Good Revenue, Great Leadership: Lessons from Michael Roth

Building the Right Revenue: Insights from Michael Roth, CRO at InvestCloud

Revenue is often seen as the ultimate measure of business success. Bring in the money, and everything will fall into place—or so the conventional wisdom goes. In the latest episode of the Revenue Architect Podcast, Michael Roth, Chief Revenue Officer of Digital Wealth at InvestCloud, challenges this notion, emphasizing that it’s not just revenue that matters—it’s the right revenue.

Michael’s journey to the CRO role is unconventional. Starting as a derivative trader at 14, he spent a decade in trading before moving into startups and eventually selling a retirement technology platform. Today, as the CRO of a leading global FinTech firm, he brings a wealth of experience in building scalable revenue systems, leading cross-functional teams, and navigating high-stakes investment landscapes.

The Right Revenue Is Strategic Revenue

It’s tempting for businesses to chase deals that increase top-line numbers, but not all revenue contributes to sustainable growth. Poorly aligned deals can strain teams, erode margins, hurt brand reputation, and ultimately stifle innovation.

One story Michael shared illustrates this perfectly. Early in his startup journey, he pitched a large client on an idea he wasn’t fully prepared to deliver. Despite initial interest, he paused, focusing instead on delivering value with the current offerings. A year later, the client returned—ready to invest when the company was prepared. This experience reinforced the importance of patience, discipline, and alignment in revenue growth.

Investors Are Partners, Not Just Capital

From seed funding to venture capital and private equity, Michael stresses that founders must carefully choose investors who align with the company’s strategy and values. Seed investors need to believe in the founder’s vision, venture capitalists should bring expertise and distribution support, and private equity partners should provide operational guidance beyond financial returns.

Balancing Process and Freedom

Scaling revenue requires governance—but too much process can stifle creativity. Michael compares it to coaching top athletes or artists: they master fundamentals but know when to break the rules. For sales teams, this means creating guardrails that allow autonomy while ensuring healthy margins, strategy alignment, and operational compliance. Tools like Salesforce can help, but adoption depends on thoughtful process and clear communication.

Empathy as a Leadership Imperative

Empathy is a recurring theme in Michael’s approach. Listening to finance, operations, product teams, clients, and prospects enables leaders to understand real problems and deliver solutions that matter. As a CRO, empathy allows you to bridge gaps between departments, align strategy, and foster a culture where teams feel empowered yet accountable.

Responsible AI Adoption

In the age of AI, Michael warns against adopting technology without governance. Many organizations experiment with dozens of AI vendors, creating security risks and fragmentation. InvestCloud’s approach centers on a single AI platform that serves as the source of truth, augmented selectively with best-of-breed tools. This strategy maximizes ROI, protects data, and ensures cross-division alignment.

For CXOs and revenue leaders, the lesson is clear: building sustainable growth is not about chasing every dollar. It’s about strategic revenue, aligned investors, structured yet flexible processes, empathetic leadership, and responsible technology adoption. By focusing on the right revenue, organizations can scale efficiently, protect their brand, and prepare for long-term success.