Valubyl

Valubyl is a PLG consultancy that has helped 25+ B2B SaaS companies build product-led onboarding that helps new users quickly understand the product and reach value on their own.

Founder

Instantly.ai

PLG Advisor

Stockpress

Gymdesk

echowin

PI.EXCHANGE

Morgen

TrueClicks

Advisor

Databox

https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/the-evolution-of-product-onboarding-databox

DataTrails

Founder @ Valubyl | Product-Led Growth Advisor

Husband, father, and founder, currently building Valubyl.

Valubyl is a PLG consultancy that has helped 25+ B2B SaaS companies build product-led onboarding that helps new users quickly understand the product and reach value on their own.

Sound like something you need help with?

Feel free to send me a DM, email at yaakov@valubyl.com, or book an intro call with the link above.

Yaakov Carno

Everyone's adding AI prompt bars to their product. Almost no one knows how to design them right. So I mapped 40+ AI prompt journeys - from homepage to onboarding - across products like Canva, Notion, Vercel, Wix, and Airtable.

The result?
A full Prompt Bar Journey Library.

A teardown of how top teams are designing prompt-to-value flows that actually activated users - not just impress them.

Inside, you’ll see:
✅ Prompt examples that drive activation - not just “wow”
✅ How top products capture context without any setup friction
✅ The exact moment to execute a prompt (before or after signup)
✅ What happens after the first output (and why most teams lose users there)

If you’re building an AI feature or onboarding flow, this library will save you weeks of trial and error.
It’s for builders who care about activation, not aesthetics.

For teams who want to turn “Try our AI!” into actual adoption.

I built this for growth leads, founders, and PMs shaping how humans talk to AI.

Want the Prompt Bar Journey Library?

1️⃣ Make sure we’re connected
2️⃣ Comment "PROMPTBAR" below - and I’ll send it your way

Helped 30+ B2B SaaS companies upgrade their PLG self-serve onboarding. Building Valubyl and sharing the behind-the-scenes of our PLG revamps.

New Valubyl website is live! 🤩 

For the last 3 years, we've been building a simple and powerful vision:

Turn self-serve onboarding into your strongest PLG growth lever.

30+ clients later… we finally have a site that actually reflects what we do. 

Capturing onboarding and activation work in a website is hard. But this is version 1 and the first step toward showcasing the depth of what we deliver every day.

👉 Activation revamp sprints
👉 PLG execution and advisory
👉 Real results, real case studies

If you're focusing on getting more paying customers from your freemium or free trial, let's chat.

PLG onboarding & activation revamps for B2B SaaS companies

Has SaaS lost it's mind? We've entered the new UX era 🤯 

AI prompt bars are everywhere. And it’s fascinating to see how differently products are using them.

Some feel magical.
Some feel confusing.
And some are quietly redefining onboarding and user activation entirely.

Over the last month, I mapped out 40+ prompt-bar journeys from tools like Canva, Vercel, Lovable, Airtable, and Bolt to see how the best teams are solving this.

The results were wild!!!

A mix of brilliant patterns, clever UX details, and a few surprising misses. 

From “Ask me anything” chaos... 
to onboarding that teaches by doing.

This carousel shares the highlights, and the full deep-dive article (in the comments) breaks down exactly what’s changing in activation.

Thank you Kyle Poyar for another epic collaboration, just keeps getting better! 🔥 

If you’re building an AI product, you're going to want to save this one!

The New UX Era 🔥

“Why would you hire me when you could just do it yourself?”
That’s the question I asked Nathan from Freckle.io on a recent call.
(Yeah, probably not my smartest sales question 😅)

We were chatting about their PLG onboarding project I was working on, and I genuinely wanted to know.

Why choose to work with an agency like mine, Valubyl, when you could just handle it internally…
or even use AI to figure it out?

He paused for a moment and replied:

“There are certain business/product problems where it makes a ton of sense to bring someone in who’s seen that movie many times before, and onboarding and activation is one those.

If you think about a typical product manager or designer,
if they've been in their career for 10 years,
they've probably only worked on onboarding and activation flow maximum 3 times,
most of them maybe once or none”

And he’s right.

You can learn onboarding once. You can design onboarding a few times.

But when you’ve rebuilt 30+ onboarding experiences across SaaS products,
you start to see patterns that others miss.

That’s the superpower of a hyper-niche agency today.

In a world where AI can do “a bit of everything,” what actually stands out is being really good at one thing, not being average at everything. 

Nathan’s answer reminded me why I started Valubyl in the first place.

To go deep.

Not to do everything, but to do one thing. 
PLG activation and onboarding.
Better than anyone else.

New podcast drop with Alex Oppenheimer is live 🎙️ We went deep on what really drives PLG - and why most teams get it wrong.

Here’s what we covered:

> What PLG actually means: your product should do the job of Sales/CS - guide, qualify, and tell the story inside the experience.

> Why focus wins: one lever, done exceptionally well, compounds everything else - activation, retention, and CAC.

> AI ≠ magic: Prompt bars and “wow” moments drive curiosity, but long-term adoption still comes from solving a real problem with guided context.

> Why bring in specialists: Even great teams only tackle onboarding a few times. Repetition across dozens of SaaS products shortens the learning curve - and avoids the usual pitfalls.

And a whole lot more in our 30-min chat…

When I started Valubyl, the goal was simple: solve one painful, repeatable problem - self-serve onboarding and activation. 

At first, we were advisors - helping SaaS teams spot what wasn’t working and what to fix.
Now, three years later, we’ve evolved into an execution-first agency - not just telling teams what to do, but actually doing it for them.

Our core offer: In 2-4 weeks, we ship a redesigned onboarding experience your team can launch and see the results - no fluff, just outcomes.

If you’re trying to turn more signups into revenue, see what great activation actually looks like, and get a better understanding of what it takes to win with PLG - this episode’s for you.

Comment ALEX and I’ll DM you the link...

... just joking :) check the first comment.

One of the biggest ongoing challenges I’ve had as a founder is:
Our website still doesn’t do justice to what we actually do.

Every time I jump on a call with a new prospect, the same thing happens.
They say, “Oh wow - I didn’t realize how deep this goes.”

And that’s when I realize again: the visuals on our site just don’t capture it.

The moment they see inside a before-and-after Figma design from one of our onboarding revamps, or a real activation playbook - they instantly get it.

They see how much value actually comes out of these sprints. 

Not just pretty UX, but full product experiences redesigned around world-class activation.

It’s way more than “onboarding redesigns.”
It’s building the entire self-serve experience for first-time users.

And yet… that rarely comes across from the outside looking in.

I’ve been studying how other teams like Anthony and Rob from FletchPMM show their work - the before/after visuals, clear deliverables, and the way they walk you through what you actually get. It’s so well done.

So that’s my current project:
> Adding more visuals, walkthroughs, and real examples that show what our work actually looks like.

If you’re a founder or consultant, you probably know the feeling - that imbalance between how much depth you deliver and how simply it’s represented online.

I’m finally fixing that this month. 

Thank you Victoria Bakos for all the help! Super excited to share the new website soon!!

One of the clearest signs you’re working with a great team is the way they respond to bad results. 

Anyone can celebrate good results. But the best teams treat every experiment as part of the process, even when it doesn’t go the way you hoped. Learning is everything.

A small moment from working with the Freckle.io team really highlighted this for me.

A few months ago, we shipped a fully revamped onboarding flow. Before launch, they asked me what completion rate I’d expect. 

I said something like:
“Hard to benchmark, but I’d be disappointed with anything under 80%.”

Fast-forward a few months... the data comes in: 30%. 

I won’t lie, it hit me hard 😅 

I care a lot about what we deliver, and I care a lot about our clients.

But I also know this is how growth works. Sometimes you’re right and sometimes you learn the hard way.

Still… something didn’t feel right. 30% just didn’t match what we had built.

Then a couple weeks ago, Andy sent me a message:

"Turns out the old tracking wasn’t counting users who made it all the way through to the table view properly. Once we fixed that, completion jumped to 82.5%."

That obviously made my week. 
But honestly, the part that stayed with me wasn’t the better result, it was how the team reacted when we thought it was 30%.

There was zero blame. Just growth mindset and a keen energy to fix whatever was broken. 

That’s rare and a true testament to the culture Nathan and the team are building.

This is the kind of team you want to build with. This is the kind of team that is going to win BIG! 

It's already clear - Freckle’s growing over 240% month-over-month in signups, and they're just getting started! 🙌

If you’ve ever test-driven a car and suddenly couldn’t imagine giving it back…
you already understand why reverse trials work so well.

When Maja and I were writing our latest piece, we realized the real magic of reverse trials isn’t in the monetization model - it’s in the psychology behind it.

