Ep. 179 - The Smart SaaS Funding Path No One Talks About
Send us a textGuest: Melanie Nabar, Vice President at Volition Capital -- SaaS founders often see only two funding paths—venture or private equity—but there’s a smarter middle lane that keeps control where it belongs: with the founder.In this episode, Melanie Nabar, Vice President on the Software Team at Volition Capital, joins host Ken Lempit to unpack how growth equity works, when it’s the right fit, and the scale-up mistakes that stall promising SaaS companies.Key insights from this episode:Why growth equity can fuel SaaS scale without losing controlThe biggest post-funding hiring mistake founders makeHow AI is reshaping go-to-market efficiency in SaaSIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO, CRO, or founder navigating scale-up challenges, funding strategy, or go-to-market transformation, this episode will help you see where real growth capital fits—and how to make it work for you.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.
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Ep. 178 - Why SaaS Founders Give Up Too Much Too Soon
Send us a textGuest: Rob Belcher, Managing Director at SaaS Capital -- SaaS founders often think equity is the only path to growth—but giving up ownership isn’t the only option.In this episode, Rob Belcher, Managing Director at SaaS Capital, joins host Ken Lempit to break down how growth debt works, what investors really look for in valuations, and how B2B SaaS leaders can finance smart without losing control.Key insights from this episode:Why growth debt can fund SaaS expansion without heavy dilutionThe financing ladder every founder should understand—from angels to private equityHow valuation multiples are shifting and what drives them higherThe role of clean contracts, retention, and growth rate in exit outcomesWhy AI is creating a “priced for perfection” split in SaaS valuationsIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO navigating fundraising, growth efficiency, or exit strategy, this episode will help you sharpen your playbook.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.
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Ep. 177 - Why “Book a Demo” Is Killing SaaS Growth
Send us a textGuest: Braydan Young, Co-Founder and CEO at SlashExperts -- Buyers don’t want another “book a demo” button—they want proof from people like them.In this episode, Braydan Young, Co-Founder and CEO of SlashExperts (and previously co-founder of Sendoso), joins host Ken Lempit to share how buyer-led growth is reshaping SaaS sales and why the old way of running references at the end of the deal cycle is broken.Key insights from this episode:Why moving customer references earlier can shorten sales cycles by 4–6 weeksHow authentic peer conversations double conversion rates compared to demosWhat CROs can learn from Sendoso’s hypergrowth—and its “we grew too fast” momentWhy handwritten notes and simple gifts outperform flashy, expensive onesHow to turn the “dark funnel” into a competitive advantageIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO looking to accelerate pipeline, increase deal size, and close faster with fewer wasted demos, this episode is a must-listen.---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.
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Ep. 176 - Your $1M+ Media Budget Deserves Better
Send us a textGuest: Courtney Hiller, Founder of All Points Agency -- You wouldn’t hire one person to build your product, sell it, and run support. So why are B2B SaaS companies still expecting one marketer to manage a million-dollar media budget?In this episode, Courtney Hiller, founder of All Points Agency, joins host Ken Lempit to break down how to build a modern media engine that actually performs—and why yesterday’s paid strategy won’t cut it in 2025.Key insights from this episode:Why splitting strategy, creative, and media buying unlocks performanceWhat most in-house teams get wrong about channel mix and audience targetingHow to fix attribution when your sales cycle is 6–12 monthsWhy creative volume—not just creative quality—is the new growth leverHow to use Reddit, Meta, and programmatic without wasting your budgetIf you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO managing six-or seven-figure ad spend, this episode will help you rethink your team structure, channel strategy, and ROI expectations.Referenced in the episode:How Brand Building and Performance Marketing Can Work Together - Harvard Business Review---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.
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Ep. 175 - Beyond Copy: How AI Powers the Next Generation of SaaS Growth
Send us a textGuest: Hikari Senju, Founder & CEO at Omneky -- AI isn’t just generating ad copy—it’s reshaping the entire performance marketing playbook for B2B SaaS. In this episode, Hikari Senju, founder and CEO of Omneky, shares how the platform evolved from an enterprise solution to a self-serve powerhouse—and why smart creative strategy matters more than big budgets. Key insights from this episode: Why brute-force creative testing consistently outperforms guesswork How ad performance data can directly inform GTM messaging Why brand inconsistency across platforms kills trust and conversion How AI-powered ads are becoming core to revenue strategy If you’re a B2B SaaS CMO or CRO looking to improve ROAS, scale faster with fewer resources, or make AI actually work for your GTM team, this episode is a must-listen. ---Not Getting Enough Demos? Your messaging could be turning buyers away before you even get a chance to pitch. 🔗 Get a Free Messaging & Conversion Review We’ll analyze your website and content through the eyes of your buyers to uncover what’s stopping them from booking a demo. Then, we’ll give you a personalized report with practical recommendations to help you turn more visitors into sales conversations. And the best part? 💡 It’s completely free. No commitments, no pressure—just actionable advice to help you book more demos. Your next demo is just a click away—claim your free review now.
About SaaS Backwards - Reverse Engineering SaaS Success
Join us as we interview CEOs and GTM leaders of fast-growing SaaS and AI firms to reveal what they are doing that’s working, and lessons learned from things that didn’t work as planned. These deep conversations dive into the dynamic world of SaaS B2B marketing, go-to-market strategies, and the SaaS business model. Content focuses on the pragmatic as well as strategic, providing a well-rounded diet for those running SaaS firms today. Hosted by Ken Lempit, Austin Lawrence Group’s president and chief business builder, who brings over 30 years of experience and expertise in helping software companies grow and their founders achieve their visions. Full video and shorts on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSBackwardsPodcast
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