Distribution and conversion models for consumer startups

Outside of the open web, email, and text, there isn’t a scaled D2C channel that is not controlled by a major platform. So the primary way that startups have to reach customers today is via paid acquisition. That’s why the question an investor asks today to a startup that is scaling is: where are you buying audience and what are your customer acqui

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The second most consistent pattern across these companies was an inseparable alignment between the product roadmap and the growth engine. Surviving in B2C is all about finding an efficient (aka cheap) growth channel.

Distribution innovation is about taking advantage of market arbitrages—places where you can profitability acquire customers—and building network effects as quickly as possible.