Expanding Revenue
Matt reflects on a recent expansion revenue event, while Peter worries that he got the pricing wrong for Branch.
Episodes
Out of Beta
Follow our journey as we build and launch two startups. Hosted by Matt Wensing, founder of Summit, and Peter Suhm, founder of Reform.
Episodes
Newfound momentum
Peter is riding solo this week and shares an update on his recent customer development conversations.
Process over results
To clarify the Branch roadmap, Peter interviews WordPress agencies to better understand their workflows. Matt stretches to focus on process over results while onboarding larger businesses. The two discuss pricing on a flywheel. SaaS Podcast Awards
It shouldn't be this hard
Peter asks himself why growing Branch continues to be so hard. Matt is working on cohort analysis and accounting integrations for Summit.
How It Works: FreightWaves
What does it take to build a rapidly-growing business at the intersection of media, technology, and data? Matt interviews Craig Fuller, founder & CEO of FreightWaves, the “Bloomberg of freight”, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Building or Selling
As year-end goals loom larger, Matt and Peter discuss the trade-offs between investing in building, marketing, and selling their products.
How It Works: Wistia
Matt talks with Chris Savage, CEO & Co-founder of Wistia about how the video marketing powerhouse works. From the importance and nature of their earliest hires, to the way the product has had to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, to the reasons we are all putting more of our trust into long-form content.
Branch the Aggregator
Peter discovers a new product frontier for Branch that expands its value and positioning beyond deployment. Matt works on a way to import recurring expenses into Summit.
Acceleration & Suspense
Peter and Bjørn experience a breakthrough developing Branch as Peter puts his Q4 customer acquisition plans in motion. Matt pauses to consider the path forward with Summit.
An OKR Way of Life
Peter responds to feedback on his Q4 plan. Is it unrealistic, or misunderstood? Matt and team improve their development operations to support a new release.
The Process Company
Peter reviews his go-to-market tests for Q4 and makes a product decision. Matt views his work, and the future of Summit, through the lenses of process and responsibility. The Flywheel Company - prior episode of Out of Beta discussing the early version of Matt's process diagram
A New Life, and North Stars
Peter rejoins the podcast as his paternity leave winds down. Matt invests in product improvements for Summit, and shares his reasons for joining Indie.vc’s scout program. Both founders share the metrics that will measure their success for the rest of the year.
How It Works: ProfitWell
Matt sits down with Patrick Campbell, CEO ProfitWell, to deconstruct how the business operates. From team composition to customer acquisition, revenue generation, upsells, margins, and expansion, here's everything you've always wanted to know about how one of the most successful bootstrapped SaaS businesses works.
Taking the Long View
Matt and Peter ponder the future of the podcast, and the remainder of 2020 for Summit and Branch. Matt wrestles with positioning. Peter selects a handful of customer acquisition channels to test in Q4. Intercom on Product: The Intersection of Company and Product Strategy
Engineering Growth
Matt updates Summit's onboarding to fix the blank slate and move users closer to the free tier threshold. Peter studies traction channels and prepares to grow Branch. Tweet: "State the pain you’re solving in 6 words or less."
Taking Bigger Swings
With Summit signing up its 10th paid customer and Branch slowly finding product-user fit, both Matt and Peter are thinking about their next big bets. Matt prepares to develop the Summit language, while Peter considers a future hire to scale the education of Branch’s users.
Singular Focus
As Summit and Branch begin to work, Matt and Peter must remain focused on their next objectives.
Partnerships and strategy
While Matt is enjoying fly fishing and white water rafting in Colorado, Peter records with Simon Bennett from Snapshooter. It turns out Branch and Snapshooter has quite a few things in common. Simon on Twitter Snapshooter Matt on Twitter Peter on Twitter Branch Summit...
Momentum rising
The momentum is slowly building as both Matt and Peter have startied to add customers.
Traction!
Peter figures out how to conquer Branch's activation problems. Meanwhile, Matt squashes bugs after the successful release of Summit 2.0.
Activation zero?
Matt builds Excel-like charts into Summit and shares feedback from his earliest users. Peter is confident that activation is the zero in the Branch equation, but why?
Summit v2
With Matt almost ready to ship Summit v2, and Peter back from vacation, the duo reflects on what makes starting up so very difficult.
Branch’s Playbook
Peter reflects on the costs and risks of his go-to-market strategy. Meanwhile, Matt prepares to turn the ignition switch on Summit 2.0. Matt Wensing on Twitter Peter Suhm on Twitter Summit Data Feeds on Loom (Video)
Persistence, or ...
Peter's consistent efforts with potential partners begins to pay off, or so he thinks. Summit v2 draws closer to release, raising excitement - and anxiety, for Matt. Matt Wensing on Twitter Peter Suhm on Twitter Summit 2 - Short Demo Video (Loom)
S2:E2 (That’s The Title)
Matt stares down the final stretch of the Summit rewrite. Branch’s go-to-market strategy begins to bear fruit for Peter. Matt Wensing on Twitter Peter Suhm on Twitter
Vikings with Scottish accents
Peter takes a deep breath and Matt's code Just Works. The two discuss the startup grind, getting to critical mass, and infusing delight into product development. Matt Wensing on Twitter Peter Suhm On Twitter Mastery and delight in “How To Train Your Dragon”
Listen & Learn
Brief updates on Summit and Branch. Our hearts are with those suffering under police brutality and racism in the U.S. and around the world. #BlackLivesMatter A couple of ways to get involved and support change: Minnesota Freedom Fund - cash bail relief for pretrial freedom. The Innocence Project - putting an end to wrongful convictions.
Water on My Mill
Peter builds trust with two hosts ready to distribute Branch. Matt's inner manager ekes out a partnership call while his maker begins the descent from peak effort. The two discuss the dangers of distributing a weak product. Insight by a16z Partner Alex Rampell Branch Summit Matt on Twitter Peter on Twitter...
Updates Five-O
"Rewrite!" by DHH (Business of Software 2015) Summit Branch Matt Wensing on Twitter Peter Suhm on Twitter
Why Rewrite?
Matt ventures ever-deeper into the forest of rebuilding Summit; a friendly voice challenges the purpose of his quest. Peter celebrates the successful release of Branch's teams feature, opening the doors to his ideal customers. Matt on Twitter Peter on Twitter