Insights from April Dunford’s Business of Software AMA
In an era where “AI-powered” has become the default label for tech products, positioning your company clearly and effectively is more challenging than ever. April Dunford, executive consultant, speaker, author and widely recognized expert on product positioning, tackled this head-on during her AMA with Business of Software.
Here’s what every founder needs to know to navigate the new terrain of positioning in the age of AI.
Have you ever wondered why pricing software feels so complicated? Chris Mele, a pricing expert from Software Pricing Partners (SPP), shared some insightful perspectives on this topic at Business of Software USA, drawing from his own experiences and decades of industry data.
It turns out, many businesses make a fundamental mistake: they try to sell software based on how they want to sell it, rather than focusing on how the customer actually buys.
Chris learned this the hard way with his own startup. Despite raising significant funds, he realized he could have potentially avoided fundraising altogether if he had better understood how customers valued his software and what they were truly willing to pay. This experience sparked his deep dive into the science of monetization.
It’s a question every marketer asks… And most are still guessing.
Despite all the tools, personas, and campaign data, it’s still far too easy to fall into marketing that sounds good, but doesn’t land.
That’s where Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) comes in. Not as a tactic, but as a foundational way to understand what your customers are really trying to achieve.
Many of us feel overwhelmed by technology, despite using countless tools designed to make us more efficient. Jeff Szczepanski, a successful software entrepreneur, recently spoke at the Business of Software Conference about this very challenge: Why isn’t technology making us more productive?
While technology has significantly boosted task-level productivity and helping individuals complete specific actions faster, it has often left us overwhelmed and misaligned at the organizational level.
Current digital tools are usually described as merely “paper in a screen,” lacking the ability to truly support collaborative thinking and the coordination of complex work.
Think about it this way: when you’re trying to sell something, especially software, it’s easy to just show off all the cool things your product can do. This is like giving a product walkthrough. Many people, especially founders from technical backgrounds, incline towards this because they want to avoid sounding like that pushy “used car salesman” stereotype – someone seen as lying or just trying to get your money without caring about what you actually need.
However, just showing features or being able to haggle on price isn’t what actually wins deals. What really makes a customer choose you is having a super clear reason why they should pick you over anyone else. This unique reason is your differentiated value. It’s the unique thing you can do for customers that nobody else can.
At Business of Software, we often hear from founders:
“We’ve built something that people genuinely use and value. But we have no idea how to price it.”
It’s a common and challenging problem. Pricing decisions are rarely straightforward; they come loaded with uncertainty, emotion, and long-term consequences.
I’m very sad to report that Mikey Trafton has died, unexpectedly and far too young.
Mikey was an extraordinary human. He was introduced to us by Jason Cohen at WP Engine who told me I should have him speak. Jason said Mikey was a brilliant story-teller with an exceptional ability to communicate and explain though definitely not one of those folk who are, ‘on the speaking circuit’. That was true, but Mikey was so much more than that. He was a delightful person who always left you happier and smarter after you spoke with him.
Last week, founders, product leaders, and software builders from across the globe gathered in the historic halls of Churchill College for two days of insight-packed talks, honest conversations, and the kind of community you don’t find just anywhere.
BoS Europe 2025 wasn’t just a conference. It was a chance to step out of the day-to-day and spend time with people who actually get it: The highs, the lows and everything in between when building great software businesses.
Before everything…Missed BoS Europe?
We’ll send you the talks as soon as they’re available.
Lightning talks are back at Business of Software Conference. They are fast, focused and packed with insights – sharp perspectives from experts, leaving you with actionable takeaways in just 7.5 minutes.
At BoS Europe 2025, we’re featuring two standout applications that discusses some of the biggest challenges in leadership and product development. Meet Steve McLeod and Gareth Marlow, two experts with practical wisdom to share.
At BoS, trust and meaningful connections are at the core of what we do. We have never and will never sell attendee, speaker or community contact details. Your information is private, and we keep it that way. If you ever receive a message claiming otherwise, it’s simply not true.
