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From Plastic Waste to Market Wins: What SaaS Founders Can Learn from Pivoting an Entire Industry

When you build a SaaS product, you’re not just competing against other tools — you’re competing against ingrained behaviors, legacy processes, and an industry’s “we’ve always done it this way” mindset.

Kylee Guenther, founder of Pivot Materials, isn’t just selling a product. She’s leading an industry to rethink its entire supply chain — replacing traditional plastics with sustainable composites made from agricultural waste.

Her story offers powerful lessons for SaaS & tech founders who need to win hearts, minds, and market share in slow-moving or resistant industries.

1. Your Origin Story is a Strategic Asset

Guenther didn’t start with a pitch deck — she started with a personal mission.

  • She grew up inside the plastics industry (her dad invented the handled milk jug) and saw its waste problems firsthand.

  • Her co-founder came from generations of rice farmers in India, where agricultural waste created environmental hazards. They met, merged their backgrounds, and built a solution.

SaaS takeaway: In crowded markets, your why builds trust faster than your what. A mission-led narrative helps you stand out when features alone won’t.

2. Get Comfortable Telling It — Even If You Hate Public Speaking

Guenther was a self-described “terrible” public speaker who decided to rip the band-aid off — eventually becoming an international keynote speaker. Pre-COVID, speaking engagements brought in customers who weren’t hanging out on social media but were deeply engaged in person.

SaaS takeaway: In B2B, your buyers often meet you before they meet your product. Mastering storytelling is a growth lever, not a “nice-to-have.”

3. Industry Change Requires Education, Not Just Features

The first time Guenther pitched her business, a judge told her to “sit down” because her challenge was “too big” to solve. She kept going, focusing on education and proof of results. Today, four of their early customers are Fortune 100 companies — and they came inbound.

SaaS takeaway: When you’re trying to shift a legacy mindset (ERP, compliance, HR systems), selling starts with education. Show not just the product, but why the status quo is broken.

4. Timing is a Myth — Make the Moment Yours

Pivot Materials launched before “sustainability” became a daily headline. But they used that head start to refine the tech, build credibility, and be ready when the plastics crisis went mainstream.

SaaS takeaway: If you’re “too early,” focus on getting so good that when the market catches up, you’re the obvious choice.

5. Diversity as a Market Advantage

Guenther built a small, diverse team where every member is a woman, minority, immigrant, or combination thereof. It’s more than a value — it’s an edge in understanding a global, culturally varied customer base.

SaaS takeaway: Diversity isn’t just internal PR. It’s a product advantage when your buyers don’t all look or think the same.

6. Bootstrapping Can Be a Strategic Choice

With venture capital heavily skewed against women founders (just 2.3% of VC funding in 2020 went to female-led startups), Guenther chose to self-fund until the product and traction spoke for themselves.

SaaS takeaway: Bootstrapping forces discipline. When the market is biased or timing is off, building lean can keep you in control until you’re in the driver’s seat.

7. Side Products Can Build the Brand

During COVID’s slowdown, Guenther launched Loopy Products, a consumer line of housewares made from sustainable materials. It served as both a revenue stream and a way to demonstrate the core technology in action.

SaaS takeaway: Consider “showcase” products — lightweight, marketable versions of your platform — to build awareness and shorten sales cycles.

The Consulting Angle — Why This Matters for SaaS & Tech Growth

If you’re selling SaaS into entrenched industries (FinTech, HRTech, HealthTech, manufacturing), you’re not just replacing software — you’re pivoting habits. The playbook from Pivot Materials applies directly:

  • Lead with a mission and story that resonates.

  • Overcome resistance by becoming the educator in your category.

  • Use side projects to make your value tangible.

  • Recognize that funding isn’t the only way to win — but positioning always is.