Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr sit down with Darren Chait, VP of Marketing at Calendly to explore the strategies that have propelled the company’s success. Calendly’s viral growth model and product-led growth (PLG) strategy have made it a must-have tool for millions of professionals, and Darren shares the lessons, challenges, and wins that have defined the company’s journey.

From leveraging a natural viral loop to prioritizing retention and optimizing cross-functional collaboration, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for growth professionals, startup founders, and product leaders.

What You’ll Learn:

* How Calendly Leverages Virality: Learn how the product’s viral loop drives organic growth and how the team optimizes for simplicity and engagement.

* The Freemium Model and PLG in Action: Why offering a free version helps remove adoption barriers and keeps users coming back.

* Retention as the Ultimate Growth Lever: How Calendly listens to customers, iterates on feedback, and introduces features like AI-powered scheduling to drive engagement.

* Cross-Functional Collaboration: Darren shares how teams align across product, marketing, and engineering to scale efficiently.

* Lessons from Trial and Error: Hear how growth experiments, both successes and failures, have shaped Calendly’s strategies.

Key Takeaways:

* “Calendly’s growth is rooted in simplicity. The more frictionless the experience, the more users will naturally want to share it.” - Darren Chait

* “Retention is the ultimate growth lever. If you’re not keeping users, it doesn’t matter how many you acquire.” - Darren Chait

* “Cross-functional collaboration doesn’t mean everyone agrees on everything; it means we align on what success looks like.” - Darren Chait

* “Growth is creative problem-solving mixed with fifth-grade math. It’s about figuring out what matters most and doubling down on that.” - Darren Chait

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr introduce Darren Chait and Calendly’s growth story.

[05:15] – What growth means at Calendly: Bridging the gap between marketing and growth.

[10:30] – How Calendly’s viral loop drives organic adoption.

[18:00] – Freemium and product-led growth: Removing barriers to adoption.

[25:30] – Retention strategies: How Calendly keeps users engaged.

[35:00] – Cross-functional collaboration: Fostering alignment for growth.

[42:00] – Customer feedback: How insights shape features like AI-powered scheduling.

[48:00] – Lessons from failure: A growth experiment that didn’t go as planned.

[55:00] – Advice for growth leaders: Darren’s key takeaways on driving growth.

Why Listen:

For growth professionals, startup founders, and product leaders, this episode offers actionable insights into how Calendly has scaled through virality, retention, and product-led growth. Darren’s reflections on cross-functional collaboration, leveraging feedback, and learning from failure make this a must-listen for anyone looking to accelerate growth and innovation.

Links & Resources

* Calendly – Learn more about Calendly’s scheduling solutions.

* Follow Darren Chait on LinkedIn

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast – Click here

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

Thanks for reading Growth with Sean Ellis! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr sit down with Marily Nika, Gen AI Product Lead at Google, to explore how AI is transforming product growth, product management, and user experiences.

Marily has been working in AI for over a decade, long before it became today’s hottest buzzword. Her unique perspective? AI is not the product—the experience is the product. In this conversation, she breaks down why that distinction matters, how startups can move faster with AI, and why growth teams need to think beyond just slapping AI features onto their products.

If you’re a startup founder, product manager, or growth leader, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you make AI a real competitive advantage in your business.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ AI is Not the Product – Why AI should be seen as an enabler of better user experiences rather than the product itself. ✅ The Startup AI Advantage – How early-stage companies can move faster with AI, experiment more freely, and outmaneuver incumbents. ✅ Avoiding the AI Hype Trap – Why some companies get AI all wrong—and how to integrate AI in a way that drives actual business results. ✅ AI’s Role in Growth & Product-Led Strategies – How AI can help personalization, automation, and decision-making at scale. ✅ Marily’s Advice for Growth Leaders – The key questions growth teams should be asking before adding AI to their stack.

