1. Building Growth Teams

Question 1

What was the main challenge BitTorrent faced when Pramod Sokke joined?

Answer 1

Growth of their desktop software had stalled and there was no mobile version.

Question 2

What were the traditional departments at BitTorrent?

Answer 2

• Marketing
• Product management
• Engineering
• Data science

Question 3

What was the focus of the BitTorrent marketing team?

Answer 3

Efforts exclusively at the ‘top of the funnel’ to raise customer awareness.

Question 4

What role did the product marketing manager (PMM) play at BitTorrent?

Answer 4

Acted as the ‘voice of the customer,’ gaining insights into customer needs.

Question 5

What discovery led to a significant increase in revenue for BitTorrent’s mobile app?

Answer 5

Users were unaware of the paid Pro version.

Question 6

What was the result of adding a visual button to the app’s home screen?

Answer 6

An instant 92 percent increase in revenue per day from upgrades.

Question 7

What was the ‘love hack’ that BitTorrent implemented?

Answer 7

Encouraging users to write reviews after downloading their first torrent.

Question 8

How much did positive reviews increase after implementing the review prompt?

Answer 8

A 900 percent increase in four-and five-star reviews.

Question 9

What was the primary challenge with siloed departments at BitTorrent?

Answer 9

Lack of collaboration between the product and marketing teams.

Question 10

What feature did BitTorrent add to the Pro version to address user concerns?

Answer 10

A feature that turned off background file transfers when battery was low.

Question 11

What was the result of the battery-saving feature?

Answer 11

A 47 percent increase in revenue.

Question 12

How did the data analyst contribute to the BitTorrent mobile team’s success?

Answer 12

Tracked customer responses and helped evaluate experiment results.

Question 13

What was the overall impact of the mobile team’s efforts at BitTorrent?

Answer 13

Revenue increased by 300 percent in a single year.

Question 14

What cultural change occurred at BitTorrent due to the mobile team’s success?

Answer 14

Shifted from traditional silos to a collaborative growth-focused environment.

Question 15

What did a McKinsey report highlight as a problem with departmental silos?

Answer 15

Silos slow innovation that drives growth.

Question 16

According to research, what is more important to innovativeness than individual talent?

Answer 16

The ability to collaborate in networks.

Question 17

What was the interaction frequency between employees in different business units?

Answer 17

Two similar employees in different units interacted much less frequently.

Question 18

Fill in the blank: The app was only available from the _______.

Answer 18

Google Play store

Question 19

True or False: The mobile team at BitTorrent operated without collaboration from other departments.

Answer 19

False

Question 20

What did Annabell Satterfield emphasize in her role as PMM?

Answer 20

Driving growth throughout the funnel, including retention and monetization.

Question 21

What is a common issue reported among business units regarding interaction?

Answer 21

There is very little interaction across boundaries between different business units

Two people in the same SBU interact about 1,000 times more frequently than those in different units.

Question 22

Who is Professor Ranjay Gulati and what issue does he highlight?

Answer 22

He is a specialist on the silo problem and notes that lack of cross-departmental communication impedes customer-focused product development

His research indicates that knowledge is often siloed within organizations.

Question 23

What is one proposed solution to the silo problem in organizations?

Answer 23

Creating cross-functional growth teams

This facilitates collaboration and understanding among different departments.

Question 24

What roles should be included in a growth team?

Answer 24

Roles may include:
* Growth Lead
* Product Manager
* Software Engineers
* Marketing Specialists
* Data Analysts
* Product Designers

The specific makeup can vary by company and project.

Question 25

What is the primary responsibility of a growth lead?

Answer 25

To manage the team and participate in idea generation and experimentation ## Footnote The growth lead sets the course for experimentation and monitors team goals.

Question 26

What skills are essential for a growth lead?

Answer 26

Essential skills include: * Fluency in data analysis * Expertise in product management * Understanding of experimental design ## Footnote Strong leadership skills are also crucial.

