Ready to crack the code on SaaS finances? In this episode, we’re breaking down the numbers behind successful SaaS businesses—without the boring jargon. We’re joined by Ben Murray, better known as The SaaS CFO, who brings over two decades of real-world finance and operations experience. He’s been in the CFO seat at multiple SaaS companies, and now he’s on a mission to help founders and finance leaders make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Ben walks us through his popular Five Pillar SaaS Metrics Framework—a game-changing approach that simplifies the financial side of SaaS with templates, tools, and expert guidance. Whether you're building your first product or scaling fast, this episode will help you understand your margins, track the right metrics, and use your financial reports as a roadmap for growth.
Tune in—it’s time to make your numbers work for you.
Key Timecodes
(0:00) - Introduction: Importance of bookings data and financial management
(0:41) - Episode Overview: Deep dive into SaaS finance metrics with Ben Murray
(1:37) - Guest Introduction: Welcoming Ben Murray, the SaaS CFO
(1:46) - Key Question: Importance of financial reporting for SaaS founders
(2:16) - Common Mistakes: Mismanagement of business with cash flow
(3:26) - Misconceptions: Finance as a priority in early stages
(4:01) - Five Pillar SaaS Metrics Framework: Introduction and overview
(5:16) - Financial Reporting: Growth and bookings data importance
(7:31) - Getting Started: Foundational needs for early-stage SaaS companies
(8:28) - Implementation Steps: Key data sources and tech stack
(10:01) - Data Sources: Financial, customer, HR, and bookings data
(12:32) - Challenges in Metrics: Understanding economic operations
(15:10) - Financial Strategy: Importance of forecasting and metrics
(18:08) - Best Practices: Building a scalable finance function
(20:22) - Popular Beliefs: Complications and simplicity in financial metrics
(21:45) - Gross Margins: Costs in AI tools versus traditional SaaS tools
(23:12) - Opinion on Debt: Financing options for SaaS companies
(24:54) - Community and Resources: Ben Murray’s offerings and insights
(27:27) - Benchmarking: Accurate methods for comparing SaaS metrics
(29:05) - Future Risks and Opportunities: Preparing for 2025 and beyond
(30:54) - Key Advice: Essential tips for SaaS founders
(31:12) - Advice for Early-stage SaaS: Financial foundations and forecasting
(32:01) - Scaling to 10 Million ARR: Five Pillar Metrics Framework implementation
(34:44) - Summary: Key takeaways from the episode
(35:13) - Closing Thoughts: Final remarks and contact information
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.