MicroConf Tactics: Stop Adding Lazy AI to Your SaaS

Private equity firms have quietly raised the bar on what metrics they need to see in a SaaS before they’ll conisder putting in an offer. Rob Walling sat down with Einar Vollset from Discretion Capital to break down the 6 moats buyers now require before they'll even consider a deal — and why it matters even if you never plan to sell. Links in the podcast: Idea to Traction - Preorder before Nov 10 to get all the bonuses. Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel TinySeed SaaS Institute Discretion Capital The SaaS Playbook Episode 836 | The 5 A.I. Moats Acquirers Value Most

There are only 6 ways to actually use AI as a feature in your SaaS. After talking with hundreds of TinySeed companies, that's the number I kept landing on. In this talk from MicroConf US in Portland, I break down all 6, with real examples from companies you know and some you've never heard of. Links in the episode: Get Your Ticket for MicroConf US- April 18-20, 2027 in Austin, Texas Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube channel  Subscribe to the MicroConf YouTube Channel

Private equity firms have quietly raised the bar on what metrics they need to see in a SaaS before they’ll conisder putting in an offer. I sat down with Einar Vollset from Discretion Capital to break down the 6 moats buyers now require before they'll even consider a deal — and why it matters even if you never plan to sell. Links in the episode: Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the YouTube Channel TinySummit TinySeed SaaS Institute Discretion Capital The SaaS Playbook Episode 836 | The 5 A.I. Moats Acquirers Value Most

The "SaaSpocalypse" wiped $2 trillion from public SaaS markets — but the people panicking aren't building the kind of business you are. I break down why the math-terrifying enterprise SaaS giants don't apply to bootstrapped founders, and why the advantages that have always made small teams dangerous are getting stronger in an AI-driven market. Links from the Pod Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel MicroConf Europe | Iceland, Sept 21–23, 2026 Tinyseed Portfolio Senior Place Mawi

No savings. No trust fund. No venture capital. Just nights and weekends. That's how most successful SaaS companies start — including mine. I walk through what it costs, what's free, how to build without cash, and how to find your first customers on a tiny budget. Links: Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel Join Idea To Traction Waitlist - New book launches in October The 9-to-5 Audit Startups for the Rest of Us Podcast MicroConf Connect The SaaS Playbook

This is the story of MailChimp. Welcome to SaaS Legends, a series where Rob Walling tells the stories of the founders who built the most iconic software companies, and what you can learn from them. In this episode I break down how Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius accidentally invented freemium, said no to VCs for 20 years, and built one of the most valuable software companies ever created, without following anyone else’s playbook. Links from the Pod Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube channel Watch this video on YouTube Join MicroConf Connect Watch the full Ben Chestnut interview

Every time a customer cancels, you tell yourself a story about why. Most of the time, that story is wrong. Rob Walling break down the biggest churn patterns I’ve seen kill SaaS companies and how to figure out which ones you can actually fix. Links from the Pod Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel Watch this video on YouTube The SaaS Playbook, Free Sample Chapter TinySeed Accelerator

AI is changing SaaS, but not everything. Rob Walling breaks down the 5 fundamentals that still determine whether your business survives, and why ignoring them means no amount of AI will save you. Links from the Pod Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the MicroConf YouTube Channel Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel MicroConf Mastermind Matching Program (Applications are open in the Fall) Senior Place

Rob Walling has seen 5 B2B SaaS marketing strategies work over and over, and in this video, he breaks down how AI is changing each one in 2026, what's different (and what's not), and how to prioritize based on your product. Links from the Pod Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel MicroConf Connect Grab a free sample chapter of the SaaS Playbook The SaaS Playbook

Most SaaS founders hit a wall and can't figure out why they won't grow. After working with thousands of founders and investing in over 230 SaaS companies, I've found the same root cause almost every time: a gap in one of four core skills every SaaS needs to survive. In this video I'll break down what those skills are and what to do if you're missing one. Links from the Pod: Watch this video on YouTube Subscribe to the Rob Walling YouTube Channel Subscribe to Rob Walling's Essays Episode 807 | The “Core Four” SaaS Skills and Knowing When You Should Find a Co-founder (A Rob Solo Adventure) Episode 811 | When to Delegate the “Core Four SaaS Skills,” Freemium Retention Rates, and More Listener Questions (A Rob Solo Adventure) Episode 728 | Bootstrapping Gymdesk to a More Than $32.5M Exit TinySeed Portfolio