John S. Kim, Co-Founder and CEO of Sendbird, dives into the art of customer retention, crucial for sustainable growth. He discusses the concept of 'Ikigai', emphasizing finding your purpose for long-term success. Kim highlights the importance of terminal ARR, transforming what may seem like a negative metric into a growth opportunity. He provides real-world examples to illustrate how slight changes in retention rates can drastically affect revenue, and urges businesses to adopt long-term strategies for customer engagement.
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Quick takeaways
Deep introspection to discover one's authentic self is essential for sustainable success and happiness in entrepreneurship.
Understanding terminal ARR and its relationship with customer retention is crucial for navigating growth sustainability and avoiding stagnation.
Deep dives
The Importance of Finding Your Authentic Purpose
Success is often tied to discovering one's authentic self rather than merely following market trends. Many entrepreneurs chase the latest fads, such as cryptocurrency or artificial intelligence, without considering what truly resonates with their personality and long-term interests. Engaging in deep introspection allows individuals to identify opportunities that align with their core values, leading to sustainable success and happiness. Emphasizing the joy found in the journey rather than solely focusing on the end goal cultivates a fulfilling entrepreneurial experience.
Understanding Terminal ARR and Its Significance
Terminal ARR, or annual recurring revenue, reflects the ultimate growth potential of a business based on its market dynamics and value proposition. Many startups initially experience rapid growth, but this often slows down as they approach their maximum capacity, which can be misinterpreted as poor execution. The concept of carrying capacity, borrowed from biological and engineering studies, helps entrepreneurs grasp the factors that contribute to a business's growth rate fluctuations. By understanding terminal ARR, founders can better navigate the challenges associated with growth sustainability and avoid premature stagnation.
The Impact of Customer Retention on Growth Potential
Calculating terminal ARR requires focusing on two key metrics: gross new ARR and the churn percentages experienced within the same timeframe. A real-world example illustrating this illustrates how a startup can experience significant growth in gross new ARR while neglecting retention, leading to an eventual plateau in revenue. If retention rates drop, the potential growth of the business diminishes substantially, highlighting the sensitivity of terminal ARR to customer retention. Therefore, proactive strategies must be developed to enhance retention, ensuring that businesses can sustain and build upon their growth trajectories.
John S. Kim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sendbird (YC W16), the world's no1. conversations platform for mobile apps powering 300M+ people every month.
Top 3 Value Bombs
1. “Ikigai” is finding purpose in life is having a deeper introspection of yourself and finding what you want to do for the next 30 years will ultimately make you successful and deeply happy.
2. Terminal ARR may seem too negative but it also gives leverage to the company to be able to grow and change the total growth potential of the business.
3. A lot of metrics are hard to change as the company grows so think long term and think about the value of your customers ,how to retain them , how to structurally increase the gross ARR of your business.
APIs for better customer communications - Send Bird
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