326: How to Grow to IPO with a Small Problem Solving Team - with Chris Hicken

Scale Your SaaS

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of Scale Your SaaS, Chris Hicken, Chief Productivity Officer at ClickUp, shares his thoughts on the current state of the IPO market, the crucial metrics investors focus on, and the strategic decisions software founders face with host and B2B SaaS Sales Coach Matt Woalch. As the market gradually recovers, many SaaS companies are preparing for potential IPOs, but it's clear that a cautious approach is still prevalent.

PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCE

Podcast: Scale Your SaaS with Matt Wolach

Episode: Episode No. 326, “How to Grow to IPO with a Small Problem-Solving Team - with Chris Hicken”

Guest: Chris Hicken, Chief Productivity Officer at ClickUp

Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS Sales Coach, Entrepreneur, and Investor

Sponsored by: Leadfeeder

TOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODE

• Deciding Between IPO and Other Exit Strategies
• Building and Scaling Software Companies
• Transition to ClickUp
• Differentiating ClickUp in a Competitive Market

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• The IPO Backlog and Market Readiness
• The Challenges of Going Public
• Advice for New Software Founders

TOP QUOTES

Chris Hicken

[09:57] "We often selected executives to join the company based on their pedigree, meaning the logos of the companies that they used to work at, they're very impressive people very smart. They were pre-vetted by companies that we liked and trusted. But when they came to UserTesting, they oftentimes weren't a fit."

[12:50] "As we grew, UserTesting, all of these huge productivity problems started to emerge, for example, it became really hard to see what everybody was working on. So transparency, felt like it went to zero."

[20:25] "Right now, in this environment, it's ultra important to build companies that focus on being scrappy, and efficient and minimizing cash burn. So one of the tools that founders can use early on, of course, is to lean much more heavily on AI."

Matt Wolach

[09:57] "I've learned the same lesson. Hiring for culture is so important. It's something I've learned in my career. And beyond that, like you say, being a problem solver and finding those problem solvers is critical.”

LEARN MORE
To learn more about ClickUp, visit: https://clickup.com/

You can also find Chris Hicken on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishicken/

For more about how Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com.

Head over to leadfeeder.com and sign up for a 14-day (no strings attached) free trial: https://www.leadfeeder.com/

Get even more tips by following Matt elsewhere:

• Sales Tips
• LinkedIn
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