Balancing strategic decisions with customer-centric innovation requires a deep understanding of your audience and a clear vision for impactful solutions. In this episode of The SMB Tech Innovators Podcast, Irana Wasti, former chief product officer of BILL and experienced board advisor, shares her expertise in serving small- and medium-sized businesses, driving strategic growth, and navigating diverse career paths in the tech industry.
Key Takeaways:
- Leading GoDaddy’s EMEA region taught Irana the value of adapting strategies to cultural and regional contexts.
- SMBs face inefficiencies with seven or more tech tools, highlighting the need for integrated solutions.
- Proper experimentation enables rapid feedback, driving innovation and informed decision-making.
- GoDaddy’s bundling experiments revealed that quick wins, like instant email setup, enhance customer engagement.
- BILL’s acquisition of Divvy unified spend management and improved cash-flow insights through cohesive data.
- AI is shifting from enhancing features to solving SMBs’ core challenges, such as automating workflows.
- Diversity means recognizing unique challenges, like balancing dual careers and parenting, to foster support.
- Without female managers, Irana thrived through mentorship. She urges others to innovate despite representation gaps.
- Irana now focuses on advisory roles and cherishes time with her family.
Listen to the Podcast
Understanding SMB Needs and Passion
Understanding why small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) seek technology solutions is important. SMB owners are driven by passion for their businesses rather than wealth or dominance. Their needs vary widely across industries, but their impact on communities is significant. They require accessible technology to help them sustain and grow their businesses.
While at Intuit, Irana visited local SMBs to gain firsthand insights into their challenges. She observed how technology could bridge gaps and ease operational burdens. These experiences shaped her career, reinforcing her commitment to serving SMBs through innovative product development.
Evolution of SMB Technology Needs
Over the past five years, SMBs have shifted from resisting technology adoption to relying heavily on digital solutions. Initially, many lacked websites, requiring companies like GoDaddy to advocate for an online presence. However, the pandemic accelerated digital transformation, making online tools essential for business survival.
While this shift has increased technology adoption, it has also introduced new challenges. Many SMBs now use multiple, disconnected tools, leading to inefficiencies and data fragmentation. On average, SMBs manage over seven software solutions, causing significant context switching and operational complexity.
The Demand for Integrated Solutions
As SMBs adopt digital tools, their primary concern is now integration. Irana highlights how disconnected solutions create inefficiencies, requiring business owners to manually transfer data between platforms. She emphasizes the need for integrated solutions that unify different software components, streamline workflows, and reduce the burden on SMBs.
Rather than expecting SMBs to explicitly articulate the need for integration, product leaders must observe their struggles and infer solutions. Business owners often describe their pain points—such as managing multiple interfaces and duplicating efforts—but may not identify integration as the solution. By listening to customer challenges and translating them into actionable product improvements, companies can create seamless, intuitive experiences.
Experimentation as a Core Strategy
Irana strongly advocates experimentation in product development and go-to-market strategies. She believes experimentation is essential across all business functions, from sales and marketing to customer support and technology adoption. Businesses can refine their offerings by continuously testing different approaches and better serve SMBs.
Unlike enterprise customers, SMBs provide a larger pool of users, allowing faster and more scalable experimentation. Companies like GoDaddy, with millions of SMB clients, can quickly test hypotheses, analyze results, and iterate on solutions without lengthy delays. This rapid feedback loop enables continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving customer needs.
Practical Experimentation for SMB Success
To conduct successful experiments, businesses must:
- Establish clear methodologies
- Analyze results accurately
- Implement findings effectively
Poorly designed experiments or misinterpreted data can lead to incorrect conclusions, negating the benefits of testing. Irana stresses the importance of proper execution to ensure meaningful insights.
Experimentation is also crucial in pricing, messaging, and product bundling. For example, GoDaddy tested different product bundles to determine the best way to introduce SMBs to its offerings. Through testing, they discovered that immediate value delivery—such as instantly setting up a business email—enhanced customer engagement and retention.
Build vs. Buy vs. Partner: Key Decision-Making Factors
The decision to build, buy, or partner is a critical consideration in product development. Irana outlines key factors that influence this decision:
- User Experience Priority – Ensuring a seamless experience for customers is paramount.
- Data Integration – Leveraging granular data to improve business insights and product offerings.
- Competitive Advantage – Identifying where differentiation is necessary and where third-party solutions suffice.
- Cost Considerations – Determining the financial viability of each approach while maintaining quality and efficiency.
For example, BILL‘s acquisition of Divi helped integrate financial workflows, providing a more cohesive experience for SMBs. Conversely, GoDaddy partnered with Microsoft to streamline SMB email setup rather than building its email product, focusing on value-add features rather than duplicating existing solutions.
The Role of AI and Data in SMB Solutions
With AI and machine learning advancements, Irana believes technology should focus on solving real SMB challenges rather than merely augmenting existing features. She highlights key areas where AI can enhance SMB experiences:
- Automation – Reducing manual tasks and improving efficiency.
- Predictive Analytics – Offering insights into financial health and customer behavior.
- Personalization – Tailoring solutions to individual business needs.
AI’s role in SMB solutions will continue to grow, shifting from an add-on feature to a core element of product strategy. Ensuring seamless data integration will be essential for businesses leveraging AI effectively.
Diversity in Leadership and Team Building
Irana stresses the importance of diverse leadership in technology. She shares insights on building inclusive teams and fostering growth among underrepresented groups. Her approach includes:
- Hiring the best candidate regardless of familiarity.
- Investing in employees’ development and mentorship.
- Recognizing that diversity extends beyond gender to include work-life balance and life experiences.
She also challenges the notion that individuals must see representation to succeed, emphasizing that strong mentorship and leadership can come from any background.
Future Plans and Final Thoughts
Having recently transitioned from her role at BILL, Irana focuses on advisory roles and board memberships while dedicating time to personal commitments. She encourages professionals to balance career aspirations with individual priorities, recognizing the value of both.
As SMBs evolve in a digital-first world, companies must prioritize seamless technology adoption, strategic partnerships, and iterative product improvements. By leveraging experimentation, AI, and user-focused solutions, businesses can enhance SMB success and long-term growth.
Listen to Empowering SMBs to thrive in a digital-first world with Irana Wasti, then learn more about Gusto and Gusto Embedded. And connect with Irana on LinkedIn.
