DTC POD - #232 - Ben Grynol, Levels: Using Experiments to Unlock Growth

1️⃣ One Sentence Summary

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

"Unlocking growth with experiential strategies: Insight from Levels' Ben Grynol"

🎞️ Clipfinder: Quotes, Hooks, & Timestamps

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 3

Ben Grynol 00:02:14 00:02:17

"Insight from a Start-up Veteran: You just always test, you test, you test and you see what you can get traction with."

Ben Grynol 00:03:25 00:03:34

"Building a Global Startup: And the heuristic was it had to be something that was a global place so it would apply to anyone in the world."

Ben Grynol 00:08:01 00:08:10

"Health Agency and Tribalism: Someone sees the patch on someone else, you give the head nod, you're like, hey, you're one of us, right? Because you feel like you're part of this club, and it still happens to this day."

Ben Grynol 00:11:47 00:12:06

"Growth Strategizing: So Tom was really like the first resource that not only was like conduit for growth to happen, but was also a lever. Like he was an IC individual contributor, just hammering work day in, day out. And this podcast tour that he ran is like a full playbook and that's why there's a first round piece about it."

Ben Grynol 00:13:17 00:13:44

"Understanding Early Stage Growth: So there was a KPI, let's use a podcast tour. There was a KPI to get on n number of podcasts. That's the KPI, right? We know that by doing that, that's going to generate a ton of top of funnel awareness. And if we provide some type of link right, then that provides us more with bottom of funnel or at least lead capture. So always flexing, like not having such macro KPIs that we lose sight of what we're trying to do."

Ben Grynol 00:20:29 00:20:40

"Effective Product Management: And so never setting such a long term goal that it feels like, oh, we'll reassess whether or not this content is working in a year because it's just too long a horizon."

Ben Grynol 00:22:09 00:22:32

"Importance of Social Proof in Thought Leadership: It's like, who else is showing up to the party? No one wants to be the first to the party, but if they know that, what's the probability that somebody that would be at Tim Ferriss's level is also interested? If Tim is interested and their friends? Well, a lot higher than if Tim feels like he's on an island by himself and he's like, none of my friends are at this party."

Ben Grynol 00:32:34 00:32:48

"Understanding Business Strategy: 'If you had a million bucks to deploy, what would you do?'... 'If somebody said, Well, I'd probably spend a good portion of it on content, I'd start to double down on some growth engineering stuff, and you start to tell me about that. What experiments have you done in the past that are growth engineering related?'"

Ben Grynol 00:33:10 00:33:31

"Growth Mindset in Business: It's more a matter of, like, are they open minded enough to be curious to figure this thing out together and go, they're pretty curious person and they've done enough unrelated things. Having a lot of unrelated work experience, not like a linear trajectory too is interesting because they will think more open mindedly about this stuff."

Ben Grynol 00:56:32 00:56:53

"Choosing the Right Social Media Platform: It is still around exploration, but it's about doubling down until we feel that we're at a point of diminishing returns on certain platforms so that you operationalize it. It works. It doesn't mean you stop experimenting. It means that you say, I'm consciously investing less time in that thing so I can open up more time to explore this other thing."

🔑 7 Key Themes

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

1. Levels' growth strategy and achievements 2. Importance of diverse marketing channels 3. Hiring practices for marketing teams 4. Role of data in decision-making 5. Experimentation in growth initiatives 6. Leveraging partnerships for growth 7. Delegating tasks for efficiency and scalability

💬 Keywords

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Ben Grynol, Levels, growth strategy, startups, three-sided marketplace, lead capture, email sign-ups, private waitlist, partnerships, influencers, word-of-mouth, visual cue, tribalism, compounding growth, month-over-month growth rate, members, content, community, Tom Griffin, podcast tour, KPIs, authenticity, trust, short-term goals, long-term goals, data decision-making, media buys, influencer marketing, hiring marketers, metabolic health.

Interview Breakdown

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

In today's episode, we feature growth mastermind, Ben Grynol from Levels, probing into his unique strategies in building a successful startup and unlocking exponential growth. Listen up as he demystifies his methods and breaks down some invaluable lessons from his journey. In today's chat, we dive into: - How Levels harnessed a three-pronged strategy involving members, content, community, and partnerships to accelerate its growth. - Steps taken in driving growth from a 30,000-person waitlist to launching with a highly engaged waitlist of 265,000 potential customers. - The importance of trust building, data usage, and strategic media buys in startup growth. - Key takeaways in hiring for marketing and growth positions, and the red flags to be watchful of. - The power of delegation and outsourcing, and how the DRI model and use of EAs can scale businesses efficiently. Get ready for a wealth of knowledge and practical insights in this growth-focused episode.

📚 Timestamped overview

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 2

01:49 Startup veteran with experience in growth experimentation.

07:37 New product creates sense of belonging.

10:48 He's a catalyst for company's growth, kudos to Tom for podcast tour and partnerships.

13:10 Flexing KPIs for podcast growth, engagement, awareness.

16:54 Scrapping KPIs, balancing short and long-term goals.

19:35 Price point, volume, data, reassessment, target date, funnel

22:00 Thought leaders use social proof for credibility.

25:40 Brands thrive on emerging marketing channels.

29:49 Inadequate marketing hires can hurt your business.

31:54 Hedging risk, questioning approaches, testing problem-solving.

36:12 Impressive growth: August to December 2021 - 20K impressions, 2K views, 100 subscribers. January 2022 onwards - 34M impressions, 2M views, 700 videos.

41:33 Content drives conversions, but must adapt.

45:05 Bandwidth constraints prompt Project Debt implementation, delegation.

48:40 Constantly reinforce asynchronous updates for team accountability.

50:39 "Importance of throwing spaghetti at the wall."

52:52 Community tested various initiatives: mission patches, Coke challenge. Assessing engagement and interest in hiring a community leader.

55:57 Testing multiple platforms, then doubling down. Keep experimenting but prioritize what works.

59:41 Link in podcast notes. Thanks for coming. Enjoyed the episode.

❇️ Key topics and bullets

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

1. Introduction - Ben Grynol’s role at Levels - Levels at the seed stage and its growth - Launch of Levels 2. Growth Strategy - Focus on members, content, community, and partnerships - Role of Tom Griffin in growth through partnerships and podcast tour - Success of podcast tour - Importance of KPIs and separation of short-term and long-term goals 3. Importance of Data and Intuition - The role of data in decision-making - Balancing qualitative indicators, intuition and quantitative data 4. Working with Partners and Influencers - Building trust and social proof - Challenges related to media buys 5. Importance of Marketing Diversification - Avoiding over-reliance on a single marketing channel 6. Hiring a Marketer - Avoiding over-specialization - Looking for curiosity and an open-minded approach 7. Exploring Growth Channels - Discussion on investing in content, community, and partnerships - Success of Instagram and YouTube channels 8. Metabolic Health - Importance of metabolic health - Impact of lifestyle choices on metabolic health - Sharing resources on metabolic health 9. Hiring Practices - Red flags in hiring - Importance of candidates familiarizing themselves with the product 10. Coordinating Initiatives and Experiments - Discussion on working in different companies - Use of window stickers for brand awareness in a previous business - Importance of experimenting and testing different strategies 11. Delegation and Outsourcing - Handing off successful initiatives - Use of EAs to scale time and take on additional tasks - Culture of scalability and efficiency

🎬 Reel script

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

In episode 232 of the DTC Pod, we had an enlightening conversation with Ben Grynol, head of growth at Levels. We delved into strategies that catalyzed growth for the company: from nurturing a waitlist of 30,000 eager prospects to a successful launch with 265,000 engaged individuals. Ben talked us through their multi-dimensional approach with a focus on members, content, community, and partnerships, and the power of leveraging authenticity and building trust. Plus, a peek into their foray into uncharted territories, testing and leveraging new media channels. Stay tuned for impactful entrepreneurial insights from someone who's been in the trenches, scaling start-ups.

✏️ Custom Newsletter

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Subject Line: Unlock Growth for Your Startup with Ben Grynol on DTC PODcast | Episode #232 Let's Experiment! Hey There! Ready for another dose of insight and inspiration? You’re in for a treat today! We've just dropped episode #232 of our DTC POD. And we are super excited to share it with you! In this episode, our hosts, Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios, sit down with Ben Grynol, head of growth at Levels. With his rich experience in startups, Ben brings his unique perspective to the table about navigating the growth journey of a tech startup. Here are the 5 key things you'll learn in this episode: 1. **Harnessing the Power of Experiments** - Discover the art of leveraging tests to unlock growth potential and explore new avenues. 2. **Mark of a True Marketer** - Learn the tell-tale signs of a potential marketing hire and red flags to avoid when building your marketing dream team. 3. **The Art of Delegation** - Ben shares key insights about document processes, delegating tasks, and fostering a culture of scalability and efficiency. 4. **Data vs Intuition in Decision-making** - Balance quantitative data and your gut feeling for effective decisions (Spoiler Alert: Both have their places!). 5. **The Power of Content** - Tune in to learn about the importance of investing in quality content and community engagement strategies. Fun Fact from This Episode: Did you know that in a previous venture, Ben used window stickers for brand visibility? He shares this and many more innovative strategies that you might consider trying out! Outtro: It's a wrap for episode #232, folks! We can't wait for you to listen and share your takeaways. It was an absolute blast having Ben on our show and we're sure you'll gain some gems from his wisdom and experiences. Call to action: Ready to listen to Ben's wisdom? Click the link to listen to the episode: [Insert link here]. After you've listened, we'd love for you to leave a review and share the podcast on your social media. Be sure to tag DTC POD so we can share your thoughts! Let’s continue learning... together. Until next time, The DTC POD Team

🐦 Business Lesson Tweet Thread

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

1/ Imagine Launching a company with a waitlist of 265k engaged fans. That’s the magic @Levels achieved with good ol' fashion elbow grease and a strategic approach. Here’s how they charted their course. 2/ Growth wasn't accidental but a product of clever strategies. They divided goals into short-term and the long-term. It helped balance immediate returns and sustained impact. 3/ Media space is fast-evolving. Those who leveraged Facebook and TikTok early benefited most. Same with podcasting. Don't let new channels slip through your fingers. 4/ Data-driven decisions matter, but intuition still plays a large role. Especially during initial media buys when stakes are high and the landscape is unknown. 5/ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help track growth but focusing too much on them can limit authenticity. @Levels allowed for ignoring KPIs sometimes. The result? More trust built. 6/ Influencer marketing is a game of quality, not quantity. A real fan base and solid content matter more than mere data. 7/ Diversification of channels is crucial. Avoid over-reliance on one platform. Remember, the internet changes, often and unpredictably. 8/ Today, metabolic health impacts everyone worldwide. @Levels encourages us to read more on this topic. Education and awareness here are critical. 9/ People are the engine. Choose your first marketer wisely. Over-specialization can push your business in a direction it might not need to go. 10/ Delegate when you can. A culture of scalability is a company's best friend. Train your team to take over tasks, increasing efficiency overall. This is only a glimpse into @Levels playbook. Remember, the route to growth can be winding and complex, but rewarding when navigated right.

🎓 Lessons Learned

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

1. "Harnessing Growth Exponentially" Creating a sense of community and visual cues can result in compounding growth, especially during the pre-launch phase. 2. "Building through Partnerships" Collaborations with partners, influencers, and the media can significantly enhance top-of-funnel awareness and lead generation. 3. "Power of Authenticity" Ignoring traditional KPIs for initiatives like podcasting focuses more on authenticity, building trust, and providing value. 4. "Distinction in Goals" Differentiating short-term and long-term goals helps balance immediate results and sustainable impact. 5. "Influencer Marketing Insights" Quality of content and genuine fans can be more beneficial and indicative than raw data in influencer marketing. 6. "Incorporate Diverse Channels" Diversifying channels avoids over-dependency on a single platform, reducing potential disruption risks. 7. "Critical Hiring Factors" Be wary of candidates overemphasizing a single tool or vertical, instead look for curiosity and open-mindedness. 8. "Optimal Platform Engagement" Focus on deepening engagement on fruitful platforms rather than spreading efforts too thinly across all. 9. "Metabolic Health Awareness" Highlighting the importance of understanding metabolic health in tackling major diseases and reducing healthcare costs. 10. "Effective Delegation Practices" Documenting processes and encouraging task delegation fosters a culture of scalability, efficiency, and time maximization.

💎 Maxims

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

1. "Growth comes from continuous experimentation and reassessment." 2. "Balance short-term goals with long-term impact." 3. "Trust your intuition and the qualitative indicators as much as data for decision-making." 4. "Build trust with your thought leaders and partners - it pays off." 5. "Diversify your channels to avoid over-reliance on a single platform." 6. "When hiring, open-mindedness and curiosity are more important than specialization in a single tool or vertical." 7. "Quality content and real fans are better indicators of product-market reach than just data." 8. "Keep exploring new opportunities but double down on what's showing potential." 9. "Educate yourself and others on the topics that are important to your company or product." 10. "Genuine curiosity about your product from a potential hire is a green flag." 11. "Coordinating initiatives demands asynchronous communication and deep work." 12. "Adapt strategies based on the specific company and audience." 13. "Don't underestimate the power of simple strategies for brand awareness and growth." 14. "Empower your team through delegation and documentation." 15. "Foster a culture of scalability and efficiency through strategic utilization of resources like Executive Assistants." 16. "Don't be afraid to hand over initiatives to others if they are better suited or you are constrained by time." 17. "What worked for one company may not work for another. Always customize your growth playbook." 18. "Nurture your community with engaging content and initiatives." 19. "Remember, growth is a journey that involves continuous learning and adaptation."

🌟 3 Fun Facts

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

1. Ben Grynol, prior to joining Levels, had successfully utilized window stickers for brand awareness in a past business venture, contemplating if similar unconventional strategies could be adapted to other businesses. 2. Levels does not solely rely on typical administrative tasks for their team of Executive Assistants (EAs), but they have trained their EAs to perform more complex work such as editing videos and podcasts. 3. Ben and the team at Levels encouraged a culture of delegation and outsourcing, even holding weekly updates on this, giving members the liberty to start from delegating personal tasks and gradually scaling to work-related.

📓 Blog Post

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Title: DTC POD Episode #232: Unleashing Growth through Innovation, The Levels Story with Ben Grynol Introduction: In this episode of DTC POD (#232), hosted by Blaine Bolus and Ramon Berrios, we have an insightful discussion with Ben Grynol from Levels about the power of innovation and creative experimentation in unlocking business growth. Subheader: Building Up The Waitlist: Ben Grynol joined Levels, a company initially in its seed stage, in January 2021. With a strategic focus on lead capture and email sign-ups under his guidance, the company saw the waitlist grow to a staggering 30,000 persons. Influencers and strategic partnerships played a crucial role in creating awareness about the brand, leading to a successful launch in July 2022 after two years of continuous growth. With an impressive MoM rate of 7%, Levels managed to have a massive waitlist of 265,000 engaged potential consumers at launch. Subheader: Growth Strategy: The growth strategy employed by Levels focused heavily on four main pillars: engaging members, quality content, building a community, and establishing key partnerships. Ignoring traditional KPIs for certain initiatives such as the podcast was intentional to ensure authenticity and build trust with the community. This also allowed the team to distinguish short-term and long-term goals effectively for superior resource allocation. Subheader: The Power of Data: A data-driven approach was fundamental in the decision-making process at Levels. Yet, the company also knew that data could cause trouble if over-relied upon. A balanced approach of qualitative indicators, intuition, and quantitative data was strategic in achieving goals, especially for initiatives that were difficult to quantify. Subheader: Experimentation and Diversification: One of the key factors in Levels' growth was its willingness to try multiple platforms and strategies. Through trial and error, Levels found success in channels such as Instagram and YouTube. The company understood that diversification of channels is essential to navigate potential disruptions and avoid over-reliance on a single platform. Subheader: Metabolic Health: The focus on metabolic health, a crisis impacting everyone and leading to major diseases, was fundamental in Levels' mission. Encouraging awareness and education, Levels offered blog content on metabolic health and urged individuals to educate themselves and spread the word. Subheader: Wrapping Up: Lastly, they touched on the importance of proper hiring practices to identify suitable candidates, and the innovative practice of utilizing Executive Assistants to take on additional tasks and responsibilities for scalability and efficiency. Subheader: Conclusion: In conclusion, Ben Grynol's journey at Levels illuminates the power of innovation, experimentation, and customer engagement in unlocking business growth. With its diversification, data-led decision making, and a strong focus on building a community, Levels is a prime example of how all these eclectic strategies can lead to substantial growth and success. Stay tuned for more episodes of DTC POD for in-depth discussions on growth strategies and entrepreneurial insights! End note: Catch the DTC POD episode #232 with Ben Grynol on [insert podcast link here] and remember to subscribe for more eye-opening conversations from industry leaders. If you found this post useful, remember to leave a comment or share with others who might benefit too!

🎤 Voiceover Script

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

In this episode with Ben Grynol of Levels, we've learned the importance of strategic growth initiatives through members, content, community, and partnerships. Experimentation, agility, and a focus on both short and long-term goals play a pivotal role in success. Data is crucial, but so are intuition and qualitative indicators. Diversity in marketing channels, quality content, and building trust can be essential for long-term success. Stay curious and open-minded, it's all about leveraging what works best for your brand.