Question 27

Fill in the blank: A good product manager is the ______ of the product.

Answer 27

CEO ## Footnote This emphasizes the product manager's responsibility over product features.

Question 28

What contributions do product managers bring to growth teams?

Answer 28

They assist in breaking down silos and contribute to idea generation and experimentation ## Footnote Their experience with customer surveying is vital.

Question 29

Why are software engineers considered cornerstone members of a growth team?

Answer 29

They write the code for product features and can contribute creatively to the ideation process ## Footnote Their involvement is crucial for effective growth hacking.

Question 30

What role do marketing specialists play in growth teams?

Answer 30

They provide expertise that can lead to fruitful ideas for growth hacks ## Footnote Their knowledge varies based on company needs, such as content marketing or SEO.

Question 31

What is the function of data analysts in a growth team?

Answer 31

They collect, organize, and analyze customer data to generate insights for experiments ## Footnote Having a dedicated analyst can greatly enhance the team's effectiveness.

Question 32

What is the role of product designers in growth teams?

Answer 32

They develop user interfaces and provide insights into user experience and psychology ## Footnote Their design skills expedite the execution of experiments.

Question 33

How do the size and scope of growth teams vary?

Answer 33

They can range from a few members at startups to many members in larger companies, with scopes that can be general or specific ## Footnote Teams may be permanent or formed for specific tasks.

Question 34

What should a company do when starting to form a growth team?

Answer 34

Bring over one or two individuals from different departments to get started ## Footnote The team can grow over time as processes are learned.

Question 35

True or False: Growth teams are always permanent fixtures in a company.

Answer 35

False ## Footnote Some teams are formed for specific tasks and disbanded after goals are achieved.

Question 36

What is a key aspect of growth hacking emphasized in the text?

Answer 36

The importance of experimentation and learning from failures ## Footnote Regular failures are part of the growth experimentation process.

Question 37

What is the composition of a growth team at Inman?

Answer 37

A data scientist, three marketers, and a Web developer.

Question 38

Who leads the growth hacking process at Inman?

Answer 38

A marketing manager runs the process.

Question 39

What are the four key steps in the growth hacking process?

Answer 39

* Data analysis and insight gathering * Idea generation * Experiment prioritization * Running the experiments

Question 40

What is the purpose of regular growth meetings?

Answer 40

To manage testing activity, review results, and determine the next hacks to try.

Question 41

True or False: The growth hacking process is a one-time event.

Answer 41

False.

Question 42

What analogy is used to describe the speed and precision of the growth hacking process?

Answer 42

A Formula One racing car making precision adjustments.

Question 43

What type of feedback might a user experience designer collect?

Answer 43

Qualitative information about the types of features users find most valuable.

Question 44

What is the significance of executive sponsorship for growth teams?

Answer 44

It assures the team has the authority to cross established departmental boundaries.

Question 45

What was Mark Zuckerberg's primary focus in the early days of Facebook?

Answer 45

Growth.

Question 46

What initiative did Zillow's CEO establish to focus on growth?

Answer 46

Zillow's 'Play,' a recurring nine-to-twelve-month growth initiative.

Question 47

What is the functional (or product-led) model of growth teams?

Answer 47

Teams report to a product management executive in charge of the product.

Question 48

What is one example of a company that uses the product-led model?

Answer 48

Pinterest.

Question 49

What is the role of a VP of growth in a stand-alone growth team?

Answer 49

To assure that an executive level employee has ownership of the team’s results.

Question 50

Fill in the blank: In the independent-led model, growth teams have the authority to conduct experiments _______.

Answer 50

[across the full range of the company’s products]

Question 51

What is a potential advantage of establishing independent growth teams early in a company's development?

Answer 51

Fewer complaints against redistributing responsibility and headcount.

Question 52

What did Facebook's growth team advise the company to purchase?

Answer 52

Octazen, for its technology to help friend referral performance.

Question 53

What is one of the tasks engineers might handle in a growth team?

