If you’ve ever watched leads stall out, deals die in limbo, or teams point fingers, this episode covers what’s actually going wrong. You’ll learn how to tighten revenue accountability, align sales and marketing, and avoid the silent killer: unclear ownership.
The Real Revenue Gap? Accountability.
Most mid-market companies think they have a lead-gen problem. But when you dig deeper, it’s rarely about demand. It’s about follow-up. It’s about friction between marketing and sales. And more often than not, it’s about no one being clearly responsible when revenue stalls.
Sarah Shepard (COO) and Jay Feitlinger (CEO) from StringCan Interactive break down what happens when “everyone owns revenue” and why that mindset leads to pipeline chaos, misaligned CRMs, and leadership tension.
What Happens When No One Truly Owns Revenue?
Jay shares a real client story that’s all too familiar:
- The CEO believed marketing wasn’t generating enough leads.
- The head of sales said they were chasing poor-fit leads.
- The CMO insisted the leads were strong.
So who was right?
Turns out, no one was actually accountable. No one was measured, reviewed, or empowered to own that moment in the pipeline. A promising $2.2M deal slipped away simply because the assigned rep followed up three days too late. That one miss unraveled months of effort.
This isn’t a CRM issue. It’s a people issue rooted in blurred accountability.
Shared Responsibility Means No Responsibility
Let’s be honest. When everyone “owns” something, no one really does.
Even in leadership teams with the best intentions, shared ownership of revenue often leads to:
- Missed handoffs between departments
- Inconsistent pipeline follow-through
- Blame-shifting and internal frustration
- Time wasted untangling “the mess”
Sarah puts it plainly: “The fastest path to chaos is shared responsibility. Especially when no one knows who’s holding the ladder.”
So Who Should Own Revenue?
There’s a reason the CRO role is gaining traction. One accountable owner across marketing and sales makes it easier to align data, goals, and handoffs.
But even without a formal CRO, the fix is this:
✅ Assign a single accountable person for each stage of the revenue pipeline.
That doesn’t mean they do all the work. But they are responsible for outcomes. Every step. No exceptions.
At StringCan, we use a flow map and an accountability overlay to uncover exactly where ownership gaps exist. It’s not flashy, but it works. And once the team sees it, momentum takes off.
FAQs CROs Are Asking Right Now
Q: What’s the risk of not having a CRO or similar role?
A: You’ll end up with overlapping responsibilities, finger-pointing, and unclear goals between marketing and sales. That kills momentum and morale.
Q: Can’t a VP of Sales and Marketing solve this?
A: Sometimes. But only if they have clear accountability structures and the bandwidth to lead both functions with equal rigor.
Q: How do I know if accountability is the issue?
A: Ask each department who owns revenue. If the answer is “everyone,” it’s time for an accountability audit.
Q: What’s an accountability audit?
A: It’s a review of each step in your customer journey from awareness to retention to ensure each stage has one clearly accountable person.
Q: Do I need new leads or better follow-up?
A: Often, you don’t need more leads. You need someone responsible for converting the ones you already have.
Why This Matters for the C-Suite
Jay and Sarah have spent over a decade helping B2B companies fix their revenue engines. And the truth is, the fix usually starts before tactics, before tech, before new hires.
It starts with clarity.
Because without clear ownership:
- Your best leads will fall through the cracks
- Your teams will waste energy untangling process
- Your growth will hit a ceiling faster than you think
And if the foundation isn’t solid, no amount of strategy will save it.
For the full breakdown and actionable tips, listen to the episode now in Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube.
And if you're ready to clarify revenue ownership and accelerate growth, connect with our team.
