Sharing decision-making across the team
Alina describes a structure built around self-management, shared purpose, and hiring people who believe in the company’s goals.
Summary ·Watch at 03:48
Founder conversationMaster $20m+
Company of the Future? Pivots On Our Way to $50M ARR
Why Chili Piper dropped its inbox product, moved into routing and scheduling tools, and runs on self-managed teams
Alina Vandenberghe · Chili Piper
Published September 6, 2024About this resource
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What you’ll learn
Alina describes a structure built around self-management, shared purpose, and hiring people who believe in the company’s goals. Alina explains why Chili Piper dropped an inbox product and expanded into adjacent tools for routing, scheduling, and pipeline conversion.
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Moving from one product to demand conversion
Alina explains why Chili Piper dropped an inbox product and expanded into adjacent tools for routing, scheduling, and pipeline conversion.
Summary ·Watch at 06:09
Using AI to identify and score target accounts
Alina describes using AI and bots to check account data, identify ideal customers, and improve targeting.
Summary ·Watch at 07:35
Building a culture around helping people succeed
Alina explains how helping employees, prospects, and customers shapes hiring decisions and the company’s approach to growth.
Summary ·Watch at 10:26
A flat organization
“Teal Organization Self organization Purpose Distributed decision making Authenticity Fluidity in assignment of roles”
Pipeline game plans
“Game Plans Pipeline metrics per segments and ICPs Account Touches, Account Velocity, Conversion Metrics Traffic/Impressions/Engagement Activities to get there: Fields Social Evangelists Marketing Sample”
AI targeting and outreach
“AI Operational efficiency is paramount. AI can lift a lot. Fluidity in all departments Partners Outreach Preparation Account scoring TARGETING OUTREACH”
Outreach that books meetings
“Outreach that Books 500+ Meetings a Quarter Bots that take screenshots of the site, gather data on their conversions Prepare on key points to highlight Process (written by AI) to gather contact data on the account and throw them into a cadence Semi automate the email is sent by our SDRs”
Help-first ecosystem
“Help Who & How Employees (and alumni) Customers / Prospects (and alumni) Partners Influencers”
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Company of the Future? Pivots On Our Way to $50M ARR - Slide Deck
Alina started her own company before high school to pay for her own education. She sold lipstick and her tech skills. She decided to do a master's in computer science because make-up was a low margin business. She then went on to create first mobile products with millions of users for Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg, Pearson. Some of them went to be keynoted on stage by Steve Jobs. The past few years have got her back to entrepreneurship and it fits her like a glove. She founded Chili Piper that boosts buyer engagement for cool companies like Spotify, Airbnb, Snapchat, Shopify and thousands others. On LinkedIn she writes about lessons she learned as a woman entrepreneur and hopes to help others find their own giants within, to prevail in their lives at work.
- Company revenue
- $30M
- Team size
- 145
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Each slide with a short explanation of what it shows. Open the slide text for its exact wording.
42 passages
Chili Piper and the company-of-the-future premise
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SaaSOpen, September 2024 Company of the future? Pivots on our way to $50M ARR Alina Vandenberghe Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Chili Piper
Organization structure and growth beliefs
Agenda: structure, AI and unconventional go-to-market
The talk shows how Chili Piper reorganized for growth and efficiency in about 20 minutes. It is organized in three parts: structure (beliefs and game plans, flat org, multi-product), AI (targeting, outreach and preparation), and an unconventional go-to-market built on help, employees and ecosystem.
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Rethinking our organization In the next 20 minutes I will show you how we have re-organized ourselves for growth and efficiency & creating the company of the future Structure Beliefs & game plans Flat org structure Multi-product AI Targeting Outreach & prepare Unconventional GTM Help Employees Ecosystem
Chili Piper ARR climbed every year through 2024
Annual recurring revenue grew each year from 2017 to 2024, with the steepest climb in the last years. Milestones are marked on the bars: concierge launch, a bootstrapped stage, a $15M Series A, a $33M Series B, and a new platform launch at the end.
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Chili Piper Revenue Growth Bootstrapped Concierge Launch $15M Series A $33M Series B New Platform Launch
Founders extrapolate early growth too far
A joke makes the point that projecting a short burst of growth forward produces absurd numbers. It is a tweet about a baby who doubled in weight in three months and is therefore on track to weigh 7.5 trillion pounds by age 10, a parody of SaaS growth projections.
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SaaS Founders Projecting Their Growth
Flat organization and game plans
Structure: three levers to win
This section opener names organizational structure as the first of three levers to win, covering a flat org, a belief and game plan, and a multi-product approach.
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Structure How to win Flat org Belief & Game Plan Multi-product 1 2 3
The flat org follows the Teal model
Chili Piper's flat structure draws on the Teal organization model from the book Reinventing Organizations. Its traits are self-organization, purpose, distributed decision making, authenticity, and fluid assignment of roles.
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Teal Organization Self organization Purpose Distributed decision making Authenticity Fluidity in assignment of roles
Belief in the goal comes before success
Success starts with the team believing it can succeed. The slide is a one-line statement with no further detail.
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In order to succeed we must first believe we can.
Game plans tie activities to pipeline metrics
Each team's game plan sets pipeline metrics per segment and ICP, plus account touches, velocity, conversion and traffic or engagement measures, then lists the activities to hit them (fields, social, evangelists). The marketing sample is a funnel narrowing from serviceable obtainable market through target accounts, engaged accounts, hand raisers, booked meetings and sales-accepted accounts to closed-won opportunities.
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Game Plans Pipeline metrics per segments and ICPs Account Touches, Account Velocity, Conversion Metrics Traffic/Impressions/Engagement Activities to get there: Fields Social Evangelists Marketing Sample
Product experimentation and demand conversion
Chili Piper began with one product
The company started with a single product: a demo form that, once submitted, lets the visitor immediately pick a meeting time with a rep. The arrow from form submission to the scheduling calendar shows the core flow.
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We Started with One Product
Extra products were tried and then killed
Chili Piper experimented with other products and shut them down. The screenshot shows an email inbox product, one of the experiments that did not stay.
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We Experimented with Others that We Killed
The product line expanded around demand conversion
After the failed experiments, the company grew by expanding its core value proposition of demand conversion. A diagram links form routing, chat, team handoff, scheduling and lead distribution, with the Concierge, Chat, Handoff and Distro products overlapping around ChiliCal.
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Demand Conversion We ended expanding on our core value proposition:
AI-supported targeting and outreach
AI is applied to targeting and outreach
Operational efficiency comes first, and AI is used to lift work across all departments. Two uses are shown: account scoring for targeting, and outreach and its preparation.
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AI Operational efficiency is paramount. AI can lift a lot. Fluidity in all departments Partners Outreach Preparation Account scoring TARGETING OUTREACH
Targeting rests on 300+ data points
This section opener says targeting uses more than 300 data points to apply qualification criteria and score each account's propensity to sell.
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Targeting 300+ data points to target. Qualification criteria + Increased propensity to sell
Sales team size and tooling raise propensity
Accounts score higher when they look like Chili Piper's buyers: more than 10 sales reps, a high influx of leads, a complex sales cycle, and several funnel tools including marketing automation and sales engagement. Good standing, good G2 reviews and some funding also count.
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Qualification Criteria + Increased Propensity to Sell Have more than 10+ sales reps Have a high influx of leads Have a complex sales cycle (have AMs, CS) in addition to AEs They use multiple tools to optimize their funnel They use marketing automation tools(Pardot, Marketo, Hubspot) They use sales engagement tools In-app optimization tools Are in good standing Have good G2 reviews Have some founding
More signals favor larger US SaaS companies
The list continues with US-based SaaS companies with over 100 employees, SDRs, a demand gen or growth marketing function, paid campaigns, website chat, a rev ops function, active hiring, swag to prospects, and SMB customers. The screenshot is an account list tagged by talk tracks such as expanding sales team and has competitor.
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Are based in the US Have more than 100 employees Are in SAAS Have SDRs Have Demand Gen/Growth Marketing function Have paid campaigns running Have a chat on their website Have a rev ops function Are Hiring Use swag to their prospects Sell to SMBs
Three traits lower an account's propensity to buy
Some accounts are scored down: more traditional companies (those funded before 85), companies on Outlook, and companies based in Europe. The list is a short set of disqualifying signals.
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Decreased Propensity They are more traditional (this applies to companies funded before 85) Are on Outlook (sorry all Microsoft shops!) Are based in Europe
Semi-automated outreach books 500+ meetings a quarter
Outreach books 500+ meetings a quarter by combining bots that screenshot a prospect's site and gather conversion data, AI-written processes that pull contact data into a cadence, and emails sent semi-automatically by SDRs. A Slack message celebrates a first meeting booked from one such cadence after only four emails.
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Outreach that Books 500+ Meetings a Quarter Bots that take screenshots of the site, gather data on their conversions Prepare on key points to highlight Process (written by AI) to gather contact data on the account and throw them into a cadence Semi automate the email is sent by our SDRs
Help-first ecosystem strategy
Go-to-market strategy is based on help
This section opener says the go-to-market strategy is based on help. It names three areas: help itself, help for employees so they thrive, and help for people outside the company through the ecosystem.
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GTM Strategy Based on help HELP Help EMPLOYEES Help thrive Help outside Ecosystem ECOSYSTEM
Products are easy to copy and getting easier
Copying a product is easy and will become easier still. The slide is a one-line statement with no further detail.
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And it will get even easier Products are Easy to Copy
Autonomous AI bots are here to stay
AI autonomous bots are here to stay. The slide is a one-line statement with no further detail.
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AI Autonomous Bots are Here to Stay
Human relationships are the hard thing to build
Relationships between people are much harder to build than products or automation. Photos of the team at events and gatherings accompany the statement.
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Human Relationships are HARD TO BUILD
Community is the moat
This section opener says community is the moat. A collage of smiling faces and heart icons accompanies it.
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Community
Community lives on its own platform, not Slack
Chili Piper's community is not built through Slack or Zendesk, although it uses both. The screenshot shows a dedicated community site with topic spaces such as questions, developers' corner, tips, use cases and praise, plus a newsletter, an affiliate program and feature requests.
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Not through Slack/Zendesk Although we have those too
Help, and really mean it
This section opener sets one rule for the community: help others, and mean it. The slide has no further detail.
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And really mean it HELP
Help goes to four groups, past and present
Help is directed at four groups: employees and alumni, customers and prospects (and alumni), partners, and influencers.
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Help Who & How Employees (and alumni) Customers / Prospects (and alumni) Partners Influencers
Caring for employees helps recruiting
Genuine care for others is hard to fake, and it shows up in recruiting. The screenshot collects employee comments praising trust, autonomy, flexibility, few meetings, strong culture and well-being.
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Recruiting Caring deeply for others is hard to fake
Grow, grow, grow
A section opener whose message is simply to grow, grow, grow. The slide has no further detail.
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Grow Grow, grow, grow
Managing growth outside the company
This section opener says growth happens outside the company's own walls. The slide has no further detail.
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Manage growth Outside
Help prospects without gating anything
For prospects, don't gate content, help them with reach through account-based marketing, and help them network through round tables. The LinkedIn post is the speaker's own notes from a marketing event, an example of sharing useful material freely.
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Prospects Don’t gate anything Help them with reach (ABM) Help network (round tables)
Customer help continues after deployment
For customers, support does not end at deployment: help with tactics and aim for ultimate customer success. The support dashboard shows 100% customer satisfaction, a median first response time of 8.13 min and a median full resolution time of 4.88 h, with glowing customer reviews below.
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Customers Don’t stop at deployment Help with tactics Ultimate customer success
Helping beyond what's expected builds advocates
Help should go beyond what people expect. A LinkedIn post from a revenue operations consultant says he is a fan of the company because of its people, and describes receiving a Chili Piper baby onesie when his child was born.
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Help how? Beyond what’s expected
Partner campaigns can be unique, like Growth Hour
Partners are helped through unique campaigns rather than generic ones. The example is the Mutiny Growth Hour, shown as a large video call with many participants.
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Partners Unique campaigns. Example: Mutiny Growth Hour
Influencers are engaged beyond cash
Working with influencers is not only about payment: be creative. The example is a creator's LinkedIn video post about demand generation.
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Influencers Beyond cash: Be creative.
Community and relationship outcomes
Influencers who use the product shape the roadmap
Influencers who are also users feed into the product roadmap, forming circles of love around the company. The post shown is a sales creator's playful photo wearing a shirt that reads it's on the roadmap.
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Circles of love Influencers users - Build our roadmap
One influencer generated 254928 impressions in a quarter
A spreadsheet tracks one influencer's Q1 posts and a four-video series, with impressions, likes, comments and shares for each. The total is 254928 impressions, 2393 likes, 766 comments and 55 shares, with one post alone reaching 64000 impressions.
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Sample Impressions for Q1 to Date for One Influencer
Partnerships give superpowers without spam
Partners extend reach without resorting to spam. The book shown is Ecosystem-Led Growth by Bob Moore, a blueprint for sales and marketing success using partnerships.
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Partners Super powers with no spam
In-person gatherings are a bonus
Meeting in person adds to the relationship-building. The photo shows a small dinner where the speaker stands and talks to guests seated around a table.
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Bonus point:In person
What the community approach produced
This section opener asks what the help-based approach produced. The slide has no further detail.
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End result?
A new customer felt part of a community
A new customer says that after a few weeks it felt like joining a community. They describe the sales, customer success and marketing teams, other customers and partners as all helpful. The quote appears next to the author's LinkedIn profile.
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"When I became a customer a few weeks ago it felt like I became part of your community. Everyone is so helpful. Not only your sales team but also your CS and your marketing team too and your customers and partners. I can’t put my finger on it but it just feels like I landed in a beautiful community of people"
The group built an ecosystem customers crave
An industry analyst says Chili Piper created a new industry, and that the group's power is a highly connected ecosystem that customers want. A crowded sales tech landscape graphic sits beside the quote.
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"You've created a new industry. The power of this group lies in building the highly connected ecosystem that customers are craving"
Buyers want relationships, not more tools
People do not crave buying new tools, but they do crave deeper relationships with those around them. A photo of five smiling colleagues outdoors accompanies the statement.
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But We All Crave Deeper Relationships with Those Around Us We don’t crave buying new tools.
Thank you and how to follow up
The speaker thanks the audience at SaaSOpen. The slide repeats her name and role and shows a QR code for attendees to scan.
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SaaSOpen, September 2024 Thank you! Alina Vandenberghe Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Chili Piper