The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors – Details, episodes & analysis

SaaStr 829: A Hands-On Guide to SaaStr's New AI Tools with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

We delve into the functionalities of our SaaStr AI tools, including the AI Mentor, which has been engaged over 100,000 times, providing answers to various startup-related queries.   You'll see a demonstration of how our AI VC tools, including a startup valuation calculator, pitch deck analyzer, and benchmarking tool, work effectively to help startups understand their valuations, get honest feedback on pitch decks, and connect with VCs.   Additionally, explore our newly launched VC matchmaking system and other AI agents that have been integral in automating and enhancing SaaStr's operations. Experience these tools firsthand and discover how they can add value to your startup journey. Visit SaaStr.ai to access these tools for free and see the comprehensive suite of AI agents that we use.   00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:14 Exploring SaaStr AI Tools 01:15 Deep Dive into Digital Jason 04:20 AI VC Tools and Fundraising 05:26 Startup Valuation Calculator 06:07 Pitch Deck Analyzer 16:16 Benchmarking Your Startup 18:51 VC Matchmaking and Research 21:58 Conclusion and Q&A  

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This episode is Sponsored in part by Salesforce:

Connect data, automate busywork and empower teams like nobody's business with the one platform that grows with you, every step of the way. Learn how Salesforce works for Startups at salesforce.com/smb.

 

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If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December.

 

SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year. 

 

We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London. 

 

Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com

 

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Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026. 

 

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.  

 

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait. 

 

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 828: The AI Revolution in B2B: Insights from SaaStr CEO Jason Lemkin and SaaStr Chief AI Officer Amelia Lerutte, and Qualified's CEO Kraig Swensrud

Join Kraig Swensrud, founder and CEO of Qualified, as he sits down with Jason Lemkin, CEO & Founder SaaStr, and Amelia LeRutte, Chief AI Officer at SaaStr.

In this insightful discussion, they explore the current landscape of AI in business, including the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI agents into companies. From the importance of training to the pressures of staying ahead in AI adoption, this conversation offers actionable advice for both startups and established enterprises looking to innovate. Get ready to dive deep into the transformative power of AI in the go-to-market strategies and beyond.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by Salesforce:

Connect data, automate busywork and empower teams like nobody's business with the one platform that grows with you, every step of the way. Learn how Salesforce works for Startups at salesforce.com/smb.

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This episode is Sponsored in part by Intercom:

Fin is the #1 AI Agent for resolving complex queries like refunds, transaction disputes, and technical troubleshooting—all with speed and reliability. See how Fin can deliver the highest resolution rates and highest-quality customer experience at fin.ai/saastr.

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If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December.

SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year. 

We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London. 

Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com

---------------------

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026. 

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.  

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait. 

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 819: Swapping Notes on the AI Revolution in Marketing with G2's CMO Sydney Sloan

Welcome to Swapping Notes, a new SaaStr podcast series where we cut through the AI hype and get real about who's doing what with AI in B2B. 

Amelia LeRutte, Chief AI Officer at SaaStr, and co-host Guillaume Cabane, Co-Founder and General Partner at HyperGrowth Partners, sit down with AI leaders from the companies to share notes and stories on what's working in AI. 

In this episode, we swap notes with G2's CMO, Sydney Sloan.

Together, we deep dive into the evolving role of AI in marketing and buyer behavior.
We explore how AI is reshaping the buying process, the significance of brand trust, and the future of web experiences.

The episode also covers the importance of AI orchestration roles and practical advice for founders and CMOs to adapt to the rapid advancements in AI tools and strategies. Tune in to discover insights on how to effectively integrate AI into your marketing efforts and stay ahead in the dynamic landscape.

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Fin is the #1 AI Agent for resolving complex queries like refunds, transaction disputes, and technical troubleshooting—all with speed and reliability. See how Fin can deliver the highest resolution rates and highest-quality customer experience at fin.ai/saastr.

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If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December 2nd and 3rd.

 

SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year. 

 

We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London. 

 

Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com

 

---------------------

 

Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026. 

 

With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.  

 

But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait. 

 

Lock in your spot today by going to podcast podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

SaaStr 738: How Shopify Implements AI Across Sales and Product with Mike Tamir, Head of AI at Shopify, and Rudina Seseri, Managing Partner at Glasswing Ventures

At SaaStr AI Day, Mike Tamir, Head of AI at Shopify, and Rudina Seseri, founder and Managing Partner at Glasswing Ventures, level-set about where we are in the cycle for Enterprises adopting AI and the critical work being done at Shopify to leverage AI and solve real problems.

Mike and Rudina do a great job of explaining the complex AI terminology for everyday non-technical founders and leaders to understand and apply to their businesses.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20
• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave200

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This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform.

Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us.

 

This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com

Are international payroll regulations giving you a headache? Remote.com is your solution. With our best-in-class interface and expertise, we consolidate payroll for your employees, whether in one country or a hundred. Trust us with swift, secure payments for your team while you focus on scaling markets and driving business growth.

 

This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business. They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes. That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.

SaaStr 737: How to Build Go-to-Market Efficiency in SMB Sales with Owner.com CRO Kyle Norton

How do you build GTM efficiency in SMB sales? The CRO at Owner.com, Kyle Norton, shares his learnings and strategies for building better efficiency into your GTM motion.

