How to build a
B2B growth machine

Growth isn't about tactics, it's about systems. A growth machine consists of 6 interconnecting parts. Explore the free resources here, or learn the full system in my B2B course.

Demand generation

Build your channel strategy and optimise each channel, so you grow traffic strategically without burning budget.

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Growth infrastructure

Build a solid foundation that won't collapse when you scale. Single source of truth. Tools that talk to each other. Systems that give you visibility into what's working and what's not. Without this, you're flying blind and everything breaks when you try to grow.

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Marketing funnel

Your website, email flows, and remarketing all work together like a mousetrap. Build clear landing pages that convert, automation that nurtures leads, and a machine that drives discovery calls without you chasing people. Stop leaking leads halfway through.

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Sales pipeline

Your sales pipeline works exactly like a marketing funnel, you just need to know how to optimise it. Build the assets that help your team close: proposals that win, workflows that keep deals moving, and materials that answer objections before they kill opportunities.

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Customer value

Acquiring customers is expensive. Keeping them is where margins improve. What would happen if none of your customers left? Build feedback loops, long-term relationships, retention programmes that reduce churn, and upsell frameworks that grow account value without being pushy.

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Growth orchestration

Get a grip on what's actually working and what needs course correction. Use data and experiments to make decisions instead of opinions. See how changes in one part of the system affect everything else. Random tactics don't compound, coordinated ones do.

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Growth comes from 12 interconnected metrics

12 metrics feed the 4 engines above and, taken together, set revenue. Whether you're aware of them or not, these numbers already run your funnel.

Think of them as a world map of growth: with this overview, it's much easier to find your way through B2B growth. Many of the 1,500 marketers I've trained, tell me the model helps them to get an overview of growth.

Diagram showing a revenue growth example with revenue of €10,000 and four categories: A. Qualified traffic 2,270; B. Marketing funnel 1.85%; C. Sales pipeline 9.52%; D. Contract value €2,500, each with related metrics such as impressions, click rate, engagement rate, lead capture rate, activation rate, booking rate, qualification rate, proposal rate, win rate, invoices per contract, units per invoice, and average unit price.

The magic of compound growth

Lift all 12 metrics with 10% and something magical happens: the results don't just add up (120%), but they multiply (214%). In simple terms: you get growth for free.

This is called compound growth. This is the same as compound interest on your savings account. Even Einstein admired it's power:

Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't, pays it.
Albert Einstein

Apply the same maths to your funnel and 12 small improvements turn into 214% growth. Who doesn't want free growth?

Compound growth Solid Growth illustration
Module
1
Demand generation

Drive more traffic from the same budget

Build your channel strategy and optimise each channel, so you grow traffic strategically without burning budget.

Outreach automation

Outreach automation

Build an outreach strategy that defines who to target and why. Configure infrastructure properly, build targeted lists, write emails that sound human, and design sequences that convert.

LinkedIn thought leadership

LinkedIn thought leadership

Optimise your profile to convert visitors into leads. Build a content calendar, write posts that drive action, and time publishing to maximise reach and engagement.

Organic search

Organic search

Define your organic strategy with clear traffic goals. Build a content workflow, create content that educates and converts, and optimise for both search engines and AI tools.

Skills you learn

Channel plan and budget

Analyse which channels drive revenue and build a 12-week plan that concentrates budget where it compounds over time.

Ad creative testing

Set up frameworks to audit creative, copy, and messaging. Small improvements stack into better clicks and lower costs.

Landing page conversion redesigns

Redesign key landing pages to convert more traffic without needing more visitors. Better conversion multiplies results downstream.

Channel selection by growth stage

Know which channels to use at each phase. Stop guessing where to allocate budget and when to activate new channels.

Module
1
Growth infrastructure

Set up your growth infrastructure

Build a solid foundation that won't collapse when you scale. Single source of truth. Tools that talk to each other. Systems that give you visibility into what's working and what's not. Without this, you're flying blind and everything breaks when you try to grow.

How to choose your growth tools

How to choose your growth tools

Select tools across your growth stack using clear evaluation criteria. Avoid common pitfalls, ensure integrations work, and build a system that scales with your business.

How to set up your CRM

How to set up your CRM

A properly configured CRM runs your sales process automatically, surfaces hot leads, forecasts revenue accurately, and prevents opportunities from slipping through the cracks.

Marketing automation setup

Marketing automation setup

Manual lead management breaks at scale. Automation captures every lead, scores them by intent, and keeps them warm until they are ready to buy—all while you sleep.

GA4 and Tag Manager setup

GA4 and Tag Manager setup

Broken tracking means flying blind. Proper implementation shows exactly which traffic converts, which campaigns deliver ROI, and where to double down on what works.

Personal productivity

Personal productivity

Plan your week with intention. Manage tasks with a system you trust. Stay out of inbox traps. Protect deep work time. Run better meetings. Close your week with a firebreak.

Skills you learn

The right tools, set up correctly

Your CRM, automation, and analytics work together. No more broken integrations or missing data that slows everything down.

A scorecard that shows your baseline

Know exactly where you stand today. Track the metrics that predict growth, not vanity numbers that look good but mean nothing.

Weekly growth rhythm to move fast

A simple operating cadence so your team knows what to focus on and nothing slips through the cracks week after week.

Customer journey mapped end-to-end

See the full path from first touch to expansion. Spot the gaps, fix the leaks, build for compound growth over time.

Module
3
Marketing funnel

A funnel that drives qualified discovery calls

Your website, email flows, and remarketing all work together like a mousetrap. Build clear landing pages that convert, automation that nurtures leads, and a machine that drives discovery calls without you chasing people. Stop leaking leads halfway through.

Customer research

Customer research

Uncover specific pain points, validate assumptions, and reveal what actually drives buying decisions. Run research that produces actionable insights, not just interesting quotes.

Lead capture system

Lead capture system

Capture visitor contact details through strategically placed forms, lead magnets, and often-forgotten sources. Build a system that turns anonymous traffic into known leads.

Lead routing

Lead routing

Route qualified leads to the right person with the right data instantly. Set up lifecycle stages, lead scoring, and assignment rules that make follow-up fast and relevant.

Lead nurture sequences

Lead nurture sequences

Nurture leads through automated email flows that educate, build trust, and move prospects toward booking a discovery call when the timing is right for them.

Optimised booking flow

Optimised booking flow

Convert interested leads into booked meetings through confirmation flows, reminder sequences, and cancellation handling that maximise show rates and reduce no-shows.

Skills you learn

Lead capture systems

Reduce form fields and build multi-step forms that capture more leads without friction or dropoff keeping prospects engaged.

Lead nurture email sequences

Build automated sequences that educate and qualify leads. By the time sales calls, prospects are interested and ready.

Optimised booking flow

Optimise booking flow, set up reminder automation, and build confirmation sequences that get more meetings scheduled consistently.

Lead scoring setup

Configure scoring that identifies which leads are ready to talk to sales and which need more nurturing first.

Module
4
Sales pipeline

Help your sales team close more deals

Your sales pipeline works exactly like a marketing funnel, you just need to know how to optimise it. Build the assets that help your team close: proposals that win, workflows that keep deals moving, and materials that answer objections before they kill opportunities.

Sales process design

Sales process design

Map your customer journey from first contact to signed contract. Define stages, exit criteria, and handoffs that create consistent execution across your entire sales team.

Discovery call framework

Discovery call framework

Qualify prospects and uncover needs through structured discovery conversations that build trust, surface pain points, and position your solution as the obvious choice.

Sales follow-up sequences

Sales follow-up sequences

Keep deals moving forward with automated outreach cadences, task reminders, and nurture sequences that prevent qualified leads from going cold or slipping through the cracks.

Proposal templates

Proposal templates

Close qualified opportunities with proposal formats that clearly communicate value, address objections before they arise, and make buying decisions straightforward.

Skills you learn

Discovery call scripts

Build call structure and question banks that help your team run better discovery calls and qualify prospects consistently.

Proposal templates that close deals

Create modular proposal templates with strong positioning. Clear structure that answers objections before prospects ask them.

Pricing page and value presentation

Design branded pricing presentation with value justification framework that makes the decision easier for prospects on the fence.

Sales sequences and follow-up automation

Build automated follow-up flows that keep deals moving. Nurture prospects between calls so opportunities don't go cold.

Module
5
Customer value

Increase lifetime value per customer

Acquiring customers is expensive. Keeping them is where margins improve. What would happen if none of your customers left? Build feedback loops, long-term relationships, retention programmes that reduce churn, and upsell frameworks that grow account value without being pushy.

Client onboarding

Client onboarding

Onboard new customers with structured flows that set clear expectations, deliver early wins, and establish the patterns that drive long-term retention and expansion.

Customer retention strategy

Customer retention strategy

Retain customers longer by identifying at-risk accounts early, addressing concerns proactively, and continuously demonstrating value that prevents churn before it happens.

Upsell and cross-sell plays

Upsell and cross-sell plays

Expand account value through systematic identification of upsell opportunities, properly timed offers, and clear presentations of additional value customers actually want.

Pricing increase tactics

Pricing increase tactics

Increase prices without losing customers by communicating value clearly, segmenting appropriately, and timing increases to minimise churn whilst improving margins.

Skills you learn

Client onboarding that creates loyalty

Design onboarding experiences that activate clients quickly and keep them happy. First impressions determine long-term relationships and retention.

Retention strategy to reduce churn

Identify best clients and rebuild approach to attract more like them. Stop taking anyone who pays money.

Upsell and cross-sell strategy

Build frameworks that identify opportunities and action them. When clients are ready for more, your team knows what to offer.

Pricing increase tactics

Analyse pricing structure and create implementation plan for increases. Grow account value without feeling pushy or aggressive to clients.

Module
6
Growth orchestration

Orchestrate systematic growth

Get a grip on what's actually working and what needs course correction. Use data and experiments to make decisions instead of opinions. See how changes in one part of the system affect everything else. Random tactics don't compound, coordinated ones do.

Dashboard setup

Dashboard setup

Build a reporting dashboard that tracks the 12 growth metrics across all four engines. Choose the right tool, structure views correctly, and make data actionable weekly.

Quarterly strategy

Quarterly strategy

Run quarterly business reviews that assess current state, set ambitious but realistic goals, build actionable roadmaps, and define key results that keep everyone aligned.

Monthly review

Monthly review

Analyse monthly performance data across all four growth engines. Identify what is working, what is not, and make tactical adjustments using a structured decision framework.

Weekly scorecard

Weekly scorecard

Set up and run the weekly 12-metric review across all four growth engines. Structure the meeting, assign ownership, use traffic lights, and escalate issues that need attention.

Experimentation

Experimentation

Run tests across all growth engines using proper hypothesis formation, test design, and statistical significance. Build learning loops that compound improvements over time.

Skills you learn

Data-driven decision making, not gut feel

Identify which metrics predict growth and build dashboards that surface the right insights. Know what to focus on next quarter.

Prioritise experiments based on long-term revenue

Learn how to design experiments with clear hypotheses and success metrics. Every test teaches you something whether it wins or loses.

Culture of improvement across your team

Train your team to think like experimenters. Small improvements from everyone compound into major growth over months and years.

System to accelerate results with each cycle

Structure how you learn from experiments and build on wins. Each cycle gets faster as your team gets better at spotting what works.

About Ewoud Uphof

Since 2010, I've used this system to drive results for my own companies and clients

Portrait Ewoud Uphof by Maikel ThijssenLinkedIn icon

For 15 years, I've been building growth machines that drive predictable revenue. I've done it for my own businesses and for B2B companies across different industries. Now you can learn how to build it yourself, or let me build it for you.

Read my story
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Decathlon

Advisory board member

At Decathlon Netherlands, I advise the e-commerce team each quarter on growth. The role allowed me to validate my growth framework at enterprise scale while also delivering training over several years.

2018 - present

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The Talent Institute

Growth teacher

Co-created the first growth training in 2015 and taught every cohort for the next decade. Delivered workshops to hundreds of marketers and refined frameworks through their questions and experiments.

Dec 2015 - Dec 2025

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Kees de Boekhouder

Fractional Head of Growth

At Kees de Boekhouder, the largest independent bookkeeper in the Netherlands, I introduced a structured growth rhythm. Within five months revenue was back on target.

May 2024 - October 2024

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Ligo

Fractional Head of Growth

I supported Ligo, a legal tech scale-up preparing for acquisition, by redesigning the customer journey and improving automation in HubSpot. The work reduced churn and improved client retention.

Nov 2023 - March 2024

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Bridgefund

Interim conversion specialist

At BridgeFund, one of the fastest-growing scale-ups in the Netherlands, I first improved website conversion through structured testing. Afterwards, I mentored their in-house marketer to embed CRO capabilities.

May 2024 - October 2024

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Yaya

Fractional Head of Growth

In an interim role, built growth operations for Yaya’s e-commerce team. Introduced weekly dashboards, optimised paid acquisition, improved conversion through A/B testing, and prepared the ground for a smooth transition to a permanent manager.

May 2016 - Dec 2016

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Polaris Growth

Co-founder & Head of growth

Grew the agency into a scalable B2B services company by building the inbound funnel, leading sales, and expanding the team to 11 while maintaining strong client relationships.

May 2016 - Dec 2016

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Replicable

Co-founder Pipedrive agency

Co-founder of a Pipedrive-focused B2B CRM agency. Built the inbound funnel and lead generation engine that helped position the company as one of only two Pipedrive Premium agencies in the Netherlands.

Oct 2020 - May 2024

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Hotelgift

Fractional Head of Growth

Responsible for growth at HotelGift, building a team and driving experiments across paid acquisition, conversion optimisation and retention to lift bookings and repeat use.

Jun 2016 - Jul 2017

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NU.nl

Experimentation lead

Brought A/B testing to NU.nl, one of the Netherlands’ largest news sites. Created an optimisation roadmap, ran research and tests, and helped establish an internal experimentation agency that still drives decisions today.

May 2016 - Dec 2016

FAQ

Why 214% growth instead of just 120%?

Because the 12 metrics multiply, not add. If you improve one metric by 10%, you get 10% growth. But when you improve 12 interconnected metrics by 10% each, they compound: 1.10 × 1.10 × 1.10... (12 times) = 3.14x your baseline, which is 214% growth. This is why systematic improvement across the entire customer journey beats isolated tactics.

Do I need to improve all 12 metrics to see results?

No. Improving any metric moves the needle. But growth compounds fastest when you fix multiple bottlenecks simultaneously. One 10% improvement gives 10% growth. Three improvements give 33%. Six give 77%. All twelve give 214%. The framework shows which metrics to prioritise based on where you're weakest.

How do I know which metrics to focus on first?

Start by measuring your baseline across all 12 metrics. Your biggest bottleneck becomes obvious quickly - usually one metric is dramatically worse than others. Fix that first for immediate impact, then work systematically through the rest. The framework page shows how each metric connects, so you understand what breaks downstream when one part fails.