So “SaaStr Inc” will cross $100,000,000 in cumulative income a bit later this yr. Not ARR, and never in 1 yr. However since our starting.
It wasn’t initially meant to make any cash, and didn’t have any income for years, however it’s been 10 years, and we’ll quickly cross that milestone.
A number of learnings:
#1. Non-recurring income doesn’t actually scale.
It could appear to be it repeats, and it form of repeats, however it’s not remotely the identical as 100% NRR. Because of this so many media firms do battle to take care of progress as they get larger.
#2. The individuals aspect of gross sales by no means will get simpler. The remaining does.
Yup. The playbook will get recognized, the model will get stronger, you’ve gotten increasingly more income to resume as time goes on. However discovering nice individuals? That by no means will get simpler. Good markets or unhealthy.
#3. CMOs have a extremely robust job.
If you happen to say No to an excessive amount of, you lose your job. Not sufficient pipeline. If you happen to say Sure to the flawed issues, you lose your job. Mistaken pipeline. You possibly can’t keep in place too lengthy.
#4. The world exterior of tech is stuffed with corruption.
The distributors we’ve labored with that take back-channel funds, that cost for work by no means executed, and many others. may shock you.
#5. What labored 4 years in the past solely form of works at present. What labored 8 years in the past doesn’t work in any respect at present.
Everyone knows this, I’m simply relearning it 🙂
#6. 10x People Matter Now Even Extra Than Ever. You possibly can’t allow them to go.
And it’s a must to search them out like a heat-seeking missile.
#7. Bootstrapping isn’t Higher or Worse. However it’s extra versatile.
The stress is actual however it isn’t the identical with out as many exterior forcing features.
#8. Most people simply need to work at a traditional SaaS firm promoting the identical manner as the remaining.
If you happen to do one thing a bit totally different from that, you’ll have to increase the expertise pool you usher in.
#9. Paying poorly backfires, however paying prime of market isn’t a magic happiness automobile.
I’ve had an opportunity to run experiments on huge revenue sharing, huge bonuses, and plenty extra. They’re enjoyable, however in the end, don’t transfer to needle both manner on happiness or retention. Not ultimately.
#10. Do Free Stuff for Free, however Don’t Do Paid Stuff for Free. A lesson re-learned.
100% of SaaStr content material is free, and 99% of SaaStr stuff general is free. However we do cost for sponsorships, and cost tickets to offset some (not all) of the prices to placed on our IRL occasions. We’ve tried doing a whole lot of free stuff for our sponsors and companions through the years. Ultimately, they don’t care or bear in mind. They’ve their one objective. I assume all of us do.
