Entrepreneurs / Investors

77 Cliff Lerner Quotes on Explosive Growth (STARTUP)

Wise Cliff Lerner Quotes About Growing a Startup Via Explosive Growth

“For us, it wasn’t a matter of if a story was going to go viral, it was a matter of when do we want the next story to go viral.”

Cliff Lerner
Opportunities were seized, regrets were had, and success was ultimately achieved.Pin
Opportunities were seized, regrets were had, and success was ultimately achieved.
Inspiration comes from strange places sometimes.Pin
Inspiration comes from strange places sometimes.
I wanted to be my own boss and God knows I wanted to travel.Pin
I wanted to be my own boss and God knows I wanted to travel.
One of the most common mistakes people make is massively underestimating the amount of money they need to start a business and get traction.Pin
One of the most common mistakes people make is massively underestimating the amount of money they need to start a business and get traction.
Once you've figured out how much start-up capital you need, double it.Pin
Once you’ve figured out how much start-up capital you need, double it.
Fear of the unknown is a destructive force. It causes people to make suboptimal choices by avoiding that fear.Pin
Fear of the unknown is a destructive force. It causes people to make suboptimal choices by avoiding that fear.
Your first few hires will set the tone for your culture. Secure elite talent ASAP and hire carefully.Pin
Your first few hires will set the tone for your culture. Secure elite talent ASAP and hire carefully.
Learn how to validate an idea with as little time and financial investment as possible.Pin
Learn how to validate an idea with as little time and financial investment as possible.
A marginally better product is worthless. It needs to be ten times better.Pin
A marginally better product is worthless. It needs to be ten times better.
You can often find success at the intersection of passion and expertise.Pin
You can often find success at the intersection of passion and expertise.
You can't improve what you don't measure.Pin
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
The more tests we ran, the more we learned, and the more we succeeded.Pin
The more tests we ran, the more we learned, and the more we succeeded.
Growing quickly through a highly effective marketing channel is crucial for most start-ups.Pin
Growing quickly through a highly effective marketing channel is crucial for most start-ups.
Many of today's billion-dollar companies succeeded by growing on top of other platforms.Pin
Many of today’s billion-dollar companies succeeded by growing on top of other platforms.
A great product without great growth strategy will likely fail.Pin
A great product without great growth strategy will likely fail.
If people are complaining about something, it means the product is good enough that they care about it.Pin
If people are complaining about something, it means the product is good enough that they care about it.
Read all your customer emails, because there's a pot of gold in them if you look closely enough.Pin
Read all your customer emails, because there’s a pot of gold in them if you look closely enough.
Just like inspiration, genius can also come from some of the strangest places.Pin
Just like inspiration, genius can also come from some of the strangest places.
AYI needed to take advantage of our biggest competitor being offline - we needed to kick'em while they were down.Pin
AYI needed to take advantage of our biggest competitor being offline – we needed to kick’em while they were down.
Better late than never is a bad plan for site reliability.Pin
Better late than never is a bad plan for site reliability.
Knowing when to take a big risk and hiring the best is one of the biggest lessons we learned.Pin
Knowing when to take a big risk and hiring the best is one of the biggest lessons we learned.
When an industry leader takes a shot at you in the press, that's one way to know you've arrived.Pin
When an industry leader takes a shot at you in the press, that’s one way to know you’ve arrived.
Several companies took opportunities for fast growth by implementing shady tactics, but I refused such a notion.Pin
Several companies took opportunities for fast growth by implementing shady tactics, but I refused such a notion.
I became an entrepreneur because I wanted to innovate to improve people's lives, not to become a pesky, spam-crazy nuisance. Pin
I became an entrepreneur because I wanted to innovate to improve people’s lives, not to become a pesky, spam-crazy nuisance.
When a competitor starts copying your features, you can pretty much write them off completely, as it means they ran out of innovative ideas.Pin
When a competitor starts copying your features, you can pretty much write them off completely, as it means they ran out of innovative ideas.
If your largest source of revenue stopped paying you or disappeared, could your business survive for at least six months?Pin
If your largest source of revenue stopped paying you or disappeared, could your business survive for at least six months?
Revenue tests take several months to reveal their true impact and long-term ramifications on user growth and retention.Pin
Revenue tests take several months to reveal their true impact and long-term ramifications on user growth and retention.
Never start charging for something that users are used to receiving for free.Pin
Never start charging for something that users are used to receiving for free.
Getting existing customers to pay more money is much easier than acquiring new users.Pin
Getting existing customers to pay more money is much easier than acquiring new users.
If I'm going to screw this thing up, it's not going to be from a lack of focus.Pin
If I’m going to screw this thing up, it’s not going to be from a lack of focus.
When a billionaire wants to work with you, never say no.Pin
When a billionaire wants to work with you, never say no.
The best way to go completely viral is to do something that nobody is doing, do it well, and if the timing is right-Boom! Explosive growth is the result.Pin
The best way to go completely viral is to do something that nobody is doing, do it well, and if the timing is right-Boom! Explosive growth is the result.
I just didn't have the time or will to listen to all the bullshit doublespeak.Pin
I just didn’t have the time or will to listen to all the bullshit doublespeak.
If I didn't completely understand the magnitude of the contract, I needed to put my pen down and walk away, regardless of what everybody else was telling me to do.Pin
If I didn’t completely understand the magnitude of the contract, I needed to put my pen down and walk away, regardless of what everybody else was telling me to do.
Pin
No deal. I have to understand what’s in these documents before I sign anything.
Don't be pressured into making any decisions or signing any documents you're unsure about.Pin
Don’t be pressured into making any decisions or signing any documents you’re unsure about.
Leverage is everything in a negotiation. Understand when you have it and when you don't.Pin
Leverage is everything in a negotiation. Understand when you have it and when you don’t.
The best time to raise money is when you don't need to.Pin
The best time to raise money is when you don’t need to.
Investors are a lot like jealous exes - they want you a lot more when someone else is interested.Pin
Investors are a lot like jealous exes – they want you a lot more when someone else is interested.
We were getting press coverage and stock inquiries like we were a biotech company that had discovered a way of cooking bacon to cure cancer.Pin
We were getting press coverage and stock inquiries like we were a biotech company that had discovered a way of cooking bacon to cure cancer.
We needed to keep innovating, outworking everybody else, and above all, staying focused.Pin
We needed to keep innovating, outworking everybody else, and above all, staying focused.
Whenever you can take money off the table (especially life-changing money) do it.Pin
Whenever you can take money off the table (especially life-changing money) do it.
Our credo was to learn fast and fail fast, if need be.Pin
Our credo was to learn fast and fail fast, if need be.
If there's an employee who looks good on paper, but doesn't reflect the company's values, I should let them go sooner rather than later.Pin
If there’s an employee who looks good on paper, but doesn’t reflect the company’s values, I should let them go sooner rather than later.
Don't hire someone you wouldn't want to have a beer with after work.Pin
Don’t hire someone you wouldn’t want to have a beer with after work.
If nobody wants to tell their friends about your product, then the answer is clear: Your product sucks!Pin
If nobody wants to tell their friends about your product, then the answer is clear: Your product sucks!
Can you describe your product's USP in one concise sentence?Pin
Can you describe your product’s USP in one concise sentence?
I didn't see long-term success without regaining the ability to grow organically.Pin
I didn’t see long-term success without regaining the ability to grow organically.
Once again, the power of a terrific engineer - A-list talent - led to extraordinary results.Pin
Once again, the power of a terrific engineer – A-list talent – led to extraordinary results.
It's very difficult to change what a product is in the eyes of the existing customers.Pin
It’s very difficult to change what a product is in the eyes of the existing customers.
Don't waste time and money by trying to market  and grow a product that has a poor NPS (Net Promoter Score)Pin
Don’t waste time and money by trying to market and grow a product that has a poor NPS (Net Promoter Score)
Early-stage companies are obsessively focused on growth, usually at the expense of retention.Pin
Early-stage companies are obsessively focused on growth, usually at the expense of retention.
Retention should be the north-star of any early-stage product.Pin
Retention should be the north-star of any early-stage product.
If someone builds a great product that users keep coming back to, it will be easy to figure out how to grow it.Pin
If someone builds a great product that users keep coming back to, it will be easy to figure out how to grow it.
Marketing a product with a low NPS is essentially saying to potential customers, 'Hey, my product sucks, check it out.'Pin
Marketing a product with a low NPS is essentially saying to potential customers, ‘Hey, my product sucks, check it out.’
Ultimately, retention is the most important metric to measure for any online business.Pin
Ultimately, retention is the most important metric to measure for any online business.
If people keep coming back to the product, every other problem becomes of little significance.Pin
If people keep coming back to the product, every other problem becomes of little significance.
Growth without retention is worthless.Pin
Growth without retention is worthless.
Retention without growth is a problem any entrepreneur should love to have, because it means people love the product.Pin
Retention without growth is a problem any entrepreneur should love to have, because it means people love the product.
We saw incremental improvements in usage as we decluttered the site.Pin
We saw incremental improvements in usage as we decluttered the site.
We prefer an ugly but accurate report today over a fancily formatted report tomorrow.Pin
We prefer an ugly but accurate report today over a fancily formatted report tomorrow.
The faster we move, the faster we fail, and the faster we learn.Pin
The faster we move, the faster we fail, and the faster we learn.
A goal without a plan is just a wish.Pin
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
We seek first to understand and then to be understood.Pin
We seek first to understand and then to be understood.
When we hit a bump in the road, we focus on learning, not on blaming.Pin
When we hit a bump in the road, we focus on learning, not on blaming.
We are able to spar intellectually one moment and then grab beers together in the next.Pin
We are able to spar intellectually one moment and then grab beers together in the next.
If I was the only one who knew what our values were then I would have been the only one capable of making decisions.Pin
If I was the only one who knew what our values were then I would have been the only one capable of making decisions.
They say first impressions mean everything, so we make sure new employees went home smiling.Pin
They say first impressions mean everything, so we make sure new employees went home smiling.
I learned that little things go a long way.Pin
I learned that little things go a long way.
If we could get that far without a uniform goal, imagine what would happen when we were properly aligned.Pin
If we could get that far without a uniform goal, imagine what would happen when we were properly aligned.
My wall street background led me to believe that everyone is motivated by money, but it turns out that's no really true.Pin
My wall street background led me to believe that everyone is motivated by money, but it turns out that’s no really true.
Seek creativity from everyone in the organization, because you never know where true genius may be hiding.Pin
Seek creativity from everyone in the organization, because you never know where true genius may be hiding.
A little time invested in newsjacking can provide the potential for a big ROI.Pin
A little time invested in newsjacking can provide the potential for a big ROI.
I've heard of some $50,000 campaigns with helicopters and bikini-girls handing out flyers that got absolutely nothing in return.Pin
I’ve heard of some $50,000 campaigns with helicopters and bikini-girls handing out flyers that got absolutely nothing in return.
Are your most talented people working on the biggest opportunities instead of the biggest problems?Pin
Are your most talented people working on the biggest opportunities instead of the biggest problems?

