Accelerating SaaS Success: The Power of Sales Velocity & Trust with Artem Gassan [The Opportunity Ep.119]

Every investor dreams of spotting the next unicorn
business. But it takes a seasoned pro with a wealth of industry
knowledge to identify the unique characteristics that make or
break an early-stage SaaS business. 


Artem Gassan is one of these experts, having scaled and
invested in over 50 SaaS companies, including a unicorn business
now worth over $2 billion. He not only knows how to identify SaaS
businesses with huge potential, but he also knows how to take
early-stage SaaS companies from zero to hero.


In this episode, we soak up Artem's expert advice as he
joins us to discuss the building blocks of a successful SaaS
business. 


We dissect why almost 70% of early-stage SaaS companies
don't reach their second round of funding as well as where
businesses go wrong when trying to engage with customers on
LinkedIn. Artem explains why trust is a vital part of attracting
and retaining customers, and he breaks down the core operational
differences between B2B and B2C SaaS businesses.


We also dive into the importance of calculating and
tracking your sales velocity and Artem outlines a step-by-step
guide to creating a powerful go-to-market strategy. According to
Artem,


"There are four key elements to a great go-to-market
strategy. First, build trust
through thought leadership content. Second,
create product-led growth elements. These
are things like calculators or diagnostic tools that give
consumers value and a sneak peek into the product without
purchasing the product. Third, optimize your
pricing and make it clear, and transparent.
Finally, simplify your onboarding process
and measure everything that you
do."


Whether you're an investor looking for the next big thing,
or a SaaS founder trying to accelerate your growth, you are sure
to find bucketloads of helpful tips and tricks in this
episode!
Topics Discussed in This Episode:


A rundown of Artem's background and entrepreneurial
journey so far (03:00)


Why the SaaS industry resonates with Artem (05:05)


The unicorn business that Artem became an early investor
in (08:53)


Sales velocity is the most critical metric to the health
of a SaaS startup (12:11)


The differences between B2B and B2C SaaS (20:25)


How B2B SaaS business should build trust with enterprise
customers (24:45)


Common mistakes people make when engaging with customers
on LinkedIn (32:25)


The building blocks of an effective go-to-market strategy
(36:54)


When to use gated content vs ungated content
(47:33)


Why 70% of early-stage SaaS companies never reach round 2
of funding (52:56)


Emerging trends in the SaaS industry (1:0020)

Mentions:


Empire Flippers Podcast


Empire Flippers Marketplace


Schedule a call with our expert sales
advisors 


Lead Impact


Artem's LinkedIn


Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building
Breakthroughs - book by Larry Keeley


The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for
Building a Great Company - book by Steve Blank


You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar : The
Sandler Sales Institute's 7-Step System for Successful Selling
- By David Sandler



Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn about the
key metrics that make up a successful SaaS business.