a16z Live

4B with Margit #9: What Exactly Is Growth Hacking?

Episode Summary

Growth hacking is one of the biggest buzz words among startup founders and marketers. We debate what it is (and isn't), as well as is (and isn't) effective, with three long-time growth hackers: Morgan Brown (VP of Growth, Shopify), Fareed Mosavat (VP Programs & Partners, Reforge), and a16z general partner Andrew Chen.

Episode Notes

• The origins of growth hacking [1:20]
• Brand building vs. growth hacking? [13:58]
• Where does growth fit into the organization?  [31:06]
• The cold start problem: growth hacking from 0 to 1 [36:47]
• What can't be measured? [47:53]
• How do you test and validate new channels? [51:38]
•  Do growth hacks always work, or at some point does it come down to product? [54:55]
• How do you allocate budget? [1:00:27]

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