SaaSy Talk S01.50: Scaling Your Startup with Matt Verlaque: Key Lessons Learned from a CEO's Perspective

About The Guest(s): After spending a decade in the fire department, Matt founded UpLaunch in 2016 and was the CEO through its successful acquisition in 2020. After his exit, he partnered with Dan Martell as the COO of SaaS Academy, the largest coaching & training program for B2B SaaS founders in the world. Inside of SaaS Academy, Matt oversees the Growth Accelerator program, where he coaches early stage founders to find product market fit, hone their go-to-market strategies, and make their first few key hires in the business. Most recently, Matt has utilized his wealth of experience in the world of SaaS businesses to co-author the book “Software as a Science: Unlock Limitless Revenue Growth Without Losing Control”.  Outside of his work at SaaS Academy, Matt is a husband, father of three young boys, and spends most of his spare time reading, weightlifting, cycling, and running. In this episode, Matt Verlaque shares his journey from being a firefighter to becoming a tech entrepreneur and eventually the COO of SaaS Academy. He discusses the challenges he faced as a first-time founder and the importance of focusing on a specific niche. Matt also emphasizes the value of effective time management and the power of having an assistant. He provides insights into the future of SaaS and the impact of AI on businesses. Tune in to gain valuable insights from Matt's experiences and expertise. Key Takeaways: Scaling a startup requires focusing on a specific niche and solving a problem for a target audience. By narrowing your focus, you can better understand your customers' needs and provide a solution that truly meets their requirements. Overcoming self-doubt as a founder involves focusing on solving the next problem in front of you and working the process. By breaking down challenges into manageable steps and staying focused on the task at hand, you can overcome self-doubt and make progress towards your goals. The calendar is a tool for organizing and protecting your time, allowing you to prioritize what matters most. Hiring an assistant can be a game-changer for founders, as it frees up time and allows them to focus on high-value tasks. Notable Quotes: "The calendar is actually a defense mechanism against chaos and not the thing that causes chaos." "The first hire outside of the founding team should be an assistant who can make you better and help you do the things you need to do." "Interviewing is a skill to be developed just like writing code or doing a sales call." "I just want to figure out how to unlock entrepreneurship for young people who have the predisposition and the personality traits to be great at it." Chapters 00:34 The Birth of a Side Hustle 02:03 Challenges of Early Stage Founding 02:46 The Role of SaaS Academy in Growth 03:41 The Transition from Founder to CEO 05:12 The Importance of Customer Interaction 09:59 Building and Scaling the Team 12:42 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing the Journey 24:32 The Future of SaaS and AI 26:44 The Struggles of First-Time Founders 27:22 The Power of Time Management and Calendar Organization 29:10 The Importance of Hiring an Assistant 34:19 The Value of a Test Project in Hiring 42:59 The Future of Entrepreneurship Education 45:04 Quick Fire Round 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/