The Startup Grind Portland Operations & AI Index

Manual Heavy: Mostly spreadsheets, manual data entry, and human-dependent workflows

Siloed Tech: We use software, but systems don't talk to each other

Automated/Integrated: Systems are connected (Make/Zapier), minimizing manual data entry

AI-Native: AI agents, LLMs, and predictive models are baked directly into our daily workflows

Reviewing real-time operational and financial dashboards

Using predictive analytics and leading indicators

We currently cannot accurately track this

○ I manually compile data from multiple sources into spreadsheets weekly/monthly

I have automated reports, but I rarely look at them

I have predictive alerts that notify me when metrics hit thresholds

I don't currently track metrics systematically

Hiring more people (Sales, Delivery, etc.)

Operational architecture (Tools, Systems, Integrations)

Margins shrank (Scaling is getting more expensive)

Margins stayed flat (Costs grew at the exact same rate as revenue)

Margins expanded (We achieved operational leverage)

Revenue hasn't grown in the last 12 months

How Does Your Growth Engine Compare to Portland's Top Founders?