NUOPTIMA > SaaS Podcast > Bootstrapping to $1m ARR while competing at American Ninja Warrior

Bootstrapping to $1m ARR while competing at American Ninja Warrior

July 12, 2024

Interviewee Introduction: Chris Baden

Chris Baden is the Co-Founder and CEO of FlowChat, a SaaS company that provides a CRM solution for managing direct messages on major social platforms. FlowChat helps turn likes into leads and content into calls, aiming to streamline lead generation and client acquisition for businesses. Chris has successfully built and scaled multiple companies, making FlowChat his fourth entrepreneurial venture.

With a background in communications from California State University, Bakersfield, Chris has honed his skills in public speaking and business development. Prior to founding FlowChat, he co-founded Sales Ascenders, a company focused on building sales ecosystems by providing processes and systems for hiring, onboarding, and training sales teams. He also co-founded Digital Genius Lab, a niche marketing platform designed to integrate multiple software solutions into a single, cost-effective offering for new online businesses.

His personal life is equally dynamic, having competed in three seasons of the American Ninja Warrior TV show in the US, showcasing his dedication to physical fitness and perseverance.

Passionate about building a lifelong marriage and a world-impacting family, Chris balances his professional endeavors with his personal values. He is deeply committed to nurturing his businesses while maintaining a strong focus on family and personal growth.

Summary

In this episode with Chris Baden, you’ll learn:

  • What FlowChat is, what they do, where they are at in terms of scaling, and their founding story.
  • The challenges he faced transitioning from an agency to a SaaS business and how solving his own problems led to the creation of FlowChat.
  • How he balances family life, including being married with three kids, and competing in multiple seasons of American Ninja Warrior.
  • The importance of leveraging social media for lead generation and how FlowChat uses direct messaging for client acquisition.
  • Chris’s approach to being a non-technical founder and how he managed to build and scale a tech business.
  • The significance of branding and community in business growth, inspired by his experiences on American Ninja Warrior.
  • Strategies for partnering with other platforms to scale FlowChat and how these partnerships contribute to their growth.
  • Chris’s future goals for FlowChat, aiming for significant growth and valuation milestones.
  • Valuable advice and lessons learned from his entrepreneurial journey, including the best advice he has ever received.

Book Recommendation

  1. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
  2. 10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy

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