{"id":32003,"date":"2022-10-14T17:10:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T17:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/?p=32003"},"modified":"2022-10-14T17:10:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T17:10:58","slug":"layoffs-and-h1-b-visas-saas-growth-levers-blockchain-startup-tips-techcrunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/egrowonline.com\/?p=32003","title":{"rendered":"Layoffs and H1-B visas, SaaS growth levers, blockchain startup tips \u2022 TechCrunch"},"content":{"rendered":"


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For cash-strapped SaaS startups trying to reach scale, the math doesn\u2019t look great.<\/p>\n

A slump in the public markets has dragged the entire sector down, but customer acquisition isn\u2019t getting any cheaper. In the meantime, runways are shrinking like a wool sweater in an electric dryer, and teams that hope to fundraise better have some good news to show potential investors.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the plan?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key is to focus on scaling sustainably by tapping into more overlooked and underrated sources of revenue<\/a>,\u201d says Paddle CEO Christian Owens.<\/p>\n

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Full TechCrunch+ articles are only available to members
Use discount code TCPLUSROUNDUP<\/strong><\/a> to save 20% off a one- or two-year subscription<\/i><\/p>\n

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In his TC+ guest post, Owens shares several tactics \u201cSaaS leaders can use to supercharge their expansion revenue,\u201d such as adding upsell tiers and charging customers for priority support.<\/p>\n

Just for a moment, forget about onboarding new customers.<\/p>\n

Seed-stage startups that demonstrate strong gains in expansion revenue, i.e., money \u201cgenerated after the customer\u2019s initial purchase,\u201d will always get a second look from investors.<\/p>\n

And boosting expansion revenue during a downturn? Well, that\u2019s even more impressive.<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t be sending a TC+ newsletter on Tuesday, October 18, but will return a week from today with more resources for founders and early recaps from TechCrunch Disrupt.<\/p>\n

Thanks very much for reading,<\/p>\n

Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, TechCrunch+
@yourprotagonist<\/a><\/p>\n

Dear Sophie: How can I protect my H-1B and green card if I am laid off?<\/h2>\n
\"lone<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> Bryce Durbin\/TechCrunch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dear Sophie,<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am considering leaving my current, steady job for a job with a big name in tech. I\u2019m excited, but nervous.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been hearing that you can lose your H-1B status if you are laid off. Is there any way I can protect my immigration status while making a bold job move?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014 Leap of Faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Sophie,<\/strong><\/p>\n

My early stage startup hasn\u2019t been able to hire as quickly as I would like due to fierce competition. Now that we\u2019re seeing some movement in the job market, we think we can probably finally compete for some top engineering talent in our budget.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How can I hire people who were recently laid off on H-1B?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014 Strategic Sponsor<\/strong><\/p>\n

DIY: 5 ways disruptive component startups can win over OEMs<\/h2>\n
\"A<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> Alan Rubio (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a> \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hardware startup founders have a uniquely hard time.<\/p>\n

Only a small fraction of tech investors will even take meetings with them, and building product pipelines is often an irregular, chaotic process.<\/p>\n

Instead of relying on sales and marketing teams to build a customer base for his hardware components startup, Ori Mor\u2019s company started building devices that used his company\u2019s tech.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no point rushing when building a hardware startup,\u201d says Mor. \u201cInstead, start by making just a single prototype that you can use to show OEMs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Me too\u2019 investing is eating returns<\/h2>\n
\"Conceptual<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> Catherine Falls Commercial (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a> \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Considering the number of investors who are all-in on e-commerce, fintech, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, crypto and B2B SaaS, a room full of VCs might look like a crowd of Spider-Man clones pointing at each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarc Andreessen once said that \u2018software is eating the world,’\u201d writes Alan Feld, founder and managing partner of Vintage Investment Partners.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, \u2018me-too\u2019 investing is eating returns,\u201d he says, suggesting that investors get out of their rut and explore \u201cfour relatively underfunded areas that could produce huge winners over the next 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to go from popular to profitable during a downturn<\/h2>\n
\"Paparazzi\"<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> Patrik Giardino (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a> \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Product-led growth startups are like a car with a manual transmission that needs a push to get going: one driver just can\u2019t do it all on their own.<\/p>\n

According to Nick Mills, whose sales experience includes stints at Stripe, Facebook and CircleCI, \u201call companies eventually face a similar challenge: To keep growing, sales teams must be hired and a pipeline must be built.\u201d<\/p>\n

After explaining how to calculate your serviceable addressable market, AKA \u201cthe piece of that pie you can win right now,\u201d Mills shows how to define product-qualified leads that will get sales engines firing on all cylinders.<\/p>\n

\u201cTelling investors about your viral user growth is no longer enough,\u201d says Mills. \u201cThey want to know how it translates to revenue, resilience and runway.\u201d<\/p>\n

TechCrunch Disrupt 2022: Taking the BS out of your TAM<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Every founder must understand the sector in which they intend to compete, but calculating Total Addressable Market (TAM) is a daunting process, especially for first-timers.
In reality, TAM just is a planning tool that gives potential investors a better understanding of a company\u2019s upside potential.<\/p>\n

Next Wednesday, at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, I\u2019m moderating a discussion with three investors to find out how they approach TAM and what they\u2019re looking for during a pitch:<\/p>\n