SaaS That App - Building Tech-Enabled Businesses

Your Product Isn’t Ready for AI Until You Fix These Software Mistakes

From governed agents to token cost management and smarter architecture decisions, fractional CTO shares practical AI strategy for SaaS startups. In this episode of SaaS That App - Building Tech-Enabled Businesses, Garrett Fritz, a Partner and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at MetaCTO, joins Aaron Marchbanks and Justin Edwards to dive into his two guiding principles of software development: “Nobody Reads” and “The Previous Guy Wasn't an Idiot.” What You’ll Learn: * Why half the startups claiming to be AI companies are really just fancy if-statements * How the coming shift to usage-based token pricing is about to reshape who can afford to vibe-code their way to a product * The real cost of runaway API keys * Why non-technical founders should test the waters with AI Garrett Fritz is a Partner and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at MetaCTO, a firm focused on building, growing, and monetizing mobile apps. He specializes in helping non-technical founders and business leaders develop scalable mobile and AI solutions through digital transformations. As Partner and CTO at MetaCTO, Garrett combines his MIT aerospace engineering background with extensive entrepreneurial experience to deliver exceptional mobile and AI solutions for clients. This podcast is brought to you by Delta Systems, your one-stop shop for front-end, back-end, and full-stack software development. At Delta, Justin and Aaron share the same philosophy when it comes to clients: they treat people like colleagues, not just customers. Maybe that’s why Delta typically spends years working with the same companies: how many software engineering firms can you say that about? So, if you’ve got a big SaaS project in mind but have no idea where to start, come and get a free scope and estimate from Delta Systems at: https://deltasystems.com/ [https://deltasystems.com/]  Got a burning idea for an episode, or a SaaS question you absolutely must know the answer to? Leave us a voice memo at: https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp [https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp]  Highlights and YouTube Chapters: * [01:56] He Left MIT Rocket Science for Android Apps? * [06:30] Principle #2: “The Previous Guy Wasn’t an Idiot” * [09:48] Principle #1: “Nobody Reads” * [12:17] Write More Docs, But Not for Humans * [15:34] “AI Booked Us a $400 Dinner We Couldn't Eat” * [17:13] Your Vibe-Coded Prototype Might Cost You $50K in Tokens Alone * [22:34] The Only AI Strategy That’s Actually Making Enterprises Money * [27:18] 10 Devs, 20 Different Outputs * [31:17] Try AI, But Don’t Back Out of the Driveway Episode Resources: * Garrett Fritz on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grfritz/] * MetaCTO Website [https://www.metacto.com/] * Aaron Marchbanks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmarchbanks/] * Justin Edwards on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iterative-justin-edwards/] * Delta Systems Website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp] We’d love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out our audience questionnaire: https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6 [https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6] Your input helps us shape future episodes and continue bringing you practical, real-world insights into building B2B web applications.

Why Most SaaS Companies Fail to Scale in the AI Era

Scaling SaaS isn’t about hiring more salespeople or chasing vanity growth, it’s about brutal honesty, focus, and timing. In this episode of SaaS That App, four-time founder Geoff McQueen joins Aaron Marchbanks and Justin Edwards to to unpack the realities of SaaS scaling, from navigating the founder journey and making the services-to-product transition, to understanding venture capital dynamics, company exits, and what it truly takes to achieve sustainable growth. From pricing trade-offs to exit timing, Geoff shares hard-earned lessons on building, scaling, and selling SaaS in a market where barriers are low but the stakes have never been higher. What You’ll Learn: * Why trying to run services and product businesses simultaneously kills focus and what to do instead * Why hiring more sales reps doesn’t fix broken growth systems * How pricing shifts when moving from high-touch services to scalable SaaS * The difference between confident leadership and false certainty and why it matters * How to recognize and capitalize on your company’s peak exit window * Why AI is lowering barriers to entry while dramatically increasing competition * What the next wave of SaaS disruption means for legacy, overpriced platforms  Geoff McQueen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffmcqueen/] is a four-time founder, currently CEO of Ascendius Inc. [https://www.ascendius.co/] and creator of the product, WorkSights AI, a platform focused on continuous performance intelligence for modern leaders. With over 20 years of experience building and scaling technology companies, Geoff has led multiple ventures from inception to exit. He previously co-founded and served as CEO of Accelo, a leading client work management platform that scaled to over $14M in ARR before its exit to private equity in 2024. Earlier in his career, he built a successful digital agency, Internetrix, growing it from a solo operation into a large-scale business serving clients ranging from small companies to government organizations. Geoff is also an active investor and mentor, particularly through StartMate, one of Australia’s leading startup accelerator communities. Now based between Denver and San Francisco, he continues to build and advise companies at the intersection of SaaS and AI. This podcast is brought to you by Delta Systems, your one-stop shop for front-end, back-end, and full-stack software development. At Delta, Justin and Aaron share the same philosophy when it comes to clients: they treat people like colleagues, not just customers. Maybe that’s why Delta typically spends years working with the same companies: how many software engineering firms can you say that about? So, if you’ve got a big SaaS project in mind but have no idea where to start, come and get a free scope and estimate from Delta Systems at: https://deltasystems.com/ [https://deltasystems.com/] Got a burning idea for an episode, or a SaaS question you absolutely must know the answer to? Leave us a voice memo at: https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp [https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp] Highlights: * [00:00:00] The Founder Identity Trap That Destroys Companies * [00:01:54] From 3AM Milk Runs To SaaS Founder * [00:04:36] Moving From Services To Product: The Neverending Dilemma * [00:08:41] Why Bootstrapping Feels Brutal (Even with 6-Figure LTV) * [00:11:13] How Frustration Can Fuel A Startup * [00:17:37] Leading Through Uncertainty Without Losing Hope * [00:20:04] Hiring More Salespeople Will NOT Boost Your Revenue * [00:24:13] The Moment You Raise VC, You’ve Already Sold Your Company * [00:33:04] Building WorkSights AI And The Future Of SaaS    Episode Resources: * Geoff McQueen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffmcqueen/] * Ascendius Inc. Website [https://www.ascendius.co/] * Aaron Marchbanks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmarchbanks/] * Justin Edwards on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iterative-justin-edwards/] * Delta Systems Website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp]  We’d love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out our audience questionnaire: https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6 [https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6] Your input helps us shape future episodes and continue bringing you practical, real-world insights into building B2B web applications.

