Learning from the Winners with DoWhatWorks' Andres Glusman

Protect the Hustle | A SaaS Podcast

Imagine standing in a gym, facing an overwhelming array of free weights, machines, and fitness programs. Choosing where to start is challenging, and without proper guidance, you may squander your resources on ineffective methods, yielding little progress. Now picture an experienced personal trainer, like Andres Glusman, who directs you towards exercises that are proven to work, align with your personal goals, and minimize risks. This scenario finds its echo in the B2B SaaS landscape, a complex gym of infinite growth strategies where identifying productive strategies from unproductive ones demands the expertise of a growth experimentation maestro.

Andres Glusman, the Co-Founder and CEO of DoWhatWorks, is this expert trainer in our metaphorical gym. With real-world experience, including being part of the team that launched MeetUp.com, Andres possesses a unique perspective on steering SaaS businesses towards effective strategies and away from potential pitfalls. In today's episode, we're joining him on the gym floor to delve into the world of growth experimentation and uncover how smart growth experimentation can revolutionize your SaaS business. So, gear up and prepare to unravel the secrets of effective growth experimentation.

High-Level Overview

• Embrace Experimentation: Andres Glusman champions the idea of running growth experiments within your organization. The principle is simple, yet profound - test a variety of strategies, learn from the outcomes, and optimize based on what works.
• Learn From Successes: Drawing on his experience with MeetUp.com, Andres teaches us to focus on techniques that have already proven successful. It's the equivalent of not wasting time on ineffective workout techniques in a gym.
• Avoid Past Failures: Andres emphasizes the importance of avoiding strategies that have already proven to be ineffective. His philosophy cuts down on wasted time and resources, akin to not spending effort on futile exercise routines.
• Leverage Real-World Experience: With his involvement in the launch of MeetUp.com, Andres stands out as a seasoned 'trainer'. He offers invaluable, practical lessons, far from theoretical knowledge, which he gleaned from his hands-on experience.
• Guided Learning is Key: Andres underscores the importance of guided learning in growth experimentation. Much like having a personal trainer in a gym, having someone who knows the ropes can help avoid missteps and accelerate progress in the complex landscape of SaaS growth strategies.

Learning from Successful Experiments

In the competitive world of SaaS, the difference between success and stagnation often lies in one's ability to conduct and learn from successful growth experiments. As any seasoned gym-goer can tell you, finding the most effective exercise regimen takes time, patience, and a lot of trial and error. This approach is just as applicable when it comes to orchestrating growth in SaaS businesses. The most successful companies aren't those who shy away from experimentation, but those who learn from their winners, optimize, and then iterate.

• Trial and Embrace Change: Be prepared to experiment with different techniques, products, or strategies. Embrace change and understand that some experiments will work better than others.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Lean heavily on data to determine your 'winning' experiments. This ensures that your strategy is rooted in fact, not guesswork or bias.
• Continuous Learning: Even a successful experiment can be improved. Never stop learning, iterating, and experimenting. There's always room for improvement.
• Focus on the Customer: All experiments should ultimately improve the customer experience. If they're not, reassess your strategy and pivot accordingly.
• Organizational Buy-In: Everyone within the organization should be aligned on the value of experimentation and be prepared to learn from the results, whether they're positive or negative.

In conclusion, learning from successful growth experiments isn't just about finding what works and sticking to it. It's about understanding why it works, and how you can apply those learnings to other areas of your business. It's about taking calculated risks, analyzing your results, and using this data to guide your future strategies. It's a continuous journey, not a destination. With this mindset, your SaaS company will be well-positioned to stay ahead of the competition and sustain long-term growth.

Further Learnings

Follow Andres on LinkedIn.