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After several attempts to launch a successful SaaS Management program, TJ Johnson recognized that the FinOps approach needed to shift. As Lead Architect for Platform Economics at MGM Resorts International, he shares how starting with visibility—before diving into optimization—helped his team finally gain traction. In this episode, you’ll learn the mindset change that made the difference, how to pick the right starting point, and what it really takes to make FinOps work for SaaS.Chapters00:00 Introduction to FinOps and SaaS Challenges01:51 Building a Software Management Program at MGM05:46 Tactics, Data, and Prioritization09:00 Implementing a New Software Intake Processes11:48 Standardizing Data with FinOps FOCUS14:39 Understanding the Differences Between Cloud and SaaS17:54 Evolving FinOps Practices for SaaS19:10 Making the Most of the FinOps Community21:09 Closing Thoughts

Anthony "TJ" Johnson

Lead Architect for Platform Economics at MGM Resorts and FinOps Foundation Ambassador

MGM Resorts’s TJ Johnson shares how a new approach finally made SaaS FinOps work, starting with visibility and scaling what actually delivers value.

Third Time's the Charm: How MGM Finally Cracked SaaS with FinOps

After several attempts to launch a successful SaaS Management program, TJ Johnson recognized that the FinOps approach needed to shift. As Lead Architect for Platform Economics at MGM Resorts International, he shares how starting with visibility—before diving into optimization—helped his team finally gain traction. In this episode, you’ll learn the mindset change that made the difference, how to pick the right starting point, and what it really takes to make FinOps work for SaaS.

When an audit flagged gaps in Hyatt’s software inventory, Jennifer Clark used that as a launchpad to rethink SaaS governance from the ground up. Jennifer, Global IT Asset Manager at Hyatt Corporation, shares how consolidating data, understanding ownership, and embedding compliance into daily workflows turned audit preparedness into an always-on discipline. In this episode, you’ll learn how to streamline your audit processes, build collaboration between security and asset management, and make governance a shared responsibility across the organization.Chapters<ul><li>00:00 The Catalyst for Change: Audit Findings</li><li>03:07 Building a Proactive SaaS Management Mindset</li><li>06:16 Navigating the Audit Landscape: On-Prem vs. SaaS</li><li>08:59 Establishing a Comprehensive Application Inventory</li><li>11:52 Collaboration and Governance in SaaS Management</li><li>14:42 Key Performance Indicators for SaaS Management</li><li>17:15 Strategic Steps for Effective SaaS Management</li></ul>

Jennifer Clark

[title] at Hyatt Corporation

Learn how Hyatt transformed software audit prep into a daily practice with strong SaaS governance, data consolidation, and cross-team alignment.

Inside Hyatt’s Plan for Continuous Software Audit Control

When an audit flagged gaps in Hyatt’s software inventory, Jennifer Clark used that as a launchpad to rethink SaaS governance from the ground up. Jennifer, Global IT Asset Manager at Hyatt Corporation, shares how consolidating data, understanding ownership, and embedding compliance into daily workflows turned audit preparedness into an always-on discipline. In this episode, you’ll learn how to streamline your audit processes, build collaboration between security and asset management, and make governance a shared responsibility across the organization.

500+ applications. Stitched-together spreadsheets. No clear owners. That’s what Ksenia Kouchnirenko inherited when she joined Verkada as VP of Enterprise Operations &amp; Technology. In this episode, she shares how she stood up a SaaS Management program from scratch to bring visibility, accountability, and strategy to software decisions. You’ll learn what it takes to start your own program, align stakeholders across IT and Procurement, and avoid early-phase pitfalls.Chapters<ul><li>00:00 Introduction to SaaS Management</li><li>01:30 Identifying Gaps in SaaS Management</li><li>03:34 The Role of Procurement in SaaS Management</li><li>05:49 Defining the Value of SaaS Management</li><li>08:21 Importance of Visibility in SaaS Management</li><li>09:38 People, Process, and Technology Framework</li><li>11:34 The Role of Automation in SaaS Management</li><li>13:45 Lessons Learned from Previous SaaS Management Experiences</li><li>16:16 Advice for IT Leaders on SaaS Management</li></ul>

Ksenia Kouchnirenko

VP, Enterprise Operations & Technology at Verkada

Struggling with SaaS Management? Discover how Verkada’s VP built a strategy from scratch using people, process, and tech as her foundation.

Standing Up SaaS Management: A People, Process & Tech Blueprint

500+ applications. Stitched-together spreadsheets. No clear owners. That’s what Ksenia Kouchnirenko inherited when she joined Verkada as VP of Enterprise Operations &amp; Technology. In this episode, she shares how she stood up a SaaS Management program from scratch to bring visibility, accountability, and strategy to software decisions. You’ll learn what it takes to start your own program, align stakeholders across IT and Procurement, and avoid early-phase pitfalls.

What happens when a cloud FinOps expert takes on the unruly world of SaaS? Ridge Fussell, Senior Manager of FinOps at The Home Depot, reveals the surprising complexity behind managing SaaS at scale—and why it's nothing like managing cloud. In this episode, learn why SaaS Management requires a different mindset and the first step you need to take to gain control and drive value. Chapters<ul><li>00:00 Introduction</li><li>01:32 Understanding SaaS vs. Cloud Management</li><li>07:44 The Home Depot's Partnership Approach to Change Management</li><li>09:30 Identifying Gaps in SaaS Visibility</li><li>15:34 Crawl, Walk, Run: Building a SaaS Management Program</li><li>21:48 How to Get Started: Don't Try to Boil the Ocean</li></ul>

Ridge Fussell

Senior Manager of FinOps at The Home Depot

FinOps for SaaS isn’t copy-paste from cloud. Learn the key mindset shifts and first steps to move from chaos to control.

