Case Study: Transforming a Stagnant Account into a Growth Engine
Navistar (now International): $250K → $600K in 18 Months (140% Growth)
This wasn't my largest deal, but it best demonstrates strategic account development from scratch. No existing relationships, no product launches driving urgency, no market tailwinds, just systematic execution transforming a decade of stagnation into consistent growth.
The Challenge
When I inherited the Navistar (now International) account in May 2022, it had been stagnant for over a decade at approximately $250K in annual revenue.
Why it was stuck:
- Navistar had standardized almost entirely on a competitor's simulation platform
- We were positioned as a "gap-filler" - kept only for niche features the competitor couldn't replicate
- The account was kept at arm's length with minimal engagement
- Previous account managers had made little progress in 10+ years
The barrier: Navistar's engineering organization saw us as a legacy vendor, not a strategic partner. We had no meaningful relationships beyond transactional renewals.
My Approach: Forcing Entry Through Value
Breaking Through (Months 1-3):
The Engineering Simulation Director wouldn't respond to calls, emails, or LinkedIn messages. Rather than give up, I took a bold approach:
I created a calendar invite with a clear agenda and sent it directly to him.
The agenda positioned our conversation around their efficiency, not my product. I got 30 minutes.
In that meeting, I positioned us as a partner focused on helping his team work more efficiently, not a vendor trying to sell more licenses. I asked what topics would be most valuable to his engineers.
Building Relationships at Scale (Months 3-9):
We sent Navistar a list of 20 pre-created technical webinars on topics engineers typically care about. I asked them to select the 3 most valuable to their team.
Webinar execution:
- 10-20 Navistar engineers attended each session
- I documented every attendee's name
- Systematically followed up with each person individually to understand their specific challenges and workflows
Key insight: Through these follow-ups, I discovered engineers were duplicating effort, redefining boundary conditions across multiple simulation tools for non-linear analysis, dynamic analysis, and CFD work.
The strategic pivot: I proposed 3 additional webinars specifically focused on capabilities Navistar was using in other tools (NASTRAN, Star-CCM+) that were creating workflow inefficiencies. The value proposition shifted from "better features" to "consolidated, more efficient workflows."
The Growth Path
December 2022 (7 months in): First renewal under my ownership
- Revenue grew to $325K (+$75K / 30% growth)
- Expanded Abaqus licenses for additional capabilities we had demonstrated
December 2023: Second renewal
- Revenue grew to $600K (+$275K / 85% growth)
- Strategic shift: Converted to universal token licensing model
- This removed friction for engineers to experiment with new capabilities
- Paved the way for systematic expansion to new engineering groups
- Required director-level approval on both sides
May 2024: Mid-year expansion planned
- $500K-$1M additional growth in active pipeline
- Navistar's restructuring to International delayed decision to December 2024
- I departed before completion, but growth trajectory was clear
Orchestration Required
This wasn't just selling - it was running a complex, multi-stakeholder operation:
Internal coordination (my side):
- Legal team (contract negotiations)
- Deal value engineering (ROI modeling)
- Client executive (coordinator across Dassault brands)
- Sales director + VP (executive sponsorship)
- Technical engineer (webinar delivery)
- 6 pre-sales engineers (4 for FEA, 2 for CFD)
- Pricing team (token model structuring)
- Support/infrastructure (token deployment validation)
Total: 15-20+ people coordinated
External stakeholders (Navistar):
- 3 engineering directors across different groups
- 30-40 individual engineers (relationship building)
- IT director (infrastructure and deployment)
Total: 40-50+ people influenced
The Results
Revenue impact:
- $250K → $600K in 18 months (140% realized growth)
- $500K-$1M additional growth in qualified pipeline
- Total transformation: 300%-500% growth trajectory on decade-long stagnant account
Customer outcomes:
- 20% time savings for engineering workflows
- Displaced NASTRAN and Star-CCM+ in key workflows
- Strategic token architecture enabling future expansion
- Systematic playbook for expanding to new engineering groups
Key Takeaway
Features sell products. Education, relationships, and understanding sell transformations.