Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Aleks Đekić, CEO and co-founder of Alguna, a startup that's reimagining revenue management for modern SaaS and fintech businesses. With a background deeply rooted in product, engineering, and commercial roles across leading fintech and accounting startups, Aleks Đekić dives into the pain points that inspired Alguna’s creation and why flexible, end-to-end revenue automation is becoming essential for scaling tech companies.

Together, they explore Alguna’s journey from early frustrations with billing and quoting tools, through their acceptance into Y Combinator, to fundraising and building a team distributed across the US and Europe. Aleks Đekić shares insights on when SaaS companies should upgrade their revenue management stack, how Alguna’s hybrid pricing and billing platform addresses the needs of subscription and usage-based businesses, and why net revenue retention is his north star metric. Plus, they weigh in on industry trends, from the rise of AI and new software categories to the evolving landscape of revenue management and automation.

Tune in for an engaging conversation about the future of SaaS finances, product-led growth, and lessons learned in building and scaling a next-generation SaaS infrastructure company.

Show Notes:

00:00 Founding Frustrations Spark AI Tool

03:34 "Modern CPQ and Billing Solution"

06:55 Scaling Challenges for Post-Series A Startups

11:11 Raising $4M for Infrastructure Startup

16:06 Focused Sales and Purposeful Growth

17:42 Pricing Strategy and Customer Metrics

20:48 AI Pricing and Monetization Challenges

24:57 "Adapting Quickly to Market Needs"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/alguna-raises-4-million-in-seed-round

Alek’s Jekic LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksdjekic/

Alguna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/algunahq/

Alguna’s Website: https://alguna.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben Murray welcomes Matt Blumberg, CEO of Markup AI, to discuss his remarkable journey through the tech startup world. With over two decades of leadership experience—including building moviefone.com, scaling Return Path to $100 million in revenue, and leading executive search disruptor Bolster—Matt Blumberg brings a wealth of insight into startup growth, business transformation, and adapting to evolving technology.

In this conversation, Matt Blumberg shares the story behind Markup AI, a company redefining how businesses safeguard their content using AI-powered “content guardian agents.” He discusses the recent rebranding from Acrolinx, the impact of large language models on both product and customers, and their transition into a new API-first, consumption-based business model. Listeners will hear lessons about navigating private equity ownership, fundraising for transformative pivots, and crafting multi-pronged go-to-market strategies—from enterprise sales to developer-driven adoption.

Tune in for an honest look at leadership, innovation, and what’s next for Markup AI in the dynamic world of SaaS and AI content management.

Show Notes:

00:00 "AI Guardian for Perfect Content"

03:51 Acrolinx's AI Evolution

09:33 "Defining AI Content Guardians"

11:18 Private Equity Risks in Mid-Market

13:57 AI Adoption Strategies in Enterprises

18:44 "AI Growth and Rebrand Focus"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/markup-ai-raises-27-5-million-in-funding

Matt Blumberg’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blumbergmatt/

Markup AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/markupai/

Markup AI’s Website: https://markup.ai/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! This week, Ben Murray sits down with Albert Gozzi, the co-founder and CEO of Aleph, an innovative AI-driven FP&A platform transforming how finance teams operate. Originally from Argentina, Albert Gozzi shares his journey from Procter & Gamble to Bain, and later as a startup CFO, where he experienced firsthand the frustrations of spreadsheet-heavy workflows in finance. Together, they dive into the founding story of Aleph, its mission to streamline financial data and workflows, and how the company’s AI-powered solutions are empowering finance and FP&A teams to work smarter and faster.

In this episode, you'll get insider insights on Aleph’s rapid fundraising journey—having recently closed a $30 million Series B and totaling $47 million to date. Albert Gozzi candidly discusses what investors look for at each funding round, the nuances of scaling go-to-market efforts, lessons learned from dozens of investor rejections, and why finding product-market fit is just the beginning. Plus, they uncover how Aleph’s unique approach to implementation and pricing is winning fans among CFOs in mid-market and private-equity-backed businesses.

If you want a behind-the-scenes look at building and scaling a modern SaaS finance platform, this is the episode for you. Tune in to hear the latest on Aleph’s roadmap, practical advice for SaaS founders, and where the future of FP&A is headed.

