16: How we landed our first customer (with Michael Dyrynda of Laracon AU)

Our B2B SaaS Journey

In this episode, Mitchell flies solo without Gavin (who’s soaking up the sun in Fiji) and sits down with Laracon AU organiser and SixSides’ very first customer, Michael Dyrynda. They dive deep into what it takes to run a developer conference, how Laracon AU has evolved over the years, and how SixSides went from talk idea to full-blown product.

Expect a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to launch a B2B SaaS company from scratch – completely bootstrapped.

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In this episode, we cover:

• The early days of Laracon AU and how it got started
• Why Brisbane has become the new long-term home for the conference
• How Laracon AU balances growth, inclusivity and vibe
• Michael’s approach to managing sponsors, booths and the foyer experience
• The story behind SixSides and its in-conference photo game
• How Mitch’s talk turned into a SaaS company
• Dealing with fire alarms, bowling nights, and late-night scooter rides
• Lessons from using Bento and running segmented email campaigns
• Michael’s evolving role from developer to full-time event operator
• What’s coming next for both Laracon AU and SixSides

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro and where's Gavin?
• (00:46) - Meet Michael Dyrynda – organiser of Laracon AU
• (01:31) - Ticketing strategy and pricing experiments
• (06:22) - Using Bento and smarter email marketing
• (10:55) - Evolving the attendee experience post-COVID
• (13:49) - Turning sponsors into active participants
• (22:48) - Gavin’s sales advice and chasing better sponsors
• (28:28) - How Laracon AU helped launch SixSides
• (43:01) - Building the photo game and live Q&A features
• (55:25) - What’s next for SixSides and final reflections

Atlas Software is a premier software development agency based in Sydney, Australia, and founded by Mitchell Davis. We specialise in building innovative, robust, and scalable applications that drive business growth. With expertise in Laravel, Vue, React, and React Native, we help businesses craft tailored software solutions that streamline operations and enhance user experiences. Whether you're a startup finding product-market fit or an enterprise scaling digital transformation, Atlas ensures your tech vision becomes reality. Learn more at atlas.dev.

Gavin Tye is a sales strategist and the creator of Sales Market Fit (SMF) - a game-changing framework that helps B2B startups unlock predictable, scalable growth. With over 20 years of experience in high-value SaaS sales, Gavin has cracked the code on why businesses struggle to close deals and how they can transform their approach. Sales Market Fit aligns positioning, go-to-market strategies, and sales execution into a repeatable process that wins more clients with less friction. Learn how to stop relying on hope and start winning with a deliberate, proven sales strategy at salesmarketfit.co.

Links:

• SixSides: sixsides.co
• Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co
• Laracon AU: laracon.au
• Caleb Porzio's Notes On Work: notesonwork.transistor.fm

Connect with us:

• Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is
• Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav
• Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye
• Michael on X: michaeldyrynda
• Michael on Bluesky: dyrynda.au
• Michael on LinkedIn: michaeldyrynda
• SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides
• SixSides on X: sixsidesevents
• SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co