HubSpot Co-Founder and Chair Brian Halligan on AI and SaaS, Board Meetings, and When Incumbents Win

In this episode of the SaaStr podcast, Jason Lemkin chats with Brian Halligan, the co-founder and chairman of HubSpot. They dive into the recent ups and downs of the SaaS market, the journey of taking a company public, and the role of AI in today's landscape. Halligan shares his insights on HubSpot’s IPO, highlighting the unexpected joy it brought him, and contrasts the differing perspectives on IPOs between Boston and Silicon Valley—seeing them as either an ending or a new beginning. The discussion also explores how board meetings are evolving and the unique challenges and opportunities that AI presents in the B2B sector, especially regarding pricing strategies and keeping up with competitors in the AI space. A crucial takeaway is that even though the SaaS market faced a downturn due to excessive spending, it’s on the mend, and established players are well-positioned to tap into AI advancements.