Josh Elman, Partner, Greylock Partners

1. Launching a Rocket off Someone Else’s Back:
How to build on other platforms
Josh Elman @joshelman
May 1, 2015

2. Just Yesterday…

3. This has gone on for a while

4. Should you even touch a platform?

5. YES
Short answer:

6. Longer answer:
1) Companies start with zero users.
They need to get in front of users to grow.
2) Big platforms have a lot of users.
There are lots ways to get in front of those users.

7. Everybody starts at zero

8. With a goal of becoming huge

9. It always starts with hustle

10. But hustle isn’t always enough…
Go where the users are

11. We live in an age of HUGE platforms
Description
signed up yesterday
active users used the service in last month
inactive users last used service 1 month ago
resurrected users first use in over 1 month

12. Partnerships are always nice…

13. But partnerships are really really hard

14. Should you even touch a platform?

15. Ok, but how can I tell?
1) Usage: Do they use your product how you expect?
Track: #users taking core actions each day
2) Cycle: Do they use it at the frequency you expect?
Track: #users who visit at least N days in a week or month
3) Retention: Are they sticky? Will come back to this…

16. LinkedIn Circa 2005
Usage:
Find and be found
Cycle:
Find: 2-3x/week
Track: #users who log
in and search per day
Be found: 1-2x/year(?)
Track: response rate to
InMail

17. Yelp
Usage:
Find local businesses/
services. And review
them.
Cycle:
Searchers: 2-3x/week
Track: #users who
search per day
Reviewers: 1x/week(?)
Track: #reviews / day

18. Facebook
Usage:
Stay connected with
friends
Cycle:
2-3x/day
Track: #users who log
in and view News
Feed

19. Expedia
Usage:
Plan a great trip
Cycle:
3-5x/year
Track: #users who
search per day

20. ARE PEOPLE REALLY REALLY
USING YOUR PRODUCT?
So they may be using it once, but…

21. Really really using? (aka “Core Users”)
1) Top of Mind: Do they come directly to your product vs
referred by a link or special offer
Track: % users with direct traffic / engagement
2) Recurring: Do they come back again and again
Track: % users who return weekly/monthly
3) Referring: Do they share it with others?
Track: k-factor, and % users who are referrers

22. Launching a Rocket off Someone Else’s Back:
How to build on other platforms
Josh Elman @joshelman
May 1, 2015