Shows
SaaS Metrics SchoolShould You Target 80% Gross Profit in SaaS? Let’s Break It DownGross profit is a core metric in SaaS—and 80% is the benchmark often thrown around. But is that still realistic in today’s landscape? In episode #292 of SaaS Metric School, Ben Murray walks through real benchmarking data from Ray Rike’s benchmarks at Benchmarkit.ai and explains how gross profit should evolve as your business scales. He also dives into how to set up your SaaS P&L correctly and what to include in COGS vs. OpEx.
What You’ll Learn:
What gross profit benchmarks actually look like today
What is our north star GP...2025-06-2703 minSaaS Metrics SchoolHow Much Should You Invest in Sales and Marketing This Year?In episode #291 of SaaS Metrics School, Ben Murray breaks down one of the most important—and often debated—questions in SaaS finance:
💰 How much should we invest in sales and marketing this year?
Ben explores how to frame your sales and marketing spend using two key concepts:
Sales & Marketing as a % of Revenue (OpEx Profile)
Cost of ARR (Net New Annual Recurring Revenue Cost)
You'll hear current SaaS benchmarks from Ray Rike’s latest data set, which shows how spending evolves from early-stage startups to companies with $100M+ in revenue...2025-06-2604 minSaaS Metrics School61% R&D Spend?! What SaaS Benchmarks Reveal by Revenue SizeHow much R&D spend is too much—or not enough? In episode #290 of SaaS Metric School, Ben Murray breaks down R&D spend benchmarks by company revenue size, based on data from Ray Rike’s Benchmarkit.ai. Whether you’re a founder, CFO, CTO, or finance leader, understanding how your R&D investment compares is crucial for building operational leverage and scaling sustainably.
What You’ll Learn:
Why R&D spend can feel like a black box—especially for CFOs
Top vs. lean R&D spending benchmarks by revenue tiers:
How R&D sp...2025-06-2102 min
The SaaS CFOInsightWise Raises 1M Pre-seed to Automate the Strategy and Consulting Lifecycle with AIIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Katherine Tobias, the dynamic co-founder and CEO of InsightWise. Katherine shares her inspiring journey from her early days consulting at KPMG and working in government to leading one of Australia’s fastest-growing startups. Driven by her passion for delivering real-world impact and navigating mountains of qualitative data, Katherine reveals how these experiences led her to launch InsightWise—a groundbreaking AI platform tailored for consultants and strategy teams.
Tune in as Katherine dives into the realities of startup life, fundraising, and what it takes to disrupt the c...2025-06-1920 minSaaS Metrics SchoolDon't Make this LTV MistakeIn episode #288 of SaaS Metrics School, Ben Murray tackles a frequent mistake SaaS operators make when calculating Lifetime Value (LTV) — treating it as an aggregate rather than the point-in-time metric. Ben breaks down the correct formula, shares how to align it with gross revenue retention, and explains when LTV (and LTV to CAC) should be used SaaS businesses.
What You’ll Learn:
Why LTV is a point-in-time estimate, not a company-wide average
The correct formula for LTV in SaaS: Cohort ARPA × Gross Margin ÷ Churn
How to choose the right churn input using g...2025-06-1705 minSaaS Metrics SchoolWhat Is Subscription ARR? 3 Common Definitions Explained for SaaS OperatorsIn this episode of SaaS Metric School, Ben Murray dives deep into the often-confusing world of Subscription ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue). After analyzing over 160 public tech company filings, Ben shares the three most common ways companies define and calculate ARR—and why these differences matter for SaaS operators, investors, and finance teams. If you’ve ever struggled with benchmarking ARR or explaining it to stakeholders, this episode will give you clarity and context.
What You’ll Learn
The three standard definitions of Subscription ARR:
Run-Rate MRR
Annualized Contract Value
Commit...2025-06-1504 minSaaS Metrics SchoolWhy SaaS Metrics Break Without Proper MRR LayeringIn episode #286 of SaaS Metrics School, Ben Murray breaks down one of the most common — and costly — mistakes SaaS founders and CFOs make when building their Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) schedules: netting contraction and expansion. This seemingly small error can break your ability to calculate key SaaS metrics like Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) and Net Revenue Retention (NRR).
What You’ll Learn:
The essential structure of an accurate MRR waterfall schedule
Why separating expansion, contraction, and churn is crucial for calculating SaaS metrics
How to calculate GRR and NRR using distinct MRR la...2025-06-1302 minThe SaaS CFOUsing AI to Automate Marketing Compliance for Financial ServicesIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Austin Carroll, the dynamic founder and CEO of Warrant. Drawing from her deep roots in marketing and product management at household names like Capital One, Mercury, and Brex, Austin shares how real-world challenges navigating regulatory approvals inspired her to launch Warrant—a platform harnessing AI to automate and streamline marketing compliance for the financial services industry.
Austin highlights the complexities and pitfalls of adhering to rapidly evolving federal, state, and local regulations in sectors like mortgage, insurance, and banking. She explains how Warrant checks marketing mat...2025-06-1225 minSaaS Metrics SchoolWhat’s a Healthy G&A Budget for SaaS? Benchmarks by ARR StageIn episode #285 of SaaS Metrics School, Ben Murray dives into one of the most overlooked levers in SaaS financial performance—G&A (General & Administrative) spend. How much should you really be spending on back office functions like finance, HR, legal, and IT?
Using data from Benchmarkit.AI, Ben walks through G&A as a percent of revenue across ARR stages—from startups under $1M to companies exceeding $100M. He also explains how operating leverage is created through back office efficiency and why using benchmarks segmented by ARR is crucial in SaaS metrics analysis.
What You’ll Lea...2025-06-1104 minSaaS Metrics SchoolHow Verint Defines AI ARR and Why You Need to Know ThisIn episode #284, let’s break down AI ARR. As artificial intelligence transforms SaaS business models, a new metric is gaining traction: AI ARR (Artificial Intelligence Annual Recurring Revenue). But what exactly is AI ARR, how do public SaaS companies define it, and why should private SaaS operators care?
In this episode, Ben Murray dives deep into how companies like Verint Systems are reporting AI ARR in their earnings and press releases. Ben breaks down the nuances of these definitions, the implications for SaaS valuation, and what founders, CFOs, and GTM teams need to know to stay ahead of...2025-06-0604 min
Frasier On FilmS1E12 - Ben Stiller in Permanent Midnight (Miracle on 3rd or 4th Street)How much more appetizing food always becomes when you add the word "log."What's this? Christmas in May? Well this is what happens when you plan way in advance. You end up recording a Christmas episode in December but releasing it in Spring. But who cares? We could all use a little Christmas spirit throughout the year. Nobody more, than the miserable wretch that Ben Stiller plays in this week's film of the week! Timestamps:01:30 Intro04:00 Frasier Talk: Frasier blows up with Martin and ends up in almost ruining h...2025-05-1350 minThe SaaS CFO€1.2M Pre-seed to Automate the Life Insurance Underwriting Process with AIIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Amira Nakouri, co-founder and CEO of Klaimy, to share her inspiring entrepreneurial journey. With a strong background in strategy consulting for major European insurers, Amira reveals how her drive for innovation—and a spark from the rise of generative AI—led her to launch Klaimy in Paris.
Klaimy is redefining the insurance industry by using AI to streamline the complex and time-consuming medical underwriting process. Amira explains how their technology helps insurance companies process medical records with incredible speed and accuracy, cutting decision times from days...2025-05-0627 minThe SaaS CFO$3.7M Seed Round to Bring AI Data Agents to Supply Chain OperationsIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Ibrahim Ashqar, the co-founder and CEO of Lumi AI. Ibrahim shares his impressive background in data science and AI, including his time at Deloitte and the supply chain tech unicorn Stord, before diving into why he launched Lumi. The conversation highlights the challenges companies face with traditional business intelligence tools, and how Lumi is revolutionizing data access for brands, retailers, and supply chain operators through agentic workflows and conversational analytics.
Ben and Ibrahim discuss Lumi's focused go-to-market strategy, their partnerships with industry giants like Deloitte a...2025-04-2926 minThe SaaS CFO$1.7M Raised to Speed Up the In-house Legal Contract Review ProcessOn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray sits down with Gus Neate, the co-founder and CEO of Wilson AI. Gus shares his unique journey from engineering and law to entrepreneurship, explaining how his experience in top law firms and in-house legal teams inspired the creation of Wilson AI—the world’s first AI-powered paralegal. Together, they delve into how Wilson AI is helping in-house legal teams automate repetitive contract workflows, extract key terms from documents, and enable seamless legal Q&A within organizations.
Gus discusses the ideal customer profile, ROI for clients, and the t...2025-04-2219 minThe SaaS CFOQuanscient Raises 9M to Convert Digital Designs to Digital Prototypes with Multiphysics Simulation Tech Welcome to another thrilling episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Juha Riipi, the brilliant CEO of Quanscient. With a career that spans software development to consulting, Juha has now ventured into the realm of cutting-edge multiphysics simulations, and he’s here to share how Quanscient is changing the game. 🚀 From transforming digital designs into prototypes efficiently to offering groundbreaking solutions for industries like semiconductors and aerospace, Quanscient is truly redefining the product design workflow.
🌟 In this conversation, Juha takes us through his incredible journey, highlighting how his multifaceted background in engineeri...2025-03-1816 minThe SaaS CFODocket Raises $20M to Boost Your Growth with AI Sales EngineersWelcome to another engaging episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, where host Ben Murray sits down with Arjun Pillai, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Docket. Arjun takes us on a journey through his impressive 13-year career in the realms of sales tech, martech, and data tech. Having founded multiple companies and successfully exited them, Arjun offers a wealth of experience and insights that he's now channeling into his new venture, Docket. This episode is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the confluence of entrepreneurship and innovative technology.
In their conversation, Arjun and Ben delve into t...2025-03-1424 minThe SaaS CFOKnownWell Raises $6M to Help Service Businesses Retain and Grow CustomersIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray is joined once again by David DeWolf, the President and CEO of KnownWell. David, a seasoned entrepreneur and former software engineer, dives into his transition from building a successful consulting firm to founding KnownWell, a company that's making strides in the realm of commercial intelligence for professional service businesses. His passionate journey from zero to nearly $200 million in revenue, and his focus on digital product development, set the stage for this insightful conversation.
David shares updates on KnownWell's significant milestones, including their recent $4 million seed round, d...2025-03-1125 minThe SaaS CFORevisto Raises $6M to Accelerate the Pharma Marketing ProcessIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray sits down with Ferry Tamtoro, the visionary CEO and co-founder of Revisto, to explore the dynamic intersection of life sciences and technology. Ferry shares his remarkable journey transitioning from the corporate sector to the world of startups, fueled by a passion for healthcare innovation. Discover how his drive to make a significant impact led to the foundation of Revisto, a company at the forefront of using AI to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of marketing material creation for life sciences companies.
