Brick By Brick
Brick By Brick
Mike Blumenthal & Jeff Jakinovich
Learn to build and sell SaaS businesses. Join Mike and Jeff as they explore all the skills you need to build SaaS products and go from your first customer to acquisition. You'll learn new frameworks, hear about the latest tools and techniques for growing SaaS businesses, and hear from current founders who are building the latest products across many industries.
Frameworks For Idea Validation Plus Challenges of Founder-Led Sales and SaaS Churn
In this episode of Brick by Brick, Mike and Jeff delve into the often overlooked topic of churn in SaaS businesses. They discuss the importance of reducing churn and ensuring customer retention. The conversation then shifts towards the challenges and strategies involved in founder-led sales, particularly in early-stage startups where founders must juggle multiple roles. Jeff provides insights on how developers can balance their focus between product development and sales feedback. They also e...
Jun 10, 2024
32 min
Inside the RevOps Engine: Tech Stacks, Importance of Live Events, and High-Leverage Questions
In this podcast episode, Mike and Jeff discuss a wide range of topics about business, sales strategies, and tools essential for entrepreneurs. Mike opens up by sharing his tech stack that runs his business, emphasizing the importance of in-person events for networking and learning. They also dive deep into the value of having a well-defined elevator pitch for any business context. Mike offers recommendations on essential sales and marketing tools, like Apollo.io and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ...
May 27, 2024
41 min
Navigating the Idea Maze: Worst First-Time Founder Ideas, Idea Mazes, and Why Now is the Best Time to Build Software
In this podcast episode, the Mike and Jeff delve into how first-time founders often gravitate towards ideas like dating apps, two-sided marketplaces, and AI for various applications, and why these might be pitfalls. They discuss how established founders avoid these ideas due to inherent risks and challenges such as customer willingness to pay and competitive landscapes. The conversation transitions into anecdotes and strategies around entering new markets and the complexities faced. They also...
May 20, 2024
39 min
From Army Officer to Tech Entrepreneur: The Story of Stitch3D and the 3D Revolution
In this episode of Brick by Brick, hosts Jeff Jakinovich and Mike explore the entrepreneurial journey of Clark Yuan, CEO and founder of Stitch3D, a company at the forefront of 3D technology. Clark shares insights from transitioning from an Army intelligence officer to a tech entrepreneur, the influence of Y Combinator's survival philosophy on startup success, and the pivotal role customer feedback played in refining Stitch3D's vision. The discussion highlights the challenges of finding produc...
May 13, 2024
42 min
Seventeen Year-Old Builds SaaS Company With Industry Experts
Join us for the latest episode of Brick by Brick where Vic Giurgiu, 17-year-old founder of Affistash.com walks through his story of building (and selling) his first company. He’s now onto building an affiliate marketing SaaS with industry experts in the US. The trio discusses how to validate ideas, selling in demos, and the best tech stacks to build scalable software companies with a lean team.Timestamps:00:00 Meet Vic: The Teenage SaaS Founder00:33 Introducing Brick by Brick: A Deep Dive int...
May 6, 2024
42 min
How To Find My First SaaS Customers
In episode three of 'Brick by Brick', hosts Jeff and Mike explore strategies for acquiring the first customers SaaS businesses. The discussion begins with the challenges of converting cold audiences through ads and quickly shifts to actionable strategies for identifying and securing the initial customer base. Mike shares insights from his eight years of experience, emphasizing the importance of understanding the market, defining the problem, and identifying the target customer's job title. He...
Apr 29, 2024
32 min
From Chaos to Clarity: The Secret Sauce to Accurate Software Timelines
In episode two of Brick By Brick, hosts Jeff and Mike delve into the challenges and strategies of estimating timelines for software development. Jeff shares his journey from frustration to discovering practical frameworks for scoping tasks and asking the right questions to avoid the common pitfalls of software estimation. The discussion highlights the paramount importance of clarity in understanding the problem, the customer, and ensuring alignment within the team. They introduce the concept ...
Apr 22, 2024
23 min
SaaS MVP Decoded: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
This episode of 'Brick by Brick' dives into MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) in the SaaS world. We talk about the great stuff, the problems, and the big oopsies of creating MVPs. Hear stories of success and mistakes from a SaaS builder and seller. Learn what works, what doesn't, and how to make your MVP shine. Perfect for anyone interested in SaaS, whether you're starting out or just curious. Tune in to get the scoop on MVPs!Connect with Mike: Twitter / X LinkedIn SaaS Lead Flow Connect with Je...
Apr 10, 2024
39 min