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S01E02: Tyler Sloat decodes the subscription business, the metrics and the levers that matter
Used to be that we subscribed to newspapers, magazines, and gym memberships. But these days, every business is trying to become a subscription service. Movies, music, transportation, groceries, fashion, lawn maintenance, and the list of subscription businesses in our lives go on.
Why is that? What is it about the subscription economy that makes it a superior business model? And what are the nuances of building a subscription business? In today’s episode Tyler Sloat, the Chief Financial Officer at Freshworks decodes the subscription model for us. We also dive deep into the business of software as a services model.
As the former CFO at Zuora, a pioneering enterprise software company that manages subscription payments for businesses, Tyler is an expert on the subject. Tune in as he breaks down the building blocks of a subscription-based company, the metrics that you need to keep track of as a startup founder, the importance of the Rule of 40, and the role of the CFO in a startup. If you’re a part of a SaaS organization or a business that relies on monthly recurring payments we promise you that this is an episode that you do not want to miss out on.
About the Guest
Tyler Sloat has more than twenty-five years of experience in finance and operations roles for SaaS, software, and hardware technology companies varying in size from start-up to Fortune 500. Sloat served as Chief Financial Officer at Zuora Inc. for nearly 10 years, guiding the subscription payments leader from start-up through a successful public listing and subsequent quarters as a public company. In that role, he helped the company grow annual recurring revenue ~20x, raised over $200 mn in capital, and at times managed all G&A, commercial sales, technical operations, and sales operations. Before Zuora Sloat was the Chief Financial Officer for Obopay, where he was integral in raising well over $100M in investment and strategic capital, forming global commercial relationships with the likes of Nokia, MasterCard, and Societe Generale, and deploying Obopay's mobile payment service in four countries spanning three continents. Tyler joined Freshworks as CFO in 2020. At Freshworks, Tyler’s role involves maintaining sustainable growth across its customer segments and overseeing all the Accounting, Finance, Legal and IT functions.
Sign up for regular updates from The Orbit Shift Podcast.
Register as part of the Freshworks for Startups Programme
The Orbit Shift Podcast is Powered by Freshworks Inc. a global SaaS company headquartered in San Mateo, California.
Host and Producer - Jayadevan PK
Assistant Producer - Shashwath J
Audio Engineer - Rajesh Subramanian
View all episodes
By Freshworks Inc.Used to be that we subscribed to newspapers, magazines, and gym memberships. But these days, every business is trying to become a subscription service. Movies, music, transportation, groceries, fashion, lawn maintenance, and the list of subscription businesses in our lives go on.
Why is that? What is it about the subscription economy that makes it a superior business model? And what are the nuances of building a subscription business? In today’s episode Tyler Sloat, the Chief Financial Officer at Freshworks decodes the subscription model for us. We also dive deep into the business of software as a services model.
As the former CFO at Zuora, a pioneering enterprise software company that manages subscription payments for businesses, Tyler is an expert on the subject. Tune in as he breaks down the building blocks of a subscription-based company, the metrics that you need to keep track of as a startup founder, the importance of the Rule of 40, and the role of the CFO in a startup. If you’re a part of a SaaS organization or a business that relies on monthly recurring payments we promise you that this is an episode that you do not want to miss out on.
About the Guest
Tyler Sloat has more than twenty-five years of experience in finance and operations roles for SaaS, software, and hardware technology companies varying in size from start-up to Fortune 500. Sloat served as Chief Financial Officer at Zuora Inc. for nearly 10 years, guiding the subscription payments leader from start-up through a successful public listing and subsequent quarters as a public company. In that role, he helped the company grow annual recurring revenue ~20x, raised over $200 mn in capital, and at times managed all G&A, commercial sales, technical operations, and sales operations. Before Zuora Sloat was the Chief Financial Officer for Obopay, where he was integral in raising well over $100M in investment and strategic capital, forming global commercial relationships with the likes of Nokia, MasterCard, and Societe Generale, and deploying Obopay's mobile payment service in four countries spanning three continents. Tyler joined Freshworks as CFO in 2020. At Freshworks, Tyler’s role involves maintaining sustainable growth across its customer segments and overseeing all the Accounting, Finance, Legal and IT functions.
Sign up for regular updates from The Orbit Shift Podcast.
Register as part of the Freshworks for Startups Programme
The Orbit Shift Podcast is Powered by Freshworks Inc. a global SaaS company headquartered in San Mateo, California.
Host and Producer - Jayadevan PK
Assistant Producer - Shashwath J
Audio Engineer - Rajesh Subramanian