Thread
Growing a startup can be HARD
You feel lost 92% of the time - The highs and lows are brutal.
I wish I'd had a framework when I first started my job.
So I created one.
Here are 30+ growth lessons I wish I'd learned sooner:
You feel lost 92% of the time - The highs and lows are brutal.
I wish I'd had a framework when I first started my job.
So I created one.
Here are 30+ growth lessons I wish I'd learned sooner:
1. Focus on storytelling
Humans buy emotions; not the product
Build a story around your product/startup
Sell the story
Humans buy emotions; not the product
Build a story around your product/startup
Sell the story
2. Fail Fast
Marketing campaigns fail and it's okay
It's better to fail early than later
Fail fast and iterate
Marketing campaigns fail and it's okay
It's better to fail early than later
Fail fast and iterate
3. Data is the fuel
You need data to measure the success in marketing
Never depend on assumptions
Measure everything in and out
You need data to measure the success in marketing
Never depend on assumptions
Measure everything in and out
4. Mix up experiments
Some experiments take time to show results
While some show quickly
Have a mix of both running along
Some experiments take time to show results
While some show quickly
Have a mix of both running along
5. Define the outcome before planning
Decide end goal before deciding "how"
Once you have a number in mind plan how to reach that
Most people do the opposite
Decide end goal before deciding "how"
Once you have a number in mind plan how to reach that
Most people do the opposite
6. Take Sprints
Work like a lion, not like a cow
Do marketing sprints, achieve the goal
Plan and take sprints
Work like a lion, not like a cow
Do marketing sprints, achieve the goal
Plan and take sprints
7. No secret sauce
There is no one formula
You need to work hard to create your own formula
All the best!
There is no one formula
You need to work hard to create your own formula
All the best!
8. It's always about THEM
People don't care about you
People always care about themself
Make your user the HERO
People don't care about you
People always care about themself
Make your user the HERO
9. Work on strengths
Everyone has a unique strength
You need to figure out what's yours
Work on your strength rather than working on your weakness
Everyone has a unique strength
You need to figure out what's yours
Work on your strength rather than working on your weakness
10. Prioritise things
You can not do everything at once
You need to start to prioritize tasks and work accordingly
Know the difference b/w urgent, priority, not so urgent
You can not do everything at once
You need to start to prioritize tasks and work accordingly
Know the difference b/w urgent, priority, not so urgent
11. Take Risks
You can never know what will work
Until you try and test
Trust your guts and take calculated risks
You can never know what will work
Until you try and test
Trust your guts and take calculated risks
12. Consistent efforts
Things will take time
No matter what things will take time
Be consistent with your efforts, results will show up
Things will take time
No matter what things will take time
Be consistent with your efforts, results will show up
13. Focus on customers
Optimize for your customers always
Not for your investors, competitors, or yourself
Customers are always the first investors
Optimize for your customers always
Not for your investors, competitors, or yourself
Customers are always the first investors
14. Curiosity >> Skills
Skills can be gained but curiosity can't
Be curious to learn new things
A curious person can learn anything and everything
Skills can be gained but curiosity can't
Be curious to learn new things
A curious person can learn anything and everything
15. There is no perfect plan
No matter how many plans you make execution matter more
Spend more time executing than planning
No matter how many plans you make execution matter more
Spend more time executing than planning
16. Get feedback
No one can be perfect
Taking constant feedback is the only way to improve
Be direct on what area you need the feedback
No one can be perfect
Taking constant feedback is the only way to improve
Be direct on what area you need the feedback
17. Work on your strengths, always!
It's almost always better to double down on your unique strengths.
The world rewards outlier excellence
And not all-around mediocrity.
It's almost always better to double down on your unique strengths.
The world rewards outlier excellence
And not all-around mediocrity.
18. Practical learning > Theoretical Learning
No matter how many books you read- you can only learn by F*cks ups
Internet is full of deep knowledge
But its application is rare.
No matter how many books you read- you can only learn by F*cks ups
Internet is full of deep knowledge
But its application is rare.
19. Accept uncertainties
No plan can go as planned
The result is always uncertain
Accept that and take gut decisions
No plan can go as planned
The result is always uncertain
Accept that and take gut decisions
20. Time v/s Results
Marketing takes time
Decide the time in which you want to get results
More time= Organic marketing
Less time= Paid marketing
Marketing takes time
Decide the time in which you want to get results
More time= Organic marketing
Less time= Paid marketing
21. Choose the right platform
Choose according to the target audience who hangs out there
GenZ = TikTok
Millennials = Instagram
CEOs, Founders & VCs = Twitter
Once you choose the platform create the content accordingly
Choose according to the target audience who hangs out there
GenZ = TikTok
Millennials = Instagram
CEOs, Founders & VCs = Twitter
Once you choose the platform create the content accordingly
22. Measure right metrics
People often fall for vanity metrics
Measure metrics that add up to the revenue
Focus on the visits to conversion ratio
People often fall for vanity metrics
Measure metrics that add up to the revenue
Focus on the visits to conversion ratio
23. Paid v/s organic
Both are important
Never put all the eggs in one basket
Analyze the stage of the product
If you want to scale go for Paid
But always focus on organic along the side
Both are important
Never put all the eggs in one basket
Analyze the stage of the product
If you want to scale go for Paid
But always focus on organic along the side
24. Retention v/s Acquisition
The balance between both is crucial
But if Retention << Acquisition then something needs to be fixed
If Retention is less then focus on
-Customer support
-Product features
-customer feedback
-USP
The balance between both is crucial
But if Retention << Acquisition then something needs to be fixed
If Retention is less then focus on
-Customer support
-Product features
-customer feedback
-USP
25. High LTV and Low CAC
If your CAC is high and LTC is low your business can't survive
Know how much a customer's value will be over the course of a lifetime
By that, you can make smarter decisions about what to spend to acquire a customer.
If your CAC is high and LTC is low your business can't survive
Know how much a customer's value will be over the course of a lifetime
By that, you can make smarter decisions about what to spend to acquire a customer.
26. Keep learning
You can never know everything
It has been years still find something new to learn every day
Be a student for life
You can never know everything
It has been years still find something new to learn every day
Be a student for life
27. Analyze mistakes
Write down all the "WHYs"
If an experiment failed, what were the reasons?
Reflecting on mistakes is the best way to grow
Write down all the "WHYs"
If an experiment failed, what were the reasons?
Reflecting on mistakes is the best way to grow
28. Never quit
Marketing efforts compound.
It might be tiring at the start but things get better once you start getting results
Marketing is all about delayed gratification
Marketing efforts compound.
It might be tiring at the start but things get better once you start getting results
Marketing is all about delayed gratification
29. There is no one way
Marketing = Constant experiments
What worked for them might not work for you
Keep all doors open
Marketing = Constant experiments
What worked for them might not work for you
Keep all doors open
30. Ask for help
If you get stuck, do not shy away from asking for help
Everyone is figuring out
If you get stuck, do not shy away from asking for help
Everyone is figuring out
