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Growth Stacking Show with Dan Martell

Dan Martell is a Canadian serial entrepreneur and angel investor. Subscribe now and learn his best strategies to build and scale successful products and businesses. Now hit that button and start the show. It's FREE.
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Now displaying: 2020
Dec 28, 2020

Exclusive Resource: Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster – My Strategy for Overcoming The Daily Ups & Downs of the Entrepreneurial Life and Creating a Bigger Impact - https://bit.ly/34RWZtM

--

2020 sucked.

Not only for businesses… but for families, communities and economies around the world.

Working closely with SaaS founders means I’ve heard the pains, seen the panic and talked through the new reality of Covid 19 for many struggling startups.

Some businesses have a model that lets them bend rather than break.

Others… aren’t so fortunate.

I spoke with a business owner recently whose brick-and-mortar company was destroyed by Covid 19, losing 70% of business overnight.

But here’s the thing…

It’s not the pandemic that made entrepreneurship difficult.

It was ALWAYS hard, from the start.

That’s just how the Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster goes. You’ll experience the greatest highs followed by crushing lows.

So how do you DEAL with that?

How do you survive without quitting or… just falling to pieces?

I’ve been there enough times to have formed a system of thinking that will reignite and reinvigorate you even when the world is cruel and the odds seem stacked against you.

Here it is.

In this video, I’m going to share a high-level set of tactics that will work to:

- Give you hope when your business collapses
- Help you break through unexpected barriers
- Re-define your business goals
- Remain grateful in the face of disappointment
- Keep you motivated despite entrepreneurial challenges

This video includes 5 key questions to ask yourself today. 

Wrong questions always lead to the wrong answers… But these 5 questions are how you can realign your thinking with something positive and actionable.

Here’s to 2021, the year that you can come back stronger than your competition and conquer your market landscape.

Don’t forget to drop me a comment with how you’re going to reframe the next year for your business.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Resource: Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster – My Strategy for Overcoming The Daily Ups & Downs of the Entrepreneurial Life and Creating a Bigger Impact - https://bit.ly/34RWZtM

Dec 21, 2020

Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/34nThbm


--


I didn’t want to shoot this video.


Honestly, I didn’t even think it was necessary.


I assumed that all scaling SaaS founders must be doing accrual accounting, right?


But I soon discovered about 15% of those that I coach were using cash accounting, and they weren’t clear on the difference between deferred revenue vs accrued revenue.


...or why it matters.


Don’t worry, I’m not pointing fingers.


Over the years, I made almost every business mistake there is, so there’s no shame or judgement here.


But today I want to sell you on what accrual accounting is, WHY your accountant should be doing it...


And how it will set up your SaaS company for success.


In this video, I’m going to give you the perspective of an entrepreneur, a CEO, or a founder… NOT an accountant. You’ll learn:


- Why lots of SaaS founders start with cash accounting

- Deferred revenue vs. accrued revenue

- How to move to accrual accounting

- Why it will make you financially rock-solid

- How it can save you from overpaying taxes

- What bookkeeping software will do it for you


“But Dan, I pay an accountant so I don’t have to think about this stuff.”


So do I. 


For every company I’ve ever started, I had accountants… and I’ve learned more about accounting than I ever wanted or planned to.


But you need to know that your business isn’t a leaky bucket of profits and that you’re optimized for scalable growth. That means knowing some high-level accounting principles.


It’s like eating vegetables. They might not be as tasty as chocolate, but trust me - it’s good for you.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell

+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell

+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


--


Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/34nThbm

Dec 14, 2020

Exclusive Download: Dream 100 - Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life - https://bit.ly/2KepM4z 


--


If you want to start a new SaaS business in 2021
without tearing your hair out, my advice is:


Find a co-founder.


You shouldn’t have to do it all on your own… and it’s better that you don’t.


Finding the right co-founder means having someone who will work just as hard as you, can do the things you can’t, and gives your business a fighting chance in the market.


If you’re a non-technical founder, that could mean finding someone technical. 


You grow the business, they build the product.


Or if you are a technical founder, then it means finding someone that can help you assemble a world-class team and market your product effortlessly while you write the code.


But picking the wrong co-founder spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R. 


You end up losing a big slice of the most valuable asset in your business:


Equity.


Don’t ever, EVER, EVER give equity to the wrong co-founder.


So how do you find the right co-founder? How do you track them down and get them interested? How do you negotiate a fair equity split?


I’ve got you covered.


This week’s video is the 5-steps to finding the perfect co-founder for your startup.


We’re going to break this down logically and uncover:


- What to look for in a co-founder

- Where to find a technical co-founder

- How to know they are right for you

- What to say on your first introduction

- How to discuss equity

- The safest way to split equity fairly



Every SaaS company I’ve launched has been with co-founders. I even launched Spheric with a co-founding team of 4.


Could I have launched my businesses entirely on my own? Maybe.


But growth would have been slower, I’d have torn my hair out, and my family life would have suffered. 


I like working with people… and my businesses are better for it.


Yours can be too. Check out the video here and drop me a comment if you have any questions.

--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


--


Exclusive Download: Dream 100 - Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life - https://bit.ly/2KepM4z 

Dec 4, 2020

Exclusive Resource: Fundraising Like a Pro - Learn the 3 phases of fundraising and a 7 week process for starting & closing your next round of funding - https://bit.ly/39EybsF 

--


How are angel investors different from venture capitalists?


Both invest in businesses. Both can write you big checks. Both have the power to help your business growth with a cash injection you otherwise would never get.


Are they the same?


Heck no.


I found this out the hard way...


When I was raising money for my 4th company Flowtown, I really didn’t know enough about investors.


I got some pretty weird looks when they read my terms sheets.


I didn’t understand their expectations. And all I had to go on were stories from colleagues, and a head full of wrong assumptions about what investors are looking for.


I started on the wrong foot. But eventually, I learned how to do it right...


So, when it was time to raise funds for my next business, Clarity.fm, I knew what the investors were looking for.


And I nailed it.


I closed $1.6M in funding…


...in 3 days!


It pays to know who you’re talking to and what they want. Trust me.


So I want to clear the air so you know the difference and you don’t raise money from the wrong people with the wrong expectations.


That’s what this week’s video is all about.


In this video, you’ll discover the difference between angel investors and venture capitalists down to 5 specific criteria:


- Source of money

- Investment thesis

- Pitching style

- Check size

- Investment filter



By the way, I’m also an investor myself, having invested in 40+ companies. 


But I am an angel investor, and not a venture capitalist.


Hit play on the video and let’s go over the differences.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell 


--


Exclusive Resource: Fundraising Like a Pro - Learn the 3 phases of fundraising and a 7 week process for starting & closing your next round of funding - https://bit.ly/39EybsF 

Nov 30, 2020

Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/3o2slW0 


--


In 2009, my mentor Dharmesh Shah (co-founder of Hubspot) sat in my office in San Francisco and casually dropped an acronym I hadn’t heard.


“We want to increase our ARPU, he said.


I smiled and nodded… but the blank stare on my face was a giveaway.


I was clueless.


When someone as abundantly successful as the co-founder of a company now valued at over $14B (Yes, B for BILLION) mentions what his company is trying to do…


You take notes.


Since that day, ARPU has become one of my key SaaS growth metrics that I insist on calculating with my clients.


Then, once you know it… you’ve got to grow it!


So in today’s video, I’m going to explain what ARPU is, how you track it and how to improve it.


Watch it below. Your profit margins will thank you.


In this video, once we cover the basics of what ARPU is, I’ll share with you:


- The difference between ARPU and ARPA

- The 2-minute formula for calculating it

- How to know good from bad ARPU numbers

- Projections depending on business size

- Why ARPU can help smash your SaaS growth ceiling

- Strategies to improve ARPU


You already know I’m pumped about SaaS metrics.


I don’t follow sports.


I follow numbers and work with SaaS founders like you to get true visibility about what is and is not working in a tech business… and then how to DO something about it.


You don’t have to love it as much as I do.


But you’ve got to know what these metrics mean.


Hit play on the video and let’s get us both on the same page, yeah?


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell 




Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/3o2slW0 

Nov 23, 2020

Exclusive Download: High Octane Team Technique™ – Break Down Your Organization Structure by Function & Create An Environment of Results, Not Excuses - https://bit.ly/3916Lgb 


--


Many founders throw money at new employees hoping their
business will grow… 


Only to find they don’t know where to ‘put’ their new employees, and they end up wasting cash on salaries for an under-utilized
team.


Ever experienced this before?


I definitely have.


See, I believe a successful founder doesn’t just build a business...


A successful founder builds a team of people and then the
people build the business.


That is my mantra. And as a founder your responsibility is to find, inspire and level up the right people. 


That’s where your time is best invested…


But what’s equally important is structuring your organization so you can fully utilize your team’s time and skills.


And that’s where having the proper organization chart comes into play.


This helps you grow from a startup of 2 or 3 co-founders… to a team of 12… then to 25… then 100… then 250…


It shows you where people fit in. Who reports to who. And what’s the chain of responsibility…


And in today’s video, I’m going to share with you an organization chart that’s SO simple, it’ll take you all the way from a fumbling startup to a scaling corporation ready to go public (if that’s what you want).


In this video, you’ll be able to identify where your SaaS is, and where you need to be next. You’re going to learn:


- The 6 core functions of a software business

- The 5 levels of leadership to aim for

- Who your key ‘C’ level team should be

- How to divide your functions into teams that make sense

- Expected revenue bands per team size

- What $0K – $120K – $500K MRR looks like

- How to cap your direct reports

- Ultimately keeping your business goals manageable



I like to think of SaaS revenue in terms of the talent it can afford.


$1M in ARR might sound nice, but after you factor in costs (let’s say 30%), the rest is just salaries for your team.


Suddenly all that $1M gets you is 7 employees on $100K salaries without a dollar left.


It becomes extremely important to hire the right people at the right time to make sure every dollar spent grows your business to the next revenue band.


Take 10 mins to prepare a simple org chart with this video.


See you in the comments.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell 



Exclusive Download: High Octane Team Technique™ – Break Down Your Organization Structure by Function & Create An Environment of Results, Not Excuses - https://bit.ly/3916Lgb

Nov 16, 2020

Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/38HmL72 

--


I don’t think a SaaS founder should be their own accountant.


I’m not, and I wasn’t for all 5 of my companies.


Your job is to get
really good at running a business and making
money. 


That’s it.


But to do that, there is ONE type of accounting that I believe you NEED to understand:


Accrual Accounting.


Don’t panic, you won’t need to calculate it yourself. That’s your accountant’s job. 


But knowing the difference between Accrual Accounting and Cash Accounting is vital to making the
best business decisions
for your SaaS.


So let’s take a quick 10-minutes to go over what exactly it is and why it’s valuable to comprehend it.


Once you understand Accrual Accounting, you’ll be able to:


- Measure incremental growth


- Clean up your cash flow


- Keep your finger on the pulse of subtle revenue changes


- Respond quickly to downtrends in your bottom line


- Reduce distortion in your metrics


I’ve read 2000+ balance sheets, P&Ls, cash flow statements, and I’ve taught dozens of SaaS founders how to interpret their figures.


Maybe I’m a freak because I love numbers so much.


But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: 


Numbers don’t lie.
Expectations do.


Fire up the video here and let’s get you up to scratch on Accrual Accounting. It’ll clean up your cash flow, help you track metrics
accurately and see important business trends.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually
awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell 

 

Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/38HmL72 

Nov 9, 2020

Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/32l5jkC 


--


I believe that great SaaS founders stay ahead of the curve.


They’re the trendsetters, not the trend-followers, willing to try something new that makes waves in the market.


The problem is that I’ve encountered many cutting edge SaaS businesses whose marketing efforts are too far behind the times.


They innovate in software, but hedge their bets in marketing.


Then when a new marketing strategy gains momentum, these businesses are left scrambling to catch up to their competitors that have since overtaken them.


Innovators get the lion’s share of the growth.


That’s why I believe that you need to siphon off a portion of your marketing budget for more cutting edge strategies that have the potential for HUGE returns on investment.


But what strategies?


I got you covered :)


I coach hundreds of SaaS founders to help them grow and scale their businesses with innovative new strategies. 


I get to see behind-the-scenes which marketing strategies are working and which aren’t.


Based on what I’ve observed first-hand, here are 3 powerful marketing strategies that are rarely used in SaaS but have created high ROI in 2020 and will continue to in 2021.


If you were to apply all 3 marketing strategies, then you would have:

- Higher customer retention rates

- A system that funds your marketing costs

- A way to leverage volunteer communities

- Direct access to your perfect fit customers

- Authority in your niche

- A platform to showcase your best customers

- A system for 1-on-1s with potential B2B clients



I’ll keep an ear out in my networks for any other scalable,
high ROI marketing strategies that are working.


If I find more, I’ll send them to your inbox. 


But for now, I know these 3 marketing strategies work because I’ve seen it first-hand with my clients.


Have you tried any? Are you concerned it won’t work for you?


Let me know in the comments, I’ll do my best to help.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell 


Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/32l5jkC 

Nov 2, 2020

Exclusive Resource: Cancellation Capture System™ - The Flow, Design and Copy You Need To Save Cancellations & Learn as Much as You Can Before a Customer Leaves - https://bit.ly/3jIn03s 


--


It’s the thorn in every SaaS founder’s side…


The number that keeps you
awake at night:


Your churn rate.


Churn equates to invisible dollars that slip through your fingers. The lower that number, the more successful and
exponential your capacity to grow.


But how
exactly do you measure churn?


There isn’t just one number.


There are multiple
different measures of churn you should know.


Today I’m going in-depth into the different types of churn, and strategies to monitor, control and minimize that deadly number.


In this video, I’m going to simplify and explain churn in a way that you can apply. You’re going to learn:


- How to measure churn

- Logo churn vs revenue churn

- What is net negative churn

- SaaS industry churn % standards

- How to know if your churn is good or bad

- Churn prediction methods

- The 20-60-20 rule for developing anti-churn software


If you’re a seasoned SaaS pro, churn might look like a beginner’s topic. 


It’s not.


Sure, it’s one of the first numbers a SaaS founder should measure, but it pays to remain obsessed about that number.


If you can make
any changes to your churn rate, your company will grow. 


It’s that simple.


Looking forward to hearing from you in the
comments on the video.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell 



Exclusive Resource: Cancellation Capture System™ - The Flow, Design and Copy You Need To Save Cancellations & Learn as Much as You Can Before a Customer Leaves - https://bit.ly/3jIn03s 

Oct 26, 2020

Exclusive Resource:  Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/3jm3PMv 



--



When I was 29 years old, I was
pitching to investors for funding



I’d breezed through my pitch deck, million-dollar smile on my face despite my shaky nerves when they asked:



What’s your CAC?



‘Yeeeah! I got this’, I thought to myself.



CAC stands for ‘Customer Acquisition Cost’ and I had done the math. Smugly, I dropped an impressive number.



The investor’s eye’s lit up.



“Really? Wow!... But is that your
Fully Loaded CAC?”



The room went so quiet you would hear a pin drop.



My jaw hung open, and I still cringe when I think of the dumbfounded deer-in-the-headlights look on my face.



All I could think was, "What the heck does fully loaded mean?”



I made a fool of myself that day.



Today I’m going to show you how to calculate your Customer Acquisition Cost -
fully loaded - in just 3 easy steps so you never look like a fool in front of anyone.



If you want to make investors drool over a stake in your company, then you’ve got to know your numbers.



See, investors want to avoid risk at ALL costs.



They’ll pass on a promising business if the founder doesn’t
know the right numbers



Numbers don’t lie, and neither does your fully loaded CAC.



This is a quick dose of metrics-math.
Check out the video here and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel while you’re there.


--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell



Exclusive Resource:
Precision Scorecard™ - Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth - https://bit.ly/3jm3PMv 

 

Oct 19, 2020

Exclusive Resource: Dream 100 – Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life - https://bit.ly/2T8CwL2


--



Have you ever wanted to cut a toxic person out of your life before?



It’s a more common feeling than you think.



Maybe there’s an old high school friend, a buddy from college, a distant relative… Whoever it is, you
know in your gut that this person is toxic and brings negative energy to most conversations.



The question is:



Is it ok to cut them out of your life?



I think it is.



Negative influences can distort your self-belief and cause you to lose faith in your pursuit of a better life. It’s important to do something about those damaging relationships.



But there is a
right way to cut people out. 



(Don’t be an @sshole!)



The more you grow and change, the more you realize that some people you know just don’t support your growth.



Here’s how to cut people out of your life and move towards building a network of positive people
without feeling guilty.



Maybe this is a topic that makes you feel uncomfortable, but remember this: I went to rehab when I was 17 years old.



I was the toxic kid that other people needed to cut off.
 



And I knew it.



A big part of my rehabilitation was to cut myself off from other negative people and
build a supportive network of positivity while learning to be a positive influence on others too.



It made my growth possible.



If you want to grow, I believe you need to take a
‘friendventory’ and think carefully about your network.



If you do it the right way, it is not selfish.



It could be exactly what you need right now.
Don’t you think?



Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.



