Former Squarespace CEO Dane Atkinson explains why monetizing data analytics for SMBs is significantly harder than for enterprise clients.
Insight
Dismissing Startups for Small Initial TAMs Is a Flawed Investor Strategy
“And a lot of VCs, you not included, but a lot of investors are like, but the TAM is too small. You're just focused on blogs or you're just focused on selling surfboards. Like, you know, it's not that tends to not actually be an effective long-term strategy. Ca…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Shortening Squarespace's 30-Day Free Trials Increased Paid Customer Conversions
“The lesson that I learned from Squarespace, and I probably should get much closer to my heart, was we originally had, or during the cycle time, like a thirty-day trial, and so you get to, you build your site and everything else, and we quickly discovered that …”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Pivoting Odeko to Tech-Enabled Logistics Crushed Its Valuation Multiple
“And actually all the advice our investors gave at the time has been, was totally true. Like they said, you're gonna screw your multiple and yeah, sure as hell screw that multiple. No doubt about it. I'm like, we have trucks and drivers and 14 cities and you kn…”
Insight
Selling to SMBs Requires Transformative Value, Not Minor Iterative Savings
“Now the threshold is you have to be an epic salt, particularly in small business. You can't walk into small business and be like, I'm going to save you three percent on your business. I don't care. I don't have time. Wait, what the hell are you doing? Right? I…”
Insight
Founder Charisma and Desperation Often Mask a Lack of True PMF
“So that desperation often turns into it not working, but you're just making it work. You're just charismaing the shit out of it. You're convincing one customer, like you're like force of nature. But when something really works, it actually just works.”
Insight
Building a Product for Yourself Is the Best Way to Find PMF
“Being the customer yourself is one of the best, because especially if you can viscerally understand the desire and hold onto that as you grow, like it, it's fantastic.”