The Sweet Spot in the Eye of the Storm

Written in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 SaaS crash, this research dissects the true root causes behind collapsing growth rates, rising costs, and declining valuations. Jacco van der Kooij argues that the crash was not macro-driven, but self-inflicted—caused by operator error, misuse of unskilled labor, and a fundamental misunderstanding of how SaaS growth systems behave. Through a rigorous breakdown of Growth Formulas, the Bowtie data model, and the principles of Recurring Impact, the paper reframes SaaS as a volatile but powerful system that compounds marginal gains over time. For leaders willing to rethink goals, stop ineffective activities, and double down on what works, the “eye of the storm” represents a strategic window to redesign GTM architecture and win the next decade.

Best For

• CEOs & Founders navigating stalled growth or post-crash recalibration

• CROs & Revenue Leaders rethinking GTM systems and priorities for 2023+

• CFOs & Finance Leaders balancing growth, efficiency, and valuation pressure

• RevOps & Strategy teams seeking a scientific approach to GTM diagnostics

• Boards & Investors assessing whether underperformance is structural or fixable

Key Takeaways

• The 2022 SaaS crash was driven by operator error, not a broken business model

• Growth-at-all-costs clashed with the fundamentals of recurring revenue

• SaaS behaves as a highly sensitive system, where marginal losses compound quickly

• Recurring Revenue is the result of Recurring Impact, not deal volume

• Buyers now commit based on priority of impact, not budget or ROI

• Risk in SaaS has shifted decisively from buyer to seller

• Small, repeated improvements across the Bowtie create disproportionate impact

• A uniform Recurring Revenue Operating Model is required at scale

• Downturns create the best conditions for SaaS leaders who act decisively