In this episode we're pleased to host Jeremy Kelstrom from Alaris, a company that continues to make waves in the B2B SaaS space by addressing the needs of youth sports, camps, and club check-in experiences. With a really cool origin story that dates back to their initially winning a business plan competition sponsored by Rolls Royce, Jeremy dives into how Alaris pivoted away from its core signature recognition technology origins to eventually becoming a key player in club management software.

Host Pete Moore and Jeremy also discuss how customer feedback led to their significant pivot, challenges and successes of entrepreneurship, and how Alaris is expanding its offerings with innovative booking platforms. Kelstrom shares his valuable insights on product market fit, customer feedback, and the importance of a bottom-up strategy focusing on front-line staff's experiences.

When it comes to the power of partnerships for growth, he states, "There are lots of deals we're brought in on where it's said to to the customer, 'Hey, you can't use our software unless you get Alaris.' That's been a testament to our partnerships with the clubs themselves, but also the member management partners."

Key themes discussed

• Innovative Acoustic Signature Technology
• Market-Driven Tech Success
• Outdoor Program Growth Catalyst
• Piggyback SaaS Growth Strategy
• Member Management Integration Advantage
• Business Growth and Market Expansion
• Customer-First, Bottom-Up Approach
• Naming Inspiration: Alaris Origins

A few key takeaways: 

1. Pivoting from Core Technology: Jeremy discussed Alaris’ journey and the hard decision they had to make to pivot away from their original signature recognition technology to a more market-driven solution. They shifted focus to cater to the specific needs of kids' clubs and youth camps after realizing their core technology wasn't resonating.

2. Importance of Customer Feedback: Jeremy emphasized the significance of listening to customer feedback and market demands. He mentioned the importance of translating customer frustrations into scalable software solutions, highlighting the need for alignment with user needs rather than forcing a paticular technology onto the market that really wasn't needed (or wanted.)

3. COVID's Impact on Business: The pandemic posed a challenging time for Alaris, but it also brought about a positive shift in their focus towards health and outdoor programming. Jeremy noted a surge in interest for youth camps and outdoor activities, which they successfully supported through their software.

4. Growth through Integration and Expansion: Kelstrom explained Alaris’ strategy of integrating with major member management systems like ABC Fitness and Club Automation. This expanded their footprint within existing clients and built robust partnerships, making Alaris a mission-critical part of their clients’ operations.

5. Strategic Financial Management: Rather than take on significant outside capital and run at a deficit, Alaris has been prudent and methodical in its growth. Jeremy shared that their focus has been on creating the best product experience rather than short-term profitability, contributing to a long term sustainable and profitable business model.

Click here to download transcript. 

Resources: 

• Jeremy Kelstrom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremykelstrom/ 
• Alaris: https://www.alaris.cloud/ 
• Prospect Wizard: http://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: http://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: http://www.higherdose.com