ReportWire

Tag: SaaS

  • SaaS Companies Take Unusual Step to Prove AI Has Not Mortally Wounded Them

    [ad_1]

    As a sort of proof-of-life exercise, a collection of private software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies recently posted their earnings despite it not being strictly necessary, according to Bloomberg. This is, you won’t be shocked to read, “a bid to convince lenders of their resilience to disruption from artificial intelligence,” Bloomberg says.

    The SaaS world is in a rough place at the moment because Wall Street sees a near future in its crystal ball where a lot of the dreary computer programs people use at work will be replaced with vibe-coding. The narrative around this is that highly debt-burdened software companies may soon not have enough cash coming in to service their debt—bad for the companies, and bad for the companies they’ve borrowed from.

    The wider phenomenon around this is known as the SaaSpocalypse, and it kicked off in earnest when about $300 billion worth of business software company value vanished from the universe around the start of this month. Companies hit by the high-profile sell-off throughout January and February included LegalZoom, LexisNexis, Thomson Reuters, Salesforce, Adobe, and Figma, according to the New York Times.

    So Bloomberg noticed on Tuesday that McAffee had announced earnings that are about the same as this time last year—implying, probably, that it’s not about to miss any debt payments. An “IT modernization” company called Rocket Software saw a 5.2% bump compared to last year, Bloomberg says. Perforce Software’s earnings are slightly down by just the tiniest bit—$644 million compared to $654 million last year—but a call went out to investors recently in which Perforce Software’s leaders explained that they would soon increase revenue by “embedding AI into products.”

    An analytics company called Cloudera that Bloomberg described as “unusually private about its financials” is trumpeting “over 50% year-over-year growth,” in a statement on its website. “Cloudera’s momentum is fueled by its unique position as the only data and AI platform vendor supporting deployment anywhere with a unified experience,” it also claims in that statement. 

    As noted by the Harvard Business Review in 2022, SaaS companies are thought of as money-printing machines because they’re on the monthly subscription model, like Netflix, but boring. The sudden frenzy over agentic tools like OpenClaw seems to have conjured a vivid mental image: millions of IT workers across the world smashing the “unsubscribe” button en masse. These SaaS companies themselves are, quite reasonably, demonstrating that the nightmare many are envisioning hasn’t actually come true.

    Gizmodo reached out to McAffee, Rocket Software, Perforce, and Cloudera for comment, and will update if we hear back. 

    [ad_2]

    Mike Pearl

    Source link

  • Workday lost $40 billion in value. Founder Aneel Bhusri is back with a $139 million bet he can turn it around | Fortune

    [ad_1]

    By bringing cofounder Aneel Bhusri back to the CEO job, Workday has turned to a classic Silicon Valley tradition to deal with the AI threat squeezing software company stocks: the return of the founder.

    Bhusri’s return to the top job at the human resources software company reflects the belief that only a founder with billions on the line and a personal legacy at stake has the unique vision and authority to steer the ship through difficult waters. And with majority voting control plus operational authority as CEO, Bhusri will have more power to make any difficult changes he sees necessary. A close look at Bhusri’s compensation package however suggests that it’s also an acknowledgement of just how bleak the investor prognosis is for software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies. 

    To lure Bhusri back to the CEO job he left two years ago, Workday is giving him a $138.8 million pay package comprised of cash and performance-based and restricted stock. More than half of the package, $75 million, only pays out if Bhusri can hit a series of undisclosed stock price targets over the next five years. Perhaps more telling is the other half: Roughly $60 million in restricted stock requires only that Bhusri stick around at Workday for the next four years, with no performance targets whatsoever.

    With Wall Street bearish on SaaS companies, Workday is effectively recognizing the deep skepticism that even its founder-savior will face in successfully making the transition into the AI age.

    The AI panic rippling through enterprise software stocks for the past couple of weeks has helped wipe out some $40 billion in value at Workday, slashing its market cap in half from an all-time high of $80 billion. The stock has fallen 51% to roughly $150 a share from an intraday peak of $311.28 less than two years ago. This year alone, the stock is down 29% amid the broad bloodbath subsuming the SaaS industry. Other SaaS companies, including Salesforce, ServiceNow, and HubSpot, have all suffered double-digit declines in their stock prices.

    “AI is reshaping how work gets done and represents an even bigger transformation than the shift to cloud 20 years ago,” Bhusri wrote in a LinkedIn post the day after the news of the leadership change. “Just as we helped redefine enterprise software when we founded Workday, I believe we can once again lead the way in this AI era.” 

    There’s a lot at stake for Bhusri, even if he weren’t taking back the reins. As executive chair at the SaaS giant for the past two years, Bhusri has seen half the value of his more than 8-million share ownership stake nosedive from an all-time-high value of $2.6 billion in 2024, to about $1.3 billion. That’s a wealth wipeout on paper of roughly $1.3 billion in less than two years.

    20 years of decision making data and 68% voting control

    Bhusri may have more hands-on experience leading a company than the average founder. Bhusri founded Workday with best friend and mentor Duffield in 2005 before the two joined forces as co-CEOs in 2009. In the years since, Bhusri served as sole CEO after ceding the chairmanship to Duffield before sharing it again in August 2020 with then co-CEO Luciano “Chano” Fernandez. After Fernandez announced his departure in December 2022, the board appointed ex-Sequoia Capital partner Carl Eschenbach to serve alongside Bhusri before Bhusri stepped into the executive chair role in February 2024. Now, with Eschenbach out as CEO, Bhusri is back in the saddle as CEO and chairman. 

    As the software company turns the page, it has 20 years of decision making data and process history that give the opportunity to offer enterprise grade intelligence to large customers, Bhusri wrote in his post. 

    Workday’s success is highly dependent on Bhusri. The company operates with a dual-class share structure, which means shares sold on the open market, Class A shares, carry a single vote apiece, while Class B shares are worth 10 votes each. Between cofounder Dave Duffield and Bhusri and their affiliates and a voting rights agreement that dates back to Workday’s 2012 IPO, the two cofounders control 68% of the voting power through their Class B share ownership. 

    Bhusri’s Linkedin post is jam-packed with optimism for Workday’s future but the numbers are far more complex. In the past three years, the company has announced multiple rounds of layoffs impacting thousands of jobs with the rationale that they were part of a realignment, a shift toward AI, and a move to improve profitability. Last February, the company slashed its workforce by roughly 7.5% as part of a restructuring plan and recorded $172 million in associated charges.

    While revenue is growing—Workday posted $8.4 billion in total revenue for fiscal 2025, up 16% over the year prior—that growth has slowed. Subscription revenue growth, for example,slowed from 19% in fiscal 2024 to 17% in fiscal 2025, per the company’s annual report, with the most recent quarter showing 15%. Plus, the unknown impact AI will have on SaaS companies is a brutal hangover on the sector, and the impact on Workday is significantly visible. The day of Bhusri’s return, the stock dropped more than 6%, underscoring investors’ anxiety about the company and its challenges adapting to the AI age. 

    Workday has been mum on the specific targets Bhusri will have to hit to see his $138.8 million package pay out, but the disclosed terms state the $75 million award will be divided up into tranches that will require Bhusri to hit stock price targets—and stay at Workday. Bringing the price back up to its peak will mean more than doubling the stock price in the next five years. Bhusri’s $60 million restricted stock award will vest over four years so long as Bhusri stays with the company. He’ll also collect a $1.25 million yearly salary and a yearly cash bonus of up to $2.5 million. He won’t be eligible for any more grants until 2027.

    Eschenbach, the former CEO, who resigned from all his roles and will now serve as a senior advisor, got a severance package valued at roughly $3.6 million and he’ll see accelerated vesting on nearly 140,000 shares of restricted stock units that would have vested in the year after his departure. At $150 a share, Eschenbach’s equity is worth more than $20 million, and he’ll see accelerated vesting on another 24,000 additional shares if performance metrics tied to the award are met. His “push-out score,” an independent assessment of the terms of his departure, ranked his departure a nine out of 10. The score suggests “it seems extremely likely” Eschenbach felt pressured to leave.

    In a post on LinkedIn, Eschenbach praised Bhusri and his former “Workmates” at Workday.

    “The opportunity ahead of us is always greater than what’s behind,” wrote Eschenbach. “We are at a massive inflection point with AI, and there is nobody better than Aneel to lead Workday through this moment and drive the vision forward.”

    Bhusri and Duffield’s agreement also means that if one of the co–founders is incapacitated or dies, the other gets control of both stakes. The dual-class structure is set to expire in October 2032—a year after Bhusri’s performance window closes in early 2031. That gives Bhusri a solid chunk of time to see if a co-founder in the CEO seat can make an impact on the stock price in the midst of an AI tidal wave.

    [ad_2]

    Amanda Gerut

    Source link

  • Dallas Becomes Launchpad for HighLevel’s First-Ever Paid AI SaaS Internship

    [ad_1]

    This Summer 2026 Intern program turns Dallas into a hub for student entrepreneurs building their own businesses with AI.


