Episode 55

How He Built a SaaS for Creators 💡 | Ansh Vashisht - E55

Published on: 8th April, 2025

In this episode of Funds & Founders, we sit down with Ansh, co-founder of Quickreel, the AI-driven platform that helps content creators, brands, and marketers transform long-form videos into viral short-form clips.

We dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey — from selling stickers in second grade to building a SaaS product with over 100K users. He shares his growth mindset, the ups and downs of building a startup, fundraising stories, and how Quickly stands out in the crowded content creation space.

Ansh shares:

💡 The inception of Quickreel and solving real creator problems

💰 The grind of early-stage fundraising and finding the right investors

🎯 Scaling from 0 to 100K+ users with minimal marketing

⚡ The challenges of building in the creator economy

📊 Pricing strategies, customer acquisition, and competition insights

If you're a founder, content creator, or just love stories of building from scratch — this one's for you! Watch the full episode

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Guest Introduction

01:05 - What is Quickreel? Solving the short-form content problem

02:30 - Early entrepreneurial spark: Selling stickers in 2nd grade

05:00 - Choosing tech over family business

08:15 - The idea behind Quickly: From agency work to product building

11:45 - First MVP struggles and user feedback

14:30 - Acquiring the first 500 users without ads

17:20 - Fundraising journey: From self-funding to investor backing

21:00 - Pricing strategies: Moving from free to paid users

25:45 - Competing with Opus Clip & other clip generators

29:40 - Balancing profitability vs. user growth

33:00 - The future of AI in video editing

36:15 - Expansion plans: APIs, agencies, and scaling globally

40:00 - Rapid Fire Round: Tech stack, marketing tools & resources

42:30 - Biggest startup challenges & what's next for Quickly

44:20 - Advice for First-Time Founders

46:00 - Question for the Next Guest

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About the Podcast

Funds and Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs
Welcome to "Funds & Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs," where we dig deep into the stories of successful Austin founders. Instead of focusing on their successes though, we dive into their journeys, particularly the struggles and obstacles they had to overcome.

This weekly podcast is tailored for Austin founders navigating the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey and hosted by fellow Austinite Abhinav Sinha. Here’s what to expect by tuning into Funds & Founders:

🚀 Embark on a Journey to Success
Join Abhinav as he takes you behind the scenes, exploring the highs and lows of building a company. This isn't your typical success story – we dive into the failures, the struggles, and those pivotal breakthrough moments that define a founder's path.

🌟 Real Conversations, Real Insights
Abhinav's approach is refreshingly different. Rather than dwelling on success, he crafts casual conversations that unravel the untold stories. Identify the setbacks that helped them grow, the lessons learned from failures, and the breakthrough moments that fueled these founders.

🤔 Why Didn't They Quit? Learn and Apply.
At the heart of each episode, Abhinav delves into the 'why' behind the perseverance. Why didn't they throw in the towel during tough times? And, most importantly, how can you apply their insights to your own journey? Get ready to be inspired and equipped with practical takeaways for your entrepreneurial adventure.

🤝 Decoding Venture Capital
Ever wondered what goes on in the minds of Austin's venture capitalists? Abhinav sits down with local VCs to decode their criteria for investing in early-stage companies. Gain valuable insights into the world of venture capital, understand what investors look for, and appreciate the vital factor of founder-investor compatibility.

🎙️ Meet Your Host, Abhinav Sinha:
Abhinav's soft-spoken yet inquisitive style creates an intimate atmosphere, allowing guests to share their authentic stories. His genuine curiosity and insightful questions make each episode a captivating journey into the minds of Austin's most successful founders.

If you're a budding Austin entrepreneur seeking the inspiration and insight needed for building a successful company, "Funds & Founders" is your go-to podcast.