Hype or Game Changer? How Developers Are Actually Using Claude Code

What does day-to-day software development actually look like when AI coding tools like Claude Code, Codex, and LLM-powered agents run the show? In this episode of SaaS That App, Aaron Marchbanks and Justin Edwards are joined by Nolan Alimonti, Senior Architect and Team Lead at Delta Systems, to share how Claude Code and Codex are reshaping their entire workflow, why code quality still matters when AI generates 10x the output, and the critical skills you need to manage AI agents effectively. What You’ll Learn: * How to treat AI coding tools as coworkers * Why code review and validation are now your critical bottleneck * How to use minimal, focused CloudMD instructions instead of massive documentation * Why pairing multiple models catches bugs that single models miss * How to prevent AI from pushing bad patterns into your codebase Nolan Alimonti is a Senior Architect and Team Lead at Delta Systems, where he tackles complex client projects by uniting front-end speed with backend clarity. With deep experience in React and Ruby on Rails, he’s known for simplifying messy codebases, improving scalability, and steering apps toward cleaner, maintainable architecture. A hands-on specialist in modern Rails development, Nolan has led significant refactors, helping teams migrate from Turbolinks-era code to sleek, serviceable Turbo and Stimulus builds. His goal is  to make apps snappier and smoother, while keeping the stack lean and intentional. This podcast is brought to you by Delta Systems, your one-stop shop for front-end, back-end, and full-stack software development. At Delta, Justin and Aaron share the same philosophy when it comes to clients: they treat people like colleagues, not just customers. Maybe that’s why Delta typically spends years working with the same companies: how many software engineering firms can you say that about? So, if you’ve got a big SaaS project in mind but have no idea where to start, come and get a free scope and estimate from Delta Systems on their website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp]. Got a burning idea for an episode, or a SaaS question you absolutely must know the answer to? Leave us a voice memo: https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp [https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp]. Highlights: * [00:00] From Writing Code to Managing the Machine That Writes It * [01:59] Ditching the Browser for Claude Code and Codex * [04:25] AI as a Coworker You Delegate To * [06:01] Why the First Run Is Never Right * [09:11] The Front-End Design Skill That Changed Everything * [12:18] More Output, Same Workload * [16:16] Pitting Models Against Each Other for Better Code * [18:13] The New Bottleneck: Code Review, Not Code Writing * [21:08] Why Senior Devs Get 10x Value and Juniors Get 3x * [27:36] The Laziest Thing Nolan Got Away With Episode Resources: * Aaron Marchbanks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmarchbanks/] * Justin Edwards on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iterative-justin-edwards/] * Delta Systems Website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp] We’d love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out our audience questionnaire: https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6 [https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6] Your input helps us shape future episodes and continue bringing you practical, real-world insights into building B2B web applications.

Stop Flying Blind: The Financial System Every SaaS Needs with Anthony Nitsos

SaaS financial strategy, cash flow forecasting, and the fractional CFO role take center stage as Anthony Nitsos, Founder of SaaS Gurus, joins Aaron Marchbanks and Justin Edwards on SaaS That App. Anthony breaks down why most founders are flying blind without proper financial systems and explains his FinCore methodology for transforming finance from a backward-looking reporting function into a forward-looking strategic engine. What You’ll Learn: * How to distinguish between accounting and finance * Why your chart of accounts matters more than you think * The five core SaaS metrics every founder must track * How to avoid the 50% churn trap before seeking investment * Why hiring experienced practitioners beats training in early-stage startups * How AI is reshaping financial operations Anthony Nitsos is the Founder and Lead Guru at SaaS Gurus, where he helps post-revenue SaaS startups build stronger financial systems and scale with confidence. With decades of experience at the intersection of finance, operations, and technology, Anthony brings proven expertise in transforming finance from a reporting function into a strategic growth engine. Through his proprietary FinCore methodology, he enables SaaS founders to reduce anxiety, improve valuations, and make data-driven decisions. This podcast is brought to you by Delta Systems, your one-stop shop for front-end, back-end, and full-stack software development. At Delta, Justin and Aaron share the same philosophy when it comes to clients: they treat people like colleagues, not just customers. Maybe that’s why Delta typically spends years working with the same companies: how many software engineering firms can you say that about? So, if you’ve got a big SaaS project in mind but have no idea where to start, come and get a free scope and estimate from Delta Systems on their website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp]. Got a burning idea for an episode, or a SaaS question you absolutely must know the answer to? Leave us a voice memo at SaaSThatApp [https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp]. Highlights: * [00:00] You Think You Understand SaaS Finance? Think Again * [02:03] From Medicine to Manufacturing to Millions: The Wild Path to Finance Mastery * [06:37] Thrown Into the Deep End: First Controller Role & Building From Zero * [11:45] Why I Quit Everything to Build SaaS Gurus * [15:31] The FinCore Method That Changes Everything * [20:05] Bootstrapped vs VC-Backed: Two Completely Different Games * [23:44] The Financial Blind Spots Killing SaaS Companies * [28:37] Hire Slow, Fire Fast (And Why Most Founders Get It Wrong) * [34:42] AI Is Coming for Finance—Here’s What Survives * [39:56] The Truth Every SaaS Founder Needs to Hear Before They Scale Episode Resources: * Anthony Nitsos on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonynitsos/] * SaaS Gurus Website [https://www.saasgurus.io/] * Aaron Marchbanks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmarchbanks/] * Justin Edwards on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iterative-justin-edwards/] * Delta Systems Website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp] We’d love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out our audience questionnaire: https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6 [https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6] Your input helps us shape future episodes and continue bringing you practical, real-world insights into building B2B web applications.

Fail-Safe by Design: How Safety-Critical Systems Thinking Can Scale Your SaaS with Kjell Hedstrom

Last-mile delivery software, agentic engineering, and safety-critical systems - Onfleet CTO Kjell Hedstrom builds teams and tech that thrive under real-world pressure. Kjell’s career spans commanding tanks in the Swedish army, setting up air traffic control at Heathrow, and building software for brain surgery. In this episode of SaaS That App, Kjell joins Aaron Marchbanks and Justin Edwards to explain how his background in safety-critical systems shaped his approach to engineering leadership, why he treats AI agents with the same trust-but-verify rigor as human developers, and what it took to overhaul Onfleet’s infrastructure, culture, and release process from the ground up. What You’ll Learn: * How to apply safety-critical engineering principles to startup scaling * Why ‘trust but verify’ works for both human and AI code contributors * The collaboration-first hiring principle that compounds team performance * How to balance multiple customer segments without abandoning your base * Why deploying once per day beats weekly releases for product iteration Kjell Hedstrom is the CTO of Onfleet, a platform powering last-mile delivery logistics for thousands of businesses worldwide through route optimization and real-time tracking. With a distinguished career spanning air traffic control systems, medical device software, and mission-critical infrastructure, Kjell brings decades of safety-driven engineering expertise to scaling SaaS products in high-stakes, real-world environments. This podcast is brought to you by Delta Systems, your one-stop shop for front-end, back-end, and full-stack software development. At Delta, Justin and Aaron share the same philosophy when it comes to clients: they treat people like colleagues, not just customers. Maybe that’s why Delta typically spends years working with the same companies: how many software engineering firms can you say that about? So, if you’ve got a big SaaS project in mind but have no idea where to start, come and get a free scope and estimate from Delta Systems on their website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp]. Got a burning idea for an episode, or a SaaS question you absolutely must know the answer to? Leave us a voice memo at SaaSThatApp [https://www.speakpipe.com/SaasThatApp]. Chapters: * [00:00] Introduction * [01:57] From the Arctic to Montana * [04:25] Air Traffic Control to Medical Tech * [08:26] How COVID Led to Onfleet * [10:35] Onfleet’s Hard Lessons * [11:49] Ad Break * [12:17] Safety-Critical Thinking Meets Agentic Codings * [14:53] Trust But Verify, Both Directions * [16:32] What the Swedish Army Taught Kjell About Leadership * [18:05] From Weekly Deploys to Daily * [22:16] Building Teams That Don't Need You * [25:48] AI-Powered Analytics and Smarter Routing Episode Resources: * Kjell Hedstrom on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kjellkod/] * Onfleet Website [https://onfleet.com/] * Aaron Marchbanks on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmarchbanks/] * Justin Edwards on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iterative-justin-edwards/] * Delta Systems Website [http://www.deltasystems.com/?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=SaaSThatApp] We’d love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out our audience questionnaire: https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6 [https://forms.gle/DN8hWFDcE9jwvNKo6] Your input helps us shape future episodes and continue bringing you practical, real-world insights into building B2B web applications.