Everyone is talking about AI as the next growth engine in SaaS.

But AI is also exposing something much more uncomfortable: a growing trust problem between vendors and customers.

In this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth with The Jasons, we’re joined by Catherine Dowden-King, a community creator working with senior data, analytics, digital and AI leaders. Catherine helps leaders become more visible, credible and connected through honest conversation, community and clearer communication around data and AI.

We explore why trust is no longer a soft concept in SaaS. It now directly affects adoption, retention, renewal, expansion and growth.

Customers are being asked to trust more claims, more data, more automation and more AI-driven decisions they cannot always see or explain. That makes clarity, credibility and value proof more important than ever.

In this episode, we discuss:

• why AI is exposing trust gaps that already existed in SaaS
• how vague AI messaging damages customer confidence
• why buyers often trust people and peer communities more than brands
• where sales, product and customer success unintentionally erode trust
• why transparency around data and AI matters
• how trust affects adoption, renewal and expansion
• what SaaS leaders should do differently in an AI-first market

This is not a conversation about AI features.

It is about what happens when customers stop believing you.

Most SaaS companies say they understand the 80/20 principle.

Far fewer use it to make better decisions about Customer Success, retention and growth.

The result is predictable. Teams spread effort evenly across the customer base. High-value customers are often under-supported. Lower-value customers consume disproportionate time, attention and resource.

That might feel fair.

But it can quietly damage growth.

In this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth, we speak with Christine Day, growth strategist and founder of Results 2Day, about why treating every customer the same is a costly mistake.

We explore how SaaS leaders can use better customer segmentation, real customer data and sharper prioritisation to improve retention, expansion and post-sale growth.

We discuss:

• Why MRR and deal size alone can be misleading
• How to identify high-value customers using real data
• Why SaaS companies struggle to operationalise the 80/20 principle
• What leaders should stop doing immediately
• What to do with the "other 80%"
• How smarter prioritisation improves retention and expansion

This is a practical conversation for SaaS CEOs, CROs, CCOs and Customer Success leaders who want to focus resources where they create the greatest commercial value.

Connect with Christine on LinkedIn

Go to the Result2Day site for more details

Find out about Christine's book

Click here for more information on 80/20 Growth Strategy

Most SaaS platforms have spent the last few years adding payments. But payments alone are no longer the breakthrough.

They are the baseline.

In this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth, we speak with Patrick O’Donnell, Global Commercial Director for Payments and Embedded Finance at Phorest Salon Software, about what comes next for vertical SaaS platforms.

Pat has spent 25 years in payments across Citi, Mastercard and dLocal. He is now building payment and financial capabilities inside a vertical SaaS business, giving him a practical view of where embedded finance creates real customer value.

We explore why payments have become table stakes, what financial friction customers still face and how vertical SaaS companies can use data, trust and customer context to create better financial experiences.

We discuss:

• Why payments are now expected, not differentiating
• Where embedded finance creates value beyond monetisation
• How vertical SaaS platforms can reduce financial friction for customers
• Why customer trust matters when adding financial products
• How data can unlock better customer experiences
• What customers should be able to do tomorrow that they cannot do today

This is a practical conversation for SaaS CEOs, CROs, CCOs, product leaders and payments teams thinking about embedded finance, customer value and the next stage of SaaS growth.

Connect with Pat on LinkedIn