Build an Audience, Then Build a Company | Michael Ridd (Dive.club, InFlight)

In this episode of Growthmates — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma speaks with Felix Haas — entrepreneur, designer, investor, and team member at Lovable.Felix shares why entrepreneurship is not about owning a company — but about taking ownership of your life. They discuss designing your career intentionally, hiring founders (even as employees), why side projects matter, and how visualization can change your trajectory.—👉 Partners who support Growthmates• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF—👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇• We discuss why distribution compounds faster and more powerfully than credentials in today’s creator economy.• We explore the shift from selling your time to building leverage that works for you even when you are offline.• We unpack how showing up consistently creates opportunities that you could never have predicted in advance.• We examine why creators may become the strongest founders in the next wave of entrepreneurship.• We talk about what it actually takes to play the long game without burning out or losing direction.• We explain how building an audience becomes a form of strategic optionality for your future.—Follow Growthmates updates on:Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.clubSubstack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):https://www.growthmates.news/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Felix Haas:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felixhhaas/Personal page: https://fh.design/X (Twitter): https://x.com/felixhhaasLovable: https://lovable.devMastering Lovable Playbook: https://designplusai.com/p/mastering-lovable-playbook—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction and Stockholm as a tech hub(03:15) Felix's unconventional career path with 18+ positions(08:42) Starting a company at 18 without fear of failure(13:25) What it means to have a founder mindset(18:01) Being the CEO of your own life(22:47) Side projects making you better at your main job(27:04) Designing roles that don't exist yet(31:03) The power of visualization and manifestation(36:14) Making decisions over avoiding them(40:18) Why startups should hire founders(45:20) Enabling others to discover their creative potential—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribeGet full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode of Growthmates — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma speaks with Michael Ridd — founder of Inflight, creator of Dive Club, and former creator of Figma Academy.Michael shares how he intentionally shifted from selling his time to building leverage through distribution.—👉 Partners who support Growthmates• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF—👉 Explore Growthmates & work with Kate Syuma:• Explore collaboration with Growthmates.club: https://growthmates.club/• User-centric PLG in the AI Era (join the waitlist and get 100$ off): https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180—👉 Best way to support Growthmates? Explore more fantastic tools• Framer — the fastest way to design and publish stunning websites (Growthmates.club is built on it).• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for deep product inspiration.• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant, I truly recommend.• Magic Patterns — The fastest way to prototype and test new features with AI.—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇• Why distribution compounds more than credentials• The shift from selling time to building leverage• How showing up consistently creates unexpected opportunities• Why creators may become the strongest founders• What it really takes to play the long game• How audience becomes strategic optionality—Follow Growthmates updates on:Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.clubSubstack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):https://www.growthmates.news/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Michael Ridd:Dive Club: https://dive.clubInflight: https://inflight.coTwitter: https://twitter.com/ridd_designLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michaelridderingFigma Academy: https://figma.academy—What we covered:(00:42) Introduction and how Kate and Michael's parallel journeys began(03:10) Michael's founder mindset and family influence on entrepreneurship(05:10) The shift from traditional career to founder mindset(06:19) Building leverage through audience and Naval's influence(12:36) Starting on Twitter vs LinkedIn today - platform strategy(15:48) The "This Is Pointless" graph and playing long-term games(18:27) From Figma Academy to Dive Club - pivoting from courses to podcast(21:00) The importance of choosing life-giving work(26:23) YouTube growth strategies and the cringe scale of thumbnails(31:13) What Michael receives back from podcasting and his macro strategy(35:00) How the podcast led to finding his co-founder Kyle(36:00) Building Inflight - from marketplace to product(42:03) Dreaming out loud and attracting like-minded people(44:34) The future vision for in-person Dive Club events in New York(47:37) The radical shift from 20 hours to zero-to-one startup intensity(52:00) Blurring the lines between creators and founders—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribeGet full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode of Growthmates — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma sits down with Ioana Teleanu for a deeply honest conversation about identity, burnout, and creating in a world shaped by AI.Ioana shares what happened after years working at UiPath and Miro, building award-winning AI products, teaching AI design, and speaking on global stages — when her professional identity suddenly stopped making sense.—👉 Partners who support Growthmates• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF—👉 Explore Growthmates & work with Kate Syuma:• Explore collaboration with Growthmates.club: https://growthmates.club/• User-centric PLG in the AI Era (join the waitlist and get 100$ off): https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇Losing the Label as a Starting Point: Why not knowing who you are anymore can open the door to a more honest path.Identity Crisis in the AI Era: How creators and technologists are outgrowing traditional roles — and why uncertainty is becoming the new norm.Optimizing for Humanity, Not Speed: Why productivity-first thinking fails — and when it’s time to question what we’re really building for.From Design Answers to Artistic Questions: How art helps challenge sameness and reframe technology’s role in the world.Connection Over Performance: Why reaching one person can matter more than metrics, virality, or visibility.—Follow Growthmates updates on:Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.clubSubstack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):https://www.growthmates.news/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Ioana Teleanu:Instagram (UX Goodies): https://instagram.com/uxgoodiesInstagram (Personal): https://instagram.com/ioana.teleanuInstagram (Art Account - Soft Machines): https://instagram.com/softmachines.artLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ioanateleanuAI for Designers Course (Interaction Design Foundation):https://interaction-design.org—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction and the identity crisis in creative careers(02:12) From UiPath to Miro: becoming a patent holder and AI educator(08:00) Burnout as a catalyst for transformation and reinvention(13:00) Why artists are making the most impact in technology(18:00) Not optimizing for money and making more as a result(26:00) Finding joy in Midjourney and AI-assisted art creation(31:37) Seven years of building UX Goodies and staying authentic(38:00) Dealing with criticism and building genuine connections online(48:00) Balancing motherhood, business ownership, and creative work(58:27) The future of creators and converging roles in tech—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In the first episode of the new Growthmates season — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma sits down with Nad Chishtie — Head of Design at Lovable, founding designer, and former game developer who has built products used by over 50 million people across Asia.Nad shares his unconventional path — from dropping out of university during the early days of Gmail, to building games, products, and AI-powered tools that lower the barrier to creation. They discuss why rigid systems don’t work for curious builders, how being a generalist became an advantage, and why perfectionism holds creators back.This conversation explores AI as a creative playground, not just a productivity tool — and what the future of digital creation looks like when anyone can build without permission.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGntQ4Bz9QM&t=264s —👉 Partners who support Growthmates• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF🤝 Want to collaborate with Kate Syuma and Growthmates?• Explore Growthmates Services here: https://growthmates.club/services• User-centric PLG in AI era course — join waitlist for future cohorts and get 100$ off: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇Dropping Out as a Design Decision: Why Nad left university when innovation outpaced the system — and what that taught him about learning.Generalist Advantage: How being “B+ at many things” enables faster creation and better end-to-end ownership.AI as a Creative Playground: Why treating AI like a collaborator, not a tool, unlocks better outcomes.Building Lovable from Scratch — Three Times: How AI changes the cost of rebuilding and encourages bold experimentation.Creating Without Limits: Nad’s vision of a future where anyone can build digital products tailored exactly to their needs.—Follow Growthmates updates on:Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.clubSubstack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):https://www.growthmates.news/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Nad Chishtie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadchishtie/X (Twitter): https://x.com/nadonomyLovable: https://lovable.dev/—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction and Nad's creative beginnings with vinyl scanning(03:00) The Gmail moment: dropping out of university at 18(08:00) Breaking free from traditional expectations and limiting beliefs(13:00) Career breakdown at 18 and moving to Asia(17:00) The most pivotal decision: trusting your own instincts(20:00) Silicon Valley dreams and cultural realizations(26:00) The generalist mindset vs. specialist pigeonholing(32:00) Redefining who can be a creator with AI(37:00) Personal software for neurodivergent users(45:00) Rebuilding Lovable three times from scratch(49:00) Cutting overhead and protecting creative work(56:00) The future of creation for the next generation(59:30) Overcoming perfectionism and embracing optimism—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together! Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this FINAL episode of season "In the Company of Women", Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Sera Tajima, Conscious Tech Advisor, angel investor, and former product designer at Webflow and Zendesk, to explore her journey into climate tech advisory and angel investing. Sera shares how her father's passing became a pivotal moment that shaped her perspective, how her background in product design influences her approach to climate tech startups, and why authenticity is the key to finding meaningful partnerships in the conscious tech space.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.—One more special update for you 🎓 Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.Sera took an unconventional path, transitioning from product design at tech giants like Zendesk and Webflow to becoming a conscious tech advisor and climate tech angel investor. Her journey was shaped by personal loss, from the passing of her father to navigating health challenges that kept her away from work for a year. Instead of following traditional career paths, she built a multi-faceted approach centered on impact, authenticity, and sustainability.She also shares insights on making angel investing accessible (starting with as little as $400), incorporating indigenous knowledge into tech education, and finding purpose through conscious tech development.Tune in to hear Sera's perspective on feminine energy in leadership, finding your authentic voice on social media, and how investing in climate tech startups creates greater impact than individual sustainable practices alone.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇* Redefining Design: Sera expands design beyond interfaces to encompass customer research, UX, growth hacking, and activation points — often overlooked as "true" design work.* Accessible Angel Investing: "My first investment was $400," Sera shares, debunking the myth that angel investing requires wealth. She proves tech pros can start small to learn and scale.* Authentic Online Presence: "Posting ‘un-LinkedIn’ content feels risky," Sera admits, but prioritizes authenticity over virality — deeper connections > broad appeal.* From Designer to Climate Advisor: Sera shifts from product roles to impact-driven climate tech advising, helping startups amplify environmental solutions beyond individual action.* Indigenous Knowledge in Tech: Sera integrates native Hawaiian frameworks like PICO into her courses, tying business strategy to generational stewardship — even in technical contexts.—Follow Growthmates updates on:* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Sera Tajima:* Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/seratajima/* Website: https://seratajima.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seratajima/* Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@seratajima * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@seratajima * Advising: conscioustechventures.com* Conscious Tech Newsletter: https://seratajima.substack.com—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction (01:32) Sera's career journey from product design to climate tech (04:04) Defining conscious tech and its impact (07:17) The transition from full-time job to entrepreneurship (10:03) Building a community of like-minded founders (12:39) Breaking into angel investing with minimal capital (17:06) Authenticity on social media (21:43) Creating educational content and courses (27:27) Incorporating sustainability and indigenous knowledge (34:33) Dealing with feedback and vulnerability (42:42) What the world needs more of—📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:* Design for Conscious Product-Led Growth: seratajima.com/growthdesign* Personal website: seratajima.com/advising—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.—Today, we close the final chapter of "In the Company of Women"— a season that redefined what’s possible when strength, grace, and brilliance collide.Every guest, from visionary founders to fearless investors, taught me that true growth blooms where courage meets authenticity. I’m leaving these conversations not just as a host, but as someone who’s glimpsed the future they’re building.Thank you for being part of this journey. You’re the ones turning “impossible” into “already here.” While we prepare for what’s next, remember: your ideas are changing the world. Just keep going.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Growthmates with Kate Syuma is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode, Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Jennifer Phan, CEO and Co-Founder at Passionfroot, and former Venture Capital investor, to explore the unconventional path from corporate career to creator to tech founder. Jen shares how her immigrant family's entrepreneurial journey shaped her perspective, how her background in venture capital influences her fundraising and team-building approach, and why intentional growth and AI-powered efficiency are the keys to sustainable success in today's volatile tech landscape.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.—Want to become a post sponsor and share your product story or a new job opening with 5,600+ subscribers from companies like Amplitude, Intercom, Miro, Atlassian, Grammarly, Framer, and more?I’m opening up the calendar and planning new sponsorships for 2025 — grab your slot here: https://calendly.com/kate-syuma/growthmates-intro?month=2025-04—Exciting news! I’ve launched a new cohort of my 3-week growth course, and there’s still time to join! Dive into proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples to build your growth roadmap with hands-on feedback from me. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.Jennifer took an unconventional path, transitioning from venture capital investor to co-founder of Passionfroot — a platform empowering creators to monetize and brands to discover talent. Her journey was shaped by pandemic reflection, from newsletter creator to identifying a critical gap in the creator economy. Instead of following traditional playbooks, they built a lean, intentional company centered on creator needs, data-driven decisions, and sustainable growth.They also share insights on building a two-sided marketplace, leveraging VC experience for fundraising, and maintaining founder wellbeing through structured routines.Tune in to hear Jen's perspective on immigrant entrepreneurship, the power of intentional choices over sacrifices, and why small, effective teams outperform bloated startups.