"hacking a non-computer system" can be growth hacking? Can YC's application question; "Please tell us about a time you most successfully hacked some (non-computer) system to your advantage." Include a growth hacking method that happened on a computer, but didn't include any code? We found a unique way to hack growth for our product and it would help if we could mention it I think. |
"Growth hacking" is really "hustling with process- or solution-oriented judgement and data-driven experimentation to overcome a sales plateau or decline". If you don't already have someone exceptionally good at this, try to find someone sooner than later who is. (With more venture maturity and/or greater revenue, add specialists to address business areas to scale sensibly.)
The style of questions are aimed at considering that a venture needs to lean into customer-facing hustle but supported by just enough back-office build-out. With obligatory analogies, between keeping flaming plates spinning and crab walking up parallel walls. You can't do just do one and neglect the other because you'll either have low sales or disillusioned customers.
One of the double-edged challenges and benefits of English is that words have some vaguely-agreed meaning(s), but then take on additional meanings informally in some subcultures and peoples' minds. It becomes critical in external comms to create a crisp message accounting for multicultural taboos and alternative meanings. For example, Stanford's CoHo at Tresidder has an especially embarrassing vulgar meaning in Mexican Spanish. tl;dr: Craft external comms with reasonable attention and consistent review/editorial process (at some point).
pg:
- The Word "Hacker" (2004) https://www.paulgraham.com/gba.html
- Startup = Growth (2012) https://paulgraham.com/growth.html
Forget the "rules", if it's a good and relevant story, tell it.