#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd
By Ryan Floyd
#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd Dec 21, 2019
AI & B2B SaaS: Worth the Hype? - Ask a VC #38
Will every SaaS company become an AI company? Will AI unlock guaranteed ROI? Is the promise of AI real and what’s the hype anyway? Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Entrepreneur-in-Residence Ajay Awatramani answer these questions and more in the latest episode of Ask A VC! #b2bsaas #AI #venturecapital Make sure to also: - Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to Ryan’s blog, where he talks about why he invests in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Connect with Ryan & Ajay on LinkedIn - Find prior Ask a VC podcast episodes to listen to! About Ryan Floyd: Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for TechCrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing! About Ajay Awatramani: ✔ 23 years of growth leadership experience at Adobe, Marketo, Siebel, Oracle and Sun. And transformation experience at Cornerstone. Venture capital and Private equity deal and industry advisorship. Board role at 150M+ portco. 4+ buy-side and 3+ sell-side txns experience. ✔ Accelerated Marketo growth under public, Vista and Adobe ownership through enterprise transformation incl. platform retrofit for scale, multi-product evolution and TAM expansion into ABX. The 3B$ equity value creation in 2.5 years is the largest exit for Vista in 18 years of existence. Co-led acquisition of Bizible, and integrated Toutapp. ✔ Expanded the TAM at Cornerstone beyond mandatory training/certifications/compliance into a Talent Experience Platform. Created value through platform transformation, operational excellence and add-on acquisition of Edcast (strategic) and SumTotal (EBITDA). Added content business responsibility in '22. ✔ Build a business around Hyperion apps for Sales within Oracle ✔ Founding member of industry's #1 Field Service Automation enterprise solution at Siebel
Remote Work: Is it a Revolution? - ep. #35
Remote work is here to stay. But it’s not what you think. Storm Ventures’ managing director Ryan Floyd reflects upon the new way people work and what that means for founders and investors going forward.
Make sure to also:
- Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to Ryan’s blog at https://ryanfloyd.org, where he talks about why he invests in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out his #AskAVC podcast based on this channel - https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc
About Ryan Floyd:
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn.
When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!
Startup Funding: How Venture Investors Make Decisions - ep. #34
The venture capital world is notoriously elusive - even for the founders seeking investments. But the process isn't intended to be secretive. Venture Capital investor Ryan Floyd and fellow partner at Storm Ventures, Pascale Diaine take you behind the scenes, revealing their firm's process step-by-step. Find out what happens after your initial pitch, what to note when talking to different VC firms, and the importance of culture & aligned values. Ryan and Pascale will leave you ready, confident and ready to impress at your next investment meeting.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC podcast based on this channel (https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
Navigating Uncertain Times in SaaS - ep. #33
The only certainty in business is uncertainty! No founder or investor could have predicted events like the Covid-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine - both of which had profound effects on the economy, and therefore SaaS and the venture capital investment trends. But there are ways that startups can prepare for unforeseen ups and downs. Venture Capital investor Ryan Floyd shares his advice on how SaaS starutps specifically can plan for, adapt to and thrive in times of economic uncertainty.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter - for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn.
When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!
Customer experience 101 - ep. #32
Net dollar retention and customer experience are highly critical for the success of your SaaS business. I had a chance to connect recently with Gaby Moran, director of customer experience at Workato. Before her current role, Gaby spent quite a few years at Medallia, customer experience management software with a world-class NPS of 60+.
Our conversation turned out to be a fantastic "customer experience 101" overview, with key terms defined; and many burning questions I get from entrepreneurs all the time - answered.
- How do you collect and use data to inform your customer experience function?
- How to account for possible bias in the customer feedback - both positive and negative?
- How to get started with customer experience as a SaaS startup founder?
Listen to the episode to get the answers to all these questions - and more.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter - for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn.
When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!
Cybersecurity for a small business: latest threats - ep. #31
In this episode, I talk about the latest cybersecurity threats you should be aware of as a founder of a small business (what your startup essentially is). Alastair Paterson, Co-founder and CEO of a cybersecurity company Digital Shadows, joined me to answer your questions about the dark web and more.
