Remove Acquisition Remove Churn Rate Remove Revenue Remove SEM
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Why Misunderstanding Startup Metrics Can Cost You Your Business

Both Sides of the Table

Perhaps the most misused terms I see these days from entrepreneurs involve CAC (customer acquisition costs) and LTV (life time value) and a lack of understanding these critical components is driving many companies to premature failure. CAC is often measured incorrectly and doesn’t often doesn’t capture the true costs of acquisition.

Metrics 150
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Why Metrics Get Worse With Scale

Seeing Both Sides

Conventional wisdom suggests that the most important metrics for a startup - such as unit economics, cost of acquisition, lifetime value, churn rates - typically get better with time. Thus, more mature companies naturally have slower growth rates than younger ones. Customer acquisition is like drilling for oil.

Metrics 20
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Cracking The Code: The Bessemer 10 laws of SaaS - Fall 2008.

Cracking the Code

Be prepared to cross the desert - SaaS requires R&D and sales expense up front for a multi-year stream of revenue, so it demands enough investment capital to fund 4+ years of runway. Farming is also often overlooked, but can help grow customer accounts and revenues from 30% upwards (if successful). Great list! Philippe Botteri.