In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben invites Farokh Shahabi, co-founder and CEO of Formaloo, to share his entrepreneurial journey and insights into the world of SaaS and no-code application development.  

Farokh discusses his background as a serial entrepreneur and the inception of Formaloo as his third startup, offering a no-code collaboration platform for businesses to create applications without the need for coding. He provides an in-depth look at the product and services offered, the company's rapid growth, its deliberate product-led growth strategy, and the recent fundraising milestone.  

Farokh also shares valuable advice for first-time founders and talks about the future of Formaloo. Join the conversation as Farokh Shahabi provides valuable insights for both startup enthusiasts and seasoned professionals in the SaaS industry. 

Highlights: 

00:00 Over 25,000 businesses use our engagement solutions, popular in US and expanding globally. 

03:44 Flexibility is essential for unique business solutions, as off-the-shelf platforms often limit customization. 

08:51 Promoted transparent publishing for feedback from developers. Created community around Novo developers using different tools for web development. Generated word of mouth for Formaloo. 

11:58 Focused on becoming stable, achieved positive cash flow, now aiming to grow with capital raise. 

14:34 VC lessons: don't raise in summer, show a proven track record, focus on traction, be adaptable to market fluctuations. 

17:34 Critical KPIs: MRI and active business usage on platform. Impactfulness on customer's business. Tracking employee interaction and platform usage. 

19:48 Formaloop implementing new features for easier application creation, incorporating AI and automation for faster business growth. 

22:46 Lesson 3: work with great VCs, avoid bad ones. Money is important, but bad VCs can doom a startup. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/formaloo-raises-2-million-in-seed-round 

Farokh Shahabi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farokhshahabi/ 

Formaloo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formaloohq/ 

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