Ep # 167: The Economics Of Freemium Versus Revenue First ft. Steve Benson (CEO, Badger Maps)

In this episode of Across the Funnel, Adil Saleh sits down with Steve Benson, CEO at Badger Maps, to explore why field sales still matters for high-ACV deals, and what it takes to build software that supports teams who live on the road.Steve breaks down how his background selling at IBM and Google, including work around the Google Maps API, shaped Badger Maps’ focus on mapping, routing, and territory design for outside sales teams. The conversation then shifts into bootstrapping: why a sellable first version matters, when “investible” is the real question (not preference), and how funding choices change speed, product maturity, and competitive pressure.On the customer side, they argue that customer success is a direct churn and LTV lever, not a nice-to-have. Steve shares a practical view of how to staff CS early (including renewals ownership), why fast customer support still protects retention, and why usage data plus ecosystem partnerships (like CRM integrators) often decide whether a customer gets real value or quietly drifts.