This blog is a summary of Craig Rosenberg's on the Revenue Mavericks Podcast. Visit the Mavericks Podcast Homepage to see the latest episodes.

We’re still figuring out exactly what RevOps is—and honestly, that’s okay. Some people find it frustrating, others are confused, and plenty have their own definitions. But here’s the thing: RevOps isn’t just Sales Ops with a fancy new name. It’s not a single team or a piece of technology; it’s a way of operating. RevOps views your entire business as an interconnected system, an end-to-end revenue process spanning marketing, sales, customer success, and beyond.

RevOps: It’s How You Work, Not Just What You Call It

RevOps works best when the CEO drives it from the top down. It’s not just a support function or an extension of Sales Ops—it’s an operating model that connects the entire business. That connection requires a new mindset and a different kind of professional—people who can step out of silos and align the broader organization.

Without this kind of alignment, companies tend to operate tactically. For example, someone might say they’re doing RevOps but only focus on comp plans. That’s not RevOps. Real RevOps is about seeing the big picture and solving cross-functional challenges.


Start with Strategy, not Tools

For years, people have tried to define RevOps by roles or technology. But the truth is, tech is secondary. When I joined Gartner, I learned the value of starting with business strategy and letting the tools follow. Technology isn’t the foundation—it’s the enabler.

The first question should always be, “What’s the strategy we’re trying to achieve?” Then, figure out what tools and processes support that vision. Too many organizations put the tech first, which only leads to more silos.

Revenue flows through different parts of the business, but most companies don’t tie those parts together very well. RevOps exists to bridge those gaps. Take Andy Mowat at Box, for instance. He brought everything under RevOps but quickly realized that marketing had its own needs. Instead of forcing everything into one box, they moved Marketing Ops back under marketing while keeping RevOps focused on cross-functional issues. That flexibility is the strength of RevOps.

Aligning Around the Right Metrics

Metrics are where the rubber meets the road. Great RevOps leaders don’t just ask, “What’s working in sales or marketing?” They ask, “How do we see the entire business?” Even if your teams are still in silos, aligning on key metrics is a critical starting point.

At TOPO, we worked with hundreds of organizations. The majority of these would struggle with alignment because marketing and sales tracked completely different metrics. On the other hand, the organizations with a RevOps model in place were able to align around the bigger picture—like focusing on pipeline generated instead of sticking to outdated metrics like MQLs.

It’s not just about tracking metrics but ensuring they reflect how your buyers actually make decisions. RevOps ensures you’re measuring the right things so you can adjust accordingly.


Optimize Before You Add

The biggest opportunity for RevOps isn’t about creating more—it’s about optimizing what you already have. Improving a key conversion rate by even 5% can have a massive impact on revenue.

A great RevOps leader digs into the details and finds bottlenecks. Maybe your problem isn’t with lead generation—it’s with what happens during the first call. RevOps identifies those issues, fixes them, and moves the needle.

Unifying the Business

RevOps isn’t just for sales or marketing—it’s for the entire organization. A strong RevOps model takes a holistic view of the business, aligning metrics and ensuring everyone is working toward the same goals.

For example, marketing has often been stuck in a silo with a single metric like MQLs. But RevOps doesn’t stop at lead handoff. It looks at what happens after and helps improve the entire process. Instead of throwing metrics over the fence, RevOps helps diagnose real issues and drive better decisions.

It’s not about blame. It’s about collaboration. RevOps fosters that by getting everyone aligned around shared goals.

The Role of Technology in RevOps

Technology is critical for RevOps—but only as a means to an end. A centralized data source can free up RevOps leaders to focus on delivering insights rather than firefighting. When your data is clean and centralized, you can spend less time on reporting and more time on strategy.

And let’s not forget AI. The future of RevOps is about using tools to uncover trends and opportunities that weren’t obvious before. It’s about using technology to get ahead, not just keep up.

What's Next for RevOps?

The best RevOps leaders aren’t just looking at their own team or department. They’re looking at the entire revenue lifecycle. They’re asking questions like, “What if we adjusted this process?” or “How can we align better here?”

RevOps isn’t about disrupting everything. It’s about eliminating inefficiencies and making growth easier. It’s a service provider, not an invader. By focusing on strategy, alignment, and metrics, RevOps creates scalable, sustainable growth.

Right now, businesses need that more than ever.