We went into the 4 biggest triggers that make it so powerful 👇

1️⃣ The Endowment Effect
> Once users “own” a premium feature, even temporarily, they value it far more.

↳That’s why free samples work in retail - and why SaaS users feel attached to features they’ve already used.

2️⃣ FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
> When users see the premium side of your product in action, they don’t want to lose it.

↳ FOMO exists in B2B too lol.

3️⃣ Loss Aversion
> We hate losing more than we love gaining.

↳ Kyle Poyar shared his experience when he tried to downgrade from the premium plan:

"I went to cancel my Canva for Teams account today -- but Canva's cancellation flow was so good that I changed my mind. 
And, no, it wasn't because they made me jump through hoops.

1) They reminded me that I have an amazing deal. I still pay $12.95/month, but prices have increased to $29.99/month. I'll lose my deal if I cancel.
2) They created loss aversion by reminding me of the premium features I've put to use.
3) They made some clever UX choices that subtly influenced my decision."

↳ That’s not manipulation - that’s smart UX reinforcing real value.

4️⃣ Full Product Experience
> Reverse trials let users see everything your product can do before asking them to pay.

↳Would you buy a car without driving it first?

Reverse trials make users feel like the product is already theirs - and that’s the most powerful growth engine there is.

Read the full breakdown/guide below 👇

Took a step back to rethink content here on LinkedIn. Looks like it's paying off 🤯 If you're building in the SaaS and PLG space, we've got some killer content coming up:

More of the good stuff that folks are asking about:

- Behind-the-scenes of how we build world-class PLG self-serve onboarding and activation journeys for our client's at Valubyl 👏 

- Epic free assets like the Prompt Bar Journey Library (about to hit 100K hits 🔥) - see my post from last Wednesday. We're going to be releasing more libraries, breakdowns, and tons of assets from how we're building our PLG canvas V2.

- 3rd collab with Kyle Poyar for Growth Unhinged, wrapping up what's about to be the best guide out there for building AI prompt bar experiences 🤓 

... and lot's more.

See you around 👀

Hype Digital

Head of Marketing & Partnerships

I joined my best friend in a journey to build and grow his company. The goal of Valubyl is to simplify and break down Product-Led Growth so that everyone is able to understand it and find value from it. 

I ran all the operations, sales, marketing and internal projects. I built the systems and processes from the ground up in order for the company to scale effectively. 

As they say, all good things come to an end but if you're looking for some PLG help, hit up Yaakov!

Chief Operations Officer

Madgicx ✨

My job was to ensure that the data being communicated from a website back to Facebook or Google was accurate. When a person clicks on your ad and goes to your website, you need to make sure that the data fed back from your website to the ad platform is correct. In short, data tracking and attribution optimization using 1st-party data.

Data Tracking Specialist

Egis Software

*Quality assurance for multiple client-based projects.
*Utilized PaperTrail in order to thoroughly test customized web-based portals for clients.

Quality Assurance Tester

Mobile Theatre

*Key responsibilities included: Lead generation, customer acquisition as well as customer relations.
*Worked within the sales team in order to expand the business's clientele.

Sales Manager

Hi there,

Not sure how you ended up on my profile, but while we're here, feel free to get to know me better 👇

I'm Aharon. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa and currently living in Tel Aviv, Israel. 

I have a tech background and since I didn't have much passion for it (or wasn't very good at it), I have now found myself overseeing the marketing and partnerships at Hype Digital - an epic CRO, PPC & Analytics agency based out of Cape Town and Tel Aviv. 

At Hype, we help you turn your website visitors into paying customers. 

No matter what industry you are in, you likely have a website that you send people to in order to perform some type of action. 

This could be: 
- Getting more Purchases
- More Registrations 
- More Demos booked 
- More Player Deposits 

...Or even just wanting your visitors to read a blog article!

The sad truth is that 98% of all your website traffic leave your site because they had a poor experience. 

We will help you change that.

👉 if you want to learn how:
- Pop me a DM
- Click the link in my bio and check out our website
- Subscribe to my CRO newsletter here: https://hypedigital.substack.com/

I'm always down to meet new people, so even if the above doesn't interest you, pop me a DM to say hi!

Aharon Cohen

Over the last few years, we’ve seen South African businesses invest heavily in paid media, automation, and tech.

But there’s still a massive gap in one area that determines whether any of that spend actually converts - optimization.

On 26 November, we’ll be joining our partners at Convert.com for a panel discussion on Closing South Africa’s Digital Optimization Gap.

