Growth Principle One: Be The Best At Getting Better
At its core, this principle emphasizes the power of continuous improvement. While flashy growth hacks might make headlines, sustained success comes from committing to getting better every single day.
The Long Game of Growth
Growth isn't about chasing the next big hack or shortcut. It's about building a system that learns and improves over time. Winning in growth means out-learning and out-executing your competitors.
Focus on What You Can Control
Bill Walsh, legendary coach of the San Francisco 49ers, famously said:
“Focus on executing the process, and the outcomes will take care of themselves.”
In growth, you can't control external factors like:
— Market changes
— Competitor moves
— Evolving customer needs
But you can control:
— Your team’s effectiveness
— Your learning speed
— Your ability to adapt and improve
By mastering what’s in your control, you build a growth engine that thrives in any environment.
Reframing Failure
Growth is experimental by nature, which means failure is common. However, failure is only damaging if no lessons are learned. Every experiment should be a learning opportunity.
Instead of labeling experiments as “success” or “failure,” ask:
— What did we learn?
— How can we apply these learnings to future experiments?
How We Implement “Getting Better”
1. Process-Driven Learning
Every step in our growth process is designed to drive improvement.
Experiment Analysis:
— What Happened? Review the numbers and outcomes.
— Why Did It Happen? Dig into the root cause, whether the results were good or bad.
Sharing Learnings:
— All experiment results are documented and accessible to the entire company.
— New team members gain instant access to a wealth of insights.
Applying Learnings:
— Update the experiment backlog with new ideas based on learnings.
— Prioritize experiments based on past results to improve the impact of future efforts.
2. Continuous Team Improvement
Stepping Back: Every four months, we review our processes and discuss how to improve as a team.
— What’s working?
— What’s not?
— How can we communicate and collaborate better?
Hiring for Growth:
— We look for self-learners who thrive in an experimental environment.
— Hiring isn’t about finding perfect candidates but those with raw potential to excel in growth.
3. Individual Development
Personal OKRs:
— Team members set quarterly goals focused on skill development.
HubSpot’s $5K Learning Budget:
— Every employee gets $5,000 annually to invest in personal and professional growth.
Self-Learning Culture:
— We prioritize individuals who are naturally curious and proactive about their development.
Growth Team Classes:
— Regular sessions cover growth strategies, leadership, and technical skills.
Final Thought: Commit to Improvement
The best growth teams are those that commit to constant evolution. They improve their processes, team dynamics, and individual skills daily.
In growth, your greatest competitive advantage isn’t a single tactic—it’s being the best at getting better.
At its core, this principle emphasizes the power of continuous improvement. While flashy growth hacks might make headlines, sustained success comes from committing to getting better every single day.
The Long Game of Growth
Growth isn't about chasing the next big hack or shortcut. It's about building a system that learns and improves over time. Winning in growth means out-learning and out-executing your competitors.
Focus on What You Can Control
Bill Walsh, legendary coach of the San Francisco 49ers, famously said:
“Focus on executing the process, and the outcomes will take care of themselves.”
In growth, you can't control external factors like:
— Market changes
— Competitor moves
— Evolving customer needs
But you can control:
— Your team’s effectiveness
— Your learning speed
— Your ability to adapt and improve
By mastering what’s in your control, you build a growth engine that thrives in any environment.
Reframing Failure
Growth is experimental by nature, which means failure is common. However, failure is only damaging if no lessons are learned. Every experiment should be a learning opportunity.
Instead of labeling experiments as “success” or “failure,” ask:
— What did we learn?
— How can we apply these learnings to future experiments?
How We Implement “Getting Better”
1. Process-Driven Learning
Every step in our growth process is designed to drive improvement.
Experiment Analysis:
— What Happened? Review the numbers and outcomes.
— Why Did It Happen? Dig into the root cause, whether the results were good or bad.
Sharing Learnings:
— All experiment results are documented and accessible to the entire company.
— New team members gain instant access to a wealth of insights.
Applying Learnings:
— Update the experiment backlog with new ideas based on learnings.
— Prioritize experiments based on past results to improve the impact of future efforts.
2. Continuous Team Improvement
Stepping Back: Every four months, we review our processes and discuss how to improve as a team.
— What’s working?
— What’s not?
— How can we communicate and collaborate better?
Hiring for Growth:
— We look for self-learners who thrive in an experimental environment.
— Hiring isn’t about finding perfect candidates but those with raw potential to excel in growth.
3. Individual Development
Personal OKRs:
— Team members set quarterly goals focused on skill development.
HubSpot’s $5K Learning Budget:
— Every employee gets $5,000 annually to invest in personal and professional growth.
Self-Learning Culture:
— We prioritize individuals who are naturally curious and proactive about their development.
Growth Team Classes:
— Regular sessions cover growth strategies, leadership, and technical skills.
Final Thought: Commit to Improvement
The best growth teams are those that commit to constant evolution. They improve their processes, team dynamics, and individual skills daily.
In growth, your greatest competitive advantage isn’t a single tactic—it’s being the best at getting better.