While this title is SMB-oriented, the advice applies to Mid-Market and Enterprise, too. The three topics we'll cover in today's podcast are: 

1. The importance of staying focused and how to say no.
2. Ways to scale that don't include rampant inefficiency and burn.
3. How to build operational excellence into your organization at different stages of the growth curve.

Full playbook, video and recap of this session here on saastr.com. 

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on final Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20

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This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform.

Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us.

This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com

Are international payroll regulations giving you a headache? Remote.com is your solution. With our best-in-class interface and expertise, we consolidate payroll for your employees, whether in one country or a hundred. Trust us with swift, secure payments for your team while you focus on scaling markets and driving business growth.

This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business. They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes. That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.

Harry Glaser was the co-founder and CEO of Periscope Data, which raised a seed round before finding customers, yet didn't run out of money before becoming an overnight success 3-4 years later. They grew like crazy when they found product-market-fit and raised a big Series A and B. 

When you're growing fast, everything can feel like it's breaking constantly, and you're hiring and rehiring people fast. During those rapid growth years, someone would reach out every once in a while and ask if Harry would consider selling. He always said no.

But then growth flatlined for a couple of years, and it was time to talk about selling. From the start of the company to a couple of years after being acquired, it was about a ten-year journey altogether. 

In today's episode, Harry shares the honest truth and lessons learned from selling Periscope Data for $130M. 

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20
• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave200

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This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com

Are you overwhelmed with paperwork managing overseas contractors? Say hello to efficiency with Remote's Contractor Management solution! Seamlessly handle invoicing, fixed payments, and compliant, localized contracts. Kickstart your free trial today at Remote.com

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This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business.

They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes.

That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.

Jennifer Tejada, CEO of PagerDuty, discusses the influence of AI on business workflows, focusing on automating operations, maintaining customer trust, and navigating generative AI challenges. Together with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin, they addresses the role of AI in managing incidents, improving efficiency, and changing decision-making in enterprises. Lastly, we delve into how AI and human roles can coexist, foreseeing a shift towards high-value work as automation increases, with a call for leaders to embrace AI's potential while adapting to technological advancements.

--------------

SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20
• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave200

--------------

This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com

Are you overwhelmed with paperwork managing overseas contractors? Say hello to efficiency with Remote's Contractor Management solution! Seamlessly handle invoicing, fixed payments, and compliant, localized contracts. Kickstart your free trial today at Remote.com

--------------

This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business.

They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes.

That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.

SaaStr 734: The Latest in Series A Rounds, AI Growth Rates and More with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin 

So Redpoint Ventures published some of the slides they recently presented to their Limited Partners (their own investors) here.

There's a ton of good data there, but this one slide stood out to me, because it was put together in a really clear fashion, better than other data sources I've seen.

And what it says is that even though Seed stage investing remains arguably as strong as ever … Series A hasn't bounced back.  Not at all.

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20
• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave200

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This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com

Feeling stuck in your talent search? Remote Talent is the leading job board for remote-first companies and startups. Visit Remote.com/jobs today to start building your dream team, anywhere in the world.

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This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business.

They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes.

That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.

SaaStr 733: Advice Every SaaS Founder Needs to Know in 2024 with Sam Blond and Jason Lemkin

At SaaStr Miami, former Founder's Fund Partner and CRO of Brex Sam Blond — host of the SaaStr CRO Confidential Podcast — sat down with SaaStr CEO and founder Jason Lemkin for a fireside chat about finding success as a SaaS company in 2024. They discuss Sam's learnings at Founders Fund, what the 2024 playbook looks like, hiring and motivating sales teams, and a handful of audience questions. 

Sam just finished 18 months at Founders Fund after joining in mid-to-late 2022. We were coming off an environment where startup funding was as fruitful as ever. With personal experience from EchoSign and other high-growth companies, he was spoiled when it came to those companies raising money from exceptional VCs. 

What he's learned on both sides of the VC table is that the bar is really high for most VCs. Higher than he imagined in terms of the founder quality bar and, the stage of the business, and growth and efficiency metrics. 

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20
• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave200

--------------

This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business.

They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes.

That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.

 

SaaStr 732: What It's Like Running a Profitable $400M Public SaaS Company with Vimeo CEO Adam Gross and SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

Vimeo CEO and SaaS veteran Adam Gross and Jason Lemkin, SaaStr founder and CEO, recently hosted a fireside chat at SaaStr Miami, talking about running a profitable public company with $400M in revenue, including themes around: 

• Using a combination of self-serve and sales-led motions
• How to juggle and manage several different ICPs 
• How to avoid over-monetization during tough times
• Who owns "free"
• What to expect from AI in the near future

Adam is an OG in Cloud and SaaS. His first company was Personify and he went on to be a VP of Developer Relations at Salesforce, then hire number 11 at Dropbox, CEO at Heroku, and an investor and on many boards before landing as the current CEO at Vimeo. 

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SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet.

Join us in 2024 at:

• SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20
• SaaStr Europa: June 5-6 in London. We'll be hosting the 5th SaaStr Europa in London for two days of content and networking. Join 3,000 SaaS and Cloud leaders. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on Europa tickets here: https://www.saastreuropa2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave200

--------------

This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent

Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business.

They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes.

That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.