B2B SaaS Sales: 2 Years of Discovery Then $10M ARR episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 6, 2023 · 51 MIN

B2B SaaS Sales: 2 Years of Discovery Then $10M ARR

from The SaaS Podcast - AI, Growth & Product-Market Fit for SaaS Founders · host Omer Khan

Brett Turner spent two years talking to customers, VCs, and bank treasurers before writing a single line of code. Then he made a bet that could have killed the company - he started building before banks had the APIs he needed for his enterprise SaaS product. Learn how Trovata survived a two-year wait for bank APIs, turned JP Morgan into both an investor and a B2B SaaS sales channel, and grew to $10M ARR by selling to the most risk-averse buyers in corporate finance. Brett shares how "transference of trust" works in enterprise sales - leading every conversation with "We're a JP Morgan-backed solution" to win B2B SaaS sales with professional risk managers. Trovata has raised $58M, serves 200+ customers, and grows 2.5x year over year. This is a masterclass in B2B SaaS sales for founders entering enterprise markets. Key Lessons 🏢 Enterprise SaaS demands longer discovery phases: Brett spent 2+ years testing his thesis with VCs and treasurers before writing code, reducing risk to pure execution. 🤝 Turn investors into B2B SaaS sales channels: JP Morgan invested after seeing Trovata connect to their APIs, then became a referral source for enterprise sales prospects. ⚡ Enterprise MVPs require more rigor than consumer products: Trovata pursued SOC compliance far earlier because one bad experience with a bank-referred customer would destroy the partnership. 🎯 Use "transference of trust" to win B2B SaaS sales with risk-averse buyers: Leading with "We're JP Morgan-backed" gave Trovata instant credibility with corporate finance teams. 🚀 Build multiple ways to win in B2B SaaS sales: Trovata combined direct outbound, bank referrals, JP Morgan credibility, and early adopter evangelism rather than depending on one channel. Chapters Introduction Brett's favorite quote - no shortcuts in building a great company What Trovata does - automated cash management for enterprises The origin story - 20 years in the making The two-year discovery phase before building Does a track record make enterprise discovery easier? Building an enterprise MVP when you depend on bank APIs The big bet - waiting for banks to release corporate APIs JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America launch APIs Trovata by the numbers - $10M ARR, 200+ customers, $58M raised Customer acquisition - bank referrals plus direct B2B SaaS sales Overcoming risk aversion in enterprise sales Solo founder vs co-founder after three previous exits Lightning round Book recommendations and final thoughts Resources Full show notes: https://saasclub.io/359 Join 5,000+ SaaS founders: https://saasclub.io/email

Brett Turner spent two years talking to customers, VCs, and bank treasurers before writing a single line of code. Then he made a bet that could have killed the company - he started building before banks had the APIs he needed for his enterprise SaaS product. Learn how Trovata survived a two-year wait for bank APIs, turned JP Morgan into both an investor and a B2B SaaS sales channel, and grew to $10M ARR by selling to the most risk-averse buyers in corporate finance. Brett shares how "transference of trust" works in enterprise sales - leading every conversation with "We're a JP Morgan-backed solution" to win B2B SaaS sales with professional risk managers. Trovata has raised $58M, serves 200+ customers, and grows 2.5x year over year. This is a masterclass in B2B SaaS sales for founders entering enterprise markets. Key Lessons 🏢 Enterprise SaaS demands longer discovery phases: Brett spent 2+ years testing his thesis with VCs and treasurers before writing code, reducing risk to pure execution. 🤝 Turn investors into B2B SaaS sales channels: JP Morgan invested after seeing Trovata connect to their APIs, then became a referral source for enterprise sales prospects. ⚡ Enterprise MVPs require more rigor than consumer products: Trovata pursued SOC compliance far earlier because one bad experience with a bank-referred customer would destroy the partnership. 🎯 Use "transference of trust" to win B2B SaaS sales with risk-averse buyers: Leading with "We're JP Morgan-backed" gave Trovata instant credibility with corporate finance teams. 🚀 Build multiple ways to win in B2B SaaS sales: Trovata combined direct outbound, bank referrals, JP Morgan credibility, and early adopter evangelism rather than depending on one channel. Chapters Introduction Brett's favorite quote - no shortcuts in building a great company What Trovata does - automated cash management for enterprises The origin story - 20 years in the making The two-year discovery phase before building Does a track record make enterprise discovery easier? Building an enterprise MVP when you depend on bank APIs The big bet - waiting for banks to release corporate APIs JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America launch APIs Trovata by the numbers - $10M ARR, 200+ customers, $58M raised Customer acquisition - bank referrals plus direct B2B SaaS sales Overcoming risk aversion in enterprise sales Solo founder vs co-founder after three previous exits Lightning round Book recommendations and final thoughts Resources Full show notes: https://saasclub.io/359 Join 5,000+ SaaS founders: https://saasclub.io/email

NOW PLAYING

B2B SaaS Sales: 2 Years of Discovery Then $10M ARR

0:00 51:10

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The SaaS Podcast - AI, Growth & Product-Market Fit for SaaS Founders?

This episode is 51 minutes long.

When was this The SaaS Podcast - AI, Growth & Product-Market Fit for SaaS Founders episode published?

This episode was published on July 6, 2023.

What is this episode about?

Brett Turner spent two years talking to customers, VCs, and bank treasurers before writing a single line of code. Then he made a bet that could have killed the company - he started building before banks had the APIs he needed for his enterprise SaaS...

Can I download this The SaaS Podcast - AI, Growth & Product-Market Fit for SaaS Founders episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!