Chris Surdi

That's why it's often very difficult to recognize new leaders – their ideas go beyond the conventional frameworks we're accustomed to. Keep your mind open. Don't let yesterday's templates define your future. #Leadership, #Innovation, #OpenMind, #FutureThinking, #venturethinking,   https://lnkd.in/eASPGsuu

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"Falling costs of building new software companies are a mirage, and the reason for that is this thing in economics called the Jevon's paradox... ...the Jevon's paradox occurs when technological progress increases the efficiency with which a resource is used (reducing the amount necessary for any one use), but the falling cost induces increases in demand enough that resource use overall is increased, rather than reduced." Marc Andreessen with a counterintuitive take on what the future could hold for the software industry. #tech #technology #innovation #software #deeptech #startups #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #ai #artificialintelligence #vc #venturecapital #money #business

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I can't believe 2024 has almost come to an end! In two weeks, the infrastructure software world will descend on Las Vegas for Amazon Web Services (AWS)'s annual conference, AWS re:Invent! If you're a #founder, customer, operator, or investor and will be at the conference, I'd love to catch up. I'll be there from Monday, December 2nd to Thursday, December 5th. I'm still actively looking to invest in the next great #startup enabling CIOs, CTOs and CISOs! Please reach out directly or comment below. #AWSreInvent

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how our portco @silencioNetwork is tracking noise data and why they chose to build on @peaqnetwork full episode: https://t.co/bl3hP85hHa

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In vertical SaaS, the very best companies landed with a product solving a specific, burning pain point that horizontal solutions solved badly and then became broad product suites over time (ServiceTitan, Veeva Systems, Doximity, etc). My partner Gordon Ritter calls this “layering the cake”. In vertical AI, the landing wedges are much more brittle. While the painpoints they solve are very real (and often unaddressable by SaaS alone), they’re also much more likely to commodotize in the near term as the tech advances. 👀 Therefore, the need to layer the cake in vertical AI is much more urgent than in vertical SaaS. 👀 The best vertical AI CEOs not only recognize the dynamic, but talk about it openly. Helps those around them keep up the speed of innovation and their eyes on the bigger prize.

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I'm not sure we could navigate modern life without the tech that allows asynchronous communication. But it comes at a price. For example, with multiple tools like digital whiteboards, cloud-based storage systems, video recording, AI note-taking, email and chat, teams can work together even when they are distanced both by geographic location and by time. The tradeoff is that there must be broad agreement on and fastidious adherence to guidelines about how and when each team member will use each tool. If they can't be together physically, they'll need to be together systemically. Putting these systems in place and creating a culture of using them properly is an ongoing battle. How is your team managing it? #async #smb #remoteworklife #worklife #management #leadership #productivity https://lnkd.in/gTWhiaUN

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A very helpful enablement tool that almost no one has? List of initiatives / tools / programs to steal budget from + WHY our solution is a better investment. In most orgs… There are 1000 one pagers about random features. Zero one pagers about initiatives that we could get $$$ from and how to position for it.

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Key Insight #3 from Pear VC GTM Conference: "Founder Mistakes" Panel by Joseph Elias Phillips (Payabli), Jon Noronha (Gamma), Samuel Adeyemo (Aurora Solar) 1) Founder-led Sales is Essential: All three founders emphasized the importance of founders being directly involved in early sales. Jo highlighted how crucial it is to personally engage with customers, as no one can sell the vision like the founder. Jon echoed this, stating that "sales is 80-90% listening," which aligns perfectly with founder-led sales, as it helps founders identify customer needs better. 2) Build vs. Sell Dilemma: The common advice was to “sell before you build,” and all had nuanced takes. Jo shared that Payabli’s initial sales were driven by using legacy tech and reselling other people's platforms, which allowed them to bootstrap early on. Sam admitted they spent the first two years building a product without sales, learning 70% of it wasn’t needed. Both agreed that while selling before building is great for revenue, selling to learn is equally important. 3) Avoid Mistakes with Your First Sales Hire: Hiring too early or hiring the wrong sales role is a common mistake. Jo initially hired an SDR to generate leads but quickly realized a full-cycle Account Executive (AE) was more effective. He emphasized that hiring salespeople before fully understanding the sales process yourself can be detrimental. Founders should master the sales cycle first to hire effectively later. Sam reflected on decision to hire their first AE after five years of bootstrapping. He advised founders to wait until they have a clear understanding of their sales process and product-market fit before making that leap. Otherwise, you risk wasting resources on sales efforts that won’t pay off. 4) Customer Discovery is Sales: Jon pointed out that product and sales are intertwined. The early customer discovery calls, which many founders may see as research, are actually part of the sales process. He urged founders to focus on discovering what problems customers will pay to solve rather than simply what looks like a great product feature. 5) Iterating on Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): The discussion also covered the importance of nailing your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Jon admitted that early on, they designed Gamma for people like him (product managers at big companies), only to discover their real customers were smaller businesses needing to sell services externally. It’s crucial to test assumptions about your ICP early and often to avoid wasting time selling to the wrong market. 6) Worst Sales Pitches: The panel lightheartedly shared their worst sales experiences. Jon admitted that the worst pitches are those where the founder talks too much and listens too little. He emphasized that founders should focus on understanding customer pain points rather than selling features. Sam added that punctuality and preparation are key—citing arriving late led to missing out on the deal. Pepe Agell Ana Leyva

