13 Modules · 4 Phases · 13 WeeksFoundation: WBD Bow-Tie + AI SystemsOwner: Tom van Os
Four non-negotiable design principles
The Bow-Tie data model is the revenue architecture backbone — every stage, KPI, and AI signal is built on top of it. AI is an operating principle, not a bolt-on — deployed responsibly from Week 5 with clear ownership and governance. Clean data before systems — data model and taxonomy locked before plays, cadences, or automation are built. Tangible results at every stage — every module produces outputs a CS leader and CSM can use immediately.
Three Tracks — assigned at M01, gates scope across all modules
Track 1 · $1M–$5M · Founder-led, first CS motion
Track 2 · $5M–$10M · Scaling CS, core market
Track 3 · $10M+ · Transformation & AI governance
6 System Layers — backbone across all tracks and modules
AI readiness, orchestration, automation, governance
WBD Revenue Breaking Points — M01 locates the client, shapes track and scope
Breaking Points 1–3 · Unrepeatable
$1–5M ARR · Start-Up
How did you define ICP from MVP to PMF? Is revenue still founder-dependent? Do you have a data model or just CRM activity?
→ Track 1 · First CS motion
Breaking Points 4–6 · Repeatable
$5–10M ARR · Scale-Up
Did you translate founder success into a real GTM model? Do Sales and CS operate on the same revenue logic? Is there a documented growth formula?
→ Track 2 · Scaling CS
Breaking Points 7–12 · Efficiency
$10–100M ARR · Grown-Up
Can your systems scale throughput, not just headcount? Is expansion systematic? Can you forecast GRR and NRR with confidence?
→ Track 3 · Transformation & AI governance
Revenue Architecture Foundation — the model everything is built on
The Bow-Tie — WBD Full Funnel Revenue Model
The classic sales funnel ends where recurring revenue begins. Two of three growth engines — retention and expansion — live entirely outside it. The Bow-Tie extends the funnel into a continuous impact loop, giving Marketing, Sales, CS, and Product one shared revenue language from first contact through maximum expansion.
Foundation Model · All Tracks
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Recurring revenue needs a loop
Shifts from a one-time close to an ongoing impact cycle. Retention and expansion are equal growth engines alongside new sales.
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From value promise to impact realized
The shift at the knot: from what we sold to what the customer achieves. Impact is the only measure that drives renewal and expansion.
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One revenue language for all teams
Marketing, Sales, CS, and Product work from the same stage definitions. No more siloed reporting or conflicting NRR stories.
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Measurable and forecastable
Every sub-system has a named owner, milestone, and KPI. The Bow-Tie is not a slide — it is the data model that makes AI signals possible.
Ends at the sale — 2 of 3 growth engines (retention + expansion) live outside the funnel entirely
02
Seller-centric — focused on what we do to close, not the impact the customer needs to achieve
03
Treated as linear — managed stage by stage with no feedback loops back into earlier stages
04
No GTM system owner — no one accountable for orchestrating all sub-systems as one coherent whole
13-Week Timeline — colour-coded by phase
Diagnose · Wks 1–3
Design · Wks 4–8
Rollout · Wks 9–11
Embed · Wks 12–13
Wk 1M01Sizing & Track
Wk 2M02Revenue Baseline
Wk 3M03360 Audit
Wk 4M04Data Model Lock
Wk 5M05AI Readiness
Wk 6M06Segmentation
Wk 7M07Journey & TTFV
Wk 8M08KPI & Health Score
Wk 9M09Plays & Renewal
Wk 10M10Cadence & Forecast
Wk 11M11Ownership & RACI
Wk 12M12Enablement & AI
Wk 13M13Playbook Handoff
DiagnoseDesignRolloutEmbedAI ModuleLeadership governance sessions: end of each phase — Wk 3, Wk 8, Wk 11, Wk 13
Phase 1
Diagnose
— understand before you build
Weeks 1–3 · M01 · M02 · M03
Week 1
Module 01
Company Sizing & Track Selection
What's in it for them
CEO / CROScoped engagement calibrated to actual stage — not a generic framework
CS LeaderKnows exactly which modules apply right now and why
CSMAwareness that a structured improvement process is starting with clear intent
Establish ARR band, WBD breaking point, team structure, and motion maturity. Assign Track 1, 2, or 3. Includes first AI readiness scan. This single decision gates every module that follows.
Clients over-report maturity. Score against observable evidence, not self-assessment. If unsure, assign the lower track and adjust at Week 4.
Full output
Track assignment (T1/T2/T3)WBD breaking point locatedCurrent State ScorecardAI readiness first scan (6-point)13-week scope confirmedStakeholder map
Week 2
Module 02
Customer, Revenue & Data Baseline
What's in it for them
CEO / CROFirst honest view of NRR, churn risk, and expansion gaps — no spin
CS LeaderSees which accounts are actually healthy vs which only look fine
CSMTheir accounts are captured correctly — data gaps flagged, not blamed on individuals
Pull the numbers before forming opinions. Build the revenue baseline — ARR, GRR, NRR, churn, expansion, cohort performance. Run a CRM data sanity check. Draft initial Bow-Tie stage definitions.
Incentive misalignment (Sales on bookings, CS on retention) surfaced here as a systemic risk for the CRO — flagged, not fixed.
CEO / CROCross-functional view of where revenue leaks and why — root causes, not symptoms
CS LeaderValidation of what they already sense — with executive air cover to fix it
CSMTheir day-to-day friction is surfaced and taken seriously at leadership level
Full diagnosis of the revenue system: existing KPI suite, silo patterns across Sales/CS/Marketing, growth stage vs breaking point gaps, win/loss patterns, and churn root causes.
Without a leadership sign-off on priorities at end of Week 3, Phase 2 risks being built on assumptions. Do not proceed to Design without alignment.
Full output
360 Audit reportKPI suite gap analysisSilo & handoff mapWin/loss pattern summaryChurn root cause mapPriority list — leadership sign-off
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End of Phase 1 · Week 3 · Leadership Alignment Session
Diagnose Readout & Design Phase Sign-Off
Present the full 360 audit findings to CEO, CRO, and CS leader. Agree on the top gaps, confirm the priority order for Phase 2, and get explicit sign-off before any design work begins.
What gets presented
Revenue baseline: NRR, GRR, churn, expansion vs targets
KPI suite gap analysis and current reporting vs what's needed
Silo and handoff friction map across Sales, CS, Marketing
Win/loss and churn root causes with evidence
Proposed Design phase priorities (top 3–5 gaps)
What gets decided
Priority ranking of gaps — what gets fixed first in Phase 2
Any scope adjustments to the 13-week plan
Incentive misalignment flagged and escalated if present
Phase 2 kick-off date and working rhythm confirmed
In the room:CEOCROCS LeaderRevOps (informed)Tom van Os · WHYS
Phase 2
Design
— build the architecture before the plays
Weeks 4–8 · M04 · M05 · M06 · M07 · M08
Week 4
Module 04
Data Model, Taxonomy & GTM Alignment
What's in it for them
CEO / CROOne revenue model all functions report against — no more conflicting NRR stories
CS LeaderCS speaks the same data language as Sales and Marketing
CSMClear definition of each customer stage — no ambiguity about what "activated" means
Lock the Bow-Tie data model. Define each stage (SS4–SS7), agree on milestone events, build the event taxonomy, and align all teams on one shared revenue language.
If Marketing, Sales, and CS cannot agree on stage definitions, stop. No segmentation, no journey design, and no AI signals can be built on contested data.
Full output
Bow-Tie definitions dictionary (signed)Event taxonomy (SS4–SS7)CRM field structure agreedCross-functional alignment documentedAI data foundation locked
Week 5 · AI Module
Module 05
AI Readiness, Ownership & Systems Design
What's in it for them
CEO / CROA clear AI governance position — what is approved, who owns it, what the business case is
CS LeaderAn AI roadmap they can execute — sequenced, owned, connected to real CS outcomes
CSMWhich AI tools will remove admin from their workflow — and when
Assess real AI readiness — not aspiration, but current data quality, tools, and team capacity. Design the AI operating model with leadership. Requires Bow-Tie taxonomy from M04.
4-Step AI Operating Framework
Step 01
AI Ownership & Orchestration
Assign a named AI owner. Define governance scope and decision rights.
Step 02
Decision Intelligence
Map where AI improves a decision — risk detection, renewal timing, expansion signals.
Step 03
Systems Design
Connect clean Bow-Tie data to AI inputs. Define what each tool ingests and outputs.
Step 04
Human-AI Leadership
Establish when humans override AI. Build the escalation and review rhythm.
4-Stage AI Adoption Curve
Stage 1
Exposure
Team sees AI in action on real accounts
Stage 2
Trust
Signals are validated against human judgment
Stage 3
Experimentation
CSMs test AI prompts in their own workflow
Stage 4
Integration
AI is part of the weekly operating rhythm
Shadow AI adoption (CSMs using tools leadership hasn't approved) is the most common failure mode. Governance charter and named owner prevent this.
Full output
AI Readiness ScoreAI Governance Charter (signed)90-day AI deployment roadmapAI ownership assignedPriority use cases (top 3–5)
Week 6
Module 06
Segmentation & Coverage Model
What's in it for them
CEO / CROCS time goes where it creates the most retention and expansion value
CS LeaderA defensible coverage model with capacity logic and commercial rationale built in
CSMClarity on which accounts to prioritise — and why
Segment the customer base using the Bow-Tie data model as the foundation. Design the coverage model, CSM capacity model, and map segments to commercial outcomes.
Segmentation built on ARR alone misses the point. ICP fit, growth potential, and Bow-Tie stage determine where CSM effort creates compounding return.
CEO / CROA structured post-sale motion that reduces early churn and accelerates expansion
CS LeaderA journey architecture to train and coach to — consistent, not dependent on individual style
CSMA clear map of where each account is — and the next best action to move it forward
Design the post-sale journey from Mutual Commit through to Expansion, aligned to locked Bow-Tie stages and the segment model. Define customer milestones at each stage and design the TTFV path per segment.
Onboarding designed without segment differentiation creates a one-size-fits-all motion. Segment first, then design.
Full output
Journey map by segmentTTFV targets per segmentStage milestones definedHandoff points mappedJourney aligned to Bow-Tie SS4–SS7
Week 8
Module 08
KPI Stack, Health Score & Metric Contract
What's in it for them
CEO / CROLeading indicators that give early warning before revenue is impacted
CS LeaderA health score model and metric contract to run portfolio reviews and build forecasts
CSMA health score per account that makes risk visible before it becomes a churned logo
Build the full KPI architecture on the Bow-Tie data model. Define leading and lagging indicators, design the health score model per segment, and agree the metric contract.
KPIs without a metric contract become shelfware. The contract must be agreed by CS leader and CRO together.
Full output
KPI stack (strategic, tactical, operational)Leading & lagging indicator mapHealth score model per segmentMetric contract (agreed)KPI dashboard structure
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End of Phase 2 · Week 8 · Leadership Alignment Session
Design Review & Rollout Phase Sign-Off
Present the complete design layer to leadership — data model, AI governance, segmentation, journey, and KPI contract. Confirm the architecture is agreed and signed off before any plays or cadences are built.
All three sign-offs confirmed before Rollout begins
Any adjustments to segmentation or coverage model
Phase 3 priorities confirmed — which plays get built first
Team readiness for Rollout phase assessed
In the room:CEOCROCS LeaderRevOpsMarketing (informed)Tom van Os · WHYS
Phase 3
Rollout
— build the machine and run it
Weeks 9–11 · M09 · M10 · M11
Week 9
Module 09
Plays, Risk Detection & Renewal Motion
What's in it for them
CEO / CROA systematic renewal process — risk is visible early, every renewal has an owner and timeline
CS LeaderA play library the team can use immediately — risk, renewal, and expansion plays with talk tracks
CSMA clear next action when risk, renewal, or expansion signals fire — no more guessing
Build the play library: risk detection plays, renewal process, and expansion triggers. Design the renewal pipeline with stages, owners, and forecast inputs. AI risk signals go live here.
Plays without health score triggers are manual checklists. Every play must be connected to a signal that fires it — otherwise it sits in a Notion page unused.
Full output
Play library (risk, renewal, expansion)Renewal pipeline with stagesRisk scoring model liveAI risk signals activatedExpansion triggers defined
Week 10
Module 10
Cadence, Forecast & Operating Rhythm
What's in it for them
CEO / CROA forecast they can trust — built from the bottom up with real pipeline data
CS LeaderA weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence that drives action — not just status updates
CSMA clear weekly routine — what to review, when, with what data
Design and install the operating rhythm — portfolio reviews, renewal pipeline reviews, and executive readouts. AI weekly digest activated: top 5 at-risk accounts surfaced before every portfolio review.
A cadence without a forecast model is just meetings. The renewal forecast must be owned by CS leader, not assembled by RevOps the night before.
CEO / CROAccountability is explicit — every process has a named owner, no grey zones
CS LeaderCS's role in the revenue system formally defined — handoffs that caused churn are now governed
CSMClear handoff from Sales — structured context, not a CRM dump and a Slack message
Lock ownership of every process, play, and metric. Build the RACI across Sales, CS, Marketing, RevOps, and Product. Design the handoff protocols — particularly Sales to CS.
The Sales-to-CS handoff is the highest-risk friction point. Weak handoff = early churn. Treat this as a commercial priority, not a process formality.
End of Phase 3 · Week 11 · Leadership Alignment Session
Rollout Review & Embed Phase Sign-Off
Review the operating system in its live state — plays are built, cadence is running, RACI is assigned. Confirm the system is functioning as designed before moving to enablement and handoff.
What gets reviewed
Play library — are plays being used as designed?
Operating cadence — is the rhythm holding week to week?
Renewal forecast — is the model producing trusted inputs?
RACI — is ownership clear and respected across functions?
AI signals — are they surfacing the right accounts?
What gets decided
Any adjustments to plays, cadence, or RACI before handoff
Enablement priorities for Phase 4 — who needs what
Confirmation that system runs independently post-engagement
Continuation plan options reviewed ahead of Week 13
In the room:CEOCROCS LeaderRevOpsTom van Os · WHYS
Phase 4
Embed
— make it stick and hand it over
Weeks 12–13 · M12 · M13
Week 12
Module 12
Team Enablement & AI Activation
What's in it for them
CEO / CROThe team can run the system independently — this is capability transfer, not a training event
CS LeaderA coaching guide and reinforcement cadence so the system holds after the engagement ends
CSMHands-on practice with real accounts — they leave knowing how to use the system
Train the team on the system — live practice with real accounts, not slides. AI tools activated in the workflow. CS leader receives coaching guide for ongoing reinforcement.
Training without reinforcement has a half-life of two weeks. The CS leader coaching guide and weekly reinforcement cadence are non-negotiable.
Full output
Team trained on full systemAI tools live in workflowAI prompt libraryCS leader coaching guideReinforcement cadence installed
Week 13
Module 13
Playbook Handoff & Continuation Plan
What's in it for them
CEO / CROA complete operating system they own — not a consultant dependency
CS LeaderA playbook and template library they can use immediately — and a next-90-day roadmap
CSMTheir new way of working is documented, owned, and backed by leadership
Deliver the complete system with a formal leadership handover. Playbook, templates, Bow-Tie dictionary, AI governance charter, and next-90-day roadmap are presented and signed off. System runs independently from Day 92.
A handoff without a continuation plan is an ending. The next-90-day roadmap is the difference between a completed engagement and an ongoing operating improvement trajectory.
End of Phase 4 · Week 13 · Formal Handover Session
System Handover, Outcome Review & Next-90-Day Sign-Off
The formal close of the engagement. Full system is handed over, outcomes reviewed against the Week 3 priority list, and the next-90-day roadmap is presented and agreed. Leadership confirms the system runs independently.
What gets handed over
Complete Notion playbook — all 13 modules, all templates
Bow-Tie definitions dictionary and event taxonomy
AI Governance Charter and 90-day AI deployment roadmap
All working models: segmentation, KPI contract, health score
CS leader coaching guide and reinforcement cadence
What gets decided
Outcome review: what moved vs the Week 3 baseline
Next-90-day roadmap priorities agreed and signed off
Continuation engagement scope (if applicable)
AI next-3-use-cases roadmap confirmed and owned
In the room:CEOCROCS LeaderRevOpsTom van Os · WHYS
What the client receives at Day 92
Notion Workspace
13 module pages with exercises, worksheets, and templates
Play library (risk, renewal, expansion) with talk tracks
