Selling into banks isn’t like selling anywhere else. Risk-averse buyers. Long sales cycles. Endless stakeholder approvals.

In this SaaS Fuel episode, Jeff Mains sits down with Stacy Bishop, founder of Selling FinTech, to unpack how SaaS and fintech founders can navigate the complexities of selling to highly regulated industries like banking and financial services.

You’ll learn how to overcome pricing objections, how to make your buyer the hero (not the guinea pig), and how to build trust in an environment where nobody wants to take risks.

If you’ve ever heard “Not right now” from a bank, this episode will change how you sell forever.

00:00 - Don’t prejudge customers based on size

01:16 - What’s harder than building fintech? Selling it to banks

02:12 - Why selling to banks is a whole different game

03:15 - Recap: Rahul Pangam & Patricia Fripp

04:03 - Meet Stacy Bishop of Selling FinTech

05:37 - Why Stacy helps founders sell to banks

06:50 - What founders underestimate about banking sales

08:17 - Fast fintech vs. slow banks

09:18 - Building trust in regulated industries

11:27 - How to de-risk the deal

13:00 - Pricing integrity: lead with value, not discounts

16:28 - The problem with “list price”

18:13 - Discounts kill trust—here’s why

21:16 - Collaborative negotiation: both sides win

23:55 - Making the buyer the hero of the deal

28:01 - The real risk: personal, not just business

29:01 - Repeatable fintech sales framework

34:03 - How to map buying committees and champions

38:00 - Selling in a slow-moving market—what works

41:21 - One tip for founders pitching banks this quarter

46:05 - Tactical changes to improve close rates now

48:30 - What’s the future of fintech sales?

“Stop second-guessing what customers can afford. Lead with your value.” — Stacy Bishop

“If you’re offering a 60% discount… your value is probably fake.” — Jeff Mains

“Discounting doesn’t build trust. It destroys it.” — Stacy Bishop

“Make your buyer the hero, not the guinea pig.” — Stacy Bishop

“Selling to banks is about trust, not speed.” — Jeff Mains

“A collaborative deal is the only deal that lasts.” — Stacy Bishop

Never assume who can or can’t afford you.

Lead with value and pricing confidence—don’t self-disqualify prospects.

Discounting damages trust.

Huge price drops signal you don’t even believe in your own value.

The buyer isn’t just a buyer—they’re the hero of the deal.

Make them look good to their team, board, and leadership.

De-risking isn’t optional—it’s the strategy.

Address risk upfront to keep the deal moving forward.

Selling into banks is relationship-first, not feature-first.

Understand the people, not just the product requirements.

Slow cycles require fast clarity.

Clear messaging, champion enablement, and proactive objection handling speed things up in a slow-moving market.

Email - stbishop0220@gmail.com

Website - http://www.stacybishop.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacybishop

Small Fish, Big Pond –

AI without a data science team? It’s not a fantasy it’s the future.

In this week’s SaaS Fuel episode, Jeff Mains sits down with Rahul Pangam, CEO of RapidCanvas and former VP at PayPal, to explore how AI is becoming accessible to every SaaS founder no code required.

We dive deep into the enterprise AI dilemma: where to start, what ROI to expect, and how to avoid wasting budget on hype. Rahul shares how RapidCanvas is transforming messy, unstructured data into real-time insights for non-technical users, and the hard-earned startup lessons that shaped this vision.

If you're sitting on data gold but don’t know how to mine it, this episode is your blueprint for action.

00:00 - The AI dilemma: start now or risk falling behind?

01:09 - Welcome to SaaS Fuel

01:38 - What if you could build AI without writing code?

02:28 - AI is being democratized—finally

03:15 - Recap: Patricia Fripp & Andrew Seidman episodes

04:03 - Meet Rahul Pangam of RapidCanvas

05:05 - From PayPal to RapidCanvas: Rahul’s journey

10:59 - What problem does RapidCanvas solve?

16:27 - Pairing digital intelligence with domain expertise

19:18 - Why outcomes—not code—drive AI adoption

20:35 - Is AI only for big tech? How it's being democratized

23:58 - Turning PDFs into insight without tech skills

25:48 - Hard lessons from Rahul’s first startup

28:52 - From startup to PayPal: what corporate taught him

33:58 - Hiring & product mistakes that left a mark

37:39 - Scaling stage: can everyone grow with the company?