    DALLAS, October 14, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    A new internship program launching in Summer 2026 will give students something far beyond shadowing or coffee runs. HighLevel, the all-in-one AI Business Operating System used by over 2 million businesses worldwide, is debuting the HighLevel Summer Internship, an 8-week paid program where students build and scale their own SaaS agencies.

    Interns will acquire real customers, generate revenue and master the tools reshaping the future of work: AI and automation. Instead of studying theory, students will put AI into action by helping small businesses grow while earning both a salary and income from their ventures.

    What makes this different:

    • Dallas-built, globally scaled: Interns join a company that has grown to over 1,800 employees and 110,000+ customers in just a few years.

    • AI as a co-founder: Students use AI tools to build real businesses.

    • From classroom to customers: Hands-on experience in acquiring and onboarding their own customers.

    • Paid to innovate: A program that pays students while they build sustainable businesses.

    “AI isn’t taking opportunities away, it’s changing what opportunity looks like,” says Wesley Williams, VP of Marketing at HighLevel. “We’re teaching students how to stop competing with AI and start creating with it. Through our internship program, they’re using technology to make an immediate impact on small businesses that need their help the most.”

    Backed by a platform that’s helped SaaSPRENEURs generate over $1.8 billion in revenue and more than $9.7 billion in total customer revenue to date, HighLevel’s internship program gives students a rare opportunity to learn from and contribute to a proven model of real-world business success.

    “The job market isn’t what it used to be. For years, students were told that good grades, a college degree and hard work would guarantee success. Yet we’ve watched entrepreneurs, creators and influencers achieve incredible success outside that traditional path,” states Sarah Robertson, Manager of HighLevel’s Internship Program. “This shift has opened the door for new pathways, and entrepreneurship is leading the way. This program puts that success back in the hands of the individual, equipping students to think like entrepreneurs, build real businesses and develop the foundation to become successful business owners in any field.”

    Applications for the inaugural cohort open January 2026. Spaces are limited.

    About HighLevel

    HighLevel is the AI-powered platform helping over 2 million businesses automate, grow and thrive. Entrepreneurs using HighLevel’s SaaSPRENEUR model have already generated more than $1.8 billion in revenue, contributing to over $9.7 billion in total customer revenue across the platform. From solo founders to global teams, HighLevel gives people the tools to build smarter businesses and shape the future of work.

    Contact Information

    Sarah Robertson
    Manager, Internship Program
    internship@gohighlevel.com

    Source: HighLevel LLC

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • VerseOne Launches API Gateway for Music Distribution Platforms

    [ad_1]


    NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    VerseOne Distribution is excited to announce the launch of a robust new RESTful API, created to streamline how record labels, artist management companies, and music tech platforms deliver releases to Digital Service Providers (DSPs) worldwide.

    This service is inclusive on the Premium and enterprise tiers of VerseOne Pro White label music distribution software.

    With the VerseOne Pro API, labels can now integrate their own internal systems such as distribution websites, artist management platforms, Apps, accounting software directly with VerseOne’s distribution back-end.

    This connection is designed to eliminate manual data entry between platforms, reduce costly errors, and speed up the entire release workflow.

    Core Features of the API Include:

    Creating and managing releases programmatically: Labels can automatically push albums, singles, and EPs straight from their own systems into the distribution pipeline with a single API call.

    Uploading users, tracks and artwork in bulk: High-quality audio files, cover art, and metadata can be handled automatically, ensuring data is properly synced between platforms and DSPs receive perfectly formatted content.

    Updating and correcting metadata instantly: Make last-minute changes to titles, credits, or ISRC codes without the delays of manual processing.

    Monitor delivery status to DSPs: Track when releases get delivered on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and more.

    The VerseOne Pro API is available now for all eligible partners, from indie labels to enterprise music companies with their own websites, apps, or rights management systems. Comprehensive developer documentation, sandbox access, and dedicated support make integration simple and secure.

    For more information about integrating the VerseOne PRO API, please visit: https://verseone.net/pro-api

    About VerseOne Distribution
    VerseOne Distribution is a trusted global music distribution partner, empowering thousands of artists and labels to deliver their music to major DSPs worldwide. With a commitment to innovation, transparency, and artist success, VerseOne helps the music industry grow , one release at a time.

    Source: Verse One Media LLC

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 4 Content Secrets That Any Business Can Apply | Entrepreneur

    4 Content Secrets That Any Business Can Apply | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Every company faces more pressure than ever to offer their customers outstanding digital experiences. Content such as text, images, video and more is the substance of those digital experiences, so every business needs to get content right. Why not learn from the pioneers of digital experience, SaaS (software as a service) companies?

    Consider why SaaS companies like Intuit and Salesforce excel at content. From day one, successful SaaS companies support the end-to-end customer experience through diverse content, ranging from inspirational podcasts to product explainer videos to contextual help. As a past head of content for Mailchimp, I know firsthand that when customer experience is digital, content is critical. Consider these four content secrets that can benefit any business.

    Related: How to Create Content that Generates Exposure, Loyalty and Sales

    1. Show and tell your brand purpose

    A meaningful purpose can differentiate a brand from any generation, but especially the up-and-coming Gen Z. One recent study by Roundel found that 73% of Gen Z participants will buy only from brands they believe in.

    Adding purpose to a brand starts with defining it. But that can’t be where purpose ends. A brand has to demonstrate its purpose or risk coming across as unauthentic or even hypocritical.

    Salesforce is a model for showing, not just telling, its purpose through content. From almost day 1, Salesforce has said its purpose is to “build stronger relationships.”

    Recently, the successful SaaS launched a Netflix-like experience called Salesforce+. This streaming service provides on-demand content with very high production value about timely business and marketing topics, often involving Salesforce customers.

    I’m not saying every company has to be Netflix. But every business can offer content that brings its purpose to life. For instance, The Home Depot offers project, buying and inspiration guides that show it empowers “more doing.” Patagonia’s catalog is more like an outdoor magazine with stories illustrating its commitment to “protect our home planet.”

    Related: Don’t Just Hire — Grow Talent. 4 Ways to Set Your New Employees Up for Growth

    2. Go beyond customer service to customer success

    Great SaaS have figured out how to handle customer service digitally and enable customer success. Outstanding SaaS offers content to help customers solve problems and get more value.

    Content examples include but are far from limited to

    • Microcopy, such as labels, instructions, headings, icons, and error messages.
    • Wizards or step-by-step interactive guides.
    • FAQs that are easily accessible by chat and voice search.
    • Contextual help, such as tooltips and notifications.
    • Best practices based on the most successful customers.
    • Chatbots or copilots fueled by FAQs, contextual help, and other content.

    A great SaaS example is Intuit Assist, an AI-powered advisor that works across all Intuit products–and that has earned distinctions like the Fortune 50 AI Innovators. Forward-thinking businesses are taking note. For instance, Wal-Mart recently launched a copilot that allows customers to request “Help me plan a Halloween party” and receive relevant product suggestions across all departments.

    Not ready for a full-on AI bot or copilot? Your company can leverage content to help customers and train an AI bot or copilot later.

    Related: Why Doing the Right Thing Leads to Long-Term Success

    3. Promote less, guide more

    Every business faces the challenge of merchandising their products or services to fuel growth. Look at the way high-growth SaaS makes customers aware of relevant new offerings. Rather than blast sales-y ads and emails repeatedly, the best SaaS nudge customers to try new features, products, or services by suggesting them to customers most likely to benefit at the right time.

    For example, during my time at Mailchimp, the SaaS grew quickly and added features steadily. So, while the engineers built the features, my teams built the content to encourage and support customers. We found a strong correlation between suggesting a useful how-to article for a new customer attempting a feature for the first time, that customer’s success, and millions of dollars in revenue.

    I’m not saying your company should never place an ad again. But I’m willing to bet the uptake of your offerings will be much higher if you guide customers.

    Even a product as simple as an eyeshadow stick, as seen with the wildly successful Thrive Causemetics, includes detailed descriptions, how-tos (both text and video), images for different skin types, FAQs, statistics, pro tips from the founder, and more.

    4 Get your content in order

    This secret is about what happens behind the scenes with content. There is no content fairy to magically create and manage your content. (No, not even AI can do that!) But there is content operations — the combination of people, processes and technology that orchestrate end-to-end content. Smart SaaS matures its content operations quickly so that it can scale. At Mailchimp, I added modern content roles, defined new processes and led the adoption of content workflow software.

    Recently, Pfizer realized just how important content operations is to sustaining and expanding its business. At Adobe Summit, Jane von Kirchbach, Senior Vice President of Digital, said that “over the period of the pandemic, we touched more than one billion lives. This is our time to amplify how we engage with our customers, with our patients, with our doctors, and hospitals. Content is at the heart of that transformation.”

    Pfizer transformed its content operations by streamlining its end-to-end content supply chain, automating workflows, and using AI to assist content development. These changes reduced content creation time by more than 50%.

    So, as your business has to compete on digital experience, you can gain an advantage by acting like a world-class SaaS. Imbue your digital experience with content that shows your purpose and empowers your customers to succeed. And set up the right content operations to scale. The better your business gets at content, the more your business will grow.

    [ad_2]

    Colleen Jones

    Source link

  • 5 SEO Techniques to Help Your SaaS Business Rank in 2024 | Entrepreneur

    5 SEO Techniques to Help Your SaaS Business Rank in 2024 | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Software as a service (SaaS) is a booming industry full of potential and innovation. However, many SaaS businesses rely heavily on paid advertising for lead generation and customer acquisition, often overlooking the incredible power of organic traffic. This leads to high customer acquisition costs, which slows down business growth.

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages. Investing in SEO can drive sustainable organic traffic, reduce acquisition costs and attract highly qualified buyers ready to book demos.

    In this article, I discuss five essential SaaS SEO techniques to help you rank higher, increase the number of organic website visitors and drive more conversions in 2024.

    Related: 3 Powerful SEO Techniques That Will Boost Your Website’s Search Engine Ranking

    1. Do in-depth keyword research

    In-depth keyword research helps you identify the specific terms your potential customers use to find software solutions like yours. For SaaS businesses, the main focus of keyword research should be on your target audience’s needs and more specifically, long-tail keywords.

    For example, if you offer time management software, your first instinct would be to target keywords like “time management software.” However, websites that rank well for this keyword are well-established and have great authority, so climbing to the first spot on Google would take forever.

    Instead, you should focus on more specific, long-tail keywords. In this case:

    • “Time management software for freelancers”

    • “Affordable time management software for startups”

    • “Time management apps with project tracking”

    • “Best time tracking tools for remote teams”

    Long-tail keywords typically have higher buyer intent because they are specific, indicating that the person has a clearer idea of what they are looking for. Targeting keywords with clearer user intent and less competition makes it easier to rank, as well as to attract and convert leads looking for specific features or benefits that align with your SaaS offering.

    2. Maintain high content velocity

    Publishing one blog post per week is not enough to remain relevant in the SaaS industry. To stay ahead of the competition, you should increase your content velocity and publish as much high-quality content as possible.

    Producing more relevant and informative content in your niche signals to search engines that your website is a credible source of information. This boosts your topical authority and user trust, which is especially crucial for small business SEO.

    Increasing your content velocity also provides more opportunities to include various keywords, which boosts your chances of ranking high for more search terms.

    To effectively increase your content velocity and stay competitive in the SaaS industry, consider creating a variety of content types that cater to different aspects of your audience’s needs and interests. That includes:

    3. Create product-led SEO pages

    Product-led SEO pages focus specifically on your products, which is highly effective for attracting qualified leads who are more likely to convert into customers.

    The most common examples of product-led SEO pages are:

    • Comparison pages: Create detailed comparison pages like [Competitor product] vs. [Your product] to highlight your product’s unique features, benefits and advantages over the competition.

    • Competitor comparisons: Generate pages that compare multiple competitors, such as [Competitor product] vs. [Competitor product]. This positions your brand as a knowledgeable authority in the space and can help potential customers understand what the industry has to offer.

    • Best-of lists: Create lists like “X Best [Your Niche] Tools in 2024” and include your product to establish it as a top option.

    • Niche-specific landing pages: Optimize landing pages for specific keywords, such as “time management software for freelancers.” These pages should be rich with information about your product, including features, benefits, testimonials and calls to action.

    Related: 6 Ecommerce SEO Tips to Help You Rank on Google

    4. Build high-quality backlinks

    There are more than 9,000 SaaS companies in the U.S. with around 15 billion active users across the world. The SaaS industry is more competitive than ever, and most businesses use SEO to attract more customers.

    Building high-quality backlinks to your product pages and blog posts is an SEO technique that helps improve your search engine rankings and domain authority to get an edge over the competition.

    Some of the ways you can build backlinks include:

    • Guest posting on relevant industry blogs

    • Claiming unlinked brand mentions

    • Producing high-quality content like infographics and whitepapers to attract backlinks

    • Collaborating with other companies and influencers to create mutually beneficial content that includes backlinks

    If you want your link building to work, though, you need to also focus on quality and relevance. The best approach is to acquire backlinks from established websites in your industry because they contribute more to your SEO results. Backlinks from reputable websites signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and authoritative.

    For a SaaS company, you want backlinks from technology blogs, industry publications and authoritative websites in the software niche.

    5. Develop strong internal linking

    Internal links are hyperlinks that point to other pages on your website. They help Google understand the structure of your site, the hierarchy of your pages and the importance of specific content.

    Strong internal linking can improve your website’s SEO by making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages, which in turn can boost your rankings.

    Include as many relevant internal links as possible with every article you write. To find all relevant pages, go to Google and type: “site:yourwebsite.com [relevant keyword].”

    The best SEO tip is to use descriptive anchor text to provide context about the linked page’s content. For example, if you’re writing an article about “time management software for freelancers” and want to link to another article talking about best tools for remote workers, you can use the anchor text “best time tracking tools for remote teams.”

    Lastly, you should regularly update older posts with new internal links to keep the SEO content fresh and improve relevance.

    Focusing on the right SEO strategies can help you reduce customer acquisition costs and attract more organic traffic to your SaaS website.

    The best approach is to:

    • Conduct in-depth keyword research

    • Maintain high content velocity

    • Create quality product-led SEO pages

    • Build high-quality backlinks

    • Develop strong internal linking

    Try these techniques to improve your rankings, drive more qualified leads, boost conversions and get better SEO results this year.

    Related: 5 Common SEO Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Rankings

    [ad_2]

    Nick Zviadadze

    Source link

  • VerseOne Distribution Launches White Label Music Distribution Service

    VerseOne Distribution Launches White Label Music Distribution Service

    [ad_1]

    Press Release
    •

    Jun 26, 2024 09:00 EDT


    NEW YORK, June 26, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    VerseOne Distribution has launched a white label music distribution platform designed to cater for large record labels, distributors and aggregators. The white label music distribution platform allows users to take advantage of VerseOne’s proprietary technology and powerful tools such as audio and music video distribution, social media engagement tracking, user ID verification, AI assisted text to image cover-art generation and image up-scaling, detailed analytics, royalty reporting, marketing and promotional tools including billboard advertising. 

    The white label solution allows users to customize their platform by uploading logos, swapping the URL to a domain name of their choice, customization of the email address, and colors for a matching look, feel and experience of the users’ brand.

    Flexible options include expandable number or tracks, variable number or users which can be labels or artists, or other various custom features, most of which users can upgrade without a significantly increased financial burden. 

    The pricing for the White Label solution is flexible and is divided into four tiers; basic, standard, premium and enterprise. The service starts at $199 per month and yearly plans come with a one-month discount. 

    For more information, visit https://verseone.net/white-label-music-distribution to learn more. 

    Source: VerseOne Distribution

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • UPDATE: BridgeCare Announces $10M Investment to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Early Care and Education System

    UPDATE: BridgeCare Announces $10M Investment to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Early Care and Education System

    [ad_1]

    Company Slated to Double Down on Delivering Innovative Technology to the Early Care Sector


    SAN FRANCISCO, March 5, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    BridgeCare, the leading data and technology infrastructure platform for early care and education, announced today a $10 million investment from Avenue Growth Partners (Avenue), an early growth equity investor in category-leading vertical SaaS companies. 

    BridgeCare, a modern SaaS solution with customers in 14 states, will invest in innovation and services to advance its mission of supporting state and local governments in making the ECE system more equitable and effective for all.

    BridgeCare’s co-founder and CEO Jamee Herbert says this investment comes on the heels of years of organic growth driven by the extraordinary need for new solutions and digital transformation in early care. 

    “We’ve gotten to this point by viewing our customers as our most important stakeholders and using our parent-led team to build solutions that truly deliver impact where legacy systems have fallen short,” Herbert says. “This new partnership with Avenue enables us to build on that momentum and bring our platform to even more states and counties to power equitable and accessible early care and education.”

    Early education has historically lagged behind other sectors in digital transformation, with critical processes like provider licensing still occurring via pen and paper in many communities. Like the healthcare sector with its slow adoption of electronic medical records, child care has faced challenges in its ability to adapt to the rapid demands of the digital age, and these delays have ultimately made it difficult for leaders to get a true picture of child care availability in their region and nationally. 

    However, the need for modernization is undeniable with an August 2023 report by the U.S. Office of Educational Technology highlighting education’s digital status as one of “critical infrastructure,” and key players in building secure, accessible, and resilient solutions being service providers. It’s in this role — critical infrastructure — that BridgeCare has found consistent opportunities for impact.

    Avenue co-founder and partner Ryan Russell says his firm was impressed by BridgeCare’s founding team and the critical need BridgeCare met in the early child care space.

    “We were initially drawn to Jamee and JC as entrepreneurs, and they have done an excellent job building a high-growth business with market-leading technology,” Russell said. “Over time, we became compelled by the intersection of the company’s mission with the entrepreneurial opportunity to build a business that generates meaningful value for the early care and education ecosystem.”

