SaaS Roundup #208

Hey there,

There's hardly a debate in Startupland that attracts more passion than the question of whether you should raise venture capital or try to make it on your own.

Aaron Beashel suggests a more measured approach including a framework that you can use to figure out whether your idea is a better fit for bootstrapping or raising money.

Before I let you get into it, I just wanted to let you know that we're looking for a seasoned Senior Account Executive to join our team. We're a fully remote company, so we can promise no handshakes as a perk.

Hope you have a good weekend,
Ilia @ ChartMogul

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New from ChartMogul.

Bootstrap vs VC Funding: These 4 Factors Can Help Determine Which Path Is Right for You
Aaron Beashel

Contrary to what both proponents of bootstrapping and raising capital want you to believe, choosing between the two sides of the debate is not (just) a matter of personal preference. This framework will allow you to think through every aspect of the matter and make the right decision for your company.

"There are a number of factors about your market, product, and company that can help determine which is the right path for you. Don’t rush the decision, and make sure you think every aspect through. It’s not a 50/50 call."

Our top SaaS reads.

Management

The New SaaS Metric You Should Be Tracking

Sam Richard, OpenView

In an era of product-led growth, the established ways we have for measuring SaaS businesses are starting to let us down. We need new metrics argues OpenView's Director of Growth Sam Richard.

"The first new metric is the Natural Rate of Growth (NRG). One way to think about it is how fast a company grows without even trying — before layering on incremental investments in sales and marketing. We’re looking to pinpoint the percentage of your recurring revenue that comes from organic channels and starts with your product."

Marketing

Marketing Right Now Is #$%*ing Hard.

Rand Fishkin, SparkToro

On the one hand, everyone's looking at the economy with a lump stuck in their throat. On the other, companies like Amazon and Instacart are struggling to hire enough people to deal with the extra demand. It is hard to do marketing in an environment with so much uncertainty, but there's a premium for those who manage it well.

"My guess is the economic outlook, while bleak, will have bright spots. And those who invest while others pull back will have advantages now and in the future."

Industry

Six Startup Disciplines for Challenging Times

Tom Tunguz, Redpoint

Communicate clearly, extend your runway, find new ways to generate demand — many of these disciplines sound like common sense things we'll all need to do for a while. Learn what the 6 disciplines are and get started with them ASAP.

"Speaking with startups, I’ve collected a list of disciplines that are going to become very important in the next period."

Discussion of the week.

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