Lessons from SaaS skyscrapers

If you want to scale, surround yourself with skyscrapers.

Turns out, growth isn't just about metrics…

It's about the energy, the secrets traded over hushed tones, the candid failures-turned-lessons — It's infectious.

You get your regular dose of insight from me at Margin Makers… But what if I pulled back the curtain on the gritty, in-the-trenches journey of scaling a SaaS business?

Gave you a backstage pass to the bustling ballroom, the electric atmosphere of two phenomenal days at SaaS Launch Live in Dallas?

That's this edition.

A behind-the-scenes dive into the minds of individuals who've navigated the maze of SaaS — people I now call my brainstorming buddies, folks whose stories would've had a younger Matt Deseno on the edge of his seat, scribbling notes frantically.

Ready to rub virtual shoulders with the pros?

Today in 5 minutes or less:

✔️ Our day 1 catastrophe

✔️ A hole-in-one SaaS hack

✔️ “Unbelievable” with JC

✔️ Shortcut to $81k

✔️ Julie Chenell’s secret to 2,000 users

✔️ The perfect ratio for connections

DAY 1

In the annals of event-planning, there's an unwritten rule…

Murphy's Law rules supreme: Anything that can go wrong, will.

Months, no, an entire year — that's how long my team and I spent planning every detail of this event. We were crafting an experience, not just another conference.

We envisioned the very best.

But life, as it so often does, threw us a curveball that would baffle any batter. ⚾

Just 10 minutes before opening the doors to SaaS Launch Live, all the screens went black.

Power was out.

The very lifeblood of our event had flatlined.

*Cue flashbacks to last SaaS Launch Live when Newport had a city-wide blackout 😨 *

Our LED wall, the TVs – everything needed a fix, and time was a luxury we didn’t have.

Yet, in a race against the clock, my team surged…

Day 1 kicked off, filled with epic discussions, connections, and strategies. Against all odds, we were back in full swing, lighting up the stage. ⚡

SaaS Launch Live wasn't just underway. It was a triumph.

If Day 1 was this intense, imagine what Day 2 held…

#1 ANDREW HAGEN: AUTOMATIONS MAVEN, SPREADSHEET SORCERER, AND DIRECTOR OF ZAPPYCHAT

Andrew Hagen took the stage, and the room instantly tuned in. This guy knows his stuff, and everyone was eager to learn from him.

He used a clever comparison between playing a game of golf and running a SaaS business.

How often we take our shot, aiming for that sweet spot, only to find ourselves in the rough or missing the mark entirely.

But just as a golfer has a trusty putter to finish the job, we have... AI.

Andrew gave us a deep dive into ZappyChat's cutting-edge AI powers and its crazy-cool ability to, quite literally, sell itself.

It wasn't just a presentation; it was an invitation — to harness this technology, to streamline our operations and revolutionize our game.

A tangible solution to our business blind spots.

Andrew posed a thought: "Why settle for par when AI can place us squarely on the green?"

Now that, my friends, is not just thinking big — it's thinking smarter.

#2 JC HITE: PURPOSE VISIONARY, CEO OF HITE DIGITAL, THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER

It's funny how some people just light up the room without even trying. JC's one of them.

Alongside his wife and confidant, Karen, they're the driving forces behind The Commitment Summit, Agency Intensives, and the Committed Mastermind.

They're not just teaching success; they're curating paths to purpose.

I've always admired his perspective on teamwork and the emphasis he places on the individual.

He shared a golden nugget that resonated deep: "YOU are your #1 Team Member."

However, the right support system? That's non-negotiable.

JC unraveled his secret recipe for spotting superstar talent. I had my ears perked, especially since I've swiped a page or two from his playbook for my own hiring process.

His message was crystal clear: elevate your team, elevate your service. And watch as that service skyrockets from "Basic" to "Unbelievable."

My big takeaway? It's not about the how or the what. It's about the WHO and the WHY.

Get that right, and everything falls into place.

#3 ANDY AUDATE: MASTER MOTIVATOR, SAAS SALES STRATEGIST, ENERGY AMPLIFIER

The moment Andy Audate starting speaking, we all felt the shift — energy, intensity, and anticipation.

With a group "power clap," he roped us all in.

The room was buzzing, ready for his words of wisdom.

Andy dived straight into the art of selling your Whitelabel SaaS — but not in the way you’d think.

He posed a simple yet profound question: "Who’s more likely to boost SaaS sales? A one-on-one pitch or addressing a room packed with a hundred eager listeners?"

The math, he revealed, didn’t lie.

Selling one-to-many isn't just about efficiency. It's cost-effective, time-saving, and maximizes closing rates. Andy charted out how just one potent webinar a month could rake in a cool $81K.

And he wasn’t just preaching; he handed us the blueprint.

Here’s the gist:

• Schedule one webinar per month and get butts in seats +

• Demonstrate the magic of your SaaS and sell it +

• Nail the follow-up process…

= Reap rewards that others only dream of

What sets Andy apart isn’t just his sales insight. It’s his ability to uplift, inspire, and drive people to action.

The kind of richness that truly counts.

#4 JULIE CHENELL: SAAS PRODIGY, FUNNEL MAESTRO, AND HEART-DRIVEN MARKETER

Julie Chenell's entrance to the stage was met with a chorus of hushed awe.

Here was the marketing master who’d raked in $17m in sales from 2016 to 2022. But it's her thriving user base of over 2,000 that left us all gaping — numbers most only see in dreams.

Yet, what shines about Julie isn’t just her stats, it’s her refreshing transparency.

With a generosity of spirit, she deconstructed the Secrets of a Strong SaaS. We were guided through every headline, email, and automation underpinning her winning evergreen demo funnel.

We weren’t just attendees; we became students of her mastery. Her advice wasn’t one-size-fits-all; it was tailored, personal.

A snippet of her distilled wisdom:

• Three S's for Success: Surround your tool with Support, Schooling, and Shortcuts. It’s not just about a robust platform, but the entire ecosystem you create around it.

In the age of DMs and automated sales calls, Julie stands as a beacon of genuine connection.

She answers, she listens, and she guides — a rare trifecta. She reminds us that success isn’t just about hitting numbers but nurturing each connection made along the way.

As we sipped from her well of wisdom, we were all left with one resounding thought:

To grow big, grow with heart.

#5 KAREN HITE: CO-FOUNDER OF HITE DIGITAL, BRIDGE-BUILDER, AND QUEEN OF CONNECTING THE DOTS

Karen's entrance was an immediate mood-lifter.

Her infectious laughter resonated through the hall.

From the heart of Nicaragua, where the boundaries to her dreams were drawn tight, Karen's journey to the stage was the stuff of legends.

But she didn't bask in her story alone. She prompted bravery, urging attendees to speak up and share their business gaps.

With each shared vulnerability, she scribbled on a notepad, acknowledging the bravery in their honesty…

And then, she connected them with their answers: peers who'd already solved their exact problems.

The room turned electric, a live testament to the potent power of connection.

Karen says we need 3 types of connections:

• 33% of people that we help.

• 33% of people that are at our level.

• 33% of people that are helping us.

At SaaS Launch Live, we experienced this triad in its full vibrancy. Every attendee, every speaker, every connection was an integral part of this mix.

To those who attended this event, your presence was vital. Thank you for showing up.

…And to those wrapping up at the LevelUp Summit in Dallas: Lean into the connections you made, the strategies (and tools) you learned, and running your business with heart. These are the compass to your success journey.

To profiting more and working less. 💸 

-Matt

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