Growth hackers and SaaS consultants pop up left and right every day, so how can you know who would you really follow?
Hopefully, this fresh list with the top growth hackers will save you some time.
With no further ado, here are the top 15 growth hackers to follow, from A to Z.
You stalker.
1. Andrew Chen
Known for: Uber, Reforge, Andreessen Horowitz
Quote on Growth: “Growth is an aftereffect of strong product/market fit and great distribution.”
The first on our top growth hackers list – Andrew Chen is a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), where he invests in early-stage consumer tech, entertainment, and AI startups. He leads SPEEDRUN, a division of a16z focused on gaming and interactive experiences, including AI-driven applications, game studios, and gamified tools.
Before joining a16z, Andrew led Uber’s Rider Growth teams, driving the company’s global expansion. He has also been an angel investor and advisor for companies like Dropbox, AngelList, Product Hunt, and Tinder.
He is the author of The Cold Start Problem, a widely respected book on network effects and how startups can scale their user base from zero to millions.
2. Brian Balfour
Known for: HubSpot, Reforge
Quote on Growth: “If you have poor retention, NOTHING else matters.”
Brian Balfour is the Founder and CEO of Reforge, a company providing advanced education and training in growth, product, and marketing. His programs are widely used by teams from companies like Slack, Pinterest, and Atlassian.
Before founding Reforge, Brian was VP of Growth at HubSpot, where he built and scaled new product initiatives. He has also founded multiple venture-backed startups and worked as an investor and advisor to some of the fastest-growing SaaS and consumer tech companies.
Brian is known for his data-driven approach to growth, emphasizing experimentation, retention, and scalable acquisition strategies. His blog features in-depth essays on topics like growth loops, user retention, and compounding growth strategies.
3. Brianne Kimmel
Known for: Worklife Ventures
Quote on Growth: “Building a top-performing culture is less about strict policies and more about having an optimistic approach to problem-solving and a contagious work ethic.”
Brianne Kimmel is the Founder and Managing Partner of Worklife Ventures, a VC firm specializing in early-stage investments in startups focused on the future of work. Her firm has backed high-growth companies like Webflow, Hopin, Deel, and Notion, with a strong focus on tools that empower knowledge workers and remote teams.
Before Worklife Ventures, Brianne played a key role at Zendesk. she built and led the Zendesk for Startups program, helping early-stage companies scale their customer experience strategies. She has also held positions at Expedia and taught growth marketing at General Assembly.
Brianne is a recognized voice in startup investing, product-led growth, and SaaS scaling strategies. Which is why she’s considered one of the top growth hackers today. Follow her for insights on startup growth, leadership, and the evolving nature of work.
💡 Also read: Top 99 Digital Marketing & Growth Hacking Quotes
4. Hiten Shah
Known for: Co-founding Crazy Egg, KISSmetrics, and Nira
Quote on Growth: “If you want your business to be scalable, your marketing has to be scalable, too.”
Hiten Shah is a serial entrepreneur and startup advisor who has co-founded several successful SaaS companies. In 2005, he launched Crazy Egg, a tool that provides visual website analytics through heatmaps, helping businesses understand user behavior. He then co-founded KISSmetrics, focusing on advanced customer analytics to assist companies in making data-driven decisions. His latest venture, Nira, specializes in real-time access control for company documents.
Beyond his ventures, Hiten is known for his mentorship and thought leadership in the startup community, frequently sharing insights on business growth, product development, and company culture.
5. Julian Shapiro
Known for: Founder of Demand Curve and Bell Curve
Quote on Growth: “Growth marketing is simply data-driven revenue maximization.”
Julian Shapiro is a leading voice in growth marketing and startup strategy. He founded Demand Curve, a growth marketing agency that has helped thousands of startups scale with structured, data-driven strategies. He also co-founded Bell Curve, an agency focused on performance marketing and growth experimentation for high-growth startups.
Beyond consulting, Julian has built a reputation for his in-depth essays on growth, startup tactics, and personal development. His frameworks and guides have become go-to resources for marketers and founders looking to refine their approach to user acquisition, retention, and monetization.
His ability to simplify complex marketing strategies into actionable insights has made him a sought-after speaker and advisor in the startup world.
6. Matthew Barby
Known for: HubSpot, Kraken, Traffic Think Tank
Quote on Growth: “SEO is not just about ranking—it’s about driving the right traffic and converting it into business results.”
Matthew Barby built his reputation as HubSpot’s Director of Acquisition, leading efforts to scale the company’s organic and paid growth. His expertise in SEO, content marketing, and digital acquisition helped HubSpot become a dominant force in inbound marketing.
