---
title: SaaS Backwards Episode 122 - From SaaS Startup to Restaurant Revolution - with Dave Dittenber, CEO & Co-Founder of BYOD
description: SaaS Backwards guest Dave Dittenber, Co-Founder and CEO of BYOD discusses how a strong foundation is essential for long-term business success.
---

[SaaS Backwards Podcast ](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com)

# [SaaS Backwards Episode 122 - From SaaS Startup to Restaurant Revolution - with Dave Dittenber, CEO & Co-Founder of BYOD](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com/from-saas-startup-to-restaurant-revolution-with-dave-dittenber-ceo-co-founder-of-byod)

 Written by [Jason Myers](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com/author/jason-myers) | May 10, 2024 3:36:59 PM

Building a strong foundation is essential for long-term business success, especially when faced with unexpected challenges. 

We spoke with Dave Dittenber, Co-Founder and CEO of [BYOD](https://byod.ai/), who faced the ultimate challenge with the unexpected passing of his Co-Founder, Frank Luijckx. He recounts the loss and emphasizes how Frank’s forward-thinking and meticulous planning had a lasting positive impact on the business’s trajectory and contributed to its continued success.

In this episode, Dave shares his remarkable journey from starting as a dishwasher at age 12 to becoming the CEO of a cutting-edge AI company that powers Mabel, the first virtual restaurant assistant. 

He also provides personal insights into the challenges and strategies of funding a tech startup, stressing the importance of prudent financial planning and maintaining investor confidence through transparency and strategic growth.

Key takeaways from this episode:

- How active participation in industry associations offers key insights, connections, and mentorship for software entrepreneurs
- How transparency with investors helps build trust and drive business growth
- The importance of thorough documentation, recovery plans, and strategic playbooks

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**Other resources to check out:**

[Interview with Vinay Bhagat, Founder and CEO of TrustRadius who publishes a yearly report about how B2B buyer behavior is changing.](https://blog.austinlawrence.com/blog/leveraging-the-buyers-voice-to-increase-saas-sales-engagement)

[The Lead Gen Mistake I Guarantee You’re Making – how to create content that better identifies intent from today’s b2b buyer.](https://blog.austinlawrence.com/blog/the-lead-gen-mistake-i-guarantee-youre-making)

[And, if you want an outside look at your content with actionable advice, take advantage of our Content Audit. *Valued at $20K in free consulting.*](https://info.austinlawrence.com/free-content-audit)

[View full post](https://podcast.austinlawrence.com/from-saas-startup-to-restaurant-revolution-with-dave-dittenber-ceo-co-founder-of-byod)

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