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Paul Mansur has been in the information technology (IT) and cybersecurity space for nearly two decades. After starting out as an accounts payable and receivables clerk, he moved around through several other roles in the industry—effectively working his way up the ranks and ultimately becoming the SaaS founder of NXT GEN Technologies.
What Is NXT GEN Technologies?
NXT GEN Technologies is a leading SaaS technology solutions provider devoted to keeping IT simple to use and manage, while ensuring organizations are secure from outside threats. Founded by Mansur four years ago, NXT GEN provides “cybersecurity, cloud, networking and data protection solutions and services” to effectively give clients “better optimization, better return on investment (ROI) and better operational efficiency,” Mansur explains.
“We’re a trusted advisor [providing] the best-of-breed solutions that are innovative [and] scalable,” he says. At its core, NXT GEN is comprised of experienced individuals devoted to providing simple technology solutions that are easily implemented and efficiently safeguard organizations everywhere.
What Makes Him So Passionate About the IT Space
“I love to see solutions come together,” Mansur states. He attributes this entrepreneurial passion for solving problems with technology to his father—an established inventor who held 27 patents, various world records and a publicly traded company for manufacturing.
“The ability to see a solution come from start to finish and ensuring that it goes along with our mantra of keeping IT simple and secure” is something that Mansur doesn’t take for granted. In fact, he shares that witnessing how NXT GEN’s IT and cybersecurity solutions have benefitted clients is one of the most rewarding aspects of being in this space.
“I love to see the success stories of customers and partners—and friends, really, because they become friends at the end of the day,” Mansur states. Seeing how NXT GEN has benefitted its clients is what pushes him and his colleagues to continually search for more efficient and effective solutions in this space.
The NXT GEN Approach to Ransomware
Although NXT GEN handles a variety of security issues organizations face, Mansur says that ransomware has been one of the top problems many of their customers have encountered. The battle against ransomware is apparently more widespread than one might think—in fact, it’s the number one cybercrime this year, and Planned Parenthood was also recently the target of ransomware.
Evidently, ransomware continues to pose a serious threat against our cybersecurity, and a multitude of organizations have been struggling to protect their data. “15 years ago, a firewall having antivirus on your computer was enough to protect you. [But now], you’re just setting yourself up as a wide-open door for exposure,” Mansur states.
This is where NXT GEN comes in to help keep your data locked away from potential thieves. Inspired by their mantra, “layers reduce risk,” NXT GEN provides multiple layers of security to deter hackers and protect your cybersecurity.
“With multiple layers of security in place, a hacker is going to have a difficult time accessing your network and data. While there is no silver bullet to guarantee anyone is safe from any cybersecurity vulnerability or outside risk, having a proper team, training and tools will minimize your risk from your network from being compromised,” says Mansur.
His Tips for Scaling Your SaaS Business
When trying to grow your SaaS business, Mansur says it’s critical that your solution meets all necessary needs—personally and operationally. “Put [your solution] in a controlled test environment, have some test subjects, find out the pros and cons and make sure that this [solution] really does work for you,” he recommends.
If you have a solution that is easy to use but complicates business operations (or vice versa), it’s unlikely that the solution will be viable for the long haul. So, Mansur advises to ensure your SaaS application “sets forth the best overall goal and accomplishment for the company—not strictly for the specific department.”
When it comes to deciding the right time to scale, Mansur says not being able to deliver your solution at a certain level of quality or within a certain timeframe can indicate that it’s time to grow your business. For instance, “we pride ourselves on being agile, timely and flexible when it comes to delivering solutions that solve a customer’s needs,” says Mansur. So when NXT GEN noticed they weren’t getting the turnover they strive for, they knew it was time to expand.
“Looking at it from an operational perspective and making sure that we adhere to our mission [and] our customers’ needs, that’s how we knew we needed to grow,” he explains.
How NXT GEN Determined Their Pricing Strategy
When it comes to their pricing strategy, Mansur says it depends on the type of project at hand. They’ve done market analysis to see what the going rates are, “but we also know we’re not always going to be the cheapest,” he admits.
The reason why NXT GEN doesn’t offer exceptionally frugal rates is because they offer “the best-of-breed resources who have been vetted throughout the years, who have great reputations with the business acumen and pedigree to actually give you what you’re looking for,” Mansur elaborates.
So when it comes to your pricing strategy, it may not be in your best interest to skimp out on rates just to offer competitive pricing that draws customers in. If you truly have a great product created by well-established individuals in the industry, you should appropriately price your SaaS for the value it holds.
As Mansur describes, if you want something cheap, it’s unlikely to be good or fast in its application. But if you want something worthwhile that efficiently solves your pain points, you should be prepared to pay (and charge) the price.
“Customers [know] we aren’t always going to be the cheapest, but we’re going to make sure we take care of you and give you the best-of-breed solutions [that are] best for you and your organization,” Mansur shares.
SaaS Trends to Be Aware Of
From his experience in the SaaS space, Mansur asserts the importance of listening to the market instead of trying to tell the market what it needs. “Understand where your product focuses, understand where you play, understand your competitors and don’t dictate the market,” he explains.
Especially true in the SaaS space but also applicable elsewhere, it’s critical to ensure your product, solution or service meets the needs that have been defined by the market. “That’s the reason why I started this company four years ago—I felt the market was looking for an honest, trustworthy partner,” Mansur states.
He also recommends doing a SWOT analysis to assess where your SaaS business’ strengths and weaknesses lie, along with identifying potential opportunities for growth and threats to your livelihood. In fact, performing a SWOT analysis offers a variety of benefits for your business, including better insight about the market, more discussions among employees about the company’s strengths and weaknesses and a more collaborative work environment.
So before you go ahead and create a SaaS business you think would be successful, it’s imperative to sit down and do the necessary research to verify whether your SaaS is something the market truly needs. If it is—and you have the experienced individuals to cultivate it—then you might have the makings of something remarkable.
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