Dear Reader,
Welcome to the 70th edition of the good reads newsletter by Malpani Ventures. Sharing your weekly dose of articles for this weekend’s reading!
No Exit Wounds – A Primer for SaaS M&A in 2023
https://saasboomi.org/no-exit-wounds-a-primer-for-saas-m-a-in-2023/
SaaSboomi shared how to navigate India's evolving SaaS landscape with strategic finesse. Amidst changing tides, the post shows how to optimize M&A opportunities and secure a fruitful exit. Master key takeaways:
Strategic Approach: Align purpose with market realities. Select a viable game with a substantial market space, minimal competition, and potential acquirers. Balance Team, Traction, or Technology focus for acquisition appeal.
Relationship Building: Forge meaningful connections with potential acquirers. Leverage partnerships, integrations, and shared value propositions to position your startup as a standout choice.
Negotiation Prowess: Ace the end game. Openly communicate expectations, navigate deal structures, and prepare meticulously for due diligence. Proactively address concerns to solidify a successful acquisition.
The New New Moats
https://greylock.com/greymatter/the-new-new-moats/
In the dynamic landscape of enterprise systems, three foundational principles stand out, holding the key to growth in the AI-driven era:
Ageless Foundations of Business: AI's rise reinforces the enduring importance of solid business fundamentals—workflow efficiency, integration, brand trust, network effects, scale, and cost-efficiency. These established principles remain pivotal in achieving product go-to-market fit and long-term success, even as AI revolutionizes industries
Systems of Intelligence Redefine Success: "Systems of intelligence" powered by AI models create new moats, enabling businesses to harness diverse datasets and combine systems of record. This synergy allows for predicting user behavior, enhancing experiences, and gaining competitive advantages. Startups can differentiate by blending their data with external sources, ushering in personalized applications
Future of Engagement and Intelligence Unveiled: AI tools like ChatGPT and Pi by Inflection AI are poised to redefine interactions. They'll serve as central gateways for diverse tasks, from app access to software development. This future hinges on the seamless interplay of AI models, usage data, and personal information, ushering in tailor-made experiences for users and enterprises alike
Using job boards as ‘triggers’ to time cold outreach
When using job boards as triggers for cold outreach, it's important to dig deeper and uncover valuable, hard-to-find information such as internal priorities, success metrics, and tech stacks. For instance, job descriptions, especially for higher-level roles, provide insights into urgent executive priorities.Adapting your messaging to align with these priorities and terms used in the job description can greatly enhance the resonance of your outreach emails, putting you ahead of others who simply add contacts from job postings to their 'hiring' sequences