What is the unsexy truth about startup success? Building a successful startup isn't easy. Founders face tough challenges while trying to make their vision a reality. It's commonly stated that founders face the heat in their kitchens but keep cooking nonetheless, and as a result, we primarily see the final product presented without actually knowing what it took to come up with this final product. In this exciting episode of The Grow your B2B SaaS podcast, host Joran Hofman talks with an expert in the field about what it really takes to start and grow a SaaS business. As the CEO of StartupwiseGuys and the author of "Perform: The Unsexy Truth About Startup Success," Cristobal Alonso shares practical advice from his experience in investing and starting businesses. He focuses on what works rather than flashy strategies. Join in as he spills the secrets to making your startup thrive. Key Timecode [00:00:00.000] - Show Intro [00:00:37.270] - Guest Intro [00:02:06.050] - Joran introduces the topic of startup success [00:03:06.450] - Cristobal defines success in startups [00:04:21.900] - Cristobal explains the key aspects of startup success from his book [00:06:01.620] - Common mistake in building a startup: hiring [00:07:44.480] - Importance of resilient culture in startups [00:08:59.420] - Implementing the startup success principles [00:09:44.300] - Differences between European and US startup examples [00:11:52.220] - Commonalities among successful European founders [00:15:51.110] - Implementing the startup success framework [00:17:09.770] - Transition in Accelerator programs towards funding and support [00:18:33.900] - Advice for founders reaching 10K MRR [00:19:36.900] - Advice for founders approaching 10 million ARR [00:30:29.070] - General advice for SaaS founders [00:35:18.850] - One thing Cristobal wishes he knew 10 years ago [00:37:44.370] - How to contact Cristobal