- How has the global pandemic affected the cybersecurity landscape?
- How security threats can impact your success as a startup?
- What are the latest phishing techniques you should be aware of as a founder?
Watch the video to get the answers to all these questions - and make sure you are better equipped to tackle the latest cybersecurity threats your business is facing.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at https://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
How to master net dollar retention - ep. #30
Net dollar retention (NDR) is critical to your SaaS startup's success. I talked quite a bit about churn in the early days of this channel. Mastering NDR is the next logical step you should consider as you continue to grow your startup. In this episode, I am sharing 4 tips that will help you take control of your net dollar retention metric - and take it to the next level:
- What is the difference between gross churn and net dollar retention?
- Can your startup have negative churn?
- What can you learn from Salesforce when it comes to NDR?
Listen to the episode to get the answers to all these questions - and get the complete list of 4 tips that will surely help you master your net dollar retention.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at https://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
Understanding diversity and inclusion - ep. #29
In the latest #AskAVC episode, we talk about understanding and the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity in startups. I am joined by Aubrey Blanche, Director of Equitable Design at Culture Amp, The Mathpath (Math Nerd + Empath), and a startup investor and advisor. Aubrey is a recognized thought leader when it comes to building more equitable businesses - and our conversation is full of actionable insights that any startup founder can utilize right away.
- Why using the word "diversity" might be counter-effective?
- Why you as a startup founder should care about equity (and no, we are not talking about ownership)?
- How to go about creating an inclusive culture at your company?
In the episode, we give answers to these questions - and much more. If you are ready to level up your understanding of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and learn how you can apply it in your business today - tune in!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at https://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
8 ways to finance your startup - no VC funding required! - ep. #28
In this episode, I share with you 8 ways to finance your startup - and that doesn't include venture capital! It might seem odd coming from a VC investor. However, my goal for you as a startup founder is to be aware of all the options that are available to finance your business - along with their respective pros and cons. When you do partner with a VC like myself, you need to be sure that it is, in fact, the best way forward for your startup.
- What might be the reasons NOT to take venture capital?
- How to be more like Sam Walton, Walmart's founder?
- Should you be scared of taking on debt to finance your venture?
Listen to the episode to get the answers to all these questions - and get the full list of 8 ways you can go about financing your startup!
- Buy "Sam Walton: Made In America" book I recommend in this video on Amazon
- Read Paul Graham's full essay "Do Things That Don't Scale" that I mentioned in the video
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
Finding a perfect sales channel partner for your startup - ep. #27
As you grow your enterprise SaaS startup, opportunities to engage various sales channel partners will most certainly come your way. The prospect of partnering with a leading telco or some other big corporation might seem very appealing. However, there is a lot you need to know before entering any agreements - and to make sure it works out well in the end.
- What are sales channel partners and how to choose the right ones?
- How to make sure they are successful in growing your business?
- What pitfalls to avoid?
Watch my full interview with Christof Baumgärtner, ex-Chief Revenue Officer at MobileIron, one of the leading enterprise security companies today. Christof did an outstanding job of finding & partnering with the best sales channels that fueled the growth of MobileIron.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
Startup equity & convertible notes explained - ep. #26
Startup equity and convertible notes are about to be fully explained! Early-stage entrepreneurs have to learn a lot of new vocabulary, technical & legal details, to ensure their initial rounds of outside financing go well. In this video I am being interviewed by Fellows at ASIF Ventures, European micro-VC, focused on student-led startups, and we do a deep dive into:
- Comparing direct startup equity investments vs convertible notes
- Discussing intricacies of founder's dilution over time
- Tackling valuation challenges
... and much more!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
How much to pay startup advisors - ep. #25
"How much to pay startup advisors" is the question I often get asked by even experienced entrepreneurs. In one of my previous episodes, I gave an intro to the topic of startup advisors - what do they do, how to find them, etc. In this one, I dive deeper into the specifics:
- What's the difference between consultants and advisors for your startup?
- How should you think about cash pay versus equity?
- Are you missing out on leveraging "free" advisors you might already have?
After listening to this podcast, you will have answers to all these questions - and a pretty good idea of how much to pay your startup advisors!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
What is enterprise automation: tech breakdown - ep. #24
This episode is something I have not tried on my channel before. This is a deep dive into a specific concept - in this case, enterprise automation - from a technical point of view. We dive deep into the idea of workflows automation, talking about its definition and benefits, as well as giving specific examples. In the 24th episode of the #AskAVC
channel, you can expect to find answers to the following questions:
- What the commonly used in this space terms - RPA, API, etc. - are all about?
- How has enterprise automation evolved over the past several years?
- What the future of workflows automation is going to look like?
... and much more! Tune in to my interview with Markus Zim, head of the strategy and business development at Workato, a portfolio company of mine that recently became a unicorn.
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC
YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
How a startup company should handle advice - ep. #23
As your startup company will become more successful, naturally there will be more and more people eager to share their advice with you. It's a smart strategy to surround yourself with people who know more than you in various business areas - be it sales or security. There are a few things any founder needs to keep in mind, however, to make sure that taking advice will help their company as opposed to hurting it. As a startup CEO, you must figure out:
- How to find and choose the right advisors for your business?
- How to separate good advice from bad?
- How to maintain a strong relationship with an advisor even if you reject his or her advice?
- How to compensate your startup advisor?
There is no question that the right set of advisors will make your startup stronger. Watch this video to get answers to the questions below - and much more!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC podcast based on this channel (https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
How to beat customer churn - ep. #22
In this video, I talk about the biggest enemy of all SaaS businesses - customer churn. It is safe to say that nearly every single startup faces this problem at some point or another. As scary and uncomfortable it might be, having customer churn is not the end of the world - but you do need a war plan. Have you asked yourself:
- How is your product contributing to the problem?
- What the entire team can do to make customer success folks more successful?
- Should you keep growing the business while trying to fix your customer churn problem?
Watch the video to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast series is based on (https://www.youtube.com/askavc)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
How to build investor relationships - ep. #21
There is so much content out there about the legal language of term sheets, valuations, etc. However, it would be a mistake to see your interactions with potential investors as purely transactional. The key is to build a relationship with a person on the other side of the table. And a lot of goes into it:
- Should you be spending time with junior team members at VC firms?
- How much info do you share with potential investors?
- Can you negotiate a term sheet?
Watch the video to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC podcast based on this channel (https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
Angel investing vs. venture capital - ep. #20
When you are ready to raise some outside capital to scale your business, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered to make the process successful. For example, there are many different types of investors you can turn to. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is - what is the difference between angel investing and venture capital? In this episode I address topics like: What do angel investors look for? Are angel investors a good idea? How much do angel investors invest? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Make sure to also:
- Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general
- Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues
- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel that this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/askavc)
About Ryan Floyd
Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn.
When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!