    With more than 500 U.S. counties using the software, BridgeCare has already gained significant national attention and serves more than 500,000 families and 50,000 providers with better access to affordable, high-quality child care and early childhood education. 

    “We’re very proud of the impact BridgeCare has made in the space so far but there’s so much work to be done,” Herbert says. “We’re excited to build upon our existing relationships within the nation’s most ambitious ECE initiatives and deliver more innovations to make their equity and accessibility goals a reality.”

    ABOUT BRIDGECARE

    BridgeCare has built data and technology infrastructure for government agencies and organizations working to build an early childhood education system that works for everyone. Entirely parent-led, BridgeCare solutions have made quality child care more available in 14 states. Learn more at www.getbridgecare.com.

    ABOUT AVENUE 

    Avenue Growth Partners provides growth capital to B2B software entrepreneurs building vertical-market winners. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., select Avenue investments include PortPro, BizzyCar, Rosie and Hive. For more information, please visit www.avenuegp.com. 

    Source: BridgeCare

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • BridgeCare Announces $10M Investment to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Early Care and Education System

    BridgeCare Announces $10M Investment to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Early Care and Education System

    [ad_1]

    Company Slated to Double Down on Delivering Innovative Technology to the Early Care Sector


    SAN FRANCISCO, February 14, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    BridgeCare, the leading data and technology infrastructure platform for early care and education, announced today a $10 million investment from Avenue Growth Partners (Avenue), an early growth equity investor in category-leading vertical SaaS companies. 

    BridgeCare, a modern SaaS solution with customers in 14 states, will invest in innovation and services to advance its mission of supporting state and local governments in making the ECE system more equitable and effective for all.

    BridgeCare’s co-founder and CEO Jamee Herbert says this investment comes on the heels of years of organic growth driven by the extraordinary need for new solutions and digital transformation in early care. 

    “We’ve gotten to this point by viewing our customers as our most important stakeholders and using our parent-led team to build solutions that truly deliver impact where legacy systems have fallen short,” Herbert says. “This new partnership with Avenue enables us to build on that momentum and bring our platform to even more states and counties to power equitable and accessible early care and education.”

    Early education has historically lagged behind other sectors in digital transformation, with critical processes like provider licensing still occurring via pen and paper in many communities. Like the healthcare sector with its slow adoption of electronic medical records, child care has faced challenges in its ability to adapt to the rapid demands of the digital age, and these delays have ultimately made it difficult for leaders to get a true picture of child care availability in their region and nationally. 

    However, the need for modernization is undeniable with an August 2023 report by the U.S. Office of Educational Technology highlighting education’s digital status as one of “critical infrastructure,” and key players in building secure, accessible, and resilient solutions being service providers. It’s in this role — critical infrastructure — that BridgeCare has found consistent opportunities for impact.

    Avenue co-founder and partner Ryan Russell says his firm was impressed by BridgeCare’s founding team and the critical need BridgeCare met in the early child care space.

    “We were initially drawn to Jamee and JC as entrepreneurs, and they have done an excellent job building a high-growth business with market-leading technology,” Russell said. “Over time, we became compelled by the intersection of the company’s mission with the entrepreneurial opportunity to build a business that generates meaningful value for the early care and education ecosystem.”

    With more than 500 U.S. counties using the software, BridgeCare has already gained significant national attention and serves more than 500,000 families and 50,000 providers with better access to affordable, high-quality child care and early childhood education. 

    “We’re very proud of the impact BridgeCare has made in the space so far but there’s so much work to be done,” Herbert says. “We’re excited to build upon our existing relationships within the nation’s most ambitious ECE initiatives and deliver more innovations to make their equity and accessibility goals a reality.”

    Since its founding in 2016, BridgeCare’s accomplishments in ECE include:

    • The successful matching of more than 40,000 Colorado 4-year-olds with high-quality early childhood education with its voter-approved, mixed-delivery Universal Pre-K program, more than doubling the amount provided under the state’s former system. 
    • Texas’ user-friendly child care search portal called Texas Child Care Connection for families to find available child care openings statewide.
    • The revamping and administration of Alabama’s First Class Pre-K Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) with two tracks: Assessment and Enhancement. 
    • Regional adoption of Coordinated Enrollment in Virginia, currently including three of nine Ready Regions. 

    ABOUT BRIDGECARE

    BridgeCare has built data and technology infrastructure for government agencies and organizations working to build an early childhood education system that works for everyone. Entirely parent-led, BridgeCare solutions have made quality child care more available in 14 states. Learn more at www.getbridgecare.com.

    ABOUT AVENUE 

    Avenue Growth Partners provides growth capital to B2B software entrepreneurs building vertical-market winners. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., select Avenue investments include PortPro, BizzyCar, Rosie and Hive. For more information, please visit www.avenuegp.com. 

    Source: BridgeCare

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Vertice raises $25M for AI-based tools to help companies tackle software spend | TechCrunch

    Vertice raises $25M for AI-based tools to help companies tackle software spend | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    When you say the phrase “expense management” in a business context, people might think of software like Concur that tracks what you spend on travel, entertainment and other work-related activities; or the software used by finance teams to help track outgoings across the wider operation. You might even think that it’s a problem that has essentially been “solved”.

    But today, a startup called Vertice — taking a more granular approach to a specific area of expense, software spend — is announcing $25 million in funding on the heels of strong growth. The Series B is a signal both of demand in the market, and of how the space is evolving with the rise of AI and other tools.

    The funding is being co-led by 83North and Bessemer Venture Partners, which also co-led the London-based startup’s previous round of $26 million.

    Roy Tuvey, who co-founded the company and is co-CEO of it with his brother Eldar, said this was done as an all-inside round so that they could continue the close relationship with investors they knew and liked. While some inside rounds speak to startups needing a little help in difficult times, that is not the case here: the company now has a valuation, Tuvey said, in the “hundreds of millions of dollars,” which is impressive in the current market and speaks to low dilution, since Vertice has only raised $51 million to date.

    He declined to give specific revenue numbers, but he noted that annual recurring revenues are now in the double-digit millions, with ARR growing seven-fold in 2023.

    Another important factor is possibly the track record of the two brothers: previous exits have included security startup ScanSafe, which they sold to Cisco in 2009 for $200 million; and Wandera, which was acquired by Jamf for $400 million in 2021.

    The problem (and opportunity) that Vertice is going after is focused around SaaS and cloud spend, the two largest and fastest-growing areas of IT expense for businesses worldwide, according to forecasts from Gartner (set to grow between 11% and 14% this year depending on the product).

    Put simply, the growth of what is available to purchase and use in the cloud has outpaced the tools to track how those products are procured, used, managed, and planned. It results in a lot of overlap and often products that are not actually being used in an optimized way.

    “It’s all about trying to help companies track and optimise their spend,” said Tuvey.

    “And the reason it’s a problem that’s very visible for companies is they’re spending a lot of money in this area. I don’t think there’s any company we speak to that thinks that in three years time, they’re going to be spending less on software than they do today. And actually, it’s really complex to manage, there’s hundreds of different licences. And so what we do is we have a platform where they can track everything they bought. They can run a centralised approval process is really important, because you’re calling it expense management but from a procurement perspective lots of companies end up buying lots of tools. And there’s no discipline behind that…if you think about CRM and HR tools and cybersecurity and you amalgamate all of them it’s a very significant line item. Software spend, beyond physical offices and payroll, is the biggest sort of fixed costs for the business.”

    The company’s approach involves a mix of automation, human evaluation, and a suite of AI tools that looks at spending and usage trends across the hundreds of customers already using Vertice — and the more than $1 billion that is being spent by those customers tracked through the platform. The insights it picks up are both used to help give finance teams, who are its target customers, a better birds-eye picture of what is being spent, and where. Users can also in turn drill down into more details about why and how some spend is potentially a red flag, since it’s for a product that is not in use anymore, or has been superceded by other IT contracts in place.

    An example of how automation, AI and human involvement might work together: there might be a team using a premium Zoom subscription, when the larger business already has a Google Cloud Platform contract that covers video, too: it can be flagged and then a conversation can happen to determine whether it’s necessary to have both.

    I mention Google Cloud Platform, but that really is just a hypothetical: currently Vertice only tracks cloud spend and cloud usage for AWS. The plan is to add Azure and GCP into the mix in the very near future, but for now Amazon’s cloud platform is the only one that it tracks: Vertice can alert users to when instances are no longer cost effective for a company, or overlap with other purchases being made by other teams. This is actually a very interesting space and one that you could see developing in and of itself around areas like AI: as companies buy more compute power to run models and AI services, they will inevitably have to figure out how to make ballooning spend as efficient as possible. That is, if AI proves out to be as big of a juggernaut as many believe it could become, longer term.

    It’s not all just about cost: the fact that the brothers’ background is in IT security gives the platform a very strong angle and focus on security, too. One of the tools that it has built alongside expense management tracks how different software packages align with a company’s security compliance profile.

