Two different ways to think about growth

Most founders learn about growth through funnels. People become aware of the product, visit, sign up, convert, retain, refer. Each step is a stage; each stage has its own metric; the goal is to improve conversion at each level.

Funnels are useful, but they’re only half the picture. They describe how individuals move through your product. They don’t describe how the product produces more growth over time.

That second question — how the product itself produces more users — is the domain of growth loops. Once you start thinking in loops, you stop asking only “how do we improve conversion?” and start asking “what about our product produces its own growth?”

The strongest products use both. Funnels to optimise the path each user takes. Loops to make sure ...

Growth loops vs funnels (what actually works)