Ep. 29: Paul Hauffen - The Customer Inclusion Loop
True dyed-in-the-wool software pros are a valuable breed in water and Paul Hauffen is one of the best. A two-time entrepreneur, he sold his last company Sedaru, and, in a founding hiatus, is bringing his enormous experience to bear helping companies along their trajectory, partially as a BIV Venture Partner. Paul is a very wise man indeed and his insights on building solid foundations for companies, the hard yards of especially early sales and reference building, and the traps that founders can fall into are second to none. We're so lucky to work with him. Please enjoy my conversation with Paul Hauffen.
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Full show notes and links to mentioned content below.
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Executive, entrepreneur, advisor, and BIV Venture Partner, Paul Hauffen, shares his insights on several valuable topics for water tech startups including common pitfalls for founders after securing funding, his personal journey into the water industry, and the development of his previous company, Sedaru. Paul offers advice on identifying and engaging early customers, outlines the benefits of targeting utilities, reflects on the evolution of software within the water sector, and shares the future of software opportunities. He finishes up by providing his perspective on marketing and sales, defining product-market fit, and emphasizing the vital role of strong customer relationships.
00:00 - Paul Hauffen: Water Tech Visionary
02:03 - The Biggest Mistake Founders Make
03:57 - Why You Shouldn’t Celebrate Fundraising
06:01 - Effective Startup Marketing on a Budget
07:38 - Why Water? A Founder’s Journey
11:27 - How to Identify a Profitable Market Opportunity
14:50 - Building Trust Through Customer Inclusion
15:21 - How to Land Your First Customer
16:32 - The $40K Napkin Deal: Winning Early Sales
18:01 - Checklist for Finding the Right First Customer
21:16 - Why Utilities Make Great Customers
24:25 - How to Win RFPs and Lock in Long-Term Contracts
26:28 - The Evolution of Water Tech Software
28:31 - The Future of AI and Software in Water
33:30 - AI’s Role in Water Innovation
36:29 - Marketing and Sales for Water Startups
39:03 - Pricing Strategy for SaaS in Water Tech
39:49 - Defining Product-Market Fit in Water Software
42:17 - Lessons from Advising Water Tech Startups
44:01 - The Customer Inclusion Loop
