Financial Metrics and KPIs

9 out of 10 CEOs are tracking the wrong metrics. (I learned this the hard way.) So many are flying blind. Making gut decisions. Wondering why growth feels so hard. But these 18 KPIs change everything. Here's what every CEO should be watching: REVENUE & PROFITABILITY ↳ Revenue Growth Rate shows if you're gaining momentum ↳ Gross Margin reveals your pricing power ↳ Net Profit Margin tells the real health story CASH & RUNWAY ↳ Operating Cash Flow confirms you're funding yourself ↳ Cash Runway warns when to raise or cut spend ↳ Burn Multiple shows capital efficiency to investors CUSTOMER METRICS ↳ Customer Acquisition Cost guides marketing budgets ↳ Customer Lifetime Value validates if CAC is justified ↳ LTV-to-CAC Ratio predicts long-term profitability RETENTION & GROWTH ↳ Net Revenue Retention measures product stickiness ↳ Churn Rate gives early alerts on product issues ↳ Net Promoter Score predicts retention and referrals OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY ↳ Sales Cycle Length impacts cash flow forecasts ↳ Days Sales Outstanding signals collection efficiency ↳ Employee Turnover Rate reflects culture and hiring FINANCIAL HEALTH ↳ EBITDA strips out accounting noise ↳ Growth Efficiency Ratio reveals expansion quality ↳ Average Revenue Per Account tracks upsell impact The magic isn't in tracking everything. It's in tracking the RIGHT things consistently. Most CEOs drown in vanity metrics while missing the signals that actually predict success. These 18 KPIs cut through the noise. They give you the clarity to make confident decisions. And the confidence to sleep better at night. 🔖 Save this cheat sheet. Review it monthly. ♻️ Share it. Help a CEO in your network. P.S. Which KPI do you watch most closely? Share in the comments below. Want a PDF of the 18 KPIs for CEOs? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dhh5irfH And follow Eric Partaker for more CEO insights. ————— 📢 Ready to become a world-class CEO? I'm hosting a FREE TRAINING: "7 Steps to Become a Super Productive CEO" Thur, June 12th, 12 noon Eastern / 5pm UK time https://lnkd.in/d9BuZcrd 📌 20+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled in our  next CEO Accelerator cohort, starting July 23rd. Earlybird offer ENDS SOON. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dwjGUkEN

If you benchmark projects on €/kWp, you miss the point. The real metric is €/MWh. In practice, I keep running into the same discussions: How do you compare Project A (say, in Eastern Europe) with Project B (say, in Southern Europe), when grid, construction, O&M or financing have totally different cost profiles? Instead of arguing over individual cost items, there’s a simpler way: look at LCOE (€/MWh). What really matters (short & clear): --> €/kWp = construction indicator, but not a success factor. --> LCOE (€/MWh) captures CAPEX, OPEX, performance (PR/degradation), financing & lifetime. --> A “more expensive” project can deliver cheaper power thanks to higher yield, longer lifetime, or better financing. --> Investors and banks already benchmark on €/MWh, not €/kWp. Number flavor (utility scale, all-in incl. EPC, development, financing): -->Typical Utility Scale DE/CEE (2024): ~560–600 €/kWp all-in -->Project A: 580 €/kWp, PR 80%, WACC 6%, 25 years -> ~49-52 €/MWh -->Project B: 640 €/kWp, PR 87%, WACC 5%, 30 years -> ~40-43 €/MWh --> Same installed capacity, different assumptions –> output beats input. Do you still benchmark projects on €/kWp? Or already on €/MWh? And which 3 variables move your LCOE the most: PR, WACC, O&M, degradation? #AndreasBach #LCOE #SolarPV #ProjectFinance #CleanEnergy

"Our funnel is completely clogged, and our CEO and investors are starting to panic," shared a CMO from a $375MM SaaS firm. The other Huddlers sympathized, noting they were facing similar challenges. Sound familiar? The old playbook of flooding the funnel, scoring MQLs, and handing off to sales isn't just broken; it's toxic. Here's why your funnel is clogged and what actually works now: 1. Your data is a disaster. The average customer contact database health score? A pathetic 47%, according to research from BoomerangAI. More than half of B2B companies haven't updated their database in six months—or ever. Bad data isn't just an operational issue. It erodes every layer of your funnel. Fix this first. Assign database ownership cross-functionally. Tie enrichment to your GTM motions. And please activate alumni contact programs. Only 12% of companies have formal programs for contacts who left employers, yet they're gold mines. 2. You're still pitching tours when buyers want tools. Recent TrustRadius research shows that 52% of buyers say prior experience is their #1 decision input. Only 13% say a demo "blew them away." 3. Stop the demo obsession. Launch website-based product exploration tools. Add pricing guidance. Create modular content for AI summarization since 90% of buyers who see AI-generated summaries click through to cited sources. 4. The MQL addiction is killing you. As one CMO put it: "MQLs are problematic... we’re trying to figure out how to get fewer, better leads." Track conversion quality at each funnel stage. Hold weekly demand gen and sales alignment meetings. Ditch vanity metrics for outcome-based KPIs. 5. You're pitching spend instead of displacement. Few CFOs are greenlighting net-new spending, but they will approve reallocation when the ROI is crystal clear. Reframe your pitch: "Invest in this → reduce spend on that." Connect to CFO logic, not just user pain. 6. You're making promises instead of proving value. Buyers want proof in 120 days or less. The "trust us, it'll pay off eventually" era is dead. If you have the data, create 120-day value realization case studies. Use prospect data to build "speed-to-value" narratives. Lead with time-to-value, not feature lists. The companies unclogging their funnels aren't working harder—they're working smarter. They've ditched the old playbook for data-driven precision. Your move. PS - For a longer look at this issue, please check out my May 2025 #HuddleUp newsletter.

Companies and their CEOs obsess over Profitability KPIs. But measuring Profit doesn’t drive Profit. Here’s the problem: Most leaders don't track the right metrics. They don't understand why they matter. They ignore stakeholder perspectives. If you don’t know and act on what the numbers are telling you - you’re not managing profitability. You’re just collecting data. Let’s fix that. Here are 16 Profitability KPIs every CEO and CFO needs to master—and how to extract the insights that drive smarter decisions: ■ Efficiency and Margins 1// Gross Profit Margin Ratio ↳ Why it matters: high margins signal strong pricing power or cost efficiency. 2// Contribution Margin ↳ Why it matters: critical for setting prices, understanding break-even points, and ensuring your products are profitable. 3// Operating Profit Margin Ratio ↳ Why it matters: reveals how well you’re managing core expenses 4// Net Profit Margin Ratio ↳ Why it matters: measures whether your business model scales profitably. 5// Return on Assets (ROA) ↳ Why it matters: shows how effectively your assets generate profit. 6// Return on Equity (ROE) ↳ Why it matters: measures investor return on their investment. 7// Return on Investment (ROI) ↳ Why it matters: helps prioritize high-ROI projects and avoid initiatives with weak returns. 8// Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) ↳ Why it matters: indicator for how well your business uses all available capital to drive profits. ■ Earnings and Market Performance 9// Earnings per Share (EPS) ↳ Why it matters: tells shareholders how much value each share represents. 10// Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio ↳ Why it matters: gauges whether your stock is fairly priced based on earnings. 11// Dividend Yield Ratio ↳ Why it matters: income-focused investors seeking regular returns. 12// Dividend Payout Ratio ↳ Why it matters: balances reinvesting for growth with rewarding shareholders. ■ Cash Flow and Productivity 13// Operating Cash Flow Margin ↳ Why it matters: shows how well you convert revenue into cash. 14// Profit Per Employee ↳ Why it matters: tracks workforce productivity—a crucial metric for scaling efficiently. ■ Advanced Profitability Metrics 15// Economic Value Added (EVA) ↳ Why it matters: measures value above the company's cost of capital. 16// Break-even Revenue ↳ Why it matters: knowing your break-even helps you set realistic sales targets and avoid losses. The takeaway? Stop chasing KPIs for the sake of it. Start using them to lead smarter and grow faster. Want to join the 1% of CEOs who lead with financial intelligence? ▷▷▷ Join me tomorrow for a free webinar for CEOs, VPs, Managers, and leaders and start making 100% better business decisions: https://bit.ly/ceojan18 ▷▷▷ Transform your financial acumen in 6 weeks - live program, spots are limited, starts January 29: https://bit.ly/3ZCI0kr ♻️ Like, Comment, Repost if this was helpful. And follow Oana Labes, MBA, CPA for more

"We need bigger deals to hit our revenue targets." Every VP of Sales says this. Then they discover what sucks about enterprise sales: As deal size goes up, win rates go down. Dramatically. Let's look at some super fun data to set the stage: - SMB ($5K-$25K): 35-45% win rate, 30-60 day cycle. - MM ($25K-$100K): 22-28% win rate, 90-120 day cycle. - ENT ($100K-$500K): 12-18% win rate, 180-270 day cycle - Strategic ($500K+): 8-12% win rate, 300+ day cycle. Now, the math gets fugly quickly: - SMB Rep: 40% win rate x 24 deals/year = 9.6 wins x $15K = $144K. - ENT Rep: 15% win rate x 8 deals/year = 1.2 wins x $250K = $300K. Sure, the ENT rep makes 2x the revenue. But look a tiny bit closer, starting with the risk analysis: - SMB rep: Predictable $144K +/- 20%. - ENT rep: Volatile $300K +/- 80%. And pair that with an ENT rep's reality: - Great year: $500K (2 big wins). - Average year: $300K (1-2 wins). - Bad year: $75K (zero wins). Versus a SMB rep's reality: - Great year: $175K (11 wins). - Average year: $144K (9-10 wins). - Bad year: $115K (7-8 wins). Which would you rather forecast? lol exactly. Look, we all know this, but worth repeating that as deal size increases, complexity explodes: - 4x more decision makers. - 5x longer cycles. - Higher budget scrutiny. - More competitors. Each factor multiplies the others. A $500K deal isn't 10x harder than $50K. It's 50x harder. Soooo what's a leader to do? Try building portfolios following the 60/30/10 rule: - 60% pipeline in reliable $25-75K deals (bread and butter). - 30% in growth $75-200K deals (stretch but achievable). - 10% in moonshot $200K+ deals (lottery tickets). You get base revenue from reliable deals, growth from MM expansion, AND upside from enterprise wins. Of course, be sure to build a specialized team. SMB reps need speed, process discipline, and volume management. Meanwhile, ENT reps need patience, relationship building, and the ability to navigate complexity. Don't try to have the same reps execute both motions...you'll just have a team that's mediocre at everything. tl;dr = bigger deals aren't better deals. They're different deals. Higher risk, higher reward, higher unpredictability. Before chasing ENT logos, ask yourself: - Can your team handle 85% rejection rates? - Can your forecast handle massive quarterly swings? - Can your pipeline handle 9-month cycles? If not, stay in your lane until you can. Because there's nothing wrong with winning consistently at $50K deals. But there's EVERYTHING wrong with losing consistently at $500K deals.

Most ecommerce brands report from the outside in. They obsess over the edge - ROAS, CTR, and CPC - and simply hope those clicks eventually turn into a profitable business. High-performing DTC brands work differently. They build from the inside out, starting with the Unit Economics; LTV, CAC and CM. The 3-Layer Ecommerce Reporting System: Layer 1: Unit Economics. If this is broken, scaling ads just kills the business faster. Metrics: LTV, CAC, LTV:CAC, Payback Period (90/180 days), Contribution Margin (after COGS & Shipping), Cohort Retention. Layer 2: Operational Metrics. This is how you manage the machine. Metrics: New vs. Returning Customers, Marginal CAC, Paid vs. Organic mix, Inventory. Layer 3 are Campaign Metrics. They can be misleading, if read the wrong way. But still important to track. Metrics: ROAS, CTR, Add-to-Cart Rate, Hook Rate. This is the difference between a top-tier ecommerce brand, and everyone else. Comment ECOM + connect with me and I’ll send you my ecommerce tech stack guide.

After a two-year drought, the US IPO market re-opened this week in dramatic fashion. Our IPO Issuance Barometer has been at a level consistent with the typical frequency of IPOs since June, suggesting a more normalized IPO backdrop going forward. Our analysis of nearly 5,000 IPOs completed during the past 25 years shows that 40%+ annualized sales growth through year 3 and positive net income by the 8th quarterly earnings report are associated with outperformance. 67% of IPOs meeting these characteristics outperformed the Russell 3000 over 3 years with the typical company outperforming by 22 pp. Investors should also consider valuations, as firms with high Price/Sales multiples at IPO rarely outperform. #USWeeklyKickstart

For years, hotels have measured success with RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room). But let’s be honest—this only tells half the story. The smarter metric is TRevPAR (Total Revenue per Available Room). 📊 The difference: RevPAR → only room revenue. TRevPAR → rooms + F&B + spa + events + extras. ✅ Why TRevPAR matters: Full picture of your hotel’s revenue. Smarter, data-driven decisions. True asset utilization across the property. Fairer comparisons between hotels with different models. 🔎 Example: Rooms = $300,000 F&B = $120,000 Spa/Extras = $30,000 Total = $450,000 With 100 rooms over 30 days: RevPAR = $100 TRevPAR = $150 👉 RevPAR hides value. TRevPAR reveals it. Hotels that adopt TRevPAR thinking unlock new revenue streams, optimize guest experiences, and future-proof profitability. #Hospitality #RevenueManagement #HotelTrends #TRevPAR #HotelGrowth

The Ultimate Board Meeting Pack Checklist I've sat through countless board meetings in my career working with fast growing companies... and if there's one thing I've learned, your board deck serves a critical purpose - empowering your board to understand your company's financial health, performance, and direction. So what makes a great board pack? Let me break it down for you 👇 ➡️ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Your exec summary needs to pack a punch with just one page. I always include: -A snapshot of company performance with key wins -Any concerns that need immediate attention -Strategic updates in bullet-point format -High-level financial highlights No fluff, just what matters most. Board members should get the full picture in under 30 seconds. ➡️ FINANCIAL OVERVIEW This is where the numbers tell their story: -P&L Summary showing actuals vs budget/forecast (MTD, QTD, YTD) -Cash position with current balance, burn rate, runway -Balance sheet highlights focusing on key shifts in assets/liabilities When I present these, I always color-code variances so problems jump off the page. ➡️ VARIANCE ANALYSIS Don't just show the numbers, explain them: Focus on top 3-5 significant deviations from budget -Get to the root causes behind variances -Include action items to address issues -Use visuals like bar charts to highlight the biggest gaps My favorite approach? Waterfall charts that show the journey from forecast to actual. ➡️ OPERATIONAL METRICS Numbers beyond the financials matter just as much: -Customer metrics (growth, churn, retention, NRR/GRR) -Sales pipeline and conversion stats -Product/feature engagement for tech companies I like to show 6-month trends for these metrics so the board can spot patterns, not just points. ➡️ STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & ROADMAP The board wants to know where you're going: -Status updates on key projects or product launches -Hiring progress versus the plan -Strategic priorities for next quarter Use simple red/yellow/green indicators to show status at a glance. ➡️ RISKS & CHALLENGES Every company has risk. It's how you communicate & plan for that risks that makes all teh difference in the world -Outline key risks across financial, operational, legal areas -Share your mitigation plans for each -Be transparent - boards value this more than sugar-coating ➡️ ASK FROM THE BOARD Be crystal clear about what you need: -Funding requirements -Strategic advice needs -Hiring referrals -Feedback on potential pivots ➡️ APPENDIX Keep the meeting focused, but have backup: -Detailed financials (P&L, BS, CF) -Org chart with key hires highlighted -Detailed KPIs for those who want to dig deeper === That's my complete board pack checklist - but everyone does it differently. What's your approach to board packs? What sections do you find most valuable? Join the discussion in the comments below 👇

76.6% open rate. 21% reply rate. 7.3% interest rate. These are the current benchmarks for recruiting outreach emails sent through Gem‎. But here's what's really fascinating: the teams consistently beating these benchmarks aren't using fancy automation or gimmicky subject lines. They're simply speaking to what candidates actually care about. At Gem, we've analyzed millions of recruiting emails, and the pattern is unmistakable. The highest-performing outreach directly addresses the core motivations driving today's job seekers: 1. Career advancement opportunities 2. Meaningful work flexibility 3. Strong, visionary leadership 4. Clear paths for skill development (especially for Gen Z, who prioritize this 36% more than other generations) One customer I was talking to challenged conventional wisdom by A/B testing short vs. detailed messages. The surprising result? While the shorter message got more opens, the longer, more detailed message that explained team impact and challenges generated more interested replies. Why? Because it spoke directly to what high-value candidates actually wanted to know. The market has shifted. By 2030, Gen Z and millennials will represent nearly 60% of the global workforce. These candidates don't just want jobs—they want growth trajectories. They don't just evaluate offers—they evaluate leadership. Here's my challenge to every recruiting team: Review your last 5 outreach templates. Count how many sentences focus on what you need vs. what the candidate gets. If it's weighted toward your requirements, you're leaving responses on the table. The best recruiting teams at companies like Anthropic, Yext, and Doordash are already making this transition, shifting from requirement-focused to candidate-centric messaging. And it's working… "We're not trying to sell anything in our outreach," explains Michael Franco at Yext‎. "We're trying to start a genuine conversation... When we understand their pain points, we know exactly what value prop to use." This isn't just feel-good advice—it's data-backed strategy. In 2025, understanding what candidates truly care about isn't just nice to have. It's the difference between hitting your hiring goals and falling short of them.