SaaStr

JUNE 10, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Can Founders Force a Reluctant VC to Exit (Assuming There is a Reasonable Return for All)? Sort of. Generally speaking, there is no legal or contractual way to make a VC sell / exit. There can be some exceptions, but usually there are no “drag along” or forced put rights in standard terms and conditions. But …unless (x) the VCs control the company (own > 50%+) AND (y) are willing to step in and put a CEO in, or be the CEO … the founders have a lot of de facto power here.

Venture Capital 237

Venture Capital Scale Startup Pricing 237

Tom Tunguz

JUNE 14, 2023

If a company adds AI to their pitch or nabs a.ai domain, will they raise money at a higher valuation? Nvidia’s sudden surge to $1t in market capitalization in the public market suggests it could be the case. The data tells a different story. I plotted the 75th percentile valuation of all US software companies by stage compared to AI companies over the last twelve years.

AI 262

AI Marketing Pricing Technology 262

Predictable Revenue

JUNE 14, 2023

Gray Norman joins Collin Stewart on The Monthly Meta Podcast to talk about the ins and outs of building an effective outbound sales strategy, including triggers, crafting messages, and more. The post Mastering Outbound Sales: Strategies, Triggers, and Campaigns with Gray Norman appeared first on Predictable Revenue.

Strategy 130

Strategy Sales Revenue Development 130

Andreessen Horowitz

JUNE 14, 2023

How do you scale from a scrappy, early-stage startup with a handful of employees to a growth-stage company with hundreds, or even thousands, of employees? Hire the right executives. These first principles lay the foundation for making those key hires. … The post The First Principles of Executive Hiring appeared first on Andreessen Horowitz.

Startup 91

Startup Scaling 91

Speaker: Michael Veatch, Senior Director, Implementations & Ella Aguirre, Director of Solution Consulting

Embedding payments can be a transformative step for software companies looking to enhance their platform capabilities, boost customer satisfaction, and drive long-term growth. However, the success of payments hinges on a single thing: implementation. Drawing on real-world insights and experiences, payments implementation experts Michael Veatch and Ella Aguirre will explore actionable strategies that can lead to a transparent, friction-free launch and mitigate potential challenges like technical

Payments

User Pilot

JUNE 14, 2023

The customer journey is all the interactions a user has with your product from the moment they sign up. And learning how to analyze the customer journey will help you to ensure product growth and positive business outcomes. In this article, we’ll cover the definition of customer journey analytics, discuss ways to analyze the customer journey, and review customer journey analytics tools.

Software Review 80

Software Review Trends Churn Onboarding 80

ChurnZero

JUNE 14, 2023

This article was originally published in Forbes. As the downturn starts to bite and every dollar matters more, many CEOs are asking the same question. How should I wrangle a constricted company budget to outlast 2023? For subscription businesses, the focus is clear: retaining customers. Older research from Fred Reichheld of Bain & Company showed that, in financial services, “a 5% increase in customer retention produces more than a 25% increase in profit.” When times are challengi

Scale 52

Scale Customer Success Technical Review Sales Hiring 52

BetterCloud

JUNE 14, 2023

Businesses today are all about being efficient, and that’s what many CIOs prioritize. IT leaders are constantly seeking ways to streamline their operations and increase efficiency. We have expanded automation capabilities to enhance the IT automation journey. We integrate with BambooHR, a top HRIS provider that serves as the central hub for automations in companies that use it.

Technical Review 52

Technical Review Systems Review Innovation Operational efficiency. 52

CloudKettle

JUNE 12, 2023

Trailblazers from around the world gathered at the highly anticipated Salesforce Connections 2023 event last week. The event was filled with fresh updates, new releases, and groundbreaking announcements. As a marketer, I was particularly inspired by the collaborative journey that the Marketing Product teams and the Trailblazers community are taking to shape the future of […] The post A Marketer’s Takeaways from Connections 2023 appeared first on CloudKettle.

Marketing 59

Marketing 59

SaaS Metrics

JUNE 15, 2023

Introduction In today’s fast-paced and digitally-driven world, content management has become vital for businesses and organizations aiming to establish a strong online presence. From blog posts and social media updates to website content and marketing materials, managing and curating content plays a pivotal role in engaging audiences and achieving business objectives.

Strategy 52

Strategy Management Social Media Metrics 52

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Simplify omnichannel payments with a solution that unifies every channel through your platform. By integrating front-end systems like online, mobile, and in-store payments with robust back-end infrastructure, you can deliver a seamless payments experience without the need for heavy engineering. Omnitoken technology enhances security by tokenizing card transactions for reuse, enabling merchants to drive cross-selling opportunities.

Payment Solutions

SaaStr

JUNE 12, 2023

We’re SUPER excited to announced that Expensify has returned as a second-time SaaStr Annual sponsor for 2023 Annual on September 6-8, this time as a Unicorn Sponsor! We’ve used Expensify ourselves at SaaStr for years to manage our team’s expense reports, and we’re excited to have Expensify back even bigger and better this year, and to partner with Expensify on their Chat app as well.

Payment Solutions 259

Payment Solutions Payment Features Travel Cloud 259

Tom Tunguz

JUNE 10, 2023

In the last month, Hubspot launched ChatSpot. Zendesk AI automates customer support. Salesforce launched AI Cloud. Adobe’s released Firefly. What do all of these launches & many other similar ones have in common? The largest SaaS companies in the world have released English-language APIs. Anyone can write English to enter some input (e.g., “What are my top leads for this week?

Software Review 200

Software Review SaaS Systems Review Application Development 200

The Daily Egg

JUNE 12, 2023

Kixie is a sales-oriented business phone service and contact center solution. Self-branded as a sales engagement and acceleration platform, the software lets. The post Kixie Review appeared first on The Daily Egg.

Software Review 174

Software Review Branding Engagement Software 174

Clouded Judgement

JUNE 16, 2023

Every week I’ll provide updates on the latest trends in cloud software companies. Follow along to stay up to date! Subscribe now Growth Adjusted Software Multiples The last 6 weeks (since the start of May) has been quite the run for software companies. The WCLD index is up 30%! The Nasdaq is up 12%. Given this move, where do multiples stand today?

Cloud 130

Cloud Software Revenue Subscription 130

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ClinicSense is a SaaS platform that supports over 7,000 massage therapists who use it for appointment management, payments, scheduling, marketing activities and more. Despite having a relatively low payment failure rate, the company discovered that the failures disrupted the customer experience. This often led to churn as customers decided to cancel or abandon their account, preventing ClinicSense from realizing the full lifetime value (LTV) of its users.

Payments

SaaStr

JUNE 16, 2023

Dear SaaStr: How Many Sales Reps Do I Need? More than you probably would think. You can back into how many sales reps you’ll need in SaaS. First, figure out how much revenue you need to close in the next twelve months. Because that’s more than now. Second, calculate a reasonable attainable quota for your closers, your Account Executives. This is generally derivate of your deal size.

Scale 246

Scale Sales Hiring Sales Headcount 246

IT World

JUNE 13, 2023

The acquisition of Eve Systems by Swiss multinational firm ABB represents a watershed moment in the evolution of smart homes and smart buildings. Eve Systems (formerly El Gato) is a veteran name in the Apple ecosystem. The company has been a large exponent of HomeKit, Thread, and Matter. It sells a catalog of solutions that run the gamut of smarthome items, from connected light switches to gardening timers and blinds.

Acquisition 116

Acquisition 116

Buffer Resources

JUNE 12, 2023

We couldn’t be more excited for this one. You can now enjoy all of the benefits of Buffer with an Instagram Creator account. For years, we’ve heard from folks that they want to connect a variety of Instagram accounts to Buffer. We have over 1 Million people who have connected an Instagram channel to Buffer, so we get this request a lot.

Social Media 115

Social Media Branding Management Metrics 115

Andreessen Horowitz

JUNE 14, 2023

Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half. —John Wanamaker, United States Postmaster General from 1889–1893 Of all your executive roles, the one that’s likely to turn over the most is … The post Hiring a Chief Marketing Officer appeared first on Andreessen Horowitz.

Marketing 101

Marketing Advertising 101

Speaker: David Warren and Kevin O’Neill Stoll

Transitioning to a usage-based business model offers powerful growth opportunities but comes with unique challenges. How do you validate strategies, reduce risks, and ensure alignment with customer value? Join us for a deep dive into designing effective pilots that test the waters and drive success in usage-based revenue. Discover how to develop a pilot that captures real customer feedback, aligns internal teams with usage metrics, and rethinks sales incentives to prioritize lasting customer eng

Revenue

SaaStr

JUNE 16, 2023

So Carta recently put together some dat a on a topic I’ve wondered about: just how many startups allow option exercises beyond the traditional 90 day window? The answer: the general trend is just over 10% of startups have extended windows beyond the traditional 90 days for departing employees to exercise stock options. But that is extended in tougher times, like just after lockdown in 2020 … and in 2023.

Startup 224

Startup Trends Data Compensation 224

IT World

JUNE 12, 2023

Mike Rockwell, Apple vice president for the technology development group, says that from the first second of wearing Apple Vision Pro the experience is designed to be “ special.” Most of the fortunate few who spent time using Apple Vision Pro admit to being stunned by what Apple's built. But where will it be in two years’ time? “Who is it for?” and “Where’s the killer app?

Technology 111

Technology Development 111

Buffer Resources

JUNE 15, 2023

Welcome back to Creators Unlocked , a series where we interview creators about their best practices. Today, we’ve got Ayomi Samaraweera, TikToker and creator economy startup founder, on the docket. 💡 To keep up with Ayomi, check out her website , TikTok and LinkedIn. Ayomi’s journey as a creator immediately stands out because she didn’t start in the creator economy as a TikToker, as many do, but as a TikTok employee (TikTokee, if you will).

Social Media 115

Social Media Consulting Technical Advisors Technical Review 115

Unbounce

JUNE 15, 2023

Alexa, add organic baby carrots to my grocery list and play Walk This Way by Run-D.M.C.! Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way we live. From virtual assistants to self-driving cars, AI-powered technology is transforming us into a more efficient species by automating mundane tasks, providing personalized recommendations, and helping us make informed decisions.

Artificial Intelligence 98

Artificial Intelligence AI Search AI ChatGPT 98

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Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?

Enterprise

SaaStr

JUNE 13, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Does paying higher salaries increase employee retention? Yes, if their salaries are unfair, unequal, or below market. Otherwise — maybe not. Here’s what I’ve learned across 3 startups of my own, and investing in 25+ more: Underpaying certainly leads to departures. Employees that are underpaid get bitter and leave. Don’t let it go. Review salaries quarterly, not just annually.

Retention 201

Retention Startup Investment Sales 201

IT World

JUNE 14, 2023

The European Parliament has approved a draft of the EU's AI Act, taking a major step toward what could be the first comprehensive set of regulations for AI in the West. However, the legislation did not pass unanimously, with the final vote at 499 in favor, 28 against, and 93 abstentions. While today’s vote marks a huge step forward in the regulation of AI technology, the draft legislation is still subject to change, with each EU country needing to agree on the bill before it becomes law.

AI 105

AI Artificial Intelligence Generative AI ChatGPT 105

Buffer Resources

JUNE 13, 2023

The advice is everywhere: repurpose your content! Get more mileage out of your blog by turning it into social posts! Turn your LinkedIn posts into several tweets! But this advice lacks the logistical aspect: how can you keep track of something you published today and repurpose it over the next few weeks? As a freelance content marketer and journalist, my online presence is critical.

Technical Review 104

Technical Review ChatGPT AI Content Marketing 104

ChurnZero

JUNE 15, 2023

Product usage data is one of the best tools customer success managers can use to anticipate customer needs, drive adoption, and increase expansion. It helps you read between the lines and tells you what your customer isn’t. That’s not to say your customers are intentionally withholding information. But they’re busy people with other priorities. Sometimes, they may not be aware that a problem or another solution even exists.

Development Team Review 96

Development Team Review Software Review Data Mobile 96

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Choosing the right Embedded Payments partner can feel overwhelming. This comprehensive buyer’s guide simplifies the process by breaking down seven key criteria to consider, from platform technology to security and growth potential. Learn how to assess partners that align with your goals, offer personalized support, and drive long-term success. This guide equips software companies with the insights to make confident, informed decisions that enhance customer experience and fuel business growth.

Payment Solutions

SaaStr

JUNE 11, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Do VCs Want To Talk To Senior Execs That Quit a Portfolio Company? Generally, if the issues are around: harassment or any inappropriate conduct, or fraud or misleading financials, etc, or something else that is wrong legally, ethically, morally, financially, etc. then I definitely need and want to have the meeting. I absolutely want to hear about it, immediately.

Startup 201

Startup Management Company Culture 201

IT World

JUNE 14, 2023

Currently available in beta, iPadOS 17 at first glance doesn’t deliver the same magnitude of productivity improvements we saw in the previous version of the tablet OS. Still, there are some useful additions , many of which are shared across all relevant Apple platforms. Stage Manager is a lot more flexible Stage Manager now lets you resize app windows.

Management 94

Management 94

Andreessen Horowitz

JUNE 14, 2023

As a technical and product founder, this is likely one of the most emotional hires you’ll have to make. While you’ve already hired product managers or even a head of product, you’ve largely remained in charge of the product vision … The post Hiring a Chief Product Officer appeared first on Andreessen Horowitz.

Management 91

Management 91