In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr chat with Jonas Klink, Thrive Market’s Vice President of Product Management & Design. Thrive Market is a subscription-based online grocery delivery service that aims to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone.   And that is a perfect fit for Jonas, who has over 15 years of experience in eCommerce working at companies like eBay, Walmart, and WeightWatchers. As he thought about the next chapter in his career, Jonas wanted to find a mission-driven company where he could make a difference, and Thrive is proving to be the right place for him to have that impact. So in this conversation, we dig deep into Jonas’ growth approach and his passion for building organizational learning velocity. Scientific rigor is at the heart of his process, but speed is key. He explains that to keep growth flowing, tests must focus on answering hypotheses, but they cannot get bogged down by everything else needed for broad distribution.  If you have ever struggled to manage design in a high-tempo testing environment you will particularly enjoy this conversation. Jonas and his team have built a culture where UX and product are deeply connected so that design can flow into experimentation without encumbering it. And that is just the beginning. From his use of the RICE prioritization framework to building alignment around a North Star Metric, Jonas is building the culture of experimentation most of us strive for as we look to accelerate growth. So join us as we dive in with Jonas Klink and find out what’s driving breakout growth success at Thrive Market.    We discussed:* Sustainability, healthy living, and 18 million orders: (05:11) * Bringing experience from Walmart, eBay, and Jet.com to Thrive Market  : (10:08) * Organizing for rapid experimentation and great design: (14:54) * Building a growth language where learnings replace failures: (30:58) * The importance of lightweight process for teams: (39:11)And much, much, more . . .  Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr chat with Arjun Mahadevan, Co-Founder and CEO of doola, a launchpad for your first or next business. Most founders want to spend their time finding Product/Market Fit, but unfortunately, the work of just running a business itself can often get in the way.  Doola looks to help founders remove these distractions by offering a “business-in-a-box” solution.  The company helps you form your LLC, then manage everything from bookkeeping and banking, to taxes and compliance.  Other companies, like LegalZoom, offer business formation services, and certainly, lawyers and accountants can help with these processes too. But doola’s approach is about customer success and building a community where founders can find the support they need.  Arjun says it’s both “high tech and high touch”.Arjun says doola has helped founders in 175 countries form their LLCs in the US, and his team is all about finding the highest-leverage opportunities that will result in a great product suite and community for the business owners they serve. So, if you are looking for some great inspiration and insights into how to optimize for sustainable growth, check out this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast with Arjun Mahadevan, Co-Founder and CEO of doola.   We discussed: * Business-in-a-Box; the doola backstory: (06:04) * Meeting the needs of Covid-driven eCommerce acceleration: (15:45) * Building for retention beyond LLC formation: (25:52) * Just-in-time user acquisition: (30:38) * White labeling doula via API: (34:55)And much, much, more . . . Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr chat with Brendan Candon, Co-Founder and CEO of SidelineSwap, an online marketplace for sporting goods. “Recommerce” is becoming increasingly popular. Reusing, reselling, and recycling used items creates value for buyers and sellers, and the process of trading in and trading up can actually be kind of fun. Brendan and his team have leaned into this by making it easy for athletes, parents, and coaches to find new homes for gear that might otherwise languish in their closets or end up in landfills. Recently Brendan and his co-founders raised money through DSG Ventures (Dick’s Sporting Goods’ venture fund), and we learn how this strategic partnership has unlocked a unique growth channel. By bringing used gear to Sideline Swap Trade-in events, held at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores across the US, consumers can get paid instantly with gift cards, which they can then use to buy new gear in the store. Not only does this build inventory for the online marketplace, but it also introduces new audiences to the platform. It’s this kind of thinking that has helped SidelineSwap compete and grow in a world dominated by large incumbents like Craigslist and eBay. Brendan tells the story from the very beginning when the idea was born after he bought used lacrosse gear from a friend. He describes the constant work to learn and grow, and the grind and discipline it has taken to build the business into a top-100 marketplace according to Andreessen Horowitz.  So jump into this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast and learn about the amazing growth journey of SidelineSwap.   We discussed: * The SidelineSwap backstory: from personal pain point to top-100 marketplace (08:00)  * Focusing on one sport first to win the hard side (11:38)  * Trade-in events, a unique channel to power growth (27:03)  * New opportunities and a win-win with DSG Ventures’ investment (35:04)  *Re-commerce and the power of “being where the customers are” (45:53)And much, much, more . . . Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr are joined by Hugo Pereira as he describes the experience of bringing the lessons of leading a hyper-growth rocketship into his new role as a startup founder.  When Hugo first appeared on the podcast in 2020 he was Chief Growth Officer of EVBox, a manufacturer of electric vehicle charging stations. The market was exploding, and Hugo had discovered that the more he and his team leaned into customer advocacy as a mechanism for leading their industry, the more success they could drive. Listen to the original interview here: apple.co/3xmXoT1 After seven years, Hugo decided it was time for a change. While taking a sabbatical with his family, the idea for Ritmoo, a team communications and engagement platform, was born. And today, Hugo is on his way and applying the lessons from his EVBox days to building something unique and valuable. So, in this conversation, we look to understand how Hugo approaches his search for product/market fit, and how his experience informs his thinking and decision-making.  We also ask how his passion for customer advocacy can serve him in this next chapter of his career.  We even discuss how some of his EVBox experiences may have to be unlearned or rethought as he faces new challenges in a very different startup environment. Hugo’s experience and track record are powerful tools to guide his next chapter, but the reality is that there are no guarantees for new businesses. So this is an honest conversation about taking a big shot but giving yourself the best odds using what you have learned as your compass.   We discussed:* From Hypergrowth to starting anew: Hugo’s Journey (05:01)  * Bringing learnings from growth stages into a startup (10:51)  * Putting the focus on customers, not competition (12:21)  * Too many choices and other founder challenges (19:48)  * Principles for building a new tool for businesses (38:33) And much, much, more . . . The Breakout Growth Podcast is also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featured Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, brought to you by SAP, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr catch up with Henry Schuck, CEO & Founder of ZoomInfo. We first spoke with Henry after his company’s 2020 IPO. So in this conversation, we wanted to see what has changed for him and his team over the last few years. What we found is a much larger company, expanding into new areas, and taking on increasingly greater challenges. And for Henry, that has meant changes in how he leads his now 4000+ person team (it was about 1100 when we first spoke). But, the most important takeaways from this discussion may not be in what has changed, but rather in what has stayed the same. As Henry recounts the stories of how his company took on the challenge of adding a talent acquisition service, or how his go-to-market insights team helped surface opportunities for growth, what is clear is that the same principled approach that brought ZoomInfo to its IPO continues today.  That approach is very much based on data, experimentation, and an unstoppable desire to inspire curiosity across the organization. Even though ZoomInfo is now a very large business, this is a conversation for businesses of all sizes and types. The importance of focus, the value of surfacing insights through data, and planning strategy in an organized way are all topics we discuss that apply to startups and scale-ups alike. Before you jump in, learn more about SAP's cloud solutions for mid-size enterprises at sap.com/sme. If you have ambitious goals, SAP is the technology partner you need to scale and drive innovation. Instead of relying on stitched-together solutions to manage business finances, operations, HR, suppliers, and customer relationships, leverage the flexibility of SAP's cloud-based ERP solution to gain the insights that will help drive your breakout growth success. Achieve breakout growth success now with SAP at bit.ly/3UUPDxJ Thanks for listening to the Breakout Growth Podcast, and don’t forget, to watch us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featuredWe discussed:* ZoomInfo today: Expansion and Growth post-IPO (08:15)* Changing responsibilities as the head of a public company (12:56)* The importance of communications as companies scale (15:18)* How the best-run companies plan strategy (16:29)* “Docusigns per day” as an aligning KPI (17:55)* Making a lot of big bets and maintaining focus (37:32)* Leveraging a valuable data asset (38:14)And much, much, more . . . Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, brought to you by SAP, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr speak with GS Jha, who serves as both Global Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Accuray, a manufacturer of radiotherapy technologies. When you hear GS’s story it’s evident where his passion for life sciences comes from. As a child growing up in India, GS saw firsthand the impacts of poor access to medicine on his community.  And while he thought that his contributions to world health might be as a doctor, ultimately his path led to a place where infrastructure and business converged. That intersection is a key reason why GS feels he can be a catalyst for growth at Accuray in his role as CIO. From GS’s perspective, success depends on aligning the systems he manages with the goals of both the company and the individuals who drive it forward. And what connects these things together is creating value for customers.  So we think you will enjoy this discussion as you hear why even as CIO, GS sees engaging with oncologists directly as an important part of his role, and why everything from his hiring approach to his considerations for systems and infrastructure is informed by a larger mission to save lives.  Before you jump in, learn more about SAP's cloud solutions for mid-size enterprises at sap.com/sme. If you have ambitious goals, SAP is the technology partner you need to scale and drive innovation. Instead of relying on stitched-together solutions to manage business finances, operations, HR, suppliers, and customer relationships, leverage the flexibility of SAP's cloud-based ERP solution to gain the insights that will help drive your breakout growth success. Achieve breakout growth success now with SAP at bit.ly/3UUPDxJ Thanks for listening to the Breakout Growth Podcast, and don’t forget, to watch us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featuredWe discussed:* On a mission to deliver lifesaving technologies (04:21)* CIO vs. CTO, what are the differences (07:33)* How IT functions to unlock a business’ potential (11:31)* The challenges and importance of driving alignment (27:19)* Hiring technology people to drive growth (33:11)* Learning from customers, directly (33:56)And much, much, more . . . Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

Product-Led Growth is all the rage, but it wasn’t working Today, things are looking good for Chameleon and its CEO, Pulkit Agrawal. Since we recorded this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast with him, Chameleon announced a successful Series A. But in 2015 the company was heading towards the startup scrap heap. That’s where co-hosts Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr pick up this conversation. Pulkit and his co-founders had built a product that offered simple tools to personalize customer experiences with product tours and tooltips. They were following the Product-Led playbook that was driving success for other startups in similar categories all around them.  The problem was they were running out of money. The business was not taking off even with an easy-to-use self-serve interface and low prices.   Pivoting to a Sales-Led Go-to-Market Strategy  If you listened to our previous conversation with the CEO of Fireflies, Krish Ramanelli, you will hear a story where PLG was exactly the right strategy. So why wasn’t it right for Pulkit and his team? And how did he figure it out? Jump in and hear how focusing on the must-have experience helped Pulkit and his team regroup and reframe the business, why he doesn’t see the world as either Sales-Led or Product-Led and how the tough early journey informed his team’s growth approach.   The Breakout Growth Podcast is also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featuredWe discussed:* Building a business to solve a personal pain point (03:59)* Realizing the team had over-indexed on a self-serve model (06:08)* Learning that intuition isn’t fact (12:48)* Sales-Led & Product-Led; different learnings, different value (18:30)* Thinking through customer motivations to drive growth (24:55)* Building the culture to support Sales-Led growth (43:29)And much, much, more . . .  Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

Sandeep Chouksey, the Chief Technical Officer at Harry's, shares insights from the frontlines of consumer goods innovation. He reveals how Harry's can launch direct-to-consumer brands in weeks, threatening traditional giants like Unilever. Sandeep emphasizes the importance of intentional hiring, aligning teams with company missions, and fostering autonomy among engineers. He discusses the company’s rapid expansion, including a foray into cat food, and their unique omnichannel approach that redefines consumer engagement in the personal care market.

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, brought to you by SAP, Sean Ellis, and Ethan Garr talk with Jonathan Becher, President of Sharks Sports & Entertainment. If you are a hockey fan you probably know the San Jose Sharks, the flagship brand of Jonathan’s organization, but in this discussion, we quickly learned that when it comes to growth, the sports team itself is just one component of an exciting and complex ecosystem. With its huge media presence, four buildings (arenas and skating facilities), and fans with varying interest levels and unique backgrounds, Jonathan has a variety of tools and resources he and his team can tap into to create meaningful experiences to attract and retain audiences. But it is not without its challenges. Professional sports are typically steeped in tradition and slow to embrace change, but sports teams can’t afford to ignore the world around them. The Sharks literally live in the heart of Silicon Valley, and the world around them is becoming more digitized every day.  Jonathan sees his job as one of “pioneering the future of sports entertainment,” so growth is then about embracing traditions while at the same time building new, engaging, and interconnected digital experiences for the future.  A hockey fan at his core, Jonathan believes his staff is up to the task, and he brings a wealth of experience that includes everything from working as a developer to building startups, to even serving as CMO of SAP, to inform his approach. We learned quickly that Jonathan is a growth hacker at heart; working to understand the must-have experiences powering growth, and using data and experimentation to meet the needs of diverse audiences. Before you jump in, learn more about SAP's cloud solutions for mid-size enterprises at sap.com/sme. If you have ambitious goals, SAP is the technology partner you need to scale and drive innovation. Instead of relying on stitched-together solutions to manage business finances, operations, HR, suppliers, and customer relationships, leverage the flexibility of SAP's cloud-based ERP solution to gain the insights that will help drive your breakout growth success. Achieve breakout growth success now with SAP at bit.ly/3UUPDxJ Thanks for listening to the Breakout Growth Podcast, and don’t forget, to watch us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featuredWe discussed:* Much more than just a hockey team; Sharks Sports & Entertainment  (05:40)* A future built on content and connected experiences (28:18)* Tattoos for die-hard fans &n Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr chat with Kevin Indig, who at the time of the interview was the Director of SEO at Shopify. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be an important growth driver for startups, but it is an easy channel to misunderstand and get wrong.  We wanted to talk to someone who is best-in-class in this field to separate truth from fiction and find out how growth leaders can support, leverage, and embrace SEO in their businesses.  Fortunately, Kevin brought his “A” game to the conversation and did a great job of demystifying SEO for our listeners. He explains why SEO is a must-have for some companies, but just a nice-to-have for others.  Then he describes why, when SEO is a necessary channel for growth, companies should invest early and heavily to maximize their potential.  In the past, SEO could feel very “hacky” and there were definitely a lot of bad actors in the space.  Kevin shows us why today’s SEO is won with a deep focus on delivering value, why it needs to be validated like any other channel, and why elements like backlinks continue to be important.  While you shouldn’t expect to leave this conversation as an SEO expert, you will very likely be in a much better place to support, guide, and set up your organization for SEO success after you hear Kevin share his knowledge and experience.  This is one of our more directly practical discussions and one we really enjoyed.   So click that play button and jump in with Sean and Ethan as we look to better understand how to drive growth through Search Engine Optimization with Kevin Indig.  The Breakout Growth Podcast is also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featuredWe discussed:* The two dimensions of SEO at Shopify (04:09)* Who wins with SEO: Aggregators versus Integrators (07:05)* Misconceptions and constants in a murky world (18:49)* Practical implementation; how to get started in SEO (34:39)* Building SEO into a growing organization (36:26)* Differentiation; why this is a channel that requires specific effort (50:20)And much, much, more . . . Get full access to Sean’s Substack at seanellis.substack.com/subscribe