The Latest from SaaStr: Why We Had to Let Our Smallest Customers Go

THE LATEST FROM SAASTR

By Jason Lemkin  · Sunday, August 28, 2022 | Blog Posts

So, in many ways, we use SaaStr itself as sort of a lab to try sales and marketing experiments.  I have my own experience as a SaaS CEO to draw on, for a product now doing hundreds of millions in ARR a year.  And I have the experience of investing in 5 SaaS unicorns and decacorns.  But you need to keep it fresh.

Running SaaStr itself definitely helps.  We have a world-class sales team now that does $20m a year, with just 6 sales execs, so I’ve learned a lot about efficiency there.

And one experiment we finally ran this past year was to drop our smallest customers.  It’s something at SaaStr I generally strongly recommend against.

SALES

By Jason Lemkin  · Monday, August 29, 2022 | Growth, Scale

So many VCs and others have gotten more and more excited about SMB SaaS.  After all, there are far more SMB customers than enterprise ones.  Millions and millions more.  And even though they pay less, they close a lot faster.

But SMB SaaS has a lot of challenges, too.

So I was wondering, how much of the market cap of the leading SaaS companies is all or primarily SMB-focused?

SAASTR ANNUAL NEWS

By Amanda Beaty · Monday, August 29, 2022 | Blog Posts

10.000 SaaS CEOs, Founders, Revenue Leaders, and VCs will join us for 3 days of tactical content, networking, and epic evening events when the Cloud comes to San Mateo. 

We’re 15 days away from SaaStr Annual 2022, and we are excited to feature hundreds of speakers, sharing their knowledge and experience with you!

Take a look at just some of the most popular sessions (so far!).

DEAR SAASTR

By Jason Lemkin · Monday, August 29, 2022 | Career Growth & Advice, Leadership

It’s not going to work.

The issue isn’t so much that he’s a complete jerk. It’s that you think he is.

He’s thus clearly already driving you so nuts that you have a dysfunctional founder team.

There's just 14 days now til SaaStr Annual 2022. 

A ticket to SaaStr Annual includes all of the following: 

• All-access to all 3 days of SaaStr Annual 2022, Sept 13th-15th 
• Access to all 200+ sessions, speakers, workshops + content. Full program here. 
• Access to Networking, including 1,000+ Braindates (one-on-ones and small groups 1:4). Braindate networking is OPEN, so register now for immediate access to start networking. 
• Access to our Meet a VC Program for Founders and Investors. These double opt-in meetings are a chance to meet top tier investors on-site and pitch them during SaaStr Annual. Each year - companies get funded or term sheets at Annual through this super popular program. 
• Lunches & Happy Hours each day are included in your ticket 
• Access to the Big Party on Wednesday, September 14th with DJ Duke Dumont 
• SaaStr swag 

And so much more.

ICYMI

By Amanda Beaty · Sunday, August 28, 2022 | Blog Posts

Each week, we round up our most popular content so you can catch up on anything you may have missed. Check out this week’s top blog posts, podcasts, and videos!

GROWTH

By Jason Lemkin  · Saturday, August 27, 2022 | Growth

So when Salesforce announced its last quarter, everything was still humming.  While the stock price was hit along with everyone else, the business wasn’t.  Benioff noted he just wasn’t seeing any slowdown.

Well, now he is.  Salesforce had another blow-out quarter. hitting almost $31 Billion in ARR and growing a still stunning 22% at this scale.  Breathtaking.

DEAR SAASTR

By Jason Lemkin  · Saturday, August 27, 2022 | Customer Success

Yes, autorenewals likely are in your T&Cs.  And yes, if your customer keeps using the product after the renewal date, they owe you.  They’re using the product still, after all.

But if they didn’t intend to renew, and don’t want to use your product — enough with the autorenewal then.  You refund them, 100%. And you move on to bigger and better things.

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