The world of venture has always moved fast. With the rise of generative AI, companies are now scaling faster than ever, reaching double digit ARR in a matter of months, and the window of opportunity to stand out in a crowded market is getting smaller by the day. The ability to build, sell, and communicate clear, differentiated value is fundamental to building an enduring business at scale. But despite its importance, many founders struggle to weave that ability into the fabric of the company.
At ICONIQ, we’re fortunate to partner with two highly accomplished CROs -- Dennis Lyandres (formerly of Procore) and Luca Lazzaron (formerly of Sprinklr) -- who understand this challenge. As GTM Advisors for ICONIQ, Dennis and Luca support our portfolio companies across strategy, product, operations, talent, and more. They share a belief that long-term success comes from embedding value into every part of the business and, here’s how they’ve seen that done:
To Achieve Sustainable Scale, Sell Value Sooner
As early-stage software companies scale, especially those led by technical founders, value selling is often treated as an afterthought. Initial go-to-market traction tends to rely on inbound interest, founder-led sales, and a strong product that “sells itself.” But, as we describe in our report “Scaling SaaS from $1 to $20M,” that approach usually hits a wall around the $25M ARR mark. At this stage, a great product isn’t enough to continue to scale effectively. Companies that lack a compelling value narrative to support their sales motion often face increasing challenges: pipeline generation becomes unpredictable, win rates decline, and execution becomes inconsistent across teams and geographies. Meanwhile, competitors who have developed clearer, more consistent value narratives start to win.
Luca saw this pattern firsthand at BladeLogic. When the company approached $25M ARR, he and the team began embedding value selling into their sales process, not only within the popular MEDDIC framework (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain and Champion), a sales methodology to help sales teams more effectively qualify leads and close deals, but also as a mindset woven throughout the company’s culture. They built a shared understanding of “the why, the what, and the how” which helped propel BladeLogic past the $25M ARR wall and solidify its market leadership. When BMC acquired the business, the value-selling culture was so strong that BladeLogic’s team was tapped to lead BMC’s entire sales organization, despite BMC being the far larger company. For Luca, it was a clear sign: value messaging isn’t just a sales tactic; it’s an organizational advantage.
Key Takeaways:
- The $25M ARR wall is real. At this stage, companies often experience pipeline volatility, declining win rates, and fragmented execution across teams. Companies that start value selling before hitting the “$25M ARR wall” can create lasting alignment and momentum.
- A great product isn’t enough. Without clear, repeatable value messaging, even the best products struggle to scale effectively. Many companies struggle to reverse-engineer why deals are lost, often failing to recognize that their sales motion lacks a compelling and repeatable value narrative.
- Cultural adoption matters more than methodology. MEDDIC and similar frameworks are tools, but lasting impact comes when teams internalize the “why, what, and how” behind the value.
Communicate a Customer Value Proposition that Cuts Through the Noise
In a world where customers are constantly bombarded with sales pitches, the difference between a deal won and a deal lost often comes down to one thing: relevance. As Dennis and Luca emphasize, the best salespeople don’t just pitch, they solve. They zero in on the few pain points that genuinely keep executives up at night. When that level of insight is paired with a strong internal champion, the combination is transformative. Both Dennis and Luca agree that while many know the MEDDIC framework, most underestimate the true priority within it: the “C”, Champion. Without one, even the strongest messaging falls flat.
Great sellers don’t just talk about value; they tailor it, deliver it with precision, and build lasting relationships. That takes more than a few emails. It often requires 7 to 10 well-placed, high-value touchpoints to build credibility and trust. As a litmus test, Dennis encourages sales teams to send five relevant, insight-rich topics to a potential Champion. If they don’t respond within 48 hours - barring obvious exceptions - it’s worth reevaluating the strength of the relationship. Ultimately, the game isn’t about who can shout the loudest; it’s about who listens best and connects deepest.
Key Takeaways:
- Executives buy solutions, not features. Cut through the noise by addressing high-stakes pain points that demand immediate attention. As John McMahon writes in his book, The Qualified Sales Leader, “pain above the noise” is your messaging north star. Focus your narrative on the business problems that matter most, not a laundry list of product capabilities.
- A Champion is your biggest multiplier. In MEDDICC, “C” isn’t just a letter, it’s the foundation of every successful deal. Tailor every Champion interaction. These stakeholders are busy, so every touchpoint should feel relevant, specific, and insightful.
- Champion relationships require strategic and intentional effort. Building trust often requires 7–10 thoughtful, intentional touchpoints. Treating it as both art and science.Test Champion strength regularly. If your Champion isn’t engaging, despite valuable outreach, it may signal a weak link in your deal strategy.
Create a Value-Driven Culture
Companies that invest deeply in their people build something far more powerful than a strong sales engine: they build a culture that scales. Dennis experienced this firsthand at Procore, where he helped create a go-to-market culture rooted in education, not just execution. Sales reps weren’t handed a generic playbook; instead, they were trained to deeply understand the construction industry, identify what their customers valued, and deliver insights that truly mattered. This investment in people showed up in the market. Customers praised the product, but importantly, they also praised the people behind it. They could feel that Procore’s team genuinely understood their challenges and could speak directly to how the platform would help them succeed.
Companies that get this right create a self-reinforcing loop: better training leads to more confident teams, stronger customer relationships, and higher retention. Higher retention leads to longer tenures, which directly correlate to productivity. Founders who prioritize this mindset early, before scale, are far more likely to build a culture that lasts.
Key Takeaways:
- People are the engine of value. Great products matter, but it's the people behind them who turn features into impact. Customer trust is built through employee empowerment. Dennis recalls Procore’s customers raving not just about the product, but about the insight and authenticity of the team.
- Retention drives performance. Tenure is one of the strongest indicators of productivity. Investing in people directly affects growth. Training should go beyond sales tactics - world-class teams are educated in the customer’s world, not just the company’s product.
- Cultural foundations must be laid early. It’s exponentially harder to evolve a company’s culture post-scale. Founders should prioritize this from day one, remembering that leadership sets the tone. Founders and executives must treat value selling as a company-wide discipline, not just a sales team function.
Align Product Development with Customer Values
Companies that win long term don’t just ship great products; they obsess over whether those products are truly delivering value. The best technical leaders, as Dennis and Luca consistently have observed, are builders who are deeply customer-centric. They maintain what Dennis calls a “healthy paranoia,” always asking: What do customers really need? Are we solving their biggest problems? Are they truly happy? The best CTOs they’ve worked with never turned down a customer conversation. This mindset creates a culture where product and value are inseparable.
Delivering a product that provides customer value doesn’t stop at product launch or deal close. It must be realized, measured, and reinforced post-sale. Far too many teams stop short, failing to confirm whether the promised outcomes were delivered. The best companies follow through by measuring impact, surfacing proof points, and turning satisfied customers into advocates. That level of “uncommon care,” as Luca puts it, is what separates great companies from the rest.
Key Takeaways:
- The best CTOs are value creators, not just product builders. They obsess over whether the product is truly solving customers' biggest problems. Customer conversations are non-negotiable. Great technical leaders stay close to the market and never pass up a chance to engage directly with users.
- Product-market fit is a continuous process. Consistent feedback loops are essential to refining messaging and maintaining relevance.
- Value realization must be tracked post-sale. Winning companies revisit promised outcomes to ensure customers experience the impact they were sold. A culture focused on delivering real customer success—before, during, and after the sale—builds long-term loyalty, expansion, and advocacy.
Provide Uncommon Care
The truth is that the best technology doesn’t always win. Neither does the best distribution. But we believe the companies that invest in value - for their people, their customers, and their product - are the ones that endure. They can stand out from the competition by providing a level of care that is truly uncommon, because when value is embedded into a company’s DNA from day one, it shows up in the details: customers feel it, employees carry it, and competitors can’t copy it.
Published:
May 29, 2025