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14 Cliff Lerner Quotes About Dating Using Data (FirstMet, formerly known as AYI)

The data quotes below are taboo and controversial. I’ve decided to add them to spice up this post. They were sourced from Cliff Lerner’s book: Explosive Growth (data are from Lerner’s business – a dating app called FirstMet… which is formerly known as AYI).

If you are interested to use data to tell stories (that have a high probability to go viral), then I highly recommend that book.

“The key takeaway was that men earning more than $150,000 annually received 53% more messages than men earning less than $40,000 annually.”

Cliff Lerner
Do blondes really have more fun (online)? Apparently , they do - at least that's what our research show us.Pin
Do blondes really have more fun (online)? Apparently , they do – at least that’s what our research show us.
We discovered that blonde women get 28% more matches than women with other hair colors.Pin
We discovered that blonde women get 28% more matches than women with other hair colors.
The data revealed that being bald wasn't a detrimental at all, because bald men received 5% more matches than the average male.Pin
The data revealed that being bald wasn’t a detrimental at all, because bald men received 5% more matches than the average male.
Our data told us that everyone likes money and women prefer taller guys.Pin
Our data told us that everyone likes money and women prefer taller guys.
Every additional inch in height increased a guy's attractiveness, until 6'8".Pin
Every additional inch in height increased a guy’s attractiveness, until 6’8″.
In Jersey City, short guys fared much better with a 7.6% like rate.Pin
In Jersey City, short guys fared much better with a 7.6% like rate.
Asian women are the most preferred by all men except Asian Men, who actually prefer Hispanic women.Pin
Asian women are the most preferred by all men except Asian Men, who actually prefer Hispanic women.
Asian men are most likely to 'like' curvy women with a 15% 'like' rate.Pin
Asian men are most likely to ‘like’ curvy women with a 15% ‘like’ rate.
Caucasian men are the least likely to 'like' curvy women.Pin
Caucasian men are the least likely to ‘like’ curvy women.
Asian men are 85% more likely than Caucasian men to 'like' curvy women.Pin
Asian men are 85% more likely than Caucasian men to ‘like’ curvy women.
African-American men are 52% more likely than Caucasian men to 'like' curvy women.Pin
African-American men are 52% more likely than Caucasian men to ‘like’ curvy women.
Hispanic men are 28% more likely than Caucasian men to 'like' curvy women.Pin
Hispanic men are 28% more likely than Caucasian men to ‘like’ curvy women.
Men of all ethnicities prefer slender or toned women.Pin
Men of all ethnicities prefer slender or toned women.
YouTube video

Cliff Lerner Short Biography

Former CEO and co-founder of Snap Interactive (now known as PeerStream), Cliff Lerner is one of the pioneers of online dating. He started IamFreeTonight.com in 2005 after leaving his Wall Street career at Lehman Brothers.

In 2007, Lerner decided to focus on his new application AreYouInterested (AYI) to leverage and ride on the growing momentum of Facebook.

It was a gamble since the social media behemoth we know of today wasn’t as big then. However, that bold risk paid off handsomely for AYI via explosive growth… Thanks to Lerner’s insight, awareness, and courage to take calculated risks.

Back in the days, even with limited resources and experience in entrepreneurship, Cliff Lerner had built a company that matches the Goliath of online dating Match.com (no pun intended).

Cliff Lerner was able to do that because his motto was to do fast, fail fast and learn fast.

Another huge advantage Lerner had over his competitors was his fervent implementation of A/B testing. It was not uncommon for AYI to be running several hundred tests simultaneously.

Due to this velocity, Lerner had the unfair advantage of acquiring data knowledge of his users which ultimately led to even more growth for his application, AYI – now known as FirstMet.

Further reading:

Here are the wisest Cliff Lerner quotes about starting and growing a company so you experience the power of explosive growth in your startup business.

(MUST READ)

Also read:

Cliff-Lerner-Quotes-About-Explosive-Growth-STARTUP-Gracious-QuotesPin
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