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Episode Overview:

In this episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr sit down with Tom Smith, CEO and Founder of GWI, a London-based consumer research software company. Tom shares the 15-year journey of GWI, from its bootstrapped beginnings to its current position as a global leader in consumer insights. The conversation explores how GWI has scaled by leveraging technology, particularly the recent integration of AI, to make consumer data more accessible and actionable for companies worldwide.

What You’ll Learn:

* From Bootstrapping to Scale: Discover how GWI transitioned from a scrappy startup to a 600-person global company by evolving its product and staying ahead of market trends.

* The Power of AI: Learn why Tom believes AI is the most exciting development in market research in the last decade and how GWI is integrating AI to democratize access to consumer insights.

* Customer Insights at Scale: How GWI helps organizations, from TikTok to Chelsea FC, make data-driven decisions using a vast dataset of over 20 million consumers across 55 countries.

* Navigating the SaaS Transition: Hear about the pivotal moment when GWI transitioned from selling research services to building a SaaS platform and the impact it had on the company's growth.

* Building for the Future: The challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into GWI's product and how it aligns with their long-term mission to make consumer insights accessible to all professionals, not just researchers.

Key Takeaways:

* "AI is the most exciting thing that's happened to market research. It’s going to transform how people access and use data." — Tom Smith

* "Our success came when we focused not just on selling data, but on making that data useful and easy to access for everyone, not just researchers." — Tom Smith

Timestamps:

* [00:00] – Introduction: Sean and Ethan kick off the conversation with Tom Smith.

* [04:00] – Tom shares GWI’s backstory and early struggles bootstrapping during the 2009 financial crisis.

* [09:00] – The turning point: GWI’s transition to a SaaS model and how it changed their business trajectory.

* [15:00] – Real-world examples: How companies like TikTok and Chelsea FC use GWI data to drive decision-making.

* [20:00] – AI integration: How GWI is using AI to simplify consumer research and enhance user experience.

* [29:00] – The challenges of scaling a 600-person company and staying agile in the face of rapid technological change.

* [40:00] – Reflections on growth: Tom discusses the power of subscription-based growth and how his understanding of growth has evolved over time.

Why Listen:

If you’re curious about how AI is reshaping industries, particularly market research, or want to hear the story of a company that bootstrapped its way to international success, this episode is for you. Tom Smith’s journey with GWI offers valuable lessons for both startup founders and established businesses looking to scale.

Links & Resources:

* GWI Website: Visit here

* Follow Tom Smith on LinkedIn: Connect here

* Subscribe to The Breakout Growth Podcast: Subscribe here

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Episode Overview:

The Breakout Growth Podcast took a break while Sean Ellis was on an epic three-month world tour, where he connected with startups and growth teams across the globe. So, to kick things back into gear, Ethan Garr takes the interviewer’s microphone in this episode to find out what Sean discovered, shared, and learned on his journey.

From the bustling streets of São Paulo to the tech hubs of Singapore, Sean shares the insights, challenges, and surprises he encountered along the way. Whether you're curious about global growth strategies, fascinated by cultural impacts on business, or just love a good travel story, this episode has something for you.

What You’ll Learn:

* The Spark Behind the Tour: Discover the unexpected catalyst that led Sean to embark on his global journey and how a surprising report from China inspired a push toward a million sales of Hacking Growth, the book Sean Ellis co-authored with Morgan Brown.

* Cultural Insights: Hear about the unique growth challenges and opportunities in markets like Brazil, Japan, and India. Sean breaks down how cultural differences shape the way companies approach growth and innovation.

* The Workshop Advantage: Sean explains why his workshops have become a pivotal tool for companies looking to align their teams and supercharge growth. Learn how this hands-on approach is making a real impact for companies worldwide.

* On-the-Road Realities: Get a candid look at the highs and lows of Sean’s journey, including near-burnout moments, unexpected successes, and a crazy story form one of his many flights.

Key Takeaways:

* "Workshops are the missing link that help companies go from knowledge to execution." — Sean Ellis

* "I’ve learned more about what makes a good partner and how to effectively run workshops in diverse markets." — Sean Ellis

Timestamps:

* [00:00] - Intro: Ethan Garr kicks off the episode, explaining the hiatus and Sean's world tour.

* [04:10] - Why the Tour? Sean discusses the unexpected book sales report from China that motivated the tour.

* [12:02] - The Power of Workshops: Sean dives into why workshops are crucial for companies looking to implement effective growth strategies.

* [19:02] - Cultural Surprises: Sean shares insights from different markets, including the impact of cultural nuances on growth.

* [31:04] - Challenges on the Road: Sean recounts the realities of managing a global tour, from exhaustion to logistical challenges.

* [39:02] - Funny Anecdote: Sean shares a humorous and crazy air travel story.

Why Listen: If you're looking to understand how growth strategies play out across different cultures, this episode offers a firsthand look from one of the industry’s top experts. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to travel the world while spreading growth hacking’s best practices, Sean’s stories are not to be missed.

Links & Resources:

* Follow Sean on LinkedIn

* Check out Sean's book, Hacking Growth, here

* Subscribe to the podcast here

Join the Conversation: If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts on social media and tag us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.

In this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast, Sean Ellis and Ethan Garr chat with positioning expert, April Dunford, author of the best-selling books, “Obviously Awesome” and “Sales Pitch.”

April had a successful career as a marketing and operations executive at companies including IBM and Nortel and it was in these roles that she developed her passion and approach to building effective positioning. Today she shares this passion and her knowledge as a consultant, speaker, and writer with companies around the world.

In “Sales Pitch”, April lays out her hypothesis that marketers have been taught storytelling that doesn’t work for sales. She says 60% of deals that are started are never finished so it’s often indecisiveness and the status quo that sales teams must work to overcome. Even if you are not focused on sales, you will find a lot of value in this discussion.

Messaging and positioning are fundamental to growth and what we get to in this conversation is a deeper look into how businesses can differentiate themselves, help their audiences discover value, and ultimately break through the noise.

What makes this especially fun and useful is that April isn’t afraid to take contrary and non-obvious positions. As an example, she doesn’t like the concept of Product/Market Fit, and since we do, it made for some good back-and-forth!

So jump into this week’s episode of The Breakout Growth Podcast as we learn more about the art of effective positioning with April Dunford.

And thanks for listening to the Breakout Growth Podcast. Don’t forget, to watch us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-K_CY4-IrZ_auEIs0j97zA/featured

We discussed:

* April's story from executive to “Positioning is my jam!”(06:46)

* The problem with most sales pitches (09:44)

* Why it matters that 60% of started deals are never finished (22:04)

* Building and validating your sales Pitch (27:02)

* Positioning isn’t static; how to keep it fresh (52:44)

And much, much, more . . .