This episode is for SaaS founders questioning whether their current traction is real momentum—or just comfortable motion.
Traction can be the most dangerous thing in a startup.
Andrei Pitis, CEO of Genezio, built a serverless developer platform with real users and real momentum. Then he killed it. ...
We've spent the past weeks exploring what it takes to make indirect sales work. You know the conversation. Someone on the team says "we should look at partners." The logic sounds good. More reach. Faster scale. Leverage we can't build ourselves.
Then reality hits. ...
This essay answers one question: Should you go direct or indirect?
After 33 years of answering it — and making every mistake along the way — here's what I know: most partner programs fail not because sales-led SaaS CEOs choose the wrong model, but because they want the benefits without paying what indirect demands. ...
Close the GAP
Most expansion fails. Not dramatically - quietly. Eighteen months of effort. Significant burn. Then, a retreat, dressed as "refocusing on core markets."
I've watched this pattern for 30 years. At Unit4, we expanded into markets that thrived and markets that died. I've advised CEOs who cracked new countries in 12 months - and others who burned millions learning what should have been obvious from the start. ...
Just before Christmas, in part 7 of this series, I talked about the localization rabbit hole.
Table stakes, distraction, or fresh eyes opportunity. Now let's talk about the question every CEO mid-expansion is quietly asking: Is this working?
Here's the problem:
Revenue is a lagging indicator. ...
Last Thursday, in part 5 of this series, I talked about the cost nobody budgets for. The CEO and CMO who had to emigrate to make US expansion work.
But here's the reality: most CEOs can't move. They have a home market to run. A team that needs them. ...
I just came across a LinkedIn post about the challenge
Patrick Monnot, CEO of Pod, faced around PMF vs GTM fit.
They built for account executives and the AEs love it.
The problem he described? AEs don't control budgets.
So they shifted their GTM to sales managers and leaders. ...
Last week I had virtual coffee with a SaaS CEO from Amsterdam.
His company is at €6M ARR. Growing 40%. Clear ICP. Strong positioning. Everything I preach.
Then he said:
"We've got the machine running here. Repeatable sales. Predictable pipeline. But I can see the ceiling. ...
Tuesday, I showed you how ICP drift starts often without realizing it—that first "close enough" deal that cracks your foundation.
Several of you wrote back: "We've experienced that. But here's what we don't get—even deals that DO fit our ICP are taking longer to close and need bigger discounts. ...
Why do so many SaaS companies still fall for the “AI magic wand” story?
That’s the question I explored with
Zohar Bronfman, CEO of
Pecan AI.
The big lesson: chasing hype is easy, creating lasting value is hard. ...