'''...d not only showed the converted time but also had a subtle "Powered by RemoteTeam" link at the bottom.
Step 3: Close the Loop
Finally, you need to close the loop by bringing the new users back to your product. The shared "nugget of value" should be a gateway to your core product experience. It should give them a taste of what you have to offer and leave them wanting more.
When someone clicked on the shared link from our Time Zone Converter, it took them to a page that not only showed the converted time but also offered a "Try RemoteTeam for free" button. We were converting users who had never even heard of us before, all because their teammate shared a useful tool with them.
This simple, three-step loop was the engine of our growth. It was a self-perpetuating cycle: a user finds value, shares it, and brings in new users who then do the same. It was beautiful.
How to Build Your Own Growth Machine
So, how can you apply this framework to your own business? Here's a step-by-step guide:
Identify a "Nugget of Value": What's a small, painful problem your target users have that you can solve with a simple tool or resource? Think calculators, templates, checklists, or simple converters. The key is to make it so useful that people can't help but use it.
Build It (and Make It Sharable): Create a standalone version of your "nugget of value." It should be fast, easy to use, and require no sign-up. Then, embed a "hook" that makes it easy and beneficial for users to share it. Don't be shy about adding your branding, but keep it subtle.
Close the Loop: Make sure that when someone clicks on a shared link, they are taken to a page that not only delivers the promised value but also introduces them to your core product. This is your chance to convert them from a casual user to a potential customer.
Promote the Nugget, Not the Product: Instead of running ads for your main product, run them for your "nugget of value." The cost per acquisition will be a fraction of what you were paying before, and the users you acquire will be much more qualified.
Stop Marketing, Start Growing
I learned a hard lesson that day I stared at that $27,000 hole in my budget. You can't force growth. You have to design it. By shifting our focus from creating content to creating value, we were able to build a product that sold itself.
So, I challenge you to take a hard look at your own growth strategy. Are you on a content treadmill to nowhere? Are you just adding to the noise? If so, it's time to get off. It's time to stop marketing and start growing. '''
Frequently Asked Questions
How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.
What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 200+ startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.