SaaSy Talk Unfiltered - SaaSy Talk S01.35: Leading Tradify to Global Success: Unfiltered with CEO Michael Steckler

SaaSy Talk S01.35: Leading Tradify to Global Success: Unfiltered with CEO Michael Steckler

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01/12/24 • 45 min

SaaSy Talk Unfiltered

About The Guest(s): Michael is an award winning leader. He was part of the management team that grew advertising technology company Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) from 50 to 2,500 employees and $2BN USD in annual revenue. Prior to Criteo, Michael was Managing Director of AOL UK. He has also held executive positions in the US and has lots of experience scaling businesses internationally.

Michael is currently the CEO of Tradify, a job management application used by thousands of trade businesses globally to simplify their job quoting, scheduling, management and invoicing.
Summary:

Ricky and Sean interview Michael Steckler, the CEO of Tradify. Michael shares his journey into the tech industry, from starting in media sales to working at Microsoft and Criteo. He discusses the challenges and rewards of transitioning from a founder to a CEO and the importance of building a strong leadership team. Michael also talks about the unique aspects of the New Zealand tech scene and the opportunities and challenges of running a global software company from a remote location. He emphasizes the importance of having a support structure as a CEO and the value of networking and learning from other leaders. Michael shares his insights on budget planning, pricing strategy, and the key factors that have contributed to Tradify's success. He also discusses the importance of authentic company values and metrics in driving business growth.
Key Takeaways:

The strongest founders recognize their weaknesses and build a team that complements their strengths.
Moving from a founder to a CEO requires measurable impact, trust, credibility, and understanding company culture.
Building a support structure as a CEO is crucial, including a strong network of mentors and peers.
The most rewarding moments for Michael at Tradify are seeing long-term employees reflect on the company's growth and impact.
Building a successful company culture involves authentic values, leading by example, and fostering open communication.
Key factors contributing to Tradify's success are a great product, understanding the customer, and a scalable go-to-market strategy.
Metrics play a crucial role in driving business growth, differentiating between vanity metrics and operational metrics.

Quotes:

"The strongest founders...assemble great teams and recognize that."
"If you're going to be a CEO, you need to...thoroughly understand that business."
"Values aren't about being that value 100 percent...It's about calling each other out on it."
"Having a great product and understanding your go-to-market are the key factors in cracking the code for business success."
"Understanding...the most important metrics to the business...is probably the most important thing for me."
"Understanding the difference between vanity metrics and metrics that really drive the business...is important."
"If you have a bad ENPS, everything else you're worrying about is irrelevant."
"Keep executing, keep growing the business, keep growing the team, do all the things that we're doing well, and fix things that we're not doing so well."
"The number one thing I care about is respect...That is the most important thing."

Chapters 00:00 Michael’s Background

00:05 Journey into Tech and Early Career

03:28 Taking the Helm as CEO of Tradify

04:35 Reflections on Past Experiences and Lessons from Microsoft and Criteo

06:05 Adjusting to NZ's Tech Scene

08:02 Transition from Founder to CEO

09:35 First 100 Days as CEO

17:05 Building a Support Structure as a CEO

19:39 Learning from Mistakes and Pricing Strategy

23:57 A Day in the Life of a CEO

25:39 Budget Planning for 2024

28:12 Most Rewarding Moments at Tradify

29:52 Building a Successful Company Culture

35:19 Cracking the Code: Tradify's Success Factors

40:20 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Tradify

42:06 Quick Fire Round: Getting to Know Michael

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https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered

Michael is currently the CEO of Tradify, a job management application used by thousands of trade businesses globally to simplify their job quoting, scheduling, management and invoicing.
Summary:

The strongest founders recognize their weaknesses and build a team that complements their strengths.
Moving from a founder to a CEO requires measurable impact, trust, credibility, and understanding company culture.
Building a support structure as a CEO is crucial, including a strong network of mentors and peers.
The most rewarding moments for Michael at Tradify are seeing long-term employees reflect on the company's growth and impact.
Building a successful company culture involves authentic values, leading by example, and fostering open communication.
Key factors contributing to Tradify's success are a great product, understanding the customer, and a scalable go-to-market strategy.
Metrics play a crucial role in driving business growth, differentiating between vanity metrics and operational metrics.

Quotes:

"The strongest founders...assemble great teams and recognize that."
"If you're going to be a CEO, you need to...thoroughly understand that business."
"Values aren't about being that value 100 percent...It's about calling each other out on it."
"Having a great product and understanding your go-to-market are the key factors in cracking the code for business success."
"Understanding...the most important metrics to the business...is probably the most important thing for me."
"Understanding the difference between vanity metrics and metrics that really drive the business...is important."
"If you have a bad ENPS, everything else you're worrying about is irrelevant."
"Keep executing, keep growing the business, keep growing the team, do all the things that we're doing well, and fix things that we're not doing so well."
"The number one thing I care about is respect...That is the most important thing."

Chapters 00:00 Michael’s Background

00:05 Journey into Tech and Early Career

03:28 Taking the Helm as CEO of Tradify

04:35 Reflections on Past Experiences and Lessons from Microsoft and Criteo

06:05 Adjusting to NZ's Tech Scene

08:02 Transition from Founder to CEO

09:35 First 100 Days as CEO

17:05 Building a Support Structure as a CEO

19:39 Learning from Mistakes and Pricing Strategy

23:57 A Day in the Life of a CEO

25:39 Budget Planning for 2024

28:12 Most Rewarding Moments at Tradify

29:52 Building a Successful Company Culture

35:19 Cracking the Code: Tradify's Success Factors

40:20 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Tradify

42:06 Quick Fire Round: Getting to Know Michael

Subscribe to our Newsletter:

https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered

Previous Episode

SaaSy Talk S01.34: Exploring International Growth and Transparency With Kallie McConkie, ActiveCampaign

About The Guest(s): Kallie McConkie is the Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Success at ActiveCampaign. Since joining in 2018, Kallie has been instrumental in growing the team across the globe to support customer-facing teams, including customer support, onboarding, customer education, solutions consulting, customer success management, and implementation functions to create remarkable customer experiences, helping businesses grow using customer experience automation.

As a MarTech veteran, Kallie started her career at Constant Contact, where she was responsible for educating their customers on using email marketing and social media to grow their businesses. From there, she joined HubSpot, pre-IPO, and spent 4 years building and growing a paid customer training program that educated thousands of customers across the globe on inbound marketing.

Kallie is a proud member of Chief and an active participant in the Chicago Tech Customer Success community, participating in the Sales Assembly Customer Success Leadership Council. She received her bachelors from Michigan State University.

Summary: Kallie McConkie shares her journey into the tech industry, from working for a non-profit to becoming a marketing expert. She discusses her experience at HubSpot and the importance of a customer-centric approach. Kallie also talks about the challenges and rewards of building teams in different countries and the importance of in-person interactions. She emphasizes the power of transparency in leadership and the need for clear communication. Kallie provides valuable insights into marketing for SMBs and the importance of automation tools. She also discusses the company's plans for 2024 and the exciting possibilities of AI in business.

Key Takeaways:

Kallie stumbled into the tech industry by chance and has been in Martech for the past 15 years.
HubSpot's collaborative and customer-centric approach was a valuable lesson for Kallie.
Building teams in different countries requires understanding and adapting to different cultures and regions.
In-person interactions are crucial for building relationships and creating a strong company culture.
Transparency in leadership is essential for building trust and motivating teams.
Marketing automation tools can help SMBs streamline their marketing efforts and engage with customers more effectively.
ActiveCampaign is focusing on strategic programs and expanding its presence in different regions.
Kallie is excited about the possibilities of AI in business and its potential to improve efficiency and customer experience.

Quotes:

"If I as a leader cannot explain the why, I shouldn't be doing something." - Kallie
"There is no substitute for in-person interactions. You can't build the same relationships and connections on a Zoom call." - Kallie
"Be transparent and tell people what you're able to, with the right context." - Kallie
"Invest in tools that will help you not spend the majority of your time on marketing." - Kallie
"AI can be really powerful and help small businesses be more efficient in their day-to-day operations." - Kallie

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Kallie’s Journey into Tech

00:13 Transition from Non-Profit to Tech

02:13 Experience at HubSpot and Customer-Centric Approach

03:29 Strategic Programs and Daily Operations

04:00 Expansion into Costa Rica

06:28 Building Teams in Different Countries

08:40 Adapting to Different Cultures and Regions

14:34 Importance of In-Person Interactions

20:33 Transparency in Leadership

21:53 The Power of Transparency in Business

23:03 The Importance of Explaining 'Why' in Leadership

25:01 Switching Business Strategies: From Sales to Customer Growth

27:06 Marketing Tips for Early Stage Founders

30:13 Planning and Budgeting for 2024

33:13 Personal and Professional Excitements for 2024

33:26 The Excitement and Fear of AI in Business

35:37 Quickfire Round: Getting to Know Kallie

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Next Episode

SaaSy Talk S01.36: Electric Dreams: Louise's Journey from Sparky to Leadership at Schneider Electric

About The Guest(s): Louise has over 20 years experience in technical and leadership roles across a range of sectors and disciplines, including technology, real estate, facilities management, and working as an electrician in the mining industry. This diverse experience underpins her passion for how people and technology can shape real estate experiences and improve the world we live in.
Louise joined Schneider Electric in November 2020, as the Vice President Digital Buildings, Australia, leading a 350 strong team delivering sustainability and efficiency solutions to the built environment.
Prior to that Louise was at AMP Capital, where she was most recently the Program Director for Technology and Innovation, ensuring delivery of client and business value from technology investment and leading real estate's digital and innovation team. Louise has also held senior roles in property management, operations and facilities management.

Louise is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of Chief Executive Women, holds a Masters of Facilities Management, and remains a qualified electrician.

Summary: Louise shares her unique career journey, from starting as an apprentice in the mining industry to becoming a leader at Schneider Electric. She discusses the challenges and opportunities in the industry, including the shift towards open platforms and the integration of IoT. Louise also highlights the importance of diversity in leadership teams and the need for continuous learning and skill development. She emphasizes the role of AI in making buildings more efficient and addresses the challenges of the skills shortage in the industry. Louise concludes by sharing her vision for the future and the legacy she hopes to leave as a leader.

Key Takeaways:

Louise's career path was unique, starting as an apprentice in the mining industry and transitioning into facility management and real estate.
The industry has seen significant changes in the past decade, with a shift towards open platforms and the integration of IoT.
Diversity in leadership teams is crucial for success, including a mix of skills, backgrounds, and experiences.
AI plays a significant role in making buildings more efficient and addressing the challenges of the skills shortage.
Louise's vision for the future includes continued growth and development in her role at Schneider Electric.

Quotes:

"I would like for people that have worked in the businesses I lead to look back at that period and be like, that was a good part of my career."
"The biggest challenge locally, I think it holds true globally, is going to be skills shortage."
"It's about investing in and growing their capability rather than reducing the workforce."
"The application of technology to meet outcomes and getting that right is crucial."

Chapters 00:42 Louise's Unique Career Journey

01:45 Transition into Facility Management and Real Estate

02:28 Role at Schneider Electric

03:21 Industry Changes Over the Last Decade

04:18 Adapting to Open Platforms and IoT

04:59 Challenges and Solutions in Data Integration

08:12 Working with Partners and Vendors

13:49 The Future of Schneider Electric

18:09 Leadership and Career Reflections

22:56 Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities

25:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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