436: LodgerIn: From 850 Rejections to a 7-Figure SaaS Business - with Oscar Rubio | The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship | Podwise
This episode explores the entrepreneurial journey of Oscar Rubio, founder of LodgerIn, a SaaS platform streamlining international relocation services for students and employees. Against the backdrop of his pre-existing relocation services business, which struggled with scalability, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a dramatic pivot to a SaaS model. More significantly, Oscar, a non-technical founder, bootstrapped this transformation, teaching himself SaaS development and enduring 850 sales meetings before securing his first customer. For instance, his persistence involved cross-country trips to the US, knocking on doors without appointments, and sleeping in budget motels to secure deals. The initial MVP faced challenges, notably with property availability updates, but these were addressed, leading to substantial growth. LodgerIn now boasts over €1.3 million in ARR and is expanding globally. This showcases the power of resilience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of customer needs in navigating unexpected crises and building a successful SaaS business.
