Techstars

Working 1:1 with cohorts in the Techstars Boston program to shape individual growth strategies for maximum impact during and after the program.

Expert-in-Residence, Growth

Selected as an All Star Mentor for the 2022 and 2023 cohorts

All-Star Mentor

Mentor-In-Residence

Mentor

D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University

Teaching the "Entrepreneurial Venture Growth Strategies" course to undergraduate B-school students.

This is a capstone course on how to develop growth-focused products and/or service strategies, making them attractive for venture funding.

Lecturer

Globalwork

We create reliable links between companies and their candidates to hire and retain the best talent.

Growth Advisor

First Round Fast Track

First Round's mentorship program for established tech operators looking to give back and gain a unique community.

Harvard Innovation Labs

Invited in Oct '17 to host office hours for startups in the i-lab program to help them with product validation and marketing.

On the virtual judges panel for the President’s Innovation Challenge in Apr '18.

In Oct '18, moved to the roster of specialists for Launch Lab X (an offering exclusively for Harvard alumni-led ventures who's initial cohort started in September '18) to assist with early growth challenges.

Marketing Specialist

The McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network

Providing meaningful and impactful mentorship for Northeastern University affiliated ventures.

Underscore VC

The Underscore Core is a curated group of exceptional entrepreneurs, executives, and
experts who work in partnership with Underscore VC, an earliest stage venture capital firm, to
identify transformative entrepreneurs and support them as they build iconic companies. Core
Members have collectively built hundreds of companies, created thousands of jobs, served
millions of customers and created billions of dollars in value for their stakeholders.

Core Member

Seedstars

Mentoring startups in developing economies through weekly growth meetings for assigned startups, office hours or participation in bootcamps.

Activities include:
- Coaching to adopt growth methodologies, tools and proven practices
- Helping gain insights from their growth experiments
- Support with ongoing planning and execution to hit growth goals
- Tracking growth data and providing insights to the internal investment committee for follow-on investment decisions.

I actively support talent of color, to help provide access to opportunities.

Supporter

The mmj.org Initiative

Advisor

"The Growth Guy" | Author, Growth Hacking for Dummies (Wiley & Sons) | Startup Mentor |

Order my book, "Growth Hacking for Dummies" on Amazon with the link below.

Accomplished growth and community professional with a demonstrated history of implementing principles that lead to authentic growth. Certified talent optimization leader skilled in connecting talent strategy to business
goals.

Skilled in extracting growth insights from qualitative and quantitative data that drive continuous improvement for businesses.

Boss: Time for your self performance review

Me:


Happy Friday, peeps!

Anuj Adhiya 📈

"Hey Siri, Can you show me a picture that personifies entrepreneurship?"

Live scenes of CEOs everywhere responding to their Head of Growth's request to support the new growth goals with an equivalent budget increase...


Happy Friday, peeps!

Pop quiz: Would you take a Head of Growth role at a Martech company that reports $50 million in revenue and growing 300% year over year within the first 3 years of product availability with just 50 customers?

Sounds pretty impressive on the face of it right?

But there are several critical factors to consider here.

First, look at the age of the company versus the time its product has been available. 
If the company has undergone significant pivots or strategy shifts, this could indicate a flexible, dynamic environment, but also potential instability or a lack of a clear, sustained vision.

Second, the revenue trajectory, while impressive, needs some digging into. 
$50 million in revenue lacks context without a defined timeframe. 
Is this an annual figure? Cumulative? Projected future earnings? 

Without knowing this you can't assess the company's true financial health and growth pace.

Third, the growth rate also warrants similar questioning. 
A 300% growth rate suggests a quadrupling of revenue. 
But from what starting base?
Generally big growth rates like this tend to be from small starting points.

Fourth, the average revenue per customer tells you that they're making $1 million per customer.
This is a super expensive product.
Is that normal for for this vertical?
Are there even that many customers for a product at this price point in their vertical? 
Why would they not be buying established alternatives at this price point?

Fifth, If its such an expensive product, it needs a pretty robust sales team to sell. If you were to do a LinkedIn search for this, does it look like the team is big enough?