🔘 Best Practices Guide

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Achieve business growth by reassessing strategies, building trust with thought leaders, testing new channels, and capitalizing shifts in the marketing landscape. Use data wisely for decision-making and combine it with intuition for initiatives harder to measure. Strive for diversification to avoid dependence on a single source. Prioritize hiring marketers who balance specialization with openness and innovative problem-solving. Emphasize curiosity and knowledge about the product, as well as adaptability in strategy. Use successful channels to deepen engagement, while continually exploring new opportunities. Coordinate initiatives through DRI models, train and delegate tasks to EAs to foster scalability. Remember that process documentation, support, and encouragement boost a culture of delegation. Lastly, always be open to adapting strategies to reflect the unique needs of your company and audience.

🎆 Social Carousel: Do's/Don'ts

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Slide 1: Title: "10 Insightful Tips from Ben Grynol on Unlocking Growth" No further text required. Slide 2: Title: "Ignore KPIs" Explain: Instead, focus on authenticity, trust-building, and long-term impact, especially with community-centered initiatives. Slide 3: Title: "Rely Solely on Data" Explain: Complement data with qualitative input, intuition, and trustworthy partnerships to make well-informed decisions. Slide 4: Title: "Neglect Diversification" Explain: Diversify marketing channels to avoid over-reliance and to mitigate potential disruptions. Slide 5: Title: "Hire Specialists" Explain: Consider generalists who can think beyond their specialization and bring diverse viewpoints to problem-solving. Slide 6: Title: "Overlook Unrelated Experience" Explain: An unrelated work experience or open-minded approach may indicate a potential high-value marketing hire. Slide 7: Title: "Thin Spread" Explain: Focus your efforts on specific platforms for deep engagement instead of broad but shallow coverage. Slide 8: Title: "Neglect Learning" Explain: Constantly reassess strategies, explore new opportunities, and double down on what works. Slide 9: Title: "Rest on Laurels" Explain: Stay proactive in experimenting with different growth strategies, even when current methods are successful. Slide 10: Title: "Hoarding Tasks" Explain: Document processes, delegate, and encourage a culture of scalability and efficiency within the team.

🎠 Social Carousel

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Slide 1 (Cover Slide): "10 Growth Secrets Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know" Slide 2 (Title): "1. Experiment" Explanation: "Test different strategies to unlock growth and product-market fit." Slide 3 (Title): "2. Partnerships" Explanation: "Forge strategic partnerships for awareness and lead generation." Slide 4 (Title): "3. Focus" Explanation: "Prioritize specific platforms and deepen engagement over spreading thin." Slide 5 (Title): "4. Feedback" Explanation: "Value and encourage granular product feedback for improvements." Slide 6 (Title): "5. Trust" Explanation: "Build trust and social proof with thought leaders and partners." Slide 7 (Title): "6. Intuition" Explanation: "Utilize qualitative indicators and intuition alongside data." Slide 8 (Title): "7. Diversify" Explanation: "Diversify channels to avoid over-reliance and potential disruptions." Slide 9 (Title): "8. Adapt" Explanation: "Adapt strategies based on specific company and audience dynamics." Slide 10 (Title): "9. Delegate" Explanation: "Encourage outsourcing and delegation to foster scalability and efficiency." Slide 11 (CTA Slide): "For more growth insights, watch Episode #232 of the DTC POD with Ben Grynol now!"

One Off Tweets

✨ Preset prompt

1 / 1

Tweet 1 Free your mind from rigid KPIs. Sometimes, the best way to build trust and authenticity is to discard the numbers and just be real. 💡 Tweet 2 In a world where data rules, never underestimate the power of intuition and qualitative analysis. 🌍 Tweet 3 Expanding your brand? Remember, diversification is key. Don't become too reliant on a single channel – disruption lurks where dependence lies. 🚀 Tweet 4 When hiring marketers, look out for curiosity and open-mindedness. Beware of those who stick too close to one tool or channel – flexibility fosters innovation! 💼 Tweet 5 Testing the waters of different platforms is a must in growth strategy. Stick to the ones showing potential while not being afraid to explore new ones. Not all eggs belong in one basket. 🥚 Tweet 6 When it comes to metabolic health, knowledge is power. Educate and spread awareness. The future of health starts with informed choices today. 💪 Tweet 7 As a growth manager, delegating tasks is key. Use efficient models to assign tasks and don't hesitate to scale your time using capable resources. 🕗 Tweet 8 Never underestimate the power of stickers for brand visibility. Eyes are always on the move, make them stop and take notice! 👀 Tweet 9 An initiative is as successful as the right person leading it. Hand-off projects when someone is better suited, even if you initiated it. 👏 Tweet 10 Documentation is the fuel of scalability. Keep track of internal processes to maintain efficiency and support growth. 📝

What is Castmagic?