The SaaS CFO

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

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

  1. 4d ago

    Navigating AI and Enterprise Sales With Ryan Austin

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben sits down with Ryan Austin, founder and CEO of Cognota. Ryan shares his journey from being an entrepreneur with a self-described unconventional academic background to building Cognota, a company pioneering the "LearnOps" category for enterprise learning and development teams.   Together, they dive into the challenges of scaling in today’s market, discuss creative approaches to enterprise sales and pricing, and explore how AI is reshaping internal operations and competitive strategy. Whether you’re interested in SaaS growth, fundraising, or the evolving landscape of learning technology, this episode offers unique insights from Ryan's experience leading an agile team and navigating the fast-changing world of enterprise software.  Show Notes:  00:00 Integrating tech for better outcomes  04:53 Managing Longer Sales Cycles  07:20 Investing in leadership team  11:26 Exploring outcome-based pricing models  15:47 Discussing ARR and AI efficiencies  18:32 Making tough business decisions  20:19 Connecting on LinkedIn and LearnOps  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/cognota-raises-5-75-million-series-b  Ryan Austin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanaustin3/  Cognota’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cognotahq/  Cognota’s Website: https://cognota.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

  2. Jul 9

    Get Funded Faster: Proven Strategies for SaaS Debt Financing Success

    Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray is joined by Josh Axler, Managing Director at Flow Capital, for a deep dive into the world of SaaS fundraising, venture debt, and revenue metrics. Josh shares his perspective on what makes SaaS ARR truly financeable, the nuances between live and committed revenue, and why understanding the quality of your earnings is critical for securing debt financing.  Listeners will get practical advice on key SaaS metrics, due diligence readiness, and how to prepare for successful conversations with lenders. Josh also addresses the impact of AI on SaaS businesses, current expectations in SaaS lending, and common misconceptions about equity versus debt financing. Whether you’re a founder, CFO, or operator aiming for growth, this episode offers invaluable insight into navigating the evolving financial landscape for SaaS companies.  Show Notes:  00:00 Introduction to Flow Capital  03:13 Evaluating ARR quality and details  07:25 Evaluating SaaS Financial Health  10:08 Finding ideal customer profiles  15:04 Evaluating SaaS Lending Metrics  18:43 Using debt for growth capital  20:17 Challenges with venture debt repayment  25:07 Evaluating AI impact on business  26:55 AI companies and revenue concerns  29:21 Assessing value and revenue impact  33:49 Contacting Josh for more info  Links:  Josh Axler’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshaxler/  Flow Capital’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowcapital/  Flow Capital’s Website: https://www.flowcap.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. Jul 2

    How AI is Changing Security Awareness Training

    Join us for an in-depth conversation with Brandon Min, founder and CEO of Herd Security, as he shares his journey in building an innovative SaaS company at the intersection of cybersecurity and AI. In this episode, we dive into how Herd Security is moving beyond outdated, compliance-driven training and transforming how enterprises educate their teams about security and AI adoption with ongoing, personalized programs.  The discussion covers Brandon’s path from engineering roles to entrepreneurship, the challenges and realities of startup fundraising in today’s market, and the bold steps Herd Security is taking with founder-led sales and customer acquisition. We also unpack the complexities of SaaS pricing models in the AI era, and Brandon’s approach to tracking operational metrics, product development speed, and customer feedback.  Whether you’re a SaaS founder, CFO, or anyone interested in cybersecurity, AI, or startup growth strategies, this episode of The SaaS CFO is packed with actionable insights and candid stories from the front lines.  🔹 Topics Covered:  How Herd Security rethinks security awareness with AI  Brandon Min’s entrepreneurial journey  Fundraising lessons and cap table considerations  Founder-led sales and go-to-market strategy  SaaS pricing models and the impact of AI  Key metrics and operating in a rapid innovation environment  Show Notes:  00:00 Improving security training with AI  05:15 Targeting mid-market companies for security  10:17 Planning a realistic company exit  11:29 Challenges in Securing Investor Interest  15:54 Cold calling and outbound sales  17:31 Pricing and product tiering basics  22:00 Product roadmap and testing ideas  24:24 Optimizing distribution channels  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/herd-security-lands-3m-in-funding  Brandon Min’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-min-356ab290/  Herd Security’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/herdsecurity  Herd Security’s Website: https://www.herdsecurity.io/  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. Jun 25

    How AI Finds Hackers Before It’s Too Late

    Join Ben Murray as he sits down with Guy Sheetrit, the innovative CEO and founder of Lyrie AI, for a deep dive into the fast-evolving world of SaaS, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. The conversation focuses on Guy’s extraordinary journey—from being one of Israel’s first internet-connected teens and a pioneer in SEO, to rebuilding everything after a failed IPO, and launching a cutting-edge AI-powered cybersecurity platform in Dubai.  A key theme that emerges is resilience and reinvention. Ben and Guy explore the challenges and opportunities of building in stealth, redefining industry standards with autonomous cyber agents, and addressing threats others aren’t even detecting. Discover how Lyrie is transforming cybersecurity for organizations of all sizes, what it takes to raise strategic capital without losing product focus, and Guy’s vision to make the ATP protocol the new global benchmark.  Don’t miss this episode if you want a behind-the-scenes look at SaaS entrepreneurship, next-gen cybersecurity, and the future of AI in business defense.  Show Notes:  00:00 Early business success and pre-COVID struggles  03:51 Moving business to Dubai  10:44 Self-funding and costly GPU expenses  12:03 Meeting with Joshua in Dubai  15:19 Early revenue and growth strategies  19:02 Concerns about advanced AI access  22:56 Marketing plan for 1 million clients  24:27 Checking and improving SEO  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/lyrie-ai-raises-2m-pre-seed-round  Guy Sheetrit’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guysheetrit/  Lyrie AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lyrie-ai/about/  Lyrie AI’s Website: https://lyrie.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. Jun 18

    AI Meets Sales Tax: Transforming Compliance for the Digital Age

    Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, Ben sits down with Rohit Bhadange, co-founder and CEO of Zamp—the operating system for sales tax compliance that’s bringing much-needed visibility and automation to a traditionally complex space.  From his roots in investment banking and private equity to launching Zamp in 2022, Rohit Bhadange shares how his team is reshaping compliance for the entire digital economy, serving everyone from early-stage SaaS founders to enterprises approaching $500 million in revenue. Learn how Zamp leverages AI and data transparency to drive operational leverage and win trust from both customers and accounting partners, resulting in rapid fundraising traction and a business growing 5–6x since their Series A.  We’ll discuss Zamp’s approach to pricing, global expansion, customer acquisition strategies, and hear Rohit Bhadange's insight on SaaS growth metrics, operating leverage, and what sets a modern compliance platform apart. Whether you’re a SaaS founder, CFO, or just fascinated by the evolving intersection of AI and finance, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways.  Show Notes:  00:00 Targeting mid-sized enterprise customers  03:20 Expanding international market reach  09:26 Building in Stealth Mode  11:03 Choosing the Right Investors  14:01 Improving AI with Transparent Workflows   17:48 Outcome-based pricing strategy  21:27 Growth and efficiency improvements  23:30 Where to find Rohit online  Links:   SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/zamp-bags-30m-in-total-funding  Rohit Bhandage’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohitbhadange/  Zamp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zamptax/  Zamp’s Website: https://zamp.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

  6. Jun 11

    From Cash Management to Payroll: Streamline Your Back Office with AI

    Join Ben Murray on The SaaS CFO Podcast as he welcomes Pac O'Shea, CEO and co-founder of Round Treasury. In this episode, Pac O'Shea shares his journey from fintech consulting to launching a SaaS company focused on automating finance operations for growing businesses.  Discover how Round Treasury is using AI and automation to streamline cash management, accounts payable, and reporting, empowering CFOs and founders to save time and make smarter financial decisions. Pac O'Shea talks about building secure agentic workflows, the realities of raising capital in today’s AI-driven market, and why transparency in pricing matters. Whether you’re a finance leader or startup founder, you’ll get practical insights into the future of back office automation, the challenges of scaling a SaaS company, and strategies for engaging with CFOs in a rapidly changing tech landscape.  Show Notes:  00:00 Early treasury product for businesses  04:48 Building AI for Stable Coin Payments  07:38 Testing AI for banking tasks  13:13 Customer referrals and word-of-mouth  14:36 Discussing the pricing model update  17:40 Hiring focus and enterprise projects  Links:   Pac O’Shea’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pac-o-shea/  Round Treasury’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roundtreasury  Round Treasury’s Website: https://www.roundtreasury.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. Jun 4

    Why Top Law Firms and Judges Are Turning to AI for Legal Research

    On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben Murray welcomes Laina Chan, CEO and founder of MiAI Law, to discuss the intersection of legal expertise and cutting-edge AI. With a three-decade career as a construction law barrister and a background in mathematics, Laina Chan shares how her experiences led to building a platform that transforms legal research and risk management.  Laina Chan explains how MiAI Law stands apart by replicating the way barristers think, offering precise, first-principles of legal analysis and verification—features now attracting judges, large law firms, and in-house counsel. She dives into the challenges of bringing AI into traditional legal workflows, recent fundraising wins, and the company’s approach to value-based pricing given the high demands of AI inference.  Looking ahead, Laina Chan talks about MiAI Law’s rapid growth, its entry into the US market, and ambitious plans to reach $1 million in annual recurring revenue. Listen in for exclusive insights on building and scaling an AI-driven SaaS business in the evolving legal tech landscape.  Show Notes:  00:00 Unexpected markets for legal tech  05:38 Legal document analysis tools  06:34 Legal risk management system overview  10:27 Testing error validation with a judge  13:58 Subscription pricing and package features  19:17 Microsoft partnership and Azure listing  20:40 Potential UK firm subscription  23:26 Crafting detailed reports  Links:   SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/miai-law-secures-aud-2-million-in-funding  Laina Chan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lainachanbarrister/  MiAI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/miai-law/  MiAI’s Website: https://miai.law/  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. Jun 2

    Scaling Trayd: From Seed to Series A and 600 Percent Growth

    Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray catches up with Anna Berger, founder and CEO of Trayd, to discuss the company’s impressive journey from a $4.5 million seed round to a $10 million Series A in just a year.  Anna Berger shares how Trayd sharpened its focus on serving union and prevailing wage contractors, leading to 600% revenue growth and a team expansion from 14 to 35 employees. She dives into the challenges of hiring, the evolution of their leadership team, and the company-wide embrace of AI tools to boost productivity.  Listen in as Anna Berger discusses refining Trayd’s go-to-market strategy, the metrics that matter most, and what it truly takes to scale a SaaS company in the construction tech space.  Show Notes:  00:00 The Series A growth stage  06:08 Challenges of hiring staff  07:05 Teamwide AI tool integration  12:33 Understanding investor expectations  15:32 Organizing unstructured company data  17:56 Managing seasonal workforce needs  19:26 Staying resilient in tough times  Links:  SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/trayd-raises-4-5-million-in-seed-round  Anna Berger’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annajberger/  Trayd’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/traydinc/  Trayd’s Website: https://www.buildtrayd.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

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About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Murray
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    264
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The SaaS CFO

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