So you can see that you can't take anything at face value here.
You have to ask for further clarification along with doing your own research and applying some common sense to understand whether what they're saying adds up or not. 

You'll thank yourself for having dodged many bullets when you do. 

Yesterday's moment of being schooled - courtesy of Peter Drucker.

No, it's not the quote you're thinking of. It's this one:

"Marketing is not only much broader than selling, it is not a specialized activity at all. It encompasses the entire business. It is the whole business seen from the point of view of its final result, that is, from the customer’s point of view."

I don't think many think of us - and certainly true of first time CEOs - think of marketing's role this way. So of course it makes sense then that for many of us marketing gets looked at as tactical rather than fundamentally strategic.

When we say that marketing's job is customer acquisition, its not juts lobbing campaigns over the wall every week (which is true in more than a few instances I've encountered). 

Strategically, this means:
- defining the target market
- identifying the buyer persona
- outlining the problems we solve, and 
- positioning solution in a compelling way against competitors
- constantly scanning market trends and competitive dynamics to refine all of the above.

If we do talk about marketing tactically, then talk about it from the lens of building a robust sales pipeline. This is all about the operational mechanics of generating demand that I think many people focus on the most and why marketing gets the shaft when times are tough.

If we think of marketing as this balance between being a driver of sales and a visionary architect of the company’s future, it becomes easier for marketing to assume its strategic responsibilities and rightful seat at the table.

As you get some experience in a Head of Growth role, you start to realize how much being in it means straddling the line between product excitement and market reality. 

Picture this (common) scenario.

Your team has developed Feature X, a cutting-edge component of your app. It's revolutionary and potentially a game-changer in differentiating your product in the market. The entire company is excited by its prospects, but there's a hitch—it's complex and its benefits aren't immediately obvious.

Your Sales VP now asks for a webinar on Feature X. While it's always great that sales believes in its potential, you know that it isn't straightforward and could lead to a pretty confusing webinar with a dismal turnout.

This is the crux of the problem: aligning the company's desire to communicate what's innovative about its product with what the customer actually needs and wants to hear. 

The challenge is to construct a narrative that entices your audience enough to engage with the content without misleading them. 

If you don't do this right you'll have webinars and pipelines willed with the wrong kind of people.

So what can we do here?

1. Acknowledge the Tension: 
Understand that there's often a mismatch between what your company wants to say and what the audience wants to hear. Don't fall into the trap of being too inwardly focused (guilty!)
  
2. Start to Connect Dots: Find the bridge your product's innovative features with the customers' actual problems or goals. 

How?

a. Start with Customer Insights: Gather data on what matters most to your target audience.

b. Craft Your Angle: Collaborate with internal experts and/or external consultants to create a compelling narrative that links your product to customer priorities, without stretching too far.

c. Experiment and Optimize: Use A/B testing across various platforms to identify which messages resonate and lead to meaningful engagement and, ultimately, sales opportunities.

All of this to say that when you face this dynamic, resist the urge to lean too heavily on what's comfortable or flashy, focus instead on what’s effective. 

The goals is and always will be to ensure our messaging leads to meaningful conversations, deeper engagements, and, ultimately, the realization of our product's value in the hands of those who need it most.

Heads off Growth after seeing Q1 '24 numbers...


Happy Friday, peeps!

Ok, Ok, you know what's weird? 

Everyone's been spouting the "Only 5% of people are ever ready to buy right now" stat for at least a year but I'm struggling to name a company that has put that into practice really well.

And I have a hypothesis as to why.

It's because marketing teams have not adapted their lead qualification definitions to include indicators for purchasing time line.

They're still pushing aggressively for quick conversions despite knowing what they know.
And they're doing this because they agreed to quarterly plans that didn't take this into account.

It literally makes no sense.

You see these fast-nurture strategies all over - where no matter who you are you'll leads receive frequent communications in a short span. 

To no one's shock this leads to irritation and disengagement because your buying timeline doesn't align with such aggressive tactics.

Instead, imagine a world where nurturing was balanced with a mix of speed and patience. 

For leads not immediately ready to purchase but who show potential, a prolonged and more personalized engagement plan is crucial. 

This could include invitations to events, sending company swag, or occasional check-ins via email or phone—actions that keep the connection alive without overwhelming the prospect.

For those in a more active buying phase, while the engagement frequency might be higher, it's vital to ensure it doesn't cross into harassment. Each interaction should add value, providing insights, resources, or support that guide the prospect closer to a purchasing decision.

Both approaches require careful monitoring and adjustment. 

This could be everything from point accumulation to gauge engagement, tracking any usage to tailor the approach, and continuous A/B testing to refine tactics.

For whatever reason the lightbulb is not going off that matching the pace of our nurturing efforts to the buying journey of each lead will not only enhance the customer experience but also increases the efficiency of our marketing funnel because we'll be ensuring investing the right resources in the most promising leads. 

Aside from preventing potential customers from feeling bombarded, as a happy bonus anyone taking this approach will position their company as a thoughtful and customer-centric organization in their prospect's eyes.

PS: Would love examples of companies you've encountered that've taken this deliberate approach of adapting to your purchasing timeline.

What does Maslow's hierarchy have to do with doing your job well?

Here's a story inspired by (mostly) true events...

Early in my career I'd attended the company's monthly town hall. The atmosphere was vibrant, and the company was in go-go mode, all of which was great.

However, the mood shifted dramatically when the marketing person began their presentation. 

Let's just say that what followed wasn't pleasant. 

They were bombarded with sharp, rapid questions which left them visibly shaken—almost like a deer caught in headlights. 

I remember thinking that I'd be damned if I ever found myself in a similar position - vulnerable and unprepared in front of a critical audience.

Initially, I thought the marketer's faltering performance was solely to blame for the negative reaction. However, I discovered the root cause was something more fundamental and avoidable. 

The company had launched a new version of a product, yet a month later, all marketing materials still reflected the older version. Talk about a critical lapse in basic marketing execution.

This was a classic reminder on the importance of mastering the essentials. 

Juggling tasks is commonplace in growth and overlooking fundamental responsibilities can have severe repercussions. It's like proactively giving people ammunition against you

This was when the light bulb about importance of prioritizing tasks effectively went off. 

This was also when someone much smarter than me compared doing your job well to the Maslow's hierarchy.

In other words, focus first on core responsibilities before addressing secondary concerns. 

If you think about it this way, vital tasks will never get neglected and will help establish a robust foundation for your role. 

Its shocking how much focusing on these basics contributes to a job well done AND contributes to strong alignment with key departments.

That incident was when I recognized the importance of being proactive, data-driven, and transparent. 

I would engage with other teams as a partner, involving them early in growth strategies, with executing these plans well and sharing outcomes openly. 

Great teams value accountability highly, and by mirroring this trait, I could earn their respect and trust.

It continues to serve me well.

Took a few beatings to learn that simply presenting a product's current capabilities are not be enough to stand out from the rest. 

To truly stand out, a dual approach is key: sell your product's current capabilities WHILE ALSO marketing a broader vision. 

[Side Note: If this is an active problem for you - ping me, I've put together a framework that helps do this systematically]

Imagine this scenario: 

Your competitor offers a product similar to yours, focusing solely on their current capabilities. You step in, presenting not only your equivalent product features but also additional dimensions your product covers or will soon cover. 

Then, you tie these features to a grand vision that encompasses and surpasses the present capabilities, providing a holistic solution that addresses immediate needs and future aspirations.

Here’s how it works: 

You acknowledge and affirm your current offerings but don't stop there. 

You expand the conversation to include upcoming enhancements or related offerings that are in development or on the roadmap. 

The convergence is the company's vision—how these areas cohere into a transformative future state that sets your company apart as a leader and innovator.

