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

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Amira Nakouri, co-founder and CEO of Klaimy, to share her inspiring entrepreneurial journey. With a strong background in strategy consulting for major European insurers, Amira reveals how her drive for innovation—and a spark from the rise of generative AI—led her to launch Klaimy in Paris.

Klaimy is redefining the insurance industry by using AI to streamline the complex and time-consuming medical underwriting process. Amira explains how their technology helps insurance companies process medical records with incredible speed and accuracy, cutting decision times from days to just minutes. She also discusses the company’s go-to-market strategies, working with mid-sized MGAs, and their hybrid SaaS pricing model.

Tune in as Amira shares candid insights about building a startup team, navigating challenges with enterprise sales cycles, and raising pre-seed capital during uncertain times in Europe. Whether you’re interested in SaaS, AI, or the future of insurtech, this episode offers valuable lessons for founders and innovators alike.

Show Notes:

00:00 From Consultant to Entrepreneur in AI

05:12 Streamlining Complex Insurance Tasks

09:22 Expanding Insurance with AI-Powered Models

12:21 Startup Formation and Partnership Milestones

14:54 Small, Strategic Startup Team

17:49 "Insurance Industry Adoption Challenges"

22:46 Amsterdam Insurance Forum 2024

23:59 Targeted VC Strategy Yields Success

27:13 Explore KLAIMY.com Today

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/klaimy-raises-1-2m-in-pre-seed-round

Amira Nakouri’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amira-nakouri-1b729248/

Klaimy’s Website: https://www.getklaimy.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, host Ben Murray welcomes Ibrahim Ashqar, the co-founder and CEO of Lumi AI. Ibrahim shares his impressive background in data science and AI, including his time at Deloitte and the supply chain tech unicorn Stord, before diving into why he launched Lumi. The conversation highlights the challenges companies face with traditional business intelligence tools, and how Lumi is revolutionizing data access for brands, retailers, and supply chain operators through agentic workflows and conversational analytics.

Ben and Ibrahim discuss Lumi's focused go-to-market strategy, their partnerships with industry giants like Deloitte and BCG, and how they’re working with mid-market to Fortune 10 enterprises. Listeners will also hear about Lumi’s journey through fundraising, lessons learned in scaling an early-stage SaaS company, and the key product metrics that guide their growth.

Whether you’re interested in AI, enterprise analytics, or the inner workings of a fast-growing SaaS startup, this episode is packed with actionable insights and firsthand advice from the front lines of innovation.

Show Notes:

00:00 Supply Chain Analytics Software Focus

04:54 Strategic Supply Chain Planning Overview

09:13 Educational Analytics Approach Success

11:28 Consultant Challenges: Navigating Clearances

15:36 Complementary Tool, Not Replacement

18:36 Unexpected Visibility During Stealth Mode

21:34 Effective Investor Pitch Strategy

24:34 "Optimizing Intuitive AI Workflows"

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/lumi-ai-raises-3-7-million-in-seed-round

Ibrahim Ashqar’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibrahimashqar/

Lumi AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lumi-ai

Lumi Ai’s Website: https://www.lumi-ai.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