The SaaS CFO

💡“You can get pretty far before you ever have to raise equity.” In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Nathan Gwilliam, Founder & CEO of PodUp, shares why early founders shouldn’t rush to raise capital — and how getting real users first dramatically changes the conversation with investors. We talk about: 🔹 Bootstrapping your way to traction — even if it means giving your product away early 🔹 The difference between pitching an idea vs. a live product with users 🔹 Why a first exit makes raising capital for your next venture easier This one’s packed with insight for any SaaS founder navigating the path from MVP to funding. 🎧 Episode 216 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gDDUpaG2 Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #SaaS #StartupFunding #Bootstrapping #SaaSFounders #TheSaaSCFOPodcast

💡“If you want to be a billion-dollar company, you’ll never get there with services.” In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Nathan Gwilliam, Founder & CEO of PodUp, breaks down the strategic balance between services and SaaS — and why mastering the transition to scalable, recurring revenue is the only path to billion-dollar valuation potential. We dig into: 🔸 Why services are a “necessary evil” for early-stage SaaS growth 🔸 How recurring revenue drives valuation and long-term independence 🔸 The mindset shift founders need when moving from services to productized SaaS If you’re building a hybrid SaaS model or transitioning from services to software, this episode is a must-listen. 🎧 Episode 216 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gDDUpaG2 Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #SaaS #StartupGrowth #RecurringRevenue #SaaSFounders #TheSaaSCFOPodcast

How to Forecast Subscription, Usage, and Services Revenue https://lnkd.in/g4eVCnGt

Had a fantastic conversation recently with Nathan Gwilliam, founder & CEO of PodUp, on The SaaS CFO Podcast. Nathan’s story is a masterclass in SaaS entrepreneurship, creative problem-solving, and scaling both a software and services business. Here are three key takeaways for any founder or creator: 🔹Bootstrapping Boosts Credibility Nathan self-funded PodUp for the first 18 months, building a live MVP and landing early users before approaching investors. This strategy kept him in the driver’s seat and gave him leverage when raising $5.8M in angel funding. 🔹Service-Enabled SaaS = Faster Growth & Better Feedback PodUp found early success by pivoting from pure DIY software to “done-for-you” podcasting services (Pod Allies). Offering software-enabled services helped them grow revenue, gather direct customer feedback, and refine their technology. 🔹Watch Your Churn & LTV/CAC Ratios Tracking revenue churn and focusing on a strong lifetime value to acquisition cost ratio has enabled PodUp to scale efficiently, invest aggressively in growth, and lay the groundwork for a high SaaS multiple in the future. If you’re building SaaS, exploring new revenue streams, or just passionate about podcasting, check out Nathan’s journey and PodUp’s approach to blending tech and services. Learn more at podup.com or podallies.com. Episode 216 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gDDUpaG2 Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #SaaS #Podcasting #Startups #CFO #Entrepreneurship

Finance is gearing up for a breakthrough moment — and revenue automation is sitting right at the edge of it ⚡️ On Episode 215 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I’m joined by Ali Hussain, CEO & Co-Founder of Tabs, to unpack why the finance stack is entering its most exciting chapter yet. Here’s what stood out: • ERP and finance spend is bigger than CRM — and innovation is finally pouring in • AI accelerates workflows, but the hardest operational layers still require craftsmanship • Winning the customer first builds the right product foundation • Margin excellence + automation maturity comes next • 2026 = the real emergence of finance agent workflows 🤖 Ali put it perfectly: CFO software is about to meaningfully differentiate. Buyers will start seeing demos and think: 👉 “That’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.” A massive market. A wave of CFO-tech investment. And a new era of finance experiences that actually feel intelligent. If you’re supporting finance teams, scaling revenue operations, or investing in SaaS infrastructure… this conversation paints a crystal-clear picture of where things are headed. 🎙️ Episode 215 is now available — links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gB6sYPFT Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #TheSaaSCFOPodcast #SaaSFinance #ERPInnovation #RevenueAutomation #AIinFinance

RPO: The overlooked SaaS metric that reveals your future. 📈 If your Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO) are rising, that means customers are locking in more value with you. It boosts revenue visibility, strengthens your growth story, and provides powerful proof during due diligence or a potential exit. I break down why RPO matters, how it’s calculated, and how companies like Snowflake and HubSpot use it to signal scale in the latest episode of SaaS Metrics School. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gkSABgZm RPO unlocks future ARR. The more context you give your metrics, the stronger your business narrative. Let’s level up our data to build durable SaaS. #SaaS #SaaSMetrics #RPO

