Mark MacLeod argues you can build a massive company in the SMB space if you target the right segment. Focus on top-end SMBs with 100+ employees or well-funded startups like Brex and Ramp, which have in-house finance leaders. Your product should be built for that finance function, not the entrepreneur.
Chapters
So, you know, in this context, the question is not like, is SMB a good market? The question is, can you acquire enough of the actual, like, not valuable, 'cause that feels like the wrong word, but revenue-driving segment of the SMB market to be able to make your business work? And so from our view, you know, when we looked at the marketplace, we kind of saw kind of two ends of the spectrum on SMB. So the top end of the market from our perspective on SMB is businesses that have 100+ employees, or you're kind of going after startups. So you think about like the Mercurys of the world, the Ramps, the Brex, Rows, like all of those folks, they're building wonderful businesses. Like I have a lot of respect for all of those folks, but the core assumption that they have made in their business is that there is an in-house finance leader and they build tools in that context. So not for the entrepreneur, for the finance leader. Bingo.