The messy middle is where real progress happens, tough decisions are made, and leaders are forged. At this year’s Business of Software Conference Europe, we’re discussing frameworks, strategies, and lessons that help you push through uncertainty and come out stronger.
Here’s the full schedule and flow for two days of action-packed learning on 31 March – 1 April 2025 in Cambridge, UK – featuring candid conversations, bold ideas, and the tools to help you build a business that lasts.
Twice a year, the Business of Software Conference brings together some of the sharpest minds in software, product, and entrepreneurship. But this isn’t just another conference, it’s a place where your assumptions get challenged, your ideas get stretched, and you walk away seeing things in a whole new light.
This year’s BoS Europe presents a group of thinkers, doers, and industry rebels who’ll make you question everything from user activation to AI, hiring, and pricing strategies. Here are the discussions that will shake up your thinking and give you the tools to build and grow a better business..
At Business of Software (BoS), we believe conferences are about building relationships that lead to significant change, not just for insightful conversations. Over the years we have received many accounts of guests who met at BoS and went on to collaborate and create amazing things.
Mark Stephens and Chika Emebo from IDR Solutions, loyal participants in our community, joined us on our first podcast episode, along with Dr. Chris Bell and Jamie Woolf from Creativity Partners, to share about their partnership.
You’ve done a mountain of customer research. There’s a million ways the customer is struggling, and discovery and shaping have helped you define the possibilities. But now you’re stuck with the big question: How do you make sensible decisions about what to do when you have too much information?
This is where Ryan Singer comes in, sparking the discussion, at BoS Europe 2025.
What if the growth you’re seeing isn’t as healthy as it seems? Could there be a ticking bomb in your metrics? Are you sure that your users are truly activated, or are they just going through the motions? These questions are at the core of Diego de Jódar’s talk at BoS Europe 2025.
What if everything you thought you knew about building a software company was wrong?
What if staying small could be more profitable than scaling? What if traditional hiring practices were holding you back? What if ignoring “best practices” led to your biggest breakthroughs?
Mark Stephens, Founder of IDRsolutions, has spent 25 years questioning the rules of software business and he’s ready to challenge your assumptions at BoS Europe 2025.
Remember Lighting Talks? By popular demand… We’re bringing them back for BoS Conference Europe (March 31-April 1). What are Lighting Talks? Why should you consider applying for a Lightning Talk? What makes a great Lightning Talk? How do you apply and how do we select the speakers?
What are Lightning Talks?
Lighting Talks are a difficult, fun, and entertaining opportunity for our attendees to share something they care about with other attendees.
Attendee Lighting Talks follow a fixed format. 15 slides, without animations, that advance automatically every 30 seconds to deliver the nugget of an idea that get people to think.
In just two months, the best conference for software CEOs and senior leaders is happening in Churchill College, Cambridge, UK – BoS Europe.
Why the best?
Because it’s not your typical conference. There are no lobby exhibits, no velvet-rope VIP sections for speakers, and no pay-to-play sponsor slots disguised as keynotes.
Instead, BoS Europe is all about handpicked speakers tackling the real challenges software leaders face. It’s a place where you can casually chat with a speaker in the audience section, and join a community that’s as eager to learn from you as you are from them.
Hey there, software CEOs and leaders. It’s time to block off your calendars because BoS USA 2025 dates are confirmed, and this year, we’re leveling up everything you love about BoS Conf. If you’ve ever thought about how to be better at business like how better you are at coding, this is your moment.
Ah, Black Friday. That one special day of the year when retailers desperately offload their leftovers at “bargain” prices you didn’t even know existed (or needed). It’s become the tradition – convincing you to buy stuff you don’t want with money you don’t have while your critical thinking is still in turkey coma.
We could talk all day about how this retail circus has gone global, invading inboxes and spamming your sanity with ALL CAPS DEALS!!! But let’s cut to the chase: Black Friday is bonkers, and we think it sucks.