After HubSpot, he co-founded Traffic Think Tank, a private SEO and growth marketing community that was later acquired by SEMrush. His work has influenced thousands of marketers looking to improve search visibility and conversion strategies.
Today, he is the VP of Growth at Kraken, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. He currently focuses on user acquisition, retention, and digital expansion in the rapidly evolving Web3 space.
7. Morgan Brown
Known for: Hacking Growth, Facebook, Instagram, Shopify
Quote on Growth: “There are no silver bullets. There’s no one thing that you can do that’s going to magically make your business grow.”
Morgan Brown made a name for himself by co-authoring Hacking Growth, one of the most influential books on growth hacking, widely regarded as the definitive guide for startups aiming for rapid, sustainable growth.
Following the success of the book, Morgan became the Vice President of Growth at Facebook and later the Senior Director of Product at Instagram, developing growth strategies that propelled user acquisition and engagement to new heights.
Today, Morgan is the Vice President of Growth at Shopify, where he continues to lead impactful growth initiatives, shaping how millions of businesses thrive online through scalable product and marketing strategies.
8. Noah Kagan
Known for: AppSumo, Sumo Group
Quote on Growth: “A startup can focus on only one metric. So you have to decide what that is and ignore everything else.”
Noah Kagan is the founder and CEO of AppSumo, a highly popular marketplace platform helping startups discover software deals. He’s also behind Sumo Group, a collection of tools designed for email capture and website optimization, serving millions of users globally.
Before AppSumo, Noah was among Facebook’s earliest employees, playing a significant role in scaling user growth at the company’s foundational stages. He then moved to Mint.com, leading their marketing strategy and user acquisition efforts until the company was acquired by Intuit.
Today, Noah is a well-known voice in digital marketing, entrepreneurship, and growth hacking. His growth hacking blog, OkDork, and podcast regularly share insights into marketing strategies, startup growth hacks, and productivity tips for founders and marketers alike.
9. Peep Laja
Known for: CXL, Wynter
Quote on Growth: “Growth marketing is sales at scale.”
Peep Laja is a leading expert in conversion optimization and the founder of CXL, a renowned training platform for marketers who want data-backed growth strategies. He is also the CEO of Wynter, a unique B2B messaging platform that helps companies clarify and test their positioning with precision.
With his extensive background in B2B marketing, Peep’s focus has always been on understanding customer psychology and leveraging it for business growth. His rigorous, no-nonsense approach to marketing optimization has set a benchmark for industry standards.
Regularly featured as a speaker at prominent marketing conferences, Peep’s advice is sought by companies worldwide looking to increase conversions, sharpen their messaging, and achieve sales at scale.
10. Sean Ellis
Known for: Coining the term “growth hacking”, Dropbox, Growth Hackers community
Quote on Growth: “Growth is an aftereffect of strong product/market fit and great distribution.”
Sean Ellis is renowned as the godfather of growth hacking, having coined the term back in 2010. He’s the author of the best-selling book Hacking Growth, which revolutionized how startups approach growth, emphasizing rapid experimentation and iterative learning.
Sean was instrumental in the growth phases of companies like Dropbox, LogMeIn, and Eventbrite, guiding their explosive growth through strategic marketing and optimization. His expertise helped Dropbox achieve its impressive user growth during its early, critical phases.
Currently, Sean runs GrowthHackers.com, the largest online community dedicated to growth hacking. His work continues to influence thousands of marketers, founders, and product managers on effective strategies for scaling businesses through innovative marketing approaches.
11. Steli Efti
Known for: Close.io
Quote on Growth: “Whoever understands the customer best, ultimately wins.”
Steli Efti is the charismatic CEO and co-founder of Close.io, a leading sales CRM platform built specifically for startups and SMBs. He’s renowned for his straightforward, actionable insights on sales tactics, startup growth, and entrepreneurship.
Steli is also the author of multiple influential books on startup sales and entrepreneurship. These books include The Ultimate Startup Guide To Outbound Sales and Product Demos That Sell, both regarded as essential reads within the SaaS community.
With years of experience advising startups, speaking at conferences, and podcasting, Steli’s mission remains clear—helping entrepreneurs build effective, customer-driven sales strategies that fuel sustainable growth.
12. Sujan Patel
Known for: Mailshake, Voila Norbert
Quote on Growth: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Start where you are and expand as you’re able to.”