Finance isn’t just another software category — it’s the category that keeps the business alive 💡 In Episode 215 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I sat down with Ali Hussain, CEO & Co-Founder of Tabs, to dig into the reality behind the surge in revenue automation and vertical AI interest. Ali lays it out plainly: ERP + finance stack = one of the biggest enterprise software spend categories on the planet 📈 Bigger than CRM. On par — if not larger — than cloud spend. And yet… innovation lagged for years while everyone assumed Oracle, SAP, and Workday had it locked up. But finance is messy. Billing evolves. Data is negotiated. AI can accelerate execution — but it doesn’t erase fundamentals like: • CRM + ERP + tax + payments integrations • Usage data pipelines from Snowflake + Looker • SSP, proration, multi-entity complexity • Operational accuracy that customers depend on That’s why Tabs is prioritizing customer value first, then scaling margin excellence as clarity and product maturity increase. It’s the SaaS journey we all know — but playing out in one of the hardest product arenas in tech. If you’re building or evaluating finance infrastructure for the next decade, this one hits all the right points 👇 🎙️ Episode 215 is now available YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gB6sYPFT Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #TheSaaSCFOPodcast #SaaSFinance #ERPInnovation #RevenueAutomation #FinOps

Scaling revenue automation isn’t a straight line — and that’s exactly where the craft is 🎯 In Episode 215 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I sat down with Ali Hussain, CEO & Co-Founder of Tabs, to talk about what actually happens when you’re building in one of the most complex areas of finance tech: revenue. Ali’s take is refreshing: • Win the market first — prioritize customers who push you to build the right product • Solve the hardest problems with clarity (not chaos) as scale and expectations rise • Margin optimization comes only after delivering real value And yes… even with AI, revenue automation remains one of the most technical product challenges out there: CRM + ERP + tax + payments, SSP, proration, usage, multi-entity — AI can enhance execution, but foundational mechanics still matter. As I shared on the episode, it’s that classic SaaS journey: Start with sky-high margins → invest heavily in delivery → operational excellence becomes the moat 🔐 If you’re anywhere along that curve, this conversation will absolutely hit home. 🎙 Episode 215 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gB6sYPFT Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #TheSaaSCFOPodcast #SaaSFinance #RevenueAutomation #AIinFinance #FinancialOperations

AI might be everywhere — but revenue automation is still one of the toughest technical challenges in software 💥 In Episode 215 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I sat down with Ali Hussain, CEO & Co-Founder of Tabs, to unpack why revenue and billing complexity isn’t magically solved by AI… and why that’s exactly where the opportunity is. Ali breaks down: • Why data moats still matter in an “AI-first” world • The gritty reality of revenue tech — CRM + ERP + tax + payments integrations, usage data, Snowflake/Looker pipes • Why revenue automation remains deeply operational: SSP, proration, multi-entity… still hard, still required • How agents may redefine finance teams (but won’t replace the fundamentals) Revenue is messy. Models evolve. Billing is negotiated. AI won’t magically fix that — but the companies that tackle the complexity will win big. 🎙️ Episode 215 is now available, links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gB6sYPFT Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #TheSaaSCFOPodcast #RevenueAutomation #SaaSFinance #AIinFinance #B2BSoftware

Everyone is calling themselves an “AI company” these days — but what happens when every business truly is? 🚀 On Episode 215 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I sit down with Ali Hussain, CEO & Co-Founder of Tabs, to dig into the evolving revenue automation landscape and how AI is reshaping finance… not in the future, but right now. We talk about: • Why AI-first won’t be a differentiator anymore • The massive opportunity in the professional services market • Complex billing models — milestone, seat-based, usage — becoming the norm • How finance teams can prepare for the next wave of automation If you’re building, buying, or investing in CFO tech stacks, this one’s packed with insights you’ll want to take back to your team. 💡 🎙️ Episode 215 is now available — links down below 👇 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gB6sYPFT Apple: https://rpb.li/tgVFdD Spotify: https://rpb.li/7pwzP5xca #TheSaaSCFOPodcast #SaaSFinance #RevenueAutomation #AIinFinance #FinOps