Growth @ Scale

Episode 19– Flexing your A/B Muscles – Rich Skinner – Head of Data, MAVAN, formerly Google, Zillow, Zynga

Matt Widdoes interviews Rich Skinner, Head of Data at MAVAN, on the importance of data and experimentation for business growth. They discuss the common mistakes businesses make when it comes to data, the key data points to track, and the benefits of running experiments.

Rich emphasizes the need for a data culture and the importance of starting with simple tests before moving on to more complex ones. He also highlights the value of continuous learning and iteration in driving sustainable growth.

 

[0:00:05]

Introduction - Rich Skinner, Head of Data at MAVAN

[0:02:36]

The importance of data for growth and decision-making

[0:04:11]

The difference between those who value data and those who don't

[0:05:43]

The need for data readiness and a data culture

[0:06:53]

The gaps in tracking and measuring data in early stage ventures

[0:07:37]

Lack of measurement around conversion

[0:09:01]

Difficulty in tying together online and offline customer journeys

[0:09:51]

Importance of constant data quality and regular reporting

[0:10:15]

The need to regularly review and analyze data for business understanding

[0:12:04]

Challenges of setting up and leveraging data correctly

[0:14:22]

Starting with the most fundamental metrics that matter to the business

[0:16:54]

Maturation cycle of businesses and evolving metrics over time

[0:18:10]

Making optimizations at every stage of the funnel

[0:19:30]

Importance of experimentation and identifying optimization opportunities

[0:20:14]

Importance causal methodology in business

[0:22:15]

Best practices for early testing in businesses

[0:24:09]

Importance of hero section and emotional appeal in web design

[0:24:59]

Using the jobs to be done framework for landing pages

[0:25:25]

Getting started with A/B testing and statistical significance

[0:26:04]

Challenges and biases in A/B testing

[0:28:58]

Most A/B tests are flat

[0:29:12]

Minor changes and avoiding false positives and negatives

[0:31:49]

Decisions made based on limited data or dirty tests.

[0:32:20]

Making changes in A/B testing has trade-offs.

[0:33:05]

Do no harm thresholds and other metrics impacted by tests.

[0:34:29]

Consider dependencies and silent latent metrics in testing.

[0:35:21]

Accounting for multiple touchpoints and subtests in testing.

[0:36:27]

Addressing seasonality and interactive effects in testing.

[0:38:02]

Ensuring equivalent splits and measuring aggregate impacts.

[0:39:03]

Using holdout groups to measure overall impacts of tests.

[0:40:28]

Success in testing comes from incremental improvements over time.

[0:41:38]

Analogy between A/B testing and weightlifting in the gym.

[0:42:07]

Importance of following best practices in A/B testing and gym workouts

[0:42:59]

The biggest impediment to A/B testing is a culture without a culture of testing

[0:43:58]

Creating a habit loop and culture of testing is crucial

[0:44:29]

Starting small and being consistent in A/B testing yields substantial gains

[0:45:07]

Conclusion - Don’t forget to subscribe to Growth@Scale

Episode 18 – Create a Winning Sales Strategy – Kevin Kinnison, Sales Expert, Client Partner Lead, Adjust

In the latest episode of Growth@Scale, Matt sits down with sales and customer success marketing expert Kevin Kennison to discuss the fundamentals of creating a holistic, process-based approach to sales for early-stage founders. Kevin lends his expertise and advice on what makes a great salesperson, and how to cultivate a results-oriented sales strategy that aligns with your company’s short-term and long-term goals.

Episode 17 – “Growth” sounds cooler – Adam Lovallo– Editor, Grow.co

Adam Lovallo is the Editor at Grow.co, and overall growth marketing expert. In this episode, he talks to Matt about his experience in growth and how “growth” came to be known as “growth.”

 

Topics discussed:

 

Founding and Selling Companies

Adam discusses building businesses with the intention to sell.

He shares his experience with a marketing agency and starting MAU, focusing on strategic decisions and lessons learned.

 

Audio and Connected TV Advertising

Insights into audio advertising, including terrestrial radio, streaming audio, podcasts, and CTV.

Emphasis on direct response tracking and unique challenges in these mediums.

 

Changes in Data Tracking

Discussion on how changes in tracking and data impact digital marketing.

Despite technological advancements, the core distribution of marketing budgets remains consistent.

 

Hiring for Growth

Advice on hiring strategies for early-stage companies, suggesting starting with fractional hires.

 

Marketing and Funnel Optimization

Importance of understanding customer acquisition economics.

Focus on funnel optimization alongside advertising efforts.

Episode 16 – Disrupt, innovate, iterate – Yousuf Bhaijee – Growth Advisor, Ex-Disney, Zynga, Eaze

Matt talks to growth advisor Yousuf Bhaijee about the changing ways startups approach growth, build their growth teams, and the need to constantly innovate and experiment if you want to stay ahead of the competition.

Episode 15– Add some Tech knowledge to your C-suite – Todd Larsen– Founder & CTO, Tech Leaders

Matt is joined by Tech-Leaders founder Todd Larsen for a discussion about making the right tech hire at the right time.

Episode 14 – Brand is who you are, what you believe, and how you show up – Doug Thielen– Chief Marketing Officer, Outdoor and Lifestyle

Matt talks to Chief Marketing Officer, Outdoor and Lifestyle expert Doug Thielen for a discussion on how to build and maintain memorable brands. From what goes into a successful brand to identifying niche strategies for creating memorable experiences, Doug shares his insights and advice on how to keep your brand relevant and engaging.

Episode 13 – Users are always cheaper a year ago – Brian Sapp– Head of Growth, Rec Room

Matt is joined by Brian Sapp, Head of Growth for Rec Room for a chat about user acquisition, the new rules of mobile game growth, from overcoming privacy hurdles to scaling Disney Emoji Blitz's revenue, and the strategic pivot to long-term user acquisition value.

Episode 12 – Hire Quickly, Fire Faster – Atif Khan – VP of business, ThirdWeb

Matt sits down with Atif Khan, VP of business at ThirdWeb for a chat about building sales and business development teams at early and later stage startups. Atif shares his experiences on how to look for the best people to help get your business to the next level and why a startup-spirit is more important than a flashy resume.