The Sales Tax People Podcast

Ceretax CEO Mike Sanders on Building a Better Sales Tax Solution | Full Interview

The Sales Tax People Season 1 Episode 3

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0:00 | 1:13:46

Ceretax CEO Mike Sanders shares the complete story behind building an enterprise indirect tax software platform designed to solve the most complex sales tax challenges in the market. From serial entrepreneurship to assembling an all-star team, Mike reveals how Ceretax was built from the ground up to compete with legacy incumbents like Avalara and Vertex — with better technology, superior support, and lower cost.

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📌 **KEY TOPICS COVERED:**

✅ Enterprise indirect tax software architecture & technical differentiation

✅ Proprietary GIS geospatial system with rooftop-level tax boundary precision

✅ Fish-to-pond-to-ocean market entry strategy for complex tax verticals

✅ Competing with Avalara and Vertex on technology, service, and price

✅ AI integration roadmap for tax calculation and efficiency analysis

✅ Startup challenges: VC market shifts, pivots, and headcount reductions

✅ Customer success philosophy vs. documentation-and-disappear models

✅ Microservices architecture enabling scalable AI and partner integrations

✅ Platform-first model empowering SIs, VARs, and CPA partners

✅ Upmarket expansion path from mid-market to SAP/Oracle enterprise clients

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