Dan Hockenmaier, an expert in marketplace strategy and growth, shares his insights from leadership roles at Thumbtack and Faire. He discusses the importance of constructing growth models based on first principles, with a focus on customer retention as a crucial metric. The conversation dives into the complexities of managing marketplaces, balancing supply and demand, and the evolution of vertical marketplaces. Dan also highlights strategies for startups, emphasizing the significance of understanding customer dynamics to drive sustainable growth.

Dan Hockenmaier, founder of the growth strategy firm Basis One, and Gustaf Alströmer, a Partner at Y Combinator with a background in Airbnb's growth, share valuable insights on navigating startup growth. They discuss the pivotal timing and strategy for acquisition and retention. Hockenmaier emphasizes experimentation over conventional tactics, while Alströmer reflects on Airbnb's growth through unique user experiences. They delve into effective A/B testing, pricing strategies, and the nuances of marketing for both B2B and consumer markets, stressing the importance of data-driven decision-making.

This episode of Greymatter is the third in a series of growth discussions featuring Greylock investor Mike Duboe. Lenny Rachitsky, former growth lead at Airbnb, and Dan Hockenmaier, founder of Basis One and former director of growth marketing at Thumbtack, join Mike to share lessons learned when growing marketplaces from startup to scaleup. They discuss how to design a growth org, processes and frameworks around experiments, building growth models, understanding marketplace liquidity, how to think about disintermediation, and parallels between B2C /B2B marketplaces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices