Redefining Revenue Architecture: The Bow Tie Model for SaaS Growth | Jacco van der Kooij | S3:E6

Building a Reputation of Trust and Integrity: Lessons from a Dutch Village

Jacco’s journey begins in a close-knit Dutch village where reputation was the currency of trust. Raised as the youngest of eight children, Jacco learned the value of integrity and community early in life.

“Reputation is like a currency - it grows with every deposit of trust and integrity.”

For revenue leaders, this underscores the importance of authentic, trust-based relationships in building sustainable business success.

The Birth of Revenue Architecture and the Bow Tie Model

As an engineer at Philips, Jacco developed a deep understanding of system design, which later inspired his approach to revenue architecture. He shared the origins of the bow tie model, which shifts the traditional sales funnel into a recurring revenue loop.

“The funnel is an open-loop system, it amplifies problems and compounds inefficiencies. The bow tie introduces feedback, creating a sustainable, scalable system.”

Jacco explained how this model revolutionized the way SaaS companies think about customer acquisition, retention, and expansion.

The Fall of Growth at All Costs and the Rise of Sustainable Growth

Jacco traced the roots of the “growth at all costs” mentality back to the early 2000s, showing how unsustainable practices led to today’s challenges in the SaaS world. He emphasized the importance of shifting to capital-efficient growth.

“We saw the warning signs as early as 2018. Growth without sustainability is a runaway system - it works until it doesn’t.”

His insights serve as a wake-up call for businesses clinging to outdated revenue strategies.

From Engineering Principles to Revenue Operations

Drawing from his background in engineering, Jacco emphasized the importance of designing revenue systems with precision. He explained how open-loop systems in traditional funnels create compounding inefficiencies.

“Bad leads turn into bad opportunities, which turn into bad deals. Without feedback loops, the system runs away, creating exponential problems.”

The lesson? Revenue operations need to be as deliberate and methodical as any engineering project.

Lessons from Triathlon: Practice Makes Race Day Easy

Jacco’s experience as a triathlete taught him the value of repetition and discipline. He applied these lessons to revenue operations, emphasizing the need for consistent practice.

“Sales professionals think knowing how to do something is enough. But true mastery comes from doing it repeatedly, until it’s second nature.”

For revenue teams, this means prioritizing training and ongoing practice to build expertise.

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