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howtheygrow.coOct 30, 2024

How June Grows: Winning By Doing The Opposite

by Jaryd Hermann

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analyticscase-studydifferentiationfounder-marketinggrowthproduct-strategysaas

TL;DR: June's insight: less than 10% of employees use analytics because tools are built for specialists. Founder Enzo Avigo asked what if we build for the other 90%? The strategy stacks three 'opposites': (1) Simplicity vs complexity - 30 minute setup, automatic dashboards, (2) Company-level vs individual analytics - B2B SaaS needs account understanding, not just user metrics, (3) Generalists vs specialists - wider TAM by serving people with soft data skills. This combination creates defensibility - competitors can't easily replicate without adding complexity. June rejects MVP in favor of MRP (Minimum Remarkable Product) - quality is non-negotiable when your alternative is modern software. Customer care goes beyond metrics: founders share WhatsApp with customers and build 'customer maps' of goals and fears. Founder-led marketing (Enzo = June) generates millions of LinkedIn impressions monthly.

Key Insights

  • Build for the underserved - less than 10% of employees use analytics, so build for the other 90%
  • Strategy of Opposites: do the opposite of what incumbents do (simplicity vs complexity)
  • Stack micro strategies together for compounding defensibility
  • Three opposites: Simplicity vs Complexity, Company vs Individual analytics, Generalists vs Specialists
  • Simple brands outperformed market by 686% since 2009 - simplicity sells
  • MVP advice is dated - today you need Minimum Remarkable Product (MRP)
  • Quality is non-negotiable when your alternative is modern software
  • When data and anecdotes disagree, anecdotes are usually right
  • Startups can always: move faster, take bigger risks, care more
  • Founder-led marketing: personal brands beat corporate logos
  • Ship it, then post it - shows execution ability and builds momentum

Actionable Takeaways

  • Hunt for contradictions: what does everyone believe that might be wrong?
  • Look at who ISN'T being served by incumbents - build for them
  • Stack multiple micro strategies together for compounding differentiation
  • Replace MVP with MRP - polish selectively but make it remarkable
  • Build customer maps with goals, fears, and context - not just usage data
  • Share personal contact with customers (WhatsApp, email) to build deep relationships
  • Use founder-led content marketing - personal brands beat corporate logos
  • Ship products then post about them - execution builds credibility

Principles Validated (2)