#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd
#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd
Ryan Floyd

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

EntrepreneurshipEnglish
Ryan Floyd is a venture capitalist with 25+ years of experience and a penchant for B2B SaaS startups. Ryan co-founded the firm Storm Ventures, and his investments were acquired by companies like Microsoft and Nvidia. Through sharing his own wisdom - and interviewing enterprise industry leaders - Ryan helps startup founders unlock massive growth for their businesses. From sales efficiency to cold emailing investors to surviving as a first-time founder, no topic is left uncovered. New episodes are published bi-weekly on Wednesdays.
Transforming Customer Success: From Defense to Offense with Mark Stephenson
10 February 2025

Transforming Customer Success: From Defense to Offense with Mark Stephenson

In this episode of 'Ask a VC', Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Go-to-Market Consultant Mark Stephenson discuss the pivotal role of customer success in B2B SaaS companies. They delve into the critical importance of transitioning customer success strategies from a defensive to an offensive mindset, emphasizing the importance of net dollar retention (NDR), and the need for a...
An Insider’s Take on Hiring Your First VP of Sales
17 October 2024

An Insider’s Take on Hiring Your First VP of Sales

Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Go-to-Market Consultant Mark Stephenson discuss how early-stage companies can hire the right VP of Sales using a few essential strategies.#b2bsaas #venturecapital #hiring #salesexecutive #gotomarket Here's what's covered:0:00 Intros: Ryan & Mark1:13 Hiring the Right VP of Sales2:58 Preparing with a Strategic Plan4:55 Importance of Defining the...
AI & B2B SaaS: Worth the Hype? - Ask a VC #38
06 April 2023

AI & B2B SaaS: Worth the Hype? - Ask a VC #38

Will every SaaS company become an AI company? Will AI unlock guaranteed ROI? Is the promise of AI real and what’s the hype anyway? Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Entrepreneur-in-Residence Ajay Awatramani answer these questions and more in the latest episode of Ask A VC! #b2bsaas #AI #venturecapital Make sure to also:- Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building...
Remote Work: Is it a Revolution? - ep. #35
13 January 2023

Remote Work: Is it a Revolution? - ep. #35

Remote work is here to stay. But it’s not what you think. Storm Ventures’ managing director Ryan Floyd reflects upon the new way people work and what that means for founders and investors going forward.Make sure to also:- Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general- Subscribe to Ryan’s blog at...
Startup Funding: How Venture Investors Make Decisions - ep. #34
08 July 2022

Startup Funding: How Venture Investors Make Decisions - ep. #34

The venture capital world is notoriously elusive - even for the founders seeking investments. But the process isn't intended to be secretive. Venture Capital investor Ryan Floyd and fellow partner at Storm Ventures, Pascale Diaine take you behind the scenes, revealing their firm's process step-by-step. Find out what happens after your initial pitch, what to note when talking to different VC...
Navigating Uncertain Times in SaaS - ep. #33
06 June 2022

Navigating Uncertain Times in SaaS - ep. #33

The only certainty in business is uncertainty! No founder or investor could have predicted events like the Covid-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine - both of which had profound effects on the economy, and therefore SaaS and the venture capital investment trends. But there are ways that startups can prepare for unforeseen ups and downs. Venture Capital investor Ryan Floyd shares his advice on how...
Customer experience 101 - ep. #32
09 February 2022

Customer experience 101 - ep. #32

Net dollar retention and customer experience are highly critical for the success of your SaaS business. I had a chance to connect recently with Gaby Moran, director of customer experience at Workato. Before her current role, Gaby spent quite a few years at Medallia, customer experience management software with a world-class NPS of 60+.Our conversation turned out to be a fantastic "customer...
Cybersecurity for a small business: latest threats - ep. #31
21 October 2021

Cybersecurity for a small business: latest threats - ep. #31

In this episode, I talk about the latest cybersecurity threats you should be aware of as a founder of a small business (what your startup essentially is). Alastair Paterson, Co-founder and CEO of a cybersecurity company Digital Shadows, joined me to answer your questions about the dark web and more. How has the global pandemic affected the cybersecurity landscape? How security threats can impact...
How to master net dollar retention - ep. #30
23 September 2021

How to master net dollar retention - ep. #30

Net dollar retention (NDR) is critical to your SaaS startup's success. I talked quite a bit about churn in the early days of this channel. Mastering NDR is the next logical step you should consider as you continue to grow your startup. In this episode, I am sharing 4 tips that will help you take control of your net dollar retention metric - and take it to the next level: What is the difference...
Understanding diversity and inclusion - ep. #29
09 September 2021

Understanding diversity and inclusion - ep. #29

In the latest #AskAVC episode, we talk about understanding and the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity in startups. I am joined by Aubrey Blanche, Director of Equitable Design at Culture Amp, The Mathpath (Math Nerd + Empath), and a startup investor and advisor. Aubrey is a recognized thought leader when it comes to building more equitable businesses - and our conversation is full of...