Sam Kuehnle, founder of Dereva
I'm Sam Kuehnle, a fractional B2B demand generation operator and the founder of Dereva, a practice I started in 2025 to work directly with CEOs + marketing leaders on pipeline that ties to revenue. I'm also a member of DemandLoops, a fractional demand gen operator network for B2B SaaS.
What I do
Your marketing dashboard says one thing, but your pipeline and revenue say another. I diagnose what's actually going on and embed with your team to get things back on track.
Most underperforming demand gen comes down to execution. Programs run, and over time a gap opens as incentives drift: practitioners optimize for click-through rate + cost per lead while the company needs pipeline + revenue. I close that gap by embedding with leadership and practitioners and building the playbook with them, so everyone works off the same numbers.
Three beliefs shape the work:
- Demand gen works at the ecosystem level, so I look across every channel at once.
- Brand multiplies everything you already spend.
- The metrics most teams optimize for sit furthest from revenue.
What I'm known for
- Ecosystems, not channels: Growth comes from the interplay between touchpoints, trackable and untrackable. I build programs where ads, BDR outreach, content, events, and community act as force multipliers for each other, and I use attribution to understand how they work together instead of ranking channels by the credit a model assigns them. Read the essay
- Funnel audits: I've audited 100+ B2B funnels. Most companies struggle with one of four issues at any given time: lead gen that fills the funnel with false leads, marketing and sales misalignment, a product/market fit gap, or goals that outrun reality. I diagnose which one you have and the order to fix things in. See the framework
Who I work with
B2B CEOs + marketing leaders. I also work with CROs, COOs, CFOs, and VC/PE partners who oversee multiple portfolio companies and want to see where each funnel leaks. Most of my work has been with B2B SaaS companies.
Track record
- Loxo, VP of Marketing: First marketing hire. Grew the team from 1 to 11. Across my tenure, ARR grew 357% and qualified pipeline grew 341%. The account-based program I launched in Jan 2025 covered 210K+ global ICP accounts and produced a 77% ACV lift + 59.5% revenue growth YoY, compounding across six consecutive quarters.
- Refine Labs, Director then VP of Demand Generation: Worked across a portfolio of 75+ B2B SaaS clients, managing $500M+ in aggregate paid media spend and improving qualified pipeline, revenue, and CAC payback period.
- Blackbaud: Helped scale digital marketing spend from $1M to $20M per year.
What I'm building + writing
- Dereva: my fractional practice for direct client engagements, founded in 2025.
- Affect: a funnel audit platform that shows where your funnel is broken, how your rates compare to peers in your industry, and what to fix. Built by me. affect.so
- DemandLoops: a fractional demand gen operator network for B2B SaaS, where I'm a member. demandloops.com
- Marketing Meditations: my weekly newsletter + podcast on demand gen, GTM strategy, and what drives pipeline and revenue in B2B. 1,600+ subscribers. samkuehnle.com
Work with me
Frequently asked questions
Who is Sam Kuehnle?
Sam Kuehnle is a fractional B2B demand generation operator, founder of Dereva and Affect, and author of Marketing Meditations. Previously VP of Marketing at Loxo and VP of Demand Generation at Refine Labs.
What is Dereva?
Dereva is a fractional B2B demand generation practice, founded in 2025 by Sam Kuehnle, that works directly with CEOs and marketing leaders.
What is Affect?
Affect is a funnel audit platform for B2B marketers that shows where your funnel is broken, how your rates compare to peers, and what to fix. Built by Sam Kuehnle, founder of Dereva.
What is Sam Kuehnle known for?
Sam Kuehnle is known for an ecosystem approach to B2B demand generation, in which touchpoints work as force multipliers for each other, and for funnel audits. He has audited 100+ B2B funnels and diagnoses which of four common funnel issues is holding growth back.