SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

Dear SaaStr: What is The Biggest Difference Between Running a 10 Person Startup and a 100 Person Startup? VP of Nothing image from here ) A related post here: What Your First 100 Hires Will Look Like The post Dear SaaStr: What is The Biggest Difference Between Running a 10 Person Startup and a 100 Person Startup?

Sales Hiring 262

Sales Hiring Startup Scale Scaling 262

SaaStr

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Dear SaaStr: What Happens if One Founder Wants to Quit When the Startup Has Just Raised VC Funding? options: Find a replacement “founder” While this isn’t literally possible, by that I meant someone who can operate at a very senior role and carry the founder-level emotional and leadership role. Basically, you have 2.5

Startup 222

Startup Banking Leadership Engineering 222

SaaStr

APRIL 21, 2024

Dear SaaStr: What Are The Top 5 Things I Should Know Before Starting a SaaS Startup? The post Dear SaaStr: What Are The Top 5 Things I Should Know Before Starting a SaaS Startup? My Top 5: It will take you at least 24 months to really get anywhere. Everyone mentally budgets 10–12 months. It’s never enough. appeared first on SaaStr.

Startup 264

Startup CTO SaaS Interviewing 264

SaaStr

MARCH 5, 2022

The life of a startup is not a smooth ride. Everything your business encounters is not of equal importance, and it’s the role of leadership to choose the right path — even if that sometimes means focusing on fewer and more impactful things. Know when to diversify leadership.

Startup 239

Startup Leadership Innovation Scaling 239

Intercom, Inc.

OCTOBER 26, 2020

Our Chairman and Co-founder, Eoghan McCabe , sat down for a chat with Harry Stebbings on the Twenty Minute VC podcast to discuss his startup journey and the lessons he learned while building Intercom. What distinguishes good leadership from bad? So it’s scary, but it’s so rewarding.”. It’s not enduring.”.

Leadership 211

Leadership Scale SMB Innovation 211

SaaStr

APRIL 6, 2024

Dear SaaStr: What Will Venture Capitalists Do if Our Startup is a Loss? Bill said] ‘most startups do fail, so the odds were that Fanbase would fail , not succeed. Especially, if you’ve only raise one VC round or so. appeared first on SaaStr.

Startup 219

Startup Investment Leadership 219

SaaStr

APRIL 22, 2024

Dear SaaStr: How Do I Craft a Winning Investor Deck for an Early-Stage Startup? The post Dear SaaStr: How Do I Craft a Winning Investor Deck for an Early-Stage Startup? Not using 6 point font. Then fill out each section, and functional area, and the model, and the team, and the competition, etc. appeared first on SaaStr.

Startup 217

Startup Investment Leadership 217

SaaStr

JANUARY 26, 2024

Dear SaaStr: What Was Your Biggest Early Days Mistake In Your Startups? But I’d have to say in both my startups, the biggest mistake was not taking the time in the beginning to get the founding team right. I survived this in both of my startups. Boy it’s tough to pick just one mistake. This is tough. You want to go, go, go.

Startup 208

Startup Leadership 208

Tom Tunguz

MARCH 19, 2020

Speaking with startups, I’ve collected a list of disciplines that are going to become very important in the next period. If a meaningful fraction of customers no longer pay the balance of their annual contract on the renewal date, then your startup’s cash flows will worsen. Sixth, leadership.

Startup 207

Startup SaaS Payments Payment Services Payment Methods 207

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

This showcases a narrow segment of a niche market, and it’s missing a lot of startups. Any startup in any reasonable category likely has dozens of competitors, and Altman believes the best strategy to compete in 2023 and beyond is multi-product. Startups are no longer fringe. How can a startup compete with a big company?

Scale 220

Scale Scaling Startup Sales Hiring 220

Intercom, Inc.

MAY 21, 2018

The essence of design leadership is the inverse of what I had assumed. I eventually came to realize that the essence of design leadership is the inverse of what I had assumed. What does this have to do with design leadership? Design leadership as a subversive activity. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way.

Leadership 200

Leadership Underperforming Technical Team Scale Management 200

SaaStr

FEBRUARY 10, 2024

Dear SaaStr: How Big of a Return Are VCs Looking For in a Startup? jasonlk) June 17, 2023 The post Dear SaaStr: How Big of a Return Are VCs Looking For in a Startup? For Angel, Pre-Seed: At least 50x, with a possible chance of mode. The loss rate in general is so high here, the winners have to do 50x. appeared first on SaaStr.

Venture Capital 225

Venture Capital Startup Investment Leadership 225

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Dear SaaStr: When Should You Sell Your Startup? Most startups never get a single good acquisition offer, ever. The post Dear SaaStr: When Should You Sell Your Startup? Having been through the acquisition process 4x — twice as a founder, twice as a start-up exec, here’s my list of when and if to sell. Which is hard.

Startup 315

Startup Acquisition Scaling Metrics 315

Kellblog

JULY 17, 2022

In general, I think branding is a potential marketing rathole for startups, particularly early-stage ones. Some startups put the cart in front of the horse. In this post, I’ll use a six-point branding framework and share my thoughts on how each element applies (or doesn’t) to startups. For startups, fewer is better.

Branding 130

Branding Startup Software Sales Recruiting 130

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Is It Ridiculous To Call Yourself the CEO When Your Startup is Tiny? I used to look at tiny little startups and wince when a founder went around talking about himself as “CEO”. note: an updated SaaStr Classic answer) The post Dear SaaStr: Is It Ridiculous To Call Yourself the CEO When Your Startup is Tiny?

Startup 269

Startup Innovation Customer Success Retention 269

TechEmpower SaaS

AUGUST 21, 2023

The explanation from software leadership is often unsatisfying or unclear. Outgrowing your stack: Your tech stack was just right for your startup. Process and Team Review It’s easy for development teams, especially startup teams, to cut process corners in the name of shipping features. Will they resent scrutiny from the outside?

Technical Review 390

Technical Review Software Review Development Team Review Systems Review 390

Andreessen Horowitz

MARCH 5, 2024

In this fireside chat from the American Dynamism Summit with a16z General Partner Ben Horowitz, Maryland Governor Wes Moore discusses his inspiring journey to the statehouse and how his experiences have shaped his leadership. I ran a startup that we had a successful exit in ’17. Here is a transcript of their conversation.

Leadership 73

Leadership Education CTO Government 73

SaaStr

OCTOBER 16, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Why Do Many Startup CEOs Quit After Their Companies Are Acquired? I left my first startup after 20 days, post-acquisition. Acquirers should recognize this and turn the CEOs into 50%-time consultants and “non-executive chairpeople” of their startups, until the help isn’t needed anymore. That can be tough.

Startup 226

Startup Consulting Acquisition Retention 226

SaaStr

APRIL 8, 2024

Dear SaaStr: Why Do VC Backed Startups Seem To Almost Always Be Running Out of Money? Better too few great ones than too many not quite great ones: (image from here ) The post Dear SaaStr: Why Do VC Backed Startups Seem To Almost Always Be Running Out of Money? And so the money goes far, far faster than anticipated.

Sales Hiring 185

Sales Hiring Scale Startup Venture Capital 185

SaaStr

JULY 15, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Who Should Approve Startup CEO Expenses ? In a startup, the reality is a CEO can probably do almost anything they want — up to a point. More here: Founders: Get Your Comp Package Approved By Your Board of Directors The post Dear SaaStr: Who Should Approve Startup CEO Expenses? Transparency builds trust.

Startup 178

Startup Finance Compensation Leadership 178

Intercom, Inc.

AUGUST 15, 2018

He had to quickly determine which team members displayed a potential for leadership and teach them the fundamentals of management so they could make new hires and scale – without ruining the culture. I hosted Nick on the podcast, where we discussed the differences between management and leadership, fostering diversity in tech, and more.

Leadership 141

Leadership Engineering Part-Time VPE CTO Coach 141

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

Dear SaaStr: What Are The Biggest Problems You Face as a Startup Founder? Later, once you have a brand, you’ll be competing with Hot Startups nipping at your heals for top VPs. Some of us can go the distance as solo founders, and others of us can find a great co-founder, or perhaps a COO … later. This challenge never ends.

Sales Recruiting 243

Sales Recruiting Sales Hiring Startup Scale 243

Intercom, Inc.

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

They spoke on the topic of leadership, and unsurprisingly it was a fascinating and enlightening discussion, with a lot of great insights gleaned from their respective careers. If you’re short on time, here are a few quick takeaways: Leadership is not just about having a clear vision for the team – it’s also about serving others.

Leadership 118

Leadership Underperforming Technical Team Sales Hiring Education 118

SaaStr

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Dear SaaStr: As a Founder, How Do You Deal With Stress In a Startup? less stress image from here ) The post Dear SaaStr: As a Founder, How Do You Deal With Stress In a Startup? Dealing with stress is important, especially for founders, who do have to hide … some of it. More than in 21+ years. Because it will be shared.

Startup 242

Startup Management Business Leadership 242

SaaStr

MAY 24, 2024

The speaker’s motivations have evolved over time, but initially, he was driven by a desire for meaning and a sense of guilt about selling his previous startup too early. Even small startups should build a marketing team as everyone needs support to achieve their goals.

Sales Hiring 235

Sales Hiring Outsourcing Services Technical Review Scale 235

SaaStr

APRIL 18, 2023

Dear SaaStr: What Are The Things Startups Just Have to Get Right? Many startups don’t start off with particularly amazing software. You can do a single co-founder startup. But more broadly, Successful Startups can be built a lot of ways. Let’s break it down. Not required. Amazing Technology? First to Market?

Outsourcing Services 213

Outsourcing Services Startup Outsourced Development Technology 213

SaaStr

JANUARY 1, 2024

Dear SaaStr: Why Would I Start a Startup if I Only Have a 5% Chance of Succeeding? s The post Dear SaaStr: Why Would I Start a Startup if I Only Have a 5% Chance of Succeeding? Don’t do it. With both my start-ups (maybe three, if you count SaaStr and SaaStr Fund) … I was 100% sure we’d succeed. And I was 99% wrong once I got into it.

Startup 207

Startup Revenue SaaS Marketing 207

SaaStr

JULY 16, 2023

Dear SaaStr: Do Late Stage Startups Prefer to Get Acquired or Go Public? And a ways back we had an amazing deep dive on this, right after SAP bought Qualtrics for $8 Billion just before the IPO: (note: an updated SaaStr Classic answer) The post Dear SaaStr: Do Late Stage Startups Prefer to Get Acquired or Go Public? It really varies.

Startup 221

Startup Acquisition Pricing SaaS 221

SaaStr

OCTOBER 13, 2022

Dear SaaStr: What Are The Benefits of Having Your Own Startup? This is a subtle but huge benefit of having your own startup. Yes, startups take their toll on you. The post Dear SaaStr: What Are The Benefits of Having Your Own Startup? Few things are harder than being a CEO, once you have something. Some meta-thoughts.

Startup 232

Startup Innovation Education Engagement 232

OpenView Labs

OCTOBER 21, 2021

Behind every successful startup executive is a successful startup coach, or at least that’s the case with Alisa Cohn. Cohn’s been imparting leadership lessons at some of the world’s most well known brands and companies (Venmo, Etsy, Tory Burch, Google, and The New York Times, to name just a few).

Leadership 87

Leadership Startup Strategy Pricing 87

SaaStr

OCTOBER 6, 2023

If you’re a seed-stage startup, Michael shares the best ways for you to present your company to startup investors. They could talk about how they were starving startup founders who couldn’t pay their rent. If this is week two of your startup, you probably don’t have any traction. Let’s go back to Airbnb. Don’t include it.

Payment Methods 212

Payment Methods Startup Payment Solutions Sales Hiring 212

SaaStr

AUGUST 26, 2021

You need startup folks to succeed at a startup. Many startup folks have no idea how to work at scale. It’s a reminder the same is true of SaaS startups. Folks that know startups, and what it takes to put those initial points on the board. This is really the only way most startup folks can really scale.

Sales Hiring 288

Sales Hiring Scale Startup Scaling 288

SaaStr

DECEMBER 10, 2023

As Chief Evangelist, Udi oversees Gong’s market leadership through new product launches and thought leadership. Passionate about startups and brands during the day, whisky, music, and social activism at night, Udi is also an author, speaker, mentor, angel investor, board director, and advisor based in San Francisco.

Leadership 297

Leadership B2B Branding Revenue 297

SaaStr

JANUARY 16, 2023

To convert an idea into a successful venture, startups need to be equipped to scale. Hiring a reliable team is an all-encompassing issue where startups dive in head-first but fail to optimize it for success. . Hiring a reliable team is an all-encompassing issue where startups dive in head-first but fail to optimize it for success. .

Scale 193

Scale CTO Hire Cloud Scaling 193

SaaStr

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

Dear SaaStr: How Hard is it For a Startup founder/CEO to Settle Into a non-CEO Role After an Acquisition? The post Dear SaaStr: How Hard is it For a Startup founder/CEO to Settle Into a non-CEO Role After an Acquisition? It is tough for most of us. We get that the bureaucracy and frictional taxes are going to go up. And roll with it.

Acquisition 226

Acquisition Startup Engagement Leadership 226

Intercom, Inc.

NOVEMBER 9, 2021

. “You grow into the big, bloated company once you stop being a startup” This talk I gave at Web Summit 2021 is about pushing back against that. Here, I dive into how to remain a startup, what to look out for as you scale, and how to grow up without growing old. The key takeaway?

Startup 257

Startup Scaling Innovation Company Culture 257

SaaStr

JUNE 6, 2023

Dear SaaStr: How Much Vacation is Normal for an Early Stage Startup CEO? vacation image from here ) The post Dear SaaStr: How Much Vacation is Normal for an Early Stage Startup CEO? I’ve gotten worse at this. I think many of us have. appeared first on SaaStr.

Startup 190

Startup Management Business Leadership 190