do I Reject a VC Without Spoiling the Relationship? Be (1) clear (2) and respectful. Let me use myself as a case study. I have one spoiled VC relationship — all the rest I consider pretty strong. Here’s what happened to me: I told this Top...
5 Critical and Company-Altering Learnings from B2B Startups with Y Combinator Managing Director of YC Continuity Anu Hariharan (Pod 595 + Video)
Anu Hariharan works with hundreds of startups annually as Managing Director at Y Combinator. Through experience, she explains five company-altering learnings from B2B startups that founders should consider at the earliest stages of their businesses. Your product may...
The Early Hire That Almost Never Works: Director of Outbound
Want to get outbound going, for the first time? What almost never works, somewhat surprisingly, is hiring a Director of Outbound as your first outbound hire. I see many startups want to add outbound, but not really have a lot of experience. They don’t know outbound,...
Dear SaaStr: What are Some Red Flags That Signal You Shouldn’t Take a Start-up Job?
Dear SaaStr: What are Some Red Flags That Signal You Shouldn’t Take a Start-up Job? A few B2B/SaaS specific thoughts. 1. Don’t join a B2B/SaaS start-up that won’t share its revenue and current growth rate with you — and its Zero Cash Date. ...
Let’s Be Clear, 2021 Was Insane
Let’s all be clear, 2021 was insane: * SPACs worth billions with no revenue* Multiples magically tripled* Fintechs with 10% GMs worth same as 80% GMs* #5 in market got same premium as #1* Growth stage seen as free money* Seed VCs bought in $3B-10B rounds vs sell...
Dear SaaStr: How Do Startups Really Sell to Big Enterprises Before They’re Proven?
Dear SaaStr: How Do Startups Really Sell to Big Enterprises Before They’re Proven? You solve their problems. And you solve a specific problem that is important to your buyer — that the existing, current, proven vendors don’t solve well. Large...
5 Interesting Learnings from JFrog at $270,000,000 in ARR
So lots of folks talk about GitLab as a leader in software development and devops, but GitLab also has sort of a quieter cousin that also IPO’d: JFrog. JFrog started off as the #1 binary repository and has expanded from there as a multi-product suite for...
Optimizing GTM for PLG with Stage 2 Capital Co-Founder and Managing Director Mark Roberge (Pod 594 + Video)
Product-led growth (PLG) is the consumerization of software—a strategy B2B software companies can learn from growth teams at successful consumer tech companies. Stage 2 Capital’s Co-Founder and Managing Director, Mark Roberge, breaks down what a consumer tech growth...
Dear SaaStr: How Do I Do My Retention Negotiation in an Acquisition?
Dear SaaStr: How Do I Do My Retention Negotiation in an Acquisition? A few thoughts on retention compensation when you are acquired First, understand that the acquirer almost certainly already has a strong sense of what they want to do (right or wrong). Even if they...
Half of You Are Planning to Raise Prices in 2023
It’s not just you. SaaS is getting more expensive, for a variety of reasons. HubSpot, for example, which has been very judicious on holding the line on pricing and ACVs, raised prices 12% for the first time since 2018 — albeit only on new customers: Slack also...
What To Look First In Your First VP of Product
Dear SaaStr: What do you look for when hiring a VP of Product for a B2B SaaS? In particular, the dilemma I’m facing is hiring between a SaaS expert or a target market expert. First, whatever you do, don’t hire someone too junior as your first VP / Head of...
How 3 Data Points Can Drive Revenue with Asana Head of Revenue Marketing Jessica Gilmartin (Video)
It’s a challenging time to be a marketer. People are more anxious and distracted than ever, and it’s increasingly difficult to connect with audiences in a memorable way that makes them feel emotionally connected to your brand. That’s where data storytelling helps cut...
The Challenge with SMB SaaS: High Growth Can Only Mask High Churn For Just So Long
So far, the only startups I’ve lost money investing in had one thing in common: they had high churn in the early days Some fought through it But a lot never do — Jason ✨👾SaaStr 2025 is May 13-15✨ Lemkin (@jasonlk) November 22, 2022 So in theory, SMB SaaS is...
5 Ways to Acquire Customers Before You Have Any Budget
Q: How do you acquire customers on a zero dollar budget? You use “sweat dollars” instead: Get any press and PR you can. It doesn’t have to be TechCrunch. Get every blog, every publication, anyone with any on-point audience to write about you. Anyone with an audience,...
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