Are you measuring the right metrics to supercharge your sales growth in 2026?
In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, breaks down the critical metrics every sales leader needs to track to fuel durable growth, whether you're raising capital, planning for an exit, or gearing up for 2026. From raising quotas without losing top talent to understanding the magic of revenue per FTE, Sugden offers actionable insights that can supercharge your sales efficiency.
Learn how to fine-tune your sales and marketing spend, optimize your CAC payback period, and rethink your pricing strategy to drive real results. This episode is packed with data-driven strategies for building a high-growth, capital-efficient sales engine that can thrive in the age of AI.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How raising quotas can drive better results, with 26% of top performers surpassing their targets.
Why a customer acquisition cost (CAC) payback period under 15 months is critical for sustainable growth.
The importance of revenue per FTE, with top companies achieving 2x the revenue compared to their peers.
Aligning sales and marketing budgets and fostering collaboration is key to optimizing growth.
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:24) Why sales productivity feels chaotic at year-end
(02:20) Higher quotas and what they reveal
(03:55) CAC payback as a wake-up call
(05:20) Pipeline coverage and go-to-market alignment
(06:50) Revenue per FTE in an AI-heavy environment
(08:40) What durable growth companies do differently
(10:15) The problem with sales and marketing planning in silos
(11:50) Pricing, experiments, and avoiding "set it and forget it."
(13:40) Final guidance for 2026 planning and key metrics to watch
Edison Partners 2025 Growth Index
https://www.edisonpartners.com/download-2025-growth-index-0?hsCtaAttrib=190418574900
