How to Build a Scalable Organic Growth Strategy

Elena Verna’s has written and recorded >500 hours of content on PLG Growth in B2B — here is EVERYTHING you need to know, save, and implement in 10 bullets: 𝟭𝟬-𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝟮𝗕/𝗣𝗟𝗚 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 1. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 “𝗮𝗵𝗮” 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. Every growth model starts by proving value fast through a self-serve flow that walks the user straight to the core outcome, minimizing time-to-value and instrumentation gaps. 2. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀. Replace linear acquisition funnels with compounding growth loops where each cycle of usage creates new input (content, invites, referrals or data) that feeds the next cycle and lowers marginal CAC. 3. 𝗦𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲. Identify your highest-retention ICP(s), double-down on them, and expand only to “adjacent users” once growth in the core segment saturates; one size never fits all. 4. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 → 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁 → 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲. Don’t gate value too early; wait until the product habit is forming, then intersect upgrade triggers (usage limits, collaboration, security, etc.) with clear pay-offs to convert. 5. 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀. Iterate on paywalls, tiers, and thresholds the same way you iterate on product—continuously, with clear hypotheses and measurable upgrade metrics. 6. 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗟𝗚 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀-𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁. Use product-qualified leads (PQLs) to hand warm, usage-validated accounts to Sales; PLG and SLG complement each other rather than compete, especially in enterprise. 7. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀.Drive email, in-app and human touchpoints off real usage—not calendar dates—to accelerate activation, expansion and resurrection. 8. 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 ~𝟭𝟴 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀. Expect channels to plateau; dedicate ~20-25 % of resources to testing new growth loops long before the current ones top out. 9. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝘀. Small squads of product, design, eng, data and marketing own a single North-Star metric and operate with rapid experiment cycles—no hand-offs, no silos. 10. 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. “Growth at what cost?” is Elena’s constant refrain—CAC payback and cohort retention trump vanity metrics, and sustainable, defensible growth beats short-lived spikes.

I built a process at Morning Brew & storyarb to create a powerful engine for organic growth. - At the Brew, we scaled to 1,000,000 newsletter subscribers within 4 years, the majority of which we acquired organically. - At storyarb, we got to $150k in monthly revenue within 12 months & launched a 1,600-person virtual content conference in 30 days on a shoestring budget. I'm going to give you my entire process & how I'm applying it to storyarb (in the full article below). Fair warning: this post will be lengthy. THE PROCESS: 7 STEP MARKETING MACHINE To develop a thoughtful marketing plan, you need to be clear on a few things: your customer, your channels, your goals, and your metrics. Step 1: Who is our ideal customer (and what proof is there of that)? Create your Market of 1. Get as specific as humanly possible. Write a one-pager describing your avatar. What do they do. What do they need. What are their behaviors. Have a real person? Even better. Pull their Linkedin URL. Write down everything you know about them. Step 2: List out all of the hubs (marketing channels) that give us access to lots of spokes (our ideal customer)? Examples: newsletter, digital conference, ambassador program, SEO, in-person event, channel partnerships, subreddits, producthunt, IRL activation, etc. Step 3: Calculate your marketing math. - What are your 1, 3, and 6 month revenue goals? - What is the average value of your ideal customer? - How many more customers are needed in 1, 3, and 6 months to hit revenue goals? - How do you define a qualified lead? - What is the conversion rate of a qualified lead to a closed won customer? - How many qualified leads are needed in 1, 3, and 6 months to hit your closed won customer number needed to hit revenue goals? Step 4: What are the marketing channels you are going to prioritize & what is your prediction of how many qualified leads they will drive? Prioritizing channels isn’t easy, especially when you have no historical data & resources (time/money) are limited. A helpful way to compare & prioritize channels is by creating a simple matrix that allows you to compare channels across a number of categories: - Cost - Effort - Predicted Effectiveness Step 5: Who will own each channel? A channel owner is responsible for: - Setting the specific channel’s strategy - Tracking performance - Reporting performance to marketing owner - Recommending changes based on performance Step 6: How long will you be testing the channels before looking at performance and making adjustments/prioritizing top performers? Early on, I suggest quarterly. As your business matures, monthly. [X TIME LATER] Step 7: What were the results from the marketing strategy? - Are we on/off track to hit our goals? - What were the highest performing/lowest performing channels? Step 8: Based on results what does the go-forward marketing plan look like? Return to Step 4.. Read on for storyarb marketing machine case study...

If I had to scale a B2B startup from $0-$1,000,000 ARR - here's what I'd do 👇 Phase 1: $0 → $100K ARR Go all-in on LinkedIn: Post five times a week. Use short, insight-packed videos to establish authority. Repurpose on YouTube: Don’t reinvent the wheel—convert your LinkedIn videos into YouTube content. Monthly Newsletter: Start small. Compile your best posts and share them with your audience. Big Focus: Identify your niche and create a simple content framework that highlights your expertise. Consistency wins here. Phase 2: $100K → $250K ARR Leverage Listing Sites: For service-based businesses, think Clutch. For SaaS, G2. It’s like paid search—but with built-in trust. Light Retargeting: Use LinkedIn and Facebook ads to capture warm prospects who’ve already seen your content. Double Down on Winners: If one organic channel is skyrocketing, invest more there. Scale back on what’s not converting. Big Focus: Narrow your offerings to what you do best and keep refining your core message. Phase 3: $250K → $500K ARR Scale the Fundamentals: Increase your Google Ads budget, optimize those listing sites, and invest heavily in SEO. Cold Outreach & Retargeting: Try LinkedIn cold ads and programmatic retargeting to stay in front of your ideal clients. Know Your Audience: By now, you should clearly understand who your best-fit customers are and what they value. Big Focus: Perfect your offers and calibrate your marketing channels to magnetically attract high-value clients. Phase 4: $500K → $1M ARR Polish & Expand: Upgrade your visuals, video quality, and website. Keep refining your messaging. Niche Down: Build specialized campaigns and offers that speak directly to your highest-value segment. Big Focus: Multiply what’s working. Elevate your brand look and feel—people notice. Phase 5: $1M → $10M ARR Explore New Frontiers: Referral Partnerships: Partner with complementary businesses that share your audience. Strategic Collaborations & Events: Show up where your ideal customers gather. Niche Segmentation: Dig deeper into micro-niches to create hyper-targeted offers. Experimental Platforms: Quora, Reddit, Twitter, TikTok—go where others aren’t. Big Focus: Scale, test, and stay innovative. No single playbook will fit every startup—but the principle stands: go deep on the platform where your expertise shines and your audience actually hangs out. Follow this blueprint to find your own rhythm, then refine it into something uniquely yours. That’s how you go from $0 to $1M…and beyond. Ready for more practical strategies? Drop a comment or DM—I’m happy to share more insights.

Rethink your growth strategy. Growth loops are the secret sauce for sustainable SaaS success. Consider a product struggling to acquire users cost-effectively. Their funnel-based approach burns through cash with diminishing returns. Then they pivot to implementing a growth loop. By incentivizing existing users to invite others, they create a self-reinforcing cycle of organic growth. Within months, user acquisition costs plummet while signups soar. The key was aligning the referral incentive with the product's core value. Users received additional storage space for successful invites - a win-win that fueled rapid expansion. Growth loops work by turning each user interaction into an opportunity to attract new users. Unlike linear funnels, they create compound growth over time. To build an effective growth loop, start by identifying your key value proposition. Map out user actions that drive engagement and sharing. Make the referral process seamless and rewarding. With the right approach, growth loops can supercharge your SaaS growth sustainably. They reduce reliance on paid acquisition and create network effects that are hard for competitors to replicate. Linear funnels are outdated. Self-reinforcing loops are the future of scalable SaaS growth.

$7M CEO: “we’re not hitting revenue targets.” me: “are your GTM teams aligned?” $7M CEO: “i think so…everyone’s working hard.” me: “sure, but are they solving the same problem?” $7M CEO: “honestly? i’m not sure.” me: “here’s where I’d start:” 1. ask the 8 questions (as a team) not in silos. not in strategy docs, no one reads. - who is your most relevant customer right now? - what GTM motions are working and why? - where can you grow the most? - what’s the ROI in the customer’s mind? if your team answers differently, that’s your problem. 2. align your leadership before your plan misalignment at the top multiplies everywhere else. - get the CEO, CMO, CS, product in the same room - map the current GTM on one slide - highlight where you’re out of sync (messaging, metrics, motions) GTM isn’t a playbook. it’s a leadership rhythm. 3. focus on fixing the system, not the function most teams try to fix GTM by fixing people. - fire the CRO - hire a new head of marketing - shift messaging mid-quarter but the system is what breaks, not the individuals. fix the structure, the sequencing, and the clarity. 4. run GTM like a system, not a reaction once you’re aligned, build the rhythm. - weekly GTM reviews with the full exec team - scorecards tied to motions and outcomes - iterate based on what the system tells you clarity > certainty alignment > being right systems > goals start with clarity. fix the system. then scale. p.s. follow Sangram Vajre for more insights on fixing your GTM and building something that actually scales.

After working with 500+ SaaS Founders on their Go-To-Market, one mistake I see time and time again is trying to scale too early with ADs. Here's how to avoid making that mistake and actually scale... I get it. There’s this impulsive belief that if you just get your product in front of everyone, it’ll take off. So you crank up the ADs, push PR, and pay for exposure, hoping to fast track the growth. The reality is, when you’re starting to scale, you need to slow down. So, what can you do to slow down and really scale? • Focus on organic growth first.  • Have real conversations with your customers. • Spent time iterating on your Ideal Customer Profile. • Refine your Messaging. • Run controlled and consistent set of sales and marketing activities. Lay the groundwork, and then, after three weeks of testing and refining, scale it thoughtfully. It’s in our nature as Founders to push harder and faster– that drive is what makes us build and innovate. But scaling without a strategy in place is like driving blind. It’s the thoughtful, measured approach that turns a startup into a sustainable, scalable business. If you’re a SaaS Founder and you’d like to build out your scalable GTM to drive growth, grab a complimentary copy of my 5-Point SaaS Growth Strategy Guide. Just follow the link in the comments below. 👇

Reaching $10M ARR demands a GTM machine that converts $ input into predictable $ output. Here's how to build it: 1️⃣ Fuel your demand generation engine → Deeply understand your ICP's pain points and priorities → Foster a culture of continuous experimentation in marketing → Track metrics like lead volume, conversion rates, and CAC → Double down on what works, pivot quickly from what doesn't 2️⃣ Turn sales into a science → Break down your sales funnel into measurable, repeatable steps → Invest in tools to track each stage of the buyer's journey → Build a data-driven sales playbook that's constantly refined → Transform sales into a scientific process with measurable inputs and outputs 3️⃣ Graduate from MSP to "whole product" MSP (Minimum Sellable Product) is your initial, focused offering. But it's just the start. → Invest in security, compliance, integrations, and customer support → Understand your customer's entire journey, not just your core tech → Design every aspect of your offering for a seamless path to value 4️⃣ Obsess over customer outcomes → Embed your product into customers' day-to-day workflows → Capture granular data on how users engage with your offering → Use this data to paint a vivid picture of the value you're creating → Set concrete success metrics with prospects before they sign Building this GTM machine is how you evolve from founder-led sales to scalable growth. It's not easy, but it's essential. Want to dive deeper? My 'Graduating from Series A' article of the B2BaCEO newsletter unpacks every step to reach $10M ARR. You can find it at the link on my profile.

How I Align Strategy with Vision to Achieve Exponential Growth In a world where disruption is the norm, vision without strategy is wishful thinking—and strategy without vision is just busywork. Over the years, I’ve helped financial services, FinTech, and mid-sized companies unlock exponential growth by tightly aligning long-term vision with executional strategy. Here's how I consistently turn bold ideas into measurable business impact: 1.) Craft a Vision That Inspires Action A vision isn’t a corporate tagline—it’s a vivid, motivating picture of the future. It must resonate with internal teams and customers alike. I always ask: Does this vision excite, focus, and direct decisions? If not, we refine it until it does. 2.) Build a Strategy That Bridges the Gap Turning vision into reality requires a strategic roadmap: --Clear objectives tied to business outcomes --Prioritized initiatives that drive momentum --KPIs that align cross-functional teams Results follow when every team knows how their work ladders up to the big picture. 3.) Operationalize for Scale Sustainable growth comes from systems, not scattered wins. I design growth engines using: --Omni-channel demand gen --Smart segmentation & personalization --AI-driven marketing automation These systems allow companies to scale efficiently, without sacrificing agility. 4.) Inspire Teams with Purpose People perform better when they believe in the “why.” I connect the vision to each role, creating a culture of ownership and high performance. Purpose drives performance, and performance drives results. 5.) Iterate Relentlessly Markets shift. Customers evolve. That’s why I build feedback loops and foster a test-and-learn culture. Strategy isn’t static—it’s living, breathing, and always improving. Bottom line: When strategy and vision are aligned, marketing stops being a cost center and starts driving exponential, repeatable growth. If your business is at a critical inflection point or seeking scalable momentum, I’d love to connect. Let’s talk growth, strategy, and what’s possible when vision leads the way. #GrowthStrategy #VisionToExecution #FinTechMarketing #StrategicLeadership #CMOInsights #ExponentialGrowth

❌ Funnels are outdated. Growth happens in messy, powerful loops. The “marketing funnel” has been the go-to model for years, but let’s be honest: it doesn’t reflect how people actually buy. Think about it: no one moves through a perfectly linear journey. In B2B especially, the process is messy, full of back-and-forth, detours, and unexpected decisions. So, why are we still clinging to funnels? Instead, it’s time to think in loops. Growth loops better represent how people buy and how businesses grow. They capture the reality of messy, non-linear customer interactions and focus on systems that improve over time. Here’s why growth loops make more sense: → They reflect the real, unpredictable nature of buying behavior. → They focus on building systems, not static stages. → They promote continuous improvement rather than one-and-done tactics. →  They align with human behavior and how decisions are actually made. Most companies aren’t ready for this shift. But real growth is about impacting meaningful metrics with repeatable, scalable systems. To get started with growth loops: → Design specific, measurable loops that create value and feed into themselves. → Build experiments based on thoughtful hypotheses and observations. → Score ideas objectively to focus on what truly drives impact. → Define clear experiment timelines with set start and end points. → Look for statistical significance to ensure data-driven decisions. The key is to bring every experiment full circle. Start with a hypothesis, deliver on it, and analyze what you’ve learned. Even if the results aren’t what you hoped, the insights will help refine your loop. Funnels may look great on a slide deck, but growth happens in loops. It’s time to stop thinking in stages and start thinking in systems. --- Follow Jeff Gapinski for more content like this. ♻️ Share this to help someone else out with growth loops today #marketing #strategy #sales

Most founders never break $10m. Not because they aren’t smart or hardworking. They just don’t know how to scale. I took AppSumo from $3m to $84m in six years. Bootstrapped. Here’s the exact framework I used to do it: ~~ Before we dive in—this post is just a preview. I broke down these frameworks in depth with Greg Isenberg on his podcast. I'll share the link to watch in the comments. == 1. The "9 Steps to 9 Figures" Framework Scaling happens in three phases: • Startup ($0-$1M): Find product-market fit. • Scale-up ($1M-$100M): Build a machine. • Grow-up ($100M+): Protect the legacy. Each phase requires a different skillset, mindset, and strategy. == 2. The Triple, Triple, Double, Double Formula Triple your business three years in a row. Double your business twice in a row. Here’s is the roadmap: Year 1: $1M → $3M Year 2: $3M → $9M Year 3: $9M → $27M Year 4: $27M → $54M Year 5: $54M → $108M == 3. Find Product-Market Fit first You don’t have product-market fit until it feels like you're wearing a meat suit in a dog park. If you’re still convincing customers to buy, you aren’t there yet. When you can’t keep up with demand, now you’re scaling. == 4. Retention before growth Building a business without fixing churn is like building a skyscraper on sand. Every 3% increase in net revenue retention DOUBLES your company’s valuation. Before you scale, fix retention. Otherwise, you’re filling a leaky bucket. == 5. The 80/20 Growth Rule • 80% of your resources on what’s already working. • 20% on new experiments. At AppSumo, one small test—switching from credits to cash payments for referrals—became an 8-figure revenue channel. Test small. Scale what works. == 6. You only have two bottlenecks If you're stuck, your problem is either: • Sales – Not enough leads? You don’t have a marketing problem. You have a product problem. • Delivery – Selling more than you can fulfill? You’re scaling chaos, not a business. Fix these first. == 7. Hire to scale revenue, not to discover it. Most founders hire too soon. Your job is to find the gold vein. Your team’s job is to mine it. Hiring too early = You burn cash. Hiring too late = You burn out. Hire only when scaling becomes the bottleneck. == 8. The Shield vs. Sword Framework for decision-making Rate every decision 1-5 on: • Impact (Sword) – How big is the upside? • Effort (Shield) – How much work is it? Only pursue 8+/10 ideas. If it’s not a clear win, it’s a distraction. == 9. Build an executive team that replaces you Your business only has two core functions: • Sales (CRO) – Gets Customers • Delivery (COO) – Keeps Customers Pro tip: Hire first in your zone of genius. Why? Because you’ll know what excellence looks like. == 10. The founder is the hardest worker. The CEO is the laziest. If your calendar is full, you're still a founder. A CEO’s job is to think 3-5 quarters ahead while the team executes. If you’re in meetings all day, you aren’t running the company.