Article
Meet the co-founder: Ioana Hasan of SmartBill
3/2/2025
min read
Business insights
Building a successful startup requires not only technical expertise but also strategic thinking, adaptability, and the right team. The story of SmartBill, a software company co-founded by Ioana Hasan, offers valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, particularly within the competitive software industry.
Ioana’s entrepreneurial journey began with a modest €200 investment from her parents, the programming expertise she and her co-founders, Radu and Mircea, shared, and office space in one of their parents' homes. They started by building websites and offering web hosting services. The initial phase was tough, with few resources, but this humble beginning laid the foundation for SmartBill’s growth.
Through these early experiences, they gained valuable technical expertise and a deep understanding of business needs, which ultimately led them to develop SmartBill—a powerful software solution designed to streamline financial management and invoicing.
“Back in 2007, we were writing the first software version, coding, offering support, fixing bugs, and testing – we did it all. On a personal level, we also had a wedding to plan, and I was still a computer science student used to learning and getting good grades in school. It was a challenge because all these overlapped, so we had little time to sleep.”
Many entrepreneurs wait for the “perfect moment” to start, but SmartBill’s story shows that starting small with limited resources can be a powerful strategy, as long as you have a sense of grit, a strong founder partnership and focus on your core competencies.
Finding market fit through personal experience
SmartBill was initially created to solve a problem that Ioana and her co-founders personally encountered: the hassle of invoicing.
“Even though we didn't have many invoices to write, we still hated the whole process. Radu (co-founder) had the idea that we should build one ourselves, and so we did it… but so did 30 other competitors.”
At the time, the legal landscape in Romania required businesses to issue invoices in specific formats, a task that was time-consuming and tedious. In response, the team decided to build an invoicing solution that could ease this burden – not just for themselves but for others.
Overcoming early obstacles with persistence
In the early days of SmartBill, the three co-founders – Ioana, Mircea, and Radu – faced significant challenges, including a lack of experience, limited funding, and a market pricing model that didn’t align with recurring revenues. This led to cash flow issues, especially during the slower summer months. Despite these challenges, the founders persevered, using their understanding of customers’ needs to iterate on the product and improve the offering.
“I remember one client we talked to very specifically saying, ‘Do you want to help me or not? I have this issue, I want to edit this, and I don't want to cancel it’. That made us realise how important it is to talk to clients and not just take everything as it is, instead, approach things with a questioning mindset. ”
The importance of building a great team
“Back in the days when we had very little to offer other than our promises, why would people join us? We considered it a great success when we hired someone new and that someone new also wanted to join us and our dream.”
Ioana credits the company’s growth and continued success to the strength of their team. SmartBill’s growth, from a small startup to an established SaaS company, was made possible by finding talented individuals who believed in the company's vision, even when the company could offer limited resources. Building a strong, motivated team is one of the most valuable assets an entrepreneur can have.
Usability and customer-centric product design
One of the core tenets of SmartBill’s success is its focus on creating a product that is easy to use. In the world of invoicing, where most users would rather avoid it altogether, SmartBill aims to simplify the process and reduce the cognitive load. Drawing inspiration from books like "Don’t Make Me Think", the team worked hard to ensure that their product didn’t require users to read lengthy instructions or engage in complicated workflows.
Entering the Visma era
In 2019, SmartBill made the strategic decision to join Visma, a move motivated by the desire to scale more efficiently and tap into a larger pool of resources. The partnership not only provided financial backing but also connected SmartBill with numerous Visma companies facing similar challenges, creating opportunities for knowledge sharing and learning.
“Visma became an obvious choice because it was not just a buyer, it was like a partner that could grow this business further.”
SmartBill’s focus on customer satisfaction and employee engagement has been instrumental in their growth. After joining Visma, the company began using tools like pNPS (Product Net Promoter Score) and eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) to measure the satisfaction of users and employees, and to identify strengths and areas for improvement. This customer-centric mindset has translated into a loyal client base and a positive company culture.
Lessons in scaling and product-market fit
“Make sure you're solving a real problem for your customers, and the target customer can afford your solution. Then, ensure that they are successful while using your solution.”
For SaaS entrepreneurs looking to scale, Ioana advises ensuring that your product has reached a solid product-market fit before expanding. This means confirming that you are solving a genuine problem for customers and that they can afford and benefit from your solution. Scaling without product-market fit can result in wasted resources and missed opportunities.
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