Copying competitors can feel like the fastest path to growth, but more often than not, it backfires.

In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim break down why copying other SaaS companies rarely works and what to do instead. They explore the difference between copying and inspiration, why context determines whether a strategy will succeed, and how to translate what you admire in another business into something that actually works for your own stage, market, and buyer.

If you’ve ever looked at a competitor or admired brand and thought “we should do that too,” this episode will help you think more strategically.

Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here.

Links:

• DemandMaven
• Switchyards Atlanta

• (00:01:00) - Copying competitors (and why it's not always a good idea).
• (00:02:30) - Why copying website design, branding elements, or campaign strategy is usually harmless.
• (00:07:35) - How to take inspiration vs. just copying.
• (00:10:00) - Where copying almost always fails: copying big strategic bets without context.
• (00:17:00) - Case study: Why so many SaaS founders tried to copy Intercom and why it didn't work for most people.
• (00:24:20) - What's the best way to take inspiration, keep track of it, but translate it into your own context.
• (00:26:00) - Another example: Why copying Notion’s community and ambassador model failed for a founder.
• (00:29:30) - The marathon analogy and how to adapt inspiration to your own stage of growth.

Research is one of the most valuable tools for unlocking growth in SaaS, but too often, research projects fail to create impact.

In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim explore why research projects fail from the consultant’s side and the client’s side. They unpack the most common failure modes, like treating research as an end in itself, failing to get buy-in, or conducting great studies that never translate into action.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your customer research matter, or how to keep it from collecting dust, this episode will help you turn insights into progress.Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here.

Links:

• DemandMaven
• Spark Together Conference
• AnswerThePublic
• Bob Moesta

• (00:02:40) - The difference between delivery failure and impact failure.
• (00:04:00) - Clients do not hire research for the sake of research, they hire it to achieve outcomes.
• (00:10:00) - Why project success often depends on who hires you within a company and their level of influence.
• (00:18:20) - The consultant’s job as educator and guide, not just researcher.
• (00:22:40) - How to get buy-in for research work and why buy-in must extend beyond your main project contact.
• (00:26:10) - How to involve clients in interviews without biasing results.
• (00:32:45) - Why watching recordings isn't enough and how live debriefs after calls are where the magic happens.
• (00:39:30) - The client perspective and building internal research and insights habits.
• (00:49:00) - Known knowns, known unknowns, unknown unknowns and why good research reveals both.
• (00:53:00) - Thinking like a journalist to gather insights without resources.
• (00:55:00) - When should you do research? Anytime you face a high-impact decision.

Pricing is one of the most powerful yet least understood growth levers in SaaS. Most founders either ignore it for years or treat it like a guessing game.

In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim share their guide to pricing for busy founders. They cover the three phases of pricing, how to tell if it’s time to revisit your pricing, and how to run data-driven pricing experiments without wasting months or hiring a six-figure consultant.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about what to charge, how to test new prices, or when to hire expert help, this episode breaks it all down step by step.

Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here.

Links:

• DemandMaven
• The Motivation Code Assessment
• Irrational Labs Guide to Willingness to Pay
• Street Pricing by Marcos Rivera
• Pace Pricing

• (00:00:35) - Catching up on hobbies, motivation, and the “Motivation Code” assessment
• (00:13:50) - The Busy Founder’s Guide to Pricing
• (00:15:20) - The three phases of pricing maturity
• (00:18:30) - When and how to move from guessing to testing
• (00:21:40) - Pricing that drives net revenue retention and expansion
• (00:25:00) - Real examples: Intercom and Zendesk pricing overhauls
• (00:28:00) - Why pricing can be a hidden growth bottleneck
• (00:31:00) - Signs your pricing is broken and how to identify them
• (00:34:50) - The process for pricing research once you identify that pricing could be a problem
• (00:37:30) - Step 1: Pricing interviews and qualitative insights
• (00:39:00) - Step 2: Willingness-to-pay surveys and Van Westendorp questions
• (00:48:25) - Step 3: Product analytics and finding signal in usage data
• (00:53:00) - Turning insights into pricing hypotheses and running pricing experiments the right way
• (00:57:30) - DIY vs. hiring a pricing consultant
• (01:08:15) - Who should own pricing internally and how often to revisit it
• (01:17:10) - Closing thoughts: pricing as the easiest lever most founders ignore