# Function Before Industry

> Same functions move first. Every time. The CEO industry question — answered in 5 minutes.

*CB · Module M2 — First Functions · The CEO AI Playbook by Stephen Forte*

Canonical: https://academy.buildclub.com/m2/p-cb-function-before-industry

## Thesis

Functions move first. Industries follow.

## Key Takeaways

- Functions move first. Industries follow.
- Score your six functions — CX, Sales, Eng, Mktg, HR, Finance — by ROI signal strength and data ownership.
- Same functions move first. Every time. The CEO industry question — answered in 5 minutes.

## The Playbook

1. **Customer Support** — $0.99 / resolution (Intercom Fin). First function to price by outcome, not seat.
2. **Sales** — $25K ACV threshold. Hybrid human + agent wins above this line.
3. **Coding / Engineering** — Leading indicator. If eng adopts, every other function follows.
4. **Marketing / CRM** — Data owner wins. Whoever owns customer data owns the agent layer.
5. **HR / Recruiting** — Highest-volume structured workflow. Screening + scheduling agents mature.
6. **Finance / FP&A** — Anomaly detection, variance narration, close automation.
1. **Pivot** — Ask: "What is your most expensive functional cost center?" Reframe industry as function.
2. **Score** — Rank that function against the other five: CX, Sales, Eng, Mktg, HR, Finance.
3. **Name** — "Your first agent is in [function], not [industry]." Give a specific answer.

## What to Do Monday

- Score your six functions — CX, Sales, Eng, Mktg, HR, Finance — by ROI signal strength and data ownership.
- Name the top-scoring function: that is where your first agent pilots.
- Never answer the industry question again — pivot to function every time.

## FAQ

**What is the core idea of Function Before Industry?**

Functions move first. Industries follow.

**What should a CEO do Monday morning after reading Function Before Industry?**

Start here: Score your six functions — CX, Sales, Eng, Mktg, HR, Finance — by ROI signal strength and data ownership; Name the top-scoring function: that is where your first agent pilots; Never answer the industry question again — pivot to function every time.

**What are the steps in Function Before Industry?**

1) Customer Support; 2) Sales; 3) Coding / Engineering; 4) Marketing / CRM; 5) HR / Recruiting.

**Where do the claims in Function Before Industry come from?**

The playbook cites Intercom Fin (public pricing); Lemkin / SaaStr; GitHub Copilot adoption data.

## Sources

- Intercom Fin (public pricing)
- Lemkin / SaaStr
- GitHub Copilot adoption data

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Work with BuildClub: https://buildclub.com/phase-0-assess