Answer 53

Coding needed for an experiment.

Question 54

What cultural shift did Zillow implement in response to competition from Trulia?

Answer 54

Making SEO a priority for all teams.

Question 55

What type of dynamic is created by the collaborative nature of growth team meetings?

Answer 55

A 1+1=3 dynamic, amplifying expertise.

Question 56

What is the purpose of the experiment prioritization step in growth hacking?

Answer 56

To determine which experiments to run based on potential impact.

Question 57

What was the outcome of the growth team's analysis of customer churn?

Answer 57

Identifying a feature that could be promoted to reduce churn.

Question 58

What is a common reporting structure for growth teams in larger companies?

Answer 58

Reporting to a vice president or C-level executive.

Question 59

True or False: Growth can be treated as a side project.

Answer 59

False.

Question 60

What does the term 'activation' refer to in the context of growth teams?

Answer 60

The process of getting new users to engage with a product.

Question 61

What independent division did Walmart create in 2011?

Answer 61

@WalmartLabs ## Footnote Walmart acquired the innovation center Kosmix to establish this division focused on e-commerce.

Question 62

What is the primary focus of @WalmartLabs?

Answer 62

Digital innovation initiatives for Walmart websites and mobile applications ## Footnote This includes apps like the Savings Catcher.

Question 63

Which two digital start-ups did @WalmartLabs acquire?

Answer 63

* Stylr * Yumprint ## Footnote Stylr is a mobile fashion search app, and Yumprint is a social recipe aggregator.

Question 64

Why is backing from top management important for independent teams?

Answer 64

To navigate internal sensitivities and frictions ## Footnote This is crucial for teams with independent authority.

Question 65

What kind of resistance do growth teams often face when first established?

Answer 65

Cultural resistance ## Footnote This includes preconceived notions about ownership of initiatives among various departments.

Question 66

What was BitTorrent's marketing team's original intent?

Answer 66

To concentrate solely on user acquisition ## Footnote Data analysis was primarily done at the request of product teams.

Question 67

What challenge did Josh Schwarzapel face at Yahoo! regarding his growth team?

Answer 67

Pushback from the brand team and product managers ## Footnote This was due to deviations from established style and voice guidelines.

Question 68

What can growth experiments interfere with in a company?

Answer 68

Time or resources needed for established projects ## Footnote This can create friction within teams.

Question 69

What are some perspectives that can cause friction in growth teams?

Answer 69

* Engineers focusing on technical challenges * Product managers obsessed with development * User experience designers resisting changes * Marketers focusing on vanity metrics ## Footnote These differing priorities can lead to conflict within teams.

Question 70

How can growth teams mitigate conflict?

Answer 70

* Shared goals * Data-driven decision making ## Footnote This helps align diverse perspectives and priorities.

Question 71

What is the significance of data-driven experimentation in growth teams?

Answer 71

It helps counter dissent and provides rationale for decisions ## Footnote Data-driven results are difficult to dispute, promoting a collaborative environment.

Question 72

What should be avoided to ensure sustainable growth in a company?

Answer 72

Outsourcing core responsibility for growth ## Footnote Growth is too important to delegate, as consultants may lack necessary authority.

Question 73

What is a recommended starting point for implementing growth hacking?

Answer 73

Start with a small team focusing on one product or aspect ## Footnote This allows for manageable experimentation and success before scaling up.

Question 74

What can spark enthusiasm for growth hacking within a company?

Answer 74

A series of wins from a small team ## Footnote Success in initial experiments can lead to broader adoption of growth hacking.

Question 75

What should be ensured before launching ambitious growth scaling plans?

Answer 75

Determine if the product is a 'must-have' ## Footnote This assessment is crucial for sustainable growth.

Question 76

What is the relationship between product quality and growth experimentation?

Answer 76

Rapid experimentation won't lead to growth if the product isn't loved ## Footnote A satisfactory product may not sustain long-term success.