SaaS District

Jagger Lucé is the Head of Sales at Valynt Digital, a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in paid advertising, video production, copywriting, graphic design, and AI-driven automation. At Valynt, have created a revolutionizing capital raising solution through innovative digital marketing funnels, including Series A - Series D advertising campaigns. Valynt Digital's forward-thinking approach eliminates cold calling through advanced automation solutions powered by artificial intelligence, streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency in sales across diverse industries.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:20 - Agency Background and SaaS Capital Raising02:21 - Successful Techniques for Engaging Investors Online05:58 - Challenges Facing SaaS Founders in 202407:38 - How Long the Campaign Process Takes to Work08:42 - Strategies and Tools for Targeting Customers or Investors13:18 - Integrating AI into High-Ticket Deal Sales and Investments16:25 - Applying Automation to Sales and Onboarding Processes18:52 - Insightful Metrics for Scaling Digital Sales Campaigns23:18 - Aspects of Successful Raising Cases25:18 - Jagger's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State26:47 - Jagger's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self28:28 - Jagger's Biggest Challenges at Valynt Digital29:39 - Valynt Digital IS HIRING!30:40 - Instrumental Resources For Jagger's Success32:06 - What Does Success Mean for Jagger Today33:02 - Get In Touch With JaggerGet In Touch With Jagger:Valynt Digital WebsiteValynt Digital LinkedInMentions:Dan SpottsvilleBooks:Extreme Revenue Growth by Victor ChengBlue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée A. MauborgneTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Ryan is the Founder and CEO of Sprig, a user experience measurement tool suite used by top companies such as Paypal, Coinbase, Figma, and Peloton. Since founding the company in 2019, Sprig has raised $90M, achieving a valuation of $330M. He has a proven track record in scaling SaaS startups like Weebly (acquired by Square) and Vurb (acquired by Snapchat).In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:27 - Journey from Entrepreneurship to SaaS Acquisitions07:56 - Getting Innovations Insights from Users12:33 - What Most People Miss When Analysing NPS Services16:37 - Key Skills for Founders in Hyper Growth Stage20:52 - Predictable Motion on GTM Strategy22:05 - Utilizing Mixed Methods Research for Sprig's Evolution28:23 - Strategies for Incorporating AI into Sprig's Products32:29 - Ryan's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State34:45 - Ryan's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self38:09 - Ryan's Biggest Challenges at Sprig39:36 - Instrumental Resources For Ryan's Success41:21 - What Does Success Mean for Ryan Today45:40 - Get In Touch With RyanGet In Touch With Ryan:Ryan's TwitterSprig WebsiteMentions:SnapchatWeeblyVurbJason LemkinPLGeekBooks:Good to Great by Jim CollinsBE 2.0 by Jim CollinsTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Leo is the Founder and CEO at Amsterdam Standard, a technology partner who specializes in software development, IT staffing, and user interface design, the company provides dedicated nearshore teams, UX/UI interface design services, and agile software development for projects emphasizing agility.With over two decades of professional experience Leopold is a seasoned expert in scaling development teams and sourcing top tech talent. In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:21 - Journey from Enthusiast to SaaS Investor05:38 - The Best Stage for Getting Their Help08:44 - Strategies and Challenges in Scaling Amsterdam Standard13:04 - Role of Storytelling in Low-Budget Marketing17:20 - Transitioning to Marketing Spending23:46 - Advice for Product-Led Scaling Challenges28:47 - Solid Scaling System for SaaS Growth31:36 - Leopold's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State32:10 - Leopold's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self32:41 - Leopold's Biggest Challenges at Amsterdam Standard33:44 - Instrumental Resources For Leopold's Success35:40 - What Does Success Mean for Leopold Today37:00 - Get In Touch With LeopoldGet in Touch with Leopold:Amsterdam Standard WebsiteLeopold's EmailLeopold's LinkedInMentions:Donald MillerElon MuskBill GatesBooks:Storybrand by Donal MillerTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Luca Zambello is the co-founder and CEO of Jurny, an AI-driven property management solution which is reshaping short-term rental and hotel operations. He is a recognized expert in artificial intelligence and a serial entrepreneur, founding Jurny in 2019 in order to simplify and make AI and automation accessible for all hospitality businesses, including small Airbnb hosts to large hotel chains. Luca is also an Advisory Board Member for Entertainment and Hospitality Management at California State University and has raised over $12M in capital to develop his AI powered technology.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:27 - Jurny's Growth and Current Status07:25 - Recommendations for Founders Moving to US11:33 - Surrounding Yourself with “Like-Minded People”13:30 - Investor Perspective and Market Opportunities17:08 - Tech Integration vs the Human Touch21:15 - AI Tools for Future-Ready Hotels26:32 - Opportunities and Challenges in Hospitality30:39 - Luca's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State31:18 - Luca's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self32:05 - Luca's Biggest Challenges at Jurny33:01 - Instrumental Resources For Luca's Success35:27 - What Does Success Mean for Luca Today38:08 - Get In Touch With LucaGet in touch with Luca:Luca's LinkedInJurny's WebsiteMentions:AirbnbBooks:The Hard Thing about Hard Things by Ben HorowitzNever Split the Difference by Chris Voss and Tahl RazTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Barrett King is the Sr. Director of Revenue at New Breed, a HubSpot's top solutions partner, on a mission to help unlock meaningful growth. He is a highly motivated leader with over a decade of experience in building partnerships and executing go-to-market strategies for SaaS companies. His expertise includes creating and implementing sales and marketing plans for improving customer engagement and retention.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:27 - Introduction to New Breed03:15 - Working With HubSpot in 202409:27 - Crafting GTM Strategy with 3 Pillars14:29 - Effective B2B SaaS Partnership Programs17:07 - AI Tools in the Sales Coaching Process22:29 - HubSpot Usage of AI26:20 - Barrett's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State27:07 - Barrett's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self28:14 - Barrett's Biggest Challenges at New Breed30:07 - Instrumental Resources For Barrett's Success32:39 - What Does Success Mean for Barrett Today33:42 - Get In Touch With BarrettGet In Touch With Barrett:Barrett's LinkedInBarrett's PodcastMentions:HubSpotDan TyreJonathan BurgBrian HalliganDharmesh ShahTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Matt Verlaque serves as the COO at SaaS Academy, a premier training hub for B2B SaaS entrepreneurs, where they specialize in playbooks, templates, and lessons tailored for the SaaS world. The academy provides both business solutions as well as personal growth coaching. Matt also leads the Growth Accelerator program, helping early founders scale beyond $10k in MRR. Beyond his professional role, Matt is a dedicated family man, an upcoming author set to release his first book in 2024. He is also the co-founder and CEO of UpLaunch, a triathlete, and a former firefighter.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:28 - Matt's Background and Work with Dan Martell06:14 - Founders' Most Common Scaling Challenges08:30 - Channels and Strategies for Recurring Revenue10:35 - How to Price Properly13:32 - Key SaaS Success Metrics for Rigorous Tracking17:26 - Traits and Mission on Leadership Insights20:09 - Getting the Message Out as a Founder or CEO22:26 - The Balance of Effective Leading as Boss and a Friend25:41 - Leadership Strategies for Addressing Performance Gaps29:06 - Matt's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State31:07 - Matt's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self31:58 - Matt's Biggest Challenges at SaaS Academy35:28 - Instrumental Resources For Matt's Success37:43 - What Does Success Mean for Matt Today42:07 - Get In Touch With MattGet In Touch With Matt:SaaS Academy WebsiteMatt's WebsiteMentions:Dan MartellJohnny PageBooks:Scaling People by Claire Hughes JohnsonThe Goal by Eliyahu M. GoldrattExtreme Revenue Growth by Victor ChengTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Kyle Jones is the Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at Rhymetec, cloud security company that delivers cutting-edge cybersecurity, compliance, and data privacy solutions to contemporary SaaS enterprises. Kyle is a dedicated cybersecurity analyst who’s expertise particularly shines in aligning SaaS cloud structures with industry benchmarks and regulations.