János Moldvay @Adtriba. How founder resilience helps with sustainable SaaS growth

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love brought to you by https://saas.group/ . I’m your host Anna Nadeina, Head of Growth for saas.group.

In episode #17 we talk with János Moldvay, Co-Founder and CEO of Adtriba (https://www.adtriba.com/), a simple, cross-channel digital marketing management platform based on data-driven attribution modeling.

From Corporate to Startup: The Journey Begins

János’ entrepreneurial journey began with a fascination for data science and its potential to improve decision-making. After gaining experience at various companies, including the e-commerce giant Otto Group and the social gaming platform, János decided to pursue an MBA in Cape Town, South Africa. It was during this time that he gained a new perspective on work-life balance and the desire to build something of his own.

In 2015, with the birth of his twin sons, János felt the time was right to take the plunge and start his own business. He teamed up with a co-founder and, with the help of an accelerator program, began building Adtriba. Their initial approach was to test the MVP with a customer, implementing a simple tracking solution and providing the results in an Excel sheet, rather than building a full-fledged product from the start.

Adapting to a Changing Landscape

As Adtriba grew, the team faced a series of challenges, including the implementation of GDPR, the restrictions imposed by Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), and the impending death of third-party cookies. Rather than being deterred by these changes, János and his team embraced the opportunity to adapt and innovate.

One of Adtriba’s key strengths has been its ability to quickly pivot and respond to the evolving needs of its clients. When one of their largest clients, Flixbus, expanded into the US market and acquired Greyhound, they were tasked with evaluating offline marketing campaigns – a challenge that Adtriba had not initially considered. By remaining agile and focusing on the needs of their customers, the team was able to develop new solutions to meet this demand.

Building a Resilient Team and Culture

János attributes Adtriba’s success to the company’s strong engineering-driven culture and the resilience of its team. With a high proportion of data engineers and machine learning experts, Adtriba has been able to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technical capabilities, allowing them to provide exceptional service to their clients.

Transparency and trust are also key pillars of Adtriba’s culture. The team holds weekly meetings to discuss the company’s financial performance and sales pipeline, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability among employees. This approach had helped the company navigate challenging times, such as the economic downturn in 2022 when Adtriba had to make difficult decisions to reduce costs and focus on profitability.

Founder Resilience: The Path to Sustainable Growth

Throughout Adtriba’s journey, János has emphasized the importance of founder resilience and mental health. He acknowledges the immense pressure and stress that comes with building a startup, and he has actively sought out support from mentors and fellow founders to help him navigate these challenges.

By cultivating a resilient mindset and building a strong support network, János, and his team have been able to weather the storms of a rapidly changing industry and emerge as a leader in the digital marketing attribution space. Their ability to adapt, innovate, and maintain a customer-centric focus has been the driving force behind Adtriba’s sustainable growth.

Lessons for Aspiring Founders

János’ experience offers valuable insights for aspiring founders looking to build successful and resilient SaaS businesses:

• Start with an MVP and focus on customer validation: Don’t get bogged down in building the perfect product from the start. Instead, focus on getting early customer feedback and proving the value of your solution.

• Embrace adaptability and change: Be prepared to pivot and adapt your product and strategy as the market and regulatory landscape evolve. Staying agile and responsive to customer needs is crucial for long-term success.

• Cultivate a resilient team and culture: Invest in building a strong, transparent, and trust-based culture that empowers your team to take ownership and navigate challenges together.

• Prioritize founder mental health and well-being: The entrepreneurial journey can be mentally and emotionally taxing. Seek out support, build a network of fellow founders, and prioritize your own resilience to ensure you can lead your company through the ups and downs.

By embracing these principles and maintaining a relentless focus on customer value, founders like János can build sustainable and resilient SaaS businesses that thrive in the face of industry disruptions and economic challenges.