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇* Entrepreneurship as Necessity vs. Self-Actualization: Jen contrasts her parents’ survival-driven entrepreneurship with her own path, driven by passion — revealing what fuels different types of founders.* "You don't need to call it sacrifice": Jen reframes founder struggles as conscious choices, not sacrifices — a mindset that helps preserve agency and resilience.* Counterintuitive Growth Strategy: Instead of overhiring, Jen’s team focused on lean, intentional growth — avoiding common pitfalls of the 2020–2022 startup wave.* From Creator to Founder: Starting with a newsletter, Jen built a platform by focusing on creators first — a user-led approach to marketplace success.* Founder Morning — 3 rituals: Jen starts her day with mindfulness, movement, and mindset — a daily ritual that brings clarity before the work begins.—Follow Growthmates updates on:* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Jennifer Phan:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferphn/* X (Twitter): https://x.com/jenpphan* Passionfroot: https://www.passionfroot.io—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction (03:40) Jen's entrepreneurial family background (07:15) From necessity to self-actualization: different paths to entrepreneurship (09:55) Starting a Substack newsletter during the pandemic (15:28) The creator economy's monetization challenges (20:05) Building Passionfroot: from idea to product (24:50) Advice for founders: "This too shall pass" (26:57) Passionfroot's evolution into a two-sided platform (35:35) Intentional growth: why small teams can create big impact (40:52) Work-life integration as a founder (43:08) Morning routines for founder wellbeing—📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:* Passionfroot: https://www.passionfroot.me/* Creators on Air by Passionfroot: https://www.youtube.com/@passionfrootxyz* The Evolution of B2B Content Marketing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFXE7cX4xpU&ab_channel=Intercom* Building Software to Create more Brand Deals, with Jen Phan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMbwSQgewH0&ab_channel=RobBalasabas—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Growthmates with Kate Syuma is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode, Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Lexie Barnhorn, former Head of Social and Influencer at Notion, to discuss her journey from small-town Ohio to the heart of San Francisco’s tech scene. Lexie shares how she built Notion’s social presence, infused B2B marketing with pop culture, and launched viral campaigns like "Notion Faces." She also offers practical advice for startups on influencer marketing and opens up about maintaining mental health in high-stress roles, including her experience using AI as a self-therapy tool — ultimately leading her to her next chapter at Anthropic.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.—This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — check their Session Replay, which lets you watch real user sessions right inside your analytics flow: https://amplitude.com/session-replay—Exciting news! I’ve launched a new cohort of my 3-week growth course, and there’s still time to join! Dive into proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples to build your growth roadmap with hands-on feedback from me. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.Lexie took an unexpected path from consumer marketing to leading social and influencer strategy at Notion, where she built viral campaigns like "Notion Faces" and collaborated with cultural icons like Snoop Dogg. She shares her approach to community-led growth, structuring influencer partnerships for maximum impact, and why authenticity matters more than polished scripts.Lexie also opens up about balancing high-stress roles and how using AI as a self-therapy tool led her to her next chapter at Anthropic.Tune in to hear her insights on building standout marketing strategies, fostering genuine brand connections, and navigating career transitions in tech.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇* Let influencers be themselves: Lexie emphasizes that the best campaigns allow influencers to speak in their own voice instead of sticking to rigid scripts.* Building a viral movement: At Notion, she structured influencer marketing as a pyramid — key opinion leaders at the top (like Snoop Dogg), mid-tier and micro-influencers amplifying reach.* More than just transactions: Successful influencer marketing starts with real relationships — lunches, personal outreach, and nurturing super fans who genuinely love the product.* The impact of thoughtful campaigns: Notion’s "Faces" campaign leveraged LinkedIn influencers and synchronized launches to maximize engagement, while gifting partnerships like the Funny Face Bakery created tangible brand connections.* Mental health in high-stress roles: Lexie shares how she uses AI as a self-therapy tool and why prioritizing well-being is essential for showing up as your best self at work.* Her next chapter: Inspired by her own experience with Claude AI, Lexie made the leap from Notion to Anthropic — turning personal insight into her next big career move.