Episode 131

131 Andrew Swiler - The Art of Persuasion: Converting B2B SaaS Leads into Customers

Hey SaaS trailblazers! This week's episode of the SaaS Fuel podcast is your turbocharged roadmap to conquer December and catapult your business to new heights in the coming year. No time for year-end nostalgia; we're all about actionable game plans that scream success!

Join Jeff Mains, and the brilliant Andrew Swiler, the mastermind behind Lanteria, as he spills the secrets behind reshaping the HR tech landscape.

Andrew highlights the importance of understanding customer needs and building a product that solves their pain points. Andrew also emphasizes the significance of customer feedback and how it can drive product development and improvement.

So whether you're fine-tuning your strategies or executing a business model flip like a pro, these insights are your golden tickets to building a thriving empire.

Grab that notepad, turn up the volume, and get ready to turn these strategies into your business reality. 🔥

Key Takeaways

[00:37] The Importance of December: Strategies for a strong end-of-year push and setting up a successful new year.

[02:07] End-Year Strategy: Comparing December's critical sprint to the last miles of a marathon and planning for next year's success.

[02:28] Work-Life Balance: Maintaining momentum while enjoying time off with family and friends during the holiday season.

[04:05] Previous Episode Highlights: Reflecting on insights from John Barrows on SaaS sales and Adam White on building valuable companies.

[04:36] Guest Introduction: Andrew Swiler, CEO of Lantaria, on his leadership and innovation in HR tech.

[05:53] Entrepreneurial Background: Andrew Swiler shares his childhood experiences and their impact on his entrepreneurial journey.

[07:07] Career Shift: Swiler's decision to leave private equity and commit to a new direction in technology.

Tweetable Quotes

"Pro tip: Q1 victories are won in December. Don’t wait for January; the future starts NOW." - Jeff Mains [01:35]

"The end of the year isn't the finish line—it’s where you outpace the competition. Own those final miles!" - Jeff Mains [02:07]

"Microsoft and HR tech—hardly the cocktail of excitement, but that's exactly where the magic happens." - Andrew Swiler [30:11]

SaaS Leadership Lessons

1. Visionary leadership is key to transforming traditional systems, as seen with Andrew Swiler's work at Lantaria in innovating HRMS and employee engagement solutions.

2. In SaaS, finding a niche within a niche can be a strategic move for significant growth, demonstrated by the success of complementary LMS products within Microsoft Teams.

3. Transparency is crucial, especially in remote teams; openly communicating about difficult decisions, like layoffs, helps maintain trust and morale within the team.

4. Leadership development requires self-awareness; tools like the Leadership Circle can provide valuable feedback on areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

5. Balancing authoritative and collaborative leadership is necessary. Effective leaders set clear goals but remain open to working alongside their teams to achieve them.

6. As a company grows, leadership demands change; skills beyond sales, marketing, or coding become vital, especially the ability to lead through challenges and drive the team toward success.

Guest Resources

Lanteria.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/swiler/

https://twitter.com/swilera

Resources Mentioned

Lanteria.com

Episode Sponsor

Want to plan together with fellow B2B SaaS founders? Then check out today’s sponsor Champion Leadership Group. The ultimate resource for SaaS founders and C-suite executives to continue to develop themselves, scale their companies, and never walk alone on the journey. We do strategic planning together with clients every December. This year we’re opening up what is normally a clients-only process, and inviting you too. Together we plan the entire year in just a few hours. As I said earlier, this was a game-changer for me when I learned this. We call it The Preloaded Year. We do the thinking and planning now, enjoy time off, and maintain momentum right into the new year so you can fly by competitors. It’s free for you since you’re listening or watching. You can learn more about that and about how we help SaaS founders build amazing companies and premium exits if that’s what they want. Join us, see what we’re all about, and start the year like you never have before. For more info check out https://championleadership.com/

Small Fish, Big Pond – https://smallfishbigpond.com/ Use the promo code ‘SaaSFuel’

Champion Leadership Group – https://championleadership.com/