Protect the Hustle | A SaaS Podcast
184 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 135 ratingsAccelerate your B2B SaaS growth and get better as an operator. Join Paddle as we explore the truth behind the strategy and tactics of those scaling in SaaS. Basically this podcast gives you a team of advisors in the trenches actually doing the work.
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Episodes
B-Side: How donations increase subscription retention
April 16, 2021 09:00 - 18 minutes - 17.5 MBOver the past century we've gone through a few waves in purchasing behavior. After setting up infrastructure in the industrial revolution we entered a wave of mass production and consumerism. People could purchase lots of goods from a variety of options for the first time and they took advantage of the shift. Suburbs blossomed and our consumptive economy boomed. What comes after the foundations of consumption though? Well - choice. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media netw...
Wistia's Chris Savage on brand affinity
April 13, 2021 09:00 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBTopics discussed in this episode: Shame led to work ethic When to give up on your dreams The shift from marketing to brand affinity The unlock to content distribution Wistia’s internal content mandate This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: Thinking from first principles
April 09, 2021 09:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBThis week I'm sharing one of our internal memos that's slightly redacted on one of our core principles at ProfitWell: thinking from first principles. A lot of you asked how I'm able to produce frameworks and thoughtful commentary quickly/frequently and a lot of it came from honing this trait. I was lucky in the fact that I went to university on a debate scholarship, so I wrote, spoke, and thought from first principles for 40 hours per week for four years (eight if you count high school). Th...
Xero's Anna Curzon on cultivating meaningful relationships
April 06, 2021 09:00 - 33 minutes - 32.8 MBTopics discussed in this episode: Being a champion for small businesses Democratizing success with technology Why accountants are superheroes When growth isn’t the goal The “number 8 wire” mentality. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: Case studies and celebrity impact on retention and pricing
April 01, 2021 09:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBIn a world with seemingly infinite options and infinite marketing to show us those options, consumer purchasing behavior has changed dramatically. We've gone from a place of inherently trusting brands by default—after all, why would they lie—to distrusting brands by default. Turns out they lie all the time. The result? Most marketing has shifted to needing to reinforce trust through free trials, money-back guarantees, and plenty of content. If you can "try before you buy" or at least feel l...
Ryan Deiss on the preeminence of messaging
March 30, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBTopics discussed in this episode: The Accidental Entrepreneur The Desire for Elevated Status Selling Transformation or Identity Reinforcement The Cyclical Nature of Marketing Frequency Required for a Messaging Breakthrough This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: The rise of passive, anti-active usage products
March 26, 2021 09:00 - 27 minutes - 27.1 MBFor decades we've been talking about active usage in the context of retention. After all, if someone is using the product, then they must be happy, right? Our market has changed though as we're able to measure outcomes better and automate more than we ever have before. The result—our fixation on active usage may no longer be valid. In fact, the data actually suggests that the least used products have the best retention, as long as they have a measurable outcome. I get that's a bit counteri...
Help Scout’s Nick Francis on the importance of shared values
March 23, 2021 09:00 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBTopics discussed in this episode: The thin line between being stubborn and principled Software as a craft industry Permeating shared values throughout a team Tactical steps to D.E.I. The decision-making values filter This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: A compact guide to pricing strategy
March 18, 2021 09:00 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBPricing is one of those topics that sits at the nexus of uncomfortable and long term, which means companies often don’t think about it for far too long. Even when they eventually figure it out, they don’t touch it again for years. In this episode, Patrick provides a compact, yet thorough, guide to pricing strategy and tells you exactly where and how to get started. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Ansarada's Sam Riley on intentional culture
March 16, 2021 09:00 - 50 minutes - 49 MBTopics discussed in this episode: Understanding the Root of Customer Wants Building an Intentional Culture The Leapfrog Differentiator Living Out Your Weirdness The Secret to Uncomfortable Conversations This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: Hunting whales at ProfitWell (or how we do business development)
March 11, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutes - 21.4 MBThis week I want to try something a bit different. I'm going to talk through a problem I'm currently working on—essentially a ProfitWell business case—but I haven't completely bridged the framework for or solution quite yet. I'd love your feedback and ultimately any referrals you can send my way for help (or the positions mentioned). As progress or a solution comes into focus, I'll then share the findings with the community. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedi...
Sarah Hodges builds community
March 09, 2021 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.3 MBTopics discussed in this episode: Marketing-driven growth vs. product-driven growth The ingredients that make up community How community drives the potential of a tech ecosystem The drive to stand out and be different Unlocking your authentic self with a willingness to adapt This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: Twitter Super Follow—the last shot in the war
March 04, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBThis episode is a deep dive on Twitter's decision to enter the subscription world. I've been talking about this for quite some time (as has Scott Galloway, and plenty of Twitter team members have been trolling those posts, so I hope I helped ;)), but to me this is the perfect move and it's not because of the obvious stock market reasons. Let's jump in. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Zapier's Wade Foster on strategy and tactics
March 02, 2021 10:00 - 38 minutes - 36.2 MBTopics discussed in this episode: The democratization of automation Not hiring until it hurts Aligning on a singular strategy to empower individual execution Manufacturing a leveraged growth machine Straddling the many precipices of entrepreneurship This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: Feedback is Non-Negotiable
February 25, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBThis episode is an internal memo (slightly redacted and modified) on one of ProfitWell's core axioms of "feedback is non-negotiable." Patrick wanted to share it because he's been thinking about this memo quite a bit the past couple of weeks, and a lot of you have been asking for how we run ProfitWell. If you find these worthwhile, let us know and we'll publish more. Enjoy. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Jeetu Patel on the importance of having product principles
February 23, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutes - 25.7 MBTopics discussed in this episode: Using mega trends as a tailwind to growth Building product principles into your business How to choose the right problems to solve The foundational pillars of building product The discomfort around decision-making tradeoffs This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: HubSpot + The Hustle (or ProfitWell's entire media strategy)
February 18, 2021 10:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBToday, we're sharing a framework for becoming a media company, including why you should abandon your current inbound strategy and move to media. HubSpot bought a media company for this very reason. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Mark Roberge on The Science of Scaling
February 16, 2021 10:00 - 39 minutes - 36.9 MBTopics discussed: How HubSpot developed a data-driven sales playbook The powerful potential of combining marketing and customer success The Science of Scaling Leading indicators that signal a readiness to scale What to do when scaling breaks This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
TripAction's Meagan Eisenberg on team alignment & prioritization
February 13, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 25.1 MBTopics covered in this episode: The art of making technology The alignment of product, marketing, and sales Prioritizing marketing initiatives Knowing when to pivot and when to stay the course The common thread of successful companies This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Defending the hustle
February 11, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutes - 21.3 MBToday, Patrick goes deep on defending hustle culture. He discusses how to better align what you want with your efforts, as well as how we'd be better off not judging others for their choices, and reminding you that you have agency. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: Defending the hustle
February 11, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutes - 21.3 MBToday, Patrick goes deep on defending hustle culture. He discusses how to better align what you want with your efforts, as well as how we'd be better off not judging others for their choices, and reminding you that you have agency. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
PTH B-Side: The Amex Effect
February 04, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutes - 22 MBOn today’s episode Patrick dives deep into the analysis of The AMEX effect, which is a phenomenon of pricing at the point where your customer doesn’t think much about the purchase. He walks through all the data and how to take advantage of this. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: The Amex Effect
February 04, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutes - 22 MBOn today’s episode Patrick dives deep into the analysis of The AMEX effect, which is a phenomenon of pricing at the point where your customer doesn’t think much about the purchase. He walks through all the data and how to take advantage of this. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Zuora's Amy Konary on why subscriptions are win-win
February 02, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutes - 20.6 MBTopics covered in this episode: What makes your business is more than just a piece of tech. Subscriptions make better citizens of the world. The fundamental shift occurring with your customers. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: A case for coaches
