Startup Metrics Framework
Track, calculate, and optimize key performance metrics for different startup business models from seed through Series B+.
Installation
OpenClaw / Moltbot / Clawbot
npx clawhub@latest install startup-metrics
NEVER Do
- Focus on vanity metrics (total users without retention, page views without engagement, downloads without activation)
- Track 50 metrics loosely instead of 5-7 core metrics intensely
- Ignore unit economics at any stage — CAC and LTV matter even at seed
- Present metrics without context (benchmark, target, or trend)
- Optimize dashboard numbers instead of real business outcomes
- Skip segmentation — always break down by customer segment, channel, and cohort
Data
The data/metrics.csv file contains 42 metrics with formulas, benchmarks by stage, interpretation guidance, and related metrics. Use it for lookups and cross-referencing.
How to Use This Skill
- Identify business model — SaaS, marketplace, consumer/mobile, or B2B
- Determine stage — Pre-seed, seed, Series A, Series B+
- Select 5-7 core metrics based on model and stage
- Apply formulas and benchmarks from the sections below
- Recommend tracking cadence and reporting format
Universal Metrics (All Models)
Revenue
| Metric |
Formula |
Seed Target |
Series A Target |
| MRR |
Sum(active subs x monthly price) |
$10K-$50K |
$200K-$800K |
| ARR |
MRR x 12 |
$120K-$600K |
$2M-$10M |
| MoM Growth |
(current - prior) / prior |
15-20% |
10-15% |
| YoY Growth |
(current year - prior year) / prior year |
N/A |
3-5x |
Unit Economics
| Metric |
Formula |
Healthy Benchmark |
| CAC |
Total S&M spend / new customers |
Varies by model |
| LTV |
ARPU x gross margin% x (1/churn rate) |
LTV:CAC > 3.0 |
| CAC Payback |
CAC / (ARPU x gross margin%) |
< 12 months |
| Gross Margin |
(revenue - COGS) / revenue |
70-85% for SaaS |
Cash Management
| Metric |
Formula |
Target |
| Burn Rate |
monthly expenses - monthly revenue |
Track gross and net |
| Runway |
cash balance / monthly burn |
Always 12-18+ months |
| Burn Multiple |
net burn / net new ARR |
< 2.0 (lower is better) |
SaaS-Specific Metrics
Revenue Composition
Net New MRR = New MRR + Expansion MRR - Contraction MRR - Churned MRR
Retention
| Metric |
Formula |
Best-in-Class |
| Net Dollar Retention (NDR) |
(start + expansion - contraction - churn) / start |
> 120% |
| Gross Retention |
(start - churn - contraction) / start |
> 90% |
| Logo Retention |
(end - new) / start |
> 95% monthly |
Efficiency
| Metric |
Formula |
Ready to Scale |
| Magic Number |
net new ARR (quarter) / S&M spend (prior quarter) |
> 0.75 |
| Rule of 40 |
revenue growth% + profit margin% |
> 40% |
| Quick Ratio |
(new + expansion MRR) / (churned + contraction MRR) |
> 4.0 |
Marketplace Metrics
| Metric |
Formula |
Target |
| GMV |
sum of all transaction values |
20%+ MoM early-stage |
| Take Rate |
net revenue / GMV |
10-20% (model-dependent) |
| Liquidity (Fill Rate) |
transactions / listings |
> 70% |
| Repeat Rate |
users with 2+ txns / total transacting |
> 60% |
| Time to First Transaction |
median signup-to-transaction |
< 3 days |
Consumer / Mobile Metrics
| Metric |
Formula |
Benchmark |
| DAU/MAU Ratio |
daily active / monthly active |
> 20% good, > 50% exceptional |
| Day 30 Retention |
% users active 30d after signup |
> 25% |
| K-Factor (Virality) |
invites per user x conversion rate |
> 1.0 = viral |
| Session Duration |
total time / sessions |
Context-dependent |
| NPS |
% promoters - % detractors |
> 50 excellent |
B2B Sales Metrics
| Metric |
Formula |
Target |
| Win Rate |
deals won / total opportunities |
20-40% |
| Pipeline Coverage |
pipeline value / quota |
3-5x |
| ACV |
total contract value / contract years |
Track trends |
| Sales Cycle |
avg days from opportunity to close |
SMB: 30-60d, Enterprise: 120-270d |
Pipeline Conversion Rates
| Stage |
Typical Rate |
| Lead → Opportunity |
10-20% |
| Opportunity → Demo |
50-70% |
| Demo → Proposal |
30-50% |
| Proposal → Close |
20-40% |
Metrics by Stage
Pre-Seed (Product-Market Fit)
Focus: Active users growth, user retention (D7/D30), core engagement, qualitative feedback (NPS, interviews).