How to cold email investors - ep. #19
The prospect of asking for multi-million dollar investment in a cold email to someone you never met is undoubtedly daunting. Do cold emails even work? Believe it or not, but that's how we met one of the most valuable investments in Storm Ventures' portfolio! Even if you do manage to get a warm introduction to a potential investor, principles and techniques outlined in this video will still be very valuable to you. Crafting effective cold emails is not easy, but absolutely doable! What three elements are critical to include in your cold email? Which service you should never use while sending out cold emails? How to follow-up properly? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Digital transformation: separating myth from reality - ep. #18
Digital transformation might easily be one of the most hyped terms in the IT industry in the past couple of years. Separating myth from reality could be easier said than done. After all, it's something that many companies have invested millions of dollars in - and the results are not always there. Is digital transformation was truly dead on arrival? Find out in the second part of my interview with Tim Crawford, one of the Top 100 Most Influential Chief Information Technology Officers (#4), and the host of the CIO In The Know (CIOitk) podcast.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
A sneak peek inside the minds of the leading CIOs - ep. #17
In the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I "sat down" with Tim Crawford, one of the Top 100 Most Influential Chief Information Technology Officers (#4), and the host of the CIO In The Know (CIOitk) podcast. For SaaS founders, dealing with repercussions of the ongoing global pandemic while selling into the enterprise, this interview offers invaluable insights into the minds of modern CIOs. How CIOs make purchasing decisions these days? How can you as a founder "play offense" in the current environment - and help your customers to do the same? What is the difference between selling your product to a traditional vs. a transformational CIO? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
How not to fail as a first-time founder - ep. #16
Being a first-time founder & CEO presents a unique set of challenges. Thinking you might be able to avoid mistakes altogether is, of course, unrealistic - even geniuses have flaws! It doesn't mean, however, that tried-and-true advice is not available to you - and some of it might just make or break your business. In the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I talk to Anshu Sharma, a founder of Skyflow, who both worked under the reign of a first-time CEO, as well as a first-time CEO himself. How to build a team of co-founders to complement your strengths and weaknesses? How role models can help you navigate the challenging daily reality of being a leader of a startup? How to make the right decisions about investors you will be working with? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
My COVID-19 advice to all entrepreneurs out there - ep. #15
The past few weeks have been crazy for everyone in the world, not just me - hence, the pause I took with putting out the new episodes. Now I am back with the latest from my makeshift studio in the dining room. In this episode, I reflect on how the ongoing pandemic changed things for the entire venture capital ecosystem - both from an investor, as well as an entrepreneur's standpoint. How the next couple of quarters might look like? Is it possible to get funding right now? Is this downturn any different from the 2008 meltdown and the dot-com bubble burst? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
When your office is gone: how to build remote teams that work - ep. #14
Remote teams are all the rage these days, especially in the tech industry. You get to hire the best people everywhere, and maybe even realize cost savings through salary arbitrage. However, as this trend is still relatively new, there is a lot you need to know if you'd like to leverage it for your business. In this episode of #AskAVC podcast, I talk to Anshu Sharma, a founder of Skyflow, who also has many years of experience in managing and acquiring remote teams in companies like Oracle and Salesforce. What's the difference between remote and fully distributed teams? How to manage employees across various time zones? What are the cultural and technical challenges presented by having a remote workforce? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Are you ready to have a VP of sales? - ep. #13
Did you know that the average tenure of a VP of sales across businesses is 18 months? Imagine all the time and money spent on finding this person, investing in them building a team - only to have it all go out of the window a couple of months later. In the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I share 3 ingredients critical for successful VP of sales hiring. Do you have to be good at sales yourself as a founder? How good your product needs to be before you can really scale sales? What do you need to know about your customers before you hire your first VP of sales? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
You’ve made it: what is term sheet & how to negotiate it - ep. #12
Finding an investor and securing their commitment is just the beginning of the journey. If you are a first-time founder, negotiating a term sheet can be a daunting task. In this episode, I will walk you through the key terms and techniques to make sure that the deal will be closed successfully. Why knowing the basic difference between pre-money and post-money valuation is not enough? What to do if you are being asked to pay your investor's expenses? What does your company's governance structure have to do with your future? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Not all investors are created equal - ep. #11
In the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I give entrepreneurs advice on researching potential investors in their business. Due diligence is the mutual process! How to get to know your future partners? How to "test drive" an investor with thoughtful questions? How to look for clues in an investor's past? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Customer onboarding - what it is and how to rock it - ep. #10
In the latest episode of #AskAVC podcast, I and Dominique Levin, co-CEO of Winning by Design that helps B2B companies grow by turning sales into a science, talk about common pitfalls and the successful strategies for customer onboarding. Turns out, onboarding customers is not just a technical challenge! What role customer expectations play in the successful onboarding process? How to make sure that the kick-off meeting will go well? Why it's important to share your best practices with customers? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - plus an extra proven technique to increase your customer retention rate!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Help: I have too many customer leads! - ep. #9
In the previous episode of #AskAVC podcast, I and Dominique Levin, co-CEO of Winning by Design that helps B2B companies grow by turning sales into a science, did a deep dive on how to generate more B2B sales leads. As we learned, however, not all leads are created equal - and you must optimize your lead generation strategy to ensure good conversion rates at each stage of the sales funnel. What is the difference between good and bad customers? How to build an ideal customer profile? How to prioritize between different leads? How to keep selling even after you closed a deal? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and much more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Your SaaS startup’s sales strategy 101 - ep. #8
Welcome to the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast - and the first in the series of interviews with Dominique Levin, co-CEO of Winning by Design that helps B2B companies grow by turning sales into a science. What are leads and how they are different from opportunities? What is the role of marketing in generating leads? How the type of market you are in and the stage of your business impact your lead-generation strategy? What tools should you use for attacking an existing market versus creating demand in a brand new one? What is the difference between inbound & outbound strategies? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and much more! Here are the links that were mentioned in the discussion: Glengarry Glen Ross; How to start a movement
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
No idea what SaaS is? Listen to this one - ep. #7
In the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I go back to basics and dive deeper into some of the core concepts behind software as a service (or SaaS). Why this term should not be confused with "subscriptions"? What do you need to know about the market size for SaaS businesses? What are some of the technical challenges you might run into when building a SaaS company? What business models might work for you? Listen to the episode to get answers to all these questions - and much more!
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
What if someone wants to buy your startup? - ep. #6
In the latest episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I give founders and entrepreneurs tips on how to deal with acquisition interest. While it's undeniably a great problem to have, there are a few things you need to know to make the most out of the situation. How to make sure you take the right meetings with the right people and don't waste your time? How to build relationships that would help you and your company many years later down the road? What homework needs to be done? All that and much more - in episode 6 of the #AskAVC podcast.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Layoffs and other bad news: handle them like a leader - ep. #5
Startup life is inherently complex and unpredictable and no matter how hard we try, failures - small and large - are inevitable. Yet, delivering bad news could be very uncomfortable. In episode #5 of the #AskAVC podcast, I give techniques and tips for leaders, founders - and anyone, really - that, in my experience, make those unpleasant moments easier to deal with.
A few things I talk about:
1. It’s hard to deliver difficult news - but it's normal. You are not alone.
2. Don’t bare your soul - focus on the issue at hand and stay professional.
3. Don’t focus on blame - analyzing past mistakes and learning from them is important, but don't stay stuck in the past.
4. Paint a path forward - as a leader, show the meaningful action plan to your employees, don't just "dump" the problems on them and walk away
5. Layoffs - one of the most challenging and not very often talked about aspects of going through hard times in business.
6. Dealing with exec changes - complexity of layoffs multiplied by two.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
Investor presentation that raises money - ep. #4
Your business might be in great shape, but still, you might be having a hard time delivering your story and convincing potential investors to join you on your journey. What are the components of the successful presentation? How to tell your story? How to keep people's attention? In the new episode of the #AskaVC podcast, I am sharing the best practices I've learned after 20 years of investing in tech startups.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
7 techniques to battle your churn - ep. #3
In the previous episode of the #AskaVC podcast, we defined churn and looked at ways to measure it. Losing customers is never fun, but it's not the end of the world! In this video, we are going to figure out how to fix churn if your business metrics are not looking so good.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
SaaS churn: it can make or break your business - ep. #2
One of the advantages of SaaS businesses is that you build a customer base that should not only continue to renew over time but also expand if you are delivering value. The opposite is the dreaded revenue churn. What is it and how to measure it is the topic of episode #2 of the #AskAVC podcast. You can also check out the blog post based on this video, on my personal website.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.
The magic number to unlock your startup’s growth - ep. #1
In the first episode of the #AskAVC podcast, I talk about sales efficiency - the magic number that, if calculated right, helps tech startups to scale and unlock growth. How it's different from CAC and LTV, the relationship between sales efficiency and go-to-market fit - all this and much more I tackle in this video. For a deep dive, make sure also to check out my TechCrunch post on the same topic.
Disclaimer: This podcast is based on the #AskAVC YouTube channel (youtube.com/askavc) - hence, the occasional visual references.