In this episode of SaaS Fuel, we welcome Amarpreet Kalkat, a pioneering expert in artificial intelligence with over 26 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of AI startups Frrole AI and Humantic. Amarpreet’s work focuses on humanizing sales through advanced buyer intelligence, ensuring AI technology's ethical and effective use.

Learn how Humantic harnesses public data from LinkedIn profiles and Zoom calls to humanize sales conversations, enhancing buyer relationships through techniques like mirroring and authentic personalization. Discover the ethical considerations and challenges of integrating AI into business and gain insights into demonstrating AI’s tangible impact on sales performance. He also discusses the importance of adhering to legal and moral standards in data usage and the transformative

[00:04:41] - Importance of Trust in Sales

[00:14:01] - Impact of Humantic AI on Sales

[00:22:20] - Challenges and Impact of AI

[00:33:22] - Personalized DISC Based Sales Approach

[00:40:09] - Leveraging User Data for Influence

[00:45:33] - Improving User Experience with HubSpot

“Authenticity in personalization is crucial to avoid the mechanical feel of automated messages. Be genuine, and you’ll stand out.” - 00:12:56 Amarpreet Kalkat

“AI offers magical solutions but requires significant effort to validate and implement effectively. The key is demonstrating tangible impact through measurable results.” - 00:21:55 Amarpreet Kalkat

"People like people who are similar to them, people trust people that they like, and people buy from people that they trust. So, similarity leads to liking, liking leads to trust, and trust leads to sales." - 00:28:21 Amarpreet Kalkat

“Every technology, from nuclear energy to fire, can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes. The key is adhering to legal and moral standards.” - 00:36:54 Amarpreet Kalkat

“Our aim at Humantic AI is to humanize sales interactions by understanding what truly matters to the buyer. It's about making sales more human and less transactional.” - 00:47:02 Amarpreet Kalkat

1. Embrace Human Centric AI for Sales Transformation: AI is important not just for automation, but for humanizing sales interactions. By leveraging public data from platforms like LinkedIn and Zoom, AI can provide deeper insights into buyer behavior and preferences. Leaders should adopt AI tools that enhance personalization and build trust, transforming sales from transactional interactions to meaningful, relationship based engagements.
2. Authenticity is Key to Effective Personalization: One of the key insights shared by Amarpreet is the need for authentic personalization. Techniques like mirroring can enhance likability and trust, but they must be used sincerely to avoid a mechanical feel. Sales teams should be encouraged to blend relevance with genuine personalization to stand out in a crowded market and foster stronger buyer relationships.
3. Focus on Buyer Intelligence to Improve Sales Outcomes: The concept of buyer intelligence involves understanding what truly matters to the buyer. Humantic AI’s approach to analyzing buyer personalities and tailoring communication accordingly can significantly boost sales effectiveness. There must be investment in technologies and strategies that prioritize buyer intelligence, ensuring that sales efforts are aligned with the buyer’s needs and concerns.
4. Ethical Considerations are Crucial in AI Implementation: Amarpreet underscores the ethical responsibilities that come with using AI in sales. It’s important to adhere to legal standards and moral principles when handling data. SaaS...

In our latest episode of SaaS Fuel, we are joined by Jordan Burton, who has transitioned from a career in consulting and entrepreneurship to becoming a talent assessment guru. He specializes in data-driven interviewing techniques, focusing on understanding a candidate’s true fit for leadership roles in high-growth SaaS companies. Jordan’s expertise lies in eliminating the pitfalls of traditional, gut-feeling-based interviews by promoting structured, data-centric methods that enhance the effectiveness of the hiring process.

Learn how to craft concise and inspiring job descriptions, create standardized interview guides to reduce bias, and leverage networks for effective hiring in high-growth SaaS companies. Discover the importance of personal connections in recruiting high-performing engineers and explore Talgo on Demand, a platform designed to enhance interviewing skills and entrepreneurial leadership.

[00:00:59] - Data Driven vs Traditional Interviewing Pitfalls

[00:06:17] - Data Driven Interviewing in Talgo Hiring

[00:08:07] - Leveraging Networks for Talent Acquisition

[00:13:22] - Defining Role Context in Interviewing

[00:19:44] - Hiring Engineering Leadership for Business Impact

[00:24:35] - Overcoming Bias in Executive Assessment

[00:26:59] - Note Taking in Executive Assessments

[00:31:25] - Quality of Working vs Non-Working Candidates

[00:36:37] - Using Humor in Data Driven Interviews

[00:41:50] - Talgo Online Competitive Advantage

“Most of us do it that way though that's right. I mean, the vast majority of interviewing is really bad.” - 00:01:30 Jordan Burton

“Data-driven interviewing is about like let's actually learn about them. Where have they been, what have they done and how relevant is that for what we're looking to hire them to do?” - 00:04:15 Jordan Burton

“A significant number of hiring mistakes come down to a misalignment of stakeholders on what success means in the role.” - 00:10:45 Jordan Burton

“The mistake we see businesses high growth, SaaS, and otherwise make is an over-reliance on job postings. Essentially, you're never even going to see high performers through a job post.” - 00:21:35 Jordan Burton

“What we want to see is that when we come together as a team, we are reviewing an aggregated set of facts, of stories, of things from this person's past.” - 00:35:20 Jordan Burton

1. Embrace Data Driven Decision Making in Hiring: Traditional hiring methods often rely on gut feelings and uncoordinated interviews, leading to suboptimal decisions. By implementing data driven interviewing techniques, leaders can ensure a thorough and objective assessment of candidates. This approach helps in understanding a candidate’s true fit for the role by examining verifiable facts and past performances, thus reducing bias and redundancy.
2. Craft Inspiring and Transparent Job Descriptions: Effective communication is necessary in talent acquisition. Leaders should focus on creating concise and inspiring job descriptions that clearly reflect the organization’s mission and the role’s impact. Innovative methods like video job descriptions and transparency about the role’s challenges can attract the right candidates and ensure they are well informed about what to expect.
3. Leverage Networks for Talent Sourcing: Founders and leaders often struggle when hiring for roles outside their expertise. Leveraging existing networks can streamline the hiring process by tapping into a pool of trusted and high performing candidates. Engaging with these networks can also help in identifying the right talent through personal...

In this episode of SaaS Fuel, delve into the inspiring journey of Albert Owusu-Asare, a visionary fintech leader who journeyed from Kumasi, Ghana to the US, where he co-founded Cadana - a company revolutionizing international payroll systems. With influential roles at Goldman Sachs and Esusu, Albert has harnessed his extensive experience in global finance and consumer banking, empowering employers and employees.

Throughout the episode, Albert shares his insights on transforming global payroll systems to reduce fees and compliance challenges, with a focus on leveraging localized payment systems like M-PESA in Africa. Explore Cadana’s mission to empower international talent by providing seamless, compliant payment solutions across over 200 countries, balancing profit with social impact. Learn how strategic partnerships and innovative solutions are revolutionizing global payroll and creating equal opportunities for talented individuals worldwide.

[00:00:18] - African Student’s American College Experience

[00:06:19] - Impact of Payment Delays on Workers

[00:10:59] - Globalizing Localized Payments Through Local Networks

[00:17:41] - Consumer-Centric HR Systems Transformation

[00:27:09] - Investors and Socially Responsible Business

[00:33:07] - Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets

“The promise of global work is to create this perception that borders don't exist. The reality is, there are borders, jurisdictions, and tax laws, and companies like us help navigate these issues.” - 00:04:56 Albert Owusu-Asare

“In emerging markets, it's not just the quantum of money, but the velocity of money that matters. A delay in payment can mean school fees are delayed or an elderly person can't access medical care.” - 00:16:45 Albert Owusu-Asare

“We aim to make localized payments global by tapping into local networks. Each time you remove an intermediary from a global payment flow, you get speed increments and fee benefits.” - 00:25:30 Albert Owusu-Asare

“A key part of our success is trust and mutual respect between co-founders. We're able to debate and make objective decisions quickly because we know we're all coming from a good place.” - 00:29:20 Albert Owusu-Asare

“There's an assumption that payroll has to go into a traditional bank. What if I wanted it to go to my cash app or M-Pesa? Payroll systems should decouple from HR admin pay experience.” - 32:14 Albert Owusu-Asare

1. Embrace Diverse Experiences for Broader Perspectives: Diverse experiences are significant in shaping a comprehensive understanding of global finance. Leaders should value diverse backgrounds and experiences within their teams to drive innovation and adapt to a global market.
2. Localize Solutions for Global Scalability: Cadana’s integration with localized payment systems like M-PESA demonstrates the effectiveness of understanding and leveraging regional financial behaviors. SaaS leaders should focus on tailoring their solutions to meet local needs, which can enhance user experience and operational efficiency on a global scale.
3. Balance Profit with Social Impact: Balance social impact with building a sustainable, profitable business. The aim is to create business models that not only attract investment but also make a positive societal impact, proving that profitability and social good are not mutually exclusive.
4. Prioritize Trust and Respect in Partnerships: Trust and mutual respect are necessary in successful co-founding ventures. Prioritize building strong, trust-based relationships with their partners and team members to foster a collaborative and resilient work environment.
5. Adapt to Emerging Market Dynamics:...

In this episode, explore the journey of Darius Lahoutifard, who transitioned from a robotics engineer to a sales leader and became the CEO and a key contributor to the famed MEDDIC sales methodology. Darius's story showcases how his passion for math and engineering naturally evolved into a successful sales career, fueled by his dedication to fair commission structures.

Discover the critical role of leadership in shaping effective sales strategies, with real-world examples illustrating how active involvement can lead to success. We explore the balance between delegating tasks and hands-on leadership, as Darius shares valuable insights on utilizing company resources, including product reputation and customer success teams, to enhance sales performance. Additionally, we discuss the strategic importance of tech investments and the potential pitfalls of over-automation.

[00:01:18] - From Engineer to CEO

[00:06:33] - Unlocking Sales Leadership Success

[00:12:15] - Hiring for Attitude, Not Ability

[00:27:23] - Importance of Human Connection in Sales

[00:42:24] -Saying "No" in Sales Strategy

[00:45:55] - Value Creation Over Exit Strategy

“Moved to sales because I noticed that I am the one who is solving the problems and the salespeople are getting the commissions. So I thought that was not very fair. I moved to sales and naturally after two years of successful sales, I became a manager, country manager and ended up CEO of that subsidiary of Schlumberger at the age of 28.” - 00:01:49 Darius Lahoutifard

“So sales has always been a center of interest I was passionate about. And obviously with my rational mathematician or robotician background, I was very analytical with sales and I was curious and passionate about understanding how it works. How do we sell? How people get convinced?” - 00:02:58 Darius Lahoutifard

“The worst leaders are those who sit back and just ask for results. And they, you know, a lot of, sadly, a lot of managers are used to just give goals. And some of them don't even, are not even very good at articulating the goal. They don't even clearly say what I'm expecting from you.” - 00:19:41 Darius Lahoutifard

“My first comment is don't do too much. Specifically in sales quota attainment, studies show that in the past 20 years, sales quota attainment and as a result of that, sales leaders' goal attainment has been going down little by little every single year. And I have no other explanation than automation.” - 00:29:05 Darius Lahoutifard

“I say, sales is science, but sellers are artists.” - 00:31:43 Darius Lahoutifard

1. Adaptability and Resilience: It’s crucial to be willing to pivot and explore new roles or industries when necessary, showcasing resilience in the face of change. His ability to thrive in startups and lead a Schlumberger subsidiary by the age of 28 demonstrates the importance of embracing change and leveraging past experiences to succeed in new environments.
2. Active Involvement and Hands-On Leadership: Balance delegation with active involvement in their teams' activities. Drawing inspiration from leaders like Elon Musk, This hands-on approach ensures leaders are attuned to the challenges and successes of their teams, enabling them to provide better guidance and support.
3. Coaching and Empowerment: Developing the skills of team members through coaching and empowerment is crucial. Focus on identifying and nurturing the strengths of their team members, providing continuous feedback, and creating opportunities for skill development.
4. Balancing Automation with Human Connection: While leveraging technology and automation is essential, it’s...