--




Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell



Exclusive Resource: Dream 100 – Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life - https://bit.ly/2T8CwL2 

Oct 12, 2020

Exclusive Resource: Dream 100 – Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life - https://bit.ly/3lD1gHv

--

I can tell if your business is going to scale successfully by asking one question:

Do you have a business coach, mentor or advisor?

If your answer is no… I’m worried for you. 

Hear me out.

Succeeding in business means making the right decisions frequently. 

I’ve seen small companies dominate in niches that were owned by big-business giants simply because they made better decisions.

But I’ve also seen companies run themselves into the ground in less than 12 months because they made too many wrong decisions.

As a founder, you’re faced with million-dollar decisions every day, even if it doesn’t feel like it. 

You’ve got to know what to say YES to, and when to say NO.

Without any shred of doubt in my mind, I know the best way to consistently make winning business decisions is to:

Get advice.

My first two companies were failures, but my 3rd made me a millionaire. My 4th and 5th were even more successful again… Why? Because I got advice

Business coaches, mentors, advisors – I’ve hired them all. I’ve even been advised by:

- Mark Cuban, Billionaire
- Travis Kalanick, founder of Uber
- Richard Branson, founder of Virgin
- Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup
- Sean Ellis, founder and CEO of Growth Hackers
- And many, many others

I invest over $250K a year (pre-Covid) on coaching, meeting mentors and seeking out strategic advice from experts.

I’m telling you… don’t try to be a business genius on your own. Find someone that can advise you.

And if you want to know how to find the right advisors for your business, then you’re in luck:

That’s what my latest video is about.

Advisors know their value and sometimes they’ll offer shady deals in exchange for their million-dollar advice. In this video, I’ll share with you:

- How to find the right advisors
- How to identify when you need advice
- What kind of deals you can expect with an advisor
- Why I won’t give equity for advice
- How to leverage social currency
- Dealing with an advisory board
- How to communicate with an advisor

The purpose of this video is to demystify how these kinds of business relationships work.

It can feel strange to hire someone just to point you in the right direction and help you choose right from wrong in your own business.

It felt weird to me the first time I did.

But once you feel the weight come off your shoulders knowing that you don’t have to have it all figured out, you’ll realize how infinitely valuable advice is.

Good advisors really can make or break your business.

Got any other questions about how these types of business relationships work? Leave me a comment below.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Resource: Dream 100 – Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life - https://bit.ly/3lD1gHv

Oct 5, 2020

Exclusive Download: EBR Flow Planner™ - 9 Box Model to Run Your Executive Business Reviews, Retain High-Value Clients & Increase Expansion Revenue - https://bit.ly/3l5q1Mp 


--



Let’s pop the hood of your SaaS retention engine.



The machine that creates your revenue, that turns new customers into long term LTV...



Pry apart each leaky valve, tighten each bolt and make sure you’re running a fine-tuned growth-maximizing machine.



I’ll give you the
3 tools I recommend to improve EACH of the 8 key parts.



I love
SaaS business models because they’re ideal for generating cumulative wealth…



Provided you have a great Customer Success system
.



If you don’t, churn rates slowly creep higher and higher and the LTV of each customer drops.



I’ve identified that there are 8 key areas of a flawless Customer Success system that require a solution. In each category, there are multiple tools and tech you can use.



I have a recommended list of those tools, the ones I’ve used in business and can stand by. 



If you’re not sure where to start to improve these categories, watch this video and try out my suggestions. Your churn rate will thank you for it.



In each of these 8 categories, I’m going to recommend 3 tools. The categories are:


  1. Adoption Management

  2. Co-Browsing

  3. Calendar

  4. Surveys

  5. Metrics

  6. Helpdesk

  7. Screen Recording

  8. Status Page


You need a solution for each of these 8. If you don’t, then there are parts of your customer’s journey that will let you and your customer down.


There is no miracle cure-all for crushing churn rates. It’s all about excellent customer success systems.



But I’m not going to apologize for that.



You’re a business founder, SaaS owner or entrepreneur, right?



That means you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and fight the hard fight, figuring out how to grow and scale your business. It’s not easy, but it is worth it.



Got any other favourite tools you think other SaaS founders should know about? Add them in a comment on the video right here.



--


Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.


+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell



Exclusive Download:
EBR Flow Planner™ - 9 Box Model to Run Your Executive Business Reviews, Retain High-Value Clients & Increase Expansion Revenue - https://bit.ly/3l5q1Mp 

Sep 21, 2020

Exclusive Download: Top 5 Productivity Hacks – Double Your Energy & Focus By Just Tweaking The Way You Do Everyday Tasks - https://bit.ly/3cfrDQs

--

What does success mean?

Get specific… what exactly does it look like to you?

Is that word just a placeholder for some anonymous measure of public respect and acceptance? Is it about bank account zeros?

My idea of success has changed… a lot. The answer I’d have given you when I was 21 is nothing like the answer I’d give you now.

Why?

Because I grew the F%$& up.

When I became a millionaire at 27 years old, I realized that I wasn’t anywhere near as successful as I wanted to be.

The elusive dream had changed.

Since then, I’ve taken the time to really decide what success looks like to me so I know what I’m aiming for.

Now I’d like to share my perspective on what that is.

I haven’t shared this before because, to be honest… it’s kind of personal. 

But I’d like to share it because every problem became much more manageable when I knew where I wanted to end up. Perhaps you need that clarity too.

I’ve learned that success is different for everyone

It’s subjective.

One person thinks it’s about the body they’ve got, another thinks it’s the car they drive, yet another thinks success is the property they own or the friends they have.

Have you noticed how you can use ‘success’ in a conversation and everyone assumes you must mean the same thing?

“10 steps to success”, “How to become successful”, “Success is just…”.

It can be a dangerous concept because we all want “it” without taking time to define what “IT” actually is.

Don’t chase an unknown dream.

Set the goal posts in the right place and don’t worry what anyone else thinks.

I’d love to know what real success looks like to you. Drop a comment on the YouTube video right here and let me know.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: Top 5 Productivity Hacks – Double Your Energy & Focus By Just Tweaking The Way You Do Everyday Tasks - https://bit.ly/3cfrDQs

Sep 14, 2020

Exclusive Download: EBR Flow Planner™ – 9 Box Model to Run Your Executive Business Reviews, Retain High-Value Clients & Increase Expansion Revenue - https://bit.ly/2Fkf9uX

--

“HELP! I’m losing customers in the pandemic!”

As a SaaS Coach, I worked very closely with a lot of software founders who are nervous that their businesses won’t ever recover from coronavirus.

Customers are cancelling, accounts are drying up, and prospects are turning into dust.

We have never seen a global economic meltdown quite like this one… so the concern is 100% justified.

But listen to me: You are not powerless.

Today I’m going to give you a crystal ball.

I’m going to share my go-to system for identifying ALL of your at-risk customers before they cancel… and then how to save those accounts.

It’s like predicting the future and fixing it all at once.

I’ve been using this system with my SaaS clients to help them crush their churn rates to below 1%.

even in the middle of a pandemic.

Watch the latest video below and I’ll walk you through how to maximize your customer retention.

In this video, you’re going to learn:

How to maximize customer retention + profits
How to find out WHY customers are unhappy
What to say that will win them back
What a critical event is
Why churn has nothing to do with software
How to identify red flags as early as possible
How to use accountability to save ANY customer

The trick is to have a system that alerts your support team when customers exhibit specific pre-churn behaviours, such as not logging in for a set amount of time, disengaging from support chat, or visiting cancellation pages.

Customers that meet enough of those conditions are in the danger zone.

As soon as those red flags appear, you then need to execute the Red Playbook – a system to save those accounts, correct the relationship and turn them back into raving fans.

With the right playbook, at-risk customers won’t have a good reason to cancel.

A system like this works.

Now more than ever, you’ve got to stay ahead of your at-risk risk customers and spot the red flags early.

Your business depends on it.

Remember, I’m here to help. If you’re tearing out your hair and not sure what to do with your business, reach out to me and my team.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: EBR Flow Planner™ – 9 Box Model to Run Your Executive Business Reviews, Retain High-Value Clients & Increase Expansion Revenue - https://bit.ly/2Fkf9uX

Sep 7, 2020

Exclusive Download: Dream 100 – Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life (Peers, Advisors & Mentors) - https://bit.ly/3m1hI5i

--

A few weeks ago, I owned up to the biggest mistakes I made in my 20s… mistakes that cost me literally millions.

This video is the sequel.

Believe it or not, when I turned 30 I didn’t magically become an angel, with a perfect track record of success. 

(Shock! I can hear your gasps from here)

I squared up to that decade as a new man, confident and determined to avoid past mistakes.

…but immediately started making new mistakes!

The reason I’m sharing this is:

1. To humanize me (I’m not a flawless success story, I’m a patchwork of mistakes.)
2. To show you that mistakes are ok (Heck, they’re necessary.)
3. So you can avoid my mistakes (Don’t screw up the way I did.)

My 30s started out strong.

I was on the brink of exiting my second company, Flowtown, ready to add a few more zeroes to my bank balance.

Right after that, I started Clarity.fm and without any help from co-founders, I scaled the company, closed $1.6M in funding from investors like Mark Cuban, then successfully exited that company too… 

…and then launched one of the biggest YouTube channels for SaaS Entrepreneurs.

But during this decade, I faced a new beast:

Myself.

My 30s was full of mistakes that came from within me. Broken thinking.

I had to reinvent myself – more than once – to become the leader I needed to be.

Please… don’t make the mistakes I did. 

Watch my latest video where I roast myself, shake your head at my expense (I encourage it) but don’t repeat my screw ups.

Today I’m sharing with you:

- How I lost 30 – 40% in market value by drifting
- The wrong narratives that shaped my leadership
- The day I knew I crossed the line (and I had to change)
- My anti-portfolio mistakes
- How I passed on a $250M company *face-palm*
- Why I have 3 coaches… right now

Look, I get it.

Every advert in your feed, every case-study in your inbox, every silicon valley interview is screaming “SUCCESS!!” right in your face.

You just want a break, right?

I hope you can see that that’s why I make these videos.

It’s not to show off or to wave dollar signs in your face.

It’s because I want you to live a better, more fulfilling life while growing a richer business.

That’s what motivates me even if it means sharing my embarrassing mistakes. I hope you can see that I’m doing my best to help.

Peace.

-- 

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: Dream 100 – Learn How to Identify The 100 People That Will Transform Your Life (Peers, Advisors & Mentors) - https://bit.ly/3m1hI5i

Aug 31, 2020

Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ – Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth – https://bit.ly/2GfadaI

--

If you want to stop an investor like me dead in their tracks, show them these 7 numbers.

With the right combination, they’ll fall over themselves to throw money at you.

Beg to invest.

Yes, even in the middle of a pandemic, when the world feels like it’s balancing on a knife’s edge…

These 7 numbers will show me your entire company’s health.

Scribble it on a napkin, drop it right in front of me…

And I’ll tell you: Yes or No.

I’m talking about the top 7 customer success metrics you need to measure. 

I don’t care what you read about a CEO in magazines, how many Maseratis they own, or if they flew in on a private jet.

These numbers are the matrix code that reveal the TRUTH about any company.

I’m telling you right now, in your inbox, from me to you–

If you aren’t measuring these customer success metrics, you don’t know your own business.

So this video is for you. These are the numbers you’ve got to start measuring ASAP, including what they are and how to track them:

The reason the 7-number password can unlock an investment frenzy it because it immediately tells me:

1. How good your product is
2. How I can help you earn more
3. Your growth potential
4. Where to unlock lost revenue streams
5. If you’ll survive a new competitor in the market
6. What marketing opportunities you can leverage
7. What holes need plugging in your revenue

Over the last 5-7 years, I’ve been involved in hiring over 50+ CSMs (Customer Success Managers) across my portfolio of 40+ investments and my own companies.

