Scaling Revenue Operations in High-Growth SaaS: A Strategic Playbook
A conversation with Josh Pudnos, VP, Global Head of RevOps at Exiger.
In the high-stakes world of SaaS, growth is no longer just a function of adding more sellers or increasing outreach volume—it’s about scaling smart, aligning teams, and building a RevOps foundation that enables profitable and predictable revenue.
Josh Pudnos, former VP and Global Head of Revenue Operations at Exiger, knows this challenge intimately. Tasked with transforming Exiger from an advisory firm into a SaaS powerhouse, Josh architected a RevOps strategy from the ground up—rebuilding tech, redefining data, restructuring teams, and guiding the company through the messy middle of SaaS evolution.
In this detailed blog, we explore Josh’s RevOps transformation playbook—anchored in data integrity, stakeholder psychology, and operational precision. Whether you’re a startup building RevOps from scratch or an enterprise scaling your GTM engine, this story is packed with practical strategies you can adapt to your own environment.
From Advisory Firm to SaaS: The Mandate for Change
When Josh joined Exiger, the company was in the middle of a strategic pivot. It had already seen success as an advisory services firm, but growing regulatory demand, supply chain risks, and the need for scalable solutions pointed toward a SaaS future.
“We saw the signals—more regulation, more risk, more complexity. To meet that need, we had to mature and become a SaaS-first business.”
This shift wasn’t just a marketing change. It required reimagining the entire go-to-market (GTM) motion, from how they sold and served customers to how they structured teams and measured success.
Phase 1: Rebuilding the Foundation (and the Data)
Josh’s first challenge? Data chaos.
“Everything within Salesforce when I joined couldn’t be trusted. There was no standardization. We had to start from scratch.”
The RevOps team conducted a comprehensive audit and rebuilt core processes—from lead lifecycle to opportunity stages and product taxonomy.
🔍 Data Cleanup Framework
Lead > Contact > Opportunity Conversion: Unified and documented lifecycle stages
Opportunity Stage Definitions: Standardized across business units
Field-Level Governance: Required fields tailored by deal type (new vs. renewal vs. growth)
Product Classification: Split recurring ARR vs. one-time services
This clean-up wasn’t just cosmetic—it enabled a major win. During Exiger’s private equity exit, the improved data integrity played a crucial role in underwriting the deal.
“We could finally speak confidently about our pipeline and customers. That was a huge turning point.”
Phase 2: Building the Right Tech Stack (Without Overbuilding)
Armed with a healthy budget and a mandate to modernize, Josh moved quickly to implement a stack that could support outbound motions, deal structuring, and better forecasting. Tools included:
Sales engagement platform
CPQ implementation
Marketing intent integrations
CRM and funnel automation
But with the benefit of hindsight, Josh realized he moved too fast.
“I discounted the reps’ perspectives more than I should have. Some of those tools weren’t adopted. I won’t renew all of them.”
🧠 Key Lesson: Don’t Over-Index on Tech
Instead, focus on:
User-driven design: Understand how reps actually work
Iterative rollout: Prove success with pilots
Onboarding and enablement: Train consistently across roles
Phase 3: Building a Lean, Impactful Team
With only a handful of team members, Josh structured RevOps as a hybrid of technical systems ownership and strategic business partnering.
💼 RevOps Org Design at Exiger
| Function | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Systems Ops (2 people) | Salesforce, integrations, tech stack |
| Sales Ops (2 people) | Pipeline strategy, forecasting, top-of-funnel |
| Enablement (1 person) | Training, playbooks, seller onboarding |
| Leadership (Josh) | Strategy, executive alignment, roadmap ownership |
Each RevOps member was aligned with GTM leaders—BDR, AE, AM, CS—to act as a strategic partner, not a ticket taker.
“They need a business partner in RevOps. Someone who helps them solve real problems—not just run reports.”
Phase 4: Evolving from MQLs to Buying Groups
Josh acknowledges a major industry trend: the shift from individual lead tracking (MQLs) to understanding and activating entire buying groups.
“There’s no such thing as a single buyer anymore. The committee is often 10–20 people—and each one needs to be engaged differently.”
This required evolving both marketing and sales strategies. Exiger began layering intent data with what Josh calls a “surround-sound” approach.
📊 Buying Group GTM Framework
| Tactic | Execution Layer |
|---|---|
| Intent data | Use 3rd party and web analytics to identify signals |
| Surround-sound engagement | Target decision-makers with tailored content |
| Cross-functional plans | Sync sales & marketing on buying group plays |
| Deal acceleration | Use buying signals mid-funnel to re-engage deals |
Josh noted that even if Exiger isn’t at the fully orchestrated “trigger-based play” stage, they’ve already seen lift in stalled deals simply by getting the right content in front of the right people.
Phase 5: Managing Ad Hoc Chaos While Staying Strategic
Every RevOps leader has felt this tension: stakeholders want dashboards and ad hoc reports—while leadership wants strategic programs and scalable systems.
“You have to empower your team to say no—or at least say ‘not right now.’ Tie everything back to your quarterly initiatives.”
Josh and his team communicate their goals through quarterly newsletters, stakeholder syncs, and dashboards that guide self-service.
Why Josh Reports into Finance, Not Sales
Exiger chose to place RevOps under the CFO instead of the CRO. For Josh, this choice provided the objectivity and strategic alignment he needed.
“You don’t want RevOps to become a propaganda arm of sales. With finance, we’re aligned to profitability and operational rigor.”
It also helped the team focus not just on revenue goals but on sustainable growth and operational efficiency.
The Most Underrated Skill in RevOps? Psychology.
“So much about RevOps is understanding how people interpret data, process, and systems. It’s psychological.”
Josh recalls debates not about tech or tactics—but about philosophical decisions like how to classify a deal type or when to progress a stage.
Understanding stakeholder mental models, motivations, and friction points is what unlocks true cross-functional alignment.
Josh’s Retrospective: What He’d Do Differently
Move Slower at the Start
Build consensus before buying tech. Map out the rep workflow first.Involve Frontline Teams Early
Even if they’re unfamiliar with SaaS tools, their input ensures adoption.Automate Data Input
Fewer clicks = higher adoption. AI tools that extract CRM inputs from emails/calls are on Josh’s radar for the future.Focus on Change Readiness
Understand what each team is ready for—and bring them along in phases.
Final Thoughts
Josh’s story is a masterclass in building a RevOps engine for scale. His journey shows that operational success isn’t about perfect tools or rigid processes—it’s about clarity, alignment, empathy, and iteration.
“We’re not just building dashboards. We’re building a company that thinks and acts like a SaaS business.”
Whether you’re a Series B company formalizing RevOps or an enterprise aligning revenue teams across continents, the principles Josh shares are essential: start with clean data, align on shared truths, automate where you can, and never forget the human layer.
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More Resources
How to Strategically Engage and Conquer Buying committees
Delve into the complexities of engaging buying groups and unveiling strategic approaches to conquer the challenges that arise. In Sales, the key to accelerating deals lies in understanding the nuances of buying group dynamics.
5 Steps to Navigate Buying Groups in 2025: A RevOps Guide
5 Steps to Navigate Buying Groups in 2025: A RevOps Guide RevOps 10 min In today’s business environment, B2B buying is never just one person. According to Forrester Research, more than half of global business buyers purchase in complex buying scenarios that include more people, more departments, and generally higher price points. And this buying group can be made up of 7 to 20 people! Unlocking the power of buying groups is a crucial aspect of the B2B landscape. This blog is a synopsis of our conversation with revenue operations leader, Nandini Karkare. She is currently the SVP of RevOps at Zywave. Nandini suggests strategic steps to navigate through the realms of Revenue Operations and helps uncover the strategies, insights, and best practices that constitute a comprehensive guide to mastering the dynamics of buying groups. Read on to get actionable tips on how you can navigate buying groups in 2025 (and beyond). And implement the learnings to create a winning GTM motion. Here are the 5 steps Nandini recommends: 1. Decode Your Buying Groups The buying groups typically consist of members from departments and they all contribute different aspects. It is critical to understand the scope of decision-making including the people who play the most significant roles in making the call. Gartner’s report on B2B Buying highlights that 77% of B2B purchases involve a buying group of four or more people. PS: The key stakeholder can turn out someone altogether different from who you had building a relationship with all along. a. Capturing Buying Group Members Effective buying group management means considering not just decision-makers but influential stakeholders across departments. Misidentifying key players or focusing solely on the main contact risks derailing the sale. (i) How can you map the entire buying group efficiently? Leverage internal and external data to identify the key players Segment the Group by Role and Influence (ii) Not everyone in the buying group holds equal power or influence. Segment them into categories: Decision-makers (who give the final heads-up) Influencers (who sway the decision) Users (who use the product and provide feedback) Budget owners b. The Role Transition Within a Buying Group Moving the focus from a buying group to a renewal or expansion committee includes knowing precisely who remains in the relationship, as well as who becomes more active as an account grows. (i) New roles may emerge in a Buying Group Technical or operational leaders may become more influential post sale, since they are now using the product. (ii) The focus shifts from buying to renewal The interaction should be more about the return on investment (ROI) of the product placed on the market, ongoing value delivery, and ongoing needs. (iii) Alignment between the buying groups and renewal committee Leveraging the same enthusiasm and relationships generated at the first-buying stage helps in anchoring the transitions and preventing any drop-offs in engagement. Related Resource: Navigate Enterprise Buying Committees: Strategies for Driving Alignment c. Understand the Personal and Collective Priorities of a Buying Group As per McKinsey & Company, B2B buying decisions increasingly require engagement across departments, with 60% of purchasing committees including members from outside traditional procurement, like IT and HR. (i)Alignment Between C-Suite and Technical Teams Decisions aren’t Made in a Vacuum Collaboration between C-suite and technical teams ensures a holistic approach to solving customer problems, creating stronger, more sustainable relationships Their cross departmental collaboration can help with: (ii) Alignment on Strategic Goals C suite executives need technical assistance to translate their strategic vision to reality that also aligns with company-wide objectives. (iii) Technical Validation These insights guide the C-suite in making informed decisions that fit technical infrastructure and future-proofing. (iv) Cross-functional Communication Bridging the gap between these two groups involves continuous, open communication, ensuring that technical evaluations don’t delay business goals but instead support them cohesively. iii. Understand the Product Take product demos, listen to sales calls, and use tools that show how the product is sold. This helps in understanding the customer needs better. iv. Dive into Your CRM Understand your CRM (whether Salesforce or HubSpot) to assess how the data is organized. This is to check whether it’s easy to use, and identify immediate improvements. The CRM should be the central source of truth, with other tools supporting it. The data should be unified with easier adoption for the teams. v. Build Trust Internally Establish trust within your teams by listening carefully, asking questions about how RevOps can help, and addressing quick fixes to show you’re there to help. Having this trust shows them that you’re here to support their success. Quick wins, such as small fixes that make people’s jobs easier, helps in establishing credibility early. 2. Establish Clear KPIs i. Understanding Team KPIs It is important to ask you stakeholders about the KPIs that matter to understand their goals and what their expectations are. ii. Aligning KPIs Across Teams Different departments oftentimes work in silos. RevOps should strive to align these departments and check if these KPIs match the overall business objectives. Gaps must be closed if their KPIs don’t align. iii. Setting RevOps KPIs As you approach the end of the first 30 days, start establishing RevOps-specific KPIs that match company goals, which may involve metrics like revenue increase, conversion rates, or improvements in overall efficiency. 3. Tech Stack Audit Deep dive into the existing tools that your company is using. Identify all redundancies, and find opportunities to streamline the entire tech stack. i. Map Out Tools Compile a list of all tools used by teams, noting their purpose and how they work with the CRM. ii. Evaluate Use and Cost Determine if tools are actively used or if there are duplicates. Look for cost-saving opportunities by consolidating tools when possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVDJ9KI1tGw&t=869s Next 30 days – Alignment and Control The next 30 days marks a shift from discovery to alignment. The goals should be to create cohesion between departments (e.g., Sales, Marketing) and laying down effective controls. The improvements need to be implemented without overwhelming the teams. This phase combines