Not always a Growth Hacker
“In my younger years (far before the term Growth Hacker appeared)” (our CEO writes), the idea of finding a definitive career path felt more like an elusive puzzle than a clear roadmap. As I embarked on my career journey, I was driven by a profound curiosity and a relentless pursuit of knowledge, leading me through an intriguing maze of diverse fields. From psychology to accounting, engineering to an MBA, each phase of my academic and professional journey contributed uniquely to my understanding of the complex world around us. Little did I know, this eclectic background was quietly preparing me for a future in one of the most dynamic fields today: marketing.
The Emergence of Growth Hacking
it wasn’t until 20 years later, after dealing for a decade with complex manufacturing/costing projects and another decade building and selling marketing products, that I stumbled upon growth hacking. This new realm seemed to synthesize all the areas I had explored into a cohesive framework. Growth hacking, a term that burgeoned in the tech industry, is often perceived as a subset of marketing fused with technology and psychology. It’s an area where creativity meets metrics, and experimentation drives growth. This was another career shift and a paradigm shift in how products were marketed and grown.
Growth hacking was a game-changer for me, and although I initially thought it was my end-game, it was nothing more than the beginning of an extraordinary -and very demanding- journey. The field is not merely about rapid experimentation and viral marketing strategies; it embodies a holistic approach where engineering and marketing coalesce. The diverse skills I had acquired, sometimes even inadvertently, became instrumental as I delved deeper into this intersection of disciplines. Beyond, above, and surrounding Growth Hacking itself.
Adapting to a Changing Landscape
The digital marketing landscape is perpetually evolving, influenced by technological advancements, societal shifts, and global events. Over the past four years alone, several trending topics have drastically reshaped our strategies and approaches. All with the ability to use the same skillset to solve different problems every time:
GDPR/CCPA Compliance
With the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), we had to rethink our data-capturing mechanisms. This meant mastering advanced tools like Google Tag Manager and developing robust consent management systems across various platforms. These regulations pushed us to comply and innovate how we handle consumer data. Lawyers jumped into this initially, but they lacked the technical know-how, and engineers lacked the technicalities and the rationale behind all tracking, and the impact of each consent in lead management and business in general. A growth hacker back then (and still) sounded like the best choice for merging the two words.
The Digital Transformation During COVID-19
The unprecedented arrival of COVID-19 forced businesses to pivot online overnight. The shift was drastic, from physical stores to online marketplaces, from traditional services to digital offerings. My role (and the company’s role, obviously) involved building websites swiftly, managing leads more efficiently, and automating processes to accommodate the new digital-first reality.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been transformative. Our team has been at the forefront, implementing AI solutions, training custom language models, and integrating these technologies to enhance automation across marketing campaigns. AI is not just a tool; it’s a revolutionary approach that redefines customer interactions and operational efficiencies.
Who is better at creating content, vectorizing content, building taxonomies, and defining the proper UI/UX than a Growth Hacker dealing with those items day in and day out?
Sustainable Marketing and Decarbonization
As awareness of environmental impact grows, so does the demand for sustainable marketing practices. We’ve taken significant steps towards reducing the carbon footprint of our digital assets and ensuring our data management processes are eco-friendly. Sustainable marketing is not just a trend but a necessity as we move towards a more responsible business model.
Productization and Skill Application
Growing the products and services of others is fantastic. But creating new products all the time is next-level awesome! So, another crucial aspect of our evolving marketing landscape is productization. This involves transforming services or ideas into marketable products, which can be repeatedly sold and scaled. This process uses the same skills fundamental to growth hacking—analytical thinking, creativity, and understanding customer needs and market dynamics. By productizing services, we create consistent, scalable offerings that meet customer expectations, streamline operations, and increase profitability. We have 11 created from scratch, and some have already exited (sold).
Mastering NPS Scoring and Analysis
Net Promoter Score (NPS) has become a cornerstone in evaluating customer loyalty and satisfaction. It measures the likelihood of customers to recommend a company’s product or service to others. NPS scoring and analysis involve collecting valuable feedback through customer surveys, quantifying this feedback into an actionable score, and analyzing the results to drive improvements. This method requires a deep understanding of data analysis, consumer psychology, and strategic planning—skills integral to our diverse backgrounds.
The Timeless Value of Skills Over Labels
One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned through these transitions is the importance of skill over title. In an era where change is the only constant, attaching oneself to a specific job title can be limiting. Instead, I advise young professionals to cultivate versatile skills that will enable them to adapt and thrive regardless of how the market evolves.
Critical thinking, data analysis, technical aptitude, and an innovative mindset are indispensable. Whether the next big trend revolves around blockchain, virtual reality, metaverse, or another unforeseen technology, a robust, versatile skill set (combining Technical and Marketing aspects) will serve as your anchor.
Looking Forward
As we look to the future, it’s clear that the paths we choose may be non-linear and unpredictable. The key to navigating this uncertainty is preparing for specific outcomes and being adaptable to any circumstances that might arise. We do not know exactly what tomorrow holds, but we can be confident that the skills we develop will be our greatest assets.
For those embarking on their professional journeys, remember this: do not strive to fit a label. Aim to build a toolkit that will prepare you for the unknown, for it is in these unknowns that the greatest opportunities lie. Equip yourself with knowledge, agility, and an unyielding curiosity, and you will be well on your way to a fulfilling and successful career, no matter where the tide turns.
As we continue to face new challenges and embrace new opportunities, our honed skills and cultivated adaptability will define our paths. Our ability to learn and adapt is our most valuable asset in a constantly changing world.
We have created numerous initiatives to acquire the Growth Hacking Mindset and Skillset, from free webinars to a full Growth Hacking University. We continue to train our partners, our colleagues, and our competitors.
Join the journey!
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Theodore has 20 years of experience running successful and profitable software products. In his free time, he coaches and consults startups. His career includes managerial posts for companies in the UK and abroad, and he has significant skills in intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship.