Throughout the conversation, Ferry delves i...2025-02-1818 minThe SaaS CFO$2.2M Seed Round to Transform Learning in Corporate Training DepartmentsWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Luis Garcia, the innovative president and co-founder of Pete, to unravel his inspiring journey. From his early days as a software engineer in Venezuela to launching a leading online university in the U.S., Luis shares key experiences that shaped his path in the world of digital education.
Luis dives deep into the challenges of creating effective digital education materials and evaluating learning outcomes. He explains how Pete harnesses the power of generative AI to address these challenges, providing scalable training solutions f...2025-02-0422 minThe SaaS CFO1Q25 Software M&A Update with Jim WilliamsWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this special edition, our host Ben Murray is joined once again by Jim Williams, Managing Director at GLC Advisors, to delve into the dynamic world of software mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Jim brings his wealth of experience and insights to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the market, including recent trends, deal volumes, and valuations.
Ben and Jim explore the essential metrics that SaaS founders need to focus on, such as retention rates, growth, and gross margins. They discuss the importance of understanding your business m...2025-01-2955 minThe SaaS CFO$5.5M Raised to Help Contractors with Construction Site ManagementWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, our host Ben Murray is thrilled to welcome Matt Perrott, the co-founder and CEO of BuildPass. Matt shares his journey from being a software engineer to leading a company that offers an AI-powered operating system for construction sites. We'll delve into the unique features of BuildPass, including its applications in both commercial and residential projects, and its impressive growth trajectory.
Matt gives us an inside look at BuildPass's expansion strategies, highlighting their upcoming launch in the U.S., and how they're adapting to different regulatory environments. He also s...2025-01-2122 min
Frasier On FilmFrasier On Film: TrailerIntroductions are in order I suppose!Welcome to Frasier On Film - the Frasier TV show podcast with a twist. Each episode of the podcast visits each episode of Frasier across its 11-series run. But our main focus isn’t on the good Dr. himself. No, no! It’s going to be one of the guest appearances on the show that week. That could be one of the many A-listers who called into Frasier’s KACL radio show or just someone who made a fleeting appearance at Cafe Nervosa. We’ll delve int...2024-11-2801 minThe SaaS CFO4M Pre-seed Round to Provide a Gen AI Digital Coach to Frontline WorkersGreetings, SaaS CFO enthusiasts! In this episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Bilal Tahris, the co-founder and CEO of FlowIt, a company revolutionizing people development through its AI-powered digital coach. Bilal's journey is nothing short of extraordinary—starting out as a diesel mechanic apprentice, he transitioned to helming his family business before diving into the SaaS realm.
Join our host, Ben, as Bilal shares how FlowIt focuses on sectors often overlooked, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality, and aims to improve employee engagement and retention. We delve into the unique modules FlowIt offers, designed to connect wit...2024-10-2421 minThe SaaS CFO$77M Raised to Dominate the Laundromat VerticalWelcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have a special guest, Alex Jekowsky, co-founder and CEO of Cents, as he joins our host, Ben, to delve into the dynamic world of modern laundromat management. Alex's unique journey from founding a payments platform for college campuses to investing in laundromats led him to identify a significant gap in sophisticated software solutions for the industry.
In this episode, we'll explore how Cents provides an all-in-one solution for laundromats, combining software and hardware to streamline operations and enhance customer experience. We'll also discuss the i...2024-10-1531 minThe SaaS CFO$585K Pre-seed Roud to Maximize Qualified Leads on SalesforceGreetings, listeners! Today on The SaaS CFO Podcast, we have an exciting episode lined up for you. Our host, Ben, sits down with Sam Oliver, the founder and CEO of OpenFi. Sam's entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of inspiring, having been involved in the startup world for over 14 years with both successes and lessons learned from failures. Notably, Sam grew his previous company, Lead Pro, into a market leader before exiting in a multi-million pound deal.
In this episode, Sam shares his insight into the motivations behind selling Lead Pro, the driving forces behind his current venture O...2024-10-1024 minThe SaaS CFO$325K Pre-seed Round to Simplify Web App Deployments to the CloudWelcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, our host Ben is joined by the dynamic team behind Toystack, a groundbreaking DevOps platform on Kubernetes designed to simplify and scale deployment for startups and SMBs. We have Mukund, Arun, Sravan, and Torun here to discuss how Toystack operates like an innovative coworking space for DevOps, providing essential services like security, logging, monitoring, and alerts.
Together, they delve into the origins of Toystack, targeting developers and startups who lack dedicated DevOps engineers, and how it accelerates product development while cutting costs. We'll explore their user growth s...2024-10-0330 minThe SaaS CFO$2.5M Seed Round to Qualify High Lead Volumes in TelecomWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we dive deep into the financial strategies and innovations within the SaaS industry. In today's episode, our host Ben sits down with Paul Kleen, the founder of Pitchit, a pioneering company in the lead qualification space powered by AI. Since its inception in August 2022, Pitchit has transformed the way sales teams handle and prioritize leads, particularly in the telecommunications sector.
Paul shares insights into the fully remote structure of Pitchit, their unique pricing model that moves away from traditional SaaS frameworks, and the company's impressive revenue metrics, ranging from hundreds o...2024-09-1935 minThe SaaS CFO$30M Raised to Bring Top of Funnel Leads to Financial ServicesWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we have a riveting conversation lined up with Tom Aley, the co-CEO and co-founder of Aidentified. Join our host Ben as he dives deep into Tom's extensive journey through the high-tech world, beginning in the late '90s and evolving into his current role at Aidentified. Tom shares his early experiences in high-tech sales and his transition into launching a venture fund at Reed Elsevier Ventures, setting the stage for his future entrepreneurial endeavors.
In this episode, you'll hear about Tom's journey of founding several successful companies, including Generate and N...2024-09-1724 minThe SaaS CFO$8M Raised to Make You Sales Tax Compliant in 7 ClicksWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have a fascinating discussion with Pujun Bhatnagar, the co-founder and CEO of Kintsugi. Pujun shares his journey from New Delhi to becoming a machine learning engineer at Facebook and eventually, a successful entrepreneur. We'll dive into Kintsugi's mission to simpujplify sales tax compliance using advanced technology, making it accessible for businesses globally.
Pujun talks about the company’s ambitious growth plans, aiming to reach $1 million, $5 million, and even $10 million in funding, and the significance of transparent conversations with investors. We'll explore how Kintsugi puts sales tax on...2024-09-0434 minThe SaaS CFOVC Turned Founder Raises $15M to Drive Predictability In Your BusinessIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben is joined by Alok Goel, the co-founder and CEO of Drivetrain. Alok shares his journey from being a venture capitalist to becoming an entrepreneur and founding Drivetrain. He discusses the inspiration behind the company's mission to bring predictability to SaaS businesses and details the products and services offered by Drivetrain. Alok also dives into the company's approach to reaching CFOs and shares insights from his fundraising journey. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of aligning with investors who share the long-term vision of the business. Finall...2024-08-2020 minThe SaaS CFO$7M Raised to Help Attorneys Win More ClientsGreetings, SaaS CFO community! Welcome to another exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast. I'm your host, Ben, and today we have a special guest, Jake Soffer, the software founder, and CEO of FirmPilot. Jake's journey is nothing short of inspiring, starting from his days as a recruited hockey player at RPI, diving deep into the fascinating world of Natural Language Processing (NLP), and eventually venturing into entrepreneurship.
In this episode, Jake shares invaluable insights from his experience founding Rollio, a cutting-edge natural language interface for CRMs, and how he navigated every classic first-time founder mistake along t...2024-08-2015 minThe SaaS CFO$3.7M Raised to Mitigate Business Risk with SMBsWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we have an exciting conversation with Vinodh Poyyapakkam, CEO and co-founder of Coris, a company transforming the landscape of small business risk management with advanced AI-driven solutions. Vinodh brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at industry giants like PayPal, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Google.
Join our host, Ben, as he dives into Vinodh’s impressive journey from working in risk and compliance to founding Coris in 2022. Discover how Coris is helping companies worldwide automate and optimize their risk management processes for small businesses, the inn...2024-06-2715 minThe SaaS CFO$5.4M Seed Round to Ensure Traffic Gets to Your WebsiteGreetings, SaaS CFO Podcast listeners! In today's episode, I, your host Ben, am thrilled to have a conversation with Edward Tsinovoi, the co-founder and CEO of IO River. Edward brings over 20 years of extensive experience from the SaaS and deep tech industries, having held pivotal roles at Akamai, the renowned content delivery network responsible for advancements in edge computing. In this episode, we delve into the fascinating journey of IO River, a cutting-edge company revolutionizing how digital content is delivered across the globe. Edward explains IO River's unique approach to leveraging multiple edge platforms, ensuring enhanced performance, reliability, and...2024-06-1821 minThe SaaS CFO$2.7M Seed to Pivot from Accounting Data to CRM Data Analysis with AIWelcome to another exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Trevor Lee, the co-founder and CEO of Myko. Trevor brings a wealth of experience from the finance sector, having worked at Fitch Ratings and later transitioning into entrepreneurship.
In this episode, Trevor shares the intriguing journey of his company, which began as Genius Sheets and evolved into Myko. He discusses the challenges and insights behind this major pivot, the innovative use of AI for sales and revenue data analysis, and the lessons learned from fundraising with top investors like Khosla Ventures. ...2024-06-0428 minThe SaaS CFO$2M Pre-seed Round to Implement Enterprise AI in B2B Services BusinessesWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we are thrilled to have David DeWolf, President and CEO of Knownwell, join us. David shares his incredible journey from being an engineer to founding and scaling Three Pillar Global, a digital product development company, to nearly $200 million in revenue with 2,500 employees worldwide.
After taking a brief hiatus, David launched his latest venture, Knownwell, in September 2023. Knownwell is diving headfirst into the enterprise AI space, focusing on revolutionizing how B2B service companies institutionalize client intelligence to drive growth and retention.
Tune in as David provides fa...2024-05-3022 minThe SaaS CFO$24M Raised to Digitize Supply Chain Traceability in Global Fashion BrandsWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, our host Ben sits down with Shameek Ghosh, the CEO and co-founder of TrusTrace. Shameek takes us through his unique journey from working in IT services to founding his startup in Sweden.
TrusTrace is a B2B SaaS platform focused on product traceability and supply chain transparency, specifically in the fashion and textile industry. Shameek shares insights into the challenges big fashion brands face in managing their complex supply chains and highlights how TrusTrace's platform digitizes and streamlines this process.
