Our B2B SaaS Journey

64: David vs multiple Goliaths

In this episode, Mitchell and Gavin recap Mitch’s Tasmanian honeymoon, unpack a sudden surge in leads, build out management reporting and Slack notifications, and wrestle with how SixSides can compete with much larger event platforms without hiding what makes the product special. Chapters * (00:00) - Intro and audio note * (01:18) - Life after the wedding and Mitch’s honeymoon * (14:10) - So many leads * (17:54) - Building management dashboards * (19:49) - Slack notifications and sales visibility * (27:00) - Startup World Cup and the next three months * (34:26) - How do we compete with larger competitors? * (47:47) - Building a changelog for SixSides * (51:45) - Dev updates - Bento, attendee search and notifications * (54:16) - Voting, app releases and managing the dev team In this episode, we cover: * Mitch’s honeymoon in Tasmania, including Hobart, Bruny Island, Port Arthur, Freycinet and Launceston * The shift from being “on the tools” to building a management and reporting structure * A growing number of leads coming through LinkedIn and HubSpot * Why the team may need better dashboards to track revenue, pipeline, lead indicators and website activity * Using Slack notifications to surface new deals, website visitors and product activity across the team * Gavin’s trip to a Startup World Cup info night and why he wants to pitch SixSides * The massive three month lead-up to the first World Police Games release * How SixSides should prepare its website, onboarding and positioning for more international exposure * How small SaaS companies can compete with larger competitors * Why public product docs, feature pages and changelogs might be worth the competitive risk * How AI changes the speed at which competitors can copy features * Building a changelog as a signal that SixSides is becoming a more mature product business * Dev updates including Bento integration, attendee search, notification scheduling, adjustable logo heights and voting * How Mitch is evolving the engineering review process with Martin and Raymond Got questions or topics you want us to cover? Email us at journey@sixsides.co [journey@sixsides.co] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us reach more people! Connect with us * SixSides: sixsides.co [https://www.sixsides.co/] * Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co [https://call.sixsides.co/gavin] * Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is [https://bsky.app/profile/mitchdav.is] * Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdav/] * Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/] * Gavin on YouTube: gavintye1 [https://www.youtube.com/@GavinTye1] * SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sixsidesevents/] * SixSides on X: sixsidesevents [https://x.com/SixSidesEvents] * SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co [https://bsky.app/profile/sixsides.co] * SixSides on Youtube: sixsidesco [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2l1wOk07BWCJo7U1ym3gsw] * SixSides on Substack: sixsides [https://sixsides.substack.com/]

63: Nine leads and a wedding

In this episode, Mitchell returns from his wedding and honeymoon break to find Gavin, the team, and the SixSides sales machine starting to build real momentum, with new leads coming in, LinkedIn and cold email taking shape, a potential SixSides community on the table, and an unexpected trademark issue in Singapore forcing the founders to get serious about protecting the brand. Chapters * (00:00) - Intro and Mitchell’s wedding recap * (05:36) - Travel touches, DJs, dancing, and photo booths * (12:06) - The sales machine is starting to work * (13:36) - Managing the team while Mitchell was away * (17:37) - Website traffic, PostHog, and app designer behaviour * (18:25) - LinkedIn outreach and cold email * (19:17) - Building a proper sales structure * (20:16) - Why SixSides may need its own community * (25:53) - The SixSides trademark scare in Singapore * (31:10) - Wrapping up and what is next for the team In this episode, we cover: * Mitchell’s wedding recap, including travel-themed details, geese, photo booths, and Gavin on the dance floor * Why founders probably should not pretend they will work “just one hour a day” on holiday * How Gavin managed the business while Mitchell was away * The pressure of onboarding new team members while one founder is offline * The early signs that the SixSides sales machine is starting to work * New leads coming in through the business, and how the team is handling follow-up * Building a clearer sales structure around LinkedIn, cold email, content, and community * Why not every prospect is in a buying cycle, and how community could help bridge the gap * Whether SixSides should build its own event manager community on SixSides or start on another platform * Using PostHog to better understand how people move through the SixSides website and app designer * Trademarking SixSides after a Google Play Store issue in Singapore * The challenge of protecting a SaaS brand internationally as a bootstrapped startup Got questions or topics you want us to cover? Email us at journey@sixsides.co [journey@sixsides.co] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us reach more people! Connect with us * SixSides: sixsides.co [https://www.sixsides.co/] * Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co [https://call.sixsides.co/gavin] * Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is [https://bsky.app/profile/mitchdav.is] * Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdav/] * Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/] * Gavin on YouTube: gavintye1 [https://www.youtube.com/@GavinTye1] * SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sixsidesevents/] * SixSides on X: sixsidesevents [https://x.com/SixSidesEvents] * SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co [https://bsky.app/profile/sixsides.co] * SixSides on Youtube: sixsidesco [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2l1wOk07BWCJo7U1ym3gsw] * SixSides on Substack: sixsides [https://sixsides.substack.com/]

62: How to stay married while bootstrapping a SaaS (with Mel Tye)

In this episode, Gavin is joined by his wife Mel to unpack how they met, how they process risk differently, what it is like watching SixSides grow from the sidelines, and why trust, communication, and the occasional hard conversation matter when you are building a bootstrapped SaaS around family life. Chapters * (00:00) - Mel’s first podcast begins * (02:10) - How Gavin and Mel met * (07:40) - Same values, very different ways of processing information * (13:20) - Work, motherhood, control, and learning to let go * (18:50) - Gavin’s many business ideas before SixSides * (26:30) - From Sales Market Fit to DealBuddi * (33:20) - How Mel reacted to SixSides and meeting Mitch * (42:00) - When your co-founder becomes part of the family * (49:10) - Big client wins and the next phase of SixSides * (56:30) - Advice for founders and their partners In this episode, we cover: * Mel’s first ever podcast appearance * How Gavin and Mel met while working in recruitment and electrical contracting * First impressions, nervousness, arrogance, and how people can be misread * The difference between Gavin and Mel’s decision-making styles * Getting comfortable with risk when your partner is a founder * Gavin’s long list of past business ideas, including importing products, dog mats, lights, car mattresses, Cards Against Humanity, and 3D pens * How Sales Market Fit evolved into DealBuddi * Why Gavin’s sales skills work best when he is helping other people clarify and sell their own ideas * The $20K course decision, and what it taught Gavin and Mel about making big financial calls together * How Mel felt when Gavin first started working with Mitch on what became SixSides * Why meeting Mitch and Nicole mattered personally, not just professionally * The blurred line between business partnerships, friendships, and family * Winning the World Police and Fire Games, and the role of long-term effort rather than luck * Signing the Civil Contractors Federation as a major new SixSides client * Moving into the next phase of SixSides, including team management and additional support * Advice for founders and partners on communication, money, risk, and staying aligned Got questions or topics you want us to cover? Email us at journey@sixsides.co [journey@sixsides.co] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us reach more people! Connect with us * SixSides: sixsides.co [https://www.sixsides.co/] * Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co [https://call.sixsides.co/gavin] * Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is [https://bsky.app/profile/mitchdav.is] * Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdav/] * Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/] * Gavin on YouTube: gavintye1 [https://www.youtube.com/@GavinTye1] * SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sixsidesevents/] * SixSides on X: sixsidesevents [https://x.com/SixSidesEvents] * SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co [https://bsky.app/profile/sixsides.co] * SixSides on Youtube: sixsidesco [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2l1wOk07BWCJo7U1ym3gsw] * SixSides on Substack: sixsides [https://sixsides.substack.com/]

