Sandra Canster: From Pioneering Payments to AI Evolution

In this episode of Mega AI Unplugged, Sandra Canster — founder of Paid — shares her journey of building and scaling SaaS companies, transforming debt collection into a positive, customer-centered process, and preparing for the AI-driven future. From the early struggles of making only €17K in her first year, to becoming cash-flow positive during the pandemic, Sandra explains how resilience, client empowerment, and communication shaped her success. She also opens up about investing in regenerative farming in the Amazon, why founders must avoid chasing money alone, and how AI adoption is no longer optional but essential for survival.

What You’ll Learn

• The 97% Problem: Why traditional debt collection solves only 3% of payment issues — and how tackling the 97% pre-collection gap creates real value.
• Social Accounts Receivable: Why companies should manage receivables internally for as long as possible to preserve trust and loyalty.
• Positive Communication: How empathy and customer understanding turn disputes into lifelong relationships.
• Customer-Led SaaS: Why building for the majority of users (not one bespoke client) leads to stronger, more scalable products.
• Leadership & Loyalty: The importance of holding employees longer than expected, supporting them through tough times, and building a culture of trust.
• AI Hype vs. Reality: The difference between flashy strategies and practical use cases, and why input data quality and “escape options” are critical.
• Amazon Investment: How regenerative farming and indigenous knowledge inspire Sandra’s approach to entrepreneurship and social impact.
• Mistakes SaaS Founders Make with AI: Why going faster than the market can adopt is dangerous, and why small, trust-building steps matter most.

Key Takeaways

• Solve upstream, not downstream. Most payment issues can be avoided with smarter invoicing, reminders, and positive communication before collection begins.
• Customer empowerment drives retention. Giving clients flexibility builds trust and turns debtors into loyal customers.
• Great software is shared. SaaS that scales across thousands of users delivers more stability than bespoke builds.
• Loyalty is reciprocal. Supporting employees through difficult times generates long-term commitment and shared ownership.
• AI must be precise. In collections, even a 90% correct answer isn’t enough — compliance demands 100% or a quick handover to a human.
• Nature and business can align. Investing in regenerative farming shows that entrepreneurship can preserve culture and biodiversity while creating value.
• Don’t outrun your users. Launching AI features before clients are ready risks adoption failure — build trust incrementally.
• Purpose over money. Good ideas with strong teams win; chasing revenue alone rarely leads to sustainable success.

👉 Sandra’s core belief: “All good entrepreneurs are not going for the money. They’re going for an idea.”