SaaS District

Akeel Jabber | Horizen Capital
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Top Startup and SaaS Podcast for Startup Founders, Entrepreneurs and Investors. Learn how to optimize your growth strategy a SaaS startup entrepreneur from beta all the way to exit. We cover topics such as raising capital, acquisitions, leadership, B2B sales, growth marketing, scaling, hiring, M&A, conversion optimization, productivity, bootstrapping, venture capital, private equity, and innovation. By sharing industry lead expertise, we want you to implement the best-proven tactics to help you scale your SaaS company. Top Podcast Industry Nominations: - 13 Best SaaS Marketing Podcasts | SaaS Marketer - Top SaaS Podcasts for 2021 | Beamer - Top 25 SaaS Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 | Feedspot - Best 26 SaaS & Subscriptions Podcasts to Listen to in 2021 | 2Checkout - Best 26 SaaS & Subscriptions Podcasts to Listen to in 2021 | KlintMarketing

  1. 3d ago

    Scaling Employees From #2 to 140 People and all the Lessons in Between with Krzysztof Szymko #248

    Krzysztof Szymko is the founder of Enterploy, a recruitment and talent partner that helps SaaS companies across the United States and Europe build and scale teams in Poland. Leveraging more than a decade of recruitment experience in the SaaS sector, Enterploy connects growing businesses with top talent across Tech, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations, helping companies access the expertise they need to scale efficiently. With a background in technical recruiting and over 12 years of experience in SaaS, Krzysztof has built Development, Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams from the ground up, along with the HR and recruitment processes required to support rapid growth. He works closely with founders and C-level executives to develop people and hiring strategies that align directly with business goals, ensuring every hiring decision contributes to long-term company success. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro01:42 - Building a Startup From the Ground Floor09:17 - The First Hires That Shaped Ziflow16:48 - Building at Startup Speed Without Breaking the Team23:03 - The Hiring Mistakes That Come With Hypergrowth27:21 - What Founders Get Wrong About Hiring in Poland32:24 - The Hiring Advice Krzysztof Wishes He Had Earlier35:07 - Krzysztof's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State35:32 - Krzysztof's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self37:13 - Krzysztof's Biggest Challenges at Enterploy38:09 - Instrumental Resources For Krzysztof's Success39:31 - What Does Success Mean for Krzysztof Today40:36 - Get In Touch With Krzysztof Get In Touch With Krzysztof: Krzysztof's Email Krzysztof's LinkedIn Enterploy Website Mentions: Agnieszka Szydłowska Mat Atkinson Anthony Welgemoed Alex Hormozi Books: The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  2. Jul 3

    Turning Finance Teams Into Growth Drivers with AI with Julio Martínez #247

    Julio Martínez is the Co-Founder and CEO of Abacum, an AI-native FP&A platform built to help finance teams drive efficient growth and deliver real business impact. With Abacum, he focuses on turning finance into a strategic function by giving teams real-time visibility into their KPIs, automating reporting, and enabling better forecasting, planning, and decision-making across the organization. Before founding Abacum, Julio spent over two decades across finance and technology, beginning his career in investment banking in New York, São Paulo, Zurich, and London. He later transitioned into tech, where he launched multiple fintech products and deepened his focus on building solutions for modern finance teams. Originally from Spain and now based in New York, Julio brings a global perspective and a practical, operator-driven mindset to helping companies scale with greater clarity and control. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro01:52 - From Investment Banking to SaaS Finance05:36 - Why Abacum Was Built10:07 - Turning Finance Into a Growth Driver13:38 - AI Trends in the Office of the CFO18:16 - How AI Is Changing Forecasting and Planning23:20 - The Biggest Financial Planning Mistakes in SaaS27:32 - Building a Strategic Finance Function32:57 - Julio's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State33:29 - Julio's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self35:20 - Julio's Biggest Challenges at Abacum36:22 - Instrumental Resources For Julio's Success40:04 - What Does Success Mean for Julio Today41:42 - Get In Touch With Julio Get In Touch With Julio: Julio's LinkedIn Abacum Website Books: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Amp It Up by Frank Slootman The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  3. Jun 26

    How Customer Feedback Shapes Your Product and GTM Strategy with Janina Moza #246

    Janina is the CMO of Flipsnack, where she leads marketing across product marketing, go-to-market strategy, content, sales enablement, and growth. She specializes in building scalable marketing systems that connect customer insights with business outcomes, ensuring marketing serves as a true growth driver rather than simply a support function. With a strong focus on clarity and execution, Janina helps align marketing, sales, and product teams around clear positioning, messaging, and customer value. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, translating how customers actually use products into effective go-to-market plans, stronger team alignment, and sustainable growth. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro01:40 - From Flipbooks to a Full Content Platform03:45 - Finding the Right ICP07:18 - When Customer Feedback Changes Positioning10:25 - When Customer Requests Shape Your Product Roadmap11:49 - Roadmap Decisions vs Messaging Decisions14:09 - Winning Channels and Failed Experiments17:30 - Prioritizing GTM Across Multiple Markets21:30 - Janina's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State21:58 - Janina's Piece Of Advice For Her Younger Self22:58 - Janina's Biggest Challenges at Flipsnack24:14 - Instrumental Resources For Janina's Success27:12 - What Does Success Mean for Janina Today28:06 - Get In Touch With Janina Get In Touch With Janina: Janina's LinkedIn Flipsnack Website Mentions: April Dunford Emily Kramer Kieran Flanagan Books: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  4. Jun 19

    The Difference Between Scaling Revenue and Scaling Profit with Cem Atik #245

    Cem Atik is the Co-Founder and CMO of Harucon Ventures, where he works with fast-growing eCommerce brands that are becoming harder to run as they scale. His focus is on helping companies navigate the stage where revenue increases but margins tighten, decisions slow down, and operational pressure starts to build. At Harucon Ventures, Cem helps rebuild the systems behind these businesses so growth becomes efficient, scalable, and controllable. His work centers on turning complex, high-growth environments into structured operations that are better positioned for long-term scale and eventual exit. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro01:39 - When Revenue Growth Becomes a Problem06:48 - Scaling Revenue vs Scaling Profit10:00 - Why Margins Shrink as Brands Grow13:40 - The Warning Signs of Inefficient Scaling15:57 - Turning Growth Into Profitability20:46 - How AI Is Reshaping Acquisitions and Operational Efficiency24:07 - Shifting From Chasing Revenue to Building a Scalable Business27:07 - Cem's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State28:03 - Cem's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self28:48 - Cem's Biggest Challenges at Harucon Ventures30:31 - Instrumental Resources For Cem's Success32:32 - What Does Success Mean for Cem Today33:34 - Get In Touch With Cem Get In Touch With Cem: Cem's LinkedIn Harucon Ventures Website Books: Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  5. Jun 12

    How AI Is Changing Growth, Teams, and Startup Strategy with Jon Mest #244

    Jon Mest is the CEO of ChatRank and JustReachOut, where he operates at the intersection of data, growth, and marketing. Throughout his career, he has worked across companies like Thomas Weisel Partners, 1010data, and Sika Health, building a strong foundation in using data to drive scalable growth strategies. At ChatRank, Jon is focused on helping businesses win in the era of AI-driven search, where relevance and quality matter more than ad spend. He also leads JustReachOut, a PR platform that enables companies to secure media coverage through targeted outreach, analytics, and proven frameworks. With a background in applied mathematics from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Wharton School, Jon brings a data-driven perspective to helping businesses amplify their visibility and compete more effectively in evolving digital landscapes. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro01:24 - Jon's Journey Through Data, Growth, and Startups03:16 - Building ChatRank and JustReachOut05:21 - How AI Is Reshaping Startup Teams07:55 - Why Jon Chose Bootstrapping Over Venture Capital10:51 - Building the Product You Actually Need14:35 - How AI Search Is Changing Brand Discovery16:56 - The New Rules for Startup Growth in 202621:38 - Building an AI-First Startup Team26:26 - Jon's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State27:23 - Jon's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self28:55 - Jon's Biggest Challenges at ChatRank and JustReachOut31:03 - Instrumental Resources For Jon's Success33:46 - What Does Success Mean for Jon Today35:37 - Get In Touch With Jon Get In Touch With Jon: Jon's Email ChatRank Website Mentions: Joe Delgado Yelp G2 Trustpilot Healthgrades Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  6. Jun 5

    How Are we Rethinking B2B in Beauty Through Marketplace and Experience with Anthony Saniger #243

    Anthony Saniger is a board member at Beauty Rep and a consumer-focused brand builder with over 17 years of experience across the beauty, fashion, and wellness industries. He brings a strong blend of strategic vision and creative execution, helping brands grow by building meaningful connections with their audiences and positioning themselves effectively in competitive markets. Anthony actively invests in and advises brands across CPG, beauty, and hospitality, using his entrepreneurial perspective to drive growth, innovation, and long-term brand value. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro01:27 - From Consumer Brands to Beauty Rep03:57 - Fixing Inefficiencies in Traditional B2B07:07 - Centralizing Vendor Management and Timing09:14 - The Challenge of Building a Two-Sided Marketplace11:23 - Designing B2B Products That Drive Revenue13:09 - What Companies Still Get Wrong About Marketplaces15:34 - Entering Niche Industries and Uncovering Inefficiencies17:27 - Exploring Potential in Aesthetic and Longevity Industries18:56 - Anthony's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State19:30 - Anthony's Piece Of Advice For His Younger Self20:25 - Anthony's Biggest Challenges at Beauty Rep22:00 - Instrumental Resources For Anthony's Success23:26 - What Does Success Mean for Anthony Today25:40 - Get In Touch With Anthony Get in touch with Anthony: Beauty Rep Website Anthony's LinkedIn Mentions: Keri Concannon Olivia Schmid Brené Brown ZO Skin Health, Inc. Books: "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  7. May 29

    What Top 1% CSMs Know About Revenue and Relationships with Carl Lenocker #242

    Carl Lenocker is the Chief Unicorn at Rockstar Unicorn Consulting and a top-tier Customer Success executive with over 20 years of experience operating in high-stakes, revenue-critical environments. He has built his career managing and protecting multi-million dollar relationships, focusing on executive-level conversations where outcomes matter more than optics and where revenue is either secured or quietly lost. Known for his no-fluff, field-tested approach, Carl teaches Customer Success professionals to think and act like revenue owners, not support teams. He is also the author of Success Plan for Life, where he applies the same principles used to protect enterprise accounts to career growth, wealth building, and long-term leverage, helping leaders earn trust, de-risk renewals, and break through professional ceilings. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - Intro03:08 - Carl's Journey in Customer Success06:16 - Mindset Shift From Support to Revenue Ownership09:11 - Building Relationships and Overcoming Fears12:18 - Navigating Remote Interactions and Building Trust15:05 - The Impact of AI on Customer Success Roles18:17 - Lessons Beyond Business and Success Plan for Life21:09 - The Power of Planning for Success24:19 - Wealth Accumulation and Legacy Thinking26:18 - Personal Growth and Life Goals27:04 - Choosing the Right Partner29:00 - Navigating Career Growth and Challenges31:07 - Influential Resources for Success33:26 - Defining Success at Midlife Get in touch with Carl: Carl's LinkedIn Rockstar Unicorn Consulting Books: "Success Plan for Life" by Carl Lenocker "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki "Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins "Power Questions" by Andrew Sobel Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

  8. May 19

    Lesson from Scaling Codecademy from $10M to $50M ARR with Daniel Layfield #241

    Daniel Layfield is the Founder of Subscription Index, a consulting and advisory firm that helps subscription and SaaS businesses monetize more effectively. He brings deep experience in growth and product management, having driven more than $100M in business growth with a strong focus on self-service revenue. Previously, he led the growth team at Codecademy, scaling ARR from $10M to $55M prior to its $525M acquisition in 2022. He later served as a product manager at Uber Eats, leading Homefeed ranking, and now works with startups to improve subscription revenue and build sustainable growth models. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - A Journey from $10M to $50M05:06 - Key Decisions and Strategies for Growth13:24 - Finding the Right Model Fremium or Trial20:49 - Connecting Product Roadmap to Business Impact24:26 - Lessons Learned and Overlooked Strategies26:14 - Personal Insights and Rapid Fire Questions Get in Touch with Daniel: Subscription Index Daniel's LinkedIn Mentions: Brian Balfour Reforge Diligent Bumble Tag Us & Follow: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram More About Akeel: Twitter LinkedIn More SaaS Podcast Episodes SaaS Consultants How To Value Your SaaS Company

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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Top Startup and SaaS Podcast for Startup Founders, Entrepreneurs and Investors. Learn how to optimize your growth strategy a SaaS startup entrepreneur from beta all the way to exit. We cover topics such as raising capital, acquisitions, leadership, B2B sales, growth marketing, scaling, hiring, M&A, conversion optimization, productivity, bootstrapping, venture capital, private equity, and innovation. By sharing industry lead expertise, we want you to implement the best-proven tactics to help you scale your SaaS company. Top Podcast Industry Nominations: - 13 Best SaaS Marketing Podcasts | SaaS Marketer - Top SaaS Podcasts for 2021 | Beamer - Top 25 SaaS Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 | Feedspot - Best 26 SaaS & Subscriptions Podcasts to Listen to in 2021 | 2Checkout - Best 26 SaaS & Subscriptions Podcasts to Listen to in 2021 | KlintMarketing

Information

  • Creator
    Akeel Jabber | Horizen Capital
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    248
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Akeel Jabber | Horizen Capital
  • Show Website
    SaaS District