I found myself once again trying to blame a million things for my revenue growth problems. This is a trap I have fallen into countless times. So I decided to write myself this note to remind myself of a lesson that I have learned repeatedly. If you are like me, where revenue growth really is the answer to most of your problems, then perhaps this will help you as well.
Revenue is not abstract. It is a simple functional equation. Revenue equals the number of opportunities multiplied by conversion rate multiplied by deal size. If revenue is not growing, one or more of those is broken. No philosophy needed. No complaining. No whining. No pontification.
The only real question is this: which of these three levers am I failing to move, and what am I doing about it today?
I have learned to face this question with three practical checks. First, opportunities. Am I creating enough new conversations? The daily question becomes: how many real sales conversations did we start today? If this number is low, nothing else matters. You cannot convert what does not exist.
Second, conversion rate. Are deals dying? Am I losing to no decision? The daily question: what did we learn from lost or stalled deals today? If this is weak, I do not have a clear value story or process. The problem is not the market. The problem is my ability to make the case.
Third, deal size. Am I selling too small? Not expanding? The daily question: did we push for a larger outcome or just accept what was easy? This one stings because it reveals comfort seeking. It shows where I settled instead of stretched.
The hard truth is this. If revenue is not growing, then one of these is happening. I am not doing enough volume. I am not learning fast enough. I am accepting weak positioning. Or I am avoiding the uncomfortable actions like outreach, pricing pressure, and direct asks. No excuses.
“You don’t get revenue growth by demanding it. You get it by forcing the inputs high enough and refining fast enough that growth becomes unavoidable.”
If I want outcome level thinking, my day should look like this. Create a set number of new opportunities. Non-negotiable. Advance existing deals. Review lost or stalled deals and extract lessons. Push at least one deal harder than feels comfortable. That is it. Every day.
I do not get to complain about revenue until I have done the work on the inputs. I do not get to blame the economy, the competition, or the timing. Those might be real factors, but they are not levers I control.
Opportunities, conversion, and deal size are levers I control.
So I ask myself directly: where is your bottleneck right now? Opportunities, conversion, or deal size? Once I answer that honestly, the work becomes clear. The discomfort becomes purposeful. And revenue stops being a mystery.
The next step is simple. Pick the weakest lever. Do one thing today that moves it.
