Speechify targets niche markets like dyslexia, ADHD, and low vision for user growth.
Innovative marketing includes social media, humor, and engaging comedians for brand building.
Deep dives
Cliff Weitzman's Personal Journey and Inspiration for Speechify
Cliff Weitzman, the founder of Speechify, shares his personal journey of overcoming dyslexia and creating Speechify to help himself learn by having text read aloud. Growing up with dyslexia and struggling with reading, Cliff's father recorded audiobooks for him, sparking his lifelong passion for audiobooks. Using this experience, Cliff developed a text-to-speech tool to scan and convert physical books into audiobooks, which later evolved into the creation of Speechify.
Niche Targeting and Diverse User Base of Speechify
Speechify's niche targeting strategy focuses on helping individuals with dyslexia and other challenges, like ADHD, low vision, autism, and second language speakers. By addressing these specific needs, Speechify has grown its user base to include a diverse range of individuals, such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, and executives. This approach has resulted in a significant impact, resonating with users who find the app transformative in their lives.
Innovative Marketing Strategies and Content Creation at Speechify
Speechify's innovative marketing strategies involve leveraging social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube to create engaging ads and content. Cliff Weitzman's hands-on approach includes incorporating humor and engaging comedians in the ad creation process. By focusing on brand building and content creation internally, Speechify aims to connect with a wider audience and effectively communicate its mission.
Company Growth and Hiring Practices of Speechify
As Speechify plans to scale its operations, the company aims to grow its team to around 250 individuals. With a strong emphasis on product quality, speed, and company values, Speechify focuses on hiring individuals who exhibit a track record of success and a passion for the product. The company's remote work culture fosters a global team across 25 countries, enabling diverse talent to contribute to Speechify's continued success.
On the podcast we talk with Cliff about the benefits of building for a niche, the one ad that changed things for Speechify, and why Cliff is now hiring comedians.
Our guest today is Cliff Weitzman, the founder and CEO of Speechify. As someone with dyslexia, Cliff built Speechify to help himself learn by having text read aloud. Cliff went on to blitzscale Speechify with an irreverent approach to SaaS norms and a willingness to experiment.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Cliff found early traction for Speechify
Unconventional ways to build a great team
How Cliff got marketing tips from the top e-commerce CEOs