Introduction

When Intercom started, their product was strong, but they lacked a clear view of how the business was doing. This story shows why tracking revenue the right way is key for growth.

What's the problem it solves?

Startups often focus too much on building the product and forget to measure how well the business itself is working. This article shows why having strong ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) tracking helps everyone understand growth, find problems, and make better decisions.

Quick Summary

Back in 2013, Intercom was just getting started. The founders were focused on product, but investors wanted to know more-especially how the business was performing. Bobby Pinero, the first finance hire, was brought in to help explain what was happening with the company’s money and growth. He quickly realized that the most important thing to track was ARR.

Over time, Bobby and his team learned how to measure ARR the right way. They found that doing this helped answer big questions about where the business was going, what was working, and where to improve. They made a lot of mistakes along the way, but those lessons helped them grow Intercom from less than $1 million in ARR to over $150 million.

Now, Bobby and Chris Burgner have written a practical guide to help others avoid those early mistakes. It’s based on real experience and is meant to help startups build smart finance practices from the start.

Key Takeaways from the article

• Strong products need strong business tracking to grow
• ARR is the key number that helps explain growth and future potential
• Tracking ARR the right way helps spot growth problems and plan better
• Most early-stage companies struggle with finance because they don’t know where to start
• Real stories and lessons can help others skip the common mistakes
• A good finance system should show what’s working, what’s not, and where you’re headed

‍