—Follow Growthmates updates on:* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Lexie Barnhorn:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbarnhorn/* Notion personal page: https://lexbarn.notion.site/* X (Twitter): https://x.com/lexxbarn* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexbarn/—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction & Meet Lexie Barnhorn(04:22) Mental Health and Work-Life Balance (12:14) Integrating Pop Culture into B2B Marketing (16:16) What Makes Influencer Marketing Work (19:50) The Notion Faces Campaign Success Story (29:06) In-Person Events and Community Building (36:27) Building Influencer Relationships from Scratch (51:47) Future of Creator Economy and Final Advice—📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:* Lexie’s Portfolio: https://lexbarn.notion.site/Lexie-Barnhorn-131343d3b07380a68cbbda3848ab4c6e* Notion Faces Influencer campaign: https://lexbarn.notion.site/Notion-Faces-Influencer-Campaign-17c343d3b073807da975d891dc25b387* Make with Notion event: https://lexbarn.notion.site/Make-with-Notion-User-Conference-131343d3b07380c5a88dc5361146b4d1—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Growthmates with Kate Syuma is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode, Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Mallory Contois, Head of Community & Mercury Raise at Mercury, and founder of The Old Girls Club, to explore her journey from Pinterest to building a thriving community. Mallory shares how overcoming cancer shaped her perspective, how her psychology background influences product and community growth, and why empathy is the key to creating meaningful connections in tech.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.—This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys—One more special update for you 🎓 Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.Mallory took an unconventional path, transitioning from a career in tech to founding Old Girls Club — a community-driven space for women in the industry. Her journey was shaped by resilience, from overcoming cancer to navigating diverse roles at major companies like Pinterest. Instead of following traditional playbooks, she built a movement centered on authenticity, connection, and the power of psychology in product and community growth.She also shares insights on fostering engaged communities, redefining success beyond corporate ladders, and using empathy as a tool for innovation.Tune in to hear Mallory’s perspective on building with purpose, leading with heart, and creating impact through community.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—Key highlights from this episode 👇* Turning trauma into a movement: "If you died tomorrow, what would people say?" Mallory revealed how surviving cancer at 25 shaped her legacy-first approach to work: rejecting stability, embracing fast failures, and prioritizing urgent impact over traditional career paths.* The "funeral test" framework: Mallory shared how a moment of career panic— feeling overwhelmed after raising $25M — led her to a raw LinkedIn post. This vulnerability sparked an organic movement, growing into the 2,100-strong Old Girls Club for women in male-dominated industries.* Why communities fail when brands act like corporations: Mallory challenges brands to treat digital interactions like real-life conversations: "Would you say this to someone at a coffee shop?" Her rule? Avoid “salesy” tactics — build trust through human-centric design, not referral bribes or forced funnels.* Redefining "job hopping" as intentional sprints: From Pinterest’s early days to gaming startups, Mallory reframes rapid career shifts as strategic impact sprints. Her focus? Loyalty to people and missions, not logos—a blueprint for thriving in today’s fluid tech landscape.* Launching terrified? Do this first: Mallory’s counterintuitive tactic for validating communities: Charge $10/month immediately. This filters casual joiners, surfaces true believers, and lets the community co-build its value — even before you feel ready to lead it.—Follow Growthmates updates on:* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Mallory Contois:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorycontois/* Personal page: https://www.mallorycontois.com/* X (Twitter): https://x.com/mallorycontois—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction (08:15) From Psychology to Tech (16:40) Pinterest Years (25:30) The Cancer Journey (34:15) Birth of Old Girls Club (43:20) Building Community (52:10) Psychology in Product Design—📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:* The Old Girls Club: https://www.jointheogc.com/* Mallory’s course “Community-led Growth”: https://bit.ly/4gZUjwy* Kate’s course: “User-centric Product-led Growth” with 100$ discount: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates* “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together!Growthmates with Kate Syuma is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode, Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Marie Martens, co-founder of Tally, to explore the journey of building a profitable business around a product that is 99% free.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.—This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys—One more special update for you 🎓 Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.Marie and her co-founder Fillip — who is also her life partner — took the road less traveled, bootstrapping Tally after their first startup idea collapsed during Covid. Instead of chasing VC funding, they built a thriving product with no ads, no sales team, and no outside investment. She also dives into budget-friendly marketing tactics, lessons from scaling a startup without external investment, and the mindset shifts needed to make bootstrapping work.Tune in to hear Marie’s firsthand experience on building a sustainable business by focusing on users, not investors.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—In September, I focused on a few key conferences, prioritizing quality over quantity. While one event had 700 attendees, the smaller one with 150 offered a much higher ROI. The best part was meeting like-minded founders, Marie and Filip from Tally.so, whose journey from a failed idea to a bootstrapped success was truly inspiring.Their community-driven approach resonated with me and made the entire experience worthwhile. One of those connections made the entire emotional investment of speaking at that event worth it. So, I invited Marie to my podcast, and here we are.—Key highlights from this episode 👇* From a travel marketplace to a bootstrapped success: Marie started with a travel marketplace before pivoting to Tally. She shares how COVID reshaped their vision and led to a form builder loved by thousands.* Bootstrapping a $2M ARR business with no external funding: Marie and her co-founder bootstrapped their way to $2M ARR, relying on product simplicity, word-of-mouth, and community-driven growth.* Balancing parenting, life partnership, and building a startup: Marie shares how she balances entrepreneurship, parenting, and working with her life partner — plus the key habits that keep it all together.* Growing without ads: Instead of paid marketing, Tally scaled through influencer partnerships and organic community growth. Marie reflects on their Product Hunt launch and what she’d do differently today.* What makes Tally a "lovable" product? Simplicity, intuitive UX inspired by Notion, and transparent pricing (just one tier!)—Marie explains the key design and business decisions that made Tally stand out in a crowded market.—Follow Growthmates updates on:* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/Where to find Marie Martens:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariemartens/* X (Twitter): https://x.com/MarieMartens* Tally.so: https://tally.so/—What we covered:(00:00) Introduction & Meet Marie Martens (07:00) Starting Business in 2020 (15:29) Building Boundaries (20:46) Sacrifices To Be Made (30:53) Launching on Product Hunt (48:00) Zooming Out Is Important (53:00) Why Bootstrapped?—📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:* Marie Martens shares How We Bootstrapped to $50k MRR with Team of 2 at SaaSOpen 2023 in NYC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70uUNfpnWuI&ab_channel=NathanLatka * Marie Martens Tally's Product Hunt Launch: Our Checklist for Success: https://blog.tally.so/product-hunt-launch/ * Bootstrapping to $150K MRR by doing less, better: https://blog.tally.so/bootstrapping-to-150k-mrr-by-doing-less-better/ * Tally’s Bootstrapped Journey to 500,000 Users and $160K MRR: https://knowledge.gtmstrategist.com/p/tallys-bootstrapped-journey-to-500000-users —Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together! Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys —Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is a place to connect with inspiring leaders and help you grow—personally and professionally. Learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and more build world-class products and growth cultures.In this episode, Kate Syuma and Elena Verna dive into a conversation about career evolution, growth strategies, and navigating transitions. With experience at SurveyMonkey, Miro, Dropbox, Reforge, and Malwarebytes, Elena shares her journey from leading growth at major companies to building a successful solopreneurship and transitioning back to a full-time role.They explore the non-linear career shifts, defining your "superpower zone," and setting boundaries for sustainable success. Elena also breaks down how companies can move from product-led growth to product-led sales, sharing insights on recognizing early signals and layering strategies for long-term growth.🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.—🚀 User-centric Product-Led Growth Course starts on 24th March!Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates—Key highlights from this episode 👇* From full-time to solopreneur: Elena shares her first shift from a full-time role at SurveyMonkey to starting building a solopreneurship career (for 5 years!), highlighting the lessons learned about balancing work, life, and boundaries.* How to define Superpower zone: Elena discusses how identifying her "superpower zone" of deep expertise and passion has been key to making impactful career decisions and maintaining sustainable growth.* Boundary-setting for long-term success: Elena talks about the importance of establishing non-negotiable boundaries — like no work after 6pm and prioritizing fitness — to avoid burnout and stay productive in both personal and professional spheres.* From product-led growth to product-led sales: Elena explains the shift many companies are making from PLG to a hybrid model with product-led sales and offers advice on how to recognize when it’s time for this change.—Follow Growthmates updates on:* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syumaWhere to find Kate Syuma:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.comWhere to find Elena Verna:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna/* Newsletter: https://www.elenaverna.com/—What we covered:[00:00] Introduction & Meet Elena Verna[01:11] From Corporate to Solopreneurship[03:12] Why “Try Before You Buy” Works for Jobs[09:45] Setting boundaries in a workspace[12:15] Work-Life Boundaries: Saying No to CEOs[26:55] How to find your superpower zone[46:40] Advice for product leadership[50:00] Future of AI for your career—📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:* “10 growth tactics that never work” on Lenny Rachitsky Podcast: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-growth-tactics-that-never-work-elena-verna* “(How to) Growth Solopreneur” on Leah Tharin Podcast: https://www.leahtharin.com/p/s2e17-leah-and-elena-verna-how-to* “What is Product-led Growth?” on Leah Tharin Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RrgQCkl53Q&ab_channel=ProducTeawithLeah* Why product-led growth is the future on Lenny Rachitsky podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTmFuSZfJ9U&ab_channel=Lenny%27sPodcast * “Why I’m Unquitting Full-Time Roles” on Elena Verna Newsletter: https://www.elenaverna.com/p/why-im-unquitting-full-time-roles—Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]’s keep growing together! Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe