Just One Thing

How a career in mobile user acquisition actually gets built.

In this episode of the Just One Thing podcast, Winnie Wen (former VP of User Acquisition, Jam City) takes Dennis Mink through fifteen years in mobile gaming: stumbling into the industry in 2011 without owning a smartphone, the Wild West era before anyone had written the playbook, joining Jam City two weeks before Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery launched, running UA across up to ten live titles at once, and every industry-wide reset she worked through along the way.

Topics covered: breaking into an industry that barely existed, why she stayed, the Meta-is-king years, Facebook dropping TUNE as an MMP, the COVID boom, working through ATT, the global privacy patchwork, where AI is genuinely landing in UA and why it still needs a person driving it, the risk to entry-level roles, prioritizing a deep game portfolio, managing up with data, shielding a team from executive pressure, and what he is proudest of after fifteen years.

Read the full breakdown: https://www.bidease.com/blog/winnie-wen-jam-city-user-acquisition

Ana Sandra Ruiz joined Spotify in 2014 as a Conversion Manager when the company had 9 million premium subscribers and about 1,000 employees. Today she's Head of International Growth and Spotify has 293 million subscribers. In this episode of Just One Thing, Ana breaks down the local-first playbook she built from scratch, how Spotify turned scrappy regional tests into global standards, and what it takes to keep a growth team winning for over a decade.

Topics covered: building a local go-to-market from scratch in Mexico and Brazil, why payment methods matter more than messaging, how the 3-month free trial became the streaming industry standard, the origin of Spotify Wrapped, treating product-led growth as a portfolio, aligning marketing and product around shared "big rocks," and the team culture that drives long tenure and bold bets.

How PayPal is building an ad platform powered by transaction data.

In this episode of the Just One Thing podcast, Freddy Porges (Lead Product Manager, PayPal Ads) breaks down how transaction data, closed-loop measurement, and shoppable ads are reshaping performance marketing.

In this engaging interview, Lauren Farber shares her extensive experience in media, business operations, and AI integration. Discover practical insights on leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for marketing, data analysis, and workflow automation, along with industry trends and strategic advice.

In this conversation, Dennis and Harry Bienenstock discuss Harry's journey in the gaming industry, focusing on his role at Voldex and the growth of the Roblox platform. They explore Harry's transition from user acquisition to becoming the VP of Growth, the importance of partnerships, and the need for a data-driven culture in gaming. Harry shares insights on career growth, the significance of a growth mindset, and the risks and rewards of joining a startup.

In this conversation, Dennis Mink and Stacy Wakefield discuss the intricacies of growth marketing consulting, focusing on the challenges faced by consultants, the importance of understanding client needs, and the critical role of positioning in marketing strategies. They explore the significance of data-driven experimentation and the impact of AI tools on productivity. Stacy shares insights from her past experiences and emphasizes the value of building a supportive network for collaboration and thought leadership.

This conversation explores the evolution of sales strategies, emphasizing the importance of building authentic connections and avoiding outdated tactics. The discussion highlights the role of team dynamics in networking and the necessity of personalization in modern sales approaches.

In this episode, Roku’s Jonathan Kriner explores the growing trend of advertisers shifting to streaming platforms due to audience engagement and the ability to track performance metrics. Kriner emphasizes the importance of digital connectivity in driving business growth and accountability in advertising.

In this conversation, Dennis Mink and Eyal Grundstein delve into the world of growth marketing, focusing on the importance of personalization in marketing strategies. Eyal shares his extensive experience in the field, discussing how personalization has evolved and its impact on customer engagement and business growth. They explore the challenges marketers face in implementing personalization, especially with limited resources, and how AI can enhance these efforts. The discussion also covers the tools available for marketers to leverage personalization effectively and concludes with insights on the future of marketing in a rapidly changing landscape.

In this episode of 'Just One Thing', Dennis Mink interviews Rick Ton, a seasoned growth marketer who shares his journey from computer science to marketing. Rick discusses his impactful work on the Scan and Go project at Sam's Club, which revolutionized the shopping experience and significantly boosted e-commerce sales. He highlights the challenges of user adoption and the innovative strategies employed to drive engagement. Rick reflects on his career growth, the importance of autonomy in his role, and his aspirations for the future.