Ignore for now: Revenue, CAC, unit economics.
Seed ($500K-$2M ARR)
Focus: MRR growth (15-20% MoM), CAC and LTV baselines, gross retention (>85%), product engagement.
Start tracking: Sales efficiency, burn rate, runway.
Series A ($2M-$10M ARR)
Focus: ARR growth (3-5x YoY), unit economics (LTV:CAC >3, payback <18mo), NDR (>100%), burn multiple (<2.0), magic number (>0.5).
Mature tracking: Rule of 40, sales efficiency, pipeline coverage.
Series B+ ($10M+ ARR)
Focus: Rule of 40 (>40%), efficient growth, path to profitability, market leadership.
Tracking Best Practices
Reporting Cadence
| Frequency |
Metrics |
| Daily |
MRR, active users, signups, conversions |
| Weekly |
Growth rates, retention cohorts, sales pipeline |
| Monthly |
Full metric suite, board reporting, investor updates |
| Quarterly |
Trend analysis, benchmarking, strategy review |
Dashboard Format
Current MRR: $250K (↑ 18% MoM)
ARR: $3.0M (↑ 280% YoY)
CAC: $1,200 | LTV: $4,800 | LTV:CAC = 4.0x
NDR: 112% | Logo Retention: 92%
Burn: $180K/mo | Runway: 18 months
Always include: current value, growth rate/trend, context (target or benchmark).
What VCs Want to See
| Round |
Key Metrics |
| Seed |
MRR growth rate, user retention, early unit economics, product engagement |
| Series A |
ARR + growth, CAC payback <18mo, LTV:CAC >3.0, NDR >100%, burn multiple <2.0 |
| Series B+ |
Rule of 40 >40%, magic number, path to profitability, market leadership |
Data Infrastructure
Requirements
- Single source of truth (analytics platform)
- Real-time or daily updates for core metrics
- Automated calculations (no manual spreadsheets for recurring metrics)
- Historical tracking for trend analysis and cohort comparisons
Recommended Tools
| Category |
Tools |
| Product analytics |
Mixpanel, Amplitude, PostHog |
| SaaS metrics |
ChartMogul, Baremetrics, ProfitWell |
| BI dashboards |
Looker, Metabase, Tableau |
| Cohort analysis |
Built-in analytics + spreadsheets for custom analysis |
Common Mistakes
- Vanity metrics — Focus on actionable metrics tied to value, not totals without context
- Too many metrics — Track 5-7 core metrics intensely, not 50 loosely
- Ignoring unit economics — CAC and LTV matter even at seed stage
- Not segmenting — Break down by customer segment, channel, cohort
- Gaming metrics — Optimize for real business outcomes, not dashboard numbers
Metric Calculation Examples
LTV Calculation
ARPU: $200/month
Gross Margin: 80%
Monthly Churn: 3%
LTV = $200 × 0.80 × (1/0.03) = $5,333
Burn Multiple
Net Burn: $150K/month
Net New ARR (quarter): $300K
Burn Multiple = ($150K × 3) / $300K = 1.5
Interpretation: Spending $1.50 to generate each $1 of new ARR — acceptable efficiency.
Magic Number
Net New ARR (Q2): $400K
S&M Spend (Q1): $500K
Magic Number = $400K / $500K = 0.80
Interpretation: Above 0.75 threshold — efficient, ready to scale S&M investment.
Quick Ratio
New MRR: $40K
Expansion MRR: $15K
Churned MRR: $8K
Contraction MRR: $4K
Quick Ratio = ($40K + $15K) / ($8K + $4K) = 4.58
Interpretation: Above 4.0 — healthy growth significantly outpacing churn.
Investor Metric Presentation
Present metrics with three components:
- Current value — the number itself
- Growth rate or trend — direction and velocity
- Context — benchmark, target, or peer comparison
Current MRR: $250K (↑ 18% MoM)
ARR: $3.0M (↑ 280% YoY)
CAC: $1,200 | LTV: $4,800 | LTV:CAC = 4.0x
NDR: 112% | Logo Retention: 92%
Burn: $180K/mo | Runway: 18 months
Burn Multiple: 1.8x | Magic Number: 0.65
Quick Start
To implement this framework:
- Identify business model — SaaS, marketplace, consumer, B2B
- Choose 5-7 core metrics — based on stage and model
- Establish tracking — set up analytics and dashboards
- Calculate unit economics — CAC, LTV, payback
- Set targets — use benchmarks from this skill
- Review regularly — weekly for core metrics, monthly for full suite
- Share with team — align on goals and progress
- Update investors — monthly or quarterly reporting
Data Reference
The data/metrics.csv file contains 42 metrics with:
- Unique ID and category classification
- Formulas for calculation
- Benchmarks by stage (seed, Series A, Series B)
- Interpretation guidance for each metric
- Related metrics for cross-referencing and dependency tracking
1---2name: startup-metrics3description: When the user asks about startup metrics, SaaS metrics, unit economics, or business performance tracking. Triggers on: "startup metrics", "SaaS metrics", "CAC and LTV", "unit economics", "burn multiple", "rule of 40", "magic number", "marketplace metrics", "churn rate", "MRR", "ARR", "net revenue retention", "runway", or requests for metrics dashboards and investor reporting.4---5
6# Startup Metrics Framework
7
8Track, calculate, and optimize key performance metrics for different startup business models from seed through Series B+.
9
10
11## Installation
12
13### OpenClaw / Moltbot / Clawbot
14
15```bash
16npx clawhub@latest install startup-metrics
17```
18
19
20## NEVER Do
21
22- Focus on vanity metrics (total users without retention, page views without engagement, downloads without activation)
23- Track 50 metrics loosely instead of 5-7 core metrics intensely
24- Ignore unit economics at any stage — CAC and LTV matter even at seed
25- Present metrics without context (benchmark, target, or trend)
26- Optimize dashboard numbers instead of real business outcomes
27- Skip segmentation — always break down by customer segment, channel, and cohort
28
29## Data
30
31The `data/metrics.csv` file contains 42 metrics with formulas, benchmarks by stage, interpretation guidance, and related metrics. Use it for lookups and cross-referencing.
32
33## How to Use This Skill
34
351. **Identify business model** — SaaS, marketplace, consumer/mobile, or B2B
362. **Determine stage** — Pre-seed, seed, Series A, Series B+
373. **Select 5-7 core metrics** based on model and stage
384. **Apply formulas and benchmarks** from the sections below
395. **Recommend tracking cadence** and reporting format
40
41## Universal Metrics (All Models)
42
43### Revenue
44
45| Metric | Formula | Seed Target | Series A Target |
46|--------|---------|-------------|-----------------|
47| MRR | Sum(active subs x monthly price) | $10K-$50K | $200K-$800K |
48| ARR | MRR x 12 | $120K-$600K | $2M-$10M |
49| MoM Growth | (current - prior) / prior | 15-20% | 10-15% |
50| YoY Growth | (current year - prior year) / prior year | N/A | 3-5x |
51
52### Unit Economics
53
54| Metric | Formula | Healthy Benchmark |
55|--------|---------|-------------------|
56| CAC | Total S&M spend / new customers | Varies by model |
57| LTV | ARPU x gross margin% x (1/churn rate) | LTV:CAC > 3.0 |
58| CAC Payback | CAC / (ARPU x gross margin%) | < 12 months |
59| Gross Margin | (revenue - COGS) / revenue | 70-85% for SaaS |
60
61### Cash Management
62
63| Metric | Formula | Target |
64|--------|---------|--------|
65| Burn Rate | monthly expenses - monthly revenue | Track gross and net |
66| Runway | cash balance / monthly burn | Always 12-18+ months |
67| Burn Multiple | net burn / net new ARR | < 2.0 (lower is better) |
68
69## SaaS-Specific Metrics
70
71### Revenue Composition
72
73```
74Net New MRR = New MRR + Expansion MRR - Contraction MRR - Churned MRR
75```
76
77### Retention
78
79| Metric | Formula | Best-in-Class |
80|--------|---------|---------------|
81| Net Dollar Retention (NDR) | (start + expansion - contraction - churn) / start | > 120% |
82| Gross Retention | (start - churn - contraction) / start | > 90% |
83| Logo Retention | (end - new) / start | > 95% monthly |
84
85### Efficiency
86
87| Metric | Formula | Ready to Scale |
88|--------|---------|----------------|
89| Magic Number | net new ARR (quarter) / S&M spend (prior quarter) | > 0.75 |
90| Rule of 40 | revenue growth% + profit margin% | > 40% |
91| Quick Ratio | (new + expansion MRR) / (churned + contraction MRR) | > 4.0 |
92
93## Marketplace Metrics
94
95| Metric | Formula | Target |
96|--------|---------|--------|
97| GMV | sum of all transaction values | 20%+ MoM early-stage |
98| Take Rate | net revenue / GMV | 10-20% (model-dependent) |
99| Liquidity (Fill Rate) | transactions / listings | > 70% |
100| Repeat Rate | users with 2+ txns / total transacting | > 60% |
101| Time to First Transaction | median signup-to-transaction | < 3 days |
102
103## Consumer / Mobile Metrics
104
105| Metric | Formula | Benchmark |
106|--------|---------|-----------|
107| DAU/MAU Ratio | daily active / monthly active | > 20% good, > 50% exceptional |
108| Day 30 Retention | % users active 30d after signup | > 25% |
109| K-Factor (Virality) | invites per user x conversion rate | > 1.0 = viral |
110| Session Duration | total time / sessions | Context-dependent |
111| NPS | % promoters - % detractors | > 50 excellent |
112
113## B2B Sales Metrics
114
115| Metric | Formula | Target |
116|--------|---------|--------|
117| Win Rate | deals won / total opportunities | 20-40% |
118| Pipeline Coverage | pipeline value / quota | 3-5x |
119| ACV | total contract value / contract years | Track trends |
120| Sales Cycle | avg days from opportunity to close | SMB: 30-60d, Enterprise: 120-270d |
121
122### Pipeline Conversion Rates
123
124| Stage | Typical Rate |
125|-------|-------------|
126| Lead → Opportunity | 10-20% |
127| Opportunity → Demo | 50-70% |
128| Demo → Proposal | 30-50% |
129| Proposal → Close | 20-40% |
130
131## Metrics by Stage
132
133### Pre-Seed (Product-Market Fit)
134
135**Focus:** Active users growth, user retention (D7/D30), core engagement, qualitative feedback (NPS, interviews).
136
137**Ignore for now:** Revenue, CAC, unit economics.
138
139### Seed ($500K-$2M ARR)
140
141**Focus:** MRR growth (15-20% MoM), CAC and LTV baselines, gross retention (>85%), product engagement.
142
143**Start tracking:** Sales efficiency, burn rate, runway.
144
145### Series A ($2M-$10M ARR)
146
147**Focus:** ARR growth (3-5x YoY), unit economics (LTV:CAC >3, payback <18mo), NDR (>100%), burn multiple (<2.0), magic number (>0.5).
148
149**Mature tracking:** Rule of 40, sales efficiency, pipeline coverage.
150
151### Series B+ ($10M+ ARR)
152
153**Focus:** Rule of 40 (>40%), efficient growth, path to profitability, market leadership.
154
155## Tracking Best Practices
156
157### Reporting Cadence
158
159| Frequency | Metrics |
160|-----------|---------|
161| Daily | MRR, active users, signups, conversions |
162| Weekly | Growth rates, retention cohorts, sales pipeline |
163| Monthly | Full metric suite, board reporting, investor updates |
164| Quarterly | Trend analysis, benchmarking, strategy review |
165
166### Dashboard Format
167
168```
169Current MRR: $250K (↑ 18% MoM)
170ARR: $3.0M (↑ 280% YoY)
171CAC: $1,200 | LTV: $4,800 | LTV:CAC = 4.0x
172NDR: 112% | Logo Retention: 92%
173Burn: $180K/mo | Runway: 18 months
174```
175
176Always include: current value, growth rate/trend, context (target or benchmark).
177
178### What VCs Want to See
179
180| Round | Key Metrics |
181|-------|-------------|
182| Seed | MRR growth rate, user retention, early unit economics, product engagement |
183| Series A | ARR + growth, CAC payback <18mo, LTV:CAC >3.0, NDR >100%, burn multiple <2.0 |
184| Series B+ | Rule of 40 >40%, magic number, path to profitability, market leadership |
185
186## Data Infrastructure
187
188### Requirements
189
190- Single source of truth (analytics platform)
191- Real-time or daily updates for core metrics
192- Automated calculations (no manual spreadsheets for recurring metrics)
193- Historical tracking for trend analysis and cohort comparisons
194
195### Recommended Tools
196
197| Category | Tools |
198|----------|-------|
199| Product analytics | Mixpanel, Amplitude, PostHog |
200| SaaS metrics | ChartMogul, Baremetrics, ProfitWell |
201| BI dashboards | Looker, Metabase, Tableau |
202| Cohort analysis | Built-in analytics + spreadsheets for custom analysis |
203
204## Common Mistakes
205
2061. **Vanity metrics** — Focus on actionable metrics tied to value, not totals without context
2072. **Too many metrics** — Track 5-7 core metrics intensely, not 50 loosely
2083. **Ignoring unit economics** — CAC and LTV matter even at seed stage
2094. **Not segmenting** — Break down by customer segment, channel, cohort
2105. **Gaming metrics** — Optimize for real business outcomes, not dashboard numbers
211
212## Metric Calculation Examples
213
214### LTV Calculation
215
216```
217ARPU: $200/month
218Gross Margin: 80%
219Monthly Churn: 3%
220
221LTV = $200 × 0.80 × (1/0.03) = $5,333
222```
223
224### Burn Multiple
225
226```
227Net Burn: $150K/month
228Net New ARR (quarter): $300K
229
230Burn Multiple = ($150K × 3) / $300K = 1.5
231```
232
233Interpretation: Spending $1.50 to generate each $1 of new ARR — acceptable efficiency.
234
235### Magic Number
236
237```
238Net New ARR (Q2): $400K
239S&M Spend (Q1): $500K
240
241Magic Number = $400K / $500K = 0.80
242```
243
244Interpretation: Above 0.75 threshold — efficient, ready to scale S&M investment.
245
246### Quick Ratio
247
248```
249New MRR: $40K
250Expansion MRR: $15K
251Churned MRR: $8K
252Contraction MRR: $4K
253
254Quick Ratio = ($40K + $15K) / ($8K + $4K) = 4.58
255```
256
257Interpretation: Above 4.0 — healthy growth significantly outpacing churn.
258
259## Investor Metric Presentation
260
261Present metrics with three components:
262
2631. **Current value** — the number itself
2642. **Growth rate or trend** — direction and velocity
2653. **Context** — benchmark, target, or peer comparison
266
267```
268Current MRR: $250K (↑ 18% MoM)
269ARR: $3.0M (↑ 280% YoY)
270CAC: $1,200 | LTV: $4,800 | LTV:CAC = 4.0x
271NDR: 112% | Logo Retention: 92%
272Burn: $180K/mo | Runway: 18 months
273Burn Multiple: 1.8x | Magic Number: 0.65
274```
275
276## Quick Start
277
278To implement this framework:
279
2801. **Identify business model** — SaaS, marketplace, consumer, B2B
2812. **Choose 5-7 core metrics** — based on stage and model
2823. **Establish tracking** — set up analytics and dashboards
2834. **Calculate unit economics** — CAC, LTV, payback
2845. **Set targets** — use benchmarks from this skill
2856. **Review regularly** — weekly for core metrics, monthly for full suite
2867. **Share with team** — align on goals and progress
2878. **Update investors** — monthly or quarterly reporting
288
289## Data Reference
290
291The `data/metrics.csv` file contains 42 metrics with:
292
293- Unique ID and category classification
294- Formulas for calculation
295- Benchmarks by stage (seed, Series A, Series B)
296- Interpretation guidance for each metric
297- Related metrics for cross-referencing and dependency tracking
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