Business of Software 2025 Europe
We had the privilege of sharing IDRsolutions' unorthodox approach to business at the 2025 Business of Software Conference. Our talk explored unconventional strategies for success and was built on valuable resources that shaped our insights. Attendees also have access to a special offer from Derek Sivers, adding even more value!
Dharmesh Shah: Building a Great Software Business - Notes From The Field
Dharmesh Shah, founder of HubSpot, explores the dynamics of venture capital, emphasizing its neutrality and value creation. He highlights the importance of user experience and reveals HubSpot’s innovative Customer Happiness Index (CHI). Obsessed with coding and customer satisfaction, Dharmesh discusses strategies for building successful software businesses in his 2010 talk.
Chris Savage: Company Life After Investors
Chris Savage shares Wistia’s journey after buying out investors with $17.3M in debt, focusing on sustainable growth. He reflects on the challenges faced, including the pandemic, and how his views on strategy, growth, product, and people evolved. An inspiring talk about navigating freedom, creativity, and resilience in uncertain times.
Scott Farquhar: Going From Bootstrap to $60m
Scott Farquhar shares insights from the journey of Atlassian from bootstrapping to securing $60M funding in 2010. He explores business models, free marketing strategies, rapid hiring, and creating an award-winning workplace. A must-hear talk for aspiring entrepreneurs, filled with lessons on building and scaling an innovative, global software company.
Natalie Nagele: Keeping Fun In Your Business Life
Natalie Nagele discusses the importance of staying true to your goals and maintaining joy in business. She reflects on overcoming challenges, prioritizing her team, and taming “The Beast” of relentless growth. Her talk inspires founders to create intentional cultures, embrace sustainability, and focus on what truly matters—people, purpose, and passion.
Derek Sivers
Derek Sivers, long-time BoS speaker and founder of CD Baby, is generously giving away free copies of his books to conference attendees. Feel free to reach out to him and don't miss the opportunity to grab a free copy of his books including:
Some Other Books We Highly Recommend
Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for Business
Entreprenerd: Building a Multi-Million-Dollar Business with Open Source Software
Road Side MBA: Backroad Wisdom for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners
Smart and Gets Things Done
Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big
Bridget Harris: Hiring The Best Talent
Bridget Harris explores the vital impact of hiring on business success. She shares a framework for building a strong company culture and hiring the right people. Her talk focuses on creating a company you want to work for, aligning goals, documenting culture, and making values-based hiring decisions to achieve lasting growth.
Jobs To Be Done: Hiring & Careers
Katherine Thompson and Bob Moesta uncover surprising factors behind career moves, offering valuable insights to attract and retain top talent. Their talk emphasizes aligning hiring processes with professionals’ desires to boost satisfaction, engagement, and success, ultimately building a high-performing workforce and fostering organizational growth.
David Russo: Why Culture Matters and How to Manage It
David Russo shares insights on why company culture is crucial for success, exploring five types of company culture and how to manage them effectively. Drawing from his experience at SAS Institute, he emphasizes aligning management practices with existing culture to foster growth, productivity, and employee engagement from startup to IPO and beyond.
Peldi Guilizzoni: Everything Changes with Employee 25
Peldi Guilizzoni shares how reaching 25 employees transformed Balsamiq. He discusses navigating growth, evolving company structure, and his role as CEO while maintaining core values. Peldi reflects on challenges, decision-making, and the strategies used to sustain a great workplace and nurture the community in this insightful and personal talk.
Jason Fried: Your Company Should be Your Best Product
Jason Fried reveals how Basecamp treats its company as its best product, iterating on processes like they do on software. He shares insights on sustainable work practices, prioritizing personal time, and fostering asynchronous communication. Jason’s talk offers a behind-the-scenes look at Basecamp’s unique approach to creating a thriving, remote-friendly workplace.
Bob Moesta: Applications of JTBD Across Your Business
Bob Moesta explores applying Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) across all areas of a business. He shares how understanding stakeholders’ objectives can drive product development, sales, marketing, and hiring. Through practical examples, he highlights how JTBD principles help identify needs, solve challenges, and create meaningful progress for customers, prospects, and employees alike.