In Demand: How to Grow Your SaaS and Stay In Demand

Asia Orangio & Kim Talarczyk
  • 5.0 (4)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Growing a SaaS? Yeah, that's hard. Growing a SaaS without a clue what you're doing from a marketing and growth perspective? Pretty much impossible — especially if you want to break the $1M and $10M ARR marks. Kim Talarczyk sits down with Asia Orangio to extract and unpack all the strategic insights she holds in her brain from working with hundreds of SaaS companies and interviewing thousands of their customers. Together, they break down how to diagnose and troubleshoot growth challenges across every part of a B2B SaaS business. About your hosts: Asia Orangio is the CEO & Founder of DemandMaven. Asia helps founders of PLG SaaS companies troubleshoot their growth across GTM, acquisition, activation, retention, and expansion and get unstuck. In early 2018, Asia founded DemandMaven — a consulting firm dedicated to helping bootstrapped and funded SaaS companies build revenue-generating growth engines. Previously, Asia served in a number of marketing roles, but most notably as head of marketing at Hull where she helped the team 10.5x in growth, and #FlipMyFunnel / Terminus as demand generation manager. Asia also served on the board of Moz before its successful acquisition in 2021. Kim Talarczyk is the Client Services and Operations Manager at DemandMaven, where she ensures all client engagements are executed to the highest standard. With a strong background in client-facing roles and professional service firms, Kim has played a key role in scaling operations and delivering exceptional experiences for both B2C and B2B brands.

  1. 3D AGO

    EP56: The busy founder’s guide to activation

    Activation is the most overlooked growth lever in SaaS, especially for PLG-focused companies. While founders obsess over acquisition, pricing, and retention, they often overlook low-hanging fruit with activation.  In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim break down what activation actually is, why most teams misunderstand it, and how to improve it using a clear, repeatable process. Asia shares why pop-ups and walkthroughs are not a strategy, why survivor bias is distorting your view of product performance, and how as few as three to five UX interviews can unlock growth. If you have a free trial, self-serve motion, or product-led growth model, this episode walks through a practical framework to improve activation. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven https://www.userinterviews.com/ Respondent.io Amplitude Mixpanel Chapters (00:01:00) - Why activation is often an overlooked growth lever in PLG SaaS.(00:04:05) - What activation actually means and how it connects acquisition and retention.(00:11:00) - Why pop-ups, overlays, and onboarding walkthroughs aren't working as well anymore.(00:14:00) - What good trial-to-paid benchmarks look like and why most bootstrappers leave money on the table.(00:19:45) - The process of improving activation, starting with step one, UX interviews with qualified strangers.(00:28:05) - What to pay attention to when doing UX interviews.(00:30:55) - The three levers to improve UX: cognitive overload, uncertainty, and limited attention.(00:36:50) - What steps to take after making initial improvements.(00:42:00) - How to think about later-stage activation.(00:52:45) - Activation starting from your homepage.

    56 min

  2. FEB 17

    EP55: DemandMaven 2025 year in review (and what's next)

    Welcome back to In Demand! Since it's the the first episode of 2026, Asia and Kim reflect on the past year at DemandMaven, what shifted after a difficult 2024, and why 2025 felt more aligned, more balanced, and more intentional. They talk about letting go of pressure to scale, refining research processes, leaning into partnerships, and rethinking goals. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven Makeswift Asia's interview on the User Testing podcast Chapters (00:03:00) - DemandMaven turns eight, and Asia dives into a year in review, starting with the wins.(00:06:20) - The shift from chasing revenue highs to building a balanced and aligned business.(00:07:45) - Streamlining DemandMaven's research processes.(00:15:30) - Figuring out a sustainable content engine and centering marketing around the podcast.(00:21:00) - Speaking engagements, Spark Together, and rediscovering the joy of conferences.(00:26:45) - Expanding into pricing, activation, hiring, and more flexible “full stack growth” work.(00:31:00) - Challenges from 2025, starting with consistent new client acquisition.(00:38:00) - Why it can be a struggle to get case studies, even after driving great results.(00:42:00) - Letting go of rigid goal setting and redefining success.(00:45:00) - Looking ahead to 2026: working with design-forward companies, product work, and experimentation.(01:01:00) - Personal plans in travel and language learning for 2026

    1h 12m

  3. 12/09/2025

    EP54: Why you can't copy competitors

    Copying competitors can feel like the fastest path to growth, but more often than not, it backfires. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim break down why copying other SaaS companies rarely works and what to do instead. They explore the difference between copying and inspiration, why context determines whether a strategy will succeed, and how to translate what you admire in another business into something that actually works for your own stage, market, and buyer. If you’ve ever looked at a competitor or admired brand and thought “we should do that too,” this episode will help you think more strategically. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven Switchyards Atlanta Chapters (00:01:00) - Copying competitors (and why it's not always a good idea).(00:02:30) - Why copying website design, branding elements, or campaign strategy is usually harmless.(00:07:35) - How to take inspiration vs. just copying.(00:10:00) - Where copying almost always fails: copying big strategic bets without context.(00:17:00) - Case study: Why so many SaaS founders tried to copy Intercom and why it didn't work for most people.(00:24:20) - What's the best way to take inspiration, keep track of it, but translate it into your own context.(00:26:00) - Another example: Why copying Notion’s community and ambassador model failed for a founder.(00:29:30) - The marathon analogy and how to adapt inspiration to your own stage of growth.

    34 min

  4. 12/02/2025

    EP53: Why research projects fail

    Research is one of the most valuable tools for unlocking growth in SaaS, but too often, research projects fail to create impact. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim explore why research projects fail from the consultant’s side and the client’s side. They unpack the most common failure modes, like treating research as an end in itself, failing to get buy-in, or conducting great studies that never translate into action.  If you’ve ever wondered how to make your customer research matter, or how to keep it from collecting dust, this episode will help you turn insights into progress.Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven Spark Together Conference AnswerThePublic Bob Moesta Chapters (00:02:40) - The difference between delivery failure and impact failure.(00:04:00) - Clients do not hire research for the sake of research, they hire it to achieve outcomes.(00:10:00) - Why project success often depends on who hires you within a company and their level of influence.(00:18:20) - The consultant’s job as educator and guide, not just researcher.(00:22:40) - How to get buy-in for research work and why buy-in must extend beyond your main project contact.(00:26:10) - How to involve clients in interviews without biasing results.(00:32:45) - Why watching recordings isn't enough and how live debriefs after calls are where the magic happens.(00:39:30) - The client perspective and building internal research and insights habits.(00:49:00) - Known knowns, known unknowns, unknown unknowns and why good research reveals both.(00:53:00) - Thinking like a journalist to gather insights without resources.(00:55:00) - When should you do research? Anytime you face a high-impact decision.

    57 min

  5. 11/18/2025

    EP52: The busy founder's guide to pricing

    Pricing is one of the most powerful yet least understood growth levers in SaaS. Most founders either ignore it for years or treat it like a guessing game. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim share their guide to pricing for busy founders. They cover the three phases of pricing, how to tell if it’s time to revisit your pricing, and how to run data-driven pricing experiments without wasting months or hiring a six-figure consultant. If you’ve ever felt unsure about what to charge, how to test new prices, or when to hire expert help, this episode breaks it all down step by step. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven The Motivation Code Assessment  Irrational Labs Guide to Willingness to Pay Street Pricing by Marcos Rivera Pace Pricing Chapters (00:00:35) - Catching up on hobbies, motivation, and the “Motivation Code” assessment(00:13:50) - The Busy Founder’s Guide to Pricing(00:15:20) - The three phases of pricing maturity(00:18:30) - When and how to move from guessing to testing(00:21:40) - Pricing that drives net revenue retention and expansion(00:25:00) - Real examples: Intercom and Zendesk pricing overhauls(00:28:00) - Why pricing can be a hidden growth bottleneck(00:31:00) - Signs your pricing is broken and how to identify them(00:34:50) - The process for pricing research once you identify that pricing could be a problem(00:37:30) - Step 1: Pricing interviews and qualitative insights(00:39:00) - Step 2: Willingness-to-pay surveys and Van Westendorp questions(00:48:25) - Step 3: Product analytics and finding signal in usage data(00:53:00) - Turning insights into pricing hypotheses and running pricing experiments the right way(00:57:30) - DIY vs. hiring a pricing consultant(01:08:15) - Who should own pricing internally and how often to revisit it(01:17:10) - Closing thoughts: pricing as the easiest lever most founders ignore

    1h 18m

  6. 11/11/2025

    EP51: How to measure product-market fit

    Early-stage founders often claim they’ve reached product market fit, but when you look closer, it’s usually built on vibes, not data. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim unpack what real product market fit looks like, how to measure it quantitatively, and why most early-stage SaaS companies are too quick to assume they’ve found it.  If you’ve ever wondered how to know when you’ve actually hit product market fit, or if you might be fooling yourself, this episode gives you the frameworks and numbers to tell the difference. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven Previous In Demand Episodes that discuss NRR: episode 46 and episode 37 Superhuman Product Market Fit Survey ProfitWell Chart Mogul Chapters (00:02:20) - What is product market fit, and how was it historically measured?(00:07:00) - The product market fit survey and its limitations.(00:11:30) - Gross customer retention (GCR) as an underrated metric for measuring product market fit.(00:16:00) - Net Revenue Retention (NRR) as a deeper sign of product-market alignment.(00:20:10) - How GCR and NRR tell different parts of the story.(00:26:05) - Secondary indicators: churn rate, close rate, and trial-to-paid conversions.(00:28:05) - Why cohorting/segmenting reveals where PMF actually exists.(00:34:50) - You might have PMF for one segment but not another.(00:36:45) - The cautionary tale of assuming PMF too soon and how DemandMaven sets expectations with new clients.(00:44:30) - The reality check: if you’ve never charged customers, you don’t have PMF.

    49 min

  7. 11/04/2025

    EP50: Why operations is your overlooked growth lever

    Most SaaS founders think about growth through the lenses of acquisition, activation, retention, or pricing. But few think about operations and how the way you work internally either unlocks or limits growth. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim dig into why operations is one of the most overlooked growth levers for bootstrapped SaaS companies. They explore how internal systems, structure, and decision-making shape your ability to execute on every other lever, from marketing to retention. If you’ve ever felt like your company’s growth has stalled for reasons you can’t quite name, this episode will help you see how your internal operations might be the missing piece. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Links:  DemandMaven The Bootstrap Founder (Arvid Kahl) EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Chapters (00:00:50) - The top four growth levers that slow SaaS companies down and why Asia adds a fifth: operations.(00:06:00) - Operations is about how you deliver value, and how you structure your business to deliver value.(00:07:15) - Every company “does operations,” but intentional founders use it as a strength.(00:10:30) - How weak internal ops make it harder to pull other growth levers like acquisition and activation.(00:15:20) - A case study: how restructuring a marketing team’s meetings helped a company 2× its ARR.(00:23:15) - If you don't think about operations, it will eventually create chaos in your business.(00:27:00) - Why bootstrapped companies tend to be too slow in hiring key strategic leaders and how chasing the dream of only having a couple of employees holds founders back.(00:32:40) - Four areas to audit if ops might be holding you back: team, resources, processes, and decision-making.(00:38:00) - Why decision-making style is part of operations and how executive coaches can help with improving operations.

    44 min

  8. 10/28/2025

    EP49: Can you be too early to a marketing channel?

    When it comes to growth channels, things are as straightforward as they seem. Attribution is as complex as ever, and if you move too fast, you risk wasting money on strategies that “don’t work”, not because they can’t, but because you’re too early. In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim dig into how to understand which channels work (or don't). They unpack false positives and false negatives, the pitfalls of premature ad testing, and why channels should be evaluated as part of a larger system, not in isolation. If you’ve ever wondered whether a channel failed because of timing or execution, this episode will help you separate signal from noise. Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here. Chapters (00:01:00) - How false positives and false negatives can mislead your marketing strategy.(00:03:30) - Why it's possible to be too early into a marketing channel and how channels stack.(00:07:30) - How to do attribution by channel correctly.(00:10:15) - Customer interviews give a more complex picture of attribution.(00:13:00) - How to uncover your customer journey using interviews and jobs-to-be-done.(00:16:30) - When ads look like they’re working, but conversions tell another story.(00:26:00) - The product’s role in growth: if your PLG SaaS product can’t close, your ads can’t save you.(00:32:50) - How to tell if your company is too early for a channel or program.(00:35:30) - When it can be too early to go to a sales-led strategy.

    40 min
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About

Growing a SaaS? Yeah, that's hard. Growing a SaaS without a clue what you're doing from a marketing and growth perspective? Pretty much impossible — especially if you want to break the $1M and $10M ARR marks. Kim Talarczyk sits down with Asia Orangio to extract and unpack all the strategic insights she holds in her brain from working with hundreds of SaaS companies and interviewing thousands of their customers. Together, they break down how to diagnose and troubleshoot growth challenges across every part of a B2B SaaS business. About your hosts: Asia Orangio is the CEO & Founder of DemandMaven. Asia helps founders of PLG SaaS companies troubleshoot their growth across GTM, acquisition, activation, retention, and expansion and get unstuck. In early 2018, Asia founded DemandMaven — a consulting firm dedicated to helping bootstrapped and funded SaaS companies build revenue-generating growth engines. Previously, Asia served in a number of marketing roles, but most notably as head of marketing at Hull where she helped the team 10.5x in growth, and #FlipMyFunnel / Terminus as demand generation manager. Asia also served on the board of Moz before its successful acquisition in 2021. Kim Talarczyk is the Client Services and Operations Manager at DemandMaven, where she ensures all client engagements are executed to the highest standard. With a strong background in client-facing roles and professional service firms, Kim has played a key role in scaling operations and delivering exceptional experiences for both B2C and B2B brands.

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