Ashley Stirrup

Vertical SaaS is often described as more defensible, stickier, and better positioned for expansion. But how much of that belief is actually supported by benchmark data? In the newest episode of The Metrics Brothers, Ray Rike and Dave Kellogg break down the Tidemark Vertical SaaS Benchmark Report and separate insight from narrative. They explore: • What Tidemark means by “control points” and whether they truly predict retention, ARPA, and defensibility • How multi-product strategies show up in growth, GRR, and NRR and where the data raises more questions than answers • Why fintech, particularly payments, emerges as the dominant expansion path and what that actually implies for operators • How AI adoption, packaging, and pricing correlate with growth and where correlation is being mistaken for causation Rather than just summarizing charts, this episode challenges assumptions, questions methodology, and focuses on how benchmarks should be interpreted in real planning and board-level discussions. If you rely on SaaS benchmarks to guide strategy, expansion decisions, or investor conversations, this episode will help you use them more critically and effectively. 🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/eqPndwCJ Ray Rike

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Talked to 100+ GTM leaders this year 📌 Here's the pattern: 🪜 Rung 1: Manual everything. "We'll automate later." 🪜 Rung 2: Basic Zaps. Breaks constantly. 🪜 Rung 3: Clay workflows. Needs an agency to maintain. 🪜 Rung 4: 12 specialized tools. $42K/year. Nothing integrated. 🪜 Rung 5: Describe what you want. It runs. Most teams think they're on Rung 4. They're actually on Rung 2 with better branding. The jump from 4 → 5 isn't adding another tool. It's removing the ladder entirely. Swipe through to find where you actually are 👉

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Most SaaS companies want to modernize pricing, but the truth is that few have the infrastructure to actually support it. 📆 Tomorrow, join Metronome CEO Scott Woody and Nue CEO Mark Walker for a live conversation on how SaaS leaders are rethinking revenue architecture for 2026. They’ll cover: → The usage-based and hybrid pricing models gaining traction right now → How to make billing infrastructure flexible enough to support constant iteration → What GTM teams need from monetization systems today If you’re scaling AI products, evolving your pricing model, or feeling the limits of legacy systems—don’t miss it! 🙋‍♀️ Save your seat at the link in the comments.

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Kyle James makes a great observation about how GTM teams are approaching platforms like Gainsight today. What looks like hesitation is often discipline. Teams are taking time to pressure test workflows, data, and ownership before committing to a platform. That behavior does not diminish the value of Gainsight. In many cases, it increases it. When teams arrive with clearer intent and operational readiness, adoption improves and outcomes compound faster. The signal here is not about building instead of buying. It is about earning the right to scale with the platform once the foundation is actually in place. https://lnkd.in/emF9ZvCQ

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Revenue Operations in 2026 is about orchestration, not administration. This blog breaks down how the GTM tech stack is fundamentally restructuring, and why RevOps leaders are the biggest beneficiaries (or casualties) of this shift. The question is no longer "what tools should we buy?" It's "how do we create a system where data flows, insights surface automatically, and teams actually execute?" What we're seeing: • The rise of revenue orchestration platforms that connect the dots • AI copilots that reduce manual workflows by 60-70% • Real-time GTM intelligence replacing quarterly business reviews • Stack simplification that doesn't sacrifice capability If you're the one stuck between leadership asking for "better data" and teams drowning in dashboards they ignore, this analysis is for you. The 2026 GTM tech stack isn't just different. It's finally designed for how RevOps actually works: https://hubs.ly/Q040JG4T0 #RevOps #RevenueOperations #GTM #DataStrategy

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