OMTM Growth Framework
Apply YC's three-pillar growth system when users discuss startup growth, metrics, or accountability.
The Framework
Pillar 1: One Metric That Matters (OMTM)
Definition: The single number that best captures the health of your business RIGHT NOW.
Selection Criteria:
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Directly tied to revenue or retention
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Movable by your current team
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Leading indicator (not lagging)
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Simple enough to explain in one sentence
OMTM by Stage:
Stage Typical OMTM Why
Pre-launch Waitlist signups Demand validation
Pre-revenue Active users Engagement before monetization
Early revenue Weekly revenue Direct business health
Product-market fit Net revenue retention Sustainable growth signal
Growth MRR growth rate Scalability proof
OMTM by Business Type:
Business OMTM NOT This
SaaS Weekly active users OR MRR Total signups
Marketplace Weekly GMV Registered users
E-commerce Weekly revenue Traffic
Content Weekly engaged readers Pageviews
B2B Services Pipeline value Proposals sent
OMTM Anti-Patterns:
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Vanity metrics (followers, downloads, registrations)
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Composite metrics nobody can move directly
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Metrics that make you feel good but don't predict success
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Changing OMTM every week
Pillar 2: 7% Weekly Growth
The Math:
7% weekly = 1.07^52 = 33x annual growth 5% weekly = 1.05^52 = 12x annual growth 10% weekly = 1.10^52 = 142x annual growth
Why 7%:
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Ambitious but achievable for early-stage
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Compounds to meaningful scale
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Forces weekly experimentation
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Creates urgency without burnout
Weekly Growth Calculation:
Growth Rate = (This Week - Last Week) / Last Week × 100
Example: Last week: 100 users This week: 107 users Growth: (107-100)/100 = 7%
Tracking Template:
Week OMTM Value Growth % Cumulative Notes
1 100
100 Baseline
2 107 7% 107 [What drove it]
3 114 6.5% 114 [What drove it]
When You Miss 7%:
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Don't panic - single weeks vary
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Analyze what slowed growth
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Double down on what worked before
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Ship faster next week
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If 3+ weeks below target, reassess strategy
Pillar 3: Public Accountability
Why Public:
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Eliminates self-deception
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Creates external pressure to perform
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Builds audience/community
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Attracts help and opportunities
Accountability Mechanisms:
Method Effort Pressure Audience
Twitter/X updates Low Medium Public
Investor updates Medium High Investors
Mastermind group Medium High Peers
Public dashboard High Very High Everyone
Blog posts High Medium Followers
Weekly Update Template:
Week [X] Update:
OMTM: [Metric Name] Last Week: [Value] This Week: [Value] Growth: [X]%
What worked:
- [Specific action → result]
What didn't:
- [Specific action → result]
Next week focus:
- [Specific action with expected impact]
Accountability Partner Selection:
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Someone who will actually call you out
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Preferably another founder at similar stage
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Weekly sync, same day/time
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Both share numbers, no hiding
Application
When User Asks About Growth
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Check for OMTM: Do they have ONE metric? If multiple, help narrow.
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Check the math: Is their target realistic? Use 7% as benchmark.
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Check accountability: Who knows their numbers? Suggest public sharing.
Red Flags to Address
User Says Red Flag Response
"We track DAU, MAU, revenue, NPS..." No focus Help identify THE one
"We're growing 2% monthly" Too slow Reframe to weekly, increase ambition
"I review metrics quarterly" Too infrequent Suggest weekly rhythm
"Nobody knows our numbers" No accountability Suggest public sharing
Pushback Responses
"7% weekly is unrealistic"
"What's your current weekly growth? Even 5% = 12x annual. The number matters less than the weekly discipline."
"We can't share numbers publicly"
"Share with one accountability partner. The point is external pressure, not public disclosure."
"Our business doesn't work that way"
"Every business has a leading indicator. What number, if it went up, would guarantee future success?"
Integration with Other Skills
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Use with growth-audit for comprehensive assessment
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Use with first-principles to identify true OMTM
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Use with founder-mode for execution discipline
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Reference in idea-validator for post-validation tracking