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

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 StrategiesBuilding and Scaling Software CompaniesTransition to ClickUpDifferentiating ClickUp in a Competitive Market EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS The IPO Backlog and Market ReadinessThe Challenges of Going PublicAdvice 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 Twitter Instagram