Kevin Boyle's presentation outlines the journey of launching and growing Gearset, a self-funded SaaS company for Salesforce developers, reaching $30 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). He shares experiences and lessons learned in transforming Gearset from a small engineering-focused team to a balanced organization that includes sales, marketing, customer success, and product development.

Boyle begins by stressing the importance of an engineering mindset in building a company. Gearset was founded by a team with strong engineering backgrounds. This approach was applied to all departments, treating them as systems that could be understood and optimized.

A key phase in Gearset’s growth was transitioning from product development to commercialization. Initially, the team focused solely on building a robust product. However, to survive and grow, they needed to handle commercial aspects, leading to their spin-off from Redgate in 2017.

Boyle emphasizes embracing discomfort and vulnerability, especially in early product development stages. The team conducted many customer interviews, gaining insights and iterating quickly based on feedback. This rapid iteration and continuous learning became central to Gearset’s culture.

As Gearset moved towards commercialization, they faced the challenge of converting interest into sales. Initially, they underestimated the need for a dedicated sales team, believing the product would sell itself. The lack of immediate revenue forced them to focus on direct sales efforts. Despite having no prior sales experience, the team began calling potential customers, learning to sell by understanding customer needs and building relationships.

Boyle addresses negative sales stereotypes, emphasizing that modern selling involves understanding customer problems and providing tailored solutions. He notes that sales are fundamentally about helping customers.

The presentation also covers Gearset’s approach to scaling the company, both in headcount and complexity. Boyle stresses maintaining balance between different functions, clear communication, and frequent check-ins to ensure alignment.

Boyle also highlights the significance of company culture in scaling. Gearset’s culture of rapid iteration, customer focus, and embracing discomfort has been crucial. This culture is reinforced through hiring practices, onboarding processes, and ongoing support for employees.

Finally, Boyle discusses the decision to take on external investment after years of self-funding to unlock further growth and bring in external expertise.

Join us at the Business of Software (BoS) USA 2024 Conference from September 23-25 in Raleigh, NC. This event is your chance to learn how great software companies are built, focusing on creating long-term, profitable, and sustainable businesses. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain valuable insights, and take your business to the next level.

Watch his talk