Morningscore, an SEO tool with gamification elements, grew to 600+ customers with an MRR of $40,000 in 3 years without VC funding, and achieved 300% YoY revenue growth; the founder shares insights on launching too early, not comparing growth to bigger-funded competitors, and the necessity of funding for hyper-growth in high-competition industries like SAAS.

BrightLocal, the B2B local SEO software and services company, grew to $9M ARR through a combination of intuitive software, done-for-you services, training, and knowledge-sharing, attracting 20,000 customers in 8 countries through inbound marketing efforts via a free trial model, extensive content marketing, and a web series hosted by industry experts on local SEO tactics.