How to hire remote professionals for your SaaS

In this episode of the Tekpon SaaS Podcast, host Cristian Dina sits down with Dave Menjura, the Demand Generation Manager at Cloudtask, to discuss strategies and insights into hiring remote professionals for SaaS companies. Cloudtask is a revenue operations marketplace that helps buyers make informed decisions about remote candidates, global sales agencies, and software recommendations, mainly focusing on talent from South America.

The episode kicks off with Dave sharing the origins of Cloudtask. The company started eight years ago in Colombia, born out of a meeting between Danny Aguadello, an exceptional salesperson, and CEO Amir Ryder. With few resources, they grew the company from a team of 365 employees to 25, emphasizing the importance of leveraging practical tools, a solid vision, and technology to achieve their goals efficiently.

Cloudtask evolved from a sales agency to a marketplace, a shift driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. This transition allowed the company to present talent better and seize opportunities for skilled employees globally. Dave emphasizes that Cloudtask sees itself as a marketplace akin to Upwork or Uber, complementing existing market services rather than directly competing with traditional agencies.

Cloudtask primarily serves SaaS companies in the UK, Canada, and the United States, targeting CEOs, CMOs, CFOs, COOs, and general revenue operations leaders within organizations of 21 to 100 employees and revenue ranging from $1 to $25 million. The platform streamlines the recruitment process, reducing the time taken from a month to days by utilizing features like video presentations to assess candidates’ language skills and abilities.

How does CloudTask work?

Cloudtask’s cost structure involves retaining 15% of the candidate’s monthly base salary for the first year and reducing it to 10% thereafter. Companies remain free to browse and hire, though there’s a fee if a candidate is hired outside the marketplace. Real-time communication through Slack and WhatsApp further enhances efficiency, minimizing delays often associated with emails and meetings.

Dave highlights the significance of user experience and self-service functionality on their platform. By balancing technological automation with personal interaction, Cloudtask maintains productivity and market fit while refining its platform based on client feedback. This approach has been crucial in addressing the main problems faced by their clients: reducing time to find remote candidates, facilitating requests for proposals for sales agencies, and ensuring the effective use of tools specific to their roles.

One of the standout points Dave discusses is the cultural and time zone advantages of hiring talent from South America. It is cost-efficient for SaaS companies and offers a pool of strong salespeople from countries like Colombia, Mexico, and Honduras. Evaluating international teams’ performance before making hiring decisions is crucial to ensure the right fit.

Dave’s story

Dave offers valuable advice for beginners, stressing the importance of modeling successful individuals, developing strong writing skills, engaging with content from industry peers, and positioning oneself as a solution rather than focusing solely on sales. Opening conversations by pointing out opportunities or negatives in a prospect’s approach can build trust and lead to productive engagements.

Dave shares his personal journey from working in a call center in Colombia to joining Cloudtask, overcoming challenges such as long hours and burnout. His passion for sales and helping companies grow aligned with Cloudtask’s mission to provide good job opportunities and tools for candidates. He emphasizes the importance of communication within a company, advocating for direct interactions with leadership to achieve objectives.

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of hiring remote professionals for SaaS companies, with insights from Dave Menjura on Cloudtask’s strategies, challenges, and successes. With a focus on user experience, efficient recruitment, and leveraging cultural advantages, Cloudtask continues evolving as a marketplace that complements existing services and delivers value to its clients and candidates.