• 142. Dirk Jonker, CEO & Founder, Crunchr - How to build for a marketing that is not fully defined?
    May 21 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Dirk Jonker, CEO & Founder, Crunchr, the people analytics and reporting platform, that layers on top of your existing HR systems to consolidate disparate data sources into easily accessible people insights.

    We talked with Dirk about the challenges of product development and positioning in an evolving market. We particularly discuss the internal and external decisions you need to make to get early admirers to become paying customers.

    Here are some of the things we talked about:

    - What requirements are put on product development when building for a yet non-defined market segment?

    - How do you position and sell a product in a market segment that is still evolving?

    - What requirements are put on leadership and communication when aiming to hit a moving target?

    - How can you leverage competitors to define your role in this new market?

    These are some of the many questions we address with Dirk. Please tune in to learn more about how Dirk and his team are positioning themselves to win in a market that is just developing.

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    51 mins
  • 141. Hatla F. Johnsen, CEO & Co-founder of uQualio - The benefits of running a lean, distributed, and outsourced team
    May 15 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Hatla F. Johnsen, CEO of uQualio, the cloud-based Video Learning Platform designed to make it easy to start making your own video training program for employees, sales partners, end-users, or who your viewers may be. We talked with Hatla about the benefits of having a fully lean and distributed team, in particular the methods she's put in place for the team to feel togetherness and be efficient. Here are some of the things we talked about: - How do you build a lean, distributed, and outsourced team in a cost-effective way that is performing on a high level?

    - What expectation does this set on communication flows and setting expectations methods compared to non-distributed team setups?

    - How to enable great collaboration between different external teams?

    - What is required from the leadership side to run an organization with a distributed team around the world? These are some of the many questions we address with Hatla. Please tune in to learn more about the steps she is taking to build her distributed team for global success.

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    41 mins
  • 140. Haukur Hannesson, CEO, AGR - The journey from customized solutions into a traditional SaaS product
    May 8 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Haukur Hannesson, CEO of AGR, the powerful and easy to use inventory optimisation platform which provides you with the necessary tools to operate with precision and efficiency. We talked with Haukur about AGR's journey from offering customized solutions to transitioning to a more streamlined standard SaaS product. And the positive impact of the transition on the AGR team and the challenges of managing cash flow during the shift to a subscription-based model. Here are some of the things we talked about: - Why being willing to say no to customers are key to building a successful SaaS product! - What key changes was required in order to transition to a SaaS product? - Why you have to say no to unnecessary customizations? - Will you require additional funding during the shift to a subscription-based model? These are some of the many questions we address with Haukur. Please tune in to learn more about the steps he took in the process of transitioning to a SaaS product.

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    49 mins
  • 139. Helena Tivell, VP of People, Kognity - Leadership development - how to develop your leaders!
    Apr 30 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Helena Tivell, VP of People, Kognity, the all-in-one digital teaching and learning platform - with interactive content, analytics, and assessment support.

    We talked with Helana about the importance of continuously developing the leaders of your organization. In particular, we looked into some of the methods she uses to develop and upskill her leaders and why it matters:

    - What is the responsibility of a VP of People role?

    - How do you further develop and enhance leaders' ability to lead?

    - What tools and methods are used to support this process?

    - How do you decide on which areas to focus the upskilling in?

    - How do you ensure the learnings live past the training sessions?

    These are some of the many questions we address with Helena. Please tune in to learn what steps she's taken to continuously support the leadership team with an upskilling process.

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    47 mins
  • 138. Daan Assen, Founder, SwipeGuide - How do you succeed with your customer pilot projects?
    Apr 24 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Daan Assen, Founder, SwipeGuide, the platform that empowers frontline teams to connect knowledge, collaboratively solve problems, and continuously improve processes to ensure sustainable production patterns.

    We talked with Daan about selling to some of the world's largest organizations and the role of the Pilot project in such a sales process! In particular, we are looking into the methods to secure and deliver a successful Pilot project that roles over to a full-fledged & long-term relationship:

    - What is your definition of a pilot? What is the purpose?