To make sure that any CSM I hire will hit the ground running, I just say “These are the 7 metrics I need you to measure – find the numbers and report them back to me.”

The simple act of knowing these numbers makes it painfully obvious where you need to turn your attention.

Get a notepad and pen ready and start the video here.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: Precision Scorecard™ – Keep Your Leadership Team Focused & Accountable To Growth – https://bit.ly/2GfadaI

Aug 17, 2020

Exclusive Download: 5 Secrets of Silicon Valley – Discover My Silicon Valley Secrets To Skyrocket Your Business by Implementing 5 Little Changes That No One is Talking About - https://bit.ly/2Q1xfTW

--

I’ve got to come clean…

I’m not a guru.

I can’t read your future, don’t perform miracles, and I’m about as enlightened as a stick.

I’m just a SaaS-obsessed business coach that has made WAY too many mistakes, enough to fill entire encyclopaedias of ‘what not to do’.

But I did do something right: 

I didn’t quit. 

I squared up my mistakes (2 failed companies), welcomed the hard lessons, and eventually became strong enough to make the right decisions (building and exiting 3 companies).

I still get asked “What do you wish you did differently in your career?”

Oh man.

I could fill books.

I have to break my answer up into decades… starting with my 20s.

At 20 years old, I was an overworked developer working for free at someone else’s startup. 

Just 10 years later at 30 years old, I had sold my 3rd business, was building my 4th and was already a multi-millionaire.

Even though I look back fondly on that decade, I still know I made decisions that cost me (or lost me) millions.

So, I’m putting a pin in my ego and owning up to my biggest mistakes in the hope that you can avoid them.

In this video I’m going to share with you:

- The solo mistake that cost me $10 million in lost revenue
- How I hired an executive that nearly cost me my business
- Why ‘needing to be liked’ sabotaged my company culture
- How wearing a suit-and-tie saved my company
- Why selling for millions cost me millions more! (Don’t sell early)
- How my failed investments poured cash down the drain

At least half of my wisdom comes from having screwed up enough times to know why the wrong decisions are actually wrong. 

Now I get to save SaaS founders like you from the fate I barely escaped.

It would have been so easy to quit or to stay on a course doomed to fail. 

But if I had joined the SaaS graveyard, I wouldn’t be in your inbox, on your news feed or sharing these mistakes on YouTube.

I’m here to help you get to your success twice as fast as I did.

Drop by the video and let me know in the comments: What is the biggest mistake you’ve made recently that you know you’ll regret for years to come?

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: 5 Secrets of Silicon Valley – Discover My Silicon Valley Secrets To Skyrocket Your Business by Implementing 5 Little Changes That No One is Talking About - https://bit.ly/2Q1xfTW

Aug 10, 2020

Exclusive Download: The Rocket Demo Builder™ – Never give a boring software demo again and close up to TWICE as many deals by this time next week - https://bit.ly/3agnmLt

--

Do you have your dream sales team yet?

A team of high-converting closers who effortlessly book new accounts and funnel cash into your pockets until your revenue-pants are splitting at the seams?

No?

Neither did I.

I thought you could throw money (aka: investment capital) at business problems to solve them. Just hire a sales team and let the money roll in.

Turns out, it doesn’t work that way… (and I was a fool in my 20s.)

You need a structured weekly sales team meeting to create the 3 Big R’s:

1. Rhythm
2. Routine
3. Revenue

Once I figured that out, I got obsessed with tightening the bolts on my sales team machine until I had a competitive edge and could repeatedly win clients with confidence.

Now all of my sales teams are well-oiled machines… and I teach this one weekly 8-point agenda you can follow for one simple reason:

I know it works.

Fast forward to today and I’ve managed millions of dollars in pipeline and coached 100+ SaaS founders to build out their sales teams.

One of my largest clients has 150 sales people, and they use this exact weekly agenda structure I’m going to talk you through in this week’s video. Check it out!

This is what I have in store for you today. I’m going to show you:

- How to create sales momentum
- My recommended sales metrics tools
- Why world class salesmanship doesn’t matter (Wh-whaaat?)
- Why YOU are the x-factor in your team
- The value of a CSM at your sales meetings
- Why jealousy can destroy your company
- How to build a culture around training

If you can commit to one weekly meeting that follows this structure, your sales team will be closing more deals before the year is out.

One meeting.

… that follow this specific 8 point-agenda.

Look, I know that in the face of big numbers (millions, you say?!) it’s easy to think: “This meeting agenda is for big teams – it won’t work for me”.

Nope.

If I started from scratch today – with a team of only 1 salesperson – I’d still schedule this meeting.

I see it as hitting the gym. No matter how small you are, you don’t get big without doing your reps.

Hit that play button, soak up the agenda structure, and drop a comment to let me know if you’ll apply it to your next meeting.

Peace.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: The Rocket Demo Builder™ – Never give a boring software demo again and close up to TWICE as many deals by this time next week - https://bit.ly/3agnmLt

Aug 3, 2020

Exclusive Download: EBR Flow Planner™ – 9 Box Model to Run Your Executive Business Reviews, Retain High-Value Clients & Increase Expansion Revenue - https://bit.ly/3k6Yb2v

--

What the $%&# is a CSM… and how is that going to make me money?!”

When I started out in business nearly 20 years ago, there was no such thing as a CSM.

Those 3 letters just didn’t go together.

Nowadays, most B2B SaaS businesses see a CSM as essential to scaling a business faster, reducing churngetting greater customer LTV and protecting your brand.

A CSM is a Customer Success Manager.

It’s not a glorified support person (like I once thought) and yes, they absolutely make you more money.

Having a great CSM on your team will boost your revenue.

