Accel Events thrived by pivoting to a virtual events platform during COVID. However, this new reputation hurt them when the market returned to in-person events. They were no longer seen as a viable in-person solution, forcing another costly product and brand rebuild to recapture their original market.
To manage the demands of a side-hustle SaaS, Accel Events' co-founders strategically staggered their personal commitments. They scheduled date nights on different days so one founder was always 'on call' for customer support—a crucial tactic since their main customers ran events on nights and weekends.
When hiring remote contractors, the founder learned the critical trait isn't just skill, but genuine care for the product's success. After cycling through 20 contractors, he found success with one who was willing to solve urgent bugs on nights and weekends, demonstrating true ownership and partnership.
During the COVID crisis, with revenue at zero, Accel Events pivoted to virtual events by selling a product that didn't exist yet. They created mockups, sold with the confidence they could build it, and then developed features only after customers signed up. This rapid, customer-funded development saved the company.
Instead of cold outreach, Accel Events hosts dinner events for potential customers and partners. They create a valuable community space for senior professionals to discuss shared challenges, without ever pitching their product. This builds trust and generates inbound interest and direct requests for calls, proving more effective than traditional sales tactics.
Accel Events' founder challenges the 'go all in' mantra. He worked a day job for 5 years to bootstrap to $1M ARR. He argues this path, while slower, de-risks the business and proves the concept, allowing founders to hold onto significant ownership instead of raising a large, dilutive seed round early on.
Accel Events justifies its extreme 24/7 support (19-second median response) by the nature of its industry. Unlike arbitrary business deadlines, event dates are concrete and involve thousands of people with plane tickets and hotel rooms. This high-stakes reality requires a support culture built on an intense, non-negotiable sense of urgency.