Using a SaaS Reseller Program to Scale Faster
Luke Swanek is the co-founder of GrowSumo, a marketplace that connects B2B SaaS companies with resellers. The GrowSumo platform provides its customers with the tools they need to build and scale reseller programs. And it enables the resellers to earn revenue from selling those products.
GrowSumo is a YC backed startup. But the founders had to apply three times before they were finally accepted into YC. So that alone is a great lesson in being persistent.
One of the biggest challenges for building a marketplace is that you've got a chicken and egg' situation. You don't have buyers and you don't have sellers when you start. And it can be hard to get the flywheel spinning and build a marketplace that actually works.
So we talk about how they built that marketplace and how they landed customers like Evernote. And we explore some of the tough lessons the founders have learned along the way such as what happens when your product is not ready for a big customer or how you can lose customers when you try to build a scalable product too soon.
I hope you enjoy this interview.
Book Recommendation
- “Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela” by Nelson Mandela
- “Scar Tissue” by Anthony Kiedis and Larry Sloman
The Show Notes
Recommended Podcast Episodes
- Perseverance in SaaS: Navigating Pivots, Exits, and New Ventures - with Jake Stein [404]
- Whooshkaa: Launch & Differentiate Your SaaS in a Crowded Market - with Rob…
- Makerpad: How Ben Tossell Bootstrapped a $240K Side-Project - with Ben Tossell [238]
- Boast.ai: The Tough Road to SaaS Success and Beyond - with Lloyed Lobo [377]
- Reviews.io: From Scrappy SaaS MVP to $82M Exit - with Callum Mckeefery [438]
- Merge: How a SaaS API Startup Raised $75 Million - with Gil Feig [340]
- Product-Led Growth Strategy: 8-Figure ARR with $0 Ad Spend (Read AI Case Study)
- Airbase: From Solo Founder to 8-Figure ARR SaaS - with Thejo Kote [381]
- How Raj Sheth Went from Growing to Buying SaaS Companies - with Raj Sheth [301]
- HYCU: Innovating and Standing Out in a Competitive Market - with Simon Taylor [388]