Who This Helps
Founder operators who track too many numbers and still feel stuck. You want faster decisions, not more data. The Metrics & Dashboards Basics program is built for you.
Mini Case
Maya runs a small SaaS team. She had 20 metrics on her screen and zero clarity. Every Monday, she picked an experiment based on the loudest voice in the room. After building a weekly scoreboard from the program, she focused on one metric: activation rate. It was stuck at 12%. She ran one experiment to simplify onboarding. In 7 days, activation hit 18%. That one move drove more revenue than the previous three experiments combined.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Pick your North Star Metric. One number that captures the value you deliver. If you don't have one, start with the first mission in the program.
- Define three supporting metrics that lead to your North Star. For example, sign-ups, activation rate, and weekly active users.
- Set realistic targets for each. Use past data or a simple benchmark. Aim for a 10% improvement in 30 days.
- Build a weekly scoreboard. List your North Star, supporting metrics, and targets. Update it every Monday before any meeting.
- Choose one experiment that moves the metric farthest from target. Run it for one week. Measure. Repeat.
Avoid These Traps
- Don't track more than five metrics. More is noise.
- Don't change your North Star every month. Give it at least one quarter.
- Don't pick an experiment because it's easy. Pick the one with the highest potential impact.
- Don't skip targets. Without them, you have no way to know if you're winning.
- Don't update your scoreboard daily. Weekly is enough for calm decisions.
- Don't ignore guardrails. Set alerts for metrics that signal trouble, like a sudden drop in retention.
- Don't let the loudest voice decide. Let the data speak.
- Don't overcomplicate your dashboard. A clear layout with sections beats a cluttered mess every time.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you will have a weekly scoreboard with your North Star, three supporting metrics, and one experiment to run next week. You will know exactly where to focus your energy. No more guessing. No more noise. Just one clear move that moves the needle.
And hey, if your scoreboard makes you smile a little, that's okay too. Data can be fun when it finally works for you.