SaaStr 789: What to Expect from a New CRO with Kathy Lord, CRO at Zensai and Jason Lemkin, SaaStr CEO and Founder

SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin sat down with Kathy Lord, CRO of Zensai (and formerly of Intacct), to talk about what CEOs and CROs should really expect from one another, especially in those critical first 90 days.

Kathy shares her journey and insights, and together they discuss the critical aspects CEOs and founders should align on when hiring a CRO or VP of Sales, the importance of having a real 90-day plan, and the differences in expectations between a CRO and a VP of Sales. Kathy provides actionable takeaways for ensuring alignment and setting realistic goals while addressing common pitfalls in hiring executive sales roles. This episode is packed with valuable strategies and real-world examples, making it a must-listen for anyone involved in scaling up SaaS companies.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 788: Going Multi-Product in the Age of AI with Webflow, Rubrik, Zoom, and ProductBoard

At SaaStr Annual's AI Summit, we asked product leaders from some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies to share their insights on navigating the AI revolution while scaling multi-product strategies. This panel of product leaders featured Anneka Gupta, CPO at Rubrik, Mahesh Ram, Head of AI Product at Zoom, Hubert Palan, CEO at Productboard, and Rachel Wolan, CPO at Webflow.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 787: 10 Ways Sales is Different in Vertical SaaS with Mangomint’s VP of Sales Marchelle Mooney

While some might dismiss sector-specific vertical SaaS software as ‘too small’ or ‘too niche’, companies like Veeva ($40B), Clio ($3B), Toast ($1.3B), and Slice ($1B) have proven there’s massive value in going deep rather than broad. Mangomint has quietly built an impressive vertical SaaS business in the spa and salon space, growing 100% year-over-year to approach $20M ARR with 110% NRR.

So we asked Mangomint’s VP of Sales Marchelle Mooney to share 10 ways sales is different in vertical SaaS. Marchelle’s personal journey took her from early adopter of Mangomint, to 6 years later, VP of Sales over a 25+ person SMB sales team. Here’s some of what she’s learned along the way.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 786: Adding AI to SaaS: Inside the AI Product Strategies of Figma, Cloudflare, GitHub and Ramp

At SaaStr Annual's AI Summit, we gathered an all-star panel of product leaders who have built some of the most widely-used AI features in production today. The speakers included Mario Rodriguez, Chief Product Officer at GitHub at GitHub, Diego Zaks, VP of Design at Ramp, Dane Knecht, SVP of Emerging Technologies at Cloudflare, and Vincent van der Meulen, Design Engineer at Figma, and Dani Grant, CEO at Jam.dev.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 785: Usage-Based Revenue Models: Successes and Pitfalls from Checkr COO Lindsey Scrase on CRO Confidential

In the latest episode of our SaaStr CRO Confidential podcast, host Sam Blond sat down with Lindsey Scrase, COO of Checkr (and former CRO), to discuss her tactics for driving growth at the background screening unicorn. Lindsey shares valuable lessons on transitioning from a CRO to COO role, how usage-based pricing effected commission structures, leveraging data for operational improvements, aligning incentives to drive company success, and enhancing customer experience to ensure long-term growth. Dive deep into the strategic approaches that have led Checkr to become a $5 billion generational SaaS business.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 784: What Really Works When Hiring VPs and Executive Teams with HubSpot Co-Founder and Chairman Brian Halligan and SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

The success rate for executive hires at high-growth SaaS companies can be surprisingly low - you're often lucky if 50-60% of your management team works out long-term. In a recent conversation between HubSpot Chairman and co-founder Brian Halligan and SaaStr Founder and CEO Jason Lemkin, they shared their advice on what actually works when hiring VPs and building your SaaS executive team.

 

SaaStr 783: HubSpot Co-Founder and Chairman Brian Halligan on SaaS Markets and AI (Part 1)

SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin recently sat down with HubSpot Chairman and co-founder Brian Halligan, who shared valuable insights on the current state of SaaS, evolving board meeting formats, and how AI is reshaping the industry. Here are the key takeaways from part 1 of this interview.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview 01:00 Early Days and Growth of HubSpot 02:41 IPO Reflections and Market Insights 04:06 Regrets and Lessons Learned 06:38 Public Company Challenges and Board Dynamics 14:03 Innovative Board Meeting Formats 21:15 The Dreaded Monday Morning Meeting 22:10 Meta Learnings and SaaS Market Vibe Check 22:55 Navigating the SaaS Downturn 24:35 Challenges for SaaS Companies in 2024 29:11 AI in B2B: Who Wins? 32:46 The Future of AI and Pricing Models 36:18 AI Parity and Customer Support 40:31 Real-World AI Implementation Challenges  

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 782: How to Train Your Sales Leaders: Key Learnings from HubSpot and BILL with Michelle Benfer

Former Head of Revenue at BILL and HubSpot Americas leader Michelle Benfer recently joined us to share her insights on one of the most critical roles in any SaaS organization: the frontline sales manager. Having led sales teams of 500+ at BILL and 800+ at HubSpot, Michelle has unique insights into what makes great frontline managers and why investing in them is crucial for sustainable growth.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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SaaStr 781: How to Think About Product-Led Growth, Bootstrapping vs VC, and Early Exits with Jason Lemkin

At the closing AMA (Ask-Me-Anything) of SaaStr Annual, SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin delves into key topics facing SaaS startups including bootstrapping, private equity (PE) opportunities, and achieving product market fit. With practical advice and real-world examples, the Q&A covers critical issues such as growth strategies, funding options, and the dynamics of venture capital. Additionally, Jason addresses the importance of sales, the potential pitfalls of relying on design partners, and the nuances of pricing strategies. A must-watch for any SaaS founder or entrepreneur looking to navigate the complexities of scaling their business in today's competitive market.

 

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

SaaStr 780: From Outbound to Channel Partnerships: Your Burning Sales Questions Answered by SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

At the closing AMA of SaaStr Annual, SaaStr CEO and Founder, Jason Lemkin shared candid insights about what's really happening in SaaS today.

In this Ask Me Anything Part 1, Lemkin answers the questions: 

1. What does SaaStr Annual attendee data tell us about the state of SaaS?
2. Is outbound sales dead? 
3. When sales slow how do you keep the team motivated and push through?
4. How important are channel partnerships for sales and revenue?
5. When should founders make their first executive hires?

Let’s find out the answers. 

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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This episode is sponsored by: Anrok

A question for SaaS finance leaders, do you know where your customers are? Anrok tracks where your sales are creating exposure, and automates tax calculation and filing worldwide. Built for high-growth software companies, Anrok protects your revenue and saves you time. Visit anrok.com/saastr to learn more.

SaaStr 779: 5 Things That Are Actually Working and 5 Things That Aren’t in B2B SaaS AI with Ironclad's CEO and a16z

Ironclad CEO and co-founder Jason Boehmig joined Seema Amble, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz at SaaStr Annual to share their observations on what's currently working – and what's not quite there yet – for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in SaaS. With Ironclad's journey from an AI-first concept in 2014 to a Series E+ company and a16z's extensive portfolio view, their insights offer a valuable perspective on the current state of AI in SaaS.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Hey everybody - thanks to the 10,000 of you who came out to SaaStr Annual. We had a blast and big news -- we'll be back in MAY of 2025. That's right, the SaaStr Annual will be a bit earlier next year, May 13-15 2025. We'll still be back in the same venue, in the SF bay area at the 40+ acre sprawling san mateo county events center. Grab your tickets at saastrannual.com with code JASON50 for an extra discount on our very best pricing.

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This episode is sponsored by: Anrok

A question for SaaS finance leaders, do you know where your customers are? Anrok tracks where your sales are creating exposure, and automates tax calculation and filing worldwide. Built for high-growth software companies, Anrok protects your revenue and saves you time. Visit anrok.com/saastr to learn more.