A four-part structure for pitching a product: present a possibility ('what if'), state the direct benefit ('so that'), provide a concrete use case ('for example'), and add a compelling future-looking teaser ('that's not all'). This framework, taught in MBA programs, creates a comprehensive and persuasive narrative.
Calendly is expanding beyond its core scheduling function to address the full meeting process. They are developing solutions for meeting preparation, in-meeting engagement, and post-meeting follow-ups. This strategy of expanding horizontally around a core user problem illustrates a powerful path for SaaS growth.
Calendly's research reveals a paradox: while the common sentiment is anti-meeting, a vast majority (81%) of professionals believe more productive meetings would help them at work. This suggests the problem isn't the quantity of meetings, but their quality and purpose. People crave effective, decision-oriented collaboration.
Despite working for a meeting-centric company, the guest's key to success is asynchronous collaboration. Using tools for high-bandwidth video and audio messages allows his remote, multi-time-zone team to collaborate effectively on complex topics without needing to schedule a live meeting for every interaction.
Founder Tope Awatona created Calendly after experiencing personal pain in his sales role. He was losing valuable momentum with prospects due to the time-consuming back-and-forth of scheduling, which on average takes 7.6 emails per meeting. This highlights how solving a high-friction business problem can lead to a successful product.