Metrics
Come to my SaaStr Annual Presentation: The Strategic Use and Abuse of SaaS Metrics
Come to my SaaStr Annual presentation on The Strategic Use and Abuse of SaaS Metrics.
Silicon Valley
Appearance on Data Radicals: Frameworks and the Art of Simplification
This is a quick post to highlight my recent appearance on the Data Radicals podcast (Apple, Spotify), hosted by Alation founder and CEO, Satyen Sangani. I've worked with Alation for a long time in varied capacities -- e.g., as an angel investor, advisor, director, interim executive, skit writer,
Metrics
Interpreting The Insight 2023 Sales KPI Report
Insight Partners recently published an excellent 2023 Sales KPI Report. As I went through it, I thought it could be educational and fun to write a companion guide for three distinct audiences: * The intimidated. Those who find SaaS benchmark reports as impenetrable as James Joyce. The post could serve as
Management
Fly the Aircraft First: The Potentially Paralyzing Effects of Fundraising
Startup CEOs can learn an important lesson from pilots. Specifically, to always fly the aircraft first. Sounds obvious, like maybe you shouldn't need to remind pilots to do this, but here’s what they teach them and why: From the earliest days of flight training, pilots are taught
Metrics
Metrics That Matter in 2023: My KiwiSaaS Presentation Slides
Just a quick post to share the slides from the presentation I gave today at the KiwiSaaS conference to discuss the SaaS metrics that matter in 2023 and 2024. The presentation has three sections: First, an introduction which quickly reviews the ways the startup world has changed in the past
Management
My Thoughts on the SVB Meltdown
(Revised 8:56 am 3/19) Looks like I picked the wrong week to be off-grid in Argentina. When I came back on-grid last night, I quickly discovered that the world, or more precisely, my Silicon Valley business world, had basically exploded while I was flyfishing in Patagonia.
Leadership
Is a Dream a Lie if It Don't Come True? Founders, Aspirations, and Company Potential
"Is a dream a lie if don't come true?" -- Bruce Springsteen The River was one of my favorite songs in college and whenever I listen to the above line near the end, I start thinking about Silicon Valley. Consider three entrepreneurs. Founder 1: Elizabeth Holmes. Was
Marketing
The Key to Making Market Research Actionable, Part II
In the first part of this two-part series we discussed the importance of timing in ensuring that market research is actionable. The moral was to time the arrival of research (e.g., win/loss reporting, NPS surveys, awareness and marketing funnel studies) with the cadence of your company'
Marketing
The Key to Making Market Research Actionable
Ever heard any of these? * "Yes, we run a quarterly customer satisfaction (CSAT) and NPS survey, but I feel like we don't really take any action based on it." * "Win/loss reporting, well yes, we do it, but I don't think it'
Management
Appearance on the SaaS Revolution Podcast
SaaStock recently released an interview with me on their podcast, The SaaS Revolution Show. The interview, conducted by SaaStock founder and CEO Alex Theuma, was notionally about the Balderton Founder's Guide to B2B Sales that I published late last year. While we ended up discussing that, we also
Marketing
Slides from the Balderton Founder's Guide to B2B Sales Webinar
Just a quick post to share the slides from the webinar we ran today on the Balderton Founder's Guide to B2B Sales. Thanks to all those who attended and who particpated in the Q&A. I've embedded them below. Here are the slides on Google
Management
A Tale of Two Companies: The Professional Services Paradox
Quick: which company do you like better? Yes, assume they’re similar size, growing at similar rates, and both at scale. Pick A or B. Thelonious can't help because there’s no third option. C’mon. You know you want to pick A. * Company A has a leaner