At SaaStanak 2025, Tomislav Car — founder of a 300+ person agency and a 100+ person bootstrapped SaaS company (Productive) — shared an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what fills his days as a SaaS CEO. His talk, *From Zero to SaaS: What I Do All Day (and Why It Works)*, wasn’t about flashy success stories or growth hacks. Instead, Tomislav focused on the reality of building and running a SaaS business — what takes up his time, what matters most, and what he’s learned from the missteps along the way.
If you’re leading or hoping to lead a SaaS company, or simply curious about what it takes, here’s what Tomislav revealed — and how you can apply these lessons to your own journey.
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Staying Close to the Product (Without Getting Lost in the Details)
Tomislav emphasized that many SaaS founders, including himself, start as “product people.” The product is the reason they started the company — to solve a problem in a better way — and it remains at the heart of what they do. But as the team grows, staying close to the product without becoming a bottleneck gets harder. Tomislav’s approach is to stay actively engaged with the product’s evolution — regularly using it, reviewing customer feedback, and challenging his team to keep improving — while letting go of the need to control every decision. He recommends that founders block time each week to review the product as a customer would and ask: *Would I choose this product today?* This habit keeps the founder grounded without getting mired in the weeds.
The Balancing Act of a CEO: High-Level Vision and Small-Scale Reality
One of Tomislav’s biggest challenges — and one every founder will recognize — is finding the balance between the 10,000-foot view and the day-to-day operations. It’s tempting to get pulled into small issues because they’re tangible and solvable, but doing so can leave the bigger picture neglected. On the flip side, focusing only on strategy and vision risks losing touch with what’s really happening in the company. Tomislav combats this by scheduling regular check-ins not just with his leadership team, but with people at all levels. This keeps him connected without micromanaging. His advice: your calendar should reflect your priorities, not just your inbox.
Everything Feels Important — But Not Everything Can Be
As Tomislav joked, ‘everything is important.’ The hard part is figuring out what to act on and what to let go. He filters decisions through the company’s mission: does this move us toward our core purpose? If not, it can wait. This mindset helps prevent distraction. He also reminded that a founder’s identity is often tightly linked to their company. Decisions, culture, and product all reflect personal values. Founders must get comfortable with this tension and use it to stay true to what they want their company to stand for.
Hiring, Trust, and Avoiding the Micromanagement Trap
Tomislav spoke candidly about hiring mistakes — bringing people on too quickly or stepping in when he should have let them lead. The lesson: hire thoughtfully and, once the right people are in place, trust them. If you find yourself needing to intervene constantly, it’s a hiring issue or a leadership one — both fixable. Delegation isn’t a loss of control; it’s the only path to scale.
The CEO as Editor: Shaping, Not Writing
Tomislav sees the founder’s role as that of an editor. The job is to guide and refine what the team produces — ensuring clarity and consistency — not dictate every detail. The best founders empower teams while keeping the overall narrative true to the vision.
Outgrowing Founder Mode and Avoiding the HIPPO Trap
Referencing Paul Graham’s ‘founder mode,’ Tomislav warned that what works at 10 people won’t work at 100. Founders must evolve from doing to enabling. He also stressed avoiding HIPPO (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) dynamics — build processes where the best idea wins.
Founders Need Exhaust Valves
Tomislav highlighted the need for outlets. The pressure of running a company is intense, and without ways to decompress, burnout is inevitable. Founders should protect time for hobbies or reflection. Your well-being is one of your company’s greatest assets.
Final Thoughts
Tomislav Car’s talk was a reminder that being a SaaS founder is about staying focused on the product, empowering your team, evolving as the company grows, and looking after yourself. These lessons offer a roadmap for anyone building or leading a SaaS business.
SaaStanak 2026
We’re already looking ahead to next year. Mark your calendars – May 25-27, 2026. Sun, sea, SaaS – bigger, better and with more action-packed sessions.
Thank you to everyone who came, spoke, sponsored, and shared this journey with us. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Grab your tickets for SaaStanak 2026 here. See you all sooner than you think!