Elijah Greenhill & Eduardo "Eddie" Casado will unpack why CRO looks different here than it does in the US or Europe - and how brands can use experimentation to bridge that gap and grow faster.

A few things we’ll be covering:

> Why South African companies stand to gain more from CRO than many global counterparts.

> How our local economic and digital context changes the way experimentation works.

> Real tests and examples from South African brands we’ve worked with at Hype - and what actually moved the needle.

If you work in digital, marketing, or growth in South Africa, this session will be well worth your time.

It’s a mix of data, strategy, and practical takeaways you can apply straight away.

🔗 https://lnkd.in/dMrBxWjZ

Head of Marketing & Partnerships @ Hype Digital | We help you get more conversions on your website by running experiments.

We’ve seen businesses across the country pour money into paid media, automation, and analytics tools...

But the truth is, many are still guessing their way through CRO.

On 26 November, we’ll be joining Convert.com for a panel discussion on
“Closing South Africa’s Digital Optimization Gap.”

We’ll break down what’s holding local businesses back, and how South Africa’s CRO landscape compares to more mature markets like the UK, US, and Europe.

Here’s a look at some of what we’ll unpack 👇

✅  Misunderstanding of roles:
↳ Why CRO isn’t a “side task” for your web developer or UX designer - and what happens when it’s treated that way.

✅ Misaligned decision making:
↳ Why investing in the most expensive analytics tool won’t fix your conversion problem - and what you should focus on instead.

✅ Top-down vs Bottom-up:
↳ How South African teams run CRO from the top down, while global brands empower CRO to lead the strategy from the bottom up.

✅ CRO understanding & involvement
↳ Why the most successful teams don’t just measure ROI - they engage deeply in the experimentation process itself.

This isn’t another surface-level marketing session.

It’s a grounded look at what’s really happening in the South African digital landscape and how businesses can start closing the gap today.

🗓️ 26 November 2025 | 3:00 PM (SAST)
🎙️ Elijah Greenhill (Hype Digital) & Eduardo "Eddie" Casado (Convert.com)

👉 Save your seat: https://lnkd.in/dMrBxWjZ

Tomorrow, we'll teaming up with Convert.com to unpack the opportunities available to South African businesses on the digital landscape.

If you haven’t signed up yet, now’s your last chance (link in the comments).  

We’re going deep into how CRO can be the game changer for South African brands looking to grow faster than their competitors. 

Here’s what we’re covering:

✅  Why South African businesses have a unique opportunity to leverage CRO for faster growth compared to the US and Europe.

✅  How South Africa’s economic landscape shapes the way we approach CRO and experimentation and how it’s not the same as other markets.

✅  Real-world case studies from South African brands we’ve worked with at Hype Digital. 

Plus, we’ll share simple, actionable tactics you can start applying to your site right now.

Speakers: Our very own Elijah Greenhill, alongside Eduardo "Eddie" Casado. 

It’s tomorrow, and if you’re focusing on growing a business in South Africa, you’ll want to be there. 

This is going to be packed with insights you can start using immediately.

Link in the comments 🔥

The best marketing ideas don’t come from brainstorm sessions - they come from actual conversations.

Most of the best ideas I’ve had didn’t come from sitting in a meeting room with a whiteboard and coffee.

They came from listening to what clients and prospects were saying.

I speak to so many different people each week - some existing clients or partners and some brand new people who I am looking to build relationships with. 

I’ve learnt that if three different clients/partners mention the same frustration, you don’t need a brainstorm.

You’ve already found your next idea.

You will definitely need to brainstorm how to execute that idea, but the idea itself comes from listening. 

The problem is, a lot of people skip that step.

They jump straight to “strategy planning” before actually asking customers what’s going wrong.

If you want better ideas, here’s what’s worked for me:

👉 Talk less, listen more: set up a few calls with your customers - not to sell, but to understand.
👉 Spot repetition: if multiple people say the same thing, it's not coincidence.
👉 Test something quickly: don’t overthink it. Build a small version, ship it, learn, iterate.

That approach has consistently outperformed any “big idea” I’ve ever had on my own.

Customers are already telling you what to build - you just have to be listening.

Join Emily Isted & Jandro Saayman at this year's ConvEX hosted by VWO. 

Tune in today hear them chat about designing for scale - bringing insights into how Ackermans blends experimentation, AI & human-centered UX at speed 

Link: https://lnkd.in/dmytp2TV

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