How an ambitious SaaS startup moved upmarket

How an ambitious SaaS startup moved upmarket
A vertical SaaS provider wanted to target larger restaurant groups and expand beyond direct sales but had no clear roadmap as a small team. We validated the strategy, tested two strategic partner channels, and built the GTM foundation, leading to +70% inbound pipeline and new deals at 3x the previous ACV.
The Problem
A SaaS startup serving restaurants had built a solid early customer base through the founder's network and light outbound, but they were targeting a fundraise with ambitious plans to move upmarket and expand beyond direct sales. They wanted to target larger restaurant groups, launch new product features to deepen integration, and explore new channels. But, as a small team, they needed help figuring out where to start. What would it take to win upmarket deals efficiently? Which channels were worth pursuing at this stage? Were there product gaps blocking the way? They needed a clear strategy and support designing and executing the first phase.
The Engagement
Define a clear pathway for upmarket expansion, identify the highest-leverage channels and product investments, then build the foundational GTM infrastructure to support growth.
What We Did
Strategy and Market Assessment
Conducted competitive scan and discovery interviews with target upmarket buyers to understand their criteria, evaluation process, and deal-breakers.
Identified critical enablers needed to close larger deals, specifically: enterprise-grade SLAs, tiered pricing structures for multi-location buyers, and new reporting and permissions features.
Evaluated potential channels (partnerships, resellers, inbound marketing) and assessed feasibility, cost, and time-to-value for each.
Built a clear roadmap: build enterprise capabilities and commercial structure, systematize outbound sales in the near term, and test two high-potential channels: a reseller program and POS/payment processor partnerships.
Foundation for Growth
Implemented foundational GTM infrastructure including lightweight CRM (HubSpot) and basic automations to manage increasingly complex pipeline and sales cycles.
Designed tiered pricing aligned to multi-location buyers, established enterprise-grade support SLAs the team could actually deliver, and refined contract structure.
Created sales enablement assets: one-pager highlighting value prop for larger buyers, ROI calculator tailored to multi-location operators, case studies from early customers, and proposal templates.
Surfaced critical product needs and worked with the product lead to prioritize and scope the two highest-impact features identified in discovery.
Designed reseller program with commercial incentives, partner enablement materials, and dedicated landing page to make it easy for adjacent companies to promote and sell the product.
Led outreach to POS and payment processor companies, ultimately landing a strategic partnership with a widely-known POS provider who integrated the product into their acquisition funnel.
Execute and Validate
Supported targeted outbound campaigns using new positioning and materials, running discovery calls and demos to test messaging and refine the approach based on live prospect feedback.
Launched reseller program with 2 initial partners, built commission tracking and distribution mechanism, and built  case studies to attract additional resellers.
Worked with POS partner's product and growth teams to complete integration and coordinate launch to their large inbound pipeline, intentionally avoiding paid marketing spend in favor of high-quality partner-driven leads.
The Impact
Closed first 2 upmarket deals at over 3x ACV of existing clients, which validated our approach.
Unlocked 2 new strategic partner channels that increased qualified inbound pipeline by 70%, with economics much stronger than paid acquisition.
Built foundational infrastructure (CRM, pricing, enablement assets, sales process) the team could scale without additional overhead.
Bottom Line
The team went from "we want to grow upmarket" to having a clear plan, proven approach, and the infrastructure to execute. They could now confidently expand their sales team with a system that worked, rather than hoping someone would figure it out.