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cover of episode 33 Year Old Quickly Closes 100 Customers For His Construction SaaS, Gets $10m+ Valuation

33 Year Old Quickly Closes 100 Customers For His Construction SaaS, Gets $10m+ Valuation

2024/11/12
logo of podcast SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders

SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders
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Eric Helzer
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Eric Helzer: 我于2008年开始在建筑行业实习，2011年毕业后进入分包商领域工作。2014年，我开始注意到建筑行业数字化转型，尤其是在总承包商层面的工作流程变革。Subbase的创立理念真正形成于2020年疫情之后，当时建筑材料管理混乱，价格波动剧烈，这让我们看到了为分包商开发软件的机会。Subbase的第一行代码编写于2021年。我和一位技术顾问兼职合作，我当时还在一家公司负责运营。我们最初的股权分配非常非传统，没有固定的结构，主要投资者拥有大部分股权，因为当时只有我全职投入。初始资金低于100万美元，主要用于产品和工程开发。我负责产品管理和销售等其他工作。我们的客户定价根据交易量大小而异，并非一刀切。大部分盈利客户的年付费在2万到3万美元之间，他们处理的交易量很大，涉及数千张发票、数百张采购订单和数百万美元的资金流动。我们的第一个客户是免费获得服务的，目的是为了验证产品价值并获得设计合作伙伴。第一个付费客户是一个规模较小的管道工，每月支付几百美元。我们最初的定价策略存在错误，免费提供服务的时间过长。目前，我们拥有近百家付费客户，销售团队主要由创始人领导，并正在组建正式的市场营销团队。我们预计今年的年经常性收入 (ARR) 将达到一百万美元。我们重视客户成功，因为在建筑行业实施新软件并非易事。今年三月，我们完成了一轮种子轮融资，总计超过400万美元，主要用于扩大市场营销、提升产品和工程团队实力。融资中，公司出售的股权比例在15%到20%之间。融资资金主要用于市场营销和产品开发。我们使用Retool和Redash等在线工具进行平台建设和数据分析。我每天睡眠时间为4到5小时，因为需要兼顾家庭和工作。我希望能更早地涉足软件行业。 Nathan Latka: (访谈者，主要通过提问引导Eric Helzer阐述观点，并未提出自身核心论点)

Deep Dive

Key Insights

What year was the first line of code for Subbase written?

The first line of code for Subbase was written in 2021.

Why did Eric Helzer and his co-founder need initial capital to start Subbase?

They needed capital to hire technical people to build the product, as neither of them were engineers.

How much did the first paying customer of Subbase pay per month?

The first paying customer paid around a couple hundred dollars per month.

What is the current average annual contract value (ACV) for Subbase customers?

The average ACV for Subbase customers is between $20,000 and $30,000 per year.

How many full-time employees does Subbase have currently?

Subbase has over 20 full-time employees.

What was the total amount raised by Subbase in its seed round?

Subbase raised a total of $4 million in its seed round.

What are the two online tools Eric Helzer uses the most for building Subbase?

Eric uses Retool and Redash for building Subbase.

How many hours of sleep does Eric Helzer typically get per night?

Eric typically gets about four to five hours of sleep per night.

What does Eric Helzer wish he knew when he was 20?

Eric wishes he had known more about getting into the software space earlier, as he was focused on construction at that time.

Chapters
Eric Helzer, a third-generation builder, identified a problem in construction material procurement and decided to create a software solution. He started with an idea in 2020, built the MVP in 2021, and initially worked part-time with a technical advisor. They faced the challenge of equity split among the original investor, the advisor, and Helzer himself.
  • Eric Helzer's background in construction.
  • The initial idea for Subbase emerged in 2020.
  • The MVP was built in 2021.
  • The equity split was non-traditional, involving an initial investor, a technical advisor, and Helzer.

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