Key Takeaways:

💡 “AI is not the product. AI tools, AI models, AI agents—these are not the product. The experience is the product.” – Marily Nika

💡 “Startups have a huge AI advantage. They can experiment quickly without red tape—big companies just can’t move that fast.” – Marily Nika

💡 “AI should never be a feature for the sake of AI. If it doesn’t improve the experience, it’s just noise.” – Marily Nika

💡 “The best AI integrations are invisible. They enhance, automate, and personalize—without making the user feel like they’re talking to a machine.” – Marily Nika

Timestamps:

* [03:40] – Intro: Why AI is more than just another growth tool—it's a fundamental shift in product strategy

* [09:10] – Marily’s background: From academia to Google’s Gen AI team

* [13:40] – The biggest AI misconception: Why AI should never be “the product”

* [22:00] – How startups can leverage AI faster and better than big companies

* [29:25] – AI’s role in personalization, automation, and smarter decision-making

* [38:40] – Common AI mistakes: Why some companies get it all wrong

* [45:55] – AI’s impact on product-led growth and user retention

* [53:40] – Marily’s advice for growth leaders thinking about AI adoption

* [59:10] – Final thoughts: The future of AI in product and growth

Why Listen:

AI is changing the game for product and growth teams—but only if it’s done right. In this episode, Marily Nika pulls back the curtain on how AI is actually being used at the highest level, what growth leaders need to know before adopting AI, and why the best AI-powered experiences feel effortless.

If you want to stop chasing AI hype and start using AI to create real value, this episode is for you.

Links & Resources:

Follow Marily Nika on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Marily’s Substack

Explore her AI Product Management course on Maven

GoPractice Learning Program

Join the Conversation:

What’s the biggest AI lesson you’ve learned recently? Drop your thoughts in the comments or tag us on LinkedIn or X (Twitter)! And if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps us reach more growth leaders like you! 🚀

Thanks for reading Growth with Sean Ellis! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr explore how growth professionals should be thinking about and using AI to win. Our guest is Justin Kistner, founder of CopyClub.ai and CopySub. Justin is on a mission to help individuals and teams unlock the potential of AI, and his approach will likely change how you think about and use AI to advance your growth playbook every day.

From building a "context library" to rethinking how we prompt AI tools, Justin reveals why growth professionals need to embrace AI as a new “team member”, not just a tool. With actionable strategies and fresh perspectives, this conversation will help you take your AI game to the next level.

Whether you're just starting with ChatGPT or looking to scale your use of advanced AI tools, this episode has something for you.

What You’ll Learn:

* The Power of Context Libraries: How organizing information for AI can drive better, faster outcomes.

* AI as an “Exoskeleton”: Why Justin sees AI as an amplifier for your skills, not a replacement for them.

* Prompting Like a Pro: The secrets to crafting better AI prompts for meaningful, high-quality results.

* Avoiding Common Mistakes: How to stop treating AI like a senior colleague and start giving it the specificity it needs.

* Why Startups Have the Edge: How agility and motivation give startups a unique advantage in leveraging AI effectively.

Sean’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Key Takeaways:

* "AI is like a new team member fresh out of college. You have to guide it with specificity and context to get great results." — Justin Kistner

* "The more specific you are with your prompts, the better the results. Vague inputs lead to vague outputs." — Justin Kistner

* "Startups have a huge advantage with AI because they’re more agile and motivated to adapt." — Justin Kistner

Timestamps:

* [00:00] - Introduction: Why AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a mindset shift for growth professionals.

* [05:30] - Justin’s journey: From content marketer to AI expert and founder of CopyClub.ai and CopySub.

* [12:00] - The context library: What it is and why it’s essential for AI success.

* [20:00] - Building better prompts: How to get AI to produce the results you need.

* [35:00] - Common mistakes: Why specificity and clarity matter when working with AI.

* [45:00] - Startups vs. enterprises: Who has the edge in using AI for growth?

* [50:00] - Final thoughts: Why curiosity and experimentation are the keys to mastering AI.

Why Listen:

AI is reshaping the way growth leaders think about scaling their efforts. Justin Kistner offers practical advice on how to integrate AI into your workflows, improve your outputs, and amplify your skills. Whether you’re a founder, growth leader, or product manager, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways to help you stay ahead in the AI era.

Links & Resources:

* CopyClub.ai – Join Justin’s community and learn how to use AI effectively.

* Follow Justin Kistner on LinkedIn

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast – Click here

Join the Conversation:

Enjoyed this episode? Share your favorite insights on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps us reach more growth-minded professionals.

🎧 Subscribe to the Breakout Growth Podcast on Apple for more insights from the world’s most innovative growth leaders! – Subscribe here

Thanks for reading Sean’s Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of the Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and co-host Ethan Garr are joined by Gina Gotthilf, co-founder of a stealth-mode education startup backed by a $13M seed round led by Khosla Ventures. Gina shares her journey from launching Tumblr in Brazil to leading growth at Duolingo, and now to building the future of college. This conversation dives deep into the lessons Gina learned from scaling some of the most iconic tech brands and how she’s applying them to her current venture.

What you’ll learn:

* The importance of engagement and retention as proxies for product-market fit.

* How Gina’s scrappy, creative growth mindset has shaped her approach to both resource-constrained and well-funded environments.

* The role of AI in transforming education and scaling personalized learning experiences.

* Insights into PR as a growth channel and its underrated potential for organic growth.

* The challenge of balancing early-stage startup scrappiness with the opportunities of a $13M seed round.

Plus, Gina opens up about the joys and challenges of reconnecting with Gen Z audiences and her plans to become an influencer as a way to learn from and connect with potential users.

Sean’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Key Takeaways:

* Duolingo Lessons Applied to a New Venture

* Retention and engagement are critical for building long-term value.

* Product-market fit evolves and requires ongoing iteration to keep up with user needs.

* PR for Growth

* PR is about crafting stories that resonate deeply with audiences and journalists, driving impactful organic growth.

* Starting with Constraints

* Operating with a scrappy mindset, even when resources are available, can drive creativity and efficiency.

* The Role of AI in Education

* AI is a critical tool for modern startups to improve efficiency and scale solutions in meaningful ways.

About Gina Gotthilf:

Gina Gotthilf is the co-founder of a stealth-mode education startup aiming to redefine college in the United States and beyond. Previously, she served as VP of Marketing and Growth at Duolingo, where she helped scale the platform globally. Gina also co-founded Latitude, a venture fund and community for startups in Latin America. She’s passionate about creating meaningful impact through education and growth innovation.

Hiring at Gina’s Startup:

Gina’s startup is actively hiring! If you’re a top iOS engineer, designer, or software engineer from a leading tech company, reach out via LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter.

Timestamps:

* (03:56) Sean welcomes Gina to the podcast and reflects on her dynamic energy as a top-rated speaker at the Growth Hackers Conference.

* (06:01) Gina shares her growth philosophy: capturing attention and driving retention.

* (09:03) The origin story of Gina’s startup and the $13M seed round led by Khosla Ventures.

* (18:01) Gina’s career journey: from Tumblr to Duolingo to Latitude and beyond.

* (26:19) Scrappiness as a growth superpower—even with ample resources.

* (35:43) The plan to leverage social media and influencer strategies to connect with new audiences.

* (44:43) PR as a key growth lever for startups.

* (50:27) Gina highlights hiring opportunities and shares her approach to building a dream team.

Why Listen:

Gina’s passion for growth, her deep understanding of engagement and retention, and her dedication to education innovation make this episode a must-listen for growth professionals and founders alike. Her insights on leveraging PR, balancing resources, and staying scrappy in the face of challenges offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to drive breakout growth.

Links & Resources:

* LinkedIn: Gina Gotthilf

* Instagram: @Gina

* X (Twitter): @GinaG

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast – Subscribe here

🎧 Subscribe to the Breakout Growth Podcast for more insights from the world’s most innovative growth leaders! – Subscribe here

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, hosts Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr sit down with Teresa Torres, Product Discovery Coach at Product Talk and author of Continuous Discovery Habits. Teresa is a recognized leader in the product discovery space, helping product teams integrate continuous learning into their workflows to drive growth and innovation.

Teresa shares her thoughts on how teams can shift from being feature-focused to outcome-focused and why that matters. And she also explains how companies can build products that improve engagement and retention by keeping customer needs at the center of decision-making. With real-world examples and a clear framework for implementing continuous discovery, this episode is a must-listen for product leaders and growth professionals alike.

What You’ll Learn:

* The Power of Continuous Discovery: Teresa explains how embedding continuous discovery practices into your product development cycle helps teams stay aligned with customer needs and drive sustainable growth.

* Moving from Outputs to Outcomes: Learn why product teams should focus on the impact their products have, rather than simply delivering features, and how this mindset shift leads to better customer engagement.

* Balancing Business and Customer Value: Teresa dives deep into how product teams can create a balance between solving for customer problems while ensuring that business goals are met.

* Assumption Testing Over A/B Testing: Why testing assumptions early on is critical for reducing risks, saving time, and building products that truly resonate with customers.

* Building Continuous Discovery Habits: Practical advice on how teams can establish the right habits to continuously learn from their customers, and how these habits fuel innovation.

* Cross-Functional Alignment: Teresa explains how continuous discovery can align teams across functions, helping everyone from product managers to engineers stay focused on delivering value.

Key Takeaways:

* "Discovery is about continuously learning and adjusting, not waiting for the perfect idea." — Teresa Torres

* "The shift from outputs to outcomes is critical for driving real value for customers and businesses." — Teresa Torres

* "Your assumptions are the riskiest parts of your product—test them before you build anything." — Teresa Torres

Timestamps:

* [00:00] – Intro: Sean and Ethan introduce Teresa Torres and her background in product discovery.

* [06:00] – The importance of continuous discovery and how it fuels engagement and retention.

* [12:30] – Moving from outputs to outcomes: How product teams can stay focused on the right goals.

* [20:45] – Testing assumptions early to avoid building the wrong product.

* [30:15] – How to build habits that support continuous discovery within teams.

* [38:20] – Aligning cross-functional teams around continuous discovery and customer value.

Why Listen:

If you're a product leader, startup founder, or growth professional looking to improve customer engagement and retention, this episode with Teresa Torres offers invaluable insights on how to integrate continuous discovery into your organization. Teresa’s practical advice on testing assumptions, focusing on outcomes, and building customer-centric teams will help you unlock innovation and drive long-term growth.

Links & Resources:

* Learn more about Teresa’s work and continuous discovery at Product Talk and Product Talk Academy. 

* Here’s a great article by Teresa to help you get started with her work

* Follow Teresa Torres on LinkedIn – Connect here

* Here’s the article that Sean wrote on Why Curiosity is Key to Growth Success

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast – Subscribe here

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show

Thanks for reading Sean’s Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, hosts Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr sit down with Vickie Peng, a partner at Sequoia Capital and former product leader at Instagram and Polyvore. Vickie shares her journey from leading product growth to the world of venture capital and offers a deeper look into how Sequoia identifies and supports early-stage startups on their path to product/market fit (PMF).

Through her experiences, Vickie outlines the critical factors that lead to sustainable growth, including why “conviction” is a key component in building for success, and why laser focus on customer happiness is important for startups navigating their way to PMF.

What You’ll Learn:

* Sequoia’s Arc Program: How Sequoia Capital supports pre-PMF companies and why it matters in accelerating growth.

* Framework for Conviction: Vickie’s four areas of conviction—problem space, customer needs, product value, and growth potential—and why mastering these is critical before scaling.

* The Role of Cross-Functional Teams: How Sequoia's EPD (Engineering, Product, Design) team works with startups to align strategy and execution and builds products for their investors, founders, and members of their ecosystem (such as their Scouts and Builder network).

* Retention vs. Growth: Key insights from Vickie’s time at Instagram, where she managed SMB ad products, and how retention often serves as the foundation for sustainable growth.

* The Importance of the Right Metric: How finding your North Star Metric can help maintain focus on customer happiness and long-term success.

Key Takeaways:

* "Growth only comes after you nail the product and the customer experience." — Vickie Peng

* "Conviction is about understanding the customer's pain and knowing exactly why your solution matters." — Vickie Peng

* "You need a North Star Metric that helps you measure customer happiness, not just growth." — Vickie Peng

Timestamps:

* [00:00] – Intro: Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr introduce Vickie Peng and her views on product/market fit.

* [05:30] – Vickie’s journey from product leader to VC and how that shapes her view on PMF.

* [10:50] – Sequoia’s Arc Program: How Sequoia supports early-stage startups pre-product/market fit.

* [20:00] – The four areas of conviction: Understanding the customer and problem space before scaling.

* [28:10] – Lessons from Instagram: Retention, growth, and the delicate balance between the two.

* [37:30] – Finding the right North Star Metric and why customer success should be your focus early on.

Why Listen:

Startup founders, growth leaders, and anyone looking to better understand the road to product/market fit will benefit from this conversation. Vickie Peng offers insights from both her time leading product at Instagram and Polyvore, as well as in her current role as a VC at Sequoia Capital. Whether you’re pre-PMF or scaling your business, the frameworks and principles shared in this episode will help you sharpen your strategy and avoid common pitfalls.

Links & Resources:

* Sequoia Capital – Learn more about Sequoia’s Arc program

* Follow Vickie Peng on LinkedIn – Connect here

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast – Subscribe here

* Arc Website - Learn more about Arc

* Sequoia Product-Market Fit Framework - Learn more about PMF framework

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr engage with Pablo Srugo, a Partner at Mistral VC and Host of The Product Market Fit Show Podcast. Pablo delves into the essentials of finding and leveraging product/market fit from a venture capitalist's perspective, sharing unique insights shaped by his dual role as a VC and podcast host.

What You’ll Learn:

* Venture Insights: Pablo shares why he started his podcast and how it serves as a strategic tool for content marketing and enhancing deal flow.

* Deep Dive into Product/Market Fit: Discover the nuances and strategies for achieving and maintaining product/market fit, as Pablo explains through vivid examples from his interactions with successful founders.

* Engagement with Startups: Learn about the criteria and metrics Pablo considers when engaging with early-stage startups and how these factors influence his investment decisions.

* Sustainable Growth: Discussion on how sustainable growth is driven by a deep understanding of product/market fit and the importance of continuously adapting to market needs.

Key Takeaways:

* "Product/market fit is not a one-time achievement but a continuous pursuit." — Pablo Srugo

* "Understanding and adapting to your customer's needs is crucial for long-term success." — Sean Ellis

Timestamps:

* [00:00] - Introduction: Sean and Ethan welcome Pablo Srugo.

* [03:15] - Why Pablo started a podcast and its impact on his VC activities.

* [10:30] - Strategies for identifying and investing in startups with potential for product/market fit.

* [22:45] - Examples of successful product/market fit strategies from Pablo’s podcast interviews.

* [35:00] - How product/market fit drives sustainable growth.

* [47:50] - Q&A with Pablo: Insights into common pitfalls and success stories in venture capital.

Why Listen:

This episode is a goldmine for entrepreneurs, startup enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersections of venture capital and startup growth strategies. Pablo’s experiences and insights offer a rare glimpse into the mind of a VC who actively shapes the growth trajectories of innovative startups.

Links & Resources:

* Follow Pablo on LinkedIn here

* Subscribe to The Product Market Fit Show Podcast here

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast here

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr sit down with Tom Smith, CEO and Founder of GWI, a London-based consumer research software company. Tom shares the 15-year journey of GWI, from its bootstrapped beginnings to its current position as a global leader in consumer insights. The conversation explores how GWI has scaled by leveraging technology, particularly the recent integration of AI, to make consumer data more accessible and actionable for companies worldwide.

What You’ll Learn:

* From Bootstrapping to Scale: Discover how GWI transitioned from a scrappy startup to a 600-person global company by evolving its product and staying ahead of market trends.

* The Power of AI: Learn why Tom believes AI is the most exciting development in market research in the last decade and how GWI is integrating AI to democratize access to consumer insights.

* Customer Insights at Scale: How GWI helps organizations, from TikTok to Chelsea FC, make data-driven decisions using a vast dataset of over 20 million consumers across 55 countries.

* Navigating the SaaS Transition: Hear about the pivotal moment when GWI transitioned from selling research services to building a SaaS platform and the impact it had on the company's growth.

* Building for the Future: The challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into GWI's product and how it aligns with their long-term mission to make consumer insights accessible to all professionals, not just researchers.

Key Takeaways:

* "AI is the most exciting thing that's happened to market research. It’s going to transform how people access and use data." — Tom Smith

* "Our success came when we focused not just on selling data, but on making that data useful and easy to access for everyone, not just researchers." — Tom Smith

Timestamps:

* [00:00] – Introduction: Sean and Ethan kick off the conversation with Tom Smith.

* [04:00] – Tom shares GWI’s backstory and early struggles bootstrapping during the 2009 financial crisis.

* [09:00] – The turning point: GWI’s transition to a SaaS model and how it changed their business trajectory.

* [15:00] – Real-world examples: How companies like TikTok and Chelsea FC use GWI data to drive decision-making.

* [20:00] – AI integration: How GWI is using AI to simplify consumer research and enhance user experience.

* [29:00] – The challenges of scaling a 600-person company and staying agile in the face of rapid technological change.

* [40:00] – Reflections on growth: Tom discusses the power of subscription-based growth and how his understanding of growth has evolved over time.

Why Listen:

If you’re curious about how AI is reshaping industries, particularly market research, or want to hear the story of a company that bootstrapped its way to international success, this episode is for you. Tom Smith’s journey with GWI offers valuable lessons for both startup founders and established businesses looking to scale.

Links & Resources:

* GWI Website: Visit here

* Follow Tom Smith on LinkedIn: Connect here

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast: Subscribe here

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview: 

The Breakout Growth Podcast took a break while Sean Ellis was on an epic three-month world tour, where he connected with startups and growth teams across the globe. So, to kick things back into gear, Ethan Garr takes the interviewer’s microphone in this episode to find out what Sean discovered, shared, and learned on his journey.

From the bustling streets of São Paulo to the tech hubs of Singapore, Sean shares the insights, challenges, and surprises he encountered along the way. Whether you're curious about global growth strategies, fascinated by cultural impacts on business, or just love a good travel story, this episode has something for you.

What You’ll Learn:

* The Spark Behind the Tour: Discover the unexpected catalyst that led Sean to embark on his global journey and how a surprising report from China inspired a push toward a million sales of Hacking Growth, the book Sean Ellis co-authored with Morgan Brown.

* Cultural Insights: Hear about the unique growth challenges and opportunities in markets like Brazil, Japan, and India. Sean breaks down how cultural differences shape the way companies approach growth and innovation.

* The Workshop Advantage: Sean explains why his workshops have become a pivotal tool for companies looking to align their teams and supercharge growth. Learn how this hands-on approach is making a real impact for companies worldwide.

* On-the-Road Realities: Get a candid look at the highs and lows of Sean’s journey, including near-burnout moments, unexpected successes, and a crazy story form one of his many flights.

Key Takeaways:

* "Workshops are the missing link that help companies go from knowledge to execution." — Sean Ellis

* "I’ve learned more about what makes a good partner and how to effectively run workshops in diverse markets." — Sean Ellis

Timestamps:

* [00:00] - Intro: Ethan Garr kicks off the episode, explaining the hiatus and Sean's world tour.

* [04:10] - Why the Tour? Sean discusses the unexpected book sales report from China that motivated the tour.

* [12:02] - The Power of Workshops: Sean dives into why workshops are crucial for companies looking to implement effective growth strategies.

* [19:02] - Cultural Surprises: Sean shares insights from different markets, including the impact of cultural nuances on growth.

* [31:04] - Challenges on the Road: Sean recounts the realities of managing a global tour, from exhaustion to logistical challenges.

* [39:02] - Funny Anecdote: Sean shares a humorous and crazy air travel story.

Why Listen: If you're looking to understand how growth strategies play out across different cultures, this episode offers a firsthand look from one of the industry’s top experts. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to travel the world while spreading growth hacking’s best practices, Sean’s stories are not to be missed.

Links & Resources:

* Follow Sean on LinkedIn

* Check out Sean's book, Hacking Growth, here

* Subscribe to the podcast here

Join the Conversation: If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr chat with positioning expert, April Dunford, author of the best-selling books, “Obviously Awesome” and “Sales Pitch.”

April had a successful career as a marketing and operations executive at companies including IBM and Nortel and it was in these roles that she developed her passion and approach to building effective positioning. Today she shares this passion and her knowledge as a consultant, speaker, and writer with companies around the world. 

In “Sales Pitch”, April lays out her hypothesis that marketers have been taught storytelling that doesn’t work for sales. She says 60% of deals that are started are never finished so it’s often indecisiveness and the status quo that sales teams must work to overcome. Even if you are not focused on sales, you will find a lot of value in this discussion.

Messaging and positioning are fundamental to growth and what we get to in this conversation is a deeper look into how businesses can differentiate themselves, help their audiences discover value, and ultimately break through the noise.

What makes this especially fun and useful is that April isn’t afraid to take contrary and non-obvious positions. As an example, she doesn’t like the concept of Product/Market Fit, and since we do, it made for some good back-and-forth!

So jump into this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast as we learn more about the art of effective positioning with April Dunford.

And thanks for listening to the Breakout Growth Podcast. Don’t forget, to watch us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featured

We discussed:

* April's story from executive to “Positioning is my jam!”(06:46)

* The problem with most sales pitches (09:44)

* Why it matters that 60% of started deals are never finished (22:04)

* Building and validating your sales Pitch (27:02)

* Positioning isn’t static; how to keep it fresh (52:44)

And much, much, more . . .