Metrics Briefing
Metrics analysis through CEO Bible Section G — 9 categories. PostHog covers some; the rest come from conversations, CRM, and the founder's observations.
Principles (Bible G)
- All metrics by target wedge. Segment first, aggregate second.
- Behavior > opinions. Usage, money, time spent > compliments.
- Pre-PMF metrics answer 5 questions:
- Are we talking to the right people?
- Do they share the same painful problem?
- Do they get value quickly?
- Do they come back?
- Can we win them again without heroics?
- MRR, CAC, LTV are guardrails, not the steering wheel. Until there is repeatability.
9 CEO Metrics Categories
1. Market Learning (MANUAL — ask the founder)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog? |
| Qualified conversations/week |
20+ min conversations with target roles; explored problem, trigger, workaround, buyer, urgency |
No — track manually, target 8-12/week |
| Repeated pain rate |
Same problem + trigger + workaround recur / total qualified conversations |
No — from conversation notes |
| Objection concentration |
Losses/stalls by top 3 reasons / all losses |
No — from CRM/notes |
If conversations < 8/week -> flag hard. This is the main leading indicator.
2. Product Value (PostHog: partial)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog |
| Median TTFV |
Time from signup to first meaningful success |
user_journey_milestone WHERE milestone='First Value Moment', property timeSincePrevious |
| Activation rate |
Target accounts hitting critical event sequence within X days |
funnel_next_stage_available WHERE currentStage='first_value_delivered' / total signups |
| Outcome attainment |
Activated accounts achieving promised business result |
funnel_next_stage_available: first_value_delivered -> return_usage conversion rate |
3. Usage / Engagement (PostHog: yes)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog |
| Retained active target accounts (week 4/8) |
Accounts still performing core workflow |
user_journey_milestone WHERE milestone='Weekly Active' |
| Workflow depth |
Core workflow at target frequency, multiple use cases |
core_query_performed frequency, deep_workflow_started, searchMode breakdown |
| Second-bite rate |
Users repeating core action within X days |
funnel_next_stage_available: first_value_delivered -> return_usage |
4. Sales / Pipeline (MANUAL — CRM/conversations)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog? |
| ICP pipeline created |
New opportunities from target wedge per week |
No — CRM |
| Meeting -> opportunity |
New opps / qualified first meetings |
No — CRM |
| Opportunity -> win rate |
Closed-won / closed in target wedge |
No — CRM |
| Median sales cycle |
Days from first meeting to signature |
No — CRM |
5. Retention / Expansion (PostHog: partial)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog |
| Healthy account rate |
Paid accounts with green usage + outcome + active champion |
funnel_next_stage_available: regular_usage+ stage, organizationId grouping |
| Expansion pull rate |
Healthy accounts requesting more seats/team rollout |
funnel_next_stage_available WHERE nextStage='team_invitation_sent' |
| Gross logo retention |
Paying logos retained once cohorts mature |
Not fully — partially through return/regular/power stages |
6. B2C -> B2B Conversion (PostHog: yes — key category)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog |
| Target-signup rate |
Signups from target roles/domains / total signups |
user_journey_milestone milestone='Account Created', filter by email_verified + has_primary_integration_connected |
| Activated -> PQL rate |
Activated users hitting enterprise triggers |
power_user stage + deep_workflow_started + organizationId |
| PQL -> sales conversation |
PQLs that book real sales call |
Partial — track manually |
| Same-company emergence |
Active companies with >1 user or team invite |
funnel_next_stage_available nextStage='team_invitation_sent', organizationId grouping |
7. Team Execution (MANUAL)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog? |
| Experiment cycle time |
Days from hypothesis to readout |
No — from hypothesis tracker |
| Hypothesis-linked roadmap % |
Work tied to hypothesis / total work |
No — from backlog |
| Belief-change rate |
