Starting and selling a SaaS business is one of the most rewarding yet challenging things I’ve ever done. When I built my first SaaS, I was excited about the possibilities—passive income, scalability, and the dream of creating something valuable. But the reality? It was far more complicated than I expected.

Looking back, I wish I had known a few things before diving in. If you’re building a SaaS or planning to sell one, here are some lessons I learned the hard way.

1. Your First Customers Won’t Care About Features—They Care About Problems

When I launched my first SaaS, I spent months building features I thought were essential. I was proud of every little detail, from the UI to automation workflows. But when I tried to sell it? Crickets.

The harsh truth is that customers don’t care about your product’s features—they care about solving their problems. If I had focused more on deeply understanding my target audience and their pain points before writing a single line of code, I would have saved months of effort.

Lesson:

Before building anything, validate the problem. Talk to potential users, run surveys, and create a simple prototype. Make sure people are willing to pay for the solution before you commit to building it.

2. Pricing Is More Important Than You Think

I initially priced my SaaS way too low, thinking it would help attract more customers. Instead, it did the opposite. Low prices made my product seem less valuable, and I attracted customers who didn’t take it seriously.

When I finally increased the price, my revenue jumped—not just because of higher margins, but because my product now attracted more serious business customers.

Lesson:

Price based on value, not cost. A good rule of thumb is to test different pricing models and see what resonates with your audience. Tools like ProfitWell and Stripe can help with pricing experiments.

3. Distribution Matters More Than the Product

“You build it, they will come” is one of the biggest lies in SaaS. I believed it too—until I launched and realized nobody knew my product existed.

Marketing, partnerships, SEO, and direct outreach are just as important as the product itself. I spent months refining my SaaS when I should have been spending more time getting it in front of the right audience.

Lesson:

Treat distribution like a product feature. Before writing code, create a marketing plan. Where will you find your first 100 customers? Indie Hackers, Product Hunt, LinkedIn, and cold email outreach can work wonders.

4. MRR Is Great, But Churn Will Haunt You

Recurring revenue is the dream, but it’s useless if customers don’t stick around. My first SaaS had an MRR (monthly recurring revenue) spike early on, but I ignored churn. Within a few months, my revenue dropped because customers weren’t renewing.

Lesson:

Retention is key. If your churn rate is high, dig into why people are leaving. Is it onboarding issues? Lack of ongoing value? No engagement? Fix that before trying to scale.

5. Selling Your SaaS Is a Different Game

When I sold my SaaS, I thought it would be a simple transaction. It wasn’t. Buyers cared about things I had never considered: recurring revenue stability, customer acquisition costs, and automation in business operations.

One of the biggest surprises? They didn’t just want the product—they wanted a business that could run without me.

Lesson:

If you plan to sell, make your business self-sufficient. Have documentation, automate operations, and ensure no single person (including you) is essential for day-to-day success.

Final Thoughts

Building and selling a SaaS business was a huge learning experience. If I had to do it all over again, I would:

• Validate the problem before building.
• Focus on pricing strategy early.
• Prioritize marketing and distribution.
• Work on reducing churn.
• Make the business self-sufficient for a smooth sale.

If you’re in the middle of building your SaaS, I hope these insights help. And if you’re thinking about selling, start preparing now—it’ll make your life much easier down the road.

If you're looking for a way to build SaaS without writing code, platforms like Fuzen can make it easier. But whatever path you choose, remember: A great product is just the beginning. The real challenge is turning it into a successful, sustainable business.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned while building a SaaS? I’d love to hear your thoughts!