In order for SaaS startups to grow and scale, founders need to recruit, hire, and retain the right people --the right team members. When it comes to drafting and signing the right team members, in the right roles, there’s a lot that SaaS startup founders can learn from professional baseball. Learn why SaaS startups need to think about recruiting and retention like baseball general managers (GMs), how to allocate go-to-market team members throughout the entire buyer’s journey, and what staffing for the full buyer’s journey looks like.

1. WHAT
SAAS STARTUPS
CAN LEARN
FROM BASEBALL

2. Introduction
If you follow Major League
Baseball (MLB), you’re likely
familiar with the concept of
innings that divide up a game
into segments, almost like
chapters.

3. A TYPICAL MLB GAME IS
NINE INNINGS AND RUNS
ABOUT THREE HOURS.

6. IN AN ERA WHERE
EVERY DECISION IS
GUIDED BY
ANALYTICS KNOWN
AS SABERMETRICS,
BASEBALL PLAYERS
ARE INCREDIBLY
SPECIALIZED.

7. LATE
INNINGS
EARLY
INNINGS
AT THE MOST BASIC LEVEL, PLAYERS
TYPICALLY GET SIGNED FOR EITHER
8-9
1-7

8. Starting position players
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Starting pitchers
EARLY
INNINGS

9. Reserve position players
(bench)
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Relief pitchers (bullpen )
LATE
INNINGS

10. WHEN MOST SAAS STARTUPS
CONSTRUCT THEIR
TEAM “ROSTER” FOR
MARKETING, SALES,
CUSTOMER SUCCESS, AND
PRODUCT, NEARLY ALL
INVESTMENT GOES TO
“PLAYERS” FOR
LATE INNINGS.

11. FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT,
THIS HIRING DECISION MEANS THAT
THE COMPANY ISN'T REALISTICALLY
RESOURCED TO COMPETE IN THE
FIRST 60% TO 80% OF THE BUYER'S
JOURNEY
(WHEN MOST SELF-DIRECTED BUYER
RESEARCH AND PURCHASE
PREFERENCES ARE FORMED.)

12. Professional baseball teams
invested 90% of their team
payroll in players only needed in
the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings
IMAGINE WHAT
WOULD
HAPPEN IF...

13. Available for players needed for
the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th
innings
AND ONLY
HAD 10% OF
PAYROLL

14. POORLY
CONSTRUCTED
ROSTERS SET YOUR
GO-TO-MARKET
TEAM UP TO FAIL
(MARKETING,
SALES, CUSTOMER
SUCCESS, AND
PRODUCT)

15. SAAS STARTUP FOUNDERS
NEED TO LEARN FROM
PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
GENERAL MANAGERS
(GM'S)
HOW TO RESPONSIBLY
CONSTRUCT THEIR TEAMS
TO COMPETE IN THE
DIGITAL BUYER'S JOURNEY

16. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON SAAS STARTUPS CAN LEARN FROM PROFESSIONAL
BASEBALL TEAMS?
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.

19. Enroll in
Go-to-Market Strategy 101
(Free 7-Day eCourse)
www.gotomarket101.com