Hootsuite Approaching $400m in Revenue by Throwing out the SaaS Playbook with CEO Irina Novoselsky

Hootsuite, now approaching $400 million in revenue, is reinventing its growth strategy under CEO Irina Novoselsky. Irina shares how she discarded traditional SaaS playbooks to meet the needs of a new generation of buyers. With Gen Z and Millennials set to make up 75% of all buyers by next year, she highlights the shifting dynamics of the B2B customer journey, where digital-first, self-service experiences are paramount.

Irina discusses how Hootsuite transformed its approach, increasing enterprise core growth from 8% to 22% in under a year by adapting to Gen Z’s distinct buying patterns. This includes focusing on content-driven engagement and building relationships through social media, while minimizing direct sales interactions. Irina emphasizes the importance of understanding and adjusting to these trends to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving market.
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction of Irina Novoselsky, CEO of Hootsuite
1:20 - Irina begins discussing her arrival at Hootsuite in 2023
1:33 - Growth from 8% to 22% in Enterprise revenue in under 12 months
2:07 - Introduction of the Gen Z buyer and the need to adapt
3:30 - Key insight: 75% of buyers will be Millennials or Gen Z by next year
4:06 - Increase in buying cycle, decline in sales productivity, rise in CAC
5:00 - Traditional SaaS Playbook no longer effective, shift in buyer behavior
6:10 - 62% of Gen Z employees involved in buying decisions
6:55 - 65% of B2B searches now start on social media
7:45 - 60% of the buying process happens before engaging a sales rep
8:07 - Gen Z buyers consume 13 pieces of content before contacting sales
10:12 - 50% of Gen Z uses ad blockers, favoring authentic content
12:15 - Importance of social selling and executive presence
12:43 - 95% of Hootsuite's business is inbound, with almost $400 million in revenue
13:45 - Gen Z buyers expect an on-demand, digital experience similar to Amazon
16:10 - Adjusting business models to meet the needs of Gen Z buyers
18:24 - Final thoughts on adapting to new buyer behaviors to drive growth
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By the numbers.
See charts and graphs here: https://getlatka.com/companies/hootsuite

Founded in 2012.
$200M in revenue in 2024
$299.9M Total Funding.
1622 employees.
236 sales reps.
359 engineers.
74 marketing team.
18 million customers.
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