SaaStock Local Talks are interviews we at Brainy Bees carry out with people who live and breathe SaaS.

Over these virtual coffees, we’ll discuss everything SaaS related.

The eighth interview features Gaurav Sharma, CEO of Attrock.

I’m Gaurav Sharma and I am…

the Founder and CEO of Attrock, a results-driven digital marketing company.

How did your journey in Attrock and SaaS marketing begin? How did you get to where you are today?

I started working as an intern in a digital marketing agency. That’s when I realised that helping businesses grow is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Later, I founded my marketing agency, Attrock.

Do you have a SaaS product of your own? What makes it stand out from the crowd?

While I had the idea simmering for a while, I recently began working on my own SaaS products.

As a kickstarter, Attrock has launched the freemium model of TinyImage (an image compression tool) to go against TinyPNG and ShortPixel. Our tool’s USP is to deliver better image quality with greater compression.

Our philosophy is to provide high-end value products at a rate that is cheaper than what’s already available in the market.

What are Attrock’s plans for 2021?

Our plan for 2021 is to launch our own SaaS products. We’re focusing on building a large user base for our products and services.

For this year, monetization isn’t our priority.

Go bootstrapping or go to investors?

Definitely bootstrapping.

How has the pandemic affected your growth? Did you have to cope with churn, or did you deal with more clients?

As an agency, it did affect us a little, especially during the initial months of the pandemic outbreak.

However, it gave us more time to strategise and focus on developing and launching our own SaaS products.

When you’re not feeling motivated, how do you motivate yourself?

Meditation and traveling help me stay grounded and connected with myself. Whenever I am low on motivation, they are my go-to activities for rejuvenation.

What do you feel is the biggest strength of your company right now?

We’ve got the best tea ever! 😉 On a serious note, I believe that we understand the pain points of our audience quite well.

What is something you wish someone had told you during your career journey?

I wish someone had told me that running a business is a 24×7 job. I absolutely love it but I didn’t realise what being my own boss would mean when I had just begun my journey.

What is the best and the worst part of being a CEO?

The best part about being a CEO is that you’re your own BOSS! You get to call the shots.

But there is also a downside to it — you have to make hard decisions even when you aren’t always ready.

What is your greatest professional challenge? How did you overcome it and what have you learned from it?

One of the biggest challenges that I faced while developing a SaaS product was finding the right technology partner. I come from a marketing background. So, I needed someone with strong technical skills.

Initially, I tried working with freelancers for their cost-effectiveness and flexibility. But after a few missed deadlines and quality issues, I realised I needed someone who was more reliable and experienced.

After a lot of screening, I found a great partner with over 15 years of experience in the field. I know I can rely on him to build scalable products.

What would others call your communication style? Are you close to your employees or do you prefer to maintain a healthy distance, and why?

I believe in open and transparent communication. I am very close to my team and treat them like my family.

If you had to give one business lesson to people who think about launching their SaaS, what would it be?

If you are launching a SaaS product, invest time in understanding the pain points of your target audience. Try to make their lives easier with your product.

Before planning your product launch, you should also conduct a thorough research about where you are likely to find your target audience.

Which other CEOs do you look up to? (and I should interview)

Rand Fishkin — the Co-Founder of Moz, and the CEO and Co-Founder of SparkToro