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:20 - Key Considerations for Cybersecurity Development04:41 - Key Threats to Stay Mindful Of06:35 - Balancing Cybersecurity with Limited Resources09:59 - Safeguarding IT Infrastructure with Performance Optimization12:50 - Cybersecurity Policies' Crucial Role in Mitigating Threats16:03 - Perspective on AI Automation and Opportunities for Startups19:08 - Effective Communication and Compliance of Cybersecurity Policies24:57 - Standard Qualifications of a Expert in Cybersecurity27:33 - Kyle's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State28:01 - Kyle's Piece Of Advice For His 20-Year-Old Self28:54 - Kyle's Biggest Challenges at Rhymetec30:07 - Instrumental Resources For Kyle's Success32:43 - What Does Success Mean for Kyle Today33:24 - Get In Touch With KyleGet In Touch With Kyle:Rhymetec WebsiteMentions:Gemini (Google Bard)Google CloudBooks:The Act of Will by Roberto AssagioliTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Dr. Yaniv Zaid, also known as "Dr. Persuasion," is a lawyer and economist, provider of business and media consulting to companies and organizations, and a requested and highly experienced lecturer on the topic of improvement of speaking, marketing and persuasion abilities. He's also a No. 1 best-selling author on Amazon with his latest 21st century Sales Bible, economist and advocate, and active as business and media consultant to government ministries, private firms and public organizations. In 2003, Dr. Zaid ranked third place in the worldwide list of public speakers.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:46 - Selling, Audience, and Tech Leadership06:10 - How to Become an Authority08:46 - Advice for Effective Team Communication and Action13:38 - Reducing Distractions in a Competitive Environment16:27 - Key Skill Every Leader Should Invest In18:36 - Practicing Listening from Other Experts25:10 - The 10 Commandments of Marketing, Negotiation & Persuasion27:46 - Yaniv's Opinion on AI Tools for Content Creation31:04 - Yaniv's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State31:53 - Yaniv's Piece Of Advice For His 25 Younger Self33:00 - Yaniv's Biggest Challenges at His Business34:43 - Instrumental Resources For Yaniv's Success36:01 - What Does Success Mean for Yaniv Today37:30 - Get In Touch With YanivGet In Touch With Yaniv:Yaniv's WebsiteYaniv's EmailBooks:The 21st Century Sales Bible by Yaniv ZaidTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Ryan is the Founder & CEO at Whale Boss, a cutting edge consultancy designed around providing fast results vs. billable hours.Ryan helps CEO’s or Revenue Leaders implement a 7-8 figure sales system in 3 months based on the principles that grew a business unit from 0- $30M ARR while adding $30M+ in capital revenue (with ONLY 4 Sales people and without lead generation.)In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:24 - Scaling Tech Company to $30M ARR in 5.5 Years with 4 Reps04:29 - Key Steps for Replicating Ryan's Success09:45 - Focusing on the Higher Value Customers13:22 - Ryan's Experience with AI15:50 - Boosting Performance 3x with AI in Teams21:11 - AI Adoption on Organization Departments23:20 - Strategies for Adopting AI In Sales and Customers Success27:41 - Notable Outcomes with AI29:35 - Ryan's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State30:30 - Ryan's Piece Of Advice For His 25-Year-Old Self32:02 - Ryan's Biggest Challenges at Whale Boss33:12 - What Does Success Mean for Ryan Today35:09 - Instrumental Resources For Ryan's Success37:11 - Get In Touch With RyanGet In Touch With Ryan:Ryan's WebsiteRyan's EmailMentions:Tony RobbinsThe Scale Up ShowArticles:AI at Work: What People Are SayingBooks:The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin HardyTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Michael is a Partner at Eight Roads Ventures based out of London, where they’re focused on venture and growth investments in technology companies across Europe and Israel. Previously, Michael invested in technology companies at Accel in London, and Warburg Pincus both in San Francisco and New York. He received a BA from Yale University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:17 - Eight Roads Ventures' Investing Focus Today03:37 - How to Stand Out in a Funding Pitch05:55 - Market Tips & Strategies for Founders08:59 - 2024 Industry Trends and Exciting Verticals14:09 - Startup Fundraising in Public Market Valuations20:55 - When to Consider a Exit25:37 - Common Traits of High-Performance Entrepreneurs31:45 - Michael's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State32:25 - Michael's Piece Of Advice For His 25-Year-Old Self33:10 - Michael's Biggest Challenges at Eight Roads Ventures34:21 - Instrumental Resources For Michael's Success35:32 - What Does Success Mean for Michael Today36:41 - Get In Touch With MichaelGet in Touch with Michael:Michael's LinkedInMichael's TwitterEight Roads Ventures WebsiteMentions:SubstackTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Stefan is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pointerpro, a software platform to create your own online assessments with auto-generated personalized reports. It helps you turn your expertise into a tool that delivers personalized advice at scale.Before founding Pointerpro, Stefan worked for 15 years in several consulting companies as a consultant, project manager, and account manager. He has contributed to Entrepreneur, Capterra, CrazyEgg, mainly in the areas of entrepreneurship and digital marketing. In addition, he founded the Facebook group “B2B Bloggers Boost Group”, where top-tier B2B bloggers help each other to create content and get mentioned.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:14 - Stefan's Background Story Into SaaS06:05 - The Turning Point and Founding Pointerpro08:45 - Turning Validation into a 3M ARR Success Story12:02 - SEO Insights and AI Trends for 10X Traffic Growth15:48 - Transitioning from Organic to Paid Marketing Timing Tips17:56 - Time-Based Vs Outcome-Based Pricing Strategies23:45 - Pricing Through Time and Cost Saving27:59 - Stefan's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State28:24 - Stefan's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self30:11 - Stefan's Biggest Challenges at Pointerpro31:41 - Instrumental Resources For Stefan's Success33:28 - What Does Success Mean for Stefan Today36:08 - Get In Touch With StefanGet In Touch With Stefan:Stefan's LinkedInPointerpro WebsiteMentions:ATMTJacco van der KooijWinning By DesignChris WalkerRefine LabsApril DunfordPositioning PodcastTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Jarie is the founder of Story-Driven, a company that utilizes storytelling techniques to accelerate brand awareness and generate leads for B2B businesses. With a proven track record in startups, Jarie has successfully raised over $10 million in funding and played a key role in a $750M exit.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:14 - Jarie's Engineer Journey to Marketing04:15 - Storytelling in B2B Brand Awareness and Lead Generation07:44 - B2B Marketers' Hesitation with Storytelling Strategies10:58 - Crafting Compelling Stories in Marketing Framework16:32 - Insights from B2C Tactics for B2B Marketers22:01 - Tips for B2B SaaS Marketers to Elevate Storytelling24:40 - Jarie's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State25:07 - Jarie's Piece Of Advice For His 25-Year-Old Self26:17 - Jarie's Biggest Challenges at Story Driven27:15 - Instrumental Resources For Jarie's Success28:13 - What Does Success Mean for Jarie Today28:56 - Get In Touch With JarieGet In Touch With Jarie:Jarie's LinkedInStory Driven WebsiteMentions:Stéphane NasserBooks:Story Driven Decks by Jarie BolanderThe War of Art by Steven PressfieldLoonshots by Safi BahcallTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Robert is a Partner at Albion VC, an independent investment firm that backs visionary founders with long-term capital and scale-up expertise. With £1 billion of venture funds invested in 50+ companies, Robert focuses on deeptech and B2B software startups. His extensive experience in corporate finance and board-level work allows him to provide strategic guidance on everything from culture to fundraising.Some of his current supported companies include Academia, Accelex, Brytlyt, Diffblue, Convertr, Gravitee.io, and more. Robert's passion for supporting innovative founders makes him a valuable partner in the world of venture capital.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:10 - Robert's Background03:27 - Current Startups Landscape05:16 - AlbionVC's SaaS Investment Trends07:34 - Growth and Funding Tips for SaaS CEOs10:39 - Later Stage vs Early Stage12:05 - Strategies for Scaling Without Capital13:36 - Avoiding Downfall from Expenses16:55 - AlbionVC-backed SaaS Triumphs and Key Growth Factors20:56 - Robert's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State21:35 - Robert's Piece Of Advice For His 25 Younger Self25:40 - Robert's Biggest Challenges at Albion VC29:11 - Instrumental Resources For Robert's Success31:13 - What Does Success Mean for Robert Today32:09 - Get In Touch With RobertGet In Touch With Robert:Robert's LinkedInAlbion VC WebsiteMentions:SnowflakeBooks:High Output Management by Andy GroveThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniCrossing the Chasm by Geoffrey MooreZero to One by Peter ThielTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Michaell is the Creativity-Awareness Educator at MICHAELLM.com. He holds the role of Wisdom Art Awareness Coach & hosts his own podcast show called The Smart of Art Podcast. Michaell showcases a unique blend of talents and expertise and advocates for unlocking individual potential. His transformative journey from feeling like an outcast to embracing humanity defines his commitment. With six books, including "The Smart of Art," he will be sharing keys to a 60% more fulfilled life, navigating complexities with a balanced human-centric and system-relevant perspective.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:15 - Michael's Life & Journey09:44 - Finding Balance Between Employment and Friendship13:33 - Unleashing Self-Awareness Through Artistic Creation19:00 - Getting Inspiration to Overcome Creative Blocks22:26 - Understanding the 'Never Enough' Stress Paradox28:41 - Motivation and Passion35:01 - Finding the Human-Centric Brand43:57 - Defining Human Value in Systems51:23 - Michaell's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self52:08 - What Does Success Mean for Michaell Today53:17 - Get in Touch with MichaellGet in Touch with MichaellMichaell's WebsiteMichaell's LinkedInAre You Living a SYSTEM-RELEVANT or HUMAN-CENTRIC LIFE and Which is Dominant? When you can answer these questions it will spark enough awareness to make your life AT LEAST 50% EASIER. It’s just the awareness that trumps all. What is living a HUMAN-CENTRIC versus SYSTEM-RELEVANT LIFE?Tag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInSaaS PodcastsSaaS Consulting ServicesLearn How to Value SaaS Companies

Kenneth Berger is the Executive Coach at Kenneth Berger Coaching with over two decades of experience in the tech industry. He's empowered leaders from startups like Typeform, Dribbble, and Fastly, guiding them to tackle challenges, combat burnout, and achieve their desired life paths. Serving as a trusted confidant to multiple CEOs, Kenneth equips them with the tools to succeed in the dynamic tech world.With a wealth of experience in technology, Kenneth's mission is to assist startup leaders in defining their goals, standing up for their aspirations, and embracing the world's response. His unique insights, garnered from years as a founder, operator, and executive coach, enable him to guide tech leaders in achieving their potential while addressing the opportunities and challenges inherent in the industry.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro02:13 - Navigating The Founder Archetypes in Startups09:32 - Breaking Fear Cycles in Startups12:15 - Fear, Perfectionism, and Burnout15:40 - Avoiding Awkward Conversations17:16 - Fostering Learning and Resilience19:12 - Impact of Clarity and Humility on Startup Dynamics22:49 - Leadership Role on Effective Communication25:34 - Well-Phrased Requests & Effective Communication31:20 - Kenneth's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State31:45 - Kenneth's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self32:23 - Kenneth's Biggest Challenges at His Company33:18 - Instrumental Resources For Kenneth's Success35:08 - What Does Success Mean for Kenneth Today36:21 - Get In Touch With KennethGet In Touch With Kenneth:Kenneth's LinkedInKenneth's WebsiteMentions:The Conscious Leadership GroupRichard C. Schwartz, Ph.DBooks:The 15 Commitments of Conscious LeadershipNo Bad PartsTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Shay Howe is the Chief Marketing Officer at ActiveCampaign, a cloud-based email and CRM automation platform with 185,000 customers worldwide and secured $360 million in funding through three rounds.He's a product leader with a design and engineering background. Before ActiveCampaign, Shay served as Vice President of Product at Belly and Yello, overseeing product strategy and design. He led product teams at high-growth companies like Groupon and advised at Techstars, Lightbank, and Prota ventures. Additionally, he authored "Learn to Code HTML and CSS '' published by Pearson Education.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:27 - The Financial Growth Story of ActiveCampaign03:34 - Unveiling the Postmark Deal08:41 - Identifying Customer-Centric Integrations13:19 - Choosing the Right Pricing Model20:13 - Successful Strategies to Mitigate Single Platform Risks in 202322:46 - The Power of AI in ActiveCampaign's Automation and Marketing29:02 - Shay's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State29:49 - Shay's Piece Of Advice For Your Younger Self31:19 - Shay's Biggest Challenges at ActiveCampaign32:43 - Instrumental Resources For Shay's Success35:35 - What Does Success Mean for Shay Today37:38 - Get In Touch With ShayGet In Touch With Shay:Shay's LinkedInActiveCampaign WebsiteMentions:PostmarkBooks:The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniThe Founder's Mentality by Chris Zook and James AllenNever Split the Difference by Chris VossTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Anupam Rastogi is a General Partner at Emergent Ventures, which focuses on seed and early-stage ventures, investing in transformative AI-powered SaaS and enterprise infrastructure companies. They invest at pre-seed, seed, seed+, and post-seed rounds across enterprise and B2B software, including Application SaaS, Cloud, Data, Infra, Security, Vertical SaaS and Dev Tools.Over the past decade, Anupam has led or played a substantive role in over 20 successful technology investments globally, ranging from early to expansion stage, and several large exits. Prior to his investing career, he spent several years in operating roles in the mobile, enterprise, and data analytics spaces, bringing to market four new products, setting up a big data analytics stack in a Fortune 100 environment, and authoring five international patents and publications.