From fundraising to expansion plans, Shameek pr...2024-05-2823 minThe SaaS CFO$12.5M Series A to Bring Structure to Unstructured DataGreetings, SaaS CFO Podcast listeners! In today's episode, we are thrilled to have Tom Hamer, the co-founder and CEO of Marqo, join us. Tom, who started his career as a software engineer at AWS and has been developing apps since he was just 14, shares his journey from his early beginnings to founding Marqo in 2022.
Marqo offers an end-to-end vector search platform powered by the latest AI models, designed to revolutionize information retrieval. Tom discusses the unique qualities of Marqo , including its open-source and cloud platform offerings, and how it's being used by diverse industries from ecommerce to go...2024-05-2320 minThe SaaS CFO€2M Seed Round to Calculate and Align Incentive Compensation for B2B CompaniesWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! I'm your host, Ben, and today we have an exciting episode lined up for you. Joining us is Sergio Gonzalez, the co-founder and CEO of Remuner—a groundbreaking SaaS platform aimed at optimizing remuneration for sales and customer success teams. With a rich background in business management consulting and entrepreneurship, Sergio has already founded and successfully exited multiple companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, food delivery, and digital signature services.
In this episode, Sergio shares his journey from consulting to launching his fifth venture, the vibrant startup scene in Barcelona, and...2024-05-2121 minThe SaaS CFO€3.75M Seed Round to Bring Product Management Methodology to Internal DataWelcome to this special episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we're delving into the cutting-edge world of data product management with Nadiem von Heydebrand, the dynamic CEO and co-founder of Mindfuel. In today’s conversation, Nadiem shares his fascinating journey from working as a data scientist and consultant to leading a pioneering company that’s transforming how businesses manage and value their data initiatives.
We'll explore the origins of Mindfuel, sparked by a crucial conversation about the necessity for a product mindset in the data industry. Nadiem will discuss the unique challenges and strategies in building Mindf...2024-05-1629 minThe SaaS CFO$10M Raised to Help B2B SaaS Companies with Subscription ManagementWelcome back to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have an insightful conversation with Niclas Lilja, the founder and CEO of Younium. Niclas takes us on a journey through his extensive background in the SaaS and software industries, from his roots in Sweden to founding Younium, a company dedicated to subscription management and billing specifically for B2B SaaS and software companies. He delves into the niche needs of complex enterprise deals, the evolution of Younium, and shares expert insights into the challenges of fundraising, metrics that matter, and strategic growth. S...2024-05-1428 minThe SaaS CFO500K Euros Raised to Moderate Hateful Comments on Social MediaWelcome to this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s insightful discussion, we are thrilled to have Jakob Šuster, the CEO and co-founder of Elv AI, join us. Jakob shares his fascinating journey into the world of SaaS, which began quite unexpectedly from a background in economics and political science.
He delves into how Elv AI evolved from a CSR initiative in response to the increase in toxic online comments during the Ukraine crisis of 2022. We’ll explore Elv AI’s unique approach that combines artificial intelligence with human moderation to manage and filter online content...2024-05-0917 minThe SaaS CFOLawyer Turned Founder Raises $6M to Improve Procurement in the Construction IndustryWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we explore the journeys of innovative founders in the tech world. Today, we're thrilled to have Alastair Blenkin, CEO and founder of Procure Pro, join us. Alastair, a former lawyer turned tech entrepreneur, shares his transition from law to launching his own SaaS company. We dive into the challenges and pivots along his journey, especially how his first startup adapted and evolved into Procure Pro during the unpredictable waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tune in as Alastair discusses the nuances of building a procurement software aimed at revolutionizing the...2024-05-0724 minThe SaaS CFO$2.5M Seed Round to Bring Social Video Intelligence to Big BrandsWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, we delve into the intriguing world of video analytics with our guest Chelsie Hall, CEO of Viral Moment. With a rich background in tech and product management, Chelsie brings a wealth of experience to the fore, having worked with the Department of Defense and Department of State before venturing into entrepreneurship. Today, she’s here to discuss how Viral Moment, a B2B SaaS platform, leverages cutting-edge AI to decode the complexities of video content on social media platforms, offering brands unprecedented insights into viral trends and th...2024-05-0215 minThe SaaS CFO$34M Raised to Build Integrations Faster for B2B Software CompaniesWelcome to this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, where today we're thrilled to have Michael Zuercher, CEO and co-founder of Prismatic, join us. Michael will share his journey from running a successful software startup for 16 years and encountering numerous integration challenges, to founding Prismatic, a company focused on simplifying integrations for other software companies.
Today, Prismatic is distinguishing itself in the SaaS space by offering an embedded integration platform that enhances software interoperability. Michael will discuss the evolution of Prismatic, its services, the unique challenges of the SaaS integration landscape, and insights from their recent funding r...2024-04-3017 minThe SaaS CFO3x Revenue Growth Creating Business and Personal Images with AIWelcome to this exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we dive into the groundbreaking world of AI-driven photography with William Wu, the innovative CEO of Artisse. Today, William will share his journey from a finance professional at McKinsey to spearheading a tech startup that's revolutionizing how we think about and use photographs. With Artisse’s cutting-edge technology, users can generate hyper-realistic photos of themselves in myriad scenarios with just a few clicks. Whether it’s for personal use on social media or professional deployment in fashion, tourism, or online dating platforms, Artisse is setting new standa...2024-04-2520 minThe SaaS CFO$9M Raised to Improve the Healthcare EcosystemWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast, everyone! Today's episode features a fascinating conversation with our special guest Ramesh Rajentheran, CEO and founder of Miya Health. With an impressive background that spans from practicing medicine to investment banking, Ramesh has navigated an extraordinary path leading to the inception of his company.
