Startups For the Rest of Us

Episode 766 | Close.com's Amazing Run to $40M ARR (with Steli Efti)

Listen Later

How do you achieve both success and longevity in SaaS?

In episode 766, Rob chats with Steli Efti about growing Close.com to over $40 million in ARR. Steli shares insights into the importance of maintaining strong co-founder relationships over 12 years, navigating crises, and the importance of emotional resilience in entrepreneurship. They also dive into Close's recent pricing shift to introduce a lower entry-level plan.

Topics we cover: 
  • (2:08) – Reflecting on 12 years of SaaS at Close
  • (3:50) – Strong co-founder relationships
  • (11:24) – Longevity and consistently showing up
  • (20:23) – Surviving moments of crisis
  • (29:27) – Launching a more affordable pricing tier
  • (34:40) – Getting back into the content game
    • Links from the Show: 
    • Exit Strategy by Sherry Walling, PhD & Rob Walling
    • Close
    • Close Sales Guides
    • Episode 498 | Selling During a Pandemic with Steli Efti
    • The 0 to $30 Million Blueprint
    • Steli Efti (@Steli) | X
    • Steli Efti | LinkedIn

      • If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

      Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      Startups For the Rest of UsBy Rob Walling
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9

      4.9

      697 ratings

      More shows like Startups For the Rest of Us

      View all
      This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

      This Week in Startups

      1,285 Listeners

      The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

      The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

      175 Listeners

      The a16z Show by Andreessen Horowitz

      The a16z Show

      1,082 Listeners

      The SaaS Podcast: Build, Launch & Scale Your SaaS by Omer Khan

      The SaaS Podcast: Build, Launch & Scale Your SaaS

      186 Listeners

      Built to Sell Radio by John Warrillow

      Built to Sell Radio

      212 Listeners

      Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

      Y Combinator Startup Podcast

      227 Listeners

      REWORK by 37signals

      REWORK

      210 Listeners

      My First Million by Hubspot Media

      My First Million

      2,650 Listeners

      The Startup Ideas Podcast by Greg Isenberg

      The Startup Ideas Podcast

      205 Listeners

      Marketing Against The Grain by Hubspot Media

      Marketing Against The Grain

      356 Listeners

      Moneywise by Hampton

      Moneywise

      654 Listeners

      The Koerner Office - Business Ideas and Small Business Deep Dives with Entrepreneurs by Chris Koerner

      The Koerner Office - Business Ideas and Small Business Deep Dives with Entrepreneurs

      239 Listeners

      The Next Wave - AI and The Future of Technology by Mindstream (Hubspot Media)

      The Next Wave - AI and The Future of Technology

      59 Listeners

      AI + a16z by a16z

      AI + a16z

      35 Listeners

      Lightcone Podcast by Y Combinator

      Lightcone Podcast

      21 Listeners