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:31 - Silicon Valley's Current Sentiment About AI05:36 - What's The Early-Stage VC Criteria10:47 - Getting To Know Founders In Person vs Remotely13:06 - The Future of the Venture Market15:38 - The AI's Impact on Employment20:17 - 100x Engineers + 100x Professionals + AI23:57 - Crafting a Winning Startup Fundraising Pitch28:42 - Anupam's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State29:10 - Anupam's Piece Of Advice For His 25 Younger Self30:12 - Anupam's Biggest Challenges at Emergent Ventures30:48 - Instrumental Resources For Anupam's Success32:12 - What Does Success Mean for Anupam Today33:05 - Get In Touch With AnupamGet In Touch With Anupam:Anupam's LinkedInEmergent Ventures WebsiteTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInSaaS PodcastsSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Wesleyne is the Founder of Transformed Sales: A Sales training and consulting firm focused on the STEM industries. She's a chemist turned sales coach, dedicated to helping individuals achieve their professional aspirations. With a background in chemistry and success as a top international salesperson, she founded Transformed Sales to guide aspiring leaders in honing their skills and achieving remarkable results.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:15 - Former Chemist's Journey to International Sales Manager03:47 - Coaching Middle Management to Boost Sales Team07:29 - Qualities of Ideal Sales Personnel and Leaders11:53 - Building Confidence In Sales14:25 - Addressing Burnout Among Founders18:34 - Sales Tips for Tech Companies in Challenging Times20:59 - Wesleyne's Activity for Achieving Flow State21:21 - Key Instrumental Resources to Wesleyne's Success23:43 - Wesleyne's Advice to His 25-Year-Old Self24:31 - Wesleyne's Major Challenges at Transformed Sales25:31 - What Success Means to Wesleyne Today28:18 - Get in Touch with WesleyneGet in Touch with Wesleyne:Wesleyne's LinkedInMentions:Ed MylettBooks:Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-DavidTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInSaaS PodcastsSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Andy Crestodina is the co-founder and CMO of Orbit Media Studios, a digital agency based in Chicago. He has over 18 years of experience where he's advised 1000+ businesses on digital marketing. Andy speaks at major marketing conferences, contributes to prominent marketing blogs, and also hosts the Content Matters podcast. His extensive writing covers content marketing, SEO, social media, and analytics. Andy presents 50-70 times annually and authored "Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing."In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:23 - Incorporating AI into Strategies and Budget04:43 - Measuring Growth Results Impact with AI09:10 - Top AI-Driven Marketing Content Pieces12:16 - Emerging Market Opportunities for the Future14:48 - AI-Enhanced High-Converting Sales Pages18:57 - SEO Content Optimization with AI23:23 - AI-Driven Content Publishing and SEO Ranking26:06 - Managing and Hiring Roles for AI-Powered Content27:59 - Recap29:08 - Andy's Preferred Activity for Achieving Flow State30:20 - Andy's Advice to His 25-Year-Old Self31:38 - Andy's Major Challenges at Orbit Media Studios33:37 - Key Resources Instrumental to Andy's Success35:06 - What Success Means to Andy Today36:28 - Connect with AndyConnect with Andy:Andy's LinkedInMentions:Chris CarrMark SchaeferJoanna WiebeClaude.aiMidjourneyStable DiffusionTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS Consulting ServicesHow To Value Your SaaS Company

Alice Heiman is renowned for elevating B2B sales and increasing valuation for high-growth companies. She collaborates with CEOs and sales leaders to develop strategies that energize sales teams, secure new business, and nurture existing accounts. As the host of "Sales Talk for CEOs," her podcast inspires businesses to reach their full potential.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro01:23 - Accelerating Sales with CEO Collaboration07:45 - CEO Involvement in Sales and Customer Understanding13:47 - Avoiding Sales Mistakes as CEO21:09 - Entrepreneurial System for Leadership25:44 - Focusing on the "Genius Zone" for CEOs36:41 - Motivation and Strategies for CEO-led Sales Teams41:54 - Alice's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State43:15 - Alice's Piece Of Advice For Her Younger Self46:52 - Alice's Biggest Challenges at Work49:15 - What Does Success Mean for Alice Today50:11 - Get In Touch With AliceGet In Touch With Alice:Alice's LinkedInAlice's WebsiteBooks:Traction by Gino WickmanThe Big Leap by Gay HendriksTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInSaaS PodcastsSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company