After leaving a promising career to become a stay-at-home dad following personal tragedy, he was inspired to fix critical issues in patient care and health insurance which led to the birth of Miya Health. Ramesh shares how his platform not only connects patients to the right d...2024-04-2321 minThe SaaS CFO2.5M Pre-seed Round to Accelerate the Top of Funnel for SaaS CompaniesWelcome to a new episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, I'm thrilled to sit down with Steven Nelemans, the innovative founder and CEO of Luna AI. In a candid conversation, Steven walks us through his personal journey from a young electrical engineering student in the Netherlands to dropping out at 19 and venturing into entrepreneurship. With insights into his first startup and the transition from technical roles to CEO duties, Steven sets the scene for the inception of Luna AI.
Luna AI enters the market as a game-changer with its all-in-one B2B sales platform specializing in t...2024-04-1821 minThe SaaS CFO4.3M Seed Round to Automate Enterprise Application TestingWelcome to another insightful episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast where we dive deep into the world of test automation and intent automation with a rising star in the tech industry. Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Jonas Menesklou, the CEO and co-founder of Ask UI, a company at the forefront of leveraging machine learning to simplify and enhance software testing. Jonas will share his journey from university in Karlsruhe, Germany, directly into entrepreneurship, and the pivotal moments that led to the birth of Ask UI with his computer scientist co-founder.
You'll hear about their u...2024-04-1614 minThe SaaS CFO$276M Raised to Democratize Rebate Management in the Supply ChainWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we're sitting down with Andrew Butt, the co-founder and CEO at Enable, a revolutionary B2B SaaS platform designed to streamline rebate management in the supply chain. Andrew's journey from building custom software for businesses to spearheading a category-defining platform offers a treasure trove of insights. With a background that marries application development with an acute understanding of business mechanics, Andrew is a seasoned entrepreneur now leading his third company.
In a candid conversation with our very own Ben, Andrew delves into the intricate world of rebates — a s...2024-04-0921 minThe SaaS CFO$6M Raised to Bring Family Office Technology to the Private InvestorWelcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast, and in this episode, we're thrilled to host Litan Yahav, the insightful co-founder and CEO advisor who brings his vast experience into the spotlight. From his roots in the Israeli Navy to his entrepreneurial venture in the diamond industry and his passive investment endeavors, Litan has a multifaceted background that is sure to captivate our listeners.
Today, we'll delve into his latest venture with Vyzer, a groundbreaking SaaS platform designed to automate and streamline the wealth management process for those with enough complexity but not enough to warrant a family o...2024-04-0420 minThe SaaS CFOVC Turned SaaS Founder Raises $6M for Legaltech StartupIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we sit down with Tanguy Chau, co-founder and CEO of Paxton AI. Tanguy shares his journey from being a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley to founding his own company.
He discusses Paxton's generative AI legal and regulatory assistant, its target customers, go-to-market strategy, the challenges of selling to law firms, and the significance of generative AI technologies in the legal industry. Tanguy also shares insights about raising $6 million in seed funding and offers valuable advice for early-stage founders.
Stay tuned to hear about the future of Paxton and...2024-04-0226 minThe SaaS CFOCollege Dropout to 7M Followers to SaaS FounderWelcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, the essential listen for anyone captivated by the synergy of technology, finance, and entrepreneurship. Today's episode is an inspiring foray into the world of AI-powered content creation with a young visionary at its helm - Cole Gonzales, CEO of Ossa.AI.
Join us as we chart Cole's remarkable journey from social media sensation to tech startup pioneer. With Ossa.AI, he's challenging the norms of content creation, supporting individuals to craft compelling stories with ease through advanced AI. We'll dive into the successes and struggles of launching and n...2024-03-2835 minThe SaaS CFO$1.5M Seed Round to Automate Sales Prospect Meeting Notes and Action ItemsIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben welcomes Eric Xiao, founder and CEO of Laxis, to share insights about his background and the innovative AI copilot service provided by Laxis. Eric discusses his extensive experience in the software industry, including his transition from a venture investor to founding Laxis in 2020. He explains how Laxis offers AI-powered meeting note-taking, automatic email generation, CRM integration, and a chatbot for sales teams. Eric emphasizes that Laxis targets small to medium-sized businesses due to its affordability and essential functionality for automating sales processes. The conversation delves into La...2024-03-2615 minThe SaaS CFO$6M Raised to Keep Your Programmatic API Keys SafeIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben speaks with Itzik Alvas, the co-founder and CEO of Entro Security. Itzik shares his extensive background in cybersecurity, including his experience in offensive and defensive cybersecurity roles at the IDF and Microsoft. He provides valuable insights into the challenges companies face with securing and managing programmatic access keys, also known as secrets, and how Entro Security offers a complete solution to address this critical issue. Itzik discusses the target market for their solution, their sales cycle, and the lessons learned from their successful seed funding round. L...2024-03-2319 minThe SaaS CFO$10M Raised to Automate User Testing of ERP’sWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben talks to Jeff Handy, CEO and co-founder of Qualiti AI. Jeff shares how he and his team developed an AI tool to automate the testing process for software development, aiming to revolutionize the way companies approach quality assurance. He discusses the background of Qualiti AI, its target market, team size, funding, and future plans. Jeff also provides valuable insights and lessons learned from raising capital and finding the right investors. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the fascinating intersection between AI and...2024-03-2119 minThe SaaS CFO1M Pre-seed Round to Revolutionize the Embedded Insurance InfrastructureWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Paul Prendergast, CEO and co-founder of Kayna, a tech start-up specializing in insurance technology. Throughout their conversation, Paul discusses his extensive experience in tech startups and the unique approach Kayna is taking to revolutionize the insurance industry. He shares insights on Kayna's focus on vertical SaaS platforms, its go-to-market strategy, and its journey from inception to raising funds. Join us as we delve into the innovative world of insurance technology with Paul Prendergast.
Show Notes: 00:00 Early stage I...2024-03-1919 minThe SaaS CFO$300K Raised to Scale Your Outbound Sales Motion with AI Voice BotsIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host, Ben, welcomes Anshul Shrivastava, the co-founder and CEO of Vodex AI. Anshul shares his fascinating journey from being an engineer in India to founding Vodex AI, a company specializing in voicebot technology for phone call automation. They discussed the company's innovative products and services, its growth and funding journey, and the importance of focusing on one value proposition for success. Anshul also provides a glimpse into the future of Vodex with exciting developments in multilingual capabilities and cognitive ability. Tune in to learn more about Vode...2024-03-1620 minThe SaaS CFO$8.5 Series A to Streamline Wholesale Lending OperationsIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with John Mizzi, founder and CEO of Vero Technologies. John shares his journey from the world of financial services to launching his fintech company. Vero Technologies offers a platform for wholesale inventory financing, catering to dealers of various manufactured goods. John discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in this space, including the company's pricing model and go-to-market strategy. He also dives into the company's recent series A raise and future plans for growth and organizational development. Tune in to hear an insightful con...2024-03-1420 minThe SaaS CFO$20M Raised to Manage the Mix of In-person and Remote WorkplacesWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we bring you insightful conversations with SaaS industry leaders. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Ivan Cossu, the founder and CEO of Deskbird, a B2B SaaS company providing a software solution for managing the complexity of hybrid workplaces. Ivan shares his entrepreneurial journey, from pivoting from a B2C coworking model to the current B2B SaaS platform. He talks about the challenges and successes of raising capital, the company's growth strategies, and the future of workplace management with AI. Join us as we dive...2024-03-1222 minThe SaaS CFO$8M Raised to Systematize and Improve Your Product LaunchesIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our guest Derek Osgood, founder and CEO of Ignition, shares valuable insights into the world of product marketing and go-to-market strategy. Derek discusses his background in running products and marketing teams, as well as the inception and offerings of Ignition, a platform that assists in creating and launching products, features, and campaigns.
He delves into the industries Ignition serves, the target audience within organizations, and the effectiveness of its product. Derek also reveals key aspects of their go-to-market strategy, including channel partnerships and the lessons he learned from the f...2024-03-0721 minThe SaaS CFO$8M Raised to Automate Business Workflows with AIIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we hear from Jacob Bank, the CEO and founder of Relay. Jacob shares his background, including his journey from AI research at Stanford to founding Relay.app. He discusses the transition from being a founder to being acquired by a larger company, and the challenges and opportunities that came with it. Jacob also delves into the details of Relay, a workflow automation tool that helps people connect multiple products and create streamlined workflows. He sheds light on the target customers, go-to-market strategy, fundraising journey, and the key metr...2024-03-0526 minThe SaaS CFO$12M Raised to Bring Enterprise Grade Data and Analytics to Finance TeamsWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, I'm your host, Ben, and today we're diving into the financial heartbeat of SaaS companies with a very special guest, Vipul Shah, the co-founder and CEO/CFO at SaaS Works.
In this episode, Vipul will share his unique insights into guiding metrics that are crucial for any recurring revenue business such MRR, ARR, customer retention, and dollar retention, and why these metrics are pivotal for evaluating capital efficiency, customer satisfaction, and product-market fit.
