SaaS Is Back… but AI Is Changing the Business Model

In this episode of Mostly Growth, the number one podcast in product monetization, we unpack Sequoia’s thesis that the next $1T company will sell outcomes, not software. If selling tools puts you in a race against AI, does selling the work win instead? We break down which industries are most exposed, real-world examples, and what this shift means for moats, pricing, and valuation.—SPONSORS:HockeyStack is an AI platform for modern go-to-market teams that unifies sales, marketing, and customer data into a single system of action. With AI agents that prospect accounts, support reps, improve forecasting, and automate what’s already working, HockeyStack helps teams move faster without guessing. Trusted by companies like RingCentral, Outreach, ActiveCampaign, and Fortune 100 teams—learn more at https://www.hockeystack.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comTropic is an intelligent spend management solution that consolidates your spend data and processes into one unified offering, enabling insights and decisive action. From spotting hidden optimization opportunities to automating painful procurement workflows and giving you the best market data to turn vendor negotiations in your favor, Tropic combines smart insights with real human expertise to keep you ahead of the curve. Visit https://www.tropicapp.io/mostlymetrics to learn how.—LINKS: Mostly Metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.comCJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Growth Unhinged: https://www.growthunhinged.com/Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/—TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Preview and Intro2:36 Sequoia's "Services as Software" report2:56 The trillion dollar thesis6:31 Which businesses to target7:47 Barriers around personal information9:00 Sponsors — HockeyStack | RightRev | Tropic12:41 Services still need humans16:28 Outsourced dev shops18:17 Sequoia's 2x2 framework20:40 Management consulting — is McKinsey dead?23:33 Outsourced call centers25:36 Law firms28:37 Accounting firms28:58 The 10x accountant30:20 Moats in this space33:51 How investors will value these companies36:37 Hot Wheels, Nvidia, Altman brothers37:32 Credits#MostlyGrowthPodcast #SaaS #AIAgents #ServicesAsASoftware #ProductMonetization