Growth & Marketing

What are the 'four fits' I need before growth compounds?

A starting point

Brian Balfour's model: market-product, product-channel, channel-model, and model-market fit all have to line up. Growth feels effortless when they align and impossible when they don't, no matter how hard you push tactics. Nail the fits before you optimize campaigns.

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📄 Article
Free Advanced

Four Fits for $100M+ Growth

From brianbalfour.com by Brian Balfour Multi-part essay series

Why we picked it

The most influential framework for why growth feels effortless for some companies and impossible for others; essential reading before optimizing any tactic.

  • You need market-product, product-channel, channel-model and model-market fit to align.
  • Channels won't adapt to your product; your product must fit the channel.
  • The fits form one ecosystem, so a weakness in any one caps your growth.
Open brianbalfour.com →
📄 Article
Freemium Intermediate

The Growth Engine: Kickstarting & Scaling a Consumer Business (Step 6)

From Lenny's Newsletter by Lenny Rachitsky ~20 min read

Why we picked it

Based on studying 100+ consumer companies, Lenny shows that lasting growth comes from becoming world-class at one growth engine, viral, SEO, or paid, rather than dabbling in all three.

  • Most successful startups run on a single dominant growth engine.
  • The three engines are viral/word-of-mouth, content/SEO, and paid.
  • Pick one and become world-class before layering on a second.
Open lennysnewsletter.com →

People also ask

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