January 28, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutes - 19.3 MBTopics discussed in this episode. In 2021 and in general, you need a coach to give you proper outside perspective and to check your self-awareness. If you're in B2B SaaS, I recommend Dan Martell and his SaaS Academy program. There's no one I've met more helpful to SaaS Founders. And he offered up some 1:1 time to Protect the Hustle subscribers. You can book that time here. This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Reforge CEO, Brian Balfour, on frameworks and communication
January 26, 2021 10:00 - 41 minutes - 39.5 MBTopics covered in this episode: How to avoid getting sucked into traps Using perspective to get everyone on the same page Creating tools to reveal answers The importances of shared language Understanding nuances to unlock frameworks This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side: The Disney Octopus
January 21, 2021 10:00 - 31 minutes - 29.4 MBToday, Patrick goes into probably the most obvious, superficial point we could learn from Disney. It's lazy analysis. And why we need to go deeper to uncover why this is so powerful for every subscription business out there. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Salesloft's Sydney Sloan on team alignment
December 15, 2020 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.1 MBTopics covered in this episode: Difficulty of category creation Marketing trends with the rule of 3 Rift between marketing factions How to acquire a company Customer needs and wants This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
HubSpot’s Kieran Flanagan on the evolution of growth
December 08, 2020 10:00 - 34 minutes - 33.9 MBTopics covered in this episode: The evolution of growth Prioritizing and positioning Overinvesting in a few growth bets Playbooks and planning Learning from mistakes This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Nathan Latka on generating interest and demand
December 01, 2020 10:00 - 31 minutes - 31.8 MBTopics covered in this episode: Earning the right to educate Weaponizing your ego Generating demand Characteristics of success The key to leverage This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Pluralsight’s Heather Zynczak on the importance of having a learner’s mindset
November 24, 2020 10:00 - 25 minutes - 26.7 MBTopics covered in this episode: Building a career off problem solving The growing skills gap Keeping pace with innovation Developing a learner’s mindset The growth of silicon slopes This is a ProfitWell Recur production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Vidyard’s Michael Litt on the importance of stepping away
November 17, 2020 10:00 - 21 minutes - 22.9 MBTopics covered in this episode: Don’t be a solution searching for a problem Tall Poppy Syndrome in Canada Cultivating a culture of competition The importance of stepping away This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Chargebee’s Krish Subramanian on achieving success through loyalty and trust
November 10, 2020 10:00 - 32 minutes - 33.2 MBTopics covered in this episode: Bootstrapped beginnings Subscriptions are the future Contributing vs. building your own Rallying behind a metric Positioning your company globally This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Intercom’s Des Traynor on getting close to your customers in a digital world.
November 03, 2020 10:00 - 32 minutes - 32.8 MBTopics covered in this episode: Roots in programming Talking to your customers Finding levers for growth Lessons in scaling Alignment and shared vision This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Intercom’s Des Traynor on getting close to your customers in a digital world.
November 03, 2020 10:00 - 32 minutes - 32.9 MBTopics covered in this episode: Roots in programming Talking to your customers Finding levers for growth Lessons in scaling Alignment and shared vision This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
April Dunford on Why Positioning is Everything
September 22, 2020 04:00 - 33 minutes - 35 MBTopics covered in this episode: What is positioning? Dissonance between revenue timeliness and marketing priorities Category creation and adoption. How to position your product. Watch the video version of this episode at protectthehustle.com. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
G2’s Godard Abel on the Importance of an Entrepreneurial Family
June 09, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 51.5 MBTopics covered in this episode Accepting the lows with the highs of entrepreneurship The importance of a support system Trust & loyalty comes through being human & garnering interactions Building community The people are what make a company successful This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side E05: Let's talk about it
June 05, 2020 12:00 - 39 minutes - 40.4 MBThis week, Patrick and Neel discuss the considerable thought that should go into a company statement when presented with a sensitive and significant event—and how action can speak louder. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Measuring the Subscription Economy with Zuora's Tien Tzuo
June 02, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes - 57 MB*This episode was filmed prior to the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered in this episode The shift from a product economy to a subscription economy How to build a long-term, sustainable startup The power of a strong marketing strategy and the power of storytelling This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Measuring the subscription economy with Zuora's Tien Tzuo
June 02, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes - 56.8 MBIn this episode of Protect the Hustle Tien shares ideas on the delineation of ownership and how one big idea can evolve into years of runway for your startup.
B-Side E04: Mandated vs. unlimited time off—which is more effective?
May 29, 2020 07:00 - 32 minutes - 33.3 MBIn this episode, PC and Neel discuss the pros and cons around mandated vs. unlimited time off. Plus, what does the travel industry recovery look like? This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
SurveyMonkey's Leela Srinivasan on Powering the Curious
May 26, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 48.1 MBTopics covered in this episode We must continually power the curious, because feedback is essential for growth. Companies who don’t listen to input—both internally with employees and externally with users—are missing out on opportunity for growth (and potentially harming their brand entirely). Surveys are a key tool for attainment of real perspectives. Remaining in sync with your team is a must for seamless collaboration. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media net...
B-Side E03: Big tech, big buttons, & big break ups
May 21, 2020 14:00 - 32 minutes - 38.2 MBIn this episode, PC and Neel share their take on these burning topics: Google's platform flex on Zoom Facebook Shop Joe Rogan's move to Spotify This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Chief Instigator, Dan Martell, on the Power of Authentic Relationships
May 19, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 52 MBTopics covered in this episode You have to remain authentic. Much of authenticity stems from accepting vulnerability. Surround yourself with the right people. Your tribe should support your future, not your past. Find a way to constantly pay it forward and contribute to your community. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Chief Instigator, Dan Martell, on the Power of Authentic Relationships
May 19, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 51.9 MBTopics covered in this episode You have to remain authentic. Much of authenticity stems from accepting vulnerability. Surround yourself with the right people. Your tribe should support your future, not your past. Find a way to constantly pay it forward and contribute to your community. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
B-Side E02: What is the road to redemption?
May 14, 2020 07:00 - 38 minutes - 43.6 MBIn this episode, PC and Neel bring up some questions around the road to redemption. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription space.
Gainsight’s Nick Mehta on Orchestrating Harmonious CS
May 12, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 44.6 MBTopics covered in this episode Why providing customers with a desired outcome is crucial How to align customer success properly within an organization and how to measure it The scoreboard Nick recommends using to help rationalize feedback Customer outcomes + great customer experience = customer success Check out the making of Nick's rap song, "Who's Fired Up?" here. This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subscription spa...
Moz and Sparktoro's Rand Fishkin on How Early-Stage Failure Bred Future Success
May 05, 2020 07:00 - 40 minutes - 43.8 MBOn this episode of Protect the Hustle, Rand Fishkin speaks with radical transparency—about the difficulties he saw as a first-time founder, and how past hardship helped him achieve future success.
Moz & Sparktoro's Rand Fishkin on How Early-Stage Failure Bred Future Success
May 05, 2020 07:00 - 40 minutes - 43.9 MBTopics covered in this episode The primary reasons for Moz's failure and what Rand would've changed about the operation The implications of creating an anti-active usage product The lessons Rand extracted from early failure and how he picked back up again as a secondary founder The cruciality of leveraging your resources—namely, people and product—to optimize for the right thing This is a ProfitWell Recur Studios production—the first media network dedicated entirely to the SaaS and subs...
SurveyMonkey's Leela Srinivasan on powering the curious
April 28, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 48 MBLeela Srinivasan powers the curious at SurveyMonkey, as the first Chief Marketing Officer at the survey software titan.