Agency owners in their 20s make the best SaaS founders in their 30s
Why?
For many agency owners, SaaS offers a scalable path forward, moving beyond traditional client work. We’re seeing this shift happen across the industry — and finally I understand why 😊
Four months ago, I spoke at the BRACKETS by TRIAD Innovators' Meetup explaining what led me to launch our own SaaS companies Kontentino and Allfred. I realized how many successful SaaS companies have emerged from the agency world. I mentioned global giants like Intuit Mailchimp, Basecamp by 37signals, or HubSpot…
Today, at SaaStock conference, Nathan Latka delivered an great talk with the same point adding even more to the list :) and highlighting the unique advantages that agencies have when building SaaS businesses. His presentation was the missing piece of the puzzle.
(BTW If you don’t already follow Nathan, you should. His sweet spot is bootstrapped companies — many of which started out as agencies.)
After Nathan’s talk, I reflected on why agencies are often a breeding ground for SaaS innovation. Here are the five key advantages agencies possess — and many other founders don’t. Recognizing these strengths can give agency owners a huge edge 🚀:
1️⃣ Direct Problem Insights: Agencies live and breathe client challenges every day, giving them unmatched insight into the real problems that need solving.
2️⃣ Existing Revenue Stream: Agencies don’t need to hunt for seed money. They can bootstrap their SaaS projects with revenue from their current clients.
3️⃣ Established Network: With a ready-made client base, agencies can quickly test, iterate, and scale SaaS products, leveraging their existing audience.
4️⃣ Specialized Expertise: Agencies are often niche specialists. This allows them to design highly effective, targeted SaaS solutions for specific market problems.
5️⃣ Operational Foundation: The skills gained from running an agency — project management, client relations, problem-solving — are exactly what’s needed to run a successful SaaS business.
What do you think? What other strengths or insights do agencies have that make them so well-suited for launching successful SaaS products?
By the way, I’m here at SaaStock with an incredible team from Hana Ramiro Ján Michal Vladimír and Pavol. The experience has been eye-opening, not just from a SaaS perspective, but also for agency owners looking to explore growth opportunities in this direction. I recommend attending for inspiration. 🔥