If your teams don’t understand and believe in your data, they won’t leap with you. I’m a huge practitioner of data-driven SaaS management. I believe that almost everything in a SaaS business can and should be measured. But there are two important caveats to measurement that I’ve recently seen overlooked. First, the data you use […]
Strategy
How Do You Know When the Talking Isn’t Walking?
Let’s get another cliché out of the way. Talk is cheap. Hmm. In SaaS that’s actually not so true. A lot of talk gets funded. And a lot of decisions get made based on plans (nice, formalized, talk). From there, a lot of evaluation is done based on reporting data (another form of talk). I […]
10 SaaS Fundamentals I take for Granted (that Don’t Always Happen)
After 20+ years in software startups I can say I think I know how to stack the chips on the right side of the equation. It’s definitely not a formula, because SaaS companies have specific challenges. But there is a list of SaaS fundamentals that I take for granted. This list ties back to the […]
Why “Enduring” Is a Third Option
I recently had lunch with a former teammate and active participant in our city’s startup ecosystem. During our discussion he asked, “Do you think software companies can really be enduring?” I’m not 100% sure of his perception that led him to ask the question. However, it does seem like a high percentage of software founders […]
AI Versus SAAS: It’s Not an Either/Or Proposition
A quick search for the terms “AI” and “SaaS” puts the two in opposition to one another. Articles pop up explaining how AI is “disrupting” and “rivialing” SaaS. One particularly dire headline reads “SaaS Is Dead. What Next?” Yikes. But there is definitely another way to look at it. Most companies are already relying on […]
SaaS Product Feature Release Go-to-Market (GTM)
SaaS products rapidly evolve with release cycles that feel almost continuous. In fact, some are actually continuous. Regardless of your release cycle, communication is critical to success. And that communication involves the majority of the organization — engineering, product, support, customer success, marketing, and sales. Each team needs clear responsibilities tied to key results in […]
Here Are 2019’s Biggest SaaS Trends
In a relatively short amount of time, it’s become virtually impossible to picture a functioning workplace without any form of SaaS. It’s hard to even remember a time before we were linked with our coworkers via Slack, managing our accounts via services like Bill.com, or simplifying our communication using services like MailChimp. And though the […]
How to Hire a Contracts and Compliance Manager
Last week I shared the reasons why your SaaS probably needs a contracts & compliance manager. Hopefully, I made the case and at least inspired you to consider this important role. Here’s more info on how to hire a contracts & compliance manager—what to look for, how to interview and get them up to speed. […]
Does Your SaaS Need a Contracts and Compliance Manager?
Yes! No matter what scale you are, if you are selling a SaaS product to the enterprise, you should hire a contracts & compliance manager as soon as you can. This role can accelerate your sales cycle, and help you meet the demands of the enterprise buyer. A contracts & compliance manager tames the chaos of […]
How to Hire Between the Lines for Your SaaS Stage
I’m taking a quick side road from my marketing art & science articles of the last couple of weeks. I’ll get back to that series shortly, but this week I have to speak to hiring SaaS talent for the stage of your company. Why? Because I’m in the midst of two scenarios with Beacon9 clients […]
