In this game-changing episode of "Founders Only," we dive deep with Todd Busler, co-founder and CEO of Champify, who's cracking the code on what it really takes to build a scalable B2B sales machine from the ground up.
From joining Heap as employee #6 (the first go-to-market hire among five engineers crammed in a studio apartment) to scaling it to $40M ARR, Todd witnessed firsthand how the sales game completely transformed. Now he's using those battle-tested insights to build Champify while scratching his own itch—solving the pipeline problem that's keeping every sales leader up at night. We explore his transition from VP of Sales to founder, the harsh lessons of building an MVP that actually matters, and why finding product-market fit is more art than science.
But here's where it gets really interesting: Todd breaks down why the old "hire 23-year-olds and blast emails" approach is dead, how AI is accelerating the noise problem (not solving it), and his contrarian take on why relationships and warm outreach will separate the winners from the wannabes. Plus, he shares the tactical playbook that's driving 30-40% of Champify's pipeline through their own product.
If you're wrestling with early-stage sales challenges, this episode will fundamentally change how you think about going to market.
Ever wonder what separates successful startup founders from those who burn out before reaching product-market fit? This episode delivers raw, unfiltered insights from Glenn Gow, the success coach who's helped countless tech entrepreneurs navigate the brutal reality of building scalable businesses. We're diving deep into the founder mindset that actually works when the runway gets short and the pressure mounts.
Glenn doesn't sugarcoat the journey from MVP to meaningful revenue. Instead, he breaks down the psychological frameworks that determine whether founders push through the inevitable valleys or give up when competitors start circling. You'll discover why most founders fail not because of their product, but because of how they think about failure, pivot decisions, and the relentless grind of customer discovery. This isn't theory - it's battle-tested wisdom from someone who's seen founders scale from zero to eight figures and others crash despite having superior technology.
In this actionable episode of "Founders Only," we dive deep with Bethany Stachenfeld, co-founder and CEO of Sendspark, as she unveils the strategic journey from identifying a pain point to building a powerful video messaging platform that's transforming B2B communication. "Building a demo-led SEO demand gen machine" follows Bethany's evolution from working at startups to pioneering her own venture that enables personalized video at scale.
Discover how Bethany and her co-founder transformed their firsthand struggle with video personalization into a thriving business opportunity. You'll learn about their early MVP experiments, the pivotal decision to focus on scalable personalization, and how they've maintained strong unit economics while growing. Bethany shares her refreshingly practical approach to customer acquisition, including why they launched "too early" to gather critical user feedback that shaped their product roadmap.
This episode is a masterclass in startup growth tactics with limited resources. From leveraging YouTube SEO instead of traditional content marketing to building strategic partnerships that amplify reach, Bethany delivers candid insights on what's actually working right now. She also reveals the surprising way childhood karate lessons influenced her entrepreneurial mindset and how she maintains team motivation through intentional celebration of wins. If you're struggling to break through the noise with your SaaS product or looking to scale personalized outreach without losing authenticity, this conversation is your blueprint.
In our latest Founders Only Podcast Episode, Becc Holland, Founder of Flip the Script, tears up the traditional playbook and reveals why most B2B outreach is falling flat in today's market. With her trademark no-nonsense data-driven approach, Becc dives into the critical mistakes that even seasoned sales teams make when trying to reach decision-makers, and offers a completely refreshed framework that's generating 3x response rates for her clients.
Learn how Becc went from struggling SDR to sales leadership, testing countless approaches before developing her revolutionary methodology. She breaks down exactly how she iterated through her MVP sales process, finding product-market fit with her unique approach that's now being adopted by top-performing revenue teams across the SaaS landscape.
In this episode, Becc provides actionable templates you can implement today to transform your outreach strategy. Whether you're building your go-to-market motion from scratch or looking to optimize your existing sales engine, Becc's insights will challenge everything you thought you knew about effective prospecting. Trust us – your sales team will be begging for this episode the moment it drops.
Pricing shouldn't be a guessing game... especially when your SaaS growth depends on it. In this episode of Founders Only, we sit down with Bill Wilson, a 3X founder and the brain behind Pace Pricing, to unpack the strategies that help SaaS startups build pricing models that not only convert... but scale. Whether you’re pre-revenue or gearing up for your Series B, this episode is packed with tactical wisdom on how to stop undercharging, ditch ineffective per-seat pricing, and build a monetization engine that actually aligns with your product’s value.
Bill shares how his own startup exit led him down the path of becoming the go-to pricing advisor for early- and growth-stage B2B SaaS teams. We dive into common mistakes founders make, like copying competitors or avoiding pricing changes out of fear...and why even solid Product-Market Fit won’t save you from a broken pricing strategy. You’ll hear real-world insights on hybrid pricing models, customer-centric value metrics, and why your biggest opportunity for revenue growth might already be sitting in your existing user base.
Bill breaks down how to use the “Jobs to Be Done” method to shape packaging, how to test new pricing with live customers without triggering churn, and why experimentation, not perfection, is the path to pricing confidence.
If you’re serious about scaling your SaaS business and want pricing that grows with you — not against you — this episode is a must-listen.
In this captivating episode of Founders Only Podcast, we shared the remarkable journey of David Chevalier, CEO and co-founder of Surfe, who transformed a simple university project into a thriving sales intelligence platform. From his early days as a 24-year-old investment banker in Frankfurt to bootstrapping a €1M ARR business through strategic partnerships, David's story is a masterclass in bootstrapped entrepreneurship.
David shares the pivotal moment when he decided to leave his comfortable banking career, moving to Paris to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. His story is deeply rooted in family inspiration, particularly his father's prioritization of family well-being over business convenience — a lesson that would later influence David's own leadership style.
What sets this episode apart is David's unique perspective on building a diverse company culture, now boasting 45+ team members from 17 different nationalities. His multifaceted background in competitive sports and theater has shaped his adaptable approach to leadership. Learn how Surfe evolved from a simple LinkedIn CRM connector to a comprehensive sales intelligence platform, scaling from an innovative partnership strategy.
David also opens up about maintaining balance amidst rapid growth, sharing his practices including mindfulness. For B2B SaaS founders looking to bootstrap their way to success in 2025 and beyond, this episode offers invaluable insights on building strategic partnerships, scaling with limited resources, and maintaining authentic leadership through various growth stages.
Join us for this enlightening conversation that goes beyond typical startup metrics to explore the human side of building a global B2B SaaS company. Whether you're considering the leap from corporate to startup life or looking to scale your existing business through partnerships, David's journey offers both inspiration and practical wisdom for the modern entrepreneur
What does it really take to win a startup pitch competition—or better yet, to secure that first big check from an investor? In this powerful episode of Founders Only, we're joined by Jason Kraus, the founder of Prepare 4 VC and the man behind dozens of successful funding journeys. From building pitch decks that pop to developing founder-market fit that’s impossible to ignore, Jason shares the inside strategies that help early-stage founders go from “maybe” to “yes” in the eyes of investors.
Jason’s journey is anything but ordinary. From selling baseball cards as a kid to launching fintech ventures and now running a virtual accelerator that graduates startup stars, he’s seen what separates the dreamers from the dealmakers. You’ll hear how he transitioned from analyzing pitch decks for Boston Harbor Angels to co-founding EQX Fund—and how he now teaches founders to build not just a strong MVP, but a compelling story that earns trust and funding.
In this episode of "Founders Only," we dive deep with Aytekin Tank, the mastermind behind Jotform's extraordinary journey from a humble MVP to a $100M ARR powerhouse - all without a single penny of venture capital. Get ready for an unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to bootstrap your way to success in the cutthroat SaaS landscape.
Aytekin shares the raw truth about choosing the bootstrap path when everyone around him was chasing VC money. You'll learn how he turned his nights-and-weekends project into a form-building solution that now serves millions of users worldwide. From finding product-market fit through countless iterations to scaling a global team of 400+, this episode is packed with practical insights that will make you rethink everything you know about building a SaaS company.
Omeed breaks down the critical legal foundations every founder needs to know - from equity splitting and vesting schedules to protecting your IP and structuring customer agreements. He shares real-world horror stories of startups that crashed and burned due to legal oversights, and more importantly, shows you exactly how to avoid these pitfalls. The best part? He translates complex legal jargon into actionable insights that even non-legal minds can grasp and implement immediately.
This isn't your typical dry legal talk - it's a founder-focused conversation packed with practical wisdom that could save you thousands in legal fees and countless headaches down the road. Whether you're bootstrapping your SaaS startup or preparing for your Series A, Omeed's insights on fundraising legalities, founder agreements, and regulatory compliance are absolute gold. Don't miss this episode that could literally save your startup from future legal disasters!
In this high-impact episode of "Founders Only," we sit down with Madhav Bhandari, the sharp and strategic mind behind Storylane’s explosive SEO growth. If you're a SaaS founder trying to build demand before your product even hits MVP—or you're stuck in the endless cycle of content with no pipeline payoff—this episode is your blueprint. Madhav breaks down how he built an SEO-driven content engine that doesn't just drive traffic, but turns that traffic into qualified pipeline by anchoring everything around one thing: the product demo.
From schoolteacher to founding the largest woman-owned commercial construction company in America - Linda Rabitt's journey is a masterclass in resilience and strategic leadership.
Key insights from her remarkable story: - Started with zero construction experience - focused on relationships over revenue - Transformed industry norms by treating superintendents as professionals - Built a debt-free business through strategic cash flow management - Achieved 25% female workforce (vs. industry average of 10%) - Never sued or been sued by a client in 40+ years
Nobody will care what you know until they know that you care.
- Linda's favorite Zig Ziglar quote
Discover the four fundamental operational bottlenecks that Jhana Li Foundef Spyglass Ops has identified through her work with countless founders, and learn the practical strategies to overcome them. We explore how her journey from a self-described 'tightly wound' academic achiever to an operations expert helped her develop a unique perspective on business growth. Jhana reveals the importance of founder time management, strategic vision clarity, leadership style evolution, and role clarity in creating sustainable business growth.
This episode goes beyond typical business advice, offering a candid look at how personal growth directly impacts business success. Jhana shares powerful insights on setting boundaries, trusting yourself as a leader, and owning opportunities and challenges. Her perspective on banning fault and blame from the workplace, while focusing on creative problem-solving, provides a fresh approach to building high-performing teams.
Join us as we uncover the essential elements of operational excellence that can transform your business from constant firefighting to systematic growth. Whether you're struggling with time management, team delegation, or strategic clarity, Jhana's practical wisdom and authentic approach will help you identify and overcome the operational barriers holding your business back.
In this electrifying episode of Founders Only, we sit down with Miranda Lievers, the powerhouse co-founder of Thinkific, to uncover how she helped scale a bootstrapped startup into a $1 billion, culture-first SaaS empire. From Startup to IPO dives deep into Miranda’s journey—from the scrappy MVP days to navigating hypergrowth and taking Thinkific public, all while keeping company culture at the core of every decision.
What does it take to scale a business with purpose while breaking down barriers along the way? In this episode of Founders Only, we sit down with Marissa Levin, a five-time entrepreneur, bestselling author, and leadership powerhouse, to uncover the mindset shifts and strategies that helped her build and exit multiple successful companies. Overcoming Barriers and the Power of Joyful Leadership dives into the realities of navigating entrepreneurship as a woman, securing funding against the odds, and leveraging conscious leadership to create a thriving business culture.
Marissa gets real about the challenges she faced in the early days—being denied bank loans, battling skepticism, and proving her worth in a male-dominated industry. But instead of letting those roadblocks stop her, she used them as fuel to build scalable businesses with strong advisory boards, high-performing teams, and a culture that prioritized both growth and well-being. She breaks down how founders can move from MVP chaos to sustainable success by embedding joy, intention, and strategy into their leadership approach.
Tune in as Marissa shares the tactical steps and leadership principles that helped her achieve Product-Market Fit—not just in business, but in life.
What does it really take to go from a bootstrapped idea to a high-growth SaaS powerhouse? In this episode of Founders Only, we sit down with Alina Vandenberghe, co-founder and co-CEO of Chili Piper, to uncover the raw, unfiltered story behind building a category-defining company. From selling her house to fund the business to sketching MVP concepts on napkins at trade shows, Alina shares the sacrifices and bold moves that helped Chili Piper carve out its niche in the ultra-competitive B2B tech landscape.
Alina’s journey is anything but conventional. Growing up in Communist Romania, she learned early on that resilience and creativity weren’t just useful—they were necessary for survival. Those same traits fueled her transition from corporate tech leader to SaaS founder, where she and her co-founder (and husband) took on the challenge of solving one of the biggest pain points in B2B sales: inbound lead conversion. In this conversation, she breaks down how she validated her product-market fit, leveraged customer insights to refine Chili Piper’s go-to-market strategy, and balanced relentless growth with an unwavering commitment to company culture.
Whether you’re in the trenches of scaling your startup or just dreaming up your next big idea, this episode is packed with real-world lessons on building a business that lasts. Tune in to hear how Alina’s belief in a better way—both in business and in leadership—continues to drive Chili Piper’s success.
What does it take to build an MVP when you’re not a technical founder? Tessa shares how her curiosity and hands-on approach led her to explore no-code and low-code tools to create Pipeline Solutions’ first prototype, which was designed to solve operational pain points she witnessed firsthand as a fitness coach. From experimenting with dashboards to iterating on her product to meet the needs of studio owners, Tessa reveals how she achieved product-market fit in a competitive and rapidly growing niche.
But this episode isn’t just about the tech. Tessa opens up about navigating challenges as a female founder in SaaS, building a strong co-founding team, and the mindset shifts required to scale a startup from local success to industry-wide adoption. Whether you’re an aspiring founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, Tessa’s story will inspire you to rethink how personal passions and lived experiences can be the spark for your next big venture. Tune in for an unfiltered look at what it takes to turn an idea into a game-changing solution!
In this must-listen episode of Founders Only, Mia sits down with Tonya Turrell, the powerhouse founder and CEO of The Launchpad. From bootstrapping her SaaS platform to securing a spot on the Inc. 5000 list, Tonya shares her raw and unfiltered journey of building a product that redefined B2B tech matchmaking—while navigating the complexities of being a woman in an industry where the tables are still mostly filled with men.
Tonya opens up about the hard-earned lessons she’s gathered across two decades in tech entrepreneurship, including the moments when she felt like the workhorse behind the scenes while others claimed the spotlight. She shares how flipping the traditional lead-generation model on its head, listening deeply to her customers, and trusting her intuition became her playbook for success. Whether it’s the relentless hustle of bootstrapping her MVP or the tough leadership calls that reshaped her team, Tonya’s story is packed with insights every founder needs to hear.
But this episode isn’t just about scaling SaaS or achieving product-market fit—it’s about resilience, courage, and the unshakable belief that women deserve not just a seat at the table but the power to redesign the table entirely. If you're a founder, leader, or someone who’s ever felt like an outsider in your industry, this episode will leave you saying, “If Tonya can do it, so can I.”
Scott Brickler shares an inspiring journey that began with building a less-than-stellar MVP but hit pay dirt by refining integration points over time. He talks about the iterative process of understanding customer needs and earning their trust through savvy feature plugs that don't just solve problems—they elevate the user experience. As Scott puts it, without the right integrations, a product is like a ship adrift at sea.
Join us as we explore how Scott transformed early setbacks into winning strategies through a blend of analytics-driven decisions and a relentless focus on the subtleties of user engagement. You'll gain exclusive insights into tactics that boost retention and fuel consistent growth. Whether you're a startup founder or a seasoned developer, this episode is a masterclass in creating software that doesn’t just fit the market but thrives in it.
In this captivating episode of Founders Only, we dive deep with William Sprakel, the founder of StoreKeeper, to explore how strategic partnerships can be the game-changer for scaling your SaaS business. William, a seasoned entrepreneur with multiple SaaS ventures under his belt, shares his journey from juggling six startups at once to laser-focusing on StoreKeeper—a platform built to revolutionize retail operations for small and medium-sized businesses. His story is packed with insights that every founder needs to hear, especially if you're looking to fast-track growth and hit that elusive Product-Market Fit.
What’s the secret sauce to building a winning MVP? William reveals that it wasn’t just a great idea or cutting-edge technology—it was listening to customers. By gathering real-time feedback and adapting quickly, he created a platform that retailers actually want to use. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a product that solves real-world problems, this is the episode for you.
But the real gold lies in William’s approach to partnerships. He talks candidly about how partnering with major players like banks and accounting firms gave StoreKeeper the credibility and scalability it needed. William’s advice on finding the right partners, avoiding pitfalls, and ensuring mutual benefit is a masterclass in SaaS growth strategy. If you're a founder looking to amplify your startup’s reach without burning out, you need to tune in now!
"From EI to AI: Building the Dream through Tech with David Owasi" takes you on a journey from David’s early days in Nigeria, where he nurtured his passion for technology, to his rise as a key player in the SaaS space, using artificial intelligence to automate and scale like never before.
David shares the pivotal moments that shaped his path, from coding his first HTML page as a teenager to navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship. He dives into how he combined emotional intelligence (EI) with artificial intelligence (AI) to not only create a successful MVP but also achieve true product-market fit in a competitive landscape. You’ll hear firsthand how David identified crucial market gaps and leveraged AI to build a scalable solution that’s transforming how businesses generate leads and close deals.Join us as David reveals his strategies for balancing ambition with practicality, and how his unique approach to problem-solving can inspire other founders to think bigger, move faster, and scale smarter. This is one conversation you won’t want to miss—it might just change how you think about the future of your business.
