SaaSy Talk S01.50: Scaling Your Startup with Matt Verlaque: Key Lessons Learned from a CEO's Perspective
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03/07/24 • 47 min
About The Guest(s): After spending a decade in the fire department, Matt founded UpLaunch in 2016 and was the CEO through its successful acquisition in 2020. After his exit, he partnered with Dan Martell as the COO of SaaS Academy, the largest coaching & training program for B2B SaaS founders in the world. Inside of SaaS Academy, Matt oversees the Growth Accelerator program, where he coaches early stage founders to find product market fit, hone their go-to-market strategies, and make their first few key hires in the business. Most recently, Matt has utilized his wealth of experience in the world of SaaS businesses to co-author the book “Software as a Science: Unlock Limitless Revenue Growth Without Losing Control”. Outside of his work at SaaS Academy, Matt is a husband, father of three young boys, and spends most of his spare time reading, weightlifting, cycling, and running.
In this episode, Matt Verlaque shares his journey from being a firefighter to becoming a tech entrepreneur and eventually the COO of SaaS Academy. He discusses the challenges he faced as a first-time founder and the importance of focusing on a specific niche. Matt also emphasizes the value of effective time management and the power of having an assistant. He provides insights into the future of SaaS and the impact of AI on businesses. Tune in to gain valuable insights from Matt's experiences and expertise.
Key Takeaways:
- Scaling a startup requires focusing on a specific niche and solving a problem for a target audience. By narrowing your focus, you can better understand your customers' needs and provide a solution that truly meets their requirements.
- Overcoming self-doubt as a founder involves focusing on solving the next problem in front of you and working the process. By breaking down challenges into manageable steps and staying focused on the task at hand, you can overcome self-doubt and make progress towards your goals.
- The calendar is a tool for organizing and protecting your time, allowing you to prioritize what matters most.
- Hiring an assistant can be a game-changer for founders, as it frees up time and allows them to focus on high-value tasks.
Notable Quotes:
- "The calendar is actually a defense mechanism against chaos and not the thing that causes chaos."
- "The first hire outside of the founding team should be an assistant who can make you better and help you do the things you need to do."
- "Interviewing is a skill to be developed just like writing code or doing a sales call."
- "I just want to figure out how to unlock entrepreneurship for young people who have the predisposition and the personality traits to be great at it."
Chapters 00:34 The Birth of a Side Hustle
02:03 Challenges of Early Stage Founding
02:46 The Role of SaaS Academy in Growth
03:41 The Transition from Founder to CEO
05:12 The Importance of Customer Interaction
09:59 Building and Scaling the Team
12:42 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing the Journey
24:32 The Future of SaaS and AI
26:44 The Struggles of First-Time Founders
27:22 The Power of Time Management and Calendar Organization
29:10 The Importance of Hiring an Assistant
34:19 The Value of a Test Project in Hiring
42:59 The Future of Entrepreneurship Education
45:04 Quick Fire Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
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Subscribe to our Newsletter:
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Visit our Website:
https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/
Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/
Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:
About The Guest(s): After spending a decade in the fire department, Matt founded UpLaunch in 2016 and was the CEO through its successful acquisition in 2020. After his exit, he partnered with Dan Martell as the COO of SaaS Academy, the largest coaching & training program for B2B SaaS founders in the world. Inside of SaaS Academy, Matt oversees the Growth Accelerator program, where he coaches early stage founders to find product market fit, hone their go-to-market strategies, and make their first few key hires in the business. Most recently, Matt has utilized his wealth of experience in the world of SaaS businesses to co-author the book “Software as a Science: Unlock Limitless Revenue Growth Without Losing Control”. Outside of his work at SaaS Academy, Matt is a husband, father of three young boys, and spends most of his spare time reading, weightlifting, cycling, and running.
In this episode, Matt Verlaque shares his journey from being a firefighter to becoming a tech entrepreneur and eventually the COO of SaaS Academy. He discusses the challenges he faced as a first-time founder and the importance of focusing on a specific niche. Matt also emphasizes the value of effective time management and the power of having an assistant. He provides insights into the future of SaaS and the impact of AI on businesses. Tune in to gain valuable insights from Matt's experiences and expertise.
