#29: Startup CEO’s Guide to Bootstrapping to Profitability and Hosting Industry-Leading Conferences

Clint Smith is the co-founder and CEO of Emma, a SaaS company out of Nashville, TN, that has created a new standard of success for bootstrapping businesses and hosting innovative, engaging conferences. Smith and his co-founder conceived Emma’s email marketing platform in 2002 and took out a bank loan to fund their initial growth. By developing a healthy revenue model and focusing on customer acquisition from the start, they were able to break even on their cash flow only a year and a half later. Fast forward a decade of continued growth, and the Emma team started hosting its annual Marketing United conference, which is open to all marketing professionals in addition to the company’s customers. Nearly 1,000 people attended the 2017 conference last month, allowing the team to establish deeper relationships with their customers and re-energize the larger marketing community. In my interview with Smith, he shares the behind-the-scenes story of how he scaled Emma from an idea to an innovative email marketing company without investor funding. We also chat about how the Emma team is growing Marketing United into a leading conference for marketers between the coasts. In this episode with Clint Smith, you’ll learn: -- Why hosting a conference can benefit your customers and employees -- Mistakes to avoid when hosting your conference -- How he bootstrapped Emma from idea to profitability -- Why a solid revenue model is key for a young business -- The importance of finding an outstanding advisor -- Emma’s strategies for keeping pace with innovation ---- Download show notes and transcripts at www.powderkeg.com This episode of Powder Keg is brought to you by DeveloperTown. If you’re a business leader trying to turn a great idea into a product with traction, this is for you. DeveloperTown works with clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies who want to build and launch an app or digital product. They’re able to take the process they use with early stage companies to help big companies move like a startup. So if you have an idea for a web or mobile app, or need help identifying the great ideas within your company, go to developertown.com/powderkeg. Thanks again to everyone who has shared an episode of Powderkeg, subscribed to us on iTunes, or left us a review. It’s the only way we’re going to spread this message and reach new people and we could do it without you. We’re coming out with new episodes every Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe on iTunes or at powderkeg.co/itunes