When applied effectively, this repositioning does several things for your company:

1. It envelopes and neutralizes your competitor's message by matching their offer and adding more value.

2. It conveys a broad, compelling vision that encompasses and exceeds the current market scope.

3. It simplifies your message into a memorable framework, making it easy to communicate and understand.

4. It elevates your company's pitch, allowing you to engage with higher-level decision-makers.

5. It positions your company as a thought leader, driving the industry forward rather than merely competing within it.

6. It creates internal alignment, giving your team a clear 'North Star' to navigate by.

But there are challenges and considerations to bear in mind:

- You have to balance the marketing of your vision with the integrity of your current product. Overpromising future capabilities can lead to unmet expectations and dissatisfaction.

- This strategy must be a holistic company movement, not just a marketing tactic, with appropriate investment in development for future capabilities.

In essence, this repositioning is not just about selling a product; it's about selling a journey that customers can embark on with your company. 

It invites them to be part of something growing, something evolving—something bigger than just the next purchase. 

When done right, it doesn’t just capture market share; it captures imagination and builds lasting partnerships with your customers.

PS: Again, if this is an active problem with you, ping me, I have a way to solve for this. 
It's not a silver bullet - it takes work - but the time difference is night and day.

I hear "All these tools have great reviews, I don't know which one to pick" from founders and other growth leads all the time

Keeping aside that the odds of these reviews having been potentially curated or influenced are so high, you would think there would be a better process than "Anuj recommended it to me".

While everyone loves to tout word of mouth, my recommendation means very little because I don't know the specifics of your business and what outcomes you're shooting for.

We've let these recommendations become a suboptimal shortcut for doing  a better job of evaluating products on our own. 

So I want to share what I would tell anyone (including myself) to do before dropping any $ on a product:

1. Identify the Vendor's Core Strengths: 
Despite what they say, every vendor has a domain or segment where they excel and have established credibility. This is not about what they claim to do or their occasional foray into different sectors. It's about their proven expertise. 

Engage with your network, industry forums (and if applicable, independent analysts) to uncover the true strengths of a vendor. 
This way, you can align your specific needs with their proven capabilities, ensuring a fit that's based on substance, not just marketing hype.

2. Leverage Genuine Customer References: 

While inflated survey scores are commonplace, direct conversations with existing customers provide invaluable insights. 
Seek out reference calls with businesses similar to yours in size, industry, and challenges faced. These discussions can reveal the real-world application and effectiveness of the product, far beyond what any polished survey response can offer.

3. Trust Your Evaluation Process: 

Finally, there's no substitute for your own due diligence. 
I think this is where most of us fall apart. 

A thorough evaluation process, where you engage with the product through a trial or demos, proofs of concept, and detailed discussions with the vendor - this is all critical. 

This hands-on experience allows you to assess the software's fit for your organization's specific needs and growth goals. 

Don't let skewed reviews and surveys sway your judgment. 
Trust the insights from your own meticulous evaluation.

Now you're make informed decisions that truly support your growth ambitions.

Ok fine, i'm guilty. 

I've recycled content from and for internal presentations just for the sake of convenience. (Just me? Ok then...)

I know better.
I know that crafting effective presentations needs a thoughtful understanding of the audience's needs and the objectives of the presentation.

I've known that if I don't do that that my presentations won't resonate and my likelihood of achieving my desired outcome is that much lower.

I know because that's what I do for external talks!

So this is more a reminder for myself than anything else:

The First Rule of Presentations: It's All About the Audience

Every presentation must be audience-centric. The initial step in crafting any presentation should be to identify the audience and understand what message needs to be conveyed. Only then will the content be relevant and engaging for the audience.

Here are a couple of places this has played out..

Customer-Focused Presentations: Tailoring pitches to the specific customer in question is crucial. Using a generic deck or one designed for another client will fail to address the unique needs and pain points of the current prospect.

Product Introductions: Converting a product management technical presentation into a product launch presentation often results in a feature-heavy pitch that lacks the strategic framing necessary to engage and excite prospects.

So what do we do about this?

1. Outline First: 
Draft an outline focused on the audience’s needs and the key messages you need to convey. Allow this framework to guide the creation of your presentation.

2. Rethink Before You Recycle: 
Only after establishing a solid outline consider incorporating existing slides, and even then, only those that precisely support your messages.

Its as easy and as hard as that.

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