- We start with people, tech, and inventory spend, then the SaaS line.
- The output is what to cut, what to keep, and what it is worth to own.
- One thing this quarter: do not sleep on open source.
The Stack Audit is how REV starts. Not a retainer on a maybe. A look at the company as it actually runs, written down, so you can decide whether owning the core is worth it.
Raphael Bennett, Co-Founder and Principal at REV Global, describes it as a recommendation, not a 40-tool teardown on day one. That is the close of this eight-part series on UnSaaSing in practice.
First look
People. Tech. Inventory spend. Before we argue about software, we want the shape of the operation: who does the work, what they use, and what the company already pays to keep the lights on. That is how you avoid the DIY miss from trying to do too much at once.
Then the SaaS line
What is rented to keep the business running, and how much of that rent can become owned infrastructure. Some of it should stay rented. Most owners are surprised how much of it should not. The subscription line is still the cheap part. The picture of the business is the point, as we wrote in what sprawl actually costs.
You walk away with a recommendation
- What to cut.
- What to keep.
- What it is worth to own.
You keep the work product either way. If we then replace a product, we are back to the 60-day clock, in parallel, on one system.
One thing this quarter: do not sleep on open source. The window to change a system you do not actually understand is open right now. Book the audit, or the call. Season 2 of the video series is coming. The written argument behind all of this remains UnSaaSed.
UnSaaSing in practice, part 8 of 8. Previous: How a Cleaner Stack Affects the Exit