I believe that for every $1 you spend on a CSM, you should be getting $5x back in retention/expansion revenue.

Funnel hackers would lose their minds over a funnel that converts 1:5 consistently, long-term…

…and yet CSM’s get dismissed by young businesses as an unnecessary cost.

I’m going to put an end to that mistaken belief in this week’s video, and I’ll open your mind to what a CSM should be doing in your business and why they are a godsend.

After you watch this video, you’re going to understand how a great CSM can:

Track your customer satisfaction with easy-to-follow metrics
Help your customers fall in love with your products
Reduce churn and improve customer retention
Increase lifetime value with upgraded accounts and upsells
Collect testimonials, case studies and referrals
Explode your word-of-mouth marketing
Feed product development and innovation

I mean… just look at that list! 

This is one person you can hire in your business that can do all of the above… if you know how to work with them.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: You can’t just hire someone and expect them to solve your problems without your guidance.

CSMs are a godsend, but you’ve got to work with them to build systems so that they can do what they do best.

Watch the video and I’ll set you straight on how to work with a CSM in your business.

While you’re there, drop me a comment to let me know:

As a customer, what was the best interaction you had with a company and why?

I’ll bet there was a CSM behind it.

Talk soon.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: EBR Flow Planner™ – 9 Box Model to Run Your Executive Business Reviews, Retain High-Value Clients & Increase Expansion Revenue - https://bit.ly/3k6Yb2v

Jul 27, 2020

Exclusive Download: Team Offsite Planner™ – The Simple Agenda to Develop Optimal Team Cohesiveness & Build a Killer Strategic Plan For The Following Period - https://bit.ly/39xljm7

--

I have a confession…

In my mid-20s, I was the worst leader.

I was trying to run a team and was wildly out-of-touch with so-called “good leadership”. I just didn’t know it yet.

I held a team offsite, a getaway with the executive team to reflect on the quarter, set goals and come away reinvigorated.

It didn’t work.

My fault.

I tried to force passion on the team, crack the whip on our productivity and focus on project management.

In my mind, maximizing company efficiency was something we could achieve in a day if we worked hard enough. I was SO wrong.

But I noticed something else… 

Our exec team had a chance to hang out like friends, drop their professional behaviour and get to know each without the daily demands of their work.

This had a greater impact on the growth of my company, more than anything else at that offsite.

It was as simple as building relationships. 

I mean… duh, Dan! It’s obvious to me now.

Building relationships has become my #1 focus for ANY team offsite that I hold.

I’ve got it down to a fine strategy and I’ll show you what that is in today’s video, including an exercise that I insist everyone does at every company offsite I organize. Check it out!

Here are the 5 components of a successful team offsite:

Prep The Plan
Paint The Vision
Build Trust
Re-Test
Map Closure

Great leadership is a strategic advantage. I honestly believe that.

If you take two competing companies, one with good leadership and employee morale and one without…

I guarantee you that the one with good leadership will confront problems with more confidence, innovate more frequently and get more sh*t done.

How can you weather the storms of business if you don’t trust your team? If you don’t have a sense of camaraderie, honesty and support with your fellow team members?

This drives growth more than ANYTHING else.

If you aren’t holding company offsites at regular intervals, I suggest you try it. Start with just one and watch what a difference it can make.

Hope this video helps you build those valuable team relationships, and I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: Team Offsite Planner™ – The Simple Agenda to Develop Optimal Team Cohesiveness & Build a Killer Strategic Plan For The Following Period - https://bit.ly/39xljm7

Jul 20, 2020

Exclusive Download: Impact Giving Flywheel™ – Align Your Team, Activate Your Partners and Add More Passion To Your Work While Having an Impact on The World We Live In - https://bit.ly/2Bfu9rM

--

Hate to break it to you, but it’s not all about money.

I mean it.

Here’s an example…

One of my coaching clients recently hit a milestone that we’ve been working towards for years: 

$1M per month in profit. 

After 9 years of hard work, he turned that dream into a reality. HUGE achievement! But instead of celebrating, the next question that came was…

“What was the purpose? Why am I doing this? If we make more money as a company… what’s the point?”

Today I want to share with you how you can create a social impact through your business.

You can continue doing what you do best AND change lives, better the world, and help the people you want to help most.

I promise you, it’ll be more satisfying than any dollar amount in your bank account.

Running a business that cares about social change is incredibly rewarding. But it takes some thought. These are the 5 points I’d encourage you to consider:

1. Connect Your Core
2. Select The Give
3. DIY vs Partner
4. Partner Path
5. Influence & Inspire

There is SO MUCH MORE to the business game than just generating wealth.

To me, it’s about having a greater capacity to give back to the world.

With my first company, Spheric, we used to donate to Kiva, a charity that supports businesses in 3rd world countries with interest-free microloans.

Now I have my Creators program that helps at-risk youths.

These outlets for social impact have meant far more to me than the money I have earned.

It makes it all worthwhile.

But you can’t just throw your money at the first charity you see. You’re still a business and there is a process to maximizing your social impact while balancing your financial responsibilities.

Start by watching the video here. 

It’s how my business-brain deals with the topic of charity, social impact and giving back to the world when you’re still a responsible SaaS founder.

--

Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: Impact Giving Flywheel™ – Align Your Team, Activate Your Partners and Add More Passion To Your Work While Having an Impact on The World We Live In - https://bit.ly/2Bfu9rM

Jul 13, 2020

Exclusive Download: High Tempo Testing™ – Define a Solid North Star Metric & Identify Experiments Worth Running That Drive You Closer To Predictable Growth - https://bit.ly/2ZqX85n

--

Alright, fine. 

I’ll go on record and say it.

There is a huge difference between marketers who call themselves Growth Hackers… and those who actually know the SCIENCE of it.

Using the term ‘Growth Hacker’ in your LinkedIn bio doesn’t matter. It never did.

