Stellaris SaaS Talks #42: Your first 100 days in the U.S. ft. Sarthak (Nanonets) & Sri (Rocketlane)

Register for our future SaaS Talks: https://rebrand.ly/SaaSTalks

in this discussion, we cover

00:00 Introduction

04:50 When did the India to U.S. switch happen?

08:00 Why was it important to be in the U.S?

14:47 What is the primary driver of the move – problem discovery, GTM, sales?

17:13 How do investors respond to the shift to the U.S?

18:50 If you’re selling at a lower ACV, is the U.S. move still important?

20:47 How to account for India revenue after the move

24:45 Building a professional network in the U.S.

31:01 Before moving full-time, how important is it to visit the U.S.?

35:08 How to manage remote leadership & teams in India

40:06 What was some difficult feedback you received in the U.S. that made you a better founder in India?

43:35 Compensation in the Bay Area + Minimum runway for a company before moving to the U.S.

47:04 Visa and immigration process

51:05 Recruitment in the U.S.

57:05 How effective are part-time BD partners in acquiring customers?

01:00:00 Closing remarks

‍

context

‍

For many SaaS founders building out of India, establishing a presence in the U.S. becomes an important step on the path to building a category-defining company. The motivations can vary, whether it’s hiring GTM leaders, expanding AI and product capabilities, strengthening product-market fit, or getting closer to customers.

Moving to the world’s most competitive SaaS market is often a full-scale geographic and operational transition. While it sets the stage for long-term growth, the shift can still disrupt your business in the short term.

In this edition of SaaS Talks, we dive deep into that transition.

What does it really take to move your company (and yourself) to the U.S. and rebuild without missing a beat?

We hear from two founders who’ve successfully made the leap:

- Sarthak Jain, Co-founder & CEO of Nanonets

- Srikrishnan Ganesan, Co-founder & CEO of Rocketlane

They share lessons on:

- Navigating the disruption of relocating while running a live business

- Scouting GTM talent & rebuilding product teams locally in the U.S.

- Acquiring customers & partners in a new market

- Dealing with legal, hiring & structural complexity

- Building the muscle it takes to operate and scale in the U.S, especially around recruitment

If you're in the process of making the move (or thinking about it), this session is for you!

Hosted by Alok Goyal and Ritesh Banglani.

‍