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Building Trust Capital: How Aditude Turned Personal Relationships into Enterprise-Scale Growth
A five-and-a-half-hour daily commute sparked the inception of what would become one of ad tech’s most interesting growth stories. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, Jared Siegal shared how he transformed Aditude from a two-person consultancy into an enterprise SaaS platform by taking an unconventional approach to building publisher relationships.
When a VC firm approached Jared with an acquisition offer in 2021, their feedback was blunt: “You’re a consultancy, you’re not a tech company, and you kind of have a choice. You can keep going and as a consultant, making good money and running the business this way, or you can try to pivot the business into some sort of SaaS play and go after a much larger amount of money.”
The pivot demanded more than just technical transformation. It required maintaining trust with publishers who relied on Aditude’s technology for their revenue. “We had already built out a lot of tech, and a lot of our publishers were already fully reliant on our technology,” Jared explained. The transition strategy was methodical: “We’re offering our tech for free for upwards of maybe twelve months and continuing to charge by the hour for all of the support and maintenance of that tech.”
This approach created a foundation of trust that proved crucial when transitioning to the SaaS model. Rather than simply announcing a pricing change, Jared positioned it as an investment in their publishers’ success: “I’m using this money to continue to hire more developers, to build out better products so they can make more money.”
The go-to-market strategy that emerged focuses heavily on building deep relationships within the publisher community. “There’s a tremendous amount of slack communities,” Jared noted. “I’m proud part of like six or seven really large groups where people are asking all types of very specific questions every day.”
His approach to these communities is subtle but effective: “I never actually pitch act. I will, in fact, sometimes go out of my way to answer questions that make it so they don’t need to use us.” This strategy of adding value without explicit selling has proven powerful. “I had a call today with a pretty large publisher. Oh, I remember all the questions you were helping me answer on slack a few months ago.”
The depth of these relationships sets Aditude apart in the enterprise space. “We become very ingrained with these clients day to day businesses and we become almost members of their team as well,” Jared explained. This isn’t just marketing speak – some publishers have literally written Aditude into their wills.
For enterprise publishers doing “hundreds of millions, if not billions of impressions a month,” this level of trust is crucial. As Jared notes, “Every time we sign a new client, that’s another giant set of families that we’re responsible for. I don’t take that lightly.”
The company’s event strategy reflects this relationship-first approach. Rather than traditional conference rooms and PowerPoint presentations, Aditude is investing $200,000 in creating experiences that foster genuine connections. Their first event brings “45 or so publishers, some of them work with Aditude already, some obviously are prospects that we want to work with going down to Disney World, three days at the hotel, tons of parks, golf, dinners at famous restaurants.”
For B2B founders, Aditude’s journey offers a masterclass in building trust capital. While many enterprise SaaS companies focus primarily on product features or pricing models, Jared’s approach demonstrates how deep relationship building can create a moat that technical capabilities alone cannot match.
As he puts it, the key is to “be the nice company in the space, right. Not a company that’s just out for yourself. Be a company that is trying to protect and fight for the publishers and make money that way.”
Actionable
Takeaways
Embrace Unconventional Career Paths:
Jared’s journey from an architecture student influenced by a sitcom character to a tech entrepreneur highlights the value of being open to unexpected opportunities. Founders should remain open to serendipitous encounters and pivots that could lead to their next big venture, demonstrating the importance of adaptability in one's career trajectory.
The Power of Strategic Quits:
Jared’s decision to quit his job without a backup plan, driven by a challenging commute, underscores the potential of taking bold risks when circumstances are far from ideal. For founders, sometimes the best strategic move is to leave a seemingly secure position to pursue a more fulfilling, albeit uncertain, entrepreneurial path.
Consultancy as a Stepping Stone:
Aditude’s initial phase as a consultancy provided Jared with the insights and relationships necessary to transition into a scalable tech company. This approach can be a practical strategy for founders, allowing them to build expertise, networks, and funding in preparation for a more ambitious, scalable venture.
Foster Deep Relationships with Clients:
Jared’s emphasis on treating clients like family and becoming intimately involved in their success has been crucial for Aditude. Founders should consider deeply integrating into their clients' worlds, offering more than just a service but becoming an indispensable partner in their success.
Innovative Marketing and GTM Strategies:
Aditude’s shift from reliance on word-of-mouth to hosting unique, engaging events for clients and prospects exemplifies the need for B2B companies to constantly innovate in their marketing and GTM strategies. Such personalized and memorable experiences can differentiate a company in a crowded market and strengthen client loyalty.
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