Scale to Sale: Stories from Salesforce ISV founders

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Loic Deo Van, CEO & Co-Founder of Everready.AI, as he shares his journey in the Salesforce ecosystem.Loic shares insights on the challenges salespeople face in using CRM systems and how EverReady addresses these challenges. Loic and James also cover the importance of using internal data instead of relying on external data sources like LinkedIn. Loic highlights the value of creating a collective self-intelligence using AI and customer data. He shares insights into marketing strategies in the Salesforce ecosystem and offers advice for ISV founders entering the French marketplace.Loic's deep experience of the French marketplace make this a must-listen episode for ISVs looking to grow their presence in one of Europe's biggest Salesforce marketplaces.Takeaways:Salespeople often struggle with using CRM systems effectively, leading to incomplete and inaccurate data.EverReady addresses this challenge by using internal data and creating a solution that syncs activities and contacts automatically.The French marketplace has a longer sales cycle and requires building trust and relationships with decision-makers.Marketing strategies in the Salesforce ecosystem include creating valuable content, engaging with the Salesforce community, and leveraging SEO.Focus on simplicity, be clear about your value proposition, and specialize in one area to stand out in the market.About Everready.aiEverReady.ai is a next-gen tool designed to take the hassle out of CRM management by using artificial intelligence to handle time-consuming tasks for sales and account teams. Think of EverReady as your dedicated assistant, ensuring that your CRM data—like contacts, emails, meetings, and calls—is always up-to-date without lifting a finger. It’s the easiest way to keep your records accurate, giving you more time to build customer relationships and close deals.Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James Gasteen is joined by Carl Carell, CRO and Co-Founder of GetAccept. GetAccept is a digital sales room platform and graduate of the Winter 2016 cohort of Y-Combinator.Carl shares insights on acquiring the first few customers, transitioning from founder-led sales to employee-led sales, and evolving the ideal customer profile (ICP) over time. They also explore strategies for building a strong relationship with Salesforce and leveraging the Salesforce community to generate demand and awareness. Carl's advice for himself nine years ago is to hire Salesforce developers internally earlier.TakeawaysGetAccept is a digital sales room platform that helps buyers and sellers collaborate to make informed decisions.Acquiring the first few customers involved founder-led sales and building relationships with trial customers.Transitioning from founder-led sales to employee-led sales requires finding entrepreneurial individuals who are willing to do the job and giving them the right circumstances to succeed.The ideal customer profile (ICP) evolved from transactional B2B sales to mid-market segments with a focus on companies using Salesforce.Building a strong relationship with Salesforce involves focusing efforts on specific teams, finding ways to help Salesforce achieve its objectives, and participating in the Salesforce community.Leveraging the Salesforce community, such as Salesforce Ben, can generate demand and awareness through in-depth reviews and targeted events.About GetAcceptGetAccept is a digital sales room platform that helps sales teams improve their win rates by providing a better buyer experience. Learn more at https://www.getaccept.com/Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Luke Sims, CEO and co-founder of Booknow Software. Luke shares the journey from trampoline park owner to building a prominent software platform for the leisure industry. The initial idea came from Luke's experience in the USA, where he discovered a trampoline park concept that didn't exist in the UK. They built the UK's first trampoline park and eventually expanded to four locations. Luke realized the need for better software to manage their business and developed an online booking system. They later sold their consulting business and focused solely on the software, partnering with Salesforce as an OEM. Luke discusses the challenges of selling as an OEM and the importance of targeting specific industries and mapping out potential customers. He also emphasizes the need for a product-focused approach and the confidence to say no to customers' requests.TakeawaysBooknow started as a trampoline park and evolved into a software platform for the leisure industry.Luke Sims emphasizes the importance of targeting specific industries and mapping out potential customers.Selling as an OEM has its challenges, but it also provides opportunities to access larger customers and expand the market.Marketing strategies that have been effective for Booknow include direct sales, SEO, and PPC campaigns.A product-focused approach is crucial, and it's important to have the confidence to say no to customers' requests.About BookNowBookNow is a comprehensive venue management solution built on the world's best CRM, giving business owners everything they need to drive ROI. Learn more at https://booknowsoftware.com/ Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Stephanie Betters, CEO and founder of Left Main REI. Stephanie shares her journey into the world of Salesforce and how she built a real estate solution on the platform. This product was built out of a frustration of a lack of suitable CRM solutions for her Real Estate business and how the only alternatives were high cost enterprise solutions.Stephanie goes on to explain how she took matters into her own hands and built a solution on Salesforce, which eventually led to the creation of LeftMain REI. She also talks about the pros and cons of being an OEM partner and the importance of partnerships and industry-specific products in the Salesforce ecosystem.TakeawaysFinding the right tools for your business can be challenging, especially in industries like real estate that are traditionally pen and paper oriented.Building a solution on Salesforce can be a cost-effective alternative to expensive enterprise tools, but it requires a deep understanding of the platform and the industry.OEM partnerships can be beneficial for both the ISV and Salesforce, as they allow for control over the sales process and the ability to deliver pre-configured products.Lead generation strategies like conferences, thought leadership, and social media can be effective in reaching potential customers.Saying no to certain customers and customizations in the early stages can help maintain focus and scalability.Partnerships and industry-specific products are likely to play a significant role in the future of Salesforce, as the platform looks to expand into new industries and verticals.About Left Main REILeft Main REI is a CRM specifically designed for Real Estate businesses. Join thousands of brokers, agents and investors who win more deals with our all-in-one application built on Salesforce, the worlds #1 CRM.  Available on the AppExchange and backed by Salesforce’s scalability and vigorous screening protocols, it grows with your business without compromising security and reliability.Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Jason Hoult, founder and CEO of Anvil App Works (now part of Tractor Zoom), as he shares his journey into the Salesforce ecosystem and how he came up with the idea for Anvil App Works.TakeawaysThe importance of starting a business in a niche that you already know well and leveraging industry clouds.The challenges and strategies of acquiring the first customers, including targeting the right market and building confidence with AEsThe considerations and benefits of being an OEM partner, such as providing support and training to customers.Focus on building features that have a significant impact and to think about scalability and software development principles from the beginning.About Anvil App Works (Acquired by Tractor Zoom)Anvil App Works is now part of Tractor Zoom. Anvil App Works is a respected Salesforce OEM partner with CRM solutions built specifically for equipment dealerships of all brands.Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Jessica Jeffries, co-founder of Chorum, as shares her journey into the world of Salesforce, the challenges and opportunities for the customer success function, and her experience of being an ISV founder. Chorum’s easy-to-use Salesforce integration enables Customer Success teams to view key data, prioritize daily workflows and act decisively to reduce churn.During the episode, Jessica discusses the pain points that led to the creation of Chorum and the challenges of customer onboarding and adoption. Jessica also reflects on the Australian ecosystem, the struggles of being a founder, and the need for authentic conversations in the Salesforce community.TakeawaysThe challenges of customer success and the need for technology to empower this part of the business.Embedded change management into customer onboarding to increase adoptionThe struggle of being an ISV founder and the expectations around collaboration and investment.How to success in the extroverted world of Salesforce events and conferencesThe importance of authentic conversations and the need for relatable content in the Salesforce community.About ChorumChorum enables Customer Success Managers to achieve their customer satisfaction and revenue goals by making data-driven decisions, prioritizing key tasks and acting based on evidence.Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Mahesh Baxi, Co-Founder & CEO at Provus.Throughout the episode, Mahesh shares his journey in the Salesforce ecosystem and his previous 30 years experience in the world of quote-to-cash. Mahesh talks to the  challenges of the quote-to-cash domain and the evolution of the Salesforce platform. James and Mahesh cover Provus automating services coding processes and the benefits of a data-driven configuration approach. Mahesh also shares effective marketing strategies, including participating in events like Dreamforce and establishing thought leadership through content generation.TakeawaysUnderstand the quote-to-cash domain and the challenges it presents in order to develop effective solutions.Consider the evolution of the Salesforce platform and its features when deciding to build an app on force.com.Prioritize adoption and user personas when designing and architecting a product.Establish credibility and position yourself as a knowledgeable authority in your domain to win large customers.Templatize and use a data-driven approach to onboarding to reduce service overhead and improve customer success.Participate in events and establish thought leadership through content generation to generate buzz and attract customers.Build relationships with Salesforce AEs and SEs to gain traction in the Salesforce ecosystem.Be aware of the challenges and competition in the ISV ecosystem within Salesforce and develop a go-to-market strategy accordingly.About ProvusProvus help