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Usage-Based Revenue Models: Successes and Pitfalls from Checkr COO Lindsey Scrase on CRO Confidential

SaaStr

When Lindsey joined, she inherited an already built-out self-serve/PLG model for small businesses and a mid-market and enterprise sales, customer success, and post-sales team. But at the start of its expansion play, Checkr’s enterprise motion failed, and sales cycles were slow, taking up to a year for $100k & up deals.

Revenue 286
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Is AI Penetration … Slowing Down? Ramp Says Possibly

SaaStr

I pay more for AI subscriptions than I do for my car lease — Matthew Berman (@MatthewBerman) June 5, 2025 Why the Slowdown May Be Real Several structural factors suggest this isn’t just a temporary pause: Implementation complexity has caught up with enthusiasm. Skills bottlenecks are widening. Integration challenges are mounting.

AI 275
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A Look Back at Q1 '25 Public Cloud Software Earnings

Clouded Judgement

Here’s the data: Sales Efficiency: Gross Margin Adjusted CAC Payback Demonstrating the ability to efficiently acquire customers is the fifth aspect of a successful quarter. In theory, any growth rate is possible with an unlimited budget to hire AEs. I consider >120% best in class for companies selling to SMBs (like Bill.com).

Cloud 277
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CRO Confidential: Bringing Product-Led and Sales-Led Growth Together For Go-To-Market Success with Giancarlo Lionetti, CRO of Zapier

SaaStr

Everything from hiring on the GTM side to layering in a sales-led motion into PLG. From a Go-To-Market perspective, Zapier uses a hybrid model that involves a combination of freemium offerings, subscription plans, and partnerships. Let’s dive into what’s making that hybrid model successful: PLG and Sales Led?

Scale 311
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Navigating the Rocky Road from Founder-Led Sales to The First Dozen Sales Professionals with Demodesk CEO Veronika Riederle and VP Revenue Lauren Wright (Pod 588 + Video)

SaaStr

How do you build a sales organization from scratch? What about moving from founder-led sales to building a sales team and scaling your revenue growth? Build a predictable sales process. Before you hire your first sales reps, you need to have a justifiable reason to do so. Scraping LinkedIn.

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The Top 10 SaaStr Posts of 2020

SaaStr

Atlassian and AWS, two of the greats, may hold a clue: Atlassian and AWS Say: “Maybe Worry a Little Bit” 4. “A Framework For Your First SaaS Sales Comp Plan” A SaaStr Classic, still going strong in 2020. A Framework For Your First SaaS Sales Comp Plan. What Makes a Great VP of Sales and How to Hire One.

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The Secrets to Aligning GTM Teams & Finance to Scale by 10X with Subskribe Founder Prakash Raina and Okta VP Finance Leslie Hui (Video)

SaaStr

was pretty simplified, mostly made up of annual or monthly subscriptions. From 2010 until 2015, the SaaS world was becoming more complex with the introduction of static bundles and recurring revenue as an addition to the annual/monthly subscription model. While annual/monthly subscriptions still exist, they are more complex than ever.

Scale 246