Navigating the First 90 Days as a Revenue Operations Leader

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After years of helping dozens of organizations optimize their HubSpot implementations, I've noticed clear patterns in what makes RevOps transformations succeed or fail. Whether you're stepping into a new RevOps leadership role or revamping your existing operations, these are the strategies I've seen consistently drive successful outcomes.

When I work with companies implementing or optimizing their HubSpot instance, the foundation always begins with relationship-building and system mapping. Too often, I see organizations rush to configure their CRM without first understanding the business processes it needs to support.

The most successful RevOps leaders I've partnered with  take a deliberate approach to their first 90 days, focusing on cross-functional alignment before making significant system changes.

From my consulting experience across industries, I've developed a framework that consistently delivers results when navigating the complex world of revenue operations. Here are the key principles that will help you create immediate impact while building for sustainable, long-term success.

Building Your Foundation

The first three months in any RevOps position should focus on relationship-building and discovery. Before making any significant changes, dedicate time to meeting cross-functional leaders, understanding their pain points, and mapping the existing technology landscape. By documenting current processes and gauging the organization's appetite for change, create a foundation for sustainable improvements rather than quick fixes that might face resistance later.

Inevitably you will run into questions of why you "are not doing anything" because the first 90 days are crucial. Here is how you should respond.

Reframing Discovery as Action

When stakeholders press for immediate results, emphasize that proper diagnosis precedes effective treatment. You are not "doing nothing" - you are:

1. Conducting structured stakeholder interviews in the first 2-3 weeks.
2. Creating system and process maps that have likely never existed before.
3. Analyzing current data quality and identifying specific revenue leakages.
4. Building a prioritized roadmap with quick wins and longer-term initiatives.

Delivering Early Quick Wins

While conducting the broader assessment, identify 2-3 immediate pain points that can demonstrate value:

• Setting up basic dashboard reporting that didn't exist before.
• Fixing obvious CRM field errors or validation rules.
• Creating simple automation that eliminates manual work.
• Implementing a clean meeting cadence for revenue discussions.

Communicating Progress Proactively

To manage perceptions:

• Share weekly email updates summarizing discoveries and actions.
• Present initial findings at the 30-day mark with specific recommendations.
• Create visible artifacts (process maps, system diagrams, prioritized issue lists).
• Set expectations by showing the cost of hasty changes from previous companies.

The truth is that acting too quickly without proper understanding often leads to expensive mistakes. By framing discovery work as essential action and pairing it with visible quick wins, you can demonstrate both thoughtfulness and decisiveness.

Strategic System Transitions

When evaluating potential CRM transitions, success requires more than comparing feature lists. The question isn't simply which platform has better capabilities, but rather how each system aligns with specific business processes and objectives. Before recommending any platform change, carefully assess what's working well in the current setup, identifying genuine gaps, and analyzing potential downstream impacts on teams and workflows.

Approach for Technology Selection

Tech stack decisions are among the most consequential choices made in RevOps. Prioritize solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing workflows to minimize disruption. For instance, implement tools that work within platforms the teams already use than introduce entirely new interfaces that require extensive learning curves. Be wary of tool proliferation – adding new systems simply because they worked well in previous companies often leads to unnecessary complexity and adoption challenges.

Aligning RevOps and Enablement

Be passionate about the critical connection between operations and enablement. Even the most elegant process redesign will fail without thoughtful change management. Simple enablement tactics – quick tutorial videos, clear documentation, and structured feedback mechanisms – dramatically improve adoption rates for new tools and workflows. By building these enablement elements into every operations project, you create a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement.

Securing Executive Buy-in

Successful change management starts at the top. Through discovery-driven conversations with the executive team, identify their key priorities and pain points to ensure RevOps initiatives directly address leadership concerns.

While grassroots enthusiasm is valuable, I've seen how initiatives without executive sponsorship eventually stall. Securing that top-down alignment early creates the organizational momentum necessary for transformative change.

Simplifying Data Architecture

When it comes to CRM configuration, less is often more. Adopt a "minimum viable record" approach, focusing on the essential data points that drive decision-making rather than creating overwhelming forms and fields. By streamlining opportunity management to capture only what's crucial for forecasting and deal progression, we can improve both data quality and user adoption simultaneously.

Embracing Continuous Learning

The RevOps discipline continues to evolve rapidly, making a growth mindset essential for success. Stay current through industry conferences, peer networks, and ongoing exploration of emerging tools and methodologies. Rather than defaulting to past playbooks, approach each challenge with fresh eyes – running trials, evaluating new vendors, and remaining open to evolving your operations approach as your organization grows.

By applying these principles, you can build revenue operations that serve as a genuine competitive advantage – enabling frictionless growth while providing the insights your leadership team needs to make confident decisions.