Gregory shepard

I believe two of the big winners over the next 10 years in the SMB category will be PE who are rolling up the businesses and GenAI powered software that makes running these businesses significantly more turnkey and/or profitable. Thanks for having me on Jay Kapoor. If you want spicy takes fast forward to 25 min mark. If you want to get deep in market analysis buckle in for the whole thing. https://lnkd.in/d8M7Jyrx

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A few spots left for this awesome workshop with Justin Gray of In Revenue Capital. Every successful founder I know learns to develop and maintain high performing relationships. This is a skill like anything else and can be developed. Founders, if you want to build a high-growth company, learn to build high-performing relationships. This workshop will help you do that. Hope you can join us.

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In a recent episode of The Expertise Economy podcast, I sat down with Johnny Page, CEO, and Matt Verlaque, COO, of SaaS Academy. Johnny shared a crucial insight for SaaS founders that challenges conventional wisdom 👇 "Many founders aim to delegate sales once they reach $15-20K MRR. This is often a critical mistake. We advocate for founders to remain deeply involved in sales for as long as possible." Why? According to Johnny, "No one can articulate the problem and solution more compellingly than the founder." Key takeaways from our discussion: > Founder-led sales drive stronger growth > Focus on consistent wins rather than quick handoffs > Clarify your customer acquisition strategy > Define your ideal customer profile precisely > Optimize your sales channel and offer > Maintain this focused approach for at least 12 months This strategy is the catalyst for transforming steady growth into exponential scale. For a deep dive into scaling strategies for your SaaS business, watch the full interview now: https://lnkd.in/dju-Be2u SaaS founders, what has been your experience with sales leadership? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. #sales #SaaS #SaaSAcademy #Scale #Startups #Podcast #Leadership

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Churn is a silent killer in the SaaS world, yet so many businesses are blissfully unaware of its impact. One bold assertion from a recent article is that merely slashing prices or hoping for the best with customer service isn’t enough. You’re gambling with your revenue by ignoring real strategies that matter. To radically reduce churn, it's crucial to foster strong customer experiences right from onboarding. If you're not tracking your churn metrics meticulously, you’re flying blind. And let’s face it, no company wins in the long run by taking a reactive approach. Take a cue from those who understand that sustainable strategies, not gimmicks, are the pathway to retention. What’s your take? Are you ready to tackle churn head-on or stick with outdated practices? For deeper insights into effective business strategies, check out the 5 Minute Founders newsletter at 5mf.beehiiv.com. https://lnkd.in/eYgq_MAE

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Make sure your investors and funding partners don’t inadvertently kill your business. Beyond just putting cash into your company your funding partners need to fall into one of the three following buckets: 1. SWEET MONEY: funding that’s such a sweet deal you can’t possibly turn it down. Supportive grant programs with non-onerous funding requirements fall into this bucket. 2. SMART MONEY: people who can make connections, add legitimacy, guide you, and know how to execute investments with standard terms. Savvy angel investors and professional investors fall into this bucket. 3. SHHHHHH MONEY: silent investors who want to support you and are willing to lend a hand when asked fall into this bucket. Funding partners can create bad corporate structures, distract you from your customers, or create burdensome requirements and kill your company if you’re not careful. We’ve been very fortunate to have amazing funding partners, when I looked at why it’s so easy to work with them it’s because they fall into one of these three buckets.

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For AEC focused startups, think about GTM this way. For scale and keeping CAC metrics in line. Bottom Up. PLG for PLG : Product Led Growth for Project Led Growth - User focused marketing - frictionless on boarding - No Sales Function (it’s too expensive) Enterprise: Leverage Project based success to sell to the enterprise. - High Level Solution Sales - Proven ROI Metrics - Make the CFO your champion - Have a well thought out - ABM strategies work well here. Enterprise Solution vs Discounted offering for bulk purchase. Spec to Check: Build generic specifications for your product and work with A/E firms to get them placed. This is for Construction Tech Specific. Owner Influence - Everyone’s ultimate customer. - Brand awareness - Thought Leadership - Building Type Specifc Marketing. We have an entire playbook on this type of stuff. Also what we teach in our stage agnostic incubator.

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What are the 5 elements of Apollo.io's product-led growth motion that helped build their $1.6 billion business? Leandra Fishman goes into detail in this episode of Game Changers by Sequel.io 👇 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗞𝗣𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 2️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: driving product adoption is linked to compensation 3️⃣ 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: video, live chat, webinars, etc. 4️⃣ 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁: increase the # of stakeholders involved in purchase decisions 5️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: communication, messaging, lead scoring https://lnkd.in/gRStVtzb

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These tools are the backbone of the SaaS Growth System that SaasRise rigorously coaches our members on. Each tool plays a unique, critical role in driving growth and success. If you haven’t signed up yet, why not take advantage of our 2-week trial? There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain—cancel anytime! Join here: https://lnkd.in/gdGNFxNx #SaaSGrowth #SaaSStrategies #GrowthHacking #SaaSOptimization #SaaSBoost #SaaSTraining #SaaSExcellence #UnlockGrowth #TrialNow #NoRiskTrial #ScaleWithSaaS #SaasRise

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SaasRise is Growing - 26 Member Verticals We’re excited to share that SaasRise now has 26 member verticals. Leading the way is MarTech with 83 members, followed closely by Vertical SaaS and Enterprise. It’s incredible to see how diverse our community has become, with founders and CEOs from so many different corners of the SaaS world coming together. As we continue to grow, SaasRise is becoming a hub for SaaS CEO/Founder collaboration, sharing insights, and learning from each other’s experiences. Whether it’s scaling your business, fine-tuning your product, or navigating challenges, the SaasRise community is here to support you every step of the way. #SaasRise #SaaSCommunity #SaaS #SaasRise #Growth #SaaSFounders #Networking #SaaSGrowth #Masterminds

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KNOW YOUR REAL BUSINESS ECONOMICS • GAAP Revenue • Cash Flow • Cash • Contribution Margin • CAC • CAC Payback FUNDRAISING: PRESENT & SUBSTANTIATE FINANCIALS • Investor needs to know what your forecasts are • They need to believe them David Weiden, Khosla Ventures

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Huge News...today, Contractor Commerce launched AI within the platform. That's right. We've been working behind the scenes for months to harness the power of AI to help contractors get EVEN MORE value from their online stores. Today we rolled out the first of several major AI enhancements with 5 awesome customers who wanted to pioneer this new layer of technology alongside us. Ecommerce for contractors is already working - turning website visitors into $$. But we're never satisfied. We wake up every day, listen to our customers, and invest in our platform to help contractors make more money and build thriving companies. We won't stop until every contractor has an online store....now powered by AI. If you want to learn more or supercharge your company website with AI-powered ecommerce, message me. https://lnkd.in/g2YzpAuc #AI #HVAC #ecommerce #contractors

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This is interesting article giving good #insights on how #startup fundraising can be done in right way to that it can continue on the #innovation path. Thank you Vipul Mehta for sharing this.

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🚀 Venture debt covenants might sound like a small part of the deal, but they carry huge implications for your startup’s future. 📈 You need to be strategic in your negotiations to avoid any pitfalls down the road. It’s all about setting yourself up for success, not stress. Dive into more details in the original Kruze Consulting post. The link is in the 1st comment. 👇

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Successfully launching and scaling a new business venture has always been challenging. The challenge is even greater when fundraising dries up, and uncontrollables become more prevalent. However, founders increase their odds of success by proving product-market fit on a budget, conservatively fundraising, and focusing on culture and governance early on. 🚀 #startups #leanstartups #founders

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Do you know how many hyper-growth public software companies are growing by over 40% this year? According to the latest June Guggenheim report… Zero. Not a single public SaaS company is growing over 40%. Do you know how many are growing their next twelve months (NTM) revenue over 30%? Also, zero! With that context, I was strategizing with my team on the most impactful ways companies can change their growth trajectory, and one thing we landed on solving immediately was time to integrate. If a company growing at 30% can pull in all net new integrations and thus revenue by just 1 month over the course of the year, it can increase its growth rate by almost 5%. For simplicity, assuming a $100M annual revenue, a 10% discount rate, and a 5-year valuation period, using a DCF, the company’s present value would not be 5% more valuable, but closer to 20% more valuable for all shareholders. The power of compounded growth rates. Game changer, and with just the smallest adjustments. That’s why smart companies are investing heavily in new customer onboarding and no-code, low-code technologies, like lightweight agents, hosted or embedded UIs, and more. The Socure team is ahead of the curve—ask our people about what we’re building and how we can help you accelerate your revenue growth.

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As a founder and CEO, I’ve learned that true founder-market fit isn’t just about understanding your industry, it’s about the tenacity to push through when the inevitable challenges hit. Budget freezes, talent moves, customer churn, investor pullback, lost sales, and product or service quality issues are all part of the journey. Startups aren’t linear; the road is bumpy, and you need to be ready to navigate the unexpected. Building startup businesses in any sector is difficult but surviving and thriving in the technology arena is not for the faint of heart. You can have the best product-market fit in the world, but without the grit to keep going when constant change is afoot, key talent departs, or when you lose a big deal you thought was in the bag, it won’t matter. Your deep understanding, experience, expertise and comfort of the market gives you an edge, but it’s the ability to adapt, stay committed and push forward every day that ultimately drives success. Tenacity isn’t just a trait... it’s the backbone of every successful founder. It’s waking up every day, hungry to improve, iterate, and win. A results and outcomes disposition is key. Founders who embrace the uncertainty and keep the faith are the ones who move industries forward.

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𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀! We're conducting a benchmarking study to define success metrics specifically for vertical software companies. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Existing SaaS benchmarks just don't cut it for your unique industry needs. This research will provide the data-driven insights to measure and optimize your vertical software business. 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽? A few minutes of your time can make a big difference.

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Asana is probably one of the earliest adopters of Bazel + Typescript. I sat down with Eric Rafalovsky to discuss how they manage the builds with Bazel. Listen to the full podcast episode at: https://lnkd.in/gDFTrnjn Bazel: - Adopting Bazel and TypeScript has brought benefits in terms of performance, correctness, and unified tooling. - Maintaining state with tools like Bazel can be challenging, especially when using incremental modes. - Remote caching is surprisingly easy to manage using Bazel DevEx: - Shadowing product engineers is a valuable exercise to understand their experience and identify pain points. - "Build for developers as the customer." - Key metrics for developer experience include cycle time, local iteration time, and crash rate. - A good platform engineer needs empathy and a continuous learning mindset. #bazel #developerexperience #developerproductivity

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Got to ring in 1 year with GTMfund & GTMnow with our team and community in San Diego. It’s been an exciting year for us. A few highlights: 🟢 Acquired Sales Hacker and rebranded it as GTMnow. 🟢 Consistently sharing exclusive content with 50k+ revenue leaders through a weekly newsletter, podcast, and more across multiple channels. 🟢 Provided 2,000+ candidate introductions for portfolio companies. 🟢 Supported portfolio companies with go-to-market strategy, intros, and much more. 🟢 Incubated our first company, Operator. 🟢 Hosted 10 dinners globally, connecting our community in NYC, Boston, Toronto, LA, San Francisco, and more. 🟢 Held our third annual retreat in San Diego. 🟢 And many more exciting things we can’t yet share. Someone once told me that when you have the magic, you know. If you get it in your career, you’re very lucky. Some people spend their entire careers chasing it. It didn’t take me long to realize we have the magic. Max Altschuler – a visionary who also operates in the details, and gets $*** done. Someone told me at an event last year right after I joined, “I would bet on Max every single time. He doesn’t lose. All I want to do is find more ways to give him my support.” That sums it up well, and I would be at the front of the line for any ship he’s flying. Pictured: quite literally following Max and the team into the abyss / off a cliff. Scott Barker – one of the most special humans out there. I distinctly remember the moment when I realized how much work was simply premised off individual brilliance. Someone so good at their craft while always looking at the bigger picture, every conversation leaves you better than you were before. Grateful is an understatement. Paul Irving – after a year of trying to understand how he covers enough ground for at least 7 other people, I’ve realized that it simply can’t be replicated. I’ve never met someone who actually defines the notion of people singing your praises when you’re not in the room like how people speak about Paul. If you know Paul, you know. Amit Aloni – reliable, resourceful, and always willing to jump in. Never hesitant to learn something new, jump on an ask, or do whatever it takes to level things up. Vaibhavi Nesarikar, CPA, MBA – intelligent, engaging, and a pleasure to work with. So much so that when we went for coffee the first time, we decided to also go for dinner. Can’t wait for Austin together. Joan Mirano – the backbone of the team, ensuring everything runs smoothly with precision and grace. Endless appreciation! The magic comes from a unique combination of internal team and an incredible ecosystem: ⚫ 100+ of the best GTM operators who are LPs in GTMfund, constantly blowing us away with their support and commitment. ⚫ 100+ portfolio companies who inspire us daily. It’s a privilege to be part of their journey. ⚫ 50k+ and growing revenue leaders in the GTMnow community. I’m so excited for what’s ahead! One word: grateful. Just getting started 🚀

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