Scaling a SaaS startup isn’t just about product-market fit or revenue numbers, it's about people, culture, and leadership. In this episode of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, host Joran Hofman sits down with Hugo Pereira, the Co-founder of Ritmoo and author of Teams in Hell: How to End Bad Management, to discuss ways of building SaaS partnerships that actually drive revenue.

If you’ve ever wondered why some startups skyrocket to $100 million ARR while others stall at $1 million, the difference often lies in what happens behind the scenes. Hugo has helped scale multiple companies and has seen it all the pitfalls, the patterns, and the principles that actually work. In this episode, brought to you by SaaStock, Hugo shares hard-earned insights for founders who want to scale with clarity, not chaos.

As a valued listener of the Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast, we’ve got something special for you! As a valued participant, you have the exclusive opportunity to get a 30% discount on tickets to SaaStock Europe this October - the leading conference for AI & SaaS founders, investors, and leaders.

Key Timecodes

• (0:00) - Introduction: Building Structure in Startups and the Importance of Customer Feedback

• (1:00) - Episode Overview: What SaaS Companies Fail to Do in Culture and Team Dynamics

• (1:10) - Guest Introduction: Hugo Pereira, Co-founder of Rytmo and Author of "Teams in Hell"

• (1:35) - Scaling Experience: Helping Companies Grow from $1 Million to $100 Million in Revenue

• (2:05) - Story of Startup Failure: Culture and Team Challenges in a B2B SaaS Company

• (3:14) - Founding Team Impact: Old-School Mindsets and Lack of Customer Validation

• (4:23) - Realities of Startup Culture: Authority-Driven Environments and Their Effects

• (5:40) - Importance of Early Culture: Building Trust vs. Toxicity from Day Zero

• (6:39) - Defining Culture: Values, Behaviors, Rituals, and Systems in an Organization

• (8:03) - Common Failures in Scaling: Process Breakdowns, Founder Control, Lack of Alignment

• (9:24) - Complexity of Scaling: Need for Structure and Clear Ownership in Growing Teams

• (11:27) - Misconceptions of Growth: Confusing Traction with Understanding and Clarity

• (12:06) - The Evolution of Startups: From Hustle to Frameworks and Repeatable Systems

• (13:38) - Importance of Alignment: The Why Now Story and Trust Building in Teams

• (14:56) - Customer Ties: The Role of Deep Customer Relationships in Scaling Success

• (17:57) - Feedback and Misalignment: Warning Signs of Cultural and Team Misalignment

• (19:20) - Remote Work Challenges: Maintaining Alignment and Feedback in Hybrid Setups

• (21:23) - Hero Culture Warning: Overworking and Glorifying Output without Results

• (22:00) - Scaling Trust and Accountability: Shared Expectations and Frequent Feedback

• (25:03) - Feedback Loops: Formal and Informal Check-Ins to Foster Open Communication

• (28:59) - Leadership Pitfalls: Behaviors That Can Kill Morale and Momentum

• (32:17) - Best Advice for SaaS Founders: Never Lose Sight of Your Initial Why

• (33:38) - Future of SaaS: Preparing for Slower Deal Cycles and Community Engagement

• (35:27) - Advice for Early-Stage SaaS: Prioritize Conversations Over Conversions

• (36:55) - Scaling to 10 Million ARR: Focus on Repeatable Motions and Community Building

• (41:15) - Where to Find Hugo's Book: "Teams in Hell" Available on Amazon