A North Star Metric (NSM) is a metric companies use as a focus for their growth. For example, Spotify identified "time spent listening" as its NSM, instead of common metrics like subscriber count or revenue per user. A good NSM measures customer value, encourages engagement, and predicts retention and growth. NSMs should be based on fundamental aspects of the business that are unlikely to change soon.

GTM planning pitfalls include mathism, which over-relies on numerical analysis, and incrementalism, which stifles innovation with cautious steps. Departmentalism creates silos and undermines customer-centric strategies, while growthism prioritizes short-term gains at the expense of sustainable growth. Idealism results in unrealistic plans disconnected from current realities. This article presents 3 frameworks to address and overcome these issues: MOVE, CAT, and the 8-Pillar GTM Operating System.

Perplexity AI, an AI-assisted search startup, plans to introduce ads on its search app in Q4 following increased usage and a recent $1 billion valuation.

This article shares some insights on how Amazon structures its internal processes to ensure initiatives are aligned with strategic goals and that they are executed rigorously.