    This also speaks to which kinds of companies will evolve as competitors to Vertice: they will include not just expense management giants like SAP, and other startups tracking software usage and spend, but tech companies that track software for any kind of policy compliance.

    In terms of investors, it’s notable to see Bessemer continuing to stay active in UK investing, given bigger news in the last couple of months where others like Omers and Coatue are beating a retreat. Part of that is because of the company, not the geography, said BVP partner Alex Ferrara, and the fact that Vertice is actually targeting priorities that have surfaced in the current market climate.

    “One of the reasons we were excited about investing was that when we introduced Vertice to our portfolio companies” — and these include not just small startups but these giant tech companies, he said — “we were getting very, very good feedback from the CFOs who were saying that they were able to realise savings, they liked really like the product. Startups with $200 million in revenue don’t have an on-site procurement team [and] they’re all facing a lot of pressure to make their money last longer, and this was a great way for them to reduce the non-payroll expenses. It can cost years that they don’t have to, you know, shed any headcount.”

    [ad_2]

    Ingrid Lunden

    Source link

  • Lighthouse (Formerly OTA Insight) Wins Four 2024 HotelTechAwards, Reinforcing Leadership in Hospitality Technology

    Lighthouse (Formerly OTA Insight) Wins Four 2024 HotelTechAwards, Reinforcing Leadership in Hospitality Technology

    [ad_1]

    Four-time winner continues to illuminate the path forward to help transform complexity into confidence


    DENVER, January 9, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight), the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry, today announces that for the fourth consecutive year it has been recognized as the industry leader in the following categories:

    • Best Rate Shopping & Market Intelligence
    • Best Hotel Rate Parity
    • Best Business Intelligence
    • Overall – Top 10 People’s Choice (#4)

    This unprecedented success underlines Lighthouse’s dedication to innovation, data quality, and unparalleled customer service. The company’s consistent performance in these categories is a testament to its commitment to empowering over 65,000 hoteliers with cutting-edge solutions and insights.

    In 2023, the company underwent a significant rebranding, transitioning from OTA Insight to Lighthouse. The rebrand unified various products and acquisitions under a seamless unified commercial platform. The rebranding also introduced new features, including advanced business intelligence tools, insights into the short-term rental market, as well as a revamped user experience.

    “We are immensely proud to receive these Hotel Tech Report Awards for the fourth time,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of Lighthouse. “Our consistent performance over the years is a clear indication of our unwavering commitment to excellence and customer success. These awards are not just wins for the Lighthouse team, but for all our customers, who inspire us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in hotel technology.”

    The Hotel Tech Report Awards are renowned for recognizing outstanding technology providers in the global hotel industry. Each year over 2.5 million hotel industry professionals use HotelTechReport.com to make informed technology purchasing decisions. The HotelTechAwards determine the best hotel software products across every category based on customer feedback and key proprietary data signals such as integration compatibility, organizational health, market share, partner network strength, and customer support quality.

    “Some hotel tech companies have mastered working with smaller properties while others have been outstanding partners for large enterprise and corporate hospitality,” said Jordan Hollander, CEO of Hotel Tech Report. “Lighthouse is a rare breed of company truly in a league of its own with thousands of hoteliers raving about the product on our platform from across the globe and even more impressively from small independents all the way to large corporate chains. Lighthouse masterfully delivers a rapid pace of innovation while maintaining top tier customer support levels all packaged in an easy to use and easy to understand user interface.”

    Experience the power of Lighthouse today. Sign up for a demo of the Lighthouse platform here.

    About Lighthouse

    Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways.

    Trusted by over 65,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners—their success is our success.

    About Hotel Tech Report

    HotelTechReport.com is the hotel industry’s leading online research platform for technology buying advice and insights. Each month HTR helps more than 250k+ hotel owners and operators from the world’s leading hotel companies discover and vet the best digital products to run and grow their hotel businesses.

    Source: Lighthouse

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • OTA Insight Rebrands as Lighthouse to Illuminate New Capabilities and Launch of a Unified Commercial Platform

    OTA Insight Rebrands as Lighthouse to Illuminate New Capabilities and Launch of a Unified Commercial Platform

    [ad_1]

    The global leader in cloud-based market intelligence for the travel & hospitality industry, is now Lighthouse.

    • Strategic shift unifies multiple company brands under a single Lighthouse brand, improving customer service and communications.
    • Platform updates improve user experience, ease of use, and access to additional data.
    • Unified platform serves 65,000 hotels across 185 countries, along with short-term rental data covering over 19 million short-term rental properties.


    DENVER, November 9, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    OTA Insight, the global leader in cloud-based market intelligence for the travel & hospitality industry, has rebranded to Lighthouse. The rebrand consolidates multiple products and acquired companies into a single, unified commercial platform. This shift marks a significant milestone in the company’s continued evolution as a unified platform that fundamentally reimagines commercial strategy for the travel and hospitality industry.

    The name Lighthouse was chosen to symbolize the company’s role in illuminating insights, transforming confusion into clarity, and enabling confident decision making. “Our capabilities and vision have outgrown the OTA Insight name,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO. “As Lighthouse, we bring the most accurate, real-time data from multiple sources into a single platform, process that data using the latest AI and machine learning techniques, and complement it with amazing customer service. We listen to our customers and continuously innovate to deliver straightforward, intuitive tools that save time, boost revenue, and remain user-friendly.”

    The enhanced Lighthouse platform introduces new business intelligence capabilities, new short-term rental insights, and a new look and feel to enhance the user experience for commercial decision makers. Data from strategic acquisitions, including Transparent and Kriya RevGen, is now seamlessly integrated into the Lighthouse platform. 

    Core Lighthouse products and capabilities include:

    • Rate Insight: Rate shopping and competitive price intelligence for both hotels and short-term rentals
    • Market Insight: Forward-looking market demand monitoring to improve forecasting, room price setting, and marketing strategies
    • Benchmark Insight: Performance benchmarking with market, category, and competitor  intelligence
    • Parity Insight: Performance management tools to measure room price parity across a multitude of distribution channels
    • Business Intelligence (BI): BI solutions for single-property, multi-property and multi-brand portfolio revenue managers
    • Pricing Assistant: AI-powered room price recommendations with automated workflows 
    • Distribution Insight: API monitoring and analytics to measure and optimize distribution performance
    • Destination Insight: Supply and demand analytics for DMOs, hotels and short-term rentals
    • Hotel Data Solutions: Tool sets to access the largest and most accurate hotel and short-term rental data set in the industry

    “Our brand promise has always been to listen to our customers, continually innovate based on the latest technologies, and deliver the best customer service in the industry. We have a new name, and new capabilities, but our core values remain the same,” said Fitzpatrick. “Lighthouse reflects not only who we are today, but where we are headed in the future.”

    Lighthouse currently serves hoteliers across 185 countries. The company’s platform is built on data sets covering over 725,000 hotels and 19 million short-term rental properties globally. Revenue and hospitality professionals, destination marketing organizations, asset managers, and short-term rental professionals all rely on Lighthouse to make decisions with confidence. 

    In conjunction with the brand update, Lighthouse has also launched a new official company website. To learn more and explore the new site, visit www.mylighthouse.com.

    About Lighthouse

    Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth.

    We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways. 

    Trusted by over 65,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners — their success is our success. 

    Source: Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight)

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • How One Simple Initiative Changes the Way US Administrative Law Judges Process Citizens’ Appeals

    How One Simple Initiative Changes the Way US Administrative Law Judges Process Citizens’ Appeals

    [ad_1]

    Press Release
    •

    Oct 30, 2023

    Agencies can now improve citizen satisfaction, while saving hundreds of thousands in operational costs, reducing burnout of administrative judges, and improving workforce retention.


    THE BRONX, N.Y., October 30, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Global Technology Solutions, a company focused on customer service technology, announces Digital Appeal Recording Solution (DARS), a whole new way for government agencies to clear a backlog of appeals and save hundreds of hours doing it. DARS is a new, government-compliant, easy-to-use tool with automation, analytics and reporting built in.

    An average administrative law judge is wasting 5+ hours each work week, just clicking in frustration between different applications – simply so they can do their job. The problem with that is those applications were not intended for conducting hearings online.

    “If I have 75 scheduled hearings, I can only manage 25-30 of them, and each one takes 30-45 days to set up. This is incredibly frustrating!” 
    -Administrative law judge, government workforce agency, Florida

    A new system has been developed that will save government agencies hundreds of hours of work and reduce administrative judges’ burnout. 

    The new system, called DARS, is a web-based platform that automates the most time-consuming and repetitive tasks associated with processing claims and appeals. DARS is already being used by several U.S. government agencies and has proven to be a successful solution. 

    With DARS, agencies can improve citizen satisfaction, save hundreds of thousands in operational costs, and reduce administrative judges’ burnout.

    Visit www.reducereschedules.com to see it at work.

