a16z Podcast Kickstarting Network Effects
23 snips
Dec 6, 2021 
Join Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, Paul Davison, co-founder of Clubhouse, and Andrew Chen, a network effects expert, as they dive into the essence of community building. They discuss how to kickstart network effects and the significance of a 'minimum viable community.' The trio tackles the ethics of user engagement strategies, including 'flintstoning.' They explore the creator-first philosophy, and how Web3 is reshaping the entrepreneur landscape, all while keeping user engagement authentic and meaningful.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Network Effects Defined
- Network effects make a product more useful as more users join.
- This is powerful for large tech companies but challenging for startups.
Reddit's Early Days
- Alexis Ohanian leveraged an existing PHPBB forum to onboard early Reddit users.
- He also admitted to faking user activity to create initial engagement.
Clubhouse's Single Room Start
- Clubhouse focused on building a dense single-room experience initially.
- Paul Davison prioritized direct user interaction, even greeting new users personally.
