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← Users acquired through referral programs, free trials, coupons, or…
17 connected korrents · 12 moments from 31 Jan 2024 to 9 Oct 2026.
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SaaS Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Read this korrent: Users acquired through referral programs, free trials, coupons, or gamification tend to be lower quality than organically acquired users. Users acquired through referral programs, free trials, coupons, or gamification tend to be lower quality than organically acquired users. Last stated 3 years ago
31 Jan 2024
AC
Andrew Chen — holds since 2024-01-31 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Reverse trials work where a product accumulates lock-in, which is why they suit B2B tools and rarely beat an ordinary free trial in consumer products. — tap to centre the map on it Reverse trials work where a product accumulates lock-in, which is why they suit B2B tools and rarely beat an ordinary free trial in consumer products. Last stated a year ago
5 Oct 2025
AC
Albert Cheng — holds since 2025-10-05 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A freemium product's free tier should sample everything the paid product can do, because a limited free experience teaches users the product is limited. — tap to centre the map on it A freemium product's free tier should sample everything the paid product can do, because a limited free experience teaches users the product is limited. Last stated a year ago
5 Oct 2025
AC
Albert Cheng — holds since 2025-10-05 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Referral growth is driven by whales — single users who invite fifty or a hundred people — not by many users each inviting a few. — tap to centre the map on it Referral growth is driven by whales — single users who invite fifty or a hundred people — not by many users each inviting a few. Last stated 2 years ago
23 Mar 2025
RV
Rahul Vohra — holds since 2025-03-23 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Rewards undermine intrinsic motivation, which is why gamification does not work; where it appears to work, the underlying experience was already designed as a game. — tap to centre the map on it Rewards undermine intrinsic motivation, which is why gamification does not work; where it appears to work, the underlying experience was already designed as a game. Last stated 2 years ago
23 Mar 2025
RV
Rahul Vohra — holds since 2025-03-23 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Lowering friction to sign up increases the number of users but decreases their average quality and intent. — tap to centre the map on it Lowering friction to sign up increases the number of users but decreases their average quality and intent. Last stated 3 years ago
5 Feb 2024
AC
Andrew Chen — holds since 2024-02-05 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Personal agents will make certain kinds of price discrimination and customer cross-subsidy work less well. — tap to centre the map on it Personal agents will make certain kinds of price discrimination and customer cross-subsidy work less well. Last stated 2 days ago
9 Oct 2026
PC
Patrick Collison — holds since 2026-10-09 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A product monetised through what users pay for their own engagement beats one monetised by advertising, because ads work by sending the user away. — tap to centre the map on it A product monetised through what users pay for their own engagement beats one monetised by advertising, because ads work by sending the user away. Last stated 4 months ago
2 Jun 2026
MP
Mark Pincus — holds since 2026-06-02 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Retention is what makes a consumer subscription business possible: without it the whole burden falls on getting a stranger to pay on day one. — tap to centre the map on it Retention is what makes a consumer subscription business possible: without it the whole burden falls on getting a stranger to pay on day one. Last stated a year ago
5 Oct 2025
AC
Albert Cheng — holds since 2025-10-05 — tap for who they are
Same subject: “Why now?” is the wrong question to make a founder answer — the honest answer can simply be that you started now. — tap to centre the map on it “Why now?” is the wrong question to make a founder answer — the honest answer can simply be that you started now. Last stated 2 months ago
28 Jul 2026
BS
Blake Scholl — holds since 2026-07-28 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A belief nobody else shares is a warning, and a belief everybody shares is also a warning; the right number of people who agree with you is small but not zero. — tap to centre the map on it A belief nobody else shares is a warning, and a belief everybody shares is also a warning; the right number of people who agree with you is small but not zero. Last stated 2 months ago
28 Jul 2026
SA
Sam Altman — holds since 2026-07-28 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A business can have market fit, real advantages, and sustained effort behind a hard product and still fail if it doesn't give customers a strong enough reason to switch from what they already use. — tap to centre the map on it A business can have market fit, real advantages, and sustained effort behind a hard product and still fail if it doesn't give customers a strong enough reason to switch from what they already use. Last stated 4 months ago
