SaaStr 687: Building a Global SaaS Empire: Freshworks Founder & CEO Girish Mathrubootham on His Biggest Bets | The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors | Podwise
Freshworks' journey involved several important bets, including the focus on inbound marketing, hiring talented individuals regardless of experience, going global through innovative cost structures, developing a multi-product suite, and aligning with core values, which contributed to its success.
Takeaways
• Freshworks' initial bet on inbound marketing, hiring, and global expansion laid the foundation for its growth and success.
• The company's focus on hiring younger talent with a learning mindset and emphasizing inherent skills over experience allowed them to find exceptional candidates for various roles.
• Freshworks recognized the importance of going global and building a multi-product company early on, leading to its distinctive market positioning and increased revenue streams.
• The company's emphasis on core values and strengths, rather than solely relying on metrics, fostered a culture of craftsmanship and innovation.
• Navigating the complexities of overlaying a field sales motion onto an existing inbound motion requires understanding different perspectives and addressing the underlying reasons for team members' suggestions.
• Recognizing AI's potential as a disruptive force, Freshworks invested in AI technology to mitigate this threat and harness its value in understanding customers.
• The five key bets that contributed to Freshworks' success are focusing on a large market, going global, investing in inbound marketing, hiring young talent with a learning mindset, and expanding into multiple products early.
