1/ Growth wins. Period. Yet distribution strategy seems to not get an equal seat at the table. This is the first in a four post series by @onecaseman @kevinakwok and I. Here we explore why growth wins, and how the game has changed - reforge.com/blog/growth-wi…
2/ "Growth wins" is not new advice. “The best product doesn't always win. The one everyone uses wins” @boztank “Poor distribution - not product - is the number one cause of failure.” @peterthiel ...
3/ But we still seem stuck in "build a great product" as the #1 answer to all problems and questions around growing a product. Yes, building a great product is a good first step, but is far from a complete answer...
4/ We are in the age where Distribution Risk, is the number one risk to growing a company, NOT building a great product. Yet, "build a great growth strategy" gets far less weight, discipline, and thinking vs "build a great product."
5/ Reason #1 why growth wins: Distribution = Defensibility = more distribution. "Habit and user expectation remains a stronger moat than people appreciate." @benthompson
6/ Reason #2 why growth wins: Growth = Resources (capital, people, etc) = More Growth (when deployed correctly). This is both at the company level and the individual level. Work on things that have impact on growth, watch the resources flow to you.
7/ Reason #3 why growth wins: Growth = Learnings = More Growth. Teams that learn about users/product/channel faster win over the long run. This learning becomes easier/faster with more users/customers.
8/ Reason #4 why growth wins: Growth = More Growth. The best companies are built on a system of compounding loops. The returns you get from these compounding loops are typically a function of the existing user base. Learn about that here: reforge.com/growth-modelin…
9/ If you believe growth wins, the second big realization is the game has changed around growth/distribution over the past 10 years. Four observations as to why...
10/ Reason #1 the game has changed - distribution has become more competitive and expensive. Data points here -> reforge.com/blog/growth-wi…
11/ This is because the # of new major channels has decreased, those channels have tightened control, and the number of companies competing in those channels has increased.
12/ Reason #2 game has changed - The lifecycle of channels/tactics has accelerated. Every team needs to understand where they are at in this lifecycle, adapt more quickly, move away from a collection of tactics to think about growth in a more defensible way.
13/ Reason #3 game has changed - Accessibility of data has increased, costs have decreased. We are at the tip of the iceberg on how this leads to using data to drive personalization, ml, and deeper insights to drive growth. Yet, most are stuck in data wheel of death. 
14/ Reason #4 game has changed - the lines of product/eng/marketing have massively blurred. Data, technology, and product play a much larger role in outcomes like acquisition, retention, and new sales. We still treat these as silos though.
15/ Growth Wins + Game Has Changed = ???? This might feel like doom/gloom. But it isn't. Growth strategy needs equal energy/thought as product strategy and the two need to stop being treated as silos...
16/ and as a result we have to develop new frameworks, skills, and tools to approach the discipline. Thats what we'll talk about in the next few posts of the series. Get them here: reforge.com/blog/growth-wi…
