metrics-knowledge

name	Metrics Knowledge
description	This skill should be used when the user asks to "track metrics", "calculate ARR", "what metrics should I track", "benchmark my metrics", "understand churn", "calculate LTV", "what is burn multiple", "GMV calculation", "marketplace metrics", or mentions specific metrics like ARR, MRR, NRR, churn, CAC, LTV, burn rate, runway, GMV, take rate, or cohort analysis.
version	0.1.0

Startup Metrics Knowledge

Overview

This skill provides comprehensive guidance on startup metrics for SaaS and marketplace businesses. It covers metric definitions, calculation formulas, stage-appropriate benchmarks, and best practices for tracking and reporting.

SaaS Metrics Fundamentals

Revenue Metrics

Metric	Formula	Description
MRR	Sum of monthly recurring revenue	Core subscription revenue
ARR	MRR × 12	Annualized recurring revenue
New MRR	MRR from new customers	Growth driver
Expansion MRR	MRR from upgrades/upsells	Land-and-expand signal
Churned MRR	MRR lost from cancellations	Retention indicator
Net New MRR	New + Expansion - Churned	Overall momentum

Growth Metrics

Metric	Formula	Good	Great
MoM Growth	(MRR₁ - MRR₀) / MRR₀	10-15%	20%+
YoY Growth	(ARR₁ - ARR₀) / ARR₀	2x	3x
Net Revenue Retention	(Starting MRR + Expansion - Churn) / Starting MRR	100-110%	120%+
Gross Revenue Retention	(Starting MRR - Churn) / Starting MRR	85-90%	95%+
Logo Retention	Customers retained / Starting customers	85-90%	95%+

Unit Economics

Metric	Formula	Target
CAC	Sales & Marketing spend / New customers	Varies by ACV
LTV	ARPU × Gross Margin × (1/Churn Rate)	3x+ CAC
LTV:CAC Ratio	LTV / CAC	3:1 to 5:1
CAC Payback	CAC / (ARPU × Gross Margin)	<18 months
Gross Margin	(Revenue - COGS) / Revenue	70-80%+

Efficiency Metrics

Metric	Formula	Target
Burn Multiple	Net Burn / Net New ARR	<2x
Magic Number	Net New ARR / Prior Q S&M Spend	>0.75
Rule of 40	Growth Rate + Profit Margin	>40%
Hype Ratio	Implied ARR Multiple / Growth Rate	<1x

Marketplace Metrics Fundamentals

Volume Metrics

Metric	Formula	Description
GMV	Total transaction value	Gross Merchandise Value
Net Revenue	GMV × Take Rate	Actual revenue
Take Rate	Net Revenue / GMV	Platform fee %
AOV	GMV / Orders	Average Order Value

Liquidity Metrics

Metric	Formula	Description
Search-to-Fill Rate	Filled requests / Total searches	Demand satisfaction
Time-to-Fill	Avg time from request to fulfillment	Efficiency
Buyer-to-Seller Ratio	Active buyers / Active sellers	Balance indicator
Repeat Rate	Repeat transactions / Total	Stickiness

Marketplace Health

Metric	Description	Target
Supply Liquidity	% of listings with transactions	>30%
Demand Liquidity	% of searches resulting in purchase	>20%
Supplier Concentration	Top 10% supplier revenue share	<40%
Cross-Side Network Effects	Growth correlation between sides	Positive

Burn & Runway

Burn Calculations

Metric	Formula
Gross Burn	Total monthly operating expenses
Net Burn	Gross Burn - Revenue
Runway	Cash Balance / Net Burn
Zero Cash Date	Today + (Runway months)

Burn Benchmarks by Stage

Stage	Acceptable Burn Multiple	Target Runway
Pre-seed	N/A	18-24 months
Seed	<3x	18-24 months
Series A	<2x	18-24 months
Series B	<1.5x	24+ months
Series C+	<1x	24+ months

Stage-Appropriate Metrics

Pre-Seed / Seed

Focus on product-market fit signals:

• Engagement metrics (DAU/MAU, retention curves)
• Organic growth / word-of-mouth
• Early revenue or intent signals
• User feedback quality

Series A

Prove repeatable revenue:

• ARR: $1-3M
• Growth: 2-3x YoY
• Retention: >100% NRR
• Unit economics trending positive

Series B

Scale efficiently:

• ARR: $5-15M
• Growth: 2x+ YoY
• Burn multiple: <1.5x
• Clear path to profitability

Series C+

Efficient growth at scale:

• ARR: $20M+
• Rule of 40: >40%
• Strong unit economics
• Market leadership indicators

Cohort Analysis

Revenue Cohorts

Track how revenue from each customer cohort evolves over time:

• Month 0: Initial MRR
• Month 3, 6, 12: Retention %
• Expansion curve: Upsell trajectory

User Cohorts

Track engagement by signup cohort:

• Day 1, 7, 30 retention
• Feature adoption rates
• Conversion milestones

Additional Resources

Reference Files

For detailed guidance, consult:

• references/saas-metrics-guide.md - Complete SaaS metrics with formulas and examples
• references/marketplace-metrics-guide.md - Marketplace-specific metrics and benchmarks
• references/benchmarks-by-stage.md - Stage and industry benchmarks

Example Files

Working examples in examples/:

• example-metrics-snapshot.md - Sample metrics report format
• example-cohort-analysis.md - Cohort analysis template