What metrics should I track as a founder every week?
Pipeline conversations, conversion rate, and average deal value. Three numbers, reviewed weekly. That's enough to start.
The Short Answer
Five to seven numbers that tell you and your team whether the business is healthy without anyone having to ask. Pipeline conversations, active proposals, close rate, revenue vs. target, and delivery milestones. Updated every Monday. Reviewed in a 30-minute standup. Acted on immediately.
Why Weekly Tracking Matters
Most founders track revenue monthly. That's a lagging indicator. By the time monthly revenue is down, the problem started three to six weeks ago. Weekly tracking catches problems while there's still time to fix them. A two-week drop in pipeline conversations is a signal. A two-month drop in revenue is a crisis. The scorecard turns signals into actions before they become crises.
The Five Metrics
1. Pipeline conversations. How many qualified first conversations happened this week. This is the leading indicator for future revenue. If conversations drop, revenue drops 30 to 60 days later. Track it weekly and you have time to react.
2. Active proposals. How many one-pagers or proposals are outstanding. This tells you how much potential revenue is in play. If the number is always low, the problem is upstream (not enough conversations). If it's high but deals aren't closing, the problem is in the sales process or offer clarity.
3. Close rate. Percentage of proposals that become paying clients. Track rolling over 30 or 90 days. Below 30% usually signals an offer clarity problem. Above 50% means pipeline is well-qualified and the offer is landing.
4. Revenue vs. target. Where you are against the monthly or quarterly goal. Most founder-led businesses don't track this weekly. They check the bank account and guess. A weekly number creates urgency when behind and confidence when ahead.
5. Delivery milestones. Percentage of active client milestones hit on time this week. If delivery slips, satisfaction drops, referrals dry up, and the founder gets pulled back into operations.
Optional Metrics (Pick One or Two)
Website traffic and conversion rate (for founders investing in content or ads). Referral introductions received this week (for founders building a referral system). Team utilization (for founders managing a delivery team). Cash position (for founders watching runway). Add these only if they drive decisions. The scorecard should be five to seven metrics total. Any more and people stop looking at it.
How to Build It
A Google Sheet works. A Notion table works. The tool doesn't matter. The habit matters. One row per metric. One column per week. Color code: green (on target), yellow (within 10%), red (more than 10% off). Each metric has an owner, a data source, and a weekly target. This guide covers the full build process.
The Monday Standup
Thirty minutes. Same time every week. Review the scorecard. Discuss only yellow and red items. Assign one action per red item. No status updates. No brainstorming. Just: what's on track, what's off, and what are we doing about it this week. The standup makes the scorecard actionable instead of decorative.
Where to Start
The Growth Navigator Pro tier ($747/mo) runs a Revenue Engine Diagnostic that identifies exactly which metrics matter most for your business. The Rocket Fuel Sprint ($15,000) installs the scorecard, standup, and leadership rhythm in the first two weeks. This guide covers the full framework. Start free.