Introduction

ServiceTitan grew from $30M to $860M+ ARR by focusing deeply on plumbers, using AI to transform sales, and never losing touch with its customers.

What's the problem it solves?

Most SaaS companies chase broad markets, apply generic sales models, and lose focus. This playbook shows how a vertical SaaS company built massive value by doing the opposite-staying focused, customer-obsessed, and execution-driven.

Quick Summary

Ross Biestman joined ServiceTitan in 2018 when it was making under $30M ARR. Seven years later, it crossed $860M and reached an $11B valuation. Their secret? Obsessive focus on one customer type (trades), a merit-based AI-powered sales model, and mandatory customer immersion for all employees. Every decision was tied to one goal: delivering real value to contractors.

Instead of chasing revenue outside its ICP, ServiceTitan stuck to the trades. It avoided “thrash” from bad-fit customers, hired industry experts into R&D, and tested new verticals with proven sellers before scaling. AI wasn’t just a feature-it drove internal ops, from lead routing to dispatch efficiency. New hires, from SDRs to execs, had to spend time with customers on-site. That fieldwork unlocked better product ideas and deeper customer trust.

They also learned tough lessons: don't blindly apply enterprise playbooks, don’t treat IPOs as final goals, and don’t delay customer immersion. ServiceTitan’s story is a blueprint for how to build a vertical SaaS giant-with grit, focus, and humility.

Key Takeaways

• ICP discipline fueled $770M growth in 7 years
• AI-powered sales routed leads based on performance, not territory
• Customer field visits were required for every role, even execs
• New verticals launched only after hands-on research and cautious testing
• Growth wasn’t luck – it was all about focus and process
• Mistakes included: treating IPO as a finish line, delaying profit focus, and overrelying on enterprise methods
• Vertical SaaS works when it solves real problems in ignored markets

What to do

• Define your ICP and avoid chasing revenue outside of it
• Use AI for internal efficiency, not just customer-facing features
• Make customer field visits mandatory for all new hires
• Recruit industry insiders into your product and R&D teams
• Test new verticals methodically, starting with your best people
• Treat the IPO as a milestone, not the goal
• Build profit discipline early, even during growth phases
• Question enterprise best practices-they may not fit your vertical market
• Focus every decision on customer value, not internal wins

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