SaaSMe Unfiltered: The SaaS Management Podcast

Managing Cloud and SaaS costs is a never-ending game. While a hard-to-control spend category, a FinOps practice can drive accountability and reduce costs without slowing down your business. Sounds a lot like SaaS management, right? That’s because they’re both founded on similar principles. In this episode, learn how these business practices align and how they can work together to drive business im...

What value are you truly getting out of your SaaS applications? Nick Mehta, CEO at Gainsight, knows all too well how important it is to drive business value from your software. In fact, he and his team have developed a customer success approach that’s taken over the global SaaS business model. In this episode, Nick shares how to create more strategic relationships with your SaaS providers and real...

The hype about generative AI is huge - but what does it mean for your current software stack? From distilling massive amounts of information to creating content, the potential of generative AI seems limitless. But for professionals who manage an organization’s tech stack it can also present some daunting challenges. In this episode, we break down the three impacts generative AI will have on your s...

From addressing ever-changing market conditions to driving business growth, marketing teams are often buying new and expensive software. Naturally, it’s important for them to be good stewards of those investments. At the same time, IT and Procurement must understand how marketers are thinking about their tech stack and the impact it has on buying, managing, and optimizing SaaS. In this episode, Sc...

We get it. You’re doubting the impact SaaS management can have on your business. It’s not just about the tactical things, like optimizing licenses, managing contracts, or putting governance in place. It has the power to drive significant financial and operational value when tied directly to your company-wide business objectives. In this episode, we explore the business value you can expect from im...

SaaS is decentralized within every organization, making it difficult to understand who owns it. But want to know a little secret? Everyone owns it. That’s why it takes a cross-collaborative effort between IT, Finance, and line of business leaders to drive successful SaaS management – what we like to call a team sport. In this episode, we discuss all the key players and how they rally together to a...

SaaS portfolios today are rife with waste and risk – from shelfware and redundancy to financial, legal, and security concerns. What can you do about it? While you need to wrap your arms around it, software management practices that worked before just won’t cut it for SaaS. Enter SaaS management. In this inaugural episode of SaaSMe Anything, we break down the ins and outs of SaaS management and why...

Every company today is using SaaS. And with it comes uncontrolled sprawl, risk, and spend. Yet, many IT, SAM, finance, and procurement leaders are just now having their Eureka moment, recognizing the need to manage it. How is managing SaaS different from on-premise software? Where do you get started? What’s going to move the needle?  In Season Three, we introduce an exciting new series that b...

Growth at all costs. Sounded great at the time, right? Now that we’re staring down economic uncertainty, we’re seeing companies go back to business fundamentals. Grow smart, accomplish more with less. At Zylo, we’ve long known that SaaS management is paramount to enabling this mindset. And will be even more crucial to driving business impact in 2023. From doubling down on cost-saving initiatives t...

Digital transformation spread in waves over the last 20+ years for many areas of business – from marketing and sales to finance and HR. For procurement, that time is now. ProcureTech CEO and Founder Lance Younger believes digitalization is paramount for Procurement to realize their full potential. In this episode, Lance shares his philosophy on digital procurement – why it matters and how to be st...

With Netflix’s mission to “entertain the world”, the company culture has a deep-rooted effect on how they manage SaaS. But how do you balance tool autonomy with cost-saving initiatives? In this episode, IT Asset Program Manager Lindsay Stokes sheds light on Netflix’s Freedom & Responsibility approach and how they’re addressing the abundant cost-saving opportunities at their fingertips today –...

Sprawl. Unchecked spend. Surprise renewals. Procurement is well-positioned to manage the chaos that comes with SaaS. In fact, Brett Bartolai, the Head of Procurement at GrubHub, equates the role to air traffic controller. In this episode, Brett shares how increased scrutiny over their software stack and spend has helped GrubHub surface shadow IT, reduce costs, and stay ahead of renewals. Key Takea...

Do you know where your data is going? If there’s one thing that David Stoicescu believes, it’s that SaaS security begins with visibility. In this episode, David shares how he takes a risk based approach to managing software at Deepwatch and addresses the pitfalls he sees companies succumbing to when it comes to SaaS. Key Takeaways [00:00 - 01:31] Introduction [01:31 - 03:52] Ga...

The more SaaS applications you have, the more information security problems you’re likely to face. From unsecure information and data leaks to risk of a data breach, to name a few. At Deepwatch, CISO David Stoicescu looks at everything from a risk lens. In this episode, David shares why InfoSec is a critical business function, how to lead a high-performing team, and why visibility is key to avoidi...

A lack of visibility into your SaaS stack can mean plausible deniability. But, if you want to protect your business from risk, you must have a complete picture. In this episode, Coupa’s Director of IT Compliance, Gürkan Berkan, shares how using a SaaS management tool has helped them shed light on risks like shadow IT, security, compliance, and spend – and how they’re staying on top of it today. Ep...

For the vast majority, the Cloud is the way of the future. According to Byron Deeter, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, that march is well underway and inevitable. In this episode, we dive into the BVP State of the Cloud report to reflect on the criticality of SaaS to your business – from macroeconomic factors and shifting monetization approaches affecting adoption and SaaS spend, to Cloud mar...

IT and Finance leaders at today’s most progressive organizations get it. SaaS has permeated every part of the business and responsibility for managing it sits across a range of stakeholders. What makes their partnership a game-changer for SaaS Management? In this episode, recorded live at SaaSMe 2022, hear how leaders at LinkedIn, Salsify, and Fresh FP&A are fostering alliances across the orga...

Gordon Atkin, VP of Technology and Business Platform at Salsify, believes that having a SaaS management program is an imperative business practice. And you need a dedicated tool to do it effectively. In this episode, Gordon divulges his secrets to a successful SaaS management practice, why traditional asset management solutions just don’t work for SaaS, and what to look for in your SaaS management...

There’s a growing and escalating issue around the increasing number of SaaS applications and spend at companies today. Much of that is attributed to hidden SaaS purchases – or shadow IT. In this episode, Zylo Co-founder Ben Pippenger sat down with our friends at the SAP Concur Conversations podcast to discuss how to uncover shadow IT and where to start addressing it. Episode Highlights [02:07] Zyl...

Procurement is often considered a gatekeeper, making sure all the boxes get checked. But for Karen Hodson at CM Group, she’s made it her mission to give Procurement a better rep – one where relationships and collaboration are the prime focus. In this episode, Karen delves into her unique approach to Procurement, from the everyday focus of relationship building to her strategic thought process arou...

Software Asset Management rose with the need to manage on-premise software. However, the birth of SaaS and cloud-based applications has changed the game. In this episode, former Nike SAM pro and Zylo SAM evangelist, Lance Giles, shares what a golden opportunity software asset managers have in front of them and the lessons he’s learned diving head-first into SaaS management. Episode Highlights [01:...

Starting a career in sports sales, Aaqil Kassamali never imagined his journey would take him to building and leading a Procurement team at Hootsuite. From creating broader visibility to turnkey internal processes, it’s become the heart of their SaaS management program. In this episode, discover the lessons Aaqil and his team have learned and his advice for positioning Procurement as a valuable bus...

Mergers and acquisitions are a strategic decision that can deliver great benefits to your business. However, it can be completely disruptive for new employees. At Salesforce, Jason Owens and his software asset management team transform the M&A process by practicing empathy. In this episode, discover how Salesforce approaches SaaS software integrations and evangelizes the SAM practice across th...

Building a world-class software asset management team from the ground up isn’t for the faint of heart. But SAM leader Jason Owens has done just that at Salesforce. In this episode, learn about the early days of Salesforce’s software asset management program and how they’ve assembled their dream team to tackle SaaS and drive collaboration and results across the business. Episode Highlights: [02:17]...

Trying to wrangle SaaS as your organization scales requires a delicate balance of creating a culture of choice while still ensuring governance. Leah Tubb, Program Manager of IT Architecture, Planning and Innovation, shares her approach to peeling back the layers of SaaS at Atlassian to foster better partnership between IT and the business and ultimately drive business value. Episode Highlights: [0...