Anand Sanwal, CB Insights Co-founder & CEO: Don't Do These 68 Things in Your SaaS Company

CB Insights co-founder & CEO Anand Sanwal shares 68 things that can send your SaaS startup down the wrong path.
0:00 Introduction
0:53 TECHNOLOGY IS EATING EVERY INDUSTRY
2:38 take advice from non-customers
3:03 fall in love with pedigree
3:16 half-ass onboarding of new teammates
4:31 let them call you a lifestyle business
5:54 get fixated on losses
6:56 hire under pressure
7:18 fire slow
8:28 be afraid to hire expert advisors
9:37 believe the easy hype BS
10:44 only celebrate big wins or sales wins
11:04 sell to startups
11:46 get cute with pricing
12:29 be afraid to ask if your product idea sucks
13:13 worry about perfecting your tech too early
14:26 chase startup fads
15:19 wait to hire customer success
15:25 believe in the one hire messiah
15:38 half-ass reference checks
16:00 price based on competition
16:11 think channel partnerships will save you
16:38 dominate conversations w/ customers
17:01 try to delegate product management too early
17:11 forget to ask for the sale
17:32 fear non-scalable work
18:01 worry about competition
19:48 hire salespeople till you can sell it yourself
20:26 worry about your personal brand
21:12 ignore sales advice
21:44 be lazy after your first conversation
22:04 buy whole grape / piece of watermelon thing
22:26 believe the media/VC survivorship bias
22:54 always look for new channels
23:15 pointlessly network
23:42 hesitate to "flood the zone"
24:12 deceive yourself on the size of your market
24:39 fetishize failure
25:01 worry about your name & logo too much
25:22 expect clients to tell you what product to build
25:37 do feature demos
26:07 blindly follow this advice

[@StrandedKnight84]

"Who will this be useless for" 😄 I love this guy already.

[@ReyTamayoPhatInnovator]

Some of the best no nonsense business advice. Thank you!

[@mikeschumann5856]

Don't ignore Anand - terrific insights presented clearly for consideration. Much appreciated Anand!

[@LuizCent]

Anand that was beyond refreshing. Thank you for your candor, your honesty and transparency. Copying all this advice blindly ;)

[@rajeshv1203]

This really is a worthy sharing. Good one . Thanks , Anand.

[@jayanth22]

love the straight talk

[@VPopkins]

"Don not innovate in HR" +1

[@carlosf3421]

Chubby Brain! :)