Trung Phan - mastering memes, going viral, and Elon's tree of knowledge

Today, I’m unpacking a fascinating conversation with Kieran Flanagan, CMO at Zapier and former SVP of Marketing at HubSpot. This discussion centers on Calendly, a scheduling app used by millions, and its strategic acquisition of Prelude.We talk about the critical role of platforms in product-led growth (PLG) businesses. AI tools, for instance, are seen not as standalone products but platform features. Canva's freemium text image generator exemplifies a platform disrupting the market. Grammarly and Jasper also come up in the context of branding and market disruption.Distribution is vital for platforms. Calendly's acquisition of Prelude, an HR enterprise tool, is a case in point. Flanagan compares Calendly's potential growth strategy to HubSpot's approach of building individual hubs around the contact record, each catering to different roles like marketing, sales, customer success, and operations.We also explore the idea of Calendly morphing into a platform and integrating with other established products to multiply its value, for example, Gong, Outreach, Chorus, Jira, Monday, Asana, Dovetail, and Qualtrics.Lastly, Flanagan shares some intriguing marketing ideas for Calendly, including acquiring a company like Lyre for its distribution capabilities and using Calendly to understand where time gets wasted or lost within an organization, thereby helping to optimize productivity.About Kieran FlanaganIntroducing Kieran Flanagan:* Current Chief Marketing Officer at Zapier and former Senior Vice President of Marketing at HubSpot.* Known for strategic insights and innovative ideas in the tech industry.* Expert in product-led growth (PLG) businesses and the importance of becoming a platform.* https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieranjflanagan/* https://twitter.com/searchbratNotes on the product, market, company and challengesProduct* Calendly = scheduling app used by +10M people, from tech workers to yoga class instructors* Vision: be THE go-to platform for work and leisure life planning* Basic explanation: you want to schedule time with someone → all you need to do is share your Calendly, and they can pick a time* You can set a time limit, charge them for your time, and define time slotsCompany* Founded in 2013 by Tope Awotona* profitable today* Valued at $3b in 2020 by raising $350M from investors + Awotona’s life savingsGrowth* Massive growth during the pandemic: 50% Y/Y revenue growth in 2021 (about $85M)* growing faster than companies like Zapier or DocuSign* 53% market share in the USMarket* appointment scheduling market: ~$300M in 2021* 13-19% CAGR (compound annual growth rate)* predicted to reach $500-$700M in 2027* Direct competitors: calendar.com, Setmore, Timetrade* Indirect competitors: Google, Hubspot, Drift* Trends:* big players like Google getting into the market* remote work = accelerant for scheduling software* More professions use scheduling software, e.g. doctorsChallenges* Google entered the market: Google Workspace customers ($7.99) can provide scheduling with their Google Calendar* 2nd largest calendar app after Outlook, > 500M people* If Google Calendar was a social network, it would be bigger than Twitter or Snapchat* Calendly needs to win the enterprise segment* Calendly needs to build more features for verticals like Sales, HR or ProductivityContext of the episode* Calendly acquired Prelude* Predule = enterprise interview scheduling app for recruiting* Prelude raised $2.4M and has hundreds of customers* makes it easier to schedule a series of interviews (journey) with several stakeholders without the typical back and forth* more than just scheduling: provides information to applicants, Interviewer prep, and hiring analytics This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

On their latest investor day, Founder and CEO Daniel EK presented 6 bets for the future, of which 3 are unknown. In this Tech Bound episode, Tommy Walker and Kevin discuss the 3 unknown bets Spotify might pursue as part of its strategy.They discuss the importance of infrastructure for live streaming and the potential for an incubator program to help discover new artists. They also discuss the possibility of independent artists being able to provide a Patreon equivalent on Spotify and concert streaming.SHOW NOTESSpotify investor dayThe Content StudioThe Cutting Room showTIME STAMPS00:01:25 - The six bets for Spotify's future 00:02:45 - Live streaming 00:11:15 - An incubator program for new artists00:16:35 - A Patreon equivalent on Spotify00:21:45 - Concerts00:27:15 - Data analysis and personalization in the music industry00:32:00 - Marketing music in the digital age00:37:00 - How Spotify could test artists for their potential This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

