Net Dollar Retention

Biological Parallel

Net Dollar Retention measures whether existing customers grow revenue over time. In mutualistic relationships, this is common: fig trees and fig wasps both increase investment as the partnership matures. Young figs provide minimal fruit; mature trees produce thousands, and wasp colonies grow proportionally. The relationship exhibits >100% 'retention'—each year delivers more value than the last. Parasitic relationships show the opposite: hosts invest minimally while parasites extract maximum value, leading to deterioration. Your NDR reveals whether you're a mutualist (growing together) or parasite (extracting until churn).