The Thread Podcast

Matt Danna, CEO and Co Founder of Boulevard, joins the show to talk about: 
- How Matt uncovered product-market fit in the salon category
- Boulevard's approach to customer segmentation and targeting, and the company's decision to build a vertical SaaS business versus horizontal SaaS business.
- Matt's approach to fundraising, and how he closed a 70M Series C during one of the most difficult times to fundraise.
- The best and the worst haircuts we've ever received.

Rob May, Serial entrepreneur and CTO and Cofounder of Dianthus joins the aSaaSins Podcast to discuss:
- His decision to start a company that wasn't SaaS first, and how Rob and his team are disrupting eCommerce. 
- The evolution of AI and automation in the workplace, and what's missing for the space to really take off.
- Industries that are ripe for disruption through practical applications of automation, and the three criteria that make them candidates to target.

Jen Abel, Co founder and Partner of JJELLYFISH joins the show to talk about:

• The importance of having the founder involved in the sales process when going from 0 to 1. 
• The point at which founders should hire their first full-time sales person.
• The signals that companies and founders should be looking for to know when they've hit Product-Market fit.
• Using customer feedback to inform how your customers want to buy from you and how much your customers want to pay you.

"There's nothing scaleable about uncovering an earned insight." - Jen Abel, Co founder and Partner of JJELLYFISH

Nate and Dave Evans, brothers and co founders of Fictiv join Jeremy and me on the show to talk about
- How Nate and Dave combined their unique interests and strengths as kids to build Fictiv.  Dave's ability to break things and Nate's ability to think strategically.
- The process that Nate and Dave work through to make critical business decisions, and avoiding the 'Mom and Dad Syndrome'.
- The importance of not having the 'sibling debates' in public or in front of other work colleagues, and advantages of having an established baseline of trust over other co founders.
- How Nate and Dave have prioritized building a diverse team as they've grown and scaled Fictiv.
- The most important founder sibling questions:  Who has a better jump shot? Who would win in a head-to-head wrestling match? Who is smarter?

On the aSaaSins 'Money Morning Quarterback' segment, our host Justin Vandehey breaks down the companies that raised their Seed, Series A, or Series B round of funding the prior week.

This week, Justin plays 'Money Morning Quarterback' with Puttshack, an upscale, tech-infused, mini golf experience.  He analyzes their $150M growth round from BlackRock to takeover the indoor entertainment market.

Federico Baradello, CEO and Co founder of Finalis, joins the show to talk about 
- The evolution of the investment banking space and the opportunities to innovate in the back office of the financial services space.
- Finalis' 'five year overnight success story' and finding product go-to-market fit through 200 failed sales calls.
- Key insights and recommendations for first time founders building products in FinTech.

On the aSaaSins 'Money Morning Quarterback' segment, our host Justin Vandehey breaks down the companies that raised their Seed, Series A, or Series B round of funding the prior week.

This week, Justin plays 'Money Morning Quarterback' with Tumble, a smart laundry technology platform for property managers and renters. He unfolds their $7M Series A and the opportunity that Tumble is going after in the laundry industry.

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Legendary educator and the Godmother of Silicon Valley, Esther Wojcicki, and her co Founder and CEO of Tract, Ari Memar, join the show to talk about:
- Esther's approach to empowering kids to be successful and how to raise successful kids.
- How Ari and Esther are disrupting early stage education with collaborative, peer to peer learning.
- Esther's experience working with her daughters, Anne (CEO of 23andMe) and Susan (CEO of YouTube) as her investors, and the dynamic of mixing family and business.

On the aSaaSins 'Money Morning Quarterback' segment, our host Justin Vandehey breaks down the companies that raised their Seed, Series A, or Series B round of funding the prior week.

This week, Justin plays 'Money Morning Quarterback' with Artly Coffee, an AI-powered machine that makes a perfect cup of coffee every time. He unpacks their $8M Series A and the opportunity that Artly has in the coffee industry.

Kristen Berman, Co founder of Irrational Labs joins the show to talk about:
- When companies should look to behavioral science to help answer critical questions about their businesses.
- Practical examples and applications of behavioral science that founders can use to drive better outcomes for their startups.
- The three B model of behavioral change and the irony and importance of adding friction to drive better results around onboarding and sign-up flows. 
- The importance of asking for help when making friends.