SaaS Conversations

We sit down with Brian Beaupre (CFO, Teikametrics) to discuss how the CFO role has changed, where AI is making a real difference in finance today, and what needs to be in place before you let it near your numbers. That includes a validation layer between AI and the underlying systems, so everyone knows where a number comes from, who owns it, and how it’s calculated.

The conversation also gets into judgment. AI can take over much of the grunt work that used to teach finance people how the business runs, which raises the question of how to build that understanding on purpose, from learning the product to seeing the business through other leaders’ eyes.

Drawing on 20-plus years as a SaaS operator, Brian also shares his advice for finance leaders and individual contributors on the path to the CFO seat.

Moderator: Katherine Zhang (CEO, OPEXEngine by Bain & Company)

Guest speaker: Brian Beaupre (CFO, Teikametrics)

Last week, we hosted a panel discussion on scaling software businesses in the AI era, bringing together perspectives from investors, advisors, and operators: Hank Chen, Partner at Bain & Company; Isabela "Bela" Peralta, Principal at Insight Partners; Kunal Agarwal, CFO of Gorgias; and Katherine Zhang, CEO of OPEXEngine by Bain & Company.

The conversation centered on a fundamental question: Is AI changing what it means to be a "great" software business?

We explored how investors are rethinking moats and revenue durability, how AI is changing the economics of growth and gross margins, where companies are finding real operating leverage, and which metrics leaders should be watching as agentic products become more prevalent.

A few themes stood out: traditional measures like retention still matter, but leaders need to look more closely at the quality and durability of revenue; AI can expand addressable markets; and capturing AI’s full potential often requires rethinking workflows and organizational structures, rather than simply adding AI to existing ways of working.

If you missed the live event or would like to revisit the conversation, you can watch the full panel recording, listen to this podcast episode, or read the full transcript on our website.

Data quality has always mattered in SaaS, but in 2026, the stakes are higher, the margin for error is smaller, and the questions boards and investors are asking have fundamentally shifted.

In this episode of SaaS Conversations, Katherine Zhang sits down with Dan Palay, CEO of KPI Sense, to explore how SaaS data and metrics are being interpreted differently as companies navigate an AI-driven landscape and increasing scrutiny at moments of diligence and fundraising.

This is not a conversation about dashboards or data tooling. It is a conversation about what it means to know your business, why a single source of truth requires multiple systems, how the wrong metrics or inconsistent definitions quietly erode board confidence, and why AI is introducing a new class of cost and measurement risk that most leadership teams are not yet tracking correctly.

Dan draws on patterns he sees repeatedly across growth-stage SaaS companies, explaining why metrics that look clean on the surface often hide segment-level risk, why AI spend is behaving more like a variable professional services cost than a traditional SaaS fixed cost, and what strong financial leadership looks like when it matters most.

For leaders who want to go deeper, Dan and the KPI Sense team work directly with growth-stage SaaS companies on financial analytics, metric dashboards, and data normalization. You can reach Dan at [email protected] or visit kpisense.com.

This episode is a recording of a webinar hosted by AccountAim on benchmarking for RevOps, finance, and GTM leaders in March of 2026.

In the session, Katherine Zhang (CEO, OPEXEngine) and Josh McClanahan (CEO, AccountAim) break down when benchmarking makes sense, which metrics actually matter, how to ensure your data is truly comparable, and what it takes to get organizational buy-in. They also share practical guidance for teams that need defensible data to support planning, performance conversations, and boardroom decisions.

If you’re responsible for RevOps, finance, or GTM strategy, this conversation offers a useful framework for turning benchmarking into a more strategic advantage.

Retention has been interpreted differently for boards and investors over the past year. In this episode of SaaS Conversations, Katherine Zhang sits down with Ellie Wu, founder of CSuiteCX, to explore how and why retention has shifted from a tactical customer success issue to a board-level credibility signal shaped by leadership judgment, timing, and capital risk at moments of scrutiny.

This is not a discussion about churn reduction tactics or metric optimization. Instead, the conversation focuses on the patterns leaders and investors are seeing as we head into 2026, including how customer friction builds quietly, why confidence in the growth story often erodes before revenue declines, and what boards are really assessingwhen they scrutinize retention.

Ellie shares insights drawn from patterns she sees repeatedly across hundreds of venture-backed and private equity-backed SaaS companies, explaining why dashboards can stay green while risk accumulates, why CFO involvement is often an early warning signal, and what strong leadership judgment looks like under pressure.

For leaders who want to go deeper, Ellie has published an executive brief titled Retention as Capital Credibility that captures many of the patterns discussed in this episode and explains why confidence can erode before performance does. You can find it here:  https://www.csuitecx.com/retention-capital-credibility

At this year’s SaaS Palooza event, Jennifer Smith (Partner, Bain & Company) and Katherine Zhang (CEO, OPEXEngine), explored what sets top-performing SaaS companies apart in today’s tech private equity market. From emerging deal trends to how investors define an “A” software asset, their discussion offered actionable insights for SaaS operators and investors alike.

We’re excited to make this live session available as a special podcast episode! Drawing on OPEXEngine’s proprietary benchmarking data and Bain’s deep expertise in tech investing, Jennifer and Katherine dive into the evolving dynamics of deal flow, valuation trends, and the balance of growth and profitability that define leading SaaS businesses.

Whether you’re preparing for a sale, raising capital, or benchmarking performance, this episode delivers clear takeaways on building sustainable value and driving operational excellence.

The full episode transcript and video recording are available on our website. You can also download the presentation slides here.

In this episode of SaaS Conversations, Tori Danforth, Senior Director of FP&A at Relativity, shares how her team approaches annual planning at scale. From integrating long-range strategic goals to setting departmental targets and navigating trade-offs, Tori offers a detailed look into how benchmarking with external data strengthens both the planning process and cross-functional alignment.

We cover:

• How to connect long-range strategy to annual financial planning

• The role of finance business partners in driving bottom-up alignment

• Using benchmark data to inform investment decisions and trade-offs

• Key metrics and frameworks for plan validation

• Evolving planning processes while maintaining flexibility and trust

• Practical approaches to embedding external data into internal workflows

For finance and operations leaders navigating today’s environment, this conversation offers actionable insights on how to use benchmarking to build better plans and ultimately achieve better outcomes.

Although Revenue Operations (RevOps) is still an evolving function in SaaS, its role is critical to driving go-to-market efficiency.

At its core, RevOps ensures that go-to-market teams like Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success function as a unified, efficient system to enable the ideal customer journey.

One of the biggest challenges for RevOps leaders is managing resource allocation – making high-stakes decisions about structure, strategy, and investment. How do you allocate resources for maximum impact? When is the right time to scale? Which strategic focus areas will drive long-term success?

In this episode of SaaS Conversations, Katherine Zhang, CEO and General Manager of OPEXEngine by Bain & Company, shares expert insights on building a high-impact RevOps function. We cover:

• The foundational role of RevOps in go-to-market success
• How to structure RevOps around key strategic focus areas
• Common challenges in resource allocation and best practices
• The role of benchmarks in guiding smarter investment decisions – and how to use benchmarks effectively
• Why strong partnerships with Finance are critical for RevOps success
• How RevOps strategies must evolve as companies scale

Listen in to gain actionable insights on optimizing RevOps, aligning go-to-market teams, and setting the right strategic priorities for sustainable growth.

This episode is essential listening for anyone responsible for R&D investment, cost management, or strategic planning in SaaS.

We discuss strategies for optimizing R&D investment and how to encourage alignment between finance and engineering teams.

Moderator: Andy Rooks (Marketing, OPEXEngine by Bain & Company)

Guest speaker: Ryan Kuchova (Head of Customer Strategy and Operations at Jellyfish)

Learn how to maximize the value of benchmarks in this special podcast episode featuring Lauren Kelley’s SaaS Metrics Palooza ‘24 presentation.

In a new episode of SaaS Conversations, we explore benchmarking strategies that drive growth, profitability, and operational excellence. Lauren dives into the Rule of 40, critical efficiency metrics, and actionable steps SaaS leaders can take to uncover inefficiencies, align resources, and enhance EBITDA. The episode includes references to key data visuals from her presentation, available on-demand at https://www.opexengine.com/post/saas-conversations-podcast-benchmark-enabled-decision-making-at-saas-metrics-palooza-24.

Listen now to gain insights that can transform your operational strategy.

Speaker: Lauren Kelley (Founder and CEO of OPEXEngine by Bain & Company)

Moderator: Ray Rike (Benchmarkit)