In this episode, we’re joined by Gaurav Agarwal, COO of ClickUp, who’s led the company’s explosive growth to over 10 million users while slashing CAC by 3X and achieving profitability. Gaurav dives into why ClickUp’s hybrid motion is crushing it and how to align both for compounding returns, how they reduced CAC by ruthlessly optimizing spend and embracing incrementality over attribution, how to build teams that thrive under high accountability, and more.

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Key Moments:

(00:00) Introduction to Gaurav Agarwal and ClickUp

(02:54) Gaurav's Journey from Banking to Startups

(06:04) Growth Strategies and Challenges at ClickUp

(14:54) Branding vs. Performance Marketing in SaaS

(21:54) Navigating Brand Marketing and Measurement

(24:44) The Importance of Self-Awareness in Leadership

(27:39) The Role of Pain in Leadership and Growth

(35:57) The Dichotomy of Being Liked vs. Respected

(40:39) Building Resilient Teams Through Real Challenges

(51:14) The Dynamics of PLG and SLG

(52:37) Fragmentation in Go-to-Market Strategies

(56:42) The Role of Marketing in Revenue Generation

(01:00:45) Influences and Inspirations in Business