2nd Time Founder Building AI Quote-to-cash Platform for SLG Recurring Revenue Businesses

Welcome to this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! Today, Ben Murray sits down with Michael Babineau, co-founder of Turnstile, to unpack the journey from software engineer to successful second-time founder. Michael Babineau shares how his engineering background and the exit of his first company, Second Measure, to Bloomberg helped shape the vision for Turnstile—a next-gen, AI-native quote-to-cash platform designed to handle the complex challenges of sales-led, recurring revenue businesses.  In this candid conversation, Michael Babineau dives into lessons learned from scaling and selling a company, the difficulties of automating revenue processes for custom deals, and why building a truly integrated, flexible system is crucial for SaaS companies looking to grow. You’ll also hear insights into Turnstile’s go-to-market strategy, their unique pricing approach, and what it’s really like to raise capital as a second-time founder.  Whether you’re a SaaS operator, CFO, or founder plotting your next move, this episode is packed with operational tips, market observations, and behind-the-scenes stories that you won’t want to miss!  Show Notes:  00:00 "Founders Ready to Start Again"  03:05 "Turnstile: Unified Revenue Management Platform"  07:12 Turnstile: CRM-ERP Integration Simplified  11:38 "Finding True Revenue Ground Truth"  13:15 "Venture Growth Through Mid-Market"  17:29 "Scalable Growth for Enterprise Success"  22:09 "M&A Process: All-Consuming Commitment"  24:08 Flexible Dealmaking for Company Growth  27:47 "Shifting to Marketing-Led Growth"  31:35 "Self-Serve Enterprise Software Simplified"  33:00 "Driving Growth for B2B Startups"  36:34 "Turnstile AI Discussion"  Links:   Michael Babineau’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbabineau/  Turnstile’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/turnstile-co/  Turnstile’s Website: https://turnstile.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray