From flat revenue to 2.4x ARR in 18 months

The challenge

Arden had built a product its customers loved. Retention was strong, reviews were glowing, and yet revenue had been flat for almost two years.

Inside the company, everyone had a different idea of what to do next. Sales wanted to move upmarket, product wanted to build for a new industry, and the founders wanted to expand into Europe. With a small team, trying all three at once meant doing none of them well.

Our approach

We replaced opinions with evidence. Instead of another strategy offsite, we went straight to the people who pay the bills.

What we did:

• Interviewed 60 customers and 20 lost prospects in six weeks

• Sized each of the three options by market, cost and time to revenue

• Ran a two-day decision workshop with the full leadership team

• Turned the chosen option into a one-page plan with clear owners

The evidence pointed clearly to one segment: mid-sized companies in Arden's existing industry, who needed the product but had never been sold to properly.

The hardest part was saying no to two good ideas. Once we did, everything got faster.

Daniel Okafor, Head of Product, Arden Software

The result

Over the next 18 months, Arden's annual recurring revenue grew 2.4 times. Churn halved, because the team was now selling to customers who were a better fit from day one.

The clear plan also helped Arden raise its Series B. Investors said the focus was one of the main reasons they said yes.