39:09 - How to build trust in skeptical buyers

44:21 - Should AI be on your roadmap? Ask this question

47:01 - Where does AI fit in your org?

50:14 - Where to find Rahul & RapidCanvas online

51:55 - Cupcakes, Series A sprinkles & future guests

“If you don’t do AI, your board asks why. If you do, you wonder where to even start.” — Rahul Pangam

“You don’t need a data science degree to use AI—you need the right platform.” — Jeff Mains

“AI isn't about writing code. It’s about delivering outcomes.” — Rahul Pangam

“Stop chasing trends. Start solving real problems with real data.” — Jeff Mains

“The most valuable startups don’t build tools—they deliver results.” — Rahul Pangam

“Data alone isn’t an asset until you can act on it.” — Jeff Mains

You don’t need a data team to implement AI.

Natural language platforms like RapidCanvas are bridging the tech gap.

Most leaders don’t lack data—they lack clarity.

Turning information into insight is where real transformation starts.

AI adoption must be outcome-driven.

Focus on business impact, not fancy features or buzzwords.

Founders must guide AI from concept to outcome.

Even no-code tools need leadership to shape direction and alignment.

Startup scars shape smart strategy.

Rahul’s lessons from Simility highlight the value of postmortem reflection and iteration.

AI implementation isn’t about automation—it’s about acceleration.

It’s not about replacing people. It’s about empowering decision-makers faster.

Email - rahul@rapidcanvas.ai

Website - http://rapidcanvas.ai/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulpangam/

Can you pitch your SaaS idea in a way that actually sticks?

In this power-packed episode of SaaS Fuel, legendary speech coach Patricia Fripp joins Jeff Mains to unlock the secrets of persuasive communication. Whether you're pitching investors, leading a team, or closing deals—this episode shows you how to make your message memorable, repeatable, and powerful.

You’ll learn how to use storytelling to inspire action, why most founders make fatal presentation mistakes, and how to structure your message for maximum impact.

Perfect for SaaS founders, tech execs, and anyone who wants to lead with influence.

00:00 - The #1 persuasive storytelling technique

01:08 - Welcome to SaaS Fuel

02:13 - Why slides + scripts fail

03:42 - How to craft presentations that resonate

04:42 - Guest intro: Patricia Fripp

05:06 - Why less is more in communication

07:37 - Founders must pass down the company story

10:08 - Biggest mistake founders make when speaking

12:18 - Scripts vs. frameworks: what actually works

15:12 - How to build credibility fast

18:21 - Making storytelling practical for SaaS

22:52 - Pulling stories out of leaders

27:14 - Crafting stories from lived experience

30:00 - The perfect opening: how to hook your audience

35:32 - The one story everyone remembers

40:46 - Founders: how to use narrative instead of numbers

45:39 - Metrics wrapped in meaning

49:11 - Making your story land in a pitch

53:23 - How to contact Patricia

54:10 - Bonus: Gandalf’s magic storytelling deck

“If you're selling your service, your idea, or yourself—use the words of happy customers.” — Patricia Fripp

“Don’t start with data. Start with a story that hits the heart, not just the head.” — Jeff Mains

“It’s not about writing a speech. It’s about structuring one people remember and repeat.” — Patricia Fripp

“The most powerful leadership skill in tech? Speaking with clarity, credibility, and connection.” — Jeff Mains

“Your message should be repeatable without needing slides.” — Patricia Fripp

“Tech leaders often drown in metrics—storytelling is the life raft that gets you remembered.” — Jeff Mains

Stories persuade better than stats.

Logic informs, but emotion moves people. Wrap metrics in meaning.

Less is more in tech communication.

Short sentences and pauses give your audience space to process.

Every founder needs a signature story.

It’s not optional—your story is your brand glue.

Strong openings set the tone.

Grab attention with something memorable in the first 30 seconds.

Frameworks beat word-for-word scripts.

You can stay authentic while staying structured.

The best stories are relatable.

A moment with your kid may hit harder than a $10M deal.

Email - pfripp@ix.netcom.com

Website - http://www.fripp.com/

FB - http://facebook.com/patricia.fripp.3

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/executivespeechcoach/

Small Fish, Big Pond –