organizations to optimize their quoting process with a purpose-built platform for enterprise services organizations.Want to join the podcast?If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Scale to Sale podcast, James Gasteen interviews Jon Jessup, CEO and founder of 1440. They discuss Jon's journey into the Salesforce ecosystem, the challenges of customer acquisition, effective marketing strategies, and the future of the Salesforce ecosystem. Jon shares insights on building a successful SAS software company, the importance of being strategic in decision-making, and the potential of the Salesforce Data Cloud. He also highlights the advantage of being in the retail e-commerce industry and the need for strong go-to-market strategies.TakeawaysBuilding a SAS software company is challenging, and it requires being strategic in decision-making.Focus on a strong go-to-market strategy and identify the key features that customers are willing to pay for.The Salesforce Data Cloud presents a huge opportunity for ISVs, but it also requires understanding the market and customer needs.Being in the retail e-commerce industry provides an advantage in the Salesforce ecosystem due to the availability of data.Consider the global aspects of Salesforce and explore opportunities outside the US market.Translation and AI technologies can help businesses go global with Salesforce.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background02:57Building a Successful SAS Software Company09:09Strategic Decision-Making and Go-to-Market Strategies25:18Advantage of the Retail E-commerce Industry in the Salesforce Ecosystem29:29Exploring Global Opportunities with Salesforce30:01Translation and AI Technologies for Global Expansion1440.io helps businesses to unify conversations across the customer journey. Businesses can build experiences once and deploy them on many channels with the only Salesforce Native tool to streamline customer engagement across the entire journey. Learn more at https://www.1440.io/ If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Taylor Lint, Founder & CEO of Swantide, discusses her journey into the Salesforce ecosystem and the story behind Swantide. Swantide helps automate the setup and implementation of Salesforce.  Organizations can connect Swantide AI to their Salesforce org and automate changes, debug issues, and ask questions. Think of Swantide as instant access to a 10x Salesforce admin. During this conversation, James and Taylor cover a range of topics. The key takeaways:Taylor provides an overview of Swantide. The company automates the setup and implementation of Salesforce, typically for SMBs, and provides tools for SIs and admins to manage Salesforce more efficiently.Their main focus is on solving the UI/UX and education challenges faced by organizations new to Salesforce.They offer industry-specific solutions and are building relationships within the Salesforce community.Referrals have been a successful acquisition channel for Swantide, and they are now exploring partnerships with SIs and ISVs.Taylor shares advice from her entrepreneurial journey so far -  celebrate the wins and quickly move past setbacks in the rollercoaster journey of building a business.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background of Swantide01:21 Automating Salesforce Setup and Implementation for SMBs08:48 Partnerships with SIs and ISVs22:07 The Future of Salesforce Apps and the ISV Marketplace23:16 Advice for EntrepreneursTo learn more about how Swantide offers founders, sales, marketing and operations a new way to design, build and manage their GTM systems, visit www.swantide.com.If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Lorenzo Frattini, founder and CEO of Clayton,  who shares his journey into the Salesforce world and how he identified the need for his company. Clayton helps companies reduce risk and improve agility in Salesforce implementation programs. Clayton finds flawed code, written by humans or generative AI, twice as accurately as any code scanner.  TakeawaysClayton helps companies reduce risk and improve agility in Salesforce implementation programs.Marketing strategies that have worked well for Clayton include content creation and engaging with the audience.The primary buyer persona for Clayton is the enterprise buyer in charge of Salesforce, but SIs also value the technology.Customer success is a key focus for Clayton, and they prioritize building a strong relationship with their customers.The future of the Salesforce ISV app ecosystem is expected to be more crowded, but there are opportunities for disruptors to stand out.Advice for founders includes focusing on the right problem, building the right team, and getting the technology foundations right.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background04:55Acquiring the First Customers09:52Buyer Persona and Customer Success14:30Challenges of Bootstrapping25:06The Future of Salesforce and Advice for FoundersIf you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Mark Robinson, founder of Kimble Applications, shares his journey in the Salesforce ecosystem. He discusses the need for a new system to manage professional services firms and how the Salesforce platform provided a solution. Mark highlights the challenges of adapting Salesforce CRM for the professional services market and the importance of building a brand outside of Salesforce. He emphasizes the need to qualify leads better and avoid excessive discounting. Mark also shares his experience navigating the challenges of COVID-19 and offers advice for entrepreneurs.During the conversation, James and Mark discuss:- How Mark got started in the Salesforce ecosystem from a consulting background.