Show Notes:

00:00 "AI-Powered Financial Data Management"

03:59 "Flexible Platform for Mid-Market"

08:18 "Road to Series C"

11:01 "Importance of Market Repeatability"

16:19 "Fast Implementation Drives Success"

20:24 "CAC Payback: A Cautious Metric"

22:14 "Doubling Down on AI Advancements"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/aleph-raises-29-million-in-series-b

Albert Gozzi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertgozzi/

Aleph’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getaleph/

Aleph’s Website: https://www.getaleph.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Nathan Gwilliam, the founder and CEO of PodUp, for an in-depth look at building and scaling a SaaS business in the ever-evolving world of podcasting. Nathan shares his journey as a serial entrepreneur, from launching his first business at BYU to building and selling three successful companies—including Adoption.com, the world’s most-used adoption platform.

Nathan takes us behind the scenes of PodUp, a platform designed to streamline every aspect of podcast creation, growth, and monetization through a suite of over 60 integrated tools—including sophisticated AI features. He opens up about the inspiration behind PodUp, the challenges of integrating dozens of technologies for content creators, and how a focus on both software and done-for-you services (through Pod Allies) is redefining the podcasting ecosystem.

Together, Ben and Nathan discuss PodUp’s fundraising journey, the nuances of working with angel investors versus VCs, and key metrics that drive sustainable SaaS growth. Nathan also offers practical advice for founders on raising capital, finding the right investors, and why bootstrapping a functional MVP can dramatically improve your fundraising odds. Whether you’re a creator, entrepreneur, or SaaS enthusiast, this episode is packed with firsthand insight and actionable takeaways for anyone looking to win big in the creator economy.

Show Notes:

00:00 "Integrated Platform Solving Time Constraints"

06:23 "Comprehensive Content & Monetization Tools"

07:40 Podcast Monetization Strategy Explained

12:56 "Board Accountability and Updates"

14:11 Bootstrap Before Raising Money

18:13 DIY Software Market Challenges

22:13 Key Metrics for SaaS Survival

26:39 "Choosing SaaS Use Cases Wisely"

27:26 "SaaS vs Service Business Valuations"

30:37 "Start & Grow Your Podcast"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/podup-raises-5-8-million-in-funding

Nathan Gwilliam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathangwilliam/

PodUp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/poduppodcasting/

PodUp’s Website: https://podup.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Ali Hussain, CEO and co-founder of Tabs, for an insightful conversation about the evolving landscape of finance technology. Ali shares his journey as an entrepreneur and operator, discusses the genesis and growth of Tabs, and dives deep into the world of revenue automation for B2B companies.

Tune in as Ali explains how Tabs leverages AI and automation to streamline everything from order-to-cash and revenue recognition to forecasting and metrics reporting. You'll hear about the company's impressive growth since its founding in 2023, the state of AI adoption among CFOs and finance teams, and Ali’s perspective on the dynamic ERP space.

Ben and Ali also talk shop about fundraising milestones, go-to-market strategies, and key financial metrics for SaaS companies scaling from Series A to Series B. Whether you’re interested in the future of AI-driven finance operations, the rise of best-of-breed finance tech stacks, or practical insights on team building and product innovation, this episode is packed with actionable advice for finance leaders and SaaS founders alike.

Show Notes:

00:00 AI-Driven Finance Automation Platform

04:36 B2B Growth Focused on Sales

08:13 CFOs Embracing AI Adoption Shift

12:18 "Modern ERP Collaboration Overlegacy"

15:23 "Sales-Finance Integration via AI"

19:30 Finance Expansion and Accountant Channels

21:58 "ERP Market Ripe for Disruption"

25:53 "AI Business Fundamentals & Metrics"

27:45 Automation, Margins, and Customer Focus

31:48 Cash Forecasting Insights for CEOs

34:20 "Finance Innovation & Future Outlook"

37:23 "Making Systems Transparent"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories:

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-raises-7-million-in-seed-round

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-secures-25-million-in-series-a-funding

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tabs-raises-55-million-in-series-b

Ali Hussain’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-hussain786/

Tabs’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamtabs/

Tabs’ Website: https://tabs.inc/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray sits down with Ari Bleemer, co-founder and CEO of One Crew, to dive into the world of construction tech and SaaS for so-called "less sexy" industries. Ari shares the story of how his background in computer engineering and management consulting at Bain led him to uncover a massive technology gap in the construction sector—specifically among paving contractors. You'll hear how One Crew is carving out its place as an all-in-one operational platform for contractors, streamlining every step from leads to invoicing, and eliminating the patchwork of spreadsheets and mismatched software solutions that have long plagued the industry.