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Why some SaaS companies 🚩 struggle to grow on cloud marketplaces? These 5 root causes may not be what you expect. 1️⃣ Strategic Cloud GTM Misalignment The most critical blocker isn’t technical—it’s strategic. Many companies treat cloud marketplaces as "just another channel," but success demands a fundamental GTM shift. Winning in cloud marketplaces requires embracing a partner-led, customer-centric, consumption-focused model where you align with the cloud provider’s priorities—not the other way around. You’re entering ecosystems of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud as their partner, not the reverse. 2️⃣ Cloud & Customer Centricity Gap The "build it and they will come" approach fails spectacularly on marketplaces. Successful ISVs deeply embed themselves in the cloud ecosystem by: Mapping their solution to the cloud provider’s growth areas and strategic initiatives. Understanding how and why customers discover, evaluate, and buy solutions in cloud marketplaces and on each cloud platform. Aligning GTM motions with the cloud provider’s sales cycles and engagement models. 3️⃣ Immature Co-Sell Many SaaS companies struggle with co-sell readiness, held back by ingrained direct sales cultures, concern of conflict (channel/competition) and lack of Cloud GTM understanding. Incentives: Sales teams aren’t motivated (or de-motivated) to collaborate with cloud reps or sell through marketplaces. Value Proposition: SaaS companies fail to articulate how their solution complements the cloud provider’s offerings and drives customer value. Program Knowledge: ISVs often miss out on cloud program benefits because they don’t meet requirements or focus enough on eligibility. 4️⃣ Lack of Alignment and Internal Resistance The most insidious obstacle often comes from within: Siloed Departments: Sales, marketing, product, and finance don’t collaborate effectively, hindering a unified marketplace strategy. Leadership Gaps: Executives may not fully grasp the strategic importance of cloud marketplaces, leading to misaligned priorities or underinvestment. Not leveraging marketplace data and insights and not integrating MP into your sales and company operations 5️⃣ Cloud-Native Product Reality Success on cloud marketplaces goes beyond GTM strategy—your product must also be ready... Ideally its architecture should leverage cloud-native services to enhance consumption and scalability. 📈 What This Means The gap between leaders and laggards in cloud marketplaces is widening. Those who treat Cloud GTM as a transformation, not just another sales/partner channel, are experiencing rapid growth. Others risk being left behind in what’s quickly becoming the largest software distribution channel. 💡 What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve encountered? _________ PS. Accelerate your #growth on #cloud marketplaces with Cloud GTM Leader Course. Last chance to join Cohort 9 starting Jan 14th (tomorrow) - https://lnkd.in/ejc7S4Pb

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In the last month, we've all heard this Service-as-a-Software narrative that AI will enable applications to sell an outcome or a full task, rather than a seat as in vertical SaaS. This could then increase annual contract values from 3 or 4-figures to 6 or 7-figures. After all, that is the cost of labor previously delivering the service, right? Service-as-a-Software expands the $650B Software Market into the $10T Services markets. We've heard this seductive VC narrative from Mamoon Hamid at Kleiner Perkins; Sarah Tavel at Benchmark and Pat Grady at Sequoia Capital. Smart investors, no doubt. But what if this thinking ignores the competitive element? Since when is pricing a function of the work you replace, rather than the next application who is seeking to replace you? I suspect customers will see massive savings in cost / task, but competition will render value capture difficult for these first movers. With dozens of AI SDRs, AI Coding Agents, and AI Work Assistants and discerning IT procurement departments, how will these price assumptions sustain? The answer, I think, lies in dusting off Hamilton Helmer's 7 Powers, specifically 3 of them: 1) Network Effects (on users or data) 2) High Switching Costs (system of record) 3) Counter-Positioning (inimitable pricing or delivery mechanism) This is what we are looking for at Optimist Ventures. Would love others' thoughts on this.

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How do you validate a business model without investing $$$ in tech? 🧙‍♂️ Ravi Kurani did just that with his earliest MVP for Sutro By concierging a ✨Wizard of Oz✨ type of experience, he intentionally ran an "inefficient" process to see if customers would pay—and they were hooked. People didn’t want to give back the *mock* version! Sometimes, the best insights come from scrappy starts, and early feedback can make all the difference. Full interview and PMF strategy template inspired by Sutro + Superhuman in the latest newsletter -- link in the comments!

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AI in Vertical SaaS ____ I've been learning from SaaStr content for over a decade now. I loved Jason M. Lemkin's recent interview with Mangomint's Founder / CEO, Daniel Lang, about the growth of vertical SaaS. The entire video resonated with my own vertical SaaS founder experience at CampusLogic as well as the high-growth vertical SaaS companies I have invested in at PHX Ventures (e.g., Virtuous, equipifi, Nurture Boss, Soraban, eVisit, Rivia Health, Botco.ai, Coursedog, etc.). This clip below captures why I am bullish on AI in a vertical SaaS context. I believe the next decade will be the biggest period of productivity gains in my lifetime in most industries. It's a great time to be building an AI-driven vertical SaaS company. ___ PS - I hope everyone has a great week at SaaStr Annual 2024. #b2b #saas #founders

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Learn how Goodnotes built a successful, scalable digital marketplace that is fully configurable and seamlessly available on multiple mobile and web platforms with the help of MongoDB Atlas. https://lnkd.in/g-5q3SWQ

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Venture-backed teams need an operating system built for venture-backed companies. That's why I created Peak OS. You can read about how to get started today in my bestselling book, Peak Teams--or just come on down to the Collective Genius site and let's talk. #venturebacked #vcbacked #venturecapital #leadership #ceo #founder #operatingsystem #peakOS

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The Long Game: Why We Overestimate the Short-Term and Underestimate the Long-Term (Just ask Nike’s New CEO) We live in a world of instant gratification. From next-day delivery to quick-fix solutions, we’re wired to think short-term. We set ambitious goals, expecting massive results overnight. But here’s the kicker: we overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and wildly underestimate what’s possible in the long run. Take Nike’s new CEO, Elliot Hill, for example. Believe it or not, his journey with Nike started as an intern. Yes, that’s right—he wasn’t handed the reins straight out of the gate. His climb to the top took years of consistent effort, learning, and perseverance. A slow grind, not a sprint. It’s a classic story that reminds us: success is a marathon, not a sprint. We get frustrated when we don’t hit the big wins quickly, but the real breakthroughs often come after steady progress and time. In business (and life), we tend to think, “How can I crush this next quarter?” But the real magic happens when we ask, “What can I accomplish in the next five, ten, or even twenty years?” Whether you’re scaling a startup, learning a new skill, or advancing in your career, remember that the long-term view pays off big time. So next time you’re feeling impatient, remember John Donahoe’s journey from intern to CEO. Dream big, act daily, and give it time—because the long game is where the real wins happen. #LongTermMindset #CareerGrowth #NikeCEO #StartupJourney #PatiencePays

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r/PropTech, 2018 someone asked: "Anything new and interesting in prop tech lately?" Didn't get much of a response. I think I can help answer... If I was going to answer this in 2018, I'd say we were seeing a lot of exciting things around residential fintech. Our residential fintech investments have been premised on the fact that there's these inherent inefficiencies, these archaic and anachronistic processes, around buying and selling real estate in the U.S. and all of the ancillary financial products you have to buy. This was of course affected by rising rates and lessened home affordability. I actually think now more than ever is an exciting time in proptech, because difficult times for the real estate industry (and it's been very, very difficult over the past few years) have totally opened up the industry to seeing the value in adopting technology. This adverse environment has totally thrust this imperative to become innovative (which is something the real estate industry has historically not been good at) front and center onto the real estate industry. I think that attitude shift is going to make for a really exciting time, and it's going to lead to some amazing new companies being born, doing everything from the proptech classic of "digitizing pen-and-paper processes to make them more efficient" to building entirely new real estate businesses on the backs of data and technology -- much like we saw Lineage do with cold storage and logistics. #proptech

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With Americans over 65 projected to grow from 58 million to 82 million by 2050, AI solutions like Foundation Capital portco SafelyYou are becoming increasingly crucial. They’re also a powerful answer to the industry’s persistent staffing shortages, acting as a force multiplier for caregivers. The benefits extend beyond individual residents and their families. For senior living homes, SafelyYou’s AI-powered fall prevention and response system translates to longer lengths of stay and higher net operating income (NOI). With AI, we are working towards a future where every individual—regardless of age or health status—receives the highest quality care, tailored to their unique needs and circumstances. Companies like SafelyYou are leading the charge in making this future a reality, and I’m immensely proud to work alongside them as they use AI to build a better world.

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SaaS Buying Behavior Has Shifted: What Software Founders Need to Know The landscape for software purchasing has changed dramatically since 2021. Companies are no longer buying software for every need—instead, they’re categorizing products as either "nice-to-have" or "must-have." Here's what that means: Scrutiny is Higher Than Ever: Every purchase is heavily examined, with CFOs, head of sales, and RevOps teams now playing key roles in the decision-making process. Must-Have or Bust: If your SaaS product isn’t essential, you’re at risk. Companies demand solutions that solve critical problems. The game has changed. Has your SaaS strategy?

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