    - Should you charge for Pilots?

    - Which key metrics do you prioritize during a pilot to determine its success and potential scalability?

    - Who should be running the pilot from the seller's side?

    - How do you ensure engagement from the prospect side on pilots?

    - What strategy or tactic can significantly increase pilot-to-full-product conversion rates?

    These are some of the many questions we address with Daan. Please tune in to learn how they are successfully leveraging Pilots to accelerate sales cycles and what methods they are using to increase pilot-to-full-product ratio.

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    51 mins
  • 137. Bas van Wijk, VP Commercial Operations, AskCody - Getting the inbound engine off the ground!
    Apr 13 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Bas van Wijk, VP Commercial Operations, AskCody, the Meeting Management Platform for Microsoft that's driving meeting efficiency through an intelligent Meeting Management and Resource scheduling Platform, and has helped shape the relationship between real estate, organizations, and technology at more than 2500 offices globally.

    We talked with Bas about getting your inbound lead engine going! In particular, we are looking into the process of some of the early steps in this process:

    - Per definition, what does it mean to be an inbound-driven business?

    - What are the main difficulties moving from a sales-led to a marketing/inbound-led approach?

    - Which are some of the very steps to take here, and why in that order?

    - How do you manage the potential revenue gap that may take place in a transition period?

    - What changes does this require to a team and org structure that previously was sales-led?

    - What effects does it have on revenue predictability?

    These are some of the many questions we address with Bas. Please tune in to hear how Bas successfully executed this transition and now operating a fully inbound-led business, sharing his learnings along the way.

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    48 mins
  • 136. Ingrid Bonde Åkerlind, Principal, Oxx - You have Product-Market-Fit, now what?
    Apr 11 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Ingrid Bonde Akerlind, Principal, Oxx, a specialist SaaS investor, who provides each entrepreneur with a support system of unique specialist expertise and network, and a culture of unfaltering partnership and absolute conviction. The firm’s strategy is built around the concept of “Go-To-Market Fit” (GTMF), developing a structure for thinking about how to build a repeatable, sustainable growth engine that accelerates and propels the growth of SaaS companies.

    We talked with Ingrid about what happens after you find Product-Market-Fit (PMF)! In particular, what are some of the key decisions to get right at this point and common pitfalls to avoid:

    - What is the difference between PMF vs GTMF?

    - Which metrics matter at this point and why? How do you know if your commercial initiatives will bring you closer to your target unit economics?

    - What decisions are key to make regarding your organization and team structure at this phase?

    - How can you leverage go-to-market experiments, and what are they anyway?

    - What are the signs that your SaaS has truly achieved Go-To-Market fit?

    These are some of the many questions we address with Ingrid. Please tune in to hear when Ingrid untangles what happens after you graduate from the “seed stage” and need to figure out how to (re)organize your efforts as you grow.

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    1 hr
  • 135. Markus Ståhlberg, CEO & Co-Founder, N.Rich - Outplay when you can't Outspend!
    Apr 8 2024

    In this episode, we speak with Markus Ståhlberg, CEO & Co-Founder, N.Rich, the Account-based GTM Platform best suited for fast-growing mid-market and enterprise companies. It's been recognized in the 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Account-Based Marketing Platforms report and is the only provider Headquartered in Europe.

    We talked with Markus about how to approach a market where you are up against competition that has more funding, bigger teams, and greater spending! In particular, we are looking into the process of outplaying them rather than outspending them:

    - How do you differentiate your offering in a market with larger competitors, and ensure it resonates with your target customers?

    - What tactics can be used to get the initial attention on your terms?

    - Can limited resources, in fact, be a competitive edge? How can you leverage that you are a “smaller” player towards the customer?

    - What strategies are feasible to build a loyal customer base and meet their needs better than your competitors?

    - Which are the common traps to avoid when going up against the big ones?

    These are some of the many questions we address with Markus. Please tune in to hear how Markus' learnings from being the up and commer in a market with established large players can inspire you to run strategies and plays that help on your journey.

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    56 mins