- Strategies for acquiring the first few customers and building relationships.- Navigating the challenges of transitioning from a services business to a software business.- Insights on marketing and collaborating with Salesforce as the brand evolved.- Overcoming unexpected hurdles, including the impact of COVID-19.- Key advice on qualifying leads and avoiding excessive discounting for long-term success.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background00:30Identifying the Need for a New System03:23Acquiring the First Customers05:16Building on the Salesforce Platform06:34Challenges of Adapting Salesforce CRM for Professional Services08:29Transitioning from Services to Software10:41Acquiring Customers and Overcoming Implementation Challenges11:27Marketing and Go-to-Market Strategy13:08Selling with Salesforce as the Brand Grows15:47Collaboration with the Channel and System Integrators18:43Success Turning Customers into Partners19:41Unexpected Hurdles and Lessons Learned20:50Navigating the Challenges of COVID-1924:56Advice: Qualify Better and Avoid DiscountingIf you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by Chris Federspiel, CEO and Founder of Blackthorn.io.  Chris shares his journey in the Salesforce ecosystem and the challenges he faced as a bootstrapped startup. He discusses the focus on events and payments, the process of killing unsuccessful products, and the importance of finding product-market fit. Chris also talks about creating accountability without a board, effective marketing strategies, and the role of system integrators in their business. He shares insights on release management, customer support, and the future of the Salesforce AppExchange. His advice for startup founders is to persevere through the challenges and stay focused on their goals.Chapters00:00Introduction and Origin Story01:19Focus on Events and Payments04:22Challenges of Bootstrapping06:22Creating Accountability without a Board09:41Marketing Strategies and Targeting SIs11:27Finding Product-Market Fit14:16Training and Enablement for SIs16:07Unexpected Hurdles and Lessons Learned23:14The Future of the Salesforce AppExchange27:26Advice for Startup FoundersIf you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailLuca Benini, co-founder and COO of Native Video,  joins James Gasteen to share his journey in the Salesforce space and the development of their video solutions. The conversation covers topics such as the challenges of bootstrapping, marketing strategies, pricing models, and the future of the Salesforce ecosystem. Luca emphasizes the importance of focus and specialization in industry and use case-specific solutions. He also highlights the role of AI and data in driving the success of CRM and operations. The episode concludes with Luca's advice for founders to prioritize focus and target specific markets.TakeawaysFocus and specialization are crucial for success in the Salesforce ecosystem.Marketing strategies such as the AppExchange, events, and partnerships play a significant role in lead generation.Pricing models should be flexible and consider factors like usage and seat allocation.Hiring the right people is essential, and junior hires may require more time and resources for training and support.The future of the Salesforce ecosystem will involve increased specialization, industry-specific solutions, and the integration of AI and data.Native Video recently launched Alfred, the only meeting assistant native to Salesforce. Simply invite Alfred to video meetings and get automatic transcriptions, summaries, next-step tasks and draft follow-up emails, all saved against the relevant Leads, Contacts, Opportunities and more! Record voice notes after other client interactions and Alfred handles the admin. Alfred includes Enterprise-ready features such as Sentiment Analysis, Notifications, Manager Playlists, dynamic Recording Hints, and much more! Alfred increases the quality and frequency of updates, readying your Org for GPT.Check out more at https://www.nativevideo.co/solutions/alfred If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, James is joined by JP Leggett, Founder and CEO at Squivr, one of the leading relationship management and account planning tools on the Salesforce platform.During the episode, JP shares his story of launching Squivr in a pandemic year through to scaling to over 120 customers to date.  JP speaks of the value of referrals, building a robust partner network and the importance of deep-diving into verticals to achieve maximum impact. JP highlights how B2B marketing has transitioned from technical marketing to storytelling and how brand-building has been key to their success.James and JP also touch on bootstrapping your start-up, including advice on taking funding and being realistic with timelines to avoid the fundraising treadmill. If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn this bumper length episode, James is joined by Ian Gotts, CEO & Co-founder of Elements.cloud.  Throughout the conversation, Ian shares invaluable insights into his journey of building a successful Salesforce ISV; from the importance of staying focused and avoiding diversions to the evolving landscape of the Salesforce ecosystem. James and Ian also explore the transformative impact of AI on the Salesforce ecosystem and how it is reshaping roles and processes. Discover the keys to success, including the significance of picking a niche, staying agile, and the game-changing potential of AI integration. Episode highlights include:Importance of staying focused and avoiding diversions in the early stages of building a Salesforce ISVThe role of events like Dreamforce in gaining grassroots feedback and understanding real requirements.Leveraging content marketing, industry-specific niches, and speaking engagements for effective Salesforce community marketing.The evolution of roles in the Salesforce ecosystem with the introduction of AI, from integrated AI solutions to AI co-pilots.Throughout the conversation, Ian mentions a number of resources which we've listed below:IMPACT - Selling Innovative Apps to Corporateshttps://elements.cloud/whitepapers-ebooks/impact-the-technology-executives-guide-to-selling-b2b-disruptive-and-innovative-solutions/GPT - New Roles[Short] https://elements.cloud/blog/renew-your-approach-for-2024-with-staying-relevant-in-a-post-gpt-world/[Deeper dive] https://elements.cloud/blog/gpt-requires-salesforce-skills/Moving to Silicon Valley[Blog] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/silicon-valley-brits-perspective-why-you-need-here-what-ian-gotts/[Book] https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Relocating-Silicon-Valley-Questions/dp/1907453261If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn today's episode, James welcomes Dieter Härle from Mirage Computer Systems, a recent addition to the Unaric portfolio. Mirage specializes in providing advanced Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) solutions tailored specifically for Salesforce. During the episode, Dieter shares insights into Mirage's two decade journey within the Salesforce ecosystem, including how he established strong relationships with Salesforce consulting partners to drive  over 50% of their revenue. 🚀 Key Highlights:Mirage's initiation outside the Salesforce ecosystem, starting with a generic CTI application.The inception of Mirage's Salesforce integration in 2004, pre-dating the AppExchange era.Challenges faced and strategic decisions made during the evolution of Mirage's CTI products.The pivotal role of Salesforce consulting partners in driving over 50% of Mirage's revenue.Marketing strategies, including working with Salesforce account executives, system engineers, and AppExchange listings.💡 Lessons Learned:The importance of belief in both the product and oneself during entrepreneurial highs and lows.The challenge of predicting market demands for future product development.The significance of building relationships early with consulting partners and developers.Dieter's advice on securing investors who provide value beyond financial support.🔮 Envisioning the Future:Navigating Salesforce's rapid changes and adopting new technologies at the right time.Preparing for the impact of AI on Salesforce apps and staying agile in response to market shifts.Tune in to gain practical strategies, firsthand experiences, and actionable advice from Dieter's journey within the Salesforce ecosystem.You can discover more about Mirage's flagship CTI Data Connector on the AppExchange: https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=a0N30000004g5sgEAA If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn today's episode, James Gasteen sits down with David VanHeukelom, a 2x Salesforce ISV founder (Vana Workforce & Klient - both acquired), serial entrepreneur and advisor to a number of ISVs across the ecosystem.David shares his journey into the Salesforce ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of focus in the early stages of an ISV. From tackling challenges in product development to building a strategic go-to-market approach, David provides valuable lessons for ISV founders.The conversation explores David's experiences in acquiring the first customers, the dynamics of building enterprise software in the Salesforce space, and the significance of partnerships with key players like Sage and Systems Integrators. Dave's advice for ISVs echoes the need for a laser-focused approach to go-to-market, honing in on specific industries, regions, and customer profiles.Discover the intricacies of channel partnerships, the role of sales and marketing in ISV success, and the lessons learned from navigating time zone challenges. With a wealth of experience and hindsight, David reflects on what he would have done differently, offering valuable insights for current and aspiring ISV founders in the competitive landscape of the Salesforce ecosystem.Tune in to gain practical strategies, firsthand experiences, and actionable advice from David's journey in scaling ISVs within the Salesforce ecosystem.If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn today's episode, James Gasteen sits down with Gordon Derk, Founder and President of Accountability Solutions who recently joined the Unaric fold.James and Gordon discuss how Gordon first arrived in the Salesforce space, the power of the AppExchange, building relationships with Salesforce Solution Engineers and why ISVs should be aligning to Salesforce industry-centric value propositions.If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.

Send us Fan MailIn today's episode, James Gasteen sits down with his fellow Unaric Co-Founder, Neil Crawford.James and Neil discuss Neil's journey into the Salesforce ecosystem, building a product in collaboration with your customers, the challenges of building a horizontal product and, in the early days, why it's important to prioritise existing relationships over chasing new opportunities.If you are a Salesforce ISV founder with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch.