Experience driven lessons on leading
startups, culture and customer success
by Nick Mehta
June 30, 2022
The paranoid CEO in me has been feeling better since last week’s survey results on what investors thought of the SaaS valuation collapse. Still, I wanted a more complete picture of SaaS’s trajectory in the economic downturn. Private Equity and Venture Capital firms may be aligned on priorities, but what about CEOs? Are there meaningful […]
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June 29, 2022
As companies consider the chaos in the market and plan their strategies for the second half of the year, Product-led growth (PLG) is (or should be!) top of mind for many SaaS executives. In fact, we learned from the Product-Led Growth Index 2022 that almost half of SaaS companies plan to double their investment in […]
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June 25, 2022
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m an annoyingly-positive optimist. But like every CEO, I’m also constantly paranoid. So two narratives are constantly battling away in my brain right now: “The market opportunity for SaaS has never been better.” “The stock market is down by how much?” After reading the 732nd memo from a VC […]
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June 15, 2022
This article was originally published on Inc. It’s a challenging time in the world–and in the world of SaaS. Right now 2022, the Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) NASDAQ Emerging Cloud Index is down nearly 40% from its peak. Since SaaS companies grew a lot during that time frame, this means multiples are down even more. […]
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April 30, 2022
Every company claims, “you’ll never work somewhere like here” and, “we have the best company Values.” And I’m sure they are all (mostly) true. But there’s something really special about working at Gainsight – although I may be a little bit biased. I love talking to people. If you casually Google my name, you’ll find […]
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April 19, 2022
This post originally appeared in Chief Executive. In case you missed the news—or haven’t visited a grocery store in a long time—prices are going up. Whether you’re looking for a house, a handbag, a used Honda or a ham sandwich, everything is much more expensive. According to this week’s reporting from the Bureau of Labor […]
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April 18, 2022
If your goal is to become a SaaS CEO at a startup company, you’ll have to learn several skills: Building a business strategy Motivating the team Executing consistently Raising money Repeating CEO cliches over and over again While I find all parts of the job to be interesting, there are some unique lessons you get […]
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March 3, 2022
Whenever people ask me what my favorite TV show was as a kid, I pause to decide whether to reveal my secret shame or not. While I loved cartoons and still remember the theme song to “The Golden Girls,” what I was addicted to at ten years old was CNBC. I loved hearing the anchors’ […]
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March 3, 2022
“Do you have time for a quick call? I’d love to get your input on our Customer Success Organization.” I’ve received at least 500 emails, texts, and Linkedin DMs like this from SaaS CEOs over my nine years running Gainsight. And I LOVE getting these messages. It’s so encouraging to see CEOs leaning into Customer […]
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February 3, 2022
Ignoring the haters! It’s indisputable that Peloton – and other digital fitness companies like it – have changed the way millions of human beings exercise. Sure, the latest Sex and the City reboot and stock price drop aren’t great for business. But as a Peloton rider myself, I have seen first-hand how Peloton has transformed […]
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January 13, 2022
TL; DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read): Gainsight acquired SaaS Community Software leader inSided! For the mundane version of this news, click here. And to see a video of Robin van Lieshout (CEO of inSided) and me sharing the news, with a bit of rapping embedded. What comes to mind when you think of community? Maybe […]
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December 23, 2021
[Caveat emptor: I write this to share gratitude, but I also recognize that I am very fortunate in so many ways; many people are struggling.] Like many people, I am a creature of routine and habit. I have the same lunch every day (plain oatmeal with blueberries). I try to go to bed by 10 […]
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December 17, 2021
“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” – Albert Einstein “I don’t care about that Einstein quote. What’s the ROI of Customer Success?” – Your CFO If you want to start a fight (or at least a spirited debate) at a Customer Success conference, yell the following […]
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October 29, 2021
I know what you’re thinking. What do Ted Lasso and my mom have to do with leadership? Or worse, you might be asking, “Who is Ted Lasso?” Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t seen Ted Lasso yet, stop reading and subscribe to Apple+, so you can watch the best. Show. Ever. Ted Lasso (portrayed by Jason […]
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October 11, 2021
SaaS is on fire. We all know that, but it strikes me every day. It used to be that you couldn’t name a SaaS company that I didn’t know. Now, I hear about ten new ones a day that I’ve never heard of. And companies and investors have realized that Net Retention – keeping and […]
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October 6, 2021
Thanks, Jason Lemkin and the team at SaaStr, for having me as a speaker at this year’s festival-style Annual SaaStr Conference in San Mateo, California. I have presented at 100s of tech events and conferences over the years and nothing is more valuable than leaving a conference feeling like you are not alone. Jason & […]
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July 30, 2021
For software companies (and all companies eventually), Customer Success isn’t an “if,” but rather a “when” and “how.” I’ve been fortunate to witness thousands of companies go through this journey of transformation. During this process, I’ve seen the “movie,” in terms of how most CEOs go through a predictable “maturity curve” as they take Customer […]
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July 28, 2021
Let me start this discussion by saying leadership is a massive privilege. And I am fortunate to be in a job that I love. I feel that gratitude every day and know many would do anything to have what I have. But I also believe in being vulnerable about what I feel, to normalize the […]
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June 30, 2021
Co-authored by Jake Wirfel It’s no secret that happy customers drive better business outcomes. But how much better? Gainsight has long been a leader in understanding how critical Customer Success is to the health of SaaS companies. The latest data shows that this relationship might be stronger than ever. How to Measure Customer Success? Historically, […]
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June 9, 2021
Co-Written by An Yan, MBA Candidate at Stanford Graduate School of Business “What’s the ROI of Customer Success?” This is a question I hear all the time in the Customer Success community. Since CS is still a relatively-young profession, we still own the burden of proof. Of course, my mind often drifts to a thought […]
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