61: The great productivity explosion

In this episode, Mitchell and Gavin unpack the first full week with new developers on the SixSides team, the sudden jump in productivity and stress, the push to document processes properly, fresh leads coming through the door, and how they are preparing the business for Mitch’s wedding leave. Links * Mobbin - https://mobbin.com/ [https://mobbin.com/] * ui.sh - https://ui.sh/ [https://ui.sh/] Chapters * (00:00) - Intro, wedding nerves, and SixSides positioning * (06:44) - The first full week with new developers * (08:50) - Mobile app fixes and the first new release * (11:47) - Dashboard work, Slack alerts, checklist items, and notifications * (15:12) - The first dashboard signup and tracking growth * (19:26) - Marketing website, docs, and design struggles * (28:54) - Building SOPs and adjusting to team life * (33:57) - Leads, Project Earth, and the bootstrap sales strategy * (41:10) - Team culture, Slack emojis, and setting up events in minutes * (46:21) - Handling Mitch’s leave and documenting development processes In this episode, we cover: * Mitch’s final week before the wedding, and how the team is handling his leave * The first full week of new developers working on SixSides * Why hiring people can increase your workload before it reduces it * Mobile app fixes for sponsors and sponsor names in event apps * New Slack notifications for user signups, teams, and event creation * Dashboard improvements for checklist items, attendees, pagination, search, and notifications * The first dashboard signup, and what that means for sales visibility * Building a better marketing website, docs, user guides, and support content * Using tools like Mobbin, Stitch, UI.sh, and Cursor for product and website design inspiration * The challenge of creating design from scratch when you can critique but not create * Building SOPs across sales, marketing, and operations * Adjusting to new stress levels as the business becomes more team-led * Leads coming in through follow-ups and outbound work * Project Earth, a major potential opportunity tied to a 2028 event * How a sales-led bootstrapping strategy could fund the next stage of SixSides * Creating an event in minutes before a business development meeting * Why the team had to push back on a potential event during Mitch’s wedding week * How Linear, Slack, screenshots, and written updates are being used to manage development work * Setting expectations with the team around AI-generated updates and communication style Got questions or topics you want us to cover? Email us at journey@sixsides.co [journey@sixsides.co] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us reach more people! Connect with us * SixSides: sixsides.co [https://www.sixsides.co/] * Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co [https://call.sixsides.co/gavin] * Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is [https://bsky.app/profile/mitchdav.is] * Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdav/] * Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/] * Gavin on YouTube: gavintye1 [https://www.youtube.com/@GavinTye1] * SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sixsidesevents/] * SixSides on X: sixsidesevents [https://x.com/SixSidesEvents] * SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co [https://bsky.app/profile/sixsides.co] * SixSides on Youtube: sixsidesco [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2l1wOk07BWCJo7U1ym3gsw] * SixSides on Substack: sixsides [https://sixsides.substack.com/]

60: Building a multicultural team at SixSides

In this episode, Mitchell and Gavin reflect on the first week with their expanded team, unpack what it means to build a thoughtful multicultural company, and talk through onboarding pains, revenue planning, AI’s impact on software development, and the next phase of SixSides. Chapters * (00:00) - Intro and wedding countdown * (07:33) - Our dev team started * (10:12) - First weekly team meeting * (11:31) - Building the marketing machine * (14:27) - Leading a multicultural remote team * (22:04) - How AI is changing Mitchell’s role * (28:45) - Revenue projections and planning ahead * (34:08) - PLL, PLG, and SLG at SixSides * (43:04) - Reworking the marketing website * (48:14) - World Police Games kickoff meeting In this episode, we cover: * The first week with our new development team and the realities of onboarding across different devices and environments * How our weekly all-team meeting brought the dev and sales sides of SixSides together * Building standard operating procedures for marketing so content creation becomes more repeatable * What it means to lead a multicultural remote team with more care, sensitivity, and intention * Why we want SixSides to feel like a human business, not a cold, overly directive one * Mitchell’s reflections on AI, coding, and how the software developer role is changing * Revenue projections for the next 12 months and what our cash flow looks like with a growing team * How flagship customers can help fund meaningful product development and unlock new markets * The difference between product-led leads, product-led growth, and sales-led growth for SixSides * Reworking the SixSides marketing website and CMS setup to support blogs, docs, white papers, and better search visibility * Our kickoff meeting with the World Police Games team and what that project unlocks next * Why authenticated onboarding, localisation, and a stronger first-run app experience are becoming more important Got questions or topics you want us to cover? Email us at journey@sixsides.co [journey@sixsides.co] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us reach more people! Connect with us * SixSides: sixsides.co [https://www.sixsides.co/] * Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co [https://call.sixsides.co/gavin] * Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is [https://bsky.app/profile/mitchdav.is] * Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchdav/] * Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavintye/] * Gavin on YouTube: gavintye1 [https://www.youtube.com/@GavinTye1] * SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sixsidesevents/] * SixSides on X: sixsidesevents [https://x.com/SixSidesEvents] * SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co [https://bsky.app/profile/sixsides.co] * SixSides on Youtube: sixsidesco [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2l1wOk07BWCJo7U1ym3gsw] * SixSides on Substack: sixsides [https://sixsides.substack.com/]