Gustaf Alstromer - How to Get Users and Grow

TL;DR

Growth is essential for startups but must only be pursued after achieving product-market fit, which is measured by repeat usage of a core value metric. Intentional growth through experimentation, funnel optimization, and scalable channels (referrals, SEO, paid ads) can shatter initial adoption ceilings. AB testing is critical for decisions at scale; without it, teams rely on luck or guesswork.

Key insights

• Natural adoption always slows down; growth teams push beyond that ceiling by being intentional.
• Before working on growth tactics, you must measure retention via a single metric representing customer value and its ideal frequency (e.g., booking for Airbnb, daily active use for Facebook).
• A product with true product-market fit shows a flattening retention curve (e.g., Netflix retains 70% after 7 years; Shopify retains 10% at month 1 but flattens).