Jennifer Yousem
So, firstly, Stacie and I have known each other for a long time. We met when we both worked at Daily Mail, I was the Head of U.S. Finance, and Stacie was in Sales.
Stacie Sussman
Yep!
Jennifer Yousem
But we’ve come a long way since Daily Mail. We both now have our own companies, which is wild to think about. You’re the founder of RevUp Advisory. Why don’t you tell everyone what that is?
Stacie Sussman
I’m the Founder and CRO of RevUp Advisory. We’ve been around for about eight years now, which is kind of crazy when I think about it. We’re a boutique consultancy that specializes in sales and marketing alignment.
So what does that actually mean — and who do we serve?
We typically work with B2B companies, across industries, that are doing under $100 million in ARR. Our focus areas are marketing, marketing operations, sales, and sales operations.
Usually, we’re hired by founders, CMOs, or CROs to come in and fix their marketing or sales departments. We often start with one side, and then the other side gets jealous, so we end up crossing the fence and aligning both teams. It’s always fun to see that transformation.
Jennifer Yousem
Love that. But for people reading this, you’re not marketing, you’re not sales, and you’re not operations. That might sound a little confusing. So, if you had to describe what you do, how would you explain your role when you’re technically none of those things?
Stacie Sussman
Yeah, so what we really do is align marketing and sales teams. Coming from a sales background, my world was always driven by quotas, commissions, goals, and KPIs. Over time, I realized that marketing has become such a broad umbrella, there’s social, brand, demand gen, marketing ops, and most companies struggle to connect all those pieces back to measurable business results.
So we come in and bring structure and data to that process. On the marketing side, we look at metrics: how much you’re spending per channel, and what the ROI is, meaning, what actual revenue is coming back into the company from each channel.
On the sales side, we help with pipeline management, forecasting, board reporting, coaching, and systems. We work across platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce, and now we’re even developing agentic AI tools for our clients.
Jennifer Yousem
Wait — I don’t even know what you just said. Nope. That’s not real.
Stacie Sussman
Stop it! It’s real! We’re developing agentic AI flows and automations for clients.
Jennifer Yousem
Okay, explain that like I’m five. Because I really want people to understand what you do, and the value behind it. Even if it’s not directly for them, I want readers to walk away able to say, “Oh, I know the person you need to talk to.” So… what problem are you solving?
Stacie Sussman
We’re solving the problem of revenue growth. Specifically, we look at what I call commercial operations, the combination of sales and marketing, and make those two departments work together to drive predictable, scalable growth.
Jennifer Yousem
But why is this something companies need an outside partner for? Is it because sales, marketing, and ops all work in silos and don’t speak the same language?
Stacie Sussman
Exactly. Most of the companies we work with got where they are because they have great product, decent processes, and, honestly, a little bit of luck.
But as they try to scale, to $30 million, $40 million, $50 million and beyond, they hit a wall. The internal talent that got them to, say, $20 million can’t always get them past that. It’s not that they’re not good; they’ve just reached the limits of their experience.
So these companies start saying, “We’ve tried everything; it’s not possible.” But really, it is possible, they just need a new perspective and a different set of skills. That’s when they bring in an outside consulting firm like ours to help bridge that gap and get them to the next level.
Jennifer Yousem
So, you mentioned that sometimes you’re brought in by a CMO and then the CRO is like, “Hey, what about me?”, or vice versa. Where does Ops fit into that mix? Because honestly, it always feels to me like Ops is the redheaded stepchild of the C-suite, often overlooked but so critical. And while RevOps is a term I hear a lot in media, it obviously applies far beyond that.
Stacie Sussman
Totally. And actually, we’ve stopped using the term RevOps because we realized many of our mid-market clients don’t really understand what that means, it can sound like jargon.
So instead, we just talk about aligning sales and marketing. But at its core, what we do at RevUp Advisory is really marketing and sales operations.
On the marketing side, we help systematize and automate everything from campaigns, and customer journeys to segmentation. Most of our clients use HubSpot or Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and we help them organize their marketing spend across channels like SEO, organic search, social, LinkedIn, Meta, etc. Then we dig into the data: How many leads are coming in per channel? How do those leads move through the funnel? And how does that translate into actual deals and revenue?
On the sales side, we look at pipeline management, qualifying leads, tracking open deals or opportunities, and interpreting pipeline metrics.
We then build the reporting infrastructure that helps CROs make smarter business decisions, like where to double down and where to pull back from a sales perspective.
Jennifer Yousem
I know you said you’re industry agnostic, companies doing under $100 million ARR is still a big range. So here’s the annoying but necessary question: Who’s your ideal client profile?
Stacie Sussman
Our sweet spot is companies doing between $20 million and $50 million in ARR.
We’ve worked across tons of industries but what they tend to have in common is this:
- B2B
- Under 200 employees
- Typically based in major metro areas
- And most importantly, they’re “tech-curious.” They might not be super tech-forward yet, but they want to be. They know they need better systems and more operational efficiency, they just don’t know how to get there, and that’s where we come in.
Jennifer Yousem
What are the clues people should listen for? Like, what are the things your ideal clients are saying when they clearly need your help even if they don’t realize it yet?
For me, it’s phrases like:
“I’m making money, but I have no cash.”
“My accountant said my books are a mess.”
“What the hell is going on in my business?”
Those are pretty obvious signs that someone needs a CFO and/or a bookkeeper. So for you, what are the three big things people say when it’s time to call Stacie?
Stacie Sussman
I’d say the first one is:
“Our systems don’t talk to each other”
They spent a ton of money implementing HubSpot or Salesforce, but they’re not actually doing anything for our business.
The second one is:
“We’re still running everything out of spreadsheets.”
They’re constantly manipulating data in ten different places because they don’t have a single command center or dashboard to look at reporting and performance in one view.
And the third one is:
“We’re trying to grow revenue and I don’t really know what my sales teams and marketing people do all day.”
They’re spending all this money on salaries but have no idea how those efforts connect back to revenue.
Jennifer Yousem
Ugh, I hate that one, but yes, I hear it all the time.
Stacie Sussman
Exactly. It’s frustrating, right? They just don’t have visibility into how their teams’ activities are driving money back into the business.
Jennifer Yousem
For me, people at least have a general idea of what a bookkeeper or a CFO does, even if they sometimes confuse it with things I don’t do. But for you, it’s a little trickier because you solve a wide range of problems.
That’s both a strength and a challenge, right? You help drive revenue growth, but you’re not a sales team. I want people to understand that what you do is about building the operational foundation that makes sales and marketing function as a revenue engine.
Stacie Sussman
Exactly. That’s a great way to say it.
Jennifer Yousem
But just to clarify, you don’t replace a sales or marketing team.
Stacie Sussman
No, not at all. But we are getting more involved in the marketing side of the funnel.
We’ve started running content creation, paid advertising, and SEO for clients because, honestly, it’s been a natural progression.
Usually, though, companies start with us on what I call a “baby project.”
Jennifer Yousem
What’s a baby project? Give me an example.
Stacie Sussman
On the marketing side, a good example is attribution.
And actually, it’s not that small, but it’s often where we start. We’ll look at how much a company is spending across channels, SEO, paid media, content creation, partnerships, and then organize it all within their marketing system.
That way, they can finally say, “We spent $10,000 and got five leads,” or “We spent $30,000 and got 1,500 leads.” It’s about creating clarity and accountability around their marketing spend, and that’s usually the first step toward bigger projects.
Jennifer Yousem
I have to say, ROI on marketing efforts has historically been a CFO’s worst nightmare.
It’s always the same thing: the marketing team says, “We need this, we’ve got to have that,” and I’m sitting there as the CFO thinking, “We’re spending money on what now?”
So everything you’re describing speaks to me in the best possible way. I have to imagine you’re a CFO’s best friend.
Stacie Sussman
Exactly! We’re helping up-level the marketing team, and even the CMO to think and act more like a CRO.
For sales, data and analytics are second nature because everything ties back to a number. You have a quota, say, $5 million, and you either hit it or you don’t. It’s black and white.
But marketing is a lot grayer. So what we do is bring that same level of accountability and visibility to both sides. For example, if marketing says, “We crushed it, we brought in 3,000 leads this month,” we go back to the sales team and ask, “Okay, great, what happened to those leads? Were they qualified? Did they convert? Did they drive revenue?”
That’s how we help both teams see how their efforts actually impact the bottom line, and how they can work better together.
Jennifer Yousem
Oh, I love that.
Stacie Sussman
Yeah, it’s not exactly a “baby project,” but it’s definitely a great intro to what we can do.
Usually, sales and marketing teams don’t want to sit at the same table. The CRO’s like, “We’re killing it over here,” and the CMO’s saying, “We’re spending $50,000 on this event sponsorship,” and the CRO’s like, “For what? What are we getting out of it?”
We come in and bring data to the table. Once they can actually see the metrics, it’s amazing, the relationship between the two teams gets healthier. And then, as a bonus, the CMO and CFO start speaking the same language too, numbers.
Jennifer Yousem
Who doesn’t love numbers? Yay!
Stacie Sussman
Right? But honestly, a lot of CMOs find this shift uncomfortable, especially with four or five generations in the workplace right now.
Many of the CMOs we work with came up in the world of brand, events, and sponsorships, not data-driven demand gen. Now marketing has evolved into this tech-heavy, systems-based discipline focused on lead velocity and attribution. It’s a whole new world, and for some, it’s intimidating.
So part of what we do is help upskill CMOs, giving them the tools, systems, and confidence to thrive in this more analytical, data-driven environment.
Jennifer Yousem
That totally makes sense. And honestly, one of the things that amazes me about you is how tech-savvy you are.
I mean, sales teams have always lived and died by Salesforce, it’s their best friend and worst nightmare all in one. But marketing has gotten so much more tech-heavy, and not everyone’s kept up.
Do you find yourself working with C-suites that just aren’t very tech-savvy? I mean, even when you and I talk sometimes, you’ll say something and I’m like, “Nope, no idea what that means.”
So how do you handle that when you’re dealing with those teams?
Stacie Sussman
Well, first of all, they all want to keep their jobs.
Jennifer Yousem
I mean… that’s a low bar, but fair! I get dozens of invitations and emails about some new thing that’s going to make my life so much better in the finance world. Some of them are like, oh, we’re just going to completely replace you. How much time are you spending evaluating new tools? I have to imagine in your world, you’re looking at and evaluating a grillion tools a day.
Stacie Sussman
We do a tech stack audit for our clients when we start working with them. We look at what tools they’re paying for and, more importantly, why they’re using them.
Like right now, we’re on Zoom and you use Fathom for note-taking. But maybe you’re also paying for Read.ai and Microsoft Teams. So our first step is often: pick one.
We see that all the time. So we do a tech debt reduction, which essentially ends up paying for our engagement because we save the client money on redundant tools.
On the flip side, we’re constantly evaluating new tech, every day, or at least every week. Right now, we’re going really hard into the agentic AI space.
Our process looks like this: first we stabilize a company’s data, then we stabilize their processes and systems. Once we do that, we can deliver accurate reporting and put data in a place where it’s actually usable.
Now, I don’t think data is ever 100% perfect, sorry, Jennifer, I know you’re a CFO, but in these systems, perfection isn’t realistic. What matters is consistency and visibility.
Jennifer Yousem
Yeah, I mean, I think the frustrating part for us is…
Stacie Sussman
The data’s not there.
Jennifer Yousem
Exactly. We see the same thing. Companies say, “We’ve got to have this tool, and that one, and that platform…” It’s overwhelming. If I showed you the software inventory for just a dozen of the companies we support, you’d be like, what is happening here?
Stacie Sussman
They just keep buying and never let go. That’s the problem.
Jennifer Yousem
So are you basically doing what those “subscription tracker” apps do for consumers, just at a business level? Because it really feels like there’s this fear of missing out. Everyone had to have ChatGPT. Then it was, “No, I want Claude.” Now everyone’s paying for 75 different AI tools and wondering what happened.
Stacie Sussman
“Shiny penny syndrome.” Everyone wants the tool their competitor has, but no one actually takes the time to implement it correctly.
So yes, we absolutely reduce that tech debt. But beyond that, AI is a big area we’re leaning into right now.
Jennifer Yousem
So, is there anything I didn’t ask that you think is important for anyone reading this to know about you or your firm?
Stacie Sussman
Yes. We believe that businesses are doing sales and marketing the hard way. There’s a better, smarter way to align those departments, and we’ve proven that through our work.
People often come to us saying, “That’s impossible,” or “We’ve tried that, it doesn’t work.”
But my response is: you haven’t worked with the RevUp team.
We have systems, frameworks, and repeatable patterns that make marketing and sales departments work smarter, not harder.
And honestly? Most teams are overly stressed because they’re running these departments inefficiently. We come in and fix that.
Jennifer Yousem
Who doesn’t want that?
One more question: If you come in on a small project, do you stay on after that? What does a typical engagement look like?
Stacie Sussman
Typically, we start with a growth audit, which takes about four to eight weeks. We deliver a state of the business report, specifically around sales and marketing, and highlight areas for improvement.
After that, they usually hire us for ongoing engagements; we ask for a minimum of 4 months so we can really show progress in the systems and demonstrate measurable results.
The next evolution of our work is building AI tools for clients, once we’ve stabilized the sales and marketing teams.
Jennifer Yousem
Love that.
Stacie Sussman
And we love CFOs, they’re our friends.
Just recently, we were hired by a marketing team and had to pitch our work to the CFO to justify including us in the budget. We presented the lead attribution project we had planned, but then I spoke with the CFO about integrating their ERP system with Salesforce and improving billing and revenue recognition.
They told me their ERP-to-Salesforce integration took two years to set up, which is crazy to us! But that’s exactly the kind of thing we fix.
Other members of the C-suite become allies when they see we can make a real difference, and put everything into numbers. That’s why we love working with CFOs, they need to be bought in to make the project successful.
Jennifer Yousem
I’m a big fan of anything measurable, so that makes me really happy. And I’m a big fan of you!
In fact, many years ago, when I was trying to figure out my next move, Stacie and I met at a co-working space on the Upper East Side. You were the one who kicked me in the ass and told me to start my own business and I will forever hold you responsible for the spark that became I Heart EBITDA.
Stacie Sussman
I will never forget that — love it!
Jennifer Yousem
And now you’re in Boca and I’m on a sheep farm in Massachusetts… so there’s that.