Join us in this episode of SaaS Fuel as we tackle the world of data analytics, market research, and modern marketing strategies with our guest, Eli Goodman, the founder of Datos. Discover how Eli's lifelong passion for math and statistics transformed him into a tech innovator, leading to the creation of Datos during the global pandemic and its strategic acquisition by SEMrush.

Eli shares his journey from a math enthusiast to a pivotal figure in the tech industry, highlighting the importance of trustworthy data in the SaaS world and the strategic timing that fueled Datos' success. We also explore the complexities of navigating a post-cookie marketing landscape, where adaptability and innovative thinking are crucial for achieving success.

[00:07:55] - Future-Proofing Business Decisions

[00:12:32] - Preparing for Marketing's Cookie-Less Future

[00:18:07] - Building a Unique Business DNA

[00:23:18] - Navigating the Future of Targeting

[00:30:03] - Focusing on Funnel End Measurement

[00:34:43] - Aligning Company Goals With Compensation

[00:40:49] - Managing Urgency in Small Business Strategy

[00:48:18] - Effective Team Formation for Data Science

[00:51:38] - Pronunciation of Datos and SEMrush

“But I also don't love what our boiler room sales tactics. I think that there is absolutely ways to be intelligent and thoughtful, but still be aggressive and like really help people solve problems without having to like pick them up. Like old school Seinfeld, do you want to buy a computer? Do you want to buy a computer?” - 00:42:16 Eli Goodman

“Actually, the first lens that we look through, for any decision that we make as a business, it's really about future-proofing the business, right? Like how many chess moves ahead can we look to be able to see and determine and gauge like what would be the next right step?” - 00:07:56 Eli Goodman

“That's why literally the name of the company is Datos, which is just Spanish for data. Right? It's called data ink. And, but that is, you know, for us, we believe that that's something that was sorely missing in the market, right, is that it's very hard to go out and find the right ingredients to bake your cakes with to carry on, you know, my metaphor.” - 00:35:57 Eli Goodman

“I've always loved math, like math and statistics or something that are very close to my heart, believe it or not. But I did not wanna go be a banker, right? Like all of my friends that left and went into finance.” - 00:00:48 Eli Goodman

“So it's a figuring out that right thing of like, business has gotta be done, but I am going to be firm on it because like, we know time is of the essence here and like, but time is valuable to me. So if you are willing to trade me time for something, I am willing to trade you something that you need as well.” - 00:00:48 Eli Goodman

1. Trustworthy Data as a Strategic Asset: It is essential to ensure that the data driving business decisions is reliable and accurate. This means investing in robust data infrastructure and continuously verifying the fidelity of data sources. Trustworthy data not only informs better decision-making but also builds a strong foundation for long-term business success.

2. Embrace Diverse Perspectives for Innovation: Navigating the post-cookie marketing landscape requires innovative thinking and adaptability. Foster an environment where differing viewpoints are encouraged, as this can lead to more effective decision-making and creative solutions. Constructive criticism and presenting solutions alongside critiques are key to navigating complex challenges.

3. Align Marketing with Brand Identity: ...

Welcome to SaaS Fuel, where successful entrepreneurs and business leaders converge for insightful discussions on driving revenue and cultivating exceptional customer experiences.

In this episode, Jeff Mains is joined by Richard Weylman, Keynote speaker and author of two international bestsellers, the latest of which, is "100 Proven Ways to Acquire and Keep Clients for Life". Together, they emphasize the pivotal role of kindness, thoughtfulness, caring, and empathy in fostering elevated customer experiences and long-lasting relationships. Throughout the episode, they share practical examples and highlight the significance of personalized interactions, strategic language usage, and the importance of providing clear next steps to customers.

Tune in to gain valuable insights on building strong customer relationships and mastering the art of delivering an exceptional customer experience.

08:19 Childhood challenges shaped ability to build relationships.

13:05 Networking led to successful speaking career worldwide.

18:15 Repeated questioning on defining an elevated experience.

20:53 Relationship, empathy, and kindness lead to success.

29:23 Spoke at conferences, influenced client experience positively.

32:41 Solving problems and dominating your marketplace.

41:34 AI transforming customer services for efficiency and profit.

45:47 Business success depends on people, not type.

47:47 Interviews revealed need for understandable software appl

Customer Experience Strategy: "People were always talking about the experience. They never talked. I said, well, you know, how would you characterize the service? Well, let me tell you about the experience I had." — Richard Weylman 00:18:10

Elevating Customer Experience: "I want people to personalize and humanize the interaction we have together." — Richard Weylman 00:18:27

The Importance of Compromise in Consensus Building: "Consensus is always good. So everybody's a little ticked off and, you know, so what do you really do? Well, we compromise. There's here another answer." — Richard Weylman 00:54:43

The Entrepreneurial Journey: "Successful founders possess an unwavering drive to succeed." — Jeff Mains 00:03:12

Building Strong Networks for SAS Founders: "Successful founders understand the power of community and mentorship. They actively seek out advisors, peers, and supporters who can provide guidance, share insights, and open doors." — Jeff Mains 00:04:48

1. Prioritize Customer Experience: SaaS leaders should focus on developing an elevated customer experience by incorporating kindness, thoughtfulness, caring, and empathy into the product and service delivery.

2. Personalization & Humanization: Emphasize personalized and humanized interactions as they play a crucial role in retaining customers, even in the presence of product or service flaws.

3. Mindful Language & Communication: Be mindful of language in customer interactions, avoid using desperate or condescending phrases, and strive for empathetic and kind communication with customers.

4. Understanding Customer Needs: Shift the focus from just presenting product features to demonstrating how the SaaS solution addresses specific customer problems and outcomes.

5. Clear Next Steps: Clearly outline next steps for customers after a sales presentation as it significantly influences their decision-making and the likelihood of moving forward.

6. Cultivate a Customer-Centric Culture: Foster a company culture that prioritizes the delivery of an elevated customer experience, ensuring consistent experiences across all touchpoints.

In today's founder episode of the SaaS Fuel podcast, Jeff rides the wave with Baird Hall, co-founder of ChurnKey.

Today, We'll be exploring the critical role of customer feedback in shaping product development and retention strategies. Our focus will be on the transition from working in silos to collective goal-setting, the impact of churn on business valuations, and the intricacies of preventing it. Join us as we discuss the silent killer in SaaS businesses and the importance of engaging with customers to drive revenue.

Stay tuned as we unpack the essential strategies for addressing churn and retaining customers.

00:00 Address churn to protect business revenue and growth.

03:19 Enhance customer value, implement robust onboarding.

08:28 High churn rate led to business focus.

12:42 Asking right questions to understand customer's needs.

16:41 Market inundated with subscriptions, leading to consumer inventory.

20:01 Customer behavior depends on pricing model.

21:26 Prosumer and B2B usage-based pricing benefits.

25:43 Video tutorial boosted save rates by 35%.

29:37 Customized pricing model, product expansion drives growth.

31:37 Using benchmarks and KPIs for customer success.

36:48 Bootstrapping vs VC: Finding right funding for business.

38:52 Transitioning to sales-driven SaaS for better growth.

42:34 Transition from product to people-led environment.

47:14 Resistance to KPIs, now valuing unified direction.

