Growth Hacking Your First SAAS with Oliver Brocato
In this episode of the SaaS Operators Podcast, we talked to Oliver Brocato, founder of Bustem.com and former founder of Tabs Chocolate, to unpack how he turned a pain point from his ecommerce days into a fast-growing SaaS business, protecting brands from copycats, counterfeiters, and scammers. Oliver breaks down how Bustem detects and removes bad actors across the internet, how most brands lose 5–15% of revenue to copycats, and how his platform recovers that value without expensive lawyers or lawsuits.
We talk about building software as a non-technical founder, the slow grind of product iteration, and the transition from DTC storytelling to high-ticket B2B sales. Oliver shares how having 50,000 followers on X became a growth engine, how one tweet drove 400 signups in a day, and how he Bustem on authenticity and proof. He explains Bustem’s performance-based pricing model, how showing real ROI closes deals, and why transparency isn't the same as vanity metrics.
The conversation dives into ecommerce versus SaaS economics, predictable inputs versus hits-driven luck, and the mindset shift from hype to value driven retention. Oliver closes by reflecting on automation, brand defense as a service, and the uncertain future of ecommerce in an AI-driven world where algorithms might shop for us before we even click “buy.”
00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 02:11 Building a Wellness Retreat in Peru 04:53 The Impact of Counterfeits on E-commerce 08:03 Transitioning from E-commerce to SaaS 11:17 Challenges in Software Development 14:13 Marketing Strategies for SaaS vs E-commerce 17:01 Establishing Value and ROI in SaaS 20:09 The Importance of Transparency in Pricing 24:40 The Importance of Irreplaceability in Business 25:23 Visibility and Transparency of ROI 26:07 Gamification and Customer Engagement 27:47 Customer Retention and Upgrade Strategies 29:15 The All-You-Can-Eat Model in SaaS 31:28 Balancing Small and Large Clients 33:33 Future Vision for Bustem 34:13 Choosing E-commerce: A Personal Journey 36:32 The Significance of Brand Naming 38:48 E-commerce vs. SaaS: Challenges and Opportunities 43:34 The Future of E-commerce in an AI World