In this episode, I chat with Ramli John, onboarding expert and author of the book "Product-Led Onboarding." Ramli shares his journey into the field of onboarding and the importance of effective onboarding for customer retention. We talk about the difference between product-led and sales-led onboarding and the Eureka model, which includes three stages: the aha moment, activation, and habituation. Ramli provides insights into setting goals and metrics for successful onboarding, creating user personas, and the importance of a seamless user experience. We also venture into his process for writing a book and the role of beta readers. Tune in to learn how to optimize your onboarding process for growth and success.Why onboarding is critical for GrowthOnboarding is critical for Growth because it helps users understand the value of a product and sets the foundation for a positive user experience. Done well, onboarding can lead to increased customer retention and, ultimately, revenue.5 takeaways about onboarding* Focus on onboarding as a crucial aspect of customer retention.* Consider the difference between product-led and sales-led onboarding.* Use the Eureka model for onboarding, which includes three stages: aha moment, activation, and habituation.* Set clear goals and metrics for onboarding success.* Create user personas and provide a seamless user experience in onboarding.The Eureka model for onboardingThe Euroka model includes three stages: * The aha moment: the user realizes the value of the product or service* Activation: activation is when the user takes action to start using the product* Habituation: habituation is when the user becomes a regular and habitual user of the productThese stages should be thought of as a journey that the user goes through in order to fully engage with and benefit from the product.Show Notes* ramlijohn.com* twitter.com/RamliJohn* https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramlijohn/* Product-Led Onboarding bookTimestamps02:20 - Ramli John's journey into onboarding and expertise in the field07:30 - The impact of onboarding on customer retention11:10 - Product-led vs sales-led onboarding: which is better?14:30 - The Eureka model for onboarding and its three stages18:20 - Setting goals and metrics for successful onboarding21:20 - Creating user personas for effective onboarding25:10 - The importance of a seamless user experience in onboarding29:00 - Different types of onboarding teams and their responsibilities35:00 - The role of customer success and marketing teams in onboarding37:00 - The process of writing a book and the importance of beta readers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

TIMESTAMPS0:00 introduction1:07 Amanda’s path from chef to content marketer5:48 Mise en place in content marketing6:28 How to write amazing Twitter threads12:44 Repurposing content18:52 Powerful mental models25:53 How to grab attention30:07 How to find your target audience’s pain points38:41 How to balance work and family41:45 How Memes fit into content strategy45:41 Starting vs planning SHOW NOTESAmanda's website: https://amandanat.com/Amanda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandanatSparktoro: https://sparktoro.com/ FOR MORESubscribe to the channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQ5uxfxcnObjzLAk1lmM6g?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe to the Growth Memo: https://www.kevin-indig.com/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrowthmemoiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-bound-podcast/id1488939659Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Ze0gqMmuh22rR8rVv0oz8?si=87cysHp3S5yEzNuuUK9Ezg&nd=1Simplecast: https://tech-bound-podcast.simplecast.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

SHOW NOTESEric Siu on Twitter: @ericosiu or https://twitter.com/ericosiu Leveling up: https://www.levelingup.com/Single Grain: https://www.singlegrain.com/Leveling up NFT: https://heroes.levelingup.com/heroes/LVMH: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVMHTIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro1:30 What LVMH is and why you should care6:26 Arnault Bernard’s growth thesis7:30 Idea 1 = collaborations with big NFT brands9:40 Idea 2 = cross and upselling between brands13:36 Idea 3 = insurance as added service16:36 Idea 4 = product refurbishing20:40 Idea 5 = attention M&A27:20 Idea 6 = gaming skins32:04 Leveling up33:35 founder skills35:10 gamifying life This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

Timestamps0:00 Warmup questions5:27 Important metrics SEO tools can’t provide10:20 How will Yep make Ahrefs better?16:35 The biggest bet Tim took that paid off20:13 How Ahrefs manages to not run out of keywords to write about22:28 How to decide when to refresh content27:06 Is SEO becoming more product than marketing?33:33 Ahrefs most underutilized feature40:29 How to differentiate from all the other SEO tools44:15 The future of SEO tools49:07 Tim’s secret believe51:22 The place of social media in today’s marketing56:23 What Tim wishes for the SEO community This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

TIMESTAMPS2:06 How Trung thinks about what he’s doing4:20 Trung’s content creation process7:56 Working on the headline vs. the rest of a story8:36 How long it takes to write a Twitter thread10:02 How to add humor to content12:01 Standup comedy14:12 How Trung creates memes18:09 Elon Musk’s tree trunk theory for building knowledge21:48 Trung’s book recommendations24:24 The unique benefit of audio content28:35 The value of anchor content31:25 Workweek - a new media company34:19 Monetizing content35:23 Shopify and equity SHOW NOTESAsml Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/trungtphan/status/1429464889307762688?lang=enImgflip: https://imgflip.com/Mematic app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.trilliarden.mematic&hl=en_US&gl=USThe Prize by Daniel Yergin: https://bookshop.org/books/the-prize-the-epic-quest-for-oil-money-power/9781439110126Trung Phan Bloomberg articles: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/authors/AVrHdCE3O1I/trung-phanTrung on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrungTPhan?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorSatPost: https://trungtphan.com/subscribe/Not Investment Advice podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3r8rBjnMzsdgYC3b1sziwA This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

TIMESTAMPS1:07 The definition of a hustler2:45 Is “hustle culture” wrong?9:51 What hustle looks like for Ross day-to-day11:18 Ross’ schedule and productivity routine14:09 How Ross runs Foundation Marketing17:16 How Ross writes break-downs19:24 Adobe - doing great content marketing22:04 How to breakthrough content marketing plateaus25:42 Thinking of Content Marketing as an investment28:05 Content Marketing Trends33:46 How to stand out in a content commodity world37:31 Every SaaS company looks the same40:43 Advice for anyone who is struggling or broke SHOW NOTEShttps://hustleandgrind.cohttps://foundationinc.cohttps://rosssimmonds.comhttps://foundationinc.co/lab/adobes-200-billion-unshakeable-moat/Convo with peep laja: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b89EefIrt_EGoogle Duplex: https://ai.googleblog.com/2018/05/duplex-ai-system-for-natural-conversation.htmlProduct Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/Stand out guide: https://content.rosssimmonds.com/stand-out-guide1Foundation marketing Adobe case study: https://foundationinc.co/lab/adobes-200-billion-unshakeable-moat/ FOR MORESubscribe to the channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQ5uxfxcnObjzLAk1lmM6g?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe to the Growth Memo: https://www.kevin-indig.com/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrowthmemoiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-bound-podcast/id1488939659Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Ze0gqMmuh22rR8rVv0oz8?si=87cysHp3S5yEzNuuUK9Ezg&nd=1Simplecast: https://tech-bound-podcast.simplecast.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

TIMESTAMPS0:00 Introduction1:08 Why is it crucial to build an audience1:53 The best way to build an audience3:52 The importance of a strategic narrative8:08 How to build a strategic narrative step-by-step13:20 The power of category generation17:48 Serving an underserved niche in a big market19:37 The Cambrian SaaS explosion22:50 Building brand salience25:34 Product Expansion and transient advantages30:24 How Google is a monopoly and stuck at the same time33:12 Competing on price41:00 How to combine messaging and narrative SHOW NOTESThe end of competitive advantage: https://hbr.org/2013/08/the-end-of-competitive-advantaWynter: https://wynter.com/CXL: https://cxl.com/Peep on Twitter: https://twitter.com/peeplaja FOR MORESubscribe to the channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQ5uxfxcnObjzLAk1lmM6g?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe to the Growth Memo: https://www.kevin-indig.com/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrowthmemoiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-bound-podcast/id1488939659Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Ze0gqMmuh22rR8rVv0oz8?si=87cysHp3S5yEzNuuUK9Ezg&nd=1Simplecast: https://tech-bound-podcast.simplecast.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com

TIMESTAMPS1:09 SEO guidelines for writers in 20217:59 Creativity when writing for SEO10:43 Mediocre vs. top-notch content briefs17:00 Content briefs for inhouse vs freelance writers20:22 How to motivate writers23:34 How GPT-3 will change the content landscape forever31:25 How to develop the best piece of content on the web for a certain topic35:36 What data to put into a content brief38:55 How machine learning changes the Google search results41:11 Is there a place for websites in Google’s future? SHOW NOTESBill King’s podcast: www.billkingtm.com/podcastFrase: www.frase.ioGPT 3: https://openai.com/blog/openai-api/ FOR MORESubscribe to the channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQ5uxfxcnObjzLAk1lmM6g?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe to the Growth Memo: https://www.kevin-indig.com/Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrowthmemoiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-bound-podcast/id1488939659Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Ze0gqMmuh22rR8rVv0oz8?si=87cysHp3S5yEzNuuUK9Ezg&nd=1Simplecast: https://tech-bound-podcast.simplecast.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techbound692.substack.com