Key Takeaways:
- Scaling a startup requires focusing on a specific niche and solving a problem for a target audience. By narrowing your focus, you can better understand your customers' needs and provide a solution that truly meets their requirements.
- Overcoming self-doubt as a founder involves focusing on solving the next problem in front of you and working the process. By breaking down challenges into manageable steps and staying focused on the task at hand, you can overcome self-doubt and make progress towards your goals.
- The calendar is a tool for organizing and protecting your time, allowing you to prioritize what matters most.
- Hiring an assistant can be a game-changer for founders, as it frees up time and allows them to focus on high-value tasks.
Notable Quotes:
- "The calendar is actually a defense mechanism against chaos and not the thing that causes chaos."
- "The first hire outside of the founding team should be an assistant who can make you better and help you do the things you need to do."
- "Interviewing is a skill to be developed just like writing code or doing a sales call."
- "I just want to figure out how to unlock entrepreneurship for young people who have the predisposition and the personality traits to be great at it."
Chapters 00:34 The Birth of a Side Hustle
02:03 Challenges of Early Stage Founding
02:46 The Role of SaaS Academy in Growth
03:41 The Transition from Founder to CEO
05:12 The Importance of Customer Interaction
09:59 Building and Scaling the Team
12:42 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing the Journey
24:32 The Future of SaaS and AI
26:44 The Struggles of First-Time Founders
27:22 The Power of Time Management and Calendar Organization
29:10 The Importance of Hiring an Assistant
34:19 The Value of a Test Project in Hiring
42:59 The Future of Entrepreneurship Education
45:04 Quick Fire Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq
Subscribe on Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070
Subscribe on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered
Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered
Visit our Website:
https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/
Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/
Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:
Previous Episode
SaaSy Talk S01.49: A Deep Dive into the World of Tech Sales
About The Guest(s): Bringing over 20 years of comprehensive sales experience, Michelle is an accomplished sales leader with a love for all things sales. Her experience consists of 11 years of sales leadership and 9 years of being an Individual contributor. She has spent the last 6 years at G2, before G2 she had a long tenure at CareerBuilder and also Quill.com. Michelle has honed her expertise in building a collaborative, high-performing sales culture and also has been recognized for her commitment to developing Sales Professionals, not just in their sales career, but by helping them set and achieve personal goals that will improve their lives as a whole. Michelle resides in the Chicago area and has 2 young kids. In her free time, she loves to run, read suspense books, and play tennis.
Episode Summary: In this episode, Michelle Vu, VP of Sales at G2, shares her journey into the world of tech sales and provides valuable insights into the sales process. She emphasizes the importance of effective discovery and asking the right questions to uncover customer pain points. Michelle also discusses the onboarding process for sales teams, the role of account executives in prospecting, and the challenges of forecasting. She highlights the significance of metrics and conversions in evaluating sales performance and shares her approach to deal reviews. Michelle's passion for developing sales talent and her excitement for leveraging AI in sales make this episode a must-listen for anyone in the sales industry.Key Takeaways:
- Effective discovery and asking the right questions are crucial in sales to understand customer pain points and provide value.
- The onboarding process for sales teams should focus on developing skills in uncovering pain points and having meaningful conversations with customers.
- Account executives should take ownership of prospecting and not solely rely on other sources for pipeline generation.
- Metrics such as conversion rates and the number of contacts in an account are important indicators of sales performance.
- Deal reviews and collaborative selling play a significant role in improving sales outcomes and addressing challenges.
Notable Quotes:
- "You can learn your product, but what you need to learn is how to uncover pain and have meaningful conversations with customers." - Michelle Vu
- "Sales is not a lone wolf role anymore. You have to be okay with taking advice and giving advice." - Michelle Vu
Chapters 02:15 From Office Supplies to Tech Sales
04:16 The Importance of Face-to-Face Selling
06:27 The Role of Discovery in Sales
07:14 Onboarding Process for Sales Teams
09:19 The Role of Account Executives in Prospecting
11:14 Preparing for Success in 2024 and Beyond
13:03 A Day in the Life of a Sales Leader
15:39 Hiring the Right Salespeople
16:37 The Importance of Feedback in Sales
19:05 Transitioning to Metrics
20:29 Dealing with the 'Ronaldo's' of Sales
21:07 Setting Expectations and Maintaining Consistency
22:04 Discussing Forecasting Challenges
24:23 The Importance of Deal Reviews
29:27 Quick Fire Round
Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq
Subscribe on Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070
Subscribe on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered
Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered
Visit our Website:
https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/
Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/
Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:
Next Episode
SaaSy Talk S02.01: Growth and Evolving Leadership Style
About The Guest(s): Alex embarked on his career at CDW, spending eight years immersed in sales, cultivating a passion for customer relations and revenue growth. He led two pivotal chapters, propelling businesses from inception to $9M and later to $22M. As the Co-founder and CEO of SceneDoc, a pioneer in 'mobile-first' data collection for global first responders, he steered the company to acquisition by Tyler Technologies (NYSE: TYL) in December 2018. Post-acquisition, Alex assumed key roles at Tyler, ANDE Corporation, Qumu (acquired by Enghouse Systems), and Spatial Data Logic (acquired by Gauge Capital), showcasing his leadership prowess. Presently, he dedicates the majority of his energy to advising startups, providing fractional and interim CEO/CRO services, and occasionally investing in early-stage ventures. At the helm of Dena Growth, his consulting and advisory venture, Alex boasts a proven track record in steering tech companies to success. Over his career, Alex has advised over 90 startups, led or supported five acquisitions, and helped in the raising of $75 million in venture capital and private equity, Alex is a driving force in the tech ecosystem.
Episode Summary: A candid conversation with Alex Kottoor, co-founder of SceneDoc, sharing significant moments from his journey of conceptualising, growing, and eventually selling his company. Kottoor details SceneDoc's evolution, starting from their days as a note-taking app to their impactful niche as a service for public safety entities. He discusses the challenges and achievements they faced, from hiring the right team to finding product-market fit. He also stresses the importance of being customer-obsessed, having a supportive spouse, and advises new entrepreneurs to trust their gut and start their journey as soon as possible, closing the session with further insights on investment cycles, funding, and sales methodologies.
Key Takeaways:
- Building a successful startup requires a combination of domain expertise, sales skills, and the ability to adapt to the needs of the market.
- Hiring the right team at each stage of growth is crucial, and founders should prioritize hiring for the stage they are in rather than solely focusing on domain expertise.
- Founders should be prepared to weather the storm and have a high pain tolerance, as running a startup is a constant grind.
- Founder-led sales can be effective, but it's important to transition to a VP of sales at the right time and hire someone who can scale the sales process.
- Understanding the market and focusing on a specific target audience can lead to predictable growth and attract the attention of larger players in the industry.
Notable Quotes:
- "You need to hire for the stage of growth you're at and not lose sight of the type of business you're trying to build."
- "Pain tolerance is key. You have to be able to weather the storm and crawl through the mud longer than everybody else."
- "The more you can be in the trenches with prospects and customers, the more optionality you'll have in funding the business."
Chapters
00:23 The Journey of Building SceneDoc
02:37 The Turning Point: From Picky Note to SceneDoc
04:49 The Growth and Evolution of SceneDoc
05:37 Challenges and Learnings in the Early Days
08:26 Building the First Team and Overcoming Challenges
11:34 The Evolution of Leadership Style and Team Building
18:50 Reflections on the Journey and the Reality of Running SceneDoc
21:38 The Strategy Behind SceneDoc's Success
25:51 The Unconventional Approach to Enterprise Sales
28:20 The Journey to Predictable Growth
28:52 Transitioning from Founder-led Sales
29:31 The Role of a CEO in Sales
30:32 Understanding Investment in Startups
30:57 The Importance of Knowing Your Market
32:15 The Decision to Raise Capital
33:14 The Biggest Mistake and Rewarding Moments
35:32 Advice for Aspiring Founders
37:35 The Next Wave of Dana Growth
41:02 Quick Fire Round
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