Sujan Patel is a prominent growth marketer and entrepreneur known for founding and scaling email marketing tools Mailshake and Voila Norbert. His ventures help businesses automate cold outreach and streamline lead-generation processes, significantly boosting conversion and engagement rates.
His approach blends data-driven growth marketing with practical execution, focusing heavily on actionable strategies around email outreach, SEO, and content marketing. Sujan is widely respected in the marketing community for his emphasis on testing, iteration, and efficient scaling.
Beyond founding successful SaaS tools, Sujan has also led growth efforts at Ramp Ventures, helping startups achieve sustainable, measurable results through targeted user acquisition and retention strategies.
13. Theo Moulos
Known for: Recognized for leading GrowthRocks.com, co-founding Viral Loops and Growth Hacking University, launching AI the Academy, and now taking the helm at GrowthHackers.com as a major shareholder following its acquisition.
Quote on Growth: “Growth hacking is proof that the best marketers are actually engineers.”
Theo Moulos is the founder and CEO of GrowthRocks, a leading UK-based growth hacking agency known for helping startups and enterprises achieve rapid, sustainable growth through systematic, data-driven marketing strategies. Additionally, he co-founded Viral Loops, a powerful referral marketing tool designed to help businesses boost viral customer acquisition.
Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Theo has established himself as an educator and thought leader in the growth hacking community. He regularly shares his knowledge through keynote speeches at events like the eCommerce Growth Summit and Growth Hacking Conference.
As the creator and lead instructor of Growth Hacking University, Theo also provides specialized training to entrepreneurs, marketers, and product teams, equipping them with the practical skills to drive scalable growth and customer engagement.
14. Tom Hunt
Known for: Founder of Fame, bCast, and SaaS Marketer
Quote on Growth: “A product worth a great story is a product worth selling.”
Known for: Fame, SaaS Marketer, bCast
Quote on Growth: “A product worth a great story is a product worth selling.”
Tom Hunt is the founder and CEO of Fame, a prominent B2B podcasting agency helping SaaS and technology brands drive growth through engaging, niche-focused podcasts.
Previously, Tom founded bCast, a podcast hosting platform specifically designed for marketers and high-growth businesses. Under his leadership, bCast quickly established itself as a key player by offering innovative marketing integrations to drive listener engagement and lead generation.
Tom frequently shares detailed case studies and growth insights about podcast marketing, SaaS growth, and customer acquisition strategies. His experience transitioning from management consultancy to entrepreneurship has shaped his focus on scalable and measurable business growth tactics.
15. Wes Bush
Known for: Product-Led Growth
Quote on Growth: “Truly great software companies are built to be product-led.”
The last in our top growth hackers list – Wes Bush is the author of Product-Led Growth: How to Build a Product That Sells Itself. Quickly enough, it became a definitive resource that introduced the product-led approach as a core growth strategy.
Wes has also founded ProductLed, a global community and education hub designed to teach founders and marketers how to build scalable product-led businesses. His popular 6-week training program is used by professionals across industries to learn how to effectively implement product-led principles into their businesses.
A sought-after speaker, Wes is known for breaking down complex growth topics into simple, actionable strategies. He shares expertise through engaging workshops, podcasts, and his writings, making him an influential voice in the rapidly evolving SaaS and growth hacking landscape.
Top Growth Hackers – Honorable Mentions
Did we forget anyone?
Absolutely, but then again this is a top-15 list. So here are a few honorable mentions of the top growth hackers – so so can squeeze in a few more names.
Effie C Bersoux
Effie, CEO at GrowthGirls and co-founder at GrowthRocks, specializes in women’s entrepreneurship and growth marketing. She’s worked with multinational organizations and innovative startups like Oh app, Sundance Film Festival, and Lana Bank.
Gilles De Clerck
Gilles De Clerck is a respected product growth strategist and startup mentor known for ROI-driven strategies. He focuses on experimental design, personal branding, user acquisition, and onboarding.
Nir Eyal
Nir Eyal blends growth, psychology, and business strategy. He’s a renowned speaker and the author of the bestselling book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products.”
Sylvia Ng
Sylvia Ng specializes in product growth and analytics, focusing on the intersection of data, engineering, and marketing. She’s known for driving measurable results through data-driven growth strategies.
Fareed Mosavat
Fareed Mosavat is a product-driven growth expert, having led growth at notable companies like Instacart, Slack, and Reforge. His expertise lies in product-driven strategies, customer acquisition, and retention.
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I write for GrowthRocks, one of the top growth hacking agencies. For some mysterious reason, I write on the internet yet I’m not a vegan, I don’t do yoga and I don’t drink smoothies.
