The Latest from SaaStr: 5 Interesting Learnings from GitLab at $400,000,000 in ARR

THE LATEST FROM SAASTR

By Jason Lemkin  · Friday, September 16, 2022 | Blog Posts, Scale

One of my themes in my talks this week at SaaStr Annual was that while the markets are down, I mean way down — the best in SaaS are still growing at jaw-dropping rates.

No doubt, some categories are still recovering from a Covid Hangover.  Zoom’s SMB base has flattened after exploding like nothing we’ve ever seen before.  Shopify and others in ecommerce have had a few challenging quarters as offline commerce returns to its prior levels.

But for the most part, there is no slowdown in the leaders of SaaS.

DEAR SAASTR

By Jason Lemkin  · Friday, September 16, 2022 | Early, Q&A

Jason shares his top 5 things every Founder should know when starting out.

NEW PODCAST + VIDEO

By Amanda Beaty  · Friday, September 16, 2022 | International Expansion, Leadership

After finding success in their home country, many SaaS founders begin to think globally, considering expansion into the international markets. However, global growth is challenging, and it takes the right strategy, preparation, and business model to achieve it.

In an eye-opening session at SaaStr Europa 2022, Harry Briggs (Managing Partner at OMERS Ventures) shares advice for determining whether expansion is right for your business and how to execute it effectively. 

HIRING

By Jason Lemkin · Friday, September 16, 2022 | Growth, Hiring

The other day, I met with a great founder who talked with me about how he was about to top his VP of Sales.  This VP had gotten him from $0 to $1.5m in ARR in pretty short order, recruiting a great small team of reps under her, and had really nailed the formula.  But she hadn’t been a true VP before.

I completely get the intellectual side of the move.  While this company isn’t yet a rocketship … it has the making of it.  Time to get the management team in order.  Prepare for the growth, not scramble to keep up with it.  Get the cavalry in place now, not at $10m ARR.

DEAR SAASTR

By Jason Lemkin  · Thursday, September 15, 2022 | Career Growth & Advice, Early

So many folks I meet want to start a start-up.  They have an idea they are passionate about.  They’ve worked under a great CEO, and they’re ready — they think — to do it on their own this time.

What does it take?  Well …

METRICS

By Jason Lemkin  · Thursday, September 15, 2022 | Career Growth & Advice, Early

In SaaS companies in the very wide band from ~$1m to $40m ARR or so, the debate over Quarterly vs. Monthly Quotas comes up all the time.  

And it especially comes up when you hire your First VP of Sales, because odds are, he or she will want to move from Monthly to Quarterly Quotas.  They’ll probably be more used to Quarterly quotas and goals.  And also — they’ll think it gives them some breathing room.  A chance to make up for any weakness in the quarter during its last month.

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