Experiments ending in keep/kill/reframe / total |
No — from weekly reviews |
8. Unit Economics (MANUAL)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog? |
| Net burn / runway |
Monthly cash burn; cash / burn |
No — finance |
| Core workflow contribution margin |
(Revenue - variable delivery costs) / revenue |
No — finance |
| Revenue concentration |
Top 3 customers / total ARR |
No — finance |
9. PMF Detection (MIX)
| Metric |
Definition |
PostHog |
| Wedge repeatability score |
Last 10 wins matching same ICP/problem/buyer/onboarding / 10 |
No — manual assessment |
| Durable revenue ratio |
Revenue from accounts past trial + healthy >90 days / total |
Partial — through regular_usage/power_user stages |
| Organic pull index |
Target-cohort referrals, unsolicited inbound, expansion requests |
Partial — public_output_viewed, output_sharing_enabled as signals |
PostHog Implementation Layer
Core Funnel (funnel_next_stage_available events)
signup_started -> account_created -> email_confirmed
-> workspace_created -> first_value_moment
-> first_primary_resource_added -> primary_resource_processed
-> first_key_action_executed -> first_value_delivered
-> return_usage -> regular_usage -> power_user
-> team_invitation_sent
4 Analytics Layers
- Anonymous visitor: $initial_utm_source, $initial_referring_domain, $initial_current_url
- User identity: $identify, email_verified, has_primary_integration_connected
- Product value: workspace_create_started, primary_resource_action, core_query_performed, core_action
- Account/company: organizationId (on all events) — B2B grouping
Attribution Model
- First-touch (person.$initial_*): "What created initial interest?" -> content, SEO, founder content
- Last-touch: "What triggered conversion?" -> pricing page, CTA performance
- Right question: "Which source produces the most retained companies?" — apply to activation, PQL, paid, retained
PostHog Query Recipes
CEO Morning Briefing:
# Signups yesterday
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="How many user_journey_milestone events with milestone Account Created happened yesterday?"
# Funnel transitions yesterday
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="Show all funnel_next_stage_available events from yesterday, count by currentStage to nextStage"
# Active companies this week
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="How many distinct organizationId values had any events in the last 7 days?"
Weekly Dashboard:
# Funnel health (all stages)
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="Show funnel_next_stage_available events in the last 7 days, count unique users for each currentStage to nextStage pair"
# TTFV
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="What is the average timeSincePrevious for user_journey_milestone where milestone is First Value Moment, last 30 days?"
# Attribution: source -> activation
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="For users who reached first_value_delivered in funnel_next_stage_available last 30 days, what are the top initial UTM sources?"
# Account-level: companies with multiple users
posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="Which organizationId values have more than 1 unique user performing events in the last 30 days?"
Vanity Metrics (DO NOT report as progress)
- Total traffic, total signups, total "active users" mixed
- Feature count shipped
- Total pipeline across all segments
- PR hits, likes, followers
- Total MRR without durability/health filters
- B2C DAU that never clusters into accounts
- "AI usage" with no evidence of business outcome
Metrics That Matter LATER (after PMF)
CAC payback, LTV/CAC, quota attainment, forecast accuracy, mature NRR, Rule of 40, hiring efficiency.
Telegram Format (max 15 lines)
Metrics for [period]:
Learning: X conversations (target 8-12), pain rate Y%
Product: TTFV Xh, activation Z%
Usage: retained W4 X%, second-bite Y%
B2C->B2B: X signups -> Y activated -> Z PQL, same-co X
Pipeline: X opps, win rate Y%
PMF: repeatability [low/growing], organic pull [none/emerging]
Burn: $X/mo, runway Y months
Conclusion: [what this means for the current stage]
Action: [concrete action]
Follow output preferences from USER.md (language, format, platform constraints).
1---2name: metrics-briefing3description: CEO-level metrics interpretation through 9-category framework (market learning, product value, usage, pipeline, retention, B2C->B2B, execution, economics, PMF). For raw PostHog data queries, use posthog-analytics instead.4---56# Metrics Briefing78Metrics analysis through CEO Bible Section G — 9 categories. PostHog covers some; the rest come from conversations, CRM, and the founder's observations.910## Principles (Bible G)11121. **All metrics by target wedge.** Segment first, aggregate second.132. **Behavior > opinions.** Usage, money, time spent > compliments.143. **Pre-PMF metrics answer 5 questions:**15 - Are we talking to the right people?16 - Do they share the same painful problem?17 - Do they get value quickly?18 - Do they come back?19 - Can we win them again without heroics?204. **MRR, CAC, LTV are guardrails, not the steering wheel.** Until there is repeatability.2122## 9 CEO Metrics Categories2324### 1. Market Learning (MANUAL — ask the founder)25| Metric | Definition | PostHog? |26|--------|-----------|----------|27| Qualified conversations/week | 20+ min conversations with target roles; explored problem, trigger, workaround, buyer, urgency | No — track manually, target 8-12/week |28| Repeated pain rate | Same problem + trigger + workaround recur / total qualified conversations | No — from conversation notes |29| Objection concentration | Losses/stalls by top 3 reasons / all losses | No — from CRM/notes |3031**If conversations < 8/week -> flag hard.** This is the main leading indicator.3233### 2. Product Value (PostHog: partial)34| Metric | Definition | PostHog |35|--------|-----------|---------|36| **Median TTFV** | Time from signup to first meaningful success | `user_journey_milestone` WHERE milestone='First Value Moment', property `timeSincePrevious` |37| **Activation rate** | Target accounts hitting critical event sequence within X days | `funnel_next_stage_available` WHERE currentStage='first_value_delivered' / total signups |38| **Outcome attainment** | Activated accounts achieving promised business result | `funnel_next_stage_available`: first_value_delivered -> return_usage conversion rate |3940### 3. Usage / Engagement (PostHog: yes)41| Metric | Definition | PostHog |42|--------|-----------|---------|43| **Retained active target accounts** (week 4/8) | Accounts still performing core workflow | `user_journey_milestone` WHERE milestone='Weekly Active' |44| **Workflow depth** | Core workflow at target frequency, multiple use cases | `core_query_performed` frequency, `deep_workflow_started`, searchMode breakdown |45| **Second-bite rate** | Users repeating core action within X days | `funnel_next_stage_available`: first_value_delivered -> return_usage |4647### 4. Sales / Pipeline (MANUAL — CRM/conversations)48| Metric | Definition | PostHog? |49|--------|-----------|----------|50| ICP pipeline created | New opportunities from target wedge per week | No — CRM |51| Meeting -> opportunity | New opps / qualified first meetings | No — CRM |52| Opportunity -> win rate | Closed-won / closed in target wedge | No — CRM |53| Median sales cycle | Days from first meeting to signature | No — CRM |5455### 5. Retention / Expansion (PostHog: partial)56| Metric | Definition | PostHog |57|--------|-----------|---------|58| **Healthy account rate** | Paid accounts with green usage + outcome + active champion | `funnel_next_stage_available`: regular_usage+ stage, organizationId grouping |59| **Expansion pull rate** | Healthy accounts requesting more seats/team rollout | `funnel_next_stage_available` WHERE nextStage='team_invitation_sent' |60| **Gross logo retention** | Paying logos retained once cohorts mature | Not fully — partially through return/regular/power stages |6162### 6. B2C -> B2B Conversion (PostHog: yes — key category)63| Metric | Definition | PostHog |64|--------|-----------|---------|65| **Target-signup rate** | Signups from target roles/domains / total signups | `user_journey_milestone` milestone='Account Created', filter by email_verified + has_primary_integration_connected |66| **Activated -> PQL rate** | Activated users hitting enterprise triggers | power_user stage + deep_workflow_started + organizationId |67| **PQL -> sales conversation** | PQLs that book real sales call | Partial — track manually |68| **Same-company emergence** | Active companies with >1 user or team invite | `funnel_next_stage_available` nextStage='team_invitation_sent', organizationId grouping |6970### 7. Team Execution (MANUAL)71| Metric | Definition | PostHog? |72|--------|-----------|----------|73| Experiment cycle time | Days from hypothesis to readout | No — from hypothesis tracker |74| Hypothesis-linked roadmap % | Work tied to hypothesis / total work | No — from backlog |75| Belief-change rate | Experiments ending in keep/kill/reframe / total | No — from weekly reviews |7677### 8. Unit Economics (MANUAL)78| Metric | Definition | PostHog? |79|--------|-----------|----------|80| Net burn / runway | Monthly cash burn; cash / burn | No — finance |81| Core workflow contribution margin | (Revenue - variable delivery costs) / revenue | No — finance |82| Revenue concentration | Top 3 customers / total ARR | No — finance |8384### 9. PMF Detection (MIX)85| Metric | Definition | PostHog |86|--------|-----------|---------|87| **Wedge repeatability score** | Last 10 wins matching same ICP/problem/buyer/onboarding / 10 | No — manual assessment |88| **Durable revenue ratio** | Revenue from accounts past trial + healthy >90 days / total | Partial — through regular_usage/power_user stages |89| **Organic pull index** | Target-cohort referrals, unsolicited inbound, expansion requests | Partial — `public_output_viewed`, `output_sharing_enabled` as signals |9091## PostHog Implementation Layer9293### Core Funnel (funnel_next_stage_available events)94```95signup_started -> account_created -> email_confirmed96 -> workspace_created -> first_value_moment97 -> first_primary_resource_added -> primary_resource_processed98 -> first_key_action_executed -> first_value_delivered99 -> return_usage -> regular_usage -> power_user100 -> team_invitation_sent101```102103### 4 Analytics Layers1041. **Anonymous visitor**: $initial_utm_source, $initial_referring_domain, $initial_current_url1052. **User identity**: $identify, email_verified, has_primary_integration_connected1063. **Product value**: workspace_create_started, primary_resource_action, core_query_performed, core_action1074. **Account/company**: organizationId (on all events) — B2B grouping108109### Attribution Model110- **First-touch** (person.$initial_*): "What created initial interest?" -> content, SEO, founder content111- **Last-touch**: "What triggered conversion?" -> pricing page, CTA performance112- **Right question**: "Which source produces the most retained companies?" — apply to activation, PQL, paid, retained113114### PostHog Query Recipes115116**CEO Morning Briefing:**117```bash118# Signups yesterday119posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="How many user_journey_milestone events with milestone Account Created happened yesterday?"120121# Funnel transitions yesterday122posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="Show all funnel_next_stage_available events from yesterday, count by currentStage to nextStage"123124# Active companies this week125posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="How many distinct organizationId values had any events in the last 7 days?"126```127128**Weekly Dashboard:**129```bash130# Funnel health (all stages)131posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="Show funnel_next_stage_available events in the last 7 days, count unique users for each currentStage to nextStage pair"132133# TTFV134posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="What is the average timeSincePrevious for user_journey_milestone where milestone is First Value Moment, last 30 days?"135136# Attribution: source -> activation137posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="For users who reached first_value_delivered in funnel_next_stage_available last 30 days, what are the top initial UTM sources?"138139# Account-level: companies with multiple users140posthog__query-generate-hogql-from-question question="Which organizationId values have more than 1 unique user performing events in the last 30 days?"141```142143## Vanity Metrics (DO NOT report as progress)144145- Total traffic, total signups, total "active users" mixed146- Feature count shipped147- Total pipeline across all segments148- PR hits, likes, followers149- Total MRR without durability/health filters150- B2C DAU that never clusters into accounts151- "AI usage" with no evidence of business outcome152153## Metrics That Matter LATER (after PMF)154155CAC payback, LTV/CAC, quota attainment, forecast accuracy, mature NRR, Rule of 40, hiring efficiency.156157## Telegram Format (max 15 lines)158159```160Metrics for [period]:161162Learning: X conversations (target 8-12), pain rate Y%163Product: TTFV Xh, activation Z%164Usage: retained W4 X%, second-bite Y%165B2C->B2B: X signups -> Y activated -> Z PQL, same-co X166Pipeline: X opps, win rate Y%167PMF: repeatability [low/growing], organic pull [none/emerging]168Burn: $X/mo, runway Y months169170Conclusion: [what this means for the current stage]171Action: [concrete action]172```173174Follow output preferences from USER.md (language, format, platform constraints).
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