On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Brett Carlson, co-founder and CEO of ServiceUp, to share his entrepreneurial journey and the story behind his latest venture. Brett’s background spans over 25 years in tech, with experience founding and scaling startups on the business side. With ServiceUp, Brett turned his focus to the vehicle repair industry, spotting a massive, underserved $250 billion market ready for modernization and disruption.

Brett dives into how ServiceUp started by offering digital car repair solutions directly to consumers before pivoting to serve fleet operators and insurance companies. He explains the pain points that large fleet owners—think Amazon, UPS, and major rental car companies—face with outdated repair processes, and how ServiceUp’s platform streamlines transactions and increases efficiency for both fleets and repair shops. Brett also shares how thoughtful use of technology and automation, including AI-powered voice agents, has accelerated their reach and operational effectiveness.

Throughout the conversation, Brett offers an inside look at ServiceUp’s rapid growth and successful fundraising journey, including securing a $55 million Series B. He discusses the evolving expectations of investors, the importance of backing up metrics at each funding stage, and key lessons learned from navigating both the highs and lows of startup life. Whether you’re an aspiring SaaS founder or just curious about the intersection of technology and traditional industries, Brett’s insights into building ServiceUp are sure to inspire.

Show Notes:

00:00 Switching Focus to Fleet Services

04:20 Major Retailer Faces $175M Collision Costs

08:43 Frugal Growth and Investment Strategy

12:30 "Investor Monetization Contradictions"

15:21 DoorDash's Missed Market Opportunity

20:30 Advanced AI in Voice & Shop Tech

21:16 Automated Market Entry Strategy

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/serviceup-secures-55-million-in-series-b

Brett Carlson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettcarlson418/

ServiceUp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/serviceupio/

ServiceUp’s Website: https://www.serviceup.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray is joined by Ricardo Ghekiere, co-founder of BetterPic. Ricardo takes us through his unconventional entrepreneurial journey, starting with running a coffee bar, dabbling in a variety of ventures, and eventually making his way into the tech space. He shares the fascinating story of how he acquired BetterPic for just one dollar, rebuilt the company from the ground up, and scaled it into a thriving AI-powered business that transforms selfies into professional headshots.

Ricardo talks about navigating the challenges of transitioning from a B2C to a B2B go-to-market strategy, lessons learned from his first fundraising efforts, and his approach to metrics and profitability. We also get a sneak peek into BetterPic’s expansion into the fashion industry, their recent $2.5 million seed round, and Ricardo’s candid insights on scaling, pricing, and international growth. Stick around for actionable advice, behind-the-scenes stories, and a look at what’s next for BetterPic and its new ventures.

Show Notes:

00:00 Difficulty Attracts Talent

03:25 "Consumer-First, Expand to B2B"

08:53 Startup Secures $2.5M Funding

12:38 "Finding the Right Investors"

15:22 "B2B CRM Essential for Upselling"

17:49 Pricing Experiment Insights

20:09 Monthly Business Metrics Overview

23:52 Business Acquisition in San Francisco

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/betterpic-raises-2-5-million-in-seed-round

Ricardo Ghekiere’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-ghekiere/

BetterPic’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterpic/

BetterPic’s Website: https://www.betterpic.io/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Forest Flager, CEO and co-founder of Parspec, for an insightful conversation at the crossroads of technology and the construction industry. Forest shares his compelling journey from growing up in a construction family and working internationally as an architect and engineer, to leading a research group at Stanford and ultimately making the leap into SaaS startups. His winding path led him to co-found Parspec, a platform dedicated to modernizing procurement in construction through AI-driven solutions.

Forest dives into how Parspec is tackling the unique challenges faced by wholesale distributors—those crucial intermediaries who connect designers’ technical demands with what’s available in the market. By leveraging AI, Parspec streamlines the process of parsing project specifications, identifying suitable products, and managing the procurement lifecycle, serving customers across residential, commercial, and industrial construction. Forest also opens up about Parspec’s growth strategy, from landing and expanding with major distributors to scaling up their product offering, which has driven significant revenue increases and attracted $31 million in capital.

Listeners will gain valuable insights as Forest discusses lessons learned around product-market fit, nurturing referenceable customers, and managing investor relationships through effective signaling. He also teases exciting new developments on Parspec’s roadmap, aimed at supporting both distributors and contractors with even more automation and transparency. If you’re interested in SaaS growth, usage-based pricing, or the ways AI is reshaping traditional industries, this episode offers a front-row seat to real-world innovations and strategies for scaling a successful startup.

Show Notes:

00:00 AI-Enhanced Construction Procurement Platform

05:07 "Automated Product Documentation Launch"

09:52 Validating Product Roadmap with Customers

11:59 Preemptive Fundraising and Investor Relations

14:33 Delayed Marketing Strategy Adjustment

17:15 Usage-Based Pricing Model Explanation

22:35 HQ & Engineering Team Locations

23:53 "Full-Cycle Procurement Solution Platform"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/parspec-raises-11-5-million-in-seed-round

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/parspec-raises-20-million-in-series-a

Forest Flager’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forestflager/

Parspec’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/parspec

Parspec’s Website: https://www.parspec.io/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray