Estimated learn time: 4 minutes, 0 seconds

The TL;DR model of this text is that this:

• We simply launched a brand new (free!) Slack group: World SaaS Leaders.
• It’s open to leaders at established SaaS and software program firms (together with founders!).
• You possibly can apply for membership right here. We’d love so that you can be part of!

As a result of communities are superior!

No, severely.

Sure, there are different SaaS and software program communities on the market. Lots of them are nice.

However after we thought of creating the sort of group that we’d wish to be part of, we noticed a possibility to create one thing new.

For that cause, we created World SaaS Leaders as an area with 5 distinctive qualities:

1. World focus

We discovered many SaaS and software program communities that have been U.S.-based or centered round a selected location. 

World SaaS Leaders will likely be totally different. FastSpring could also be situated within the U.S., however our prospects and the broader SaaS group is unfold out all around the world. 

As we develop the group, we’ll be intentional about growing a various membership and a worldwide perspective.

2. Designed for leaders from established SaaS and software program firms

A number of the greatest software program conversations we discovered on the internet have been round beginning a brand new SaaS firm:

Conversations like these are extraordinarily invaluable for folks making an attempt to get began constructing a SaaS.

With that mentioned, we seen it was truly fairly troublesome to seek out useful conversations between leaders from established SaaS and software program firms. 

That’s why we’ve chosen to construct a group for SaaS leaders interested by rising and scaling an established software program enterprise, not constructing minimal viable merchandise or securing seed-stage funding.

When you’re a way of life entrepreneur with a bootstrapped SaaS already doing $10,000 a month, we need to enable you to join with others such as you.

Identical for those who’re the event lead at a venture-backed startup that simply crossed $10 million a yr.

That will likely be our focus in World SaaS Leaders: to create an area the place you’ll be able to discuss in regards to the distinctive challenges that occur after you attain product-market match and start to develop.

3. Professionally moderated

It takes a devoted and proficient moderator (or workforce of moderators!) to create a constructive, supportive tradition in a group.

We’ve discovered loads from the Reddit group r/entrepreneur, for instance.

However even high quality communities like this one generally battle with focus. It’s telling that the No. 1 thread this yr is a combative publish about how cryptocurrency has been overwhelming the feed:

Katie Stephan and Nathan Collier (authors of this publish!) are the primary moderation workforce as we launch the World SaaS Leaders group.

Collectively, we now have over a decade moderating on-line communities with 1000’s of members. 

And constructing and launching this group is a part of our job descriptions.

We’ll preserve the dialog centered on SaaS and software program — and we’ll be sure you gained’t should cope with spam, unsolicited provides, private assaults, or trolling of any variety.

4. Not centered on enterprise capital or funding rounds

We don’t care for those who’re bootstrapped, venture-funded, private-equity backed, or another possession mannequin.

World SaaS Leaders gained’t be a spot with a serious concentrate on funding rounds or exit methods. 

As an alternative, we hope to create a spot the place you’ll be able to have conversations about hiring, income, revenue, instruments, pricing fashions, technical infrastructure, and the rest associated to rising a profitable software program enterprise.

It’s superb if members often focus on funding. However it gained’t be the solely dialogue.

5. Essentially the most supportive SaaS and software program group wherever on the internet

Some on-line communities are unsafe locations.

Whoever you might be, wherever you’re from, and no matter your background, we would like you to really feel comfy posting and interacting in our group.

Katie and I’ll do the whole lot we are able to to create and domesticate a constructive, supportive tradition on this new group. And we is not going to tolerate private assaults, bigotry, racism, sexism, or any sort of disrespectful conduct.

Our goal is at least this: to create essentially the most supportive SaaS and software program group wherever on the internet.

When you’re a frontrunner at a longtime SaaS firm, we’d like to have you ever in our group!

You possibly can apply to affix us by filling out the shape right here. 

We all know it’s an extended software kind, however we use the knowledge to make sure the standard of the group — and to display out any potential spammers.

And there’s an FAQ on the appliance web page that may reply a few of your questions.

We even have a full set of group tips we ask you to learn earlier than making use of, which particulars much more in regards to the group.

We hope you’ll be part of us!