We'll also explore how Vipul's background in technology and finance has shaped the services offered by S...2024-02-2830 minThe SaaS CFOProfessional Learning on Demand Driven by AIIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we sit down with Husayn Kassai, the CEO and founder of Quench. Husayn shares his journey from starting an eBay business at a young age to co-founding and leading Onfido, a successful startup, before taking on the challenge of launching Quench AI. He discusses the unique approach Quench takes towards corporate learning, utilizing AI to personalize the learning journey for individuals. Husayn delves into the challenges faced in the learning and development space, the vision for the future of learning, and the cultural shift needed in early-stage companies. J...2024-02-2724 minThe SaaS CFO$60M Raised to Humanize the Procurement Workflow for Better OutcomesWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Sudhir Bhojwani, co-founder and CEO of Oro Labs, a procurement software company. Sudhir talks about his background in software engineering, previous entrepreneurial endeavors, and the founding of Oro Labs. He shares insights into the challenges and nuances of the procurement space and explains the company's mission to "humanize the procurement experience." Sudhir also delves into Oro Labs' pricing structure, go-to-market strategies, fundraising experiences, and the future direction of the company. Join us as we explore the world of procurement software and...2024-02-2221 minThe SaaS CFO$65M Investment to Improve Identity and Access Management for AppsWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, host Ben is joined by Brian Pontarelli, founder and CEO at Fusionauth, a customer identity and access management tool. Brian delves into his coding background, the products and services offered by Fusionauth, and the company's journey from its founding to recent growth equity investment. He shares insights on their go-to-market strategy, metrics guiding the business, and their focus on product development and boosting their market presence. Don't miss Brian's valuable lessons learned and what's in store for Fusionauth's future. Tune in for an insightful conversation on SaaS growth an...2024-02-2016 minThe SaaS CFO500K Raised to Solve the Last Mile of ShippingIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we're joined by Lauris Rutkis, the co-founder and CEO of Swotzy, a last-mile shipping software company. Lauris shares his journey from studying logistics engineering in the Netherlands to working at companies like Merskline and DPD before founding Swotzy in 2022. He discusses the company's growth, the services they offer, their ideal customer profile, and their go-to-market strategy. Lauris also delves into their fundraising journey, the metrics they focus on, and the exciting plans for scaling operations and expanding into multiple European countries. Tune in to hear about the inno...2024-02-1319 minThe SaaS CFO$9.5M Raised to Protect Banks and Fintech from FraudWelcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we dive into the world of SaaS companies and their financial strategies. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Ravi Sandepudi, co-founder and CEO of Effectiv, a fraud detection software company. Ravi shares his fascinating journey, from his time at Google and the acquisition of his previous startup by PayPal, to the founding of Effectiv.
Ravi provides valuable insights into the world of fraud detection within mid-sized financial institutions, including credit unions and community banks. He delves into the challenges these institutions face and how Effectiv's platform is d...2024-02-0828 minThe SaaS CFO2M Raised to Use AI to Automate Manual WorkflowsIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with Nayrhit Bhattacharya, co-founder of Gushwork. Nayrhit shares his journey in the tech industry, from working with AI at American Express to launching a company focused on reimagining the world of outsourcing post-GPT and AI. Gushwork offers a platform that combines human and AI capabilities to handle recurring business workflows, particularly in the sales domain. Nayrhit discusses the company's evolution, current team structure, customer acquisition strategies, fundraising journey, and valuable lessons for founders at the concept stage. He also highlights key metrics and...2024-02-0613 minThe SaaS CFOFirst-time SaaS Founder Launches Vertical Software in Pest SpaceIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben welcomes Adam Weber, CEO and founder at Pestiq. Adam discusses his diverse entrepreneurial background and how he transitioned from owning a pest control business to founding a SaaS company. He shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of building a performance analytics dashboard for the pest control industry, the decision to raise funding, and the crucial focus on customer feedback and onboarding. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on early-stage startup growth, raising capital, and the strategic importance of aligning with the right investors. Tune in to l...2024-02-0325 minThe SaaS CFO$17M Series A to Secure End-to-end Payments for BusinessesIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with special guest Shai Gabay, the co-founder and CEO of TrustMi. Shai shares the fascinating story of his background, from his early days disassembling electronic devices to his time in the Israeli intelligence corp and his transition into the world of cybersecurity and fintech. He goes on to discuss the innovative products and services that TrustMi offers, focusing on solving the problem of B2B payment fraud. Shai also delves into the company's journey, from its founding to securing $21 million in funding. With...2024-02-0125 minThe SaaS CFO2M Raised to Be the Leading SaaS Tools MarketplaceWelcome to another exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we are thrilled to host Kaj Seeste, the co-founder and CEO, and Greg Milliken, the president of the US business, from Saashop as our guests. We delve into their journey, discussing topics such as SaaS spend management, international expansion, and strategic fundraising. Get ready to explore how Saashop is revolutionizing software procurement and billing and evolving into a trusted advisor in the industry. Join us for a captivating conversation about their go-to-market strategy, the pursuit of product-market fit, and so much more. 2024-01-2527 minSaaS Metrics SchoolDon’t Comingle Your Revenue StreamsIn episode #164, I address an important topic that has come up a lot lately. The clarity and definition of your revenue streams. Don’t comingle them!
- SaaS revenue streams
- Your chart of accounts
- Your revenue metrics
Free templates course: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/gmbMDsYN/checkout
Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS monthly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page
SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/
Join...2024-01-2303 minThe SaaS CFO50M Raised to Bring Energy Intelligence to Large Global CompaniesIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with Mark Chung, co-founder and CEO of Verdigris, to discuss their energy intelligence platform. Mark shares his journey from his background in electrical engineering to founding Verdigris in 2012 and the challenges of balancing a hardware and software business model. He provides insights into the company's recent $10 million funding, their go-to-market strategy, lessons learned from their journey, and their focus on metrics such as contracted ARR and cash flow. Mark also sheds light on the company's future plans, including their efforts to expand thei...2024-01-2321 minThe SaaS CFO2M Seed Round to Use Video Replies in SearchIn this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben sits down with Matias Mäenpää, co-founder of Videobot, to discuss his journey in the SaaS world. Matias shares his background starting in sales and eventually becoming a CEO and co-founder of a company that was later acquired. He then delves into the concept behind Videobot, a platform that offers interactive video solutions for websites. Matias shares the use cases for Videobot and sheds light on their go-to-market strategies and seed round funding. He also provides valuable insights for SaaS founders looking to raise capital and sha...2024-01-1618 min