The most valuable strategy for SaaS success with Rory Sadler @trumpet

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/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies.

In episode #23, Anna Nadeina talks with Rory, founder and CEO at trumpet, auto-personalised & interactive digital sales rooms.

Rory Sadler has always had a passion for business. From a young age, he was the kid selling sweets at school and later studied entrepreneurship at university. Surprisingly, he was offered angel investment for a Pharm Tech idea, but instead of jumping into building a company, he sought out opportunities to learn how to build successful startups.

His journey led him to a startup environment where he fell into sales, eventually honing his skills at Hotjar, a company renowned for its exceptional culture and remote work practices. It was there that Rory discovered the problem trumpet aims to solve.

Identifying the problem trumpet solves

While at Hotjar, Rory recognized a significant pain point in the sales process. The complexity of tools and the overwhelming amount of information prospects had to navigate made the sales experience cumbersome. Rory’s solution was to create organized resources using Notion pages and Google Drive links, which streamlined the information for prospects.

Feedback from prospects revealed that this approach simplified their experience, highlighting the need for a more seamless buying journey. With 84% of buyers valuing the experience as much as the product, Rory realized that existing tools were inadequate in providing a user-friendly experience. Thus, trumpet was born, aimed at creating collaborative digital sales rooms that enhance the buying journey.

Leveraging communities for growth

Building a product is only part of the equation; understanding your audience is crucial. Rory emphasizes the importance of community engagement in validating ideas and gathering feedback. He suggests starting with people close to you to gauge interest, but stresses the need to ask tough questions to elicit honest feedback.

Rory advises against relying solely on positive affirmations from friends and family. Instead, he recommends asking probing questions like, “Is this a nice-to-have or a must-have?” or “How would you solve this problem without my solution?” This approach ensures that the feedback received is constructive and actionable.

Moreover, communities on platforms like LinkedIn and Slack can be invaluable. Engaging with early-stage founders and industry experts can provide insights that shape product development. Rory often offers to help others in exchange for feedback, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.

Adding services to the product

As trumpet grows, Rory highlights the importance of integrating services into the product offering. While traditional investors may shy away from this model due to scalability concerns, Rory argues that early-stage startups often need that human connection to educate customers about their products.

Investing in customer success (CS) from the outset is essential. It ensures that customers receive the support they need, especially during the onboarding phase. Rory believes that providing a ‘white-glove’ experience can mitigate churn and foster loyalty, as customers feel valued and supported.

Balancing customer feedback and product development

While customer feedback is critical, it’s also vital to avoid tunnel vision. Rory emphasizes the importance of balancing immediate customer needs with long-term product vision. This can be achieved by introducing a scoring system that assesses the impact, priority, and difficulty of requested features.

Rory encourages open communication with customers, pushing back when necessary to understand the broader implications of their requests. By doing so, companies can ensure they’re building products that serve a wider audience rather than catering exclusively to the loudest voices.

Fostering a growth mindset in team members

At trumpet, Rory has cultivated a culture that encourages team members to take ownership of their roles and contribute to the company’s success. He believes in empowering employees to define their paths within the organization, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit.

This approach not only enhances job satisfaction but also drives innovation. Employees are encouraged to explore different projects and contribute ideas, knowing they have the freedom to make an impact. Rory’s leadership style emphasizes trust and collaboration, which he believes are foundational to a thriving startup culture.

Biggest wins and learning moments

Rory reflects on significant milestones in trumpet’s journey. Recently, the company signed one of the top 30 software companies globally, a moment of pride for the entire team. This achievement underscores the hard work and dedication of the team, validating their efforts in creating a valuable product.

However, not all moments have been victories. Rory recalls the initial decision to develop an e-signature feature in-house, which proved to be a costly misstep. This experience taught him the importance of recognizing when to leverage existing solutions rather than reinventing the wheel.