From Chaos to Control: Applying FinOps Thinking to SaaS

What happens when a cloud FinOps expert takes on the unruly world of SaaS? Ridge Fussell, Senior Manager of FinOps at The Home Depot, reveals the surprising complexity behind managing SaaS at scale—and why it's nothing like managing cloud. In this episode, learn why SaaS Management requires a different mindset and the first step you need to take to gain control and drive value.

When does Smartsheet renew? Are we getting a fair price for Zoom? Do we really need 100 enterprise licenses? Each SaaS renewal requires time to prepare so you can answer these questions – and more. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains SaaS renewal management and the ideal process you should follow to confidently tackle software renewals at scale.Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd46q9-lJRA1ZCGCmegXCXrGqSCXonMpZhQubNKEd_SWllLmw/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;Key Takeaways:<ul><li>[00:09&nbsp;-&nbsp;00:46] Helping with renewals</li><li>[00:46&nbsp;-&nbsp;01:36] What is SaaS renewal management?</li><li>[01:36&nbsp;-&nbsp;02:34] What is the ideal renewal process?</li><li>[02:34&nbsp;-&nbsp;03:11] 120 days applies to most applications but there are exceptions</li><li>[03:11&nbsp;-&nbsp;03:48] Determining quantity of licenses</li><li>[03:48&nbsp;-&nbsp;04:27] Benchmark comparisons</li><li>[04:27&nbsp;-&nbsp;04:59] Adding the agreement to your system of record</li><li>[05:00&nbsp;-&nbsp;05:34] Recap</li></ul>SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpipp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains SaaS renewal management and the ideal process you should follow to confidently tackle software renewals at scale.

SaaS Renewal Management, Explained

When does Smartsheet renew? Are we getting a fair price for Zoom? Do we really need 100 enterprise licenses? Each SaaS renewal requires time to prepare so you can answer these questions – and more. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains SaaS renewal management and the ideal process you should follow to confidently tackle software renewals at scale.

License waste runs unchecked in most organizations today. In fact, Zylo’s SaaS Management Index shows that on average 49% of licenses are unused each month, adding up to $18M in wasted spend each year. Sure, money speaks. But this risk goes beyond your bottom line, impacting security, operational efficiency, and value across the business. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains the importance of SaaS license management and outlines what an effective strategy looks like and the steps for execution.Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd46q9-lJRA1ZCGCmegXCXrGqSCXonMpZhQubNKEd_SWllLmw/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;Key Takeaways<ul><li>[00:08&nbsp;-&nbsp;00:48] Organizations on average waste $18 million in SaaS licenses</li><li>[00:48&nbsp;-&nbsp;02:26] What is SaaS license management</li><li>[02:26&nbsp;-&nbsp;03:20] Decisions you need to make after obtaining usage data</li><li>[03:20&nbsp;-&nbsp;04:34] How to reclaim SaaS licenses</li><li>[04:34&nbsp;-&nbsp;05:05] Recap</li></ul>SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpipp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains the importance of SaaS license management and outlines what an effective strategy looks like and the steps for execution.

SaaS License Management, Explained

License waste runs unchecked in most organizations today. In fact, Zylo’s SaaS Management Index shows that on average 49% of licenses are unused each month, adding up to $18M in wasted spend each year. Sure, money speaks. But this risk goes beyond your bottom line, impacting security, operational efficiency, and value across the business. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains the importance of SaaS license management and outlines what an effective strategy looks like and the steps for execution.

How many applications do we really have? What apps are being expensed by employees? Are there potential security risks we don’t know about? You’ll get answers to these questions and more by practicing SaaS inventory management. In this episode, Ben Pippenger will explain the ins and outs of what it is, why it matters, and best practices you should follow.Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd46q9-lJRA1ZCGCmegXCXrGqSCXonMpZhQubNKEd_SWllLmw/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. Key Takeaways<ul><li>[00:00&nbsp;-&nbsp;00:51] Companies spend three times more on SaaS than they think they do</li><li>[00:48&nbsp;-&nbsp;02:03] What is SaaS inventory management?</li><li>[00:48&nbsp;-&nbsp;02:24] Unlocking the Secrets of SaaS Inventory Management</li><li>[02:04&nbsp;-&nbsp;04:08] AI-powered discovery and strategic portfolio management, three tiers of apps to work through</li><li>[04:08&nbsp;-&nbsp;05:36] Onboarding applications and managing inventory</li><li>[05:37&nbsp;-&nbsp;06:17] Quick wins</li></ul>SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpipp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

How many apps do we have? Which are being expensed? Do they align with our security posture? Learn how SaaS inventory management answers these questions and best practices to follow.

SaaS Inventory Management, Explained

How many applications do we really have? What apps are being expensed by employees? Are there potential security risks we don’t know about? You’ll get answers to these questions and more by practicing SaaS inventory management. In this episode, Ben Pippenger will explain the ins and outs of what it is, why it matters, and best practices you should follow.

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SaaS has taken over the world – and your organization. Skyrocketing innovation. Empowering workforces. Embracing flexibility. The future of software is here. But with it comes new challenges.SaaSMe Unfiltered brings you uncensored, real-life advice on what it takes to conquer SaaS Management and optimization. For the IT, software asset management, procurement, and FinOps professionals knee-deep in SaaS every single day. SaaS superheroes just like you.For free resources to help you on your SaaS Management journey, visit <a href="https://zylo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">zylo.com</a>.

Third Time's the Charm: How MGM Finally Cracked SaaS with FinOps

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Today's Host

Ben Pippenger

Cory Wheeler

Meredith Albertson

Today's Guests

Anthony "TJ" Johnson

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