2 Jun 2026
JJ
Justin Jackson — holds since 2026-06-02 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A first-time founder has an advantage over a repeat winner, because past success makes it too easy to raise money and hire against a big vision before there is product-market fit. — tap to centre the map on it A first-time founder has an advantage over a repeat winner, because past success makes it too easy to raise money and hire against a big vision before there is product-market fit. Last stated 4 months ago
14 Jun 2026
MP
Mark Pincus — holds since 2026-06-14 — tap for who they are
Same subject: About 5% is the most common final ownership stake for the founder of a VC-funded startup that works out. — tap to centre the map on it About 5% is the most common final ownership stake for the founder of a VC-funded startup that works out. Last stated 3 months ago
18 Jul 2026
PL
Pieter Levels — holds since 2026-07-18 — tap for who they are
Same subject: An investor who passes on a pitch they find truly novel will often still refer it to another investor, to get credit for having found it. — tap to centre the map on it An investor who passes on a pitch they find truly novel will often still refer it to another investor, to get credit for having found it. Last stated 2 months ago
5 Aug 2026
ZH
Zach Holman — holds since 2026-08-05 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A large company should help its existing product managers become AI-native rather than only hiring people who already are. — tap to centre the map on it A large company should help its existing product managers become AI-native rather than only hiring people who already are. Last stated a month ago
10 Sept 2026
TY
Tamar Yehoshua — holds since 2026-09-10 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A product can be technically impressive yet fail because it launched before a real market for it existed. — tap to centre the map on it A product can be technically impressive yet fail because it launched before a real market for it existed. Last stated 4 weeks ago
11 Sept 2026
MS
M.G. Siegler — holds since 2026-09-11 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Being too ambitious and visionary at the outset is how founders miss product-market fit, because it stops them starting somewhere small and humble enough. — tap to centre the map on it Being too ambitious and visionary at the outset is how founders miss product-market fit, because it stops them starting somewhere small and humble enough. Last stated 4 months ago
14 Jun 2026
MP
Mark Pincus — holds since 2026-06-14 — tap for who they are
At the centre
Users acquired through referral programs, free trials, coupons, or gamification tend to be lower quality than organically acquired users.
Holds Read this korrent →
Reverse trials work where a product accumulates lock-in, which is why they suit B2B tools and rarely beat an ordinary free trial in consumer products.
Holds
A freemium product's free tier should sample everything the paid product can do, because a limited free experience teaches users the product is limited.
Holds
Referral growth is driven by whales — single users who invite fifty or a hundred people — not by many users each inviting a few.
Holds
Rewards undermine intrinsic motivation, which is why gamification does not work; where it appears to work, the underlying experience was already designed as a game.
Holds
Lowering friction to sign up increases the number of users but decreases their average quality and intent.
Holds
Personal agents will make certain kinds of price discrimination and customer cross-subsidy work less well.
Holds
A product monetised through what users pay for their own engagement beats one monetised by advertising, because ads work by sending the user away.
Holds
Retention is what makes a consumer subscription business possible: without it the whole burden falls on getting a stranger to pay on day one.
Holds
“Why now?” is the wrong question to make a founder answer — the honest answer can simply be that you started now.
Holds
A belief nobody else shares is a warning, and a belief everybody shares is also a warning; the right number of people who agree with you is small but not zero.
Holds
A business can have market fit, real advantages, and sustained effort behind a hard product and still fail if it doesn't give customers a strong enough reason to switch from what they already use.
Holds
A first-time founder has an advantage over a repeat winner, because past success makes it too easy to raise money and hire against a big vision before there is product-market fit.
Holds
About 5% is the most common final ownership stake for the founder of a VC-funded startup that works out.
Holds
An investor who passes on a pitch they find truly novel will often still refer it to another investor, to get credit for having found it.
Holds
A large company should help its existing product managers become AI-native rather than only hiring people who already are.
Holds
A product can be technically impressive yet fail because it launched before a real market for it existed.
Holds
Being too ambitious and visionary at the outset is how founders miss product-market fit, because it stops them starting somewhere small and humble enough.
Holds