Ari opens about the challenges and wins of fundraising, going from a tough seed round to a preempted Series A, and offers valuable insights for founders facing similar hurdles. We also talked about One Crew’s go-to-market strategy, pricing decisions, favorite metrics, and exciting upcoming launches—including their move into enterprise and new features like a subcontractor portal and AI-powered insights. Whether you’re a SaaS founder, investor, or just curious about digital transformation in traditional industries, this episode is packed with practical lessons and inspiration.

Let’s jump into the conversation with Ari Bleemer.

Show Notes:

00:00 Bridging Construction Tech Platform Gap

03:22 Demand for Effective Industry Technology

07:19 Scalable Business Solutions Guidance

10:40 Scaling to Serve Larger Enterprises

12:45 Venture Funding Challenges and Successes

17:06 Optimizing Go-To-Market Strategy

19:59 "Seasonal Growth Challenges and Metrics"

23:26 Enterprise Platform & AI Integration Launch

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/onecrew-raises-3-25-million-in-seed-round

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/onecrew-raises-7-5-million-in-series-a

Ari Bleemer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aribleemer/

OneCrew’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getonecrew/

OneCrew’s Website: https://www.getonecrew.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Brett Carlson, co-founder and CEO of ServiceUp, to share his entrepreneurial journey and the story behind his latest venture. Brett’s background spans over 25 years in tech, with experience founding and scaling startups on the business side. With ServiceUp, Brett turned his focus to the vehicle repair industry, spotting a massive, underserved $250 billion market ready for modernization and disruption.

Brett dives into how ServiceUp started by offering digital car repair solutions directly to consumers before pivoting to serve fleet operators and insurance companies. He explains the pain points that large fleet owners—think Amazon, UPS, and major rental car companies—face with outdated repair processes, and how ServiceUp’s platform streamlines transactions and increases efficiency for both fleets and repair shops. Brett also shares how thoughtful use of technology and automation, including AI-powered voice agents, has accelerated their reach and operational effectiveness.

Throughout the conversation, Brett offers an inside look at ServiceUp’s rapid growth and successful fundraising journey, including securing a $55 million Series B. He discusses the evolving expectations of investors, the importance of backing up metrics at each funding stage, and key lessons learned from navigating both the highs and lows of startup life. Whether you’re an aspiring SaaS founder or just curious about the intersection of technology and traditional industries, Brett’s insights into building ServiceUp are sure to inspire.

Show Notes:

00:00 Switching Focus to Fleet Services

04:20 Major Retailer Faces $175M Collision Costs

08:43 Frugal Growth and Investment Strategy

12:30 "Investor Monetization Contradictions"

15:21 DoorDash's Missed Market Opportunity

20:30 Advanced AI in Voice & Shop Tech

21:16 Automated Market Entry Strategy

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/serviceup-secures-55-million-in-series-b

Brett Carlson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettcarlson418/

ServiceUp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/serviceupio/

ServiceUp’s Website: https://www.serviceup.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray is joined by Ricardo Ghekiere, co-founder of BetterPic. Ricardo takes us through his unconventional entrepreneurial journey, starting with running a coffee bar, dabbling in a variety of ventures, and eventually making his way into the tech space. He shares the fascinating story of how he acquired BetterPic for just one dollar, rebuilt the company from the ground up, and scaled it into a thriving AI-powered business that transforms selfies into professional headshots.

Ricardo talks about navigating the challenges of transitioning from a B2C to a B2B go-to-market strategy, lessons learned from his first fundraising efforts, and his approach to metrics and profitability. We also get a sneak peek into BetterPic’s expansion into the fashion industry, their recent $2.5 million seed round, and Ricardo’s candid insights on scaling, pricing, and international growth. Stick around for actionable advice, behind-the-scenes stories, and a look at what’s next for BetterPic and its new ventures.

Show Notes:

00:00 Difficulty Attracts Talent

03:25 "Consumer-First, Expand to B2B"

08:53 Startup Secures $2.5M Funding

12:38 "Finding the Right Investors"

15:22 "B2B CRM Essential for Upselling"

17:49 Pricing Experiment Insights

20:09 Monthly Business Metrics Overview

23:52 Business Acquisition in San Francisco

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/betterpic-raises-2-5-million-in-seed-round

Ricardo Ghekiere’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-ghekiere/

BetterPic’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterpic/

BetterPic’s Website: https://www.betterpic.io/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray