Why this matters now
Most scale-ups are under pressure to do more with less. Hiring freezes and tighter budgets collide with ambitious growth targets, leaving sales leaders searching for efficiency. In 2024, Syncle (formerly Videoly) delivered its budget yet still landed at only 70 percent of sales quota. The potential was there, but the motion was wrong.
For Chief Revenue Officer Patric Lindström, this was not the first time he had faced such a test. He had already led the company out of a high-burn period into disciplined growth. Now he confronted a problem familiar to many scale-ups: the team was working hard, but the system design itself wasn’t set up for success. His answer was not to add headcount but to redesign the engine with the people he already had. Three months later, his team hit 130 percent of quota.
At SaaSiest 2025, Patric shared the five steps that made the difference.
The five-step framework to redesign without adding people
1. Start with the data before you talk about people
Do not begin with org charts or titles. Begin with a scorecard that reveals what is really happening across segments.
Measure:
- Close rate and win rate. Check close rate before win rate to avoid false positives.
- Sales cycle length by segment.
- Average deal size.
- CAC to LTV ratio.
- Churn and net retention impact.
At this stage, names do not matter. The goal is to surface patterns. At Syncle, the data revealed striking contrasts. Some reps thrived in mid-market, closing 42 percent of deals in just eight days, but burned enterprise pipeline. Small accounts closed quickly but churned badly. These insights, not assumptions, set the direction.
2. Map insights to people potential
Only once the data is clear should you bring people into the picture. Match performance patterns with what you know about each person: what motivates them, where they shine, and what holds them back. Think in twelve-month arcs, not two-week fixes.
The draft design that emerges should reflect both the hard numbers and human potential.
3. Involve people early to create co-ownership
Too many leaders announce new structures top down. Patric avoided that mistake. Instead, he sat down one-to-one, listened carefully, and resisted steering people toward the roles he wanted filled.
“The mistake leaders make is steering people toward the role they want filled. Instead, you need to deeply understand what they want and where they see opportunity,” he explained.
The result was sharper role fit and stronger buy-in. Change felt co-created, not imposed.
4. Pressure test with peers and stakeholders, then own the decision
Before finalising the design, Patric presented his draft to fellow CROs and CSOs in the SaaSiest Executive Network and invited feedback from investors and board members. Their outside perspective helped him refine the plan.
But once the decision was made, he stressed the importance of owning it. No excuses. No blame-shifting. Monitor and tweak, but take responsibility for the outcome.
5. Launch fast and resist the rollback
Syncle planned hard for three weeks, launched quickly, and saw results within a quarter. The danger comes in weeks one and two, when people are tempted to slip back into old habits—chasing small, easy deals for quick wins. Patric called this the “Temptation Island” phase.
Leaders must hold the line long enough for new motions to stick.
The tactical shifts that created leverage
The framework set the mindset. These design choices produced the step change:
- Segment specialisation, not verticals. Enterprise and mid-market motions are so different that segment focus delivered more value than industry knowledge.
- Full-cycle mid-market AEs. SDRs became a privilege, not a right, reserved for enterprise motions where they created outsized impact.
- Stop chasing small customers. Small deals created noise and churn. Eliminating them freed capacity for higher value pursuits.
- Move to 100 percent ICP. Syncle moved from 80 percent ICP to complete ICP focus. On paper, this narrows the funnel. In practice, it deepens fit and expands winnable opportunities.
The results
Quota attainment jumped from 70 percent to 130 percent in one quarter. Beyond revenue, the psychological shift was transformative. Scarcity gave way to momentum. Investments restarted. Career paths reopened. People felt the system now worked with them, not against them.
Do and don’t checklist for leaders
- Do understand each team member’s motivation.
- Do think long term so today’s moves do not backfire at the next promotion cycle.
- Do involve your CEO with a solution, not just a problem.
- Don’t aim to please everyone. That creates incoherent design.
- Don’t fear placing a bet. If you never place one, you are not really playing.
- Don’t play the blame game. Own the function and the outcomes.
How to apply this within 30 days
Week 1
- Build a scorecard across close rate, cycle, deal size, CAC to LTV, churn, and NRR.
- Label each motion green, yellow, or red.
Week 2
- Draft a new design by segment. Define who runs full cycle, where SDRs deploy, and what to stop.
- Map each person into roles aligned with both numbers and motivation.
Week 3
- Run one-to-ones to listen for motivation and risks.
- Pressure test with experienced peers.
- Finalise comp and ICP criteria.
Week 4
- Launch. Communicate the why, how, and what success looks like.
- Hold the line through the early temptation phase.
If you do this right
You will trade a wider but weaker funnel for a narrower, stronger engine. You will free time to focus where you can win and keep customers. You will replace activity pride with effectiveness pride. Most importantly, your people will feel seen and set up to succeed.
Final takeaway
“Change before you are forced to,” Patric urged. Design beats hustle when the goal is durable growth. The team you already have can outperform if you give them clarity, focus, and the courage to stop doing the wrong work.
👉 Watch the full session from SaaSiest 2025 here.
