SaaSy Talk S01.28: Building a Global SaaS Company: Challenges, Fundraising, and Market Expansion

About The Guest(s): Jason Atkins is the co-founder of Cake, a global SaaS company that provides equity management solutions for startups. With a background in finance and a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship, Jason has been instrumental in building Cake into a leading player in the equity space. He is dedicated to driving the growth of the company and helping startups around the world succeed. Summary: In this episode, Jason Atkins, co-founder of Cake, shares his journey of building a global SaaS company from the Gold Coast. He discusses the founding moment of Cake and the problem they were trying to solve in the equity space. Jason also talks about the challenges they faced in the early days and the importance of usability in SaaS products. He shares insights into the fundraising journey and provides practical tips for early-stage founders. Jason then dives into the go-to-market strategy for global expansion and the importance of understanding your customer. He highlights the role of marketing in business growth and the power of community-led marketing. Finally, Jason discusses his priorities as a CEO and gives a glimpse into the future plans for Cake. Key Takeaways: Cake was founded to bring the speed and innovation of blockchain to the traditional equity space. Building a startup from scratch is extremely challenging, but focusing on learning and minimizing expenses can make a big difference. Access to the right people and funding is crucial in the early days of a startup. Usability is a key factor in the success of a SaaS product, and understanding your customer's buying process is essential. When expanding globally, it's important to identify your customer and focus on the markets where they are buying. Being present where your customers are and building a strong community can drive growth and success. Jason's top priorities as a CEO are evangelism, sustainable revenue growth, and building a strong team. Quotes: "If you're in a new space, just give. Volunteer, help others, and learn as much as you can." - Jason  "Raise as little money as possible, learn as fast as possible, and focus on achieving milestones." - Jason  "Be where your customers are and spend time with them. People want to work with good people." - Jason  "Product-led growth is about solving a problem and being there when your customers need you." - Jason  Chapters:  00:00 Introduction and Founding Moment 00:05 The Problem and Solution 01:30 Choosing a Co-Founder 03:28 Challenges in the Early Days 09:23 The Importance of Usability in SaaS 11:15 Fundraising Journey and Tips 17:37 Celebrating Success and Global Expansion 22:38 Global Expansion and Learning from Different Markets 23:11 Understanding the Product and Market Strategy 23:37 Challenges and Successes in Market Expansion 24:20 The Importance of Identifying Your Customer 27:52 The Role of Marketing in Business Growth 31:45 The Journey of a CEO: Priorities and Future Plans 34:49 Quick Fire-Round Equity Toolkit: https://www.cakeequity.com/equity-toolkit Subscribe on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZVkJ12FIqD39oqgj7Kcjq  Subscribe on Apple:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saasy-talk-unfiltered/id1709426070 Subscribe on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSyTalkUnfiltered   Subscribe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasy-talk-unfiltered Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@saasytalkunfiltered Visit our Website:  https://saasytalkunfiltered.transistor.fm/    Follow Ricky Sevta on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickysevta/   Follow Sean Diljore on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandiljore/