Sanj Sanampudi

Growth at all costs is out. Strategic expansion is in. One stat from our new report that says it all: By $100M ARR, 67% of growth comes from expansion, not net-new customers. We’re seeing a mindset shift among top-performing founders. They’re prioritizing customer success early, building in product-led growth loops, and measuring how they grow, not just how fast. Full analysis and benchmarks here: https://lnkd.in/gZruurYs #AI #SaaS #CustomerSuccess #BeyondBenchmarks

107

5 Comments

Is venture funding worth celebrating?    Growing up in Silicon Valley has profoundly shaped my perspective on early-stage businesses.    Throughout my career, I've witnessed firsthand how the prevailing narrative has shifted to: raise fast, validate later. Capital is often viewed as the milestone, and being on the revenue side can feel frustrating when companies celebrate venture funding over customer wins.    Over the years, my mindset has evolved as I’ve taken on roles as an operator, advisor, and investor.    The most enduring companies I’ve observed didn’t start with a massive raise; they began with focus, real users, and clear paths to revenue. Execution always wins, not the best technology or investor.    At TheAgentic, we’ve developed a model that embodies this philosophy. Our founders go from zero to production (some with paying customers) before they ever raise a cent. And when they do raise, it’s from a position of leverage, not survival.    External capital is a tool, not the finish line, and sometimes the true milestone is building something that works. 

74

18 Comments

In the last few weeks, I spoke to two groups of limited partners (the folks who invest in private equity / venture capital funds) along with the amazing Robert F. Smith, Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. They asked Robert a question every SaaS CEO should be thinking about: Does AI represent a fundamental threat to the SaaS business model? His answer was surgical. He thinks every SaaS company has three paths forward: → Transform into an agentic AI business  → Slash growth and squeeze margins (Rule of 70 is the new Rule of 40)  → Lose your right to exist That's not hyperbole. That's the new reality of enterprise software. At Gainsight we're choosing to be in the first category: Staircase, ModerateKit, Atlas. We're building agentic systems that don't just automate workflows, they sell work that humans can't do economically today. The second option, going to Rule of 70, would mean driving way higher profitability and a lot less fun. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather build an agentic business than a cost-cutting one. This is why the new agentic AI work we're doing matters so much. In three years, some portion of SaaS companies will be margin stories at private equity portfolio reviews. The other group will be growth stories that reimagined what software can do. I know which conversation I want to be in.

296

16 Comments