Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today’s episode, I’m excited to sit down with Adam Chrigström, founder and CEO of Big Audience Machine (BAM). Adam’s journey has taken him from studying economics to a successful run in brand marketing and research, leading to the launch and acquisition of Play Pilot—a streaming guide that reached over six million monthly users.

After serving as Head of AI at the acquiring fund, Adam launched Big Audience Machine, a cutting-edge content marketing platform designed to help companies turn strategy and deep brand understanding into effective, multi-channel content. Adam shares what inspired him to build BAM, lessons he’s learned from pivoting in the creative and SaaS industries, and practical advice for founders navigating early-stage growth, team building, and fundraising in today’s AI-driven market.

We’ll talk about how BAM is helping both agencies and in-house teams, what they’ve learned from working closely with pilot customers, and what’s coming next as they prepare for an exciting public launch. Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or just looking to glimpse the future of content and branding, tune in for Adam Chrigström’s story and insights!

Show Notes:

00:00 Pivot from Pre-Production Platform

05:46 "BAM: Streamlined Content Marketing Platform"

07:35 Effective AI-Driven Content Strategy

11:10 AI's Limitations in Brand Intuition

14:57 "Early-Stage Branding Strategy Development"

20:40 Early-Stage Product and Customer Engagement

21:54 "Data Challenges and Future Plans"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/big-audience-machine-raises-350k-in-funding

Adam Chrigström’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-chrigstr%C3%B6m/

Big Audience Machine’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/big-audience-machine/

Big Audience Machine’s Website: https://www.bigaudiencemachine.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we welcome Yana Lapitskaya, the CEO and co-founder of YAI, an innovative platform designed to enhance the quality of AI-generated marketing content. With over 15 years in marketing and a successful agency exit under her belt, Yana shares her journey from agency founder to SaaS startup leader, and how her hands-on experience shaped her vision for YAI.

Yana discusses the challenges marketers face with AI-produced content and explains how YAI’s tools improve brand voice, clarity, SEO, and prepare businesses for the changing landscape of AI-enabled search. She also offers a behind-the-scenes look at building her team, refining the product, and developing go-to-market strategies that resonate with both agencies and enterprise brands.

Tune in to hear valuable lessons on early-stage SaaS fundraising, product activation metrics, and the drive it takes to launch and grow a tech company. Whether you're a marketer, founder, or SaaS enthusiast, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration from a leader at the forefront of marketing technology.

Show Notes:

00:00 Marketing Expert in Tech Innovation

05:48 "Multi-Brand Marketing Efficiency"

09:46 Dual Approach Market Strategy

11:58 "Challenges of Bootstrapping and Scaling"

16:07 Key Metric: Activation Rate

17:31 Startup Focus: User Value & AI Integration

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/yai-secures-250-000-in-seis-funding

Yana Lapitskaya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanalapitskaya/

YAi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yai-digital/

YAi’s Website: https://yai.digital/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I’m joined by Anna Berger, founder and CEO of Trayd—a game-changing construction payroll and compliance software. Anna shares how her career in marketing and personal roots in the construction industry inspired her to tackle the toughest back-office challenges specialty contractors face, from HR and scheduling to payroll and compliance.

We dive into Anna’s journey from working at top ad agencies and Marriott International to becoming a two-time founder and YC alum. She opens up about the challenges and wins of building Trayd, raising $4.5 million in seed funding, and the importance of customer retention and consistent branding in SaaS growth.

If you’re passionate about SaaS, vertical solutions, or just love a good founder story, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Tune in to learn how Anna and her team are streamlining complex operations for contractors and driving rapid growth in an industry that’s overdue for innovation!

Show Notes:

00:00 Diverse Founder Background Advantage

03:31 Unified Construction Software Solution

06:38 Family-Driven Construction Insight

10:56 Startup Fundraising Journey

14:39 CEO Focus: Retention and Growth Metrics

16:37 "Dogfooding to Improve Customer Experience"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/trayd-raises-4-5-million-in-seed-round

Anna Berger’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annajberger/

Trayd’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/traydinc/

Trayd’s Website: https://www.buildtrayd.com/

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray