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Hello to Canada’s SaaS and AI Community,
Markets change, hype cycles peak and fade, and technology transforms how we operate. Few leaders have lived through as many turns as Louis Têtu, Executive Chairman and Former CEO of Coveo. With three unicorn journeys under his belt, Louis joined SAAS NORTH to share timeless lessons and future-focused predictions.
His message: Success in SaaS comes from ruthless focus, relentless ROI discipline, and the courage to invest when others pull back.
Key takeaways:
- “If you’re running a SaaS company, you better be the best in the world at something… Olympic gold medalist level.”
- In downturns, “your only buyer is the CFO”. SaaS founders must prove ROI relentlessly.
- Growth, customer advocacy, and people care remain the three pillars of resilient SaaS leadership.
- Economic tides will rise and fall but you control the size, quality, and speed of your boat.
Co-Founder/Producer, SAAS NORTH Conference Editor, SAAS NORTH NOW
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The SaaS Fundamentals That Never Change
SaaS leaders often get caught in the noise of market shifts, AI waves, interest rate cycles, or the latest funding trends. But as Louis Têtu, CEO & Chairman of Coveo, reminded the SAAS NORTH audience: fundamentals always win.
Louis has scaled three companies to unicorn status. His vantage point is shaped by decades of SaaS cycles, from the dot-com boom and bust to today’s AI-native economy. What stands out is how consistent the winning strategies are, regardless of the macro environment.
1. Focus and Excellence: Be the Best in the World
“If you’re running a SaaS company, you better be the best in the world at something… I’m talking about gold medalist podium, Olympic here and drop everything else because when you’re the best in the world at something, you convert your sales and marketing dollars much more.”
Focus is a recurring theme for Louis. He challenges SaaS leaders to cut half their product portfolio, drop markets where they cannot win efficiently, and double down on the core areas where they can truly lead.
In an AI-saturated 2025, this lesson hits harder: customers are bombarded with “AI-enhanced” pitches. Being differentiated means going beyond features, it means owning a category with clarity and conviction.
2. Economic Cycles: Don’t Waste a Good Crisis
“Economic cycles never last forever. And that’s really, really important. And it goes both ways.”
Louis has seen multiple downturns and expansions. His contrarian advice:
- “Be cautious when everyone’s unduly confident.”
- “Be bold when everyone’s fearful because right now everyone’s very fearful. Never waste a good crisis.”
In today’s environment, where AI optimism is colliding with investor scrutiny, his words resonate.
Downturns are moments to acquire great talent, invest in innovation while competitors cut back, and emerge stronger.
3. Capital Discipline: Spend with Intention
“Capital is never a proxy to spend money and P&L exuberance never wins long-term. You always need to think long-term.”
This perspective is especially sharp as SaaS founders face pressure to balance growth with efficient unit economics. With capital costs higher than in the 2010s, companies must treat every dollar as strategic fuel, not runway to burn.
4. Selling in a Crisis: The CFO is Your Buyer
“Your only buyer is the CFO. So, you need to run ROI. You need to be maniac about ROI when you sell to customers.”
When budgets tighten, SaaS sales must shift from aspirational outcomes to provable financial results. Louis advises reducing friction: shorter-term commitments, opt-outs, and confidence-backed pricing models. The value proposition? “A bag of dimes for a nickel.”
In 2025, this means AI-native SaaS startups need more than “efficiency promises.” They must provide hard ROI data: time saved, revenue lifted, churn reduced. Data-backed proof wins CFO approval.
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5. The Three Pillars of Leadership
There are only three things SaaS CEOs should wake up worrying about, according to Louis:
- Find Growth – “If you’re not growing, you’re history.”
- Deliver Best-in-Class Customer Experience – “You don’t want satisfied customers, you want advocates.”
- Take Care of Your People – “You cannot build a great company unless your people are well.”
- This people-first orientation is more relevant than ever. In the AI-native era, teams are adapting to rapid changes, shifting skill sets, and new operating models. Recruiting, culture, and well-being remain non-negotiable foundations.
6. Data Over Opinions
“Always bring data to decisions because data doesn’t care about your opinion, nor does it care about mine.”
For SaaS founders in 2025, this mantra underscores the shift toward evidence-led decision-making.
Metrics like CAC, LTV, net revenue retention, and ROI are the ultimate arbiters of strategy.
Final Word: Build Your Boat
Markets rise and fall. Investor sentiment shifts from euphoria to fear. AI hype will eventually recalibrate. What doesn’t change is your ability to build a resilient boat.
As Louis puts it: “The tide goes up, the tide goes down. You cannot control that. The only thing you can control is the size of the boat, the quality of the boat, and the speed of your boat.”
For SaaS leaders in 2025, this means: cut the noise, focus on fundamentals, and play bold when others hesitate.
Those who do will not only survive the cycles but they’ll emerge as category-defining winners.
SAAS NORTH is Canada’s hub for scaling SaaS and AI companies. Founders, teams, and investors come to learn, connect, and grow with the country’s largest in-person tech community.