All that matters are the actual numbers.

In 2008 when I moved to San Francisco I met Sean Ellis, the guy that came up with the term ‘Growth Hacker’.

Sean is the CEO of GrowthHackers, author of Hacking Growth and he popularized the term. I have huge respect for him.

But let’s be real: growth hacking is a fancy name for metrics-based-marketing (that’s what we use to call it pre-2008). 

Rather than traditional (and often outdated) marketing methods, it’s about granular metrics that allow you to measure funnels, flows, messaging, and your product-market fit in order to improve the virality of your marketing.

Done right, it means a tidal wave of attention and… sales.

For 20 years I’ve been analyzing and testing methods for explosive viral growth in business and I’ve made friends with lots of marketers that were doing this even before me.

What I want to share in today’s video are the specific tactics, strategies, and insights I’ve taken away from my own experiences and from being around some of the smartest marketers in the world.

Ready?

If I take everything I’ve learned about growth hacking and squeeze it into 5 high-level points, this is what you get:

1. Innovate (gotta get your fundamentals right)
2. Tooling and APIs
3. Work Backwards (the 3 Fs)
4. Copywriting
5. ABT (Always Be Testing)

I love marketing.

Don’t get me wrong… I’m a product guy, developer, and a technical founder.

But smart marketing allowed me to grow my 5 tech businesses, and successfully exit 3 of them.

If your attitude is “leave the marketing to the marketers”, I’d encourage you to challenge that idea. 

If you create a culture around growth hacking in your business, you might find that scaling rapidly is just a few innovative ideas away.

Where do you start? With this week’s video.

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Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell

Exclusive Download: High Tempo Testing™ – Define a Solid North Star Metric & Identify Experiments Worth Running That Drive You Closer To Predictable Growth - https://bit.ly/2ZqX85n

Jul 6, 2020

Exclusive Download: High Octane Team Technique™ – Break Down Your Organization Structure by Function & Create An Environment of Results, Not Excuses - https://bit.ly/2VT7JDI

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When I was 24, I started my company Spheric.

It nearly killed me.

As an ambitious entrepreneur, I had to make it work and wouldn’t stop at anything. Before I knew it, I was pulling 100+ hour work weeks.

That’s 14 hours per day, 7 days per week.

(Sound familiar? Don’t lie… I bet you check in on your business on the weekend too.)

There is NO WAY I would ever recommend doing that again!

I overworked myself and nearly burned out. Finally, at 28, I sold the company and became very wealthy, able to afford some time off.

When I started my next company, Flowtown, with co-founder Ethan, I knew I had to do it differently. 

Rather than destroying myself, I focused my attention on something else:

Assembling a kick-ass team that could out-perform me.

The difference between these two companies was night and day. The growth of Flowtown was easy by comparison!

As a SaaS founder, I don’t believe you build your business… You build the team, and then that team builds the business with you. 

In this latest video, I’ll show you how and why you NEED to build a strong team for your SaaS.

Over the years I’ve collected a bunch of strategies that help me grow strong executive teams quickly. Here are my top 5 tips:

1. Buy Back Time
2. Follow The Workflow
3. Set The Roles
4. Revise Overtime
5. Make Hard Decisions (Someone has to do it)

A strong team means you will work less but get more done. 

It also means freeing up your time so you can work on the higher leverage stuff that you want to work on.

Whenever you hear of those power-founders that build massive companies quickly, one after the next, I guarantee their ‘secret sauce’ is the leadership teams they assemble.

It pays to get good at this.

Not next year… not next month.

Now.

Take a few minutes to watch through the video here and share your thoughts in a comment. Your future self will thank you!

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Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: High Octane Team Technique™ – Break Down Your Organization Structure by Function & Create An Environment of Results, Not Excuses - https://bit.ly/2VT7JDI

Jun 29, 2020

Exclusive Download: Review Collector Maximizer™ – When, Where & How to Ask For Reviews, Plus The Top List of Sites That Really Move The Needle in Driving Qualified Leads - https://bit.ly/2ZjDMOb

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Try this theoretical A/B test in your mind.

The control is your SaaS product as it is right now. The ‘B’ variation is your exact same business…

…but with hundreds of 3rd party product review sites publishing in-depth reviews of your software.

Let’s get clear on this: You aren’t writing these reviews.

Other people are.

These reviews are shared on blogs, social media, and on YouTube. The publishers of these reviews are driving their own traffic.

Without changing anything about your product, here’s how your ‘B’ variation is better:

- Your website ranks higher on Google
- You get more traffic and product awareness
- You convert more paying customers

Why? These product review sites have their own marketing strategies, attract and educate the exact kind of people your product is for, and link directly to your site.

It’s like recruiting an army of marketers without paying a dime!

If you aren’t leveraging word-of-mouth marketing through product reviews… then you’re leaving money on the table.

But there are some very specific best practices to make sure you get the most out of customer reviews.

What are they? Check out this week’s video to find out.

To leverage product reviews and accelerate your company growth, these are the 5 cornerstone techniques:

1. Capture Feedback
2. Craft Profile
3. Grease Flow
4. Leverage Reviews
5. Maintain Momentum

As a SaaS coach, I’ve seen many of my clients using reviews to drive demand and volume for their signups, trials, and demos.

I’ve always done this with my own software companies too, even asking for reviews and encouraging our customer base to be vocal with their product experience.

There’s one major takeaway I want you to get from this video, though.

Don’t just cross your fingers and hope for reviews. 

Create an environment that makes them happen.

Have you thought about leveraging product reviews? Leave a comment on the video with your story. Looking forward to hearing it.

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Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome.

+ Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell
+ Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell
+ Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell


Exclusive Download: Review Collector Maximizer™ – When, Where & How to Ask For Reviews, Plus The Top List of Sites That Really Move The Needle in Driving Qualified Leads - https://bit.ly/2ZjDMOb

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