Optimizing the Customer Life Cycle: "In my opinion, the 2 best times to get feedback from a customer is when they pull their credit card out, like, right before they're about to swipe their credit card or at the moment they're about to cancel. Everything before and after that comes with caveats. That's like when you get the truth from customers." — Baird Hall 00:11:27

Quote: "The more people that are involved in a buying process, the less likely they are to churn later because they're gonna however complex the buying process is, that's about how complex the cancellation process is." — Baird Hall 00:21:26

Quote: "Everything that we try to do is all around personalizing the cancellation experience so that we're make sure we're not talking to every customer the same way, and then reminding them of the value that they signed up for and also the value that they've been getting." — Baird Hall 00:23:04

Quote: "I personally think pricing is where everybody when it comes to churn and retention, the first place almost always to look is pricing, your pricing model." — Baird Hall 00:29:43

The Impact of Churn on Revenue and Growth: "Churn is more than just a metric. It is a significant threat to your business." — Jeff Mains 00:01:36

Preventing Churn: "Churn kills growth. It kills momentum, kills morale, kills confidence, you know, kills companies. But most of it is preventable. You know, you're the one who can put this killer on ice and drive sustainable growth for your business and become future-proof." — Jeff Mains 00:06:13

1. Customer-Centric Approach: Emphasize the importance of engaging with customers, implementing a customer feedback loop, and making customer engagement a priority. This will shape your product development and retention strategies.

2. Active Presence: Establish an active presence on platforms such as LinkedIn and consider creating your own podcast. This enables you to connect with your audience and provide valuable insights to drive revenue and customer experience.

3. KPIs and Targets: Implement KPIs as targets instead of rigid guidelines to encourage collaboration and togetherness. This approach fosters a culture of collective...

Welcome to another episode of SaaS Fuel! In this insightful conversation, Jeff is joined by Gary Harpst, a seasoned CEO in the technology industry. He takes us on a journey through his experiences, including the challenges of technological advancements, the importance of leadership development, and the integration of faith into business practices.

We'll explore Gary's journey from the early technological innovations to the sale of his company to Microsoft, and how those experiences led to the creation of Lead First—an employee relationship management system informed by biblical principles. From the significance of effective leadership development to the impact of faith integration in the workplace, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical wisdom for SaaS founders and business leaders.

Stay tuned for a thought-provoking discussion on the role of chaos in driving innovation, the need for structured leadership training programs, and the benefits of chaplaincy services within organizations. Get ready for an engaging and enriching conversation!

00:00 Equip leaders with training to ensure success.

05:37 Guests discuss business alignment, leadership, and tech.

08:47 Lesson learned: Focus on maintaining successful products.

11:14 Failure led to great success and acquisition.

13:20 Personal worldview connected to biblical beliefs and chaos.

18:14 Be good, engage, lead with respect.

20:18 Trust in insurance agent, impacts social tax.

25:00 Companies recognizing and caring for whole person.

26:56 Transition from work to employee wellness trends.

32:29 Faith integrating into business: a practical approach.

35:41 Effective meetings build teams, culture, and purpose.

38:44 Business culture starts at the top. Be authentic.

43:46 Chaplaincy organizations offer private communication channels.

46:36 Helping clients develop holistic care strategies effectively.

49:56 AI optimizes content discovery, enables proactive recommendation.

51:53 Technological advancement far surpasses social progress.

Faith in the Workplace: "The gospel is that there are things that are wrong with us that we can't fix." — Gary Harpst 00:25:56

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Information Management: "One of the first applications of AI, and we're seeing it already, is the aggregation integration of data from multiple sources and making it coherent." — Gary Harpst 00:49:14

The Future of Content Discovery: "AI would really help people find what they need without having to wade through hours to figure out where the gems of relevant content are." — Gary Harpst 00:50:26

Quote: "Pair emerging leaders with experienced mentors who can provide guidance, share experiences, and offer advice. Coaching sessions help leaders navigate challenges and refine their skills literally in real-time. You know, this one-on-one support accelerates their development and builds confidence in their leadership abilities." — Jeff Mains 00:03:34

Employee Wellness: "Wellness became a thing. And then that moved into mental health specifically after the pandemic. And there's a lot more around that, which I think is really, really good." — Jeff Mains 00:27:13

1. Embrace Chaos: Gary Harpst emphasizes that chaos can be a raw material for innovation and growth. Leaders should embrace chaos as an opportunity for transformation and change within their organizations.

2. Human Connection Over Technology: Despite advancements in technology, Harpst stresses the importance of human relationships. This lesson emphasizes that leaders should prioritize building strong, meaningful connections with their teams and...