“Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day.”

– Beth Comstock, Former CMO at GE

“Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with your marketing.”

– Mike Volpe, Former CMO at HubSpot

“If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”

– Reid Hoffman, Co-founder of LinkedIn

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

– Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon

“Know what your customers want most and what your company does best. Focus on where those two meet.”

– Kevin Stirtz, Author and Customer Experience Strategist

“In SaaS, the customer experience is the product.”

– Dharmesh Shah, Co-founder of HubSpot

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

– Simon Sinek, Author of Start with Why

“Good marketers see consumers as complete human beings with all the dimensions real people have.”

– Jonah Sachs, Author and Entrepreneur

“When you’re trying to create a movement in SaaS, it’s not just about the product; it’s about the problem you’re solving at scale.”

– Jason Lemkin, SaaStr Founder

“SaaS marketing is about understanding your funnel like the back of your hand, and then making every conversion metric better by 1%.”

– David Skok, VC and SaaS Expert

“What gets measured gets managed.”

– Peter Drucker, Management Consultant

“Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed.”

– Dan Zarrella, Social Media Scientist

“An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.”

– Edwin Land, Co-founder of Polaroid

“The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.”

– Tom Fishburne, Founder of Marketoonist

“In SaaS, marketing is less about selling and more about creating value that earns trust.”

– Chris Walker, CEO of Refine Labs

“Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.”

– Tony Hsieh, Former CEO of Zappos

“Don’t try to do everything. Do one thing well.”

– Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple

"You don’t build a business; you build people, and people build the business."

– Zig Ziglar, Motivational Speaker and Author

“Every successful company is a story of trials and tribulations.”

– Marc Andreessen, Co-founder of Netscape and VC at Andreessen Horowitz

“When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for people telling you that you are nuts.”

– Larry Ellison, Co-founder of Oracle

“Startups don’t win by attacking. They win by transcending.”

– Ben Horowitz, Co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz

“We believe that customers are the core of every SaaS business, and retention is the new growth.”

– Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight

“Always deliver more than expected.”

– Larry Page, Co-founder of Google

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”

– Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”

– James Cash Penney, Founder of JCPenney

“In SaaS, growth is about retention first, acquisition second, and expansion third.”

– Jason Lemkin, Founder of SaaStr

Andy Halko
Andy Halko
Founder & CEO

I started Insivia in 2002 and for over 22 years I have had the chance to work directly with hundreds of companies and founders to redefine or reinvent their businesses.

If you’re navigating the wild ride of growing a business in tech or SaaS, let me share some wisdom from the greats—founders who’ve been where you are, wrestled with the same questions, and come out on the other side with stories worth telling.

Here’s the deal: growth isn’t magic. It’s grit, strategy, and a dash of being okay with looking foolish sometimes. Let’s break it down.

1. Start Before You’re Ready
Reid Hoffman, the guy behind LinkedIn, famously said, “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”

Translation? Stop waiting for perfection. Growth happens because you start moving, not because everything’s flawless. Take that rough idea, that imperfect launch plan, and go. The real-world feedback will teach you more than endless tweaking ever will.

2. Focus on the People
Marc Benioff of Salesforce once said, “The secret to successful hiring is this: look for the people who want to change the world.”

Your team is everything. Whether it’s employees, customers, or partners, surround yourself with people who believe in the mission. Growth isn’t just a numbers game—it’s a people game. Build relationships, and the revenue will follow.

3. Customers Write Your Growth Plan
Bill Gates dropped this gem: “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”

Listen to your customers. Not just the cheerleaders but the critics, too. Their frustrations will guide you to your next big leap. In SaaS, where retention is king, paying attention to what keeps customers around (or drives them away) is the secret sauce.

4. Keep It Simple and Scrappy
Steve Jobs once advised, “Don’t try to do everything. Do one thing well.”

Tech founders often fall into the trap of feature overload. Resist the urge. Solve one problem really, really well. Once you’ve nailed that, growth will feel natural—not forced.

And remember, “Done is better than perfect,” as Sheryl Sandberg puts it. Perfect doesn’t scale. Execution does.

5. Growth Requires Bold Risks
Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t mince words: “The biggest risk is not taking any risk.”

The world moves fast, especially in tech. Playing it safe might keep you comfortable, but it won’t drive growth. Push boundaries, experiment, and yes, occasionally fail. Elon Musk even says, “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”

6. Vision Matters More Than You Think
Tony Hsieh, the late founder of Zappos, said, “Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.”

People don’t rally behind spreadsheets—they rally behind dreams. Your vision is the glue that holds everything together. When your team and customers believe in where you’re headed, growth feels inevitable.

A Final Nudge
If there’s one thing all these founders agree on, it’s this: growth is messy, unpredictable, and sometimes painfully slow. But it’s also thrilling and worth every ounce of effort. Keep moving forward, stay curious, and don’t shy away from risks. You’ve got this.

Now, get back to building that empire. The world’s waiting.