The SaaS CFO

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben sits down with Ali Mirzaei, CEO and founder of Dimension Studios. Dimension Studios is leading the charge in AI-powered automation for TikTok Shop operations with their flagship software, Seller OS. Ali Mirzaei shares the unexpected journey from building the top shop on TikTok to founding Dimension, discusses lessons learned in fundraising, and reveals how the company's unique AI agent—trained on real shop data and industry expertise—is leveling the playing field for brands of all sizes. Tune in to hear how Dimension Studios is scaling quickly, keeping customer acquisition costs low, and balancing both service and SaaS models while navigating the fast-evolving landscape of AI and e-commerce. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 AI Operator for TikTok Shop Support 

06:14 Advice for startup founders 

09:57 Analyzing user updates impact 

12:04 Macroeconomics and AI impact 

14:10 Sharing Ali's journey 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/dimension-raises-1-65m-seed/ 

Ali Mirzaei's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-mirzaei-a411791b4/ 

Dimension Studios' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dimensionstudios/ 

Dimenstion Studios' Website: https://www.dimensionstudios.co/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, the conversation focused on one of the hottest topics for finance leaders and founders: managing and tracking AI spend within SaaS businesses. The discussion explored the rise of agentic AI platforms like Stackpack, which help companies take control of rapidly increasing vendor costs, manage contracts, and bring greater visibility into how AI tools are used across teams and departments. 

A key theme that emerged was the shift from traditional software spend management to new challenges presented by AI tools, which are often priced on usage, tokens, or credits. Several points were raised, including the limitations of invoice-level tracking, the difficulty in breaking down spend by employee or department, and the importance of integrating HR and SSO data to unlock more granular attribution. 

The episode also delved into the creation of effective dashboards for CFOs, strategies for governing AI usage and cost allocation, and tips for budgeting in a landscape where model choice, usage intensity, and pricing models are constantly evolving. The discussion wrapped with insights on measuring ROI from AI investments and how to adapt traditional software spend frameworks for the new era of agentic AI. If you’re a finance leader navigating the complexities of AI spend—or just trying to look good in front of your board this budget season—you won’t want to miss this conversation. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Tracking AI Usage Costs 

06:32 Teams plan data management 

08:29 AI dashboard essentials and trends 

13:26 Setting AI policy and costs 

14:24 Discussing AI budgeting tips for CFOs 

20:33 Increasing sales team output with AI 

21:51 Discussing the ROSE metric 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/stackpack-raises-6-3-million-in-seed-round/ 

https://techfundingevents.com/companies/stackpack.ai 

Sara Wyman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-wyman/ 

Stackpack's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stackpack-ai 

Stackpack's Website: https://www.stackpack.ai/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Ben Murray sits down with Yagiz Abik, CEO and co-founder of 5U AI. Yagiz shares his journey from building businesses in Turkey to immersing himself in Munich's startup scene, ultimately founding 5U AI—a company delivering digital employees to automate repetitive tasks for logistics companies.  
 
The conversation explores the challenges of selling AI-driven solutions to a traditionally tech-resistant industry, how 5U AI is carving out its niche with mid-market logistics firms in Europe, and the strategies Yagiz used to raise $3.2 million in pre-seed funding within just two weeks. Yagiz dives into the evolving financial metrics for AI-native SaaS, lessons from rapid growth, and what it's like to build a team and product from scratch.  
 
Whether you're a SaaS founder, investor, or curious about the impact of AI in legacy industries, this episode is packed with actionable insights and candid stories from the trenches. 
 
Show Notes: 

00:00 Pivoting to New Opportunities 

04:45 AI adoption in logistics industry 

10:02 Challenges of Raising Pre-Seed Capital 

13:32 Charging per task done 

15:50 Optimizing with open source models 

19:48 Reaching out via LinkedIn 

20:49 Wrapping up and looking ahead 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/5u-ai-raises-3-2m-pre-seed/ 

Yagiz Abik's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abik/ 

5U AI's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/5u-ai/ 

5U AI's Website: https://5u.ai/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben sits down with Dori Yona, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Simple Closure. Dori Yona shares lessons from building three companies, taking us on Simple Closure’s journey to becoming the go-to platform for automating and simplifying the process of shutting down businesses. With millions of US companies dissolving each year, Simple Closure is changing the landscape by offering tech-driven solutions that save founders time, money, and the hassle of compliance headaches. From monetizing overlooked assets to fundraising insights and AI-powered operations, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways for SaaS founders, CFOs, and startup leaders navigating growth and closure alike. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Business closures and market stability 

05:44 Vision and launch of Asset Hub 

09:30 Creating FOMO in Fundraising 

11:22 Partner-driven revenue strategy 

15:29 Understanding the recurring market 

16:48 Tracking customer impact metrics 

Links: 

Dori Yona's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dori-yona-b8369877/ 

Simple Closure's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simpleclosure/ 

Simple Closure's Website: https://simpleclosure.com/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, Ben welcomes Ramsey Al-Ramahi, founder and CEO of RevReply, who shares his journey from scaling a lead gen agency to creating an AI-powered SaaS platform for sales conversion. 

Ben and Ramsey Al-Ramahi discuss the transition from services to software, the unique challenges of building a platform, and how RevReply found traction with B2B sales teams. They also cover the experience of fundraising, joining the Berkeley Skydeck accelerator, and raising a $1 million seed round. 

Ramsey Al-Ramahi opens up about the metrics that guide his business and the ongoing challenges—and opportunities—of leveraging AI in sales. Tune in for actionable insights and an inside look at building a SaaS company in today’s fast-changing landscape. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Refining sales techniques with experience 

05:06 Evaluating Meeting Productivity Issues 

07:11 Target customers: high-volume or complex workflows 

12:30 Scaling up and resource allocation 

14:27 Managing overwhelming inbound demand 

19:07 Focusing on customer retention 

22:00 Weighing AI vs. human costs 

23:31 Offering free pipeline advice 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/revreply-raises-1m-seed/ 

Ramsey Al-Ramahi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyalramahi/ 

RevReply's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revreply/ 

RevReply's Website: https://www.revreply.com/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben Murray sits down with Mahdi Abdulzarak and Kim Van Lavieren, the co-founders of Dawnguard—an innovative SaaS platform aiming to transform how large enterprises design, secure, and manage their cloud infrastructure.  

Mahdi Abdulzarak, CEO, brings decades of cybersecurity leadership, while CTO Kim Van Lavieren draws on deep technical expertise from organizations like Amazon and the military. Together, they share the Dawnguard founding story, insights on fundraising as experienced founders, building with design partners, and how AI-driven solutions are changing the game in cloud security.  

From go-to-market strategies to engineering harnesses and pricing AI-powered products, this conversation delivers a behind-the-scenes look at launching and scaling a SaaS startup in a rapidly evolving industry. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Improving IT system design process 

05:26 Starting a company from a deck 

08:46 Advice for working with VCs 

09:56 Finding the right co-founder 

16:17 Determining sustainable pricing strategy 

17:08 Shifting AI pricing models 

22:05 Using AI tools effectively 

23:43 CEO and CTO priorities 2026 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/dawnguard-raises-3-4m-pre-seed/ 

Mahdi Abdulzarak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahdiabdulrazak/ 

Kim van Lavieren's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-v-0645931b4/?locale=en 

Dawnguard's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dawnguard/ 

Dawnguard's Website: https://dawnguard.ai/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, Ben sits down with TJ Clark, co-founder and CEO of Librari, an AI-powered contract management solution. Drawing on his journey from Iowa native and recovering lawyer to serial entrepreneur with a major exit under his belt, TJ Clark shares how the chaos of managing business contracts inspired him to build Librari.  

He explains how their AI extracts actionable insights from scattered contracts across various platforms, making compliance and renewals a breeze—especially for CFOs and controllers. The conversation covers the company’s go-to-market approach, fundraising lessons, key SaaS metrics, and the future of AI-powered back office efficiencies.  

If you're interested in how technology can streamline contract management—and want a peek inside the founder-led growth playbook—this episode is for you. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Solving disorganized contract issues 

05:48 Flexible pricing and wide client range 

09:45 Securing initial funding 

13:05 Providing procurement expertise 

14:28 Integrating contract data with systems 

18:46 Finding key contacts for networking 

21:56 Discussing AI in modern business 

23:56 Using AI agents safely 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/librari-raises-1-75m-pre-seed/ 

TJ Clark's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjclark/ 

Librari's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelibrari/ 

Librari's Website: https://www.thelibrari.com/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, host Ben Murray welcomes Lyndon Stickley, CEO of Iplicit, and Rob Steele, CFO at Iplicit, for a lively exploration of SaaS, accounting software, and the dynamics of scaling a tech company. Lyndon, a seasoned entrepreneur with multiple exits, and Rob, a finance software veteran, share their unique backgrounds and how they teamed up to breathe new life into Iplicit—a cloud-first finance solution born from a deep understanding of complex ERP challenges in the mid-market. 

Listeners will hear the inside story of Iplicit’s evolution, from humble beginnings and sizable personal investment to rapid growth—leveraging over $25 million in Series A funding and a people-centric, remote culture. Lyndon and Rob pull back the curtain on their fundraising process, explaining how clear vision and disciplined focus created high investor demand. They also dive into go-to-market strategies targeting CFOs and FDs, the pivotal role of partners and resellers, and how channel sales are poised to fuel their next phase of expansion. 

This episode is packed with real-world insights on the modernization of accounting platforms, the nuanced role of AI in finance, and the metrics that drive SaaS success. If you’re interested in the intersection of SaaS, finance, and innovation—or curious about how to build, fund, and scale a company in a competitive software landscape—this conversation will leave you inspired and informed. 

Show Notes:  

00:00 The origins of Iplicit software 

06:20 Realizing broader customer demand 

08:47 Open API for flexibility 

10:50 Opening up to growth funds 

16:12 Building Investor Relationships 

19:47 Challenges in direct sales and marketing 

20:36 Shifting to partner sales channels 

26:41 Trust and adoption of AI solutions 

28:00 Discussing AI native queries 

31:06 Growth slowing as company scales 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/iplicit-raises-29-7-million-in-funding/  

Rob Steele's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-steele-686a21169/ 

Lyndon Stickley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndon-stickley-bab38b78/ 

Iplicit's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iplicit/ 

Iplicit's Website: https://www.iplicit.com/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

The conversation focused on the journey of Alastair Blenkin, CEO and founder of ProcurePro, as he shared insights into building one of the leading SaaS solutions for construction procurement. The discussion explored the company’s origins, its resilience through the pandemic, and how it successfully digitizes complex workflows for general contractors worldwide. 

A key theme that emerged was the importance of robust SaaS metrics, strategic fundraising, and the growth tactics required to scale in an industry as fragmented and traditional as construction. The episode highlighted global expansion strategies, the integration of AI into both ProcurePro’s product and internal operations, and evolving pricing models for enterprise clients. 

The discussion also delved into the transition from founder to CEO, sharing lessons learned in leadership and organizational design as the company rapidly expands. Whether you’re interested in SaaS growth, construction tech, or the impact of AI on legacy industries, this episode delivers practical insights and inspiring stories. 

Show Notes:  

00:00 Building an AI-powered pricing layer 

03:18 Need for Management Systems 

07:10 Discussing SaaS growth strategies 

13:15 AI's Impact on Non-Tech Businesses 

17:07 Focusing on ARR growth strategy 

18:59 Improving team productivity and tooling 

23:32 Managing Business Challenges as a Founder 

24:34 Designing an effective org chart 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/procurepro-secures-11-million-in-funding/ USD 

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/procurepro-raises-6-15-million-in-series-a/ 

Alastair Blenkin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairblenkin/ 

Procure Pro's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/procurepro 

Procure Pro's Website: https://procurepro.co/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben welcomes back Jim Williams, Managing Director at GLC Advisors, for his fourth appearance to provide an up-to-date look at the software M&A landscape. This conversation dives deep into how the rise of AI is reshaping the market, the evolving benchmarks for software company valuations, and what’s currently defining high-quality SaaS businesses.  

Jim Williams shares insights on the barbell effect in multiples, tougher diligence on revenue quality, new questions investors are asking about AI strategy and margins, and how founders can position themselves for the best possible outcomes—whether they're aiming for a solid exit or shooting for that elusive 10x valuation.  

Whether you’re a SaaS founder, CFO, or investor, this episode is packed with practical guidance and timely market intelligence you won’t want to miss. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 AI's impact on market trends 

04:06 Impact of AI on business multiples 

08:30 AI's impact on SaaS businesses 

12:21 Evaluating AI's real impact 

15:35 Discussing AI's impact on business fundamentals 

17:10 Discussing software company valuations 

22:46 Preparing Financials for Buyers 

24:27 Focusing on business fundamentals 

27:47 Customer segmentation and retention insights 

31:19 Discussing growth rates and AI strategy 

34:08 Strategizing AI model selection 

38:56 Discussing AI adoption challenges 

41:17 Discussing market trends and fluctuations 

44:57 Contact and Reports Information 

Links: 

Jim Williams LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-williams-5754953/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below: 

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page 

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ 

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout 

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray