The Challenge

A bootstrapped B2C tech startup had strong product-market fit but hit a revenue plateau. Scaling beyond the group of initial customers required an efficient acquisition strategy and maximizing revenue generated across the whole lifecycle.

Key Problems to Solve:

  • Increasing acquisition costs meant unsustainable growth for a bootstrapped company.
  • Retention and expansion gaps: Free-trial users weren't converting to paid plans at a high enough rate, monetization was slow beyond the lowest-cost subscription tier.
  • Fragmented marketing data: CRM, ad and product data were separated and not being used efficiently.

Growth Strategies & Initiatives

I designed and built a repeatable, data-driven growth model that combined rapid experimentation, first-party data activation and full-funnel optimization.

Test & Learn Framework

Established a culture of experimentation using Hypothesize, Test, Iterate loops to drive steady improvements that compounded over time.

  • Leveraged the AARRR (Pirate Metrics) framework to align work to impact the most impactful growth levers (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue)
  • Used the ICE model (Impact, Confidence and Ease) to prioritize experiments
  • Created a structured testing calendar to drive continuous improvement
Outcome: Increased experiment velocity, leading to faster growth insights

Unified Customer Data Strategy

Connected and structured data from the CRM, ad platforms and product analytics to create a single view of the customer.

  • Built automated, data-driven customer journeys that improved retention and LTV
  • Leveraged first-party data to improve performance media efficiency
Outcome: Identified, acquired and nurtured high-LTV segments that drove subscription tier revenue expansion.

Content as a Growth Lever

Leveraged a strong brand with an excellent content library as a conversion driver by mapping key content pieces to customer needs at each funnel stage and leveraging them as journey interactions.

  • Distributed high-quality content at scale across channels
  • Created content-driven conversion paths for different audience segments
  • Designed community growth loops as a conversion driver
Outcome: Organic acquisition increased along with paid acquisition, lowering overall CAC.

Performance Media Optimization

Tested widely across channels, then doubled down on high-performing paid channels and cut waste in low-ROI platforms.

  • Optimized ad creative, targeting and segmentation through continual experimentation
  • Leveraged first-party data to improve paid media effectiveness
  • Drove steady improvement in the efficiency of a six-figure annual media budget
Outcome: 50% reduction in CAC while scaling acquisition volume

Activation & Onboarding Redesign

Overhauled the onboarding journey for new free trial users to improve time-to-value.

  • Accelerated the path to the 'aha!' moment of clear product benefit
  • Reinforced usage habits for new users that led to paid plan conversion
Outcome: 30% increase in trial-to-paid conversion rates

Retention & Expansion Strategy

Designed personalized lifecycle marketing to reduce churn and drive upsells to higher tiers.

  • Created targeted campaigns based on usage patterns and engagement
  • Implemented a referral program to drive acquisition using existing users'social networks
  • Leveraged community usage as definsibility and retention strategy (multiple connected users less likely to churn)
Outcome: 25% reduction in churn and 20% increase in team plan upgrades

The Results

2x ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) Growth

Over two years, while maintaining CAC efficiency.

50% Lower CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

Optimized acquisition costs while efficiently scaling marketing spend.

50% Faster Payback Period

Ensured quick profitability on new customers.

Growth From Retention, Referrals & Upsells

Personalized lifecycle marketing increased LTV, leveraged existing users social networks for acquisition, and drove movement to higher subscription tiers.

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