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Here is a preview of our upcoming book. We will deliver chapter previews and more every Monday. Stay tuned.
Day 29
How The Big Kids Grow
The scrappy phase is ending. You have customers, maybe even revenue, and people are actually using what you made. The urgent fear of being ignored is behind you. Now the new challenge is to figure out how to turn early interest into meaningful growth.
This book is intended to help you get to launch, not to teach you how to scale. But day 29 will show you the shape of the terrain ahead, so when you’re ready to cross into growth territory, you’ll recognize the landmarks.
Three Paths to Scale
Sustainable growth follows one of three dominant models.
Performance-driven growth involves paid acquisition and conversion optimization. Think Facebook ads, Google campaigns, landing pages, and funnel optimization. You're buying attention and converting it into customers through systematic testing and optimization. Companies like Casper or Warby Parker built this way, figuring out how to profitably buy customers through digital channels.
This makes sense when you have clear, measurable conversion paths and predictable customer behavior. If you can identify your ideal customer, reach them through paid channels, and convert them at predictable rates, this model works. E-commerce, SaaS with clear use cases, and services with obvious value propositions often fit here.
Product-Driven Growth happens when your product itself creates more users. Slack grows because teams invite teammates. Notion spreads because people share documents. Zoom expanded because meeting hosts brought in participants. These companies built viral loops, network effects, and retention systems directly into their core product experience.
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It works when your product becomes more valuable with more users or when usage naturally creates sharing moments. If your product is collaborative, if it connects people, or if using it inherently involves others, you might have product-driven growth potential. But don't force viral loops into products where they don't naturally fit.
Brand-Driven Growth scales through reputation, community, and narrative. Think Patagonia, Tesla, or even smaller companies that become the go-to choice in their niche. These companies grow because people actively seek them out, recommend them, and identify with what they represent. Growth comes from brand strength, not just product features or marketing spend.
Happens when you're solving problems people care deeply about, when your category is crowded with similar solutions, or when trust and reputation matter more than features. If you're competing in a mature market, addressing emotional needs, or building something people want to identify with, brand might be your primary lever.
You don’t just need to pick one. Netflix started brand-driven (disrupting video stores), added performance-driven growth (optimized digital acquisition), and built product-driven elements (recommendation algorithms that increase retention). But they started with one primary engine.
Preview Note: This is just the opening of chapter 6. The full chapter helps you strategically scale by prioritizing what’s important for your business.
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Disclaimer: The startup ideas shared in this forum are non-rigorously curated and offered for general consideration and discussion only. Individuals utilizing these concepts are encouraged to exercise independent judgment and undertake due diligence per legal and regulatory requirements. It is recommended to consult with legal, financial, and other relevant professionals before proceeding with any business ventures or decisions.
Sponsored content in this newsletter contains investment opportunity brought to you by our partner ad network. Even though our due-diligence revealed no concerns to us to promote it, we are in no way recommending the investment opportunity to anyone. We are not responsible for any financial losses or damages that may result from the use of the information provided in this newsletter. Readers are solely responsible for their own investment decisions and any consequences that may arise from those decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including but not limited to lost profits, lost data, or other intangible losses, arising out of or in connection with the use of the information provided in this newsletter.