    Source: Global Technology Solutions

    Related Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Duet Partner Launches Innovative Music Studio Management Tool

    Duet Partner Launches Innovative Music Studio Management Tool

    [ad_1]

    Music Studio Management Software Will Empower Music Teachers While Enhancing Their Business Practices


    SALT LAKE CITY, September 27, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Duet Partner, a music studio management platform, has launched a new digital product to redefine how independent music teachers manage their studios. After conducting extensive interviews with hundreds of music educators, Duet Partner proudly launched this innovative tool on Aug. 1, 2023.

    The new music studio management tool boasts a suite of four key features designed to enhance the teaching experience and streamline studio operations:

    Student Information Organizer: A comprehensive solution to effortlessly manage student profiles, track progress, maintain essential contact information, and engage in communications with studio parents.

    Responsive Calendar: A dynamic calendar system that adapts to teacher and student schedules, coordinating changes and cancellations and sending lesson reminders.

    Daily Dashboard for Lesson Notes and Attendance: Simplify lesson notes and attendance records, making the teaching process more organized and efficient.

    Season Smart Scheduler: The crown jewel of the product launch, the Season Smart Scheduler, is a tool that will modernize how teachers plan their teaching schedules. By automatically pairing teachers’ availability with their students’ schedules, it generates a draft teaching schedule within minutes, saving valuable time and reducing scheduling headaches.

    Duet Partner’s commitment to innovation, inspired by insights gathered from dedicated music educators, is set to redefine the future of music studio management. Neylan McBaine, Owner and CEO of Duet Partner, stated, “Our new tool is not just about streamlining administrative tasks; it’s about empowering music teachers to increase confidence in their business practices. As the daughter and mother of musicians, and as a musician myself, it is my personal mission to continue to support independent music teaching as a viable and rewarding career path.”

    The Duet Partner legacy product, which has been around for 18 years, will continue to serve existing customers as long as they prefer. Concurrently, the new digital platform will introduce additional features over the upcoming months, inviting users to migrate at their convenience to the new and comprehensive platform.

    To learn more about Duet Partner’s innovative music studio management tool and how it can transform your music teaching business, please visit duetpartner.com.

    About Duet Partner

    Duet Partner has been a trusted name in music studio management for nearly two decades, providing essential tools to music teachers worldwide. With a mission to empower music educators to run their businesses with the same level of mastery they have over their instruments, Duet Partner offers digital solutions that simplify the administrative side of their studios. The company continues to innovate and evolve its platform to meet the ever-changing needs of music educators.

    Source: Duet Partner

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 10 Proven Passive Income Ideas for 2023 | Entrepreneur

    10 Proven Passive Income Ideas for 2023 | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    There are many ways to generate passive income and change your financial future. Whether you want to earn just an extra $1000 per month on the side or go into something full-time and replace your current salary, different passive income ideas require different work and time.

    Upfront work is required, so don’t expect to get rich overnight, but with a plan in place and the right kind of motivation, you can see success much sooner than you think.

    1. Start an Online Business

    Starting an online business is the best way to generate revenue on autopilot.

    Why?

    1. You don’t need a ton of cash upfront.
    2. You have a lot of room to make mistakes, and
    3. It’s one of the most fulfilling life adventures you could ever be on.

    I started my first online business in 2008 after being laid off from an architecture job I loved. My website helped architects pass a difficult exam, and people paid me for study material I created to help them prepare.

    How much money did this business make?

    In one year, I generated over $200,000, more than double what I earned as an architect.

    2. Affiliate Marketing

    Affiliate marketing allows you to generate passive income simply by recommending existing products to other people. If you’ve ever recommended something to a friend, you know how to do affiliate marketing already.

    Affiliate marketing has been my most significant single source of revenue, bringing in over $4 million since 2009.

    So, how does affiliate marketing work, exactly?

    With affiliate marketing, you recommend other people or company’s products and services to your following. You can talk about it on YouTube, a website, in an email, or even just with your social following. And, when someone purchases from your recommendation, you’ll receive a commission from the sale.

    One of the most popular and accessible ways to get started is through the Amazon Affiliate Program. People already know and trust shopping from Amazon, and you’ll have a massive range of products to select from.

    Just be sure only to choose products that you can stand behind, and that will serve your audience well, and be sure to always be upfront that a link you promote is an affiliate link.

    To be successful with this, you’ll need to put time into building an audience who trusts that you’ll always steer them in the right direction and then follow through on that.

    Related: 12 Myths and Misconceptions of Affiliate Marketing

    3. Start a YouTube Channel

    Starting a YouTube channel is an excellent option for making passive income online; it’s free to get started, and if you create videos that people want to watch, you can generate revenue from ads, sponsorships, and even promoting your products.

    Recently, I started a new YouTube channel all about Pokemon cards called Deep Pocket Monster. In two years, this new channel has grown to over 500,000 subscribers, and it generates revenue from ads, sponsorships, and even affiliate marketing by promoting card shops and binders on my videos.

    4. Open a Paid Membership Business

    Like signing up for a gym membership, people join online memberships and pay recurring fees for the sense of community and value it brings them. In fact, we have a couple ourselves:

    • Our SPI All-Access Pass is a community of up-and-coming entrepreneurs who get access to all of our courses, workshops, community events, and even guides to help them through the material.
    • SPI PRO is our higher-level community of established business owners who want to network, connect, and share ideas with growth in mind. We require an application to get into this paid community.

    Both of our communities require a recurring payment (quarterly or annual), but people are happy to continue to pay that because they’re getting more value in return.

    With a membership business, you may need a platform to host your community. Circle is our top choice because it’s easy to use and familiar to users who join. This is our affiliate link for Circle in case you’d like to check it out and give it a run!

    5. Make Print-on-Demand Designs

    If you have a keen eye for design and current trends and know how to use design software, selling print-on-demand designs could be a great option to create passive income.

    With print-on-demand, you don’t have to buy any inventory ahead of time, so it’s a low-risk business model.

    You’ll work with a print provider, like Printful or Teespring, to sell merch (t-shirts, mugs, bags, etc.) customized with your designs and sold per order.

    When someone buys one of your designs, the print provider fulfills, prints, and ships the order on your behalf.

    The trickiest part is making unique, high-quality designs that inspire your people to purchase them.

    6. Offer Software as a Service (SaaS) Business

    Another potentially lucrative option for passive income is to create an app or software that you can offer as a subscription service—also called software as a service (SaaS).

    To do something like this requires coding knowledge or the funds to hire someone who knows how to code, but there are many resources available to find people who can do that kind of work for you, like Upwork.

    Remember that this is one of the more time-consuming options; it will take a good chunk of time to plan and get things up and running.

    Also, you will have to create and offer a truly valuable solution—and market your solution effectively—to make passive income with this, which isn’t exactly easy.

    This is a challenging route., but it can be rewarding.

    Related: How to Successfully Launch a Product in Under 90 Days

    7. Create an Online Course

    Everyone has a skill they can teach, so why not monetize yours AND help others by creating an online course?

    Making an online course isn’t too difficult either, but it will take a lot of time and effort to ensure it’s useful. We host our online courses on both Teachable and Circle, and it’s an amazing way to package information into a place where people can experience a transformation or solve a problem.

    Once you’ve created the content and have everything set up, it can be an incredibly profitable source of passive income.

    There are several platforms, like Udemy or Skillshare, that you can choose from to host your course and facilitate getting your course paid viewers.

    However, I always recommend using your website to give you greater control and true ownership.

    8. Create No-Code Apps

    Did you know you can reap the benefits of creating an app without knowing how to code? Apart from hiring an expensive developer, that is.

    Yep, you can control the process and create an app through development platforms like Zapier, Appy Pie, or Bubble.

    There are a lot of apps out there, so to be successful with this, you’ll need to search and identify a need and fill that need with your app.

    If you set your objectives ahead of time and know exactly which problem you’re trying to solve—and who you’re solving it for—you’ll already be a step ahead of the competition.

    With this, you can earn high passive income through downloads, subscriptions, ads, etc.—depending on how you model it.

    9. Publish an eBook

    Selling eBooks online is a very accessible method of making passive income.

    The idea of creating a whole digital “book” might still sound intimidating to you, but I promise it’s actually simple to do.

    Your book’s content can be informative or entertaining, and it can be as short and simple as a 5-page PDF.

    You don’t have to be a pro writer or even an expert on your eBook’s topic. Just be sure to provide high-quality, well-designed content that resonates with your audience.

    You can even hire a freelance ghostwriter and graphic designer to help you out.

    All you have to do is self-publish it to Amazon or Apple Books and promote it to your audience.

    Writing an eBook gives you a vehicle to benefit your existing audience with helpful information, further strengthening your relationship with them.

    It’s also a great tool to augment your audience to new levels and boost traffic to your website, podcast, and other channels—growing your brand.

    10. Write a Book

    Writing a physical book is a great way to generate passive income, not just from the book’s potential sales, but how it may promote other services and products you have to offer.

    I’ve written and published three books myself, and although it’s a tough route, it’s super rewarding, and the residual income, if you continue to market the book (or it takes off on its own)can be plentiful.

    My self-published book, Will It Fly, has generated a total of $459,341.00 (between 2016 and 2019)

    If you’d like to join a community of people just like you who are building their businesses right now, please check out our All-Access Pass. We’ll guide you across our entire course library to ensure you give yourself the best chance to earn an additional income.

    You got this!

    [ad_2]

    Pat Flynn

    Source link

  • Otuvy Emerges as the New Face of Innovation: A 20-Year Milestone Marked by a Fresh Identity and a Novel Product

    Otuvy Emerges as the New Face of Innovation: A 20-Year Milestone Marked by a Fresh Identity and a Novel Product

    [ad_1]

    In an exciting development, CleanTelligent Software, a recognized name in the facility services industry for its two decades of exceptional janitorial management software, is thrilled to unveil its new identity, Otuvy.


    PROVO, Utah, August 23, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    In an exciting development, CleanTelligent Software, a recognized name in the facility services industry for its two decades of exceptional janitorial management software, is thrilled to unveil its new identity, Otuvy. This strategic rebrand signifies the company’s ambitious leap into a more inventive and effective approach to supporting on-site and field service professionals. 

    The decision to transition to Otuvy underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to meeting evolving customer needs and navigating the ever-changing landscape of the industry. Despite the name change, Otuvy remains dedicated to its core principles, maintaining its pursuit of excellence and commitment to quality. 

    Otuvy, which stands for “Outcomes to Verify,” perfectly encapsulates the company’s forward-looking vision. With this fresh beginning, Otuvy is enthusiastic about extending its product offerings to new service industries, all the while continuing to grow alongside its current clientele. 

    Central to this transformation is the launch of Otuvy Frontline, an innovative platform poised to revolutionize how service professionals handle their tasks. Otuvy’s CEO, Caden Hutchens, shares that the app was crafted with a deep understanding of the challenges encountered by on-site and field service personnel operating on the frontlines. 

    Hutchens explains, “Otuvy Frontline is designed to empower employees by fostering accountability, clarity, and recognition for a job well done. By placing work management capabilities directly in the hands of every employee, not just management, the app reduces the need for constant follow-ups and repetitive instructions, ultimately boosting overall efficiency.” 

    While Otuvy QM (the platform formerly known as CleanTelligent) will continue to cater to facility management professionals, Otuvy Frontline targets service experts spanning a range of industries on the frontline, including cleaning, maintenance, construction, landscaping, safety, security, and more. 

    One of the standout features of the app is its customizable nature, allowing users to tailor it to their specific requirements. Additionally, the app’s reporting functionality offers insights into team performance, enabling managers to make informed, data-driven decisions and optimize their operations. 

    View this press release, along with a special announcement video here. 

    For more information about the comprehensive array of solutions offered by Otuvy, please visit Otuvy.com. 

    Source: Otuvy, Inc.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • How to Successfully Launch a Product in Under 90 Days | Entrepreneur

    How to Successfully Launch a Product in Under 90 Days | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    SaaS continues to expand at record rates, with SaaS growth at 11.7% CAGR and fintech, also mainly cloud-based, growing at a similar velocity at 11%. But most SaaS startups will fail for a variety of reasons, including poor go-to-market (GTM) strategy. I’m on a mission to change that.

    Why? Because I’ve spent 15 years working with companies struggling to land their messaging, make an impact in the market and drive consistent expansion. In a terrifyingly titled McKinsey report, “Grow Fast or Die Slow,” the authors outline that even at 20% annual growth, 92% of SaaS companies will cease existence within a few years. Fast, sustainable growth is everything. The sooner, the better.

    In my experience, B2B and B2C SaaS, fintech and services teams, from startup to enterprise, often suffer the problems mentioned earlier at different scales. There’s also too much noise and bad advice for early-stage and less confident founders; VCs tell them to go and sell their product, which is fundamentally the right strategy, but there’s no context or value beyond that.

    It should seem obvious that companies need solid foundations to enable long-term growth and stability. Still, time and again, I see founders bypass this (admittedly hard) work in the scramble to get to market — only to find themselves back at square one, needing our help reorienting the ship. So, how do you get it right?

    Related: How to Build a Go-to-Market Strategy That Prevents Risk

    Your GTM strategy should be based on assessment, research, ideas, strategy and execution (ARISE)

    Start by assessing. Look at what you’ve done to date, and use that as a basis for change. For instance, analyze your website performance, your content. What’s resonating? What isn’t? Where are you losing your audience? Dig into your product, from retention rates to average lifetime value (ALV). Measure your onboarding effectiveness — where could you refine it? How can you measure its impact?

    Next up is research, which includes competitive analysis, customer feedback and market sizing. To set a north star, you must set a user or buyer hypothesis and find people to interview even without customers. Wynter and Respondent spring to mind as platforms for this research.

    Ideas — the creative element. Here, you focus on jobs to be done, your value proposition, storytelling and messaging and the service design framework. Understand the typical things your intended or current buyer/user does without your platform, and use that to understand where your solution picks up the heaviest load for that buyer. You must change their world. Use that insight as part of your external communications.

    Strategy — by now, you’ve done a lot to organize your platform for GTM readiness, but here the work starts in earnest: goal and objective setting, content planning, personas and segmentation, keyword research, website strategy, sales enablement strategy (you don’t want to wait on this one in particular), asset management, paid marketing, reporting, analytics and your CRM.

    Related: How to Nail a Successful Product Launch

    Your CRM is key to success (and a 360-degree view of your customer)

    I’m a fan of HubSpot to enable the strategy, execution and operationalization of this approach. Not only because of the capacity of the platform but because early-stage tech companies can often achieve significant discounts via the HubSpot for startups program or their VC/angel investors. This allows business leaders to align their growth goals from go-to-market into full-blown revenue operations down the line.

    Finally, you move to execution. All of the research and prep done in the previous stages come together, and now you can go live. We’ve seen B2B services teams closing their first deals in under two weeks, with an active pipeline in under a month. By this, we mean a mix of closed won, closed lost and open sales.

    I believe growth should be programmatic in the sense that a business needs stages of development to achieve growth, clarify the chaos and work with the best business practice — that is, all teams operating on a single source of customer data.

    Founders take note: Predictability is a good thing. A systemized, repeatable and scalable framework with proven results is the pinnacle for early and mid-stage tech firms.

    Related: 6 Key Things to Consider When Bringing a Product to Market

    The power of review — this is not a one-and-done process

    The main assumption of go-to-market is that once you’ve done it — it’s done. But as your offering matures (i.e., new features or fresh products in your tech stack), who buys from you and how you solve for those buyers may change. Therefore, you have a compelling reason to revisit positioning, messaging and personas periodically in order to keep scaling results.

    We prefer the above approach, and to keep companies aligned to regular review, we set them up for success on HubSpot by building an ARISE framework into the platform. This enables founders and marketers to assign and track progress.

    If you want to successfully launch a product in under 90 days, this framework has proven successful amongst the businesses that we work with. It’s not for the faint of heart; it’s for leaders who understand that strong positioning and messaging, combined with a robust sales strategy supported by comprehensive onboarding will allow you to retain and expand revenue from the outset. Plus, you develop a culture of testing and development. No slow deaths here.

    [ad_2]

    Paul Sullivan

    Source link

  • 5 Key Strategies to Boost Your Content Marketing | Entrepreneur

    5 Key Strategies to Boost Your Content Marketing | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Content marketing for B2B SaaS brands is a leading source of business success. According to ProfitWell, SaaS brands that prioritize content marketing experience a higher growth rate than those that don’t.

    Utilizing content marketing for your B2B SaaS brand can be a profitable venture. But not all content marketing strategies work optimally.

    Good content marketing involves lots of planning to produce desired results for your B2B SaaS business. There are ways to boost the performance of your B2B SaaS content marketing, and you are about to find out how.

    Related: Top B2B Marketing Strategies for SaaS Businesses

    What is B2B SaaS content marketing?

    Content marketing is a brand marketing approach that involves the creation and distribution of relevant and valuable content for your target audience.

    For SaaS B2B brands, content marketing is targeted at satisfying the content needs of target users for every stage of the buyer’s journey in order to generate leads, conversions and customer retention.

    Why is content marketing important for SaaS?

    Reports show that 92% of marketers view content as an integral asset to their business. Good content marketing can generate over 448% ROI for SaaS brands. This is why lots of marketers are utilizing content marketing as a strategy to grow their business.

    Also, content marketing is a cheaper alternative to traditional marketing. Content marketing costs 62% less and generates three times more leads than traditional marketing. This makes it a more cost-effective marketing option.

    More so, content marketing is a great way to connect with your target market. Ninety-five percent of B2B buyers say that content provides a trustworthy parameter when evaluating the business. This means that your content is usually the first or most impressionable point of connection to your brand for your target users.

    The right content gives them an insight into your business and a reason to trust your brand as an industry expert with the right solutions.

    For example, a blog post on how to create beginner-friendly graphic designs by a graphics design brand like Canva can draw in users to the brand and its product services.

    Saas content marketing examples

    Adobe:

    Adobe uses an online magazine and publication site CMO.com as a social platform to engage users. Here, users can learn, share and get help from one another.

    While this content marketing strategy might seem elaborate, it has generated business success for the brand, and the publications are evergreen for specific content needs of users.

    Monday.com:

    Monday.com uses videos in its brand’s content marketing. They create instructional YouTube videos which enhance their organic traffic.

    This clever content marketing style is great for attracting users and getting the best engagements.

    Mailchimp:

    Mailchimp uses brand storytelling through short films and documentaries to deliver relevant content to its audiences. This is a great tool for brand awareness that sticks in the minds of users.

    The outcome of this high-performing content marketing is trustworthiness and brand loyalty for the B2B SaaS business.

    Related: 6 Key Tips to Level Up Your Content Marketing Strategy

    5 ways to boost your B2B SaaS content marketing

    1. Conduct proper research

    Proper research will enhance the odds of high-performing content for your SaaS B2B content marketing. It gives you an insight into your target market and the kind of content that works.

    This involves researching the target buyers, your competitors and the market behavior of your target industry. You can track the market through surveys, trends and engagements as well.

    To get the best outcome out of your research, creating a buyer persona from your research can be useful.

    2. Focus on the buyer’s journey

    The content needs of your target market for every stage of the sales funnel in their purchase journey are different. This is why your content marketing has to expand beyond a single focus.

    For example, an existing buyer will require content that keeps them engaged and loyal to your brand, whilst a prospective buyer needs more persuasive content to attract sales conversion.

    You can use blog posts, newsletters, podcasts, videos or user-generated content like reviews and testimonials for different stages of your buyer’s journey.

    However, every buyer’s journey is different, and this means the type of content that works for them in each stage differs. This is why creating a buyer persona can be handy.

    3. Utilize keywords strategy

    For users to find your content, you have to use the right keywords that are relevant to their search queries.

    For example, content with the keywords “best project management tools” will be relevant to a search query for someone looking for project management tools, and it will appear on the search engine results page (SERP).

    The important thing about utilizing keywords in your content marketing is research and placement.

    Keyword research will help you know what your target audiences are looking for, giving you an idea of what content to create. Also, you can use keyword tools to understand how your audiences want to see the keywords in your content.

    For example, if users are asking “Why is email marketing good for your business?” you may want to add that to your content to improve your chances of ranking on the SERP with related content.

    4. Build content authority

    One of the factors that contribute to your brand’s trustworthiness is the reputation attached to your brand. Content marketing is great for building a reputation as an authority in your industry.

    Whilst this can be done through the relevance and high-quality information that is contained in your content, you can really enjoy the brand authority more if you are referenced by other brands.

    This means you have to create content that can be a data resource for other brands’ content or participate in guest posting to get external links from other sites.

    Also, external links boost your reach because your content is exposed to new and larger audiences that are different from your own audiences.

    5. Use social media

    Social media is one of the most successful ways to reach an audience. However, it is vital to choose a platform with the right demography of users for your business.

    B2B brands generally do better with more professional social media platforms like LinkedIn. Ninety-four percent of B2B SaaS brands use LinkedIn as a distribution channel for their content.

    Related: 5 Steps to Creating a Content Marketing Strategy That Actually Works

    Platforms like Medium, Reddit, Quora and Twitter are great, too. However, you can succeed with your content marketing on social media if you create engaging content.

    For example, videos and trending topics can drive traffic to your content. Also, user-generated content like hashtag campaigns can be helpful for social media content marketing.

    The performance of your content marketing is based on your content marketing strategy. Knowing what to do and how to do it can really go a long way in producing the desired result. It also helps to evaluate your content through regular content audits. You can always update or recreate content when necessary.

    [ad_2]

    Toby Nwazor

    Source link

  • Volt Secures $60M Raise from IVP | Bank Automation News

    Volt Secures $60M Raise from IVP | Bank Automation News

    [ad_1]

    London-based open banking startup Volt is looking to expand global operations with a $60 million series B round. The additional funds were announced by the company this month.  Founded in 2019, Volt is seeking to create a global real-time payments system by uniting various open payments networks onto one platform, according to its website. “[With […]

    [ad_2]

    Victor Swezey

    Source link

  • Ecommerce And Tech Companies Have Much to Learn From Each Other | Entrepreneur

    Ecommerce And Tech Companies Have Much to Learn From Each Other | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    There are lessons to learn every day in the business world. Often, we find ourselves looking to companies in our industry or vertical for winning examples and strategies. This is a great habit, but sometimes you have to look beyond the familiar to find new unique approaches to growth that you can adopt.

    As someone who wears many hats and has been part of all different types of online startups — from SaaS healthcare platforms to an ecommerce brand that makes wild pool floats, consumer real estate market places and even card games — I have come to realize that everything and everyone has something to learn from each other.

    Nowhere is this truer than in the sometimes disparate worlds of SaaS (software as a service), technology companies, and direct-to-consumer ecommerce companies. Besides the key differences between software and physical products, the way these companies operate can be opposites. Sometimes you need a foot in both worlds to realize how much two industries must learn from one another.

    Building brand loyalty

    Ecommerce has traditionally been hyper-focused on building brand loyalty as a means to grow. This should always be a priority, with a reported 72% of global customers saying they feel loyalty toward at least one brand or company. These businesses build loyalty with referral programs, freebies, rewards, stellar customer service and all-around great engagement. While each of these perks can apply to tech companies, too, building brand loyalty within SaaS tends to happen more organically through product innovation and efficiencies.

    The first lesson tech can learn from ecommerce is that intentionally building a brand to earn loyal SaaS subscribers is critical for retention. That means innovating specifically with user feedback in mind, which can be even more effective when customers and clients are closely involved in the personalization of a platform. That way, these customers graduate from passive users to being completely dependent on what you have built for them.

    In SaaS, there has been a movement to open development, which allows users to determine the next best features that should be created. This builds a brand and loyalty, as they feel part of what you are building and stick around to see their ideas come to life. Put a cherry on top, and don’t be afraid to throw the odd piece of free merch for great product feedback. On the flip side, ecommerce can learn from its tech counterpart to branch out from the brand loyalty route and adapt its core products to meet market needs.

    Related: How This New Style of E-Commerce Transforms Online Business

    Scaling up

    When we hear about tech companies rapidly scaling, it’s often due to Moore’s law of network effects — which refers to when more usage lends itself to a better overall experience and greater value for all users. In other words, the more players, the more winners. This allows tech companies to receive free, organic advertising when active customers bring more users to the platform.

    In contrast, when you look at ecommerce companies, they have historically scaled through advertising campaigns. That’s where the next lesson comes in: ecommerce companies need to learn how to better leverage outside resources. This includes partnerships with influencers, ambassador deals, capitalizing on positive word-of-mouth chatter, and prioritizing organic sales through referrals.

    It’s easy to get stuck in a digital bubble with ecommerce, where blasting out digital ads and social media promotions en masse into the ether feels like the ceiling. But ecommerce companies thrive when the digital world meets the real, and they can learn a lot from the time and attention tech companies give to their users.

    Related: 5 Dos and Don’ts of Scaling Your Tech Startup on a Budget

    Efficiency

    Every business strives for efficiency, but ecommerce can teach tech companies to be especially lean rather than overly focused on headcount and headlines. For example, ecommerce brands use various tools to outsource human needs to help their companies scale faster. Examples include software platforms for inventory management, data entry, automation, virtual assistants, analytics add-ons, remote website developers, AI customer service and much more.

    Ecommerce companies don’t run day-to-day operations the same way your typical brick-and-mortar store would, meaning efficiency isn’t a preference but a necessity. Tech companies should learn to leverage their own internal tech stack of partners — your software and technologies needed to run your platform — which can also turn into a referral network.

    SaaS has been affected by the recent shift in the market demanding massive cost-cutting, leading to recent layoffs with companies getting more capital-efficient and profit-focused rather than growth at all costs. Ecommerce tends to stick to the basics and is naturally required to be profitable to operate. This is crucial now that the market has shifted, and all eyes are on tech companies’ financials, not just their growth.

    Related: Hack Your SaaS Growth With These 3 Easy Strategies

    Synergistic teams

    Ultimately, it still comes down to the people when we put aside the tech logistics and business jargon. Yes, we may be reading headlines of AI and automation getting better and more intelligent by the day, but there are no signs of it replacing the core roles just yet. Both ecommerce and technology companies need to leverage the strength of a synergistic and aligned team that can move fast, efficiently, and innovate. The founder’s role should always be to steer the ship in the right direction, keep it on course, promote the company, and gain notability.

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned, scaling up doesn’t happen when you stick too close to the book. Think outside the box, operate like every dollar spent comes from your life savings, and it will push you to get scrappy and force innovation. Some of our most valuable lessons can be right in front of us, primed and ready to be applied in a whole new business setting waiting for lift-off.

    [ad_2]

    Patrick Frank

    Source link