The SaaS CFO

Ben Murray
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Monthly

Ben Murray, The SaaS CFO, talks all things SaaS.

  1. 1d ago

    Unlocking Hidden Talents: The Future of Skills Mapping with AI

    On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben sits down with Giacomo Marchiori, CEO and founder of Talentware, an AI-native skill intelligence platform transforming the HR tech landscape.   From his unique career path in engineering and automotive manufacturing to founding a rapidly growing SaaS company, Giacomo Marchiori shares the story behind Talentware’s creation, its innovative approach to skill assessment across industries and job functions, and the company’s impressive growth fueled by recent fundraising rounds.   Join us as we dive into lessons learned in startup fundraising, navigating the crowded AI space, scaling go-to-market efforts, and building a tech company poised for expansion throughout Europe.  Show Notes:  00:00 Improving Talent Management Processes  04:03 Mapping and Assessing Skills  06:56 Initial VC Fundraising Stages  10:25 Starting VC conversations early  14:20 Choosing a Technology Investment Strategy  17:54 Upcoming events and expansion plans  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/talentware-secures-800-000-in-pre-seed-funding/  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/talentware-raises-3-3m-seed/  Giacomo Marchiori’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giacomo-marchiori/  Talentware’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentware-ai/  Talentware’s Website: https://talentware.ai/en/home/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  2. Oct 8

    Closing Books Faster with AI: A Vision for Accountants

    Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben Murray is joined by Alex Lee, CEO and co-founder of Truewind, a company on a mission to build cutting-edge AI tools for accountants. With a background that uniquely spans aerospace engineering, venture capital, and SaaS startups, Alex Lee brings a fresh perspective to the future of finance.  Listeners will hear how Truewind fits into the accounting close process, empowering accountants with AI-driven workpapers, journal entry automation, and digitized standard operating procedures. Alex Lee explains how the platform streamlines financial operations—without replacing ERPs—and discusses its impact on everything from audit readiness to accelerating the value delivered to customers.  The conversation also explores the evolving role of accountants in an AI-powered world, lessons learned from raising $17 million in venture funding, and thoughtful go-to-market strategies tailored for CFOs and controllers. Don’t miss this episode if you’re interested in AI, SaaS, fundraising, or the future of accounting technology.  Show Notes:  00:00 Building First Startup Blue Light  03:30 Integrating AI with existing ERP  06:40 Benefits of TruWind API integration  10:07 Evolving roles in accounting  14:37 Key fundraising lessons for startups  16:56 Choosing the Right Investor Fit  19:57 Understanding Partnership Tiers  23:09 Tracking Customer Value and Engagement  26:00 AI infrastructure in finance  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/truewind-raises-13-million-in-series-a/  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/truwind-raises-3-million-in-seed-round/  Alex Lee’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlee611/  Truewind’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truewindai  Truewind’s Website: trytruewind.com  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  3. Oct 1

    The Million-Dollar Blueprint: Building a TikTok Empire with AI

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben sits down with Ali Mirzaei, CEO and founder of Dimension Studios. Dimension Studios is leading the charge in AI-powered automation for TikTok Shop operations with their flagship software, Seller OS. Ali Mirzaei shares the unexpected journey from building the top shop on TikTok to founding Dimension, discusses lessons learned in fundraising, and reveals how the company's unique AI agent—trained on real shop data and industry expertise—is leveling the playing field for brands of all sizes. Tune in to hear how Dimension Studios is scaling quickly, keeping customer acquisition costs low, and balancing both service and SaaS models while navigating the fast-evolving landscape of AI and e-commerce.  Show Notes:  00:00 AI Operator for TikTok Shop Support  06:14 Advice for startup founders  09:57 Analyzing user updates impact  12:04 Macroeconomics and AI impact  14:10 Sharing Ali's journey  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/dimension-raises-1-65m-seed/  Ali Mirzaei's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-mirzaei-a411791b4/  Dimension Studios' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dimensionstudios/  Dimenstion Studios' Website: https://www.dimensionstudios.co/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  4. Sep 24

    Stop Bleeding Cash: Smarter AI Spend for SaaS

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, the conversation focused on one of the hottest topics for finance leaders and founders: managing and tracking AI spend within SaaS businesses. The discussion explored the rise of agentic AI platforms like Stackpack, which help companies take control of rapidly increasing vendor costs, manage contracts, and bring greater visibility into how AI tools are used across teams and departments.  A key theme that emerged was the shift from traditional software spend management to new challenges presented by AI tools, which are often priced on usage, tokens, or credits. Several points were raised, including the limitations of invoice-level tracking, the difficulty in breaking down spend by employee or department, and the importance of integrating HR and SSO data to unlock more granular attribution.  The episode also delved into the creation of effective dashboards for CFOs, strategies for governing AI usage and cost allocation, and tips for budgeting in a landscape where model choice, usage intensity, and pricing models are constantly evolving. The discussion wrapped with insights on measuring ROI from AI investments and how to adapt traditional software spend frameworks for the new era of agentic AI. If you’re a finance leader navigating the complexities of AI spend—or just trying to look good in front of your board this budget season—you won’t want to miss this conversation.  Show Notes:  00:00 Tracking AI Usage Costs  06:32 Teams plan data management  08:29 AI dashboard essentials and trends  13:26 Setting AI policy and costs  14:24 Discussing AI budgeting tips for CFOs  20:33 Increasing sales team output with AI  21:51 Discussing the ROSE metric  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/stackpack-raises-6-3-million-in-seed-round/  https://techfundingevents.com/companies/stackpack.ai  Sara Wyman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-wyman/  Stackpack's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stackpack-ai  Stackpack's Website: https://www.stackpack.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  5. Sep 17

    AI for Logistics: Inside 5U AI’s Journey to Transform Operations

    In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben Murray sits down with Yagiz Abik, CEO and co-founder of 5U AI. Yagiz shares his journey from building businesses in Turkey to immersing himself in Munich's startup scene, ultimately founding 5U AI—a company delivering digital employees to automate repetitive tasks for logistics companies.   The conversation explores the challenges of selling AI-driven solutions to a traditionally tech-resistant industry, how 5U AI is carving out its niche with mid-market logistics firms in Europe, and the strategies Yagiz used to raise $3.2 million in pre-seed funding within just two weeks. Yagiz dives into the evolving financial metrics for AI-native SaaS, lessons from rapid growth, and what it's like to build a team and product from scratch.   Whether you're a SaaS founder, investor, or curious about the impact of AI in legacy industries, this episode is packed with actionable insights and candid stories from the trenches.  Show Notes:  00:00 Pivoting to New Opportunities  04:45 AI adoption in logistics industry  10:02 Challenges of Raising Pre-Seed Capital  13:32 Charging per task done  15:50 Optimizing with open source models  19:48 Reaching out via LinkedIn  20:49 Wrapping up and looking ahead  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/5u-ai-raises-3-2m-pre-seed/  Yagiz Abik's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abik/  5U AI's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/5u-ai/  5U AI's Website: https://5u.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  6. Sep 10

    Turning Company Shutdowns into Opportunity with Simple Closure

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben sits down with Dori Yona, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Simple Closure. Dori Yona shares lessons from building three companies, taking us on Simple Closure’s journey to becoming the go-to platform for automating and simplifying the process of shutting down businesses. With millions of US companies dissolving each year, Simple Closure is changing the landscape by offering tech-driven solutions that save founders time, money, and the hassle of compliance headaches. From monetizing overlooked assets to fundraising insights and AI-powered operations, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways for SaaS founders, CFOs, and startup leaders navigating growth and closure alike.  Show Notes:  00:00 Business closures and market stability  05:44 Vision and launch of Asset Hub  09:30 Creating FOMO in Fundraising  11:22 Partner-driven revenue strategy  15:29 Understanding the recurring market  16:48 Tracking customer impact metrics  Links:  Dori Yona's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dori-yona-b8369877/  Simple Closure's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simpleclosure/  Simple Closure's Website: https://simpleclosure.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  7. Sep 3

    Skyrocket Your Sales: Insider Tips from a Sales Guru

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, Ben welcomes Ramsey Al-Ramahi, founder and CEO of RevReply, who shares his journey from scaling a lead gen agency to creating an AI-powered SaaS platform for sales conversion.  Ben and Ramsey Al-Ramahi discuss the transition from services to software, the unique challenges of building a platform, and how RevReply found traction with B2B sales teams. They also cover the experience of fundraising, joining the Berkeley Skydeck accelerator, and raising a $1 million seed round.  Ramsey Al-Ramahi opens up about the metrics that guide his business and the ongoing challenges—and opportunities—of leveraging AI in sales. Tune in for actionable insights and an inside look at building a SaaS company in today’s fast-changing landscape.  Show Notes:  00:00 Refining sales techniques with experience  05:06 Evaluating Meeting Productivity Issues  07:11 Target customers: high-volume or complex workflows  12:30 Scaling up and resource allocation  14:27 Managing overwhelming inbound demand  19:07 Focusing on customer retention  22:00 Weighing AI vs. human costs  23:31 Offering free pipeline advice  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/revreply-raises-1m-seed/  Ramsey Al-Ramahi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyalramahi/  RevReply's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revreply/  RevReply's Website: https://www.revreply.com/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

  8. Aug 27

    How They Raised $6.3 Million: The Story of a Cybersecurity Startup's Journey

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben Murray sits down with Mahdi Abdulzarak and Kim Van Lavieren, the co-founders of Dawnguard—an innovative SaaS platform aiming to transform how large enterprises design, secure, and manage their cloud infrastructure.   Mahdi Abdulzarak, CEO, brings decades of cybersecurity leadership, while CTO Kim Van Lavieren draws on deep technical expertise from organizations like Amazon and the military. Together, they share the Dawnguard founding story, insights on fundraising as experienced founders, building with design partners, and how AI-driven solutions are changing the game in cloud security.   From go-to-market strategies to engineering harnesses and pricing AI-powered products, this conversation delivers a behind-the-scenes look at launching and scaling a SaaS startup in a rapidly evolving industry.  Show Notes:  00:00 Improving IT system design process  05:26 Starting a company from a deck  08:46 Advice for working with VCs  09:56 Finding the right co-founder  16:17 Determining sustainable pricing strategy  17:08 Shifting AI pricing models  22:05 Using AI tools effectively  23:43 CEO and CTO priorities 2026  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/dawnguard-raises-3-4m-pre-seed/  Mahdi Abdulzarak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahdiabdulrazak/  Kim van Lavieren's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-v-0645931b4/?locale=en  Dawnguard's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dawnguard/  Dawnguard's Website: https://dawnguard.ai/  To learn more about Ben check out the links below:  Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe  Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page  SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/  Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout  Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

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About

Ben Murray, The SaaS CFO, talks all things SaaS.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Murray
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    277
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The SaaS CFO

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