Growing Forward: Lead like the top 1% in growth, marketing, & product

Alignment is one of the most important parts of working in growth, whether it's being aligned with your company about your role or how well you connect with the new hire. Hillary Pitts Miller works the intersection of Product and Growth at Whimsical and she came to understand the power of alignment when she realized that her company wasn’t actually ready for a growth team yet.

In this episode, Hillary shares her story of setting her ego aside for the sake of the company and her transition from her marketing background into growth (and back again). Listen in for Hillary’s insights and career advice on navigating the maturing but unpredictable growth landscape.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. That you shouldn’t be afraid to address the elephant in the room

2. Why it’s important to take time and suss out the company culture fit, whether you’re interviewing candidates or interviewing for jobs

3. Some companies might not need a growth role as much as they think they do

Things to listen for:

[03:45] Hillary’s Growth origin story

[09:04] How to overcome a failed hire

[14:50] Navigating impostor syndrome

[17:07] How being honest builds trust

[20:50] Setting your ego aside for the company’s needs

[29:23] Advice for struggling job seekers

[30:59] How to learn if a company is for you

Resources:

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Have you moved from one company to another just to feel like nothing changed? Like when you finally leave a role that drains your energy, only to find yourself in a company culture that’s a little too familiar? Joseph Fitzgibbon, Founder of Growth & Company, knows that feeling and his experiences taught him signs to look out for and tactics for avoiding falling into companies that just aren’t made for him.

In this episode, Joseph shares his journey into the growth industry and how he overcame the struggles of having a job that demanded skills and a personality that he didn’t have. Listen to learn how to find your sweet spot and to get out of dodge when the role doesn’t fit you and the value you bring to the table.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Call things early. If you’re in a job that doesn’t feel right, it’s best to leave as soon as you can rather than perpetually hope that one day everything will work out.

2. When you’re interviewing for a new growth role, really try to understand what caused them to let go of the person you’re replacing. It helps you avoid making the same mistakes.

3. There is power in clear and frequent feedback, seek it out relentlessly.

Things to listen for:

[4:17] An average week at a growth consultancy

[12:06] Joseph’s path to the growth industry

[16:34] Identifying a mismatch in your role

[19:51] The value of clear feedback and performance reviews

[28:58] Setting expectations with your manager

[36:26] Managing the reality of business

[40:37] Advice for growth jobseekers

Resources:

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Having been the only woman in countless meetings and the youngest person at the table, Daphne Tideman, Freelance Growth Advisor and Consultant at Daphne Tideman Ltd., understands the struggle of getting your voice heard. It was frustrating for her. But, over time, she’s learned how to overcome it.

In this episode, Daphne shares how learning to speak other people’s languages has allowed her to be more convincing and resonate with others. But beyond that, she’s also discovered how to grow her confidence and value herself outside of the bounds of work. Listen to hear the valuable lessons she’s gained from her mistakes and strategies she uses to overcome the pressure of heading a Growth team, learning new skills, freelancing in Growth, and more.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The power of speaking your executive’s language

2. To get to the heart of a matter keep asking the question “So what?”

3. Have goals and passions outside of work to help you find more balance in your life

Things to listen for:

[4:29] The crossroads that led Daphne to the Growth industry

[14:18] Being the only woman in a meeting

[17:35] Remembering work isn’t your whole life

[20:42] The power of joint goals

[21:54] How to get your ideas heard

[32:56] Focusing on things in your control

[35:28] Being in your comfort zone is OK

Resources:

- Connect with Daphne on her website and subscribe to her newsletter

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

When you take the long-term perspective of your Growth career, it would be shocking if you didn’t get at least one bad performance review. That’s an insight Adam Fishman, Chief Product and Technology Officer at ResortPass and Executive in Residence at Reforge, has come to understand deeply.

In this episode, he shares his story of being one of the early employees at Lyft and how he had to learn to manage a Growth team before many people knew what Growth really meant. Listen to hear about overcoming career mistakes, understanding how being yourself and being successful can happen simultaneously, and dealing with the anxiety and pressure of leading large teams when you’re inexperienced.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The importance of seeking outside mentorship because bosses can’t always be your coaches nor do they have all the answers you need

2. Why it’s best to be honest with your employers about what they can expect from you to help you decide as soon as possible whether a role is right for you

3. When to use soft skills to gauge whether a responsibility is just enough to grow someone or too much for them to handle

Things to listen for:

[5:52] The pivotal moment in Adam’s career from a marketer to a Growth leader

[11:11] A lesson from being the Head of Growth

[13:04] Learning from a bad performance review

[18:54] Why you should learn to ask for help

[24:59] The anxiety and pressure from high growth companies

[17:53] How to be yourself and be successful

[32:38] Adam’s experience dealing with high pressure and anxiety

Resources:

• Subscribe to Adam’s Newsletter
• Connect with Adam on LinkedIn
• Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter
• Learn more about Navattic
• Learn more about MadKudu

Working in a Growth role for the first time is hard, especially since the field is always evolving.

In this episode, Liam MacCormack, Senior Growth Marketing Manager at MadKudu, shares his career journey from growth manager to head of growth. Along the way, he talks about why therapy and support systems are crucial for anyone in Growth, the mistakes that have made him a better person, and his path toward becoming a Growth leader.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The importance of a support system for anyone in growth

2. How to deal with burnout and stress in a healthy way

3. Mistakes are inevitable; internalize the lessons to continue improving

Things to listen for:

[4:26] How Liam landed his first growth job

[14:18] A career mistake that’s stuck with Liam

[20:48] How to know you’re actually growing

[26:49] The peaks and valleys of being in a growth role

[37:20] Advice for dealing with burnout and overwhelm

[40:45] Pushing through the challenges and adversity that come in growth

Resources:

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

John Short's life changed when his daughter had a seizure at school. As a parent, John found it challenging to balance work and family, but he wanted to provide extra support for his daughter.

In this episode, John shares how that experience made him rethink his priorities and realize the importance of a portfolio view of life. In light of this, he started his own company, Compound Growth Marketing, allowing him to focus on the most valuable use of his time and plan better for his family's future. Listen in to gain a deeper understanding of the personal challenges people face so you can lean into empathy and grace.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to set aside specific time for family to ensure you are present and focused not distracted by work and other obligations

2. Finding mentors who've successfully balanced family and career to gain insights and guidance on how to achieve the same

3. Significant life events can shift priorities and change career trajectories, think through the potential long-term consequences of important decisions and make choices that align with your goals and values

Things to Listen for:

[04:31] How parents struggle with work-life balance

[09:27] The stressors of working at an early-stage company

[15:37] Seeking out mentors who've been where you are now

[20:42] The benefits of choosing to be present

[25:16] Changing societal norms around a healthy work-life balance

Resources:

- Check out John's podcast

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

So often, those in growth roles feel like there's no room for mistakes. Like their job is to know the answers to everything.

In this episode, Mario Araujo, VP of Growth at Graphext.com and Product Growth Advisor, discusses the soft-skills needed to develop your leadership style. Listen in for his insights on owning up to mistakes, being clear and empathetic in communication while seeking ways to improve, and creating an environment where colleagues feel comfortable having open and respectful conversations. Along the way, you'll also hear how to go from being the person who jumps on every idea the CEO utters to the person who challenges those thoughts in a productive and respectful manner.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Strategies for direct, honest communication with your CEO

2. The impact leaning into “soft skills” has on culture and your own leadership style

3. How to own your mistakes and seek improvement rather than pretending to have all the answers

Things to Listen for:

[05:07] Mario's journey from technical trainer to growth expert

[13:08] The positive impact of cultivating an open, supportive culture

[21:48] Building trust through honest communication with your CEO

[29:23] Navigating office politics

[35:24] Owning up to mistakes and taking action instead of making excuses

[38:28] Valuing a healthy work/life balance

Resources:

- Connect with Mario on LinkedIn or his website

- Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter

- Learn more about Navattic

- Learn more about MadKudu

Solid systems, open communication, and self-care are the practices allowing Natalie Marcotullio to thrive as Head of Growth and Operations at Navattic.

In this episode, Natalie shares her experience as a one-person Head of Growth and how she's tackled the challenges she faced, such as understanding individual communication styles to achieve cross-functional alignment. Listen in for her insights on improving productivity, taking time for yourself, and tactfully prioritizing tactics based on current needs.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Be intentional about when you do certain tasks and create a system that helps ensure you're ready for the day ahead

2. Take into account the communication styles and objectives of your team members to communicate effectively

3. Clearly lay out experiments, strategies, and tasks in a visible way to keep everyone on the same page and able to prioritize what will help you achieve your goals

Things to Listen for:

[03:58] Natalie's journey from growth hacker to growth leader

[13:40] The role of effective communication in go-to-market success

[18:16] The importance of tactical prioritization for company growth

[27:19] Understanding your colleagues' communication styles and objectives

[35:32] How to be intentional about what you do and when you do it

[41:25] Tackling imposter syndrome

Resources:

• Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn or Twitter
• Learn more about Navattic
• Learn more about MadKudu

Scott is the VP of Growth at Persefoni, and his wide-ranging growth experience includes time at Reforge, HubSpot, co-hosting the Growth TL;DR podcast with Kieran Flanagan, and working on the Signals product with Brian Balfour.

In our convo, we talked at length about why growth roles tend to turn over so frequently, what makes a strong leader, and more:

• Navigating the “messy middle” between senior IC and growth leader
• How a lack of clear expectations and boundaries shortens role tenures
• Why rapid feedback cycles are important, whether you are working on a landing page, a board presentation, your comms, or your vision
• Four traits of strong leaders: simplify everything, empower everyone, learn from everywhere, and have a sense of humor

[00:18] Introducing Scott Tousley and his background

[08:50] Scott’s work at Persefoni and some of the challenges he experiences

[13:47] Why do growth leaders often have short tenures in companies?

[18:16] Learning and developing the skills that benefit a growth leader

[24:49] On feedback

[29:15] Patterns and traits of strong leaders that Scott wants to exemplify

[36:02] On work-life balance and how being a parent has affected how he prioritizes things

[40:55] On his career growth

[45:50] Connect with Scott

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotttousley/

This episode was sponsored by Navattic and Madkudu.

[00:22] Introducing Shirin Bradfield and her background

[08:23] Transitioning into a new role

[17:54] Her work as Head of Growth and Self-Service

[25:54] Soft skills that are beneficial in the growth space and a role like Shirin’s

[37:50] Discussing Impostor Syndrome

[41:01] On adapting to unknowns

[42:45] On professional goals and career growth

[49:05] Resetting focus and managing fulfillment

[51:26] Connect with Shirin

Link:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirinbradfield/