10 Startup Growth Strategies to Meet Your Next Milestone

Dayana Mayfield

Startup

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In the fast-paced world of startups, growth is survival.

Having a carefully crafted plan that outlines how you will scale, increase revenue, and expand your market presence is a must. 

Otherwise you are headed to zombieland at best.

In this article, we explore 10 growth strategies that have been successfully employed by companies like HubSpot, Airbnb, and Zoom. Each strategy offers a unique approach to scaling a business and can help you determine which one—or what pieces—might be the best fit for your startup.

What is a startup growth strategy?

A startup growth strategy is a carefully designed strategy plan that outlines how a startup will expand its customer base, increase revenue, and scale operations over time. It typically involves identifying key drivers of growth, including product innovation, customer acquisition methods, marketing approaches, and strategic partnerships. The right growth strategy should align with the startup’s overall goals, industry, and available resources.

For early-stage startups, growth strategies are essential to surviving the “startup valley of death,” the critical period when companies are trying to generate enough traction to become sustainable. The right strategy focuses not just on rapid growth but on sustainable, scalable development.

Why is it important to have a startup strategy?

A solid strategy is a cornerstone of success. Without one, your startup will be aimlessly meandering—if it even survives.  A strategy gives objectives. Objectives produce  milestones. And milestones are met with the metrics that allow decisions to be made.

Other reasons having a startup growth strategy is crucial are:

  • Focused direction: A growth strategy provides clear goals and a roadmap, helping startups make informed decisions that are aligned with long-term growth.

  • Resource efficiency: Startups usually have limited resources. A well-defined strategy ensures that time, money, and human capital are used effectively for maximum impact.

  • Adaptability: Startups often face market fluctuations, competition, and shifting customer demands. A growth strategy helps a company remain agile and pivot when necessary without losing sight of the bigger picture.

  • Investor confidence: Investors look for startups with a solid growth plan that demonstrates potential for high returns. A growth strategy shows that the founders are intentional about how they will grow the business.

  • Scalability: Startups need to scale quickly to capture market share. A growth strategy ensures that operations, marketing, and sales efforts are prepared to grow without overwhelming the company’s infrastructure.

10 growth strategies worth considering 

Here’s the different growth strategies to consider for your startup.

Strategy 1: HubSpot's Flywheel model

HubSpot FlywheelHubSpot's Flywheel model is a business strategy designed around the idea of creating customer momentum. Rather than seeing growth as a linear funnel, the Flywheel strategy focuses on turning customers into advocates by reducing friction across all touchpoints in their journey. 

The model operates through three main stages: attract, engage, and delight. As customers move through these phases, their success drives more referrals and word-of-mouth growth.

What makes this strategy unique:

The Flywheel model stands out because it focuses on reducing friction at every stage of the customer journey—Attract, Engage, and Delight—leading to smoother experiences and a self-sustaining growth loop. Here’s how they addressed each stage:

  1. Attract: Reducing friction in the discovery phase
    HubSpot uses inbound marketing (content, SEO, social media) to attract customers naturally. This makes it easier for potential leads to discover the brand without feeling pressured by ads or sales outreach.

  2. Engage: Smoothing out the interaction with your business
    Personalized, automated engagement nurtures leads through tailored content and relevant offers. The result, prospects that move through the sales process at their own pace without unnecessary barriers.

  3. Delight: Reducing barriers to customer satisfaction and advocacy
    Post-purchase support, continuous education, and easy access to resources help customers succeed. Customers become loyal advocates who naturally promote the product to others.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

This strategy is ideal for B2B and SaaS startups with long-term customer relationships. It works well when customer retention and referrals are key to the company’s success, rather than a transactional, one-time sale model.

Strategy 2: Salesloft's revenue acceleration model

Salesloft revenue acceleration modelSalesloft's revenue acceleration model is designed to help businesses grow by speeding up the entire sales process. The key goal is to shorten sales cycles and drive faster revenue through efficient lead management and enhanced sales engagement. This strategy relies heavily on automation, data-driven decision-making, and strong alignment across marketing, sales, and customer success teams.

Revenue acceleration treats sales as a fluid process that continuously improves through feedback loops and real-time data. By integrating technology with personalized outreach, startups can prioritize high-value leads and optimize their communication to convert more prospects in less time.

What makes this strategy unique:

Salesloft’s revenue acceleration model stands out because it addresses the entire customer journey, focusing on streamlining each stage to reduce friction and boost revenue faster. 

Here are the key elements that make this approach unique:

  1. Sales engagement automation
    Automating repetitive tasks like follow-ups and lead management allows sales teams to focus on building relationships and converting leads faster.

  2. Data-driven insights
    Real-time data helps identify the most promising leads and optimizes outreach, making interactions more effective and shortening the sales cycle.

  3. Alignment of marketing, sales, and customer success
    Seamless collaboration between teams reduces inefficiencies and creates a smoother journey for prospects.

  4. Personalization at scale
    Automation is combined with personalized outreach to generate relevant, tailored interactions at scale.

  5. Focus on increasing deal velocity
    By optimizing every touchpoint and reducing friction, the strategy speeds up the time it takes to move deals through the pipeline.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

B2B startups with a complex sales process and longer sales cycles will benefit the most from this strategy. It’s also useful for high-growth companies needing to quickly convert leads and accelerate cash flow.

Strategy 3: Commsor’s go-to network

Commsor's go-to-hetworkCommsor's go-to network (GTN) strategy is all about building and leveraging a community of customers, partners, and influencers to foster growth. Instead of relying solely on sales, this approach encourages startups to nurture relationships and create a strong ecosystem. The network becomes a multiplier, helping businesses scale by tapping into partner expertise and customer advocacy.

What makes this strategy unique:

Commsor's GTN strategy is unique because it shifts the focus from traditional sales channels to community-driven growth. Here’s what sets it apart:

  1. Leveraging community for growth
    Startups grow through community-building, where customers, partners, and advocates drive organic promotion and word-of-mouth referrals.

  2. Network effects
    As the community expands, its value increases for all members, creating a compounding growth effect that accelerates over time.

  3. Fostering collaboration over competition
    By partnering with influencers and complementary businesses, startups expand their reach through collaboration rather than direct competition.

  4. Lower customer acquisition costs (CAC)
    Organic growth from community-driven referrals reduces the need for costly paid marketing channels.

  5. Long-term relationships over short-term wins
    Focus on building lasting partnerships and community loyalty.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

B2B companies and startups that prioritize building a strong community, such as those in SaaS, tech, or developer-focused industries, will benefit from this approach.

Strategy 4: Product-led growth (PLG) by Slack

Slack's product lead growthSlack’s product-led growth (PLG) strategy puts the product at the center of customer acquisition, engagement, and retention. Instead of relying on heavy sales or marketing, Slack allows users to discover the product's value through hands-on experience. By making the product intuitive, collaborative, and inherently viral, they foster user adoption through in-app sharing and team collaboration, creating a natural growth loop. 

The focus is on delivering an exceptional product experience that drives users to adopt, share, and expand usage within their teams and organizations.

What makes this strategy unique:

Slack’s product-led growth strategy is unique because it relies on the product itself to fuel organic growth.

  1. Product-driven acquisition
    Slack’s intuitive, easy-to-use interface allows users to immediately understand its value.

  2. Inherent collaboration
    Designed for team communication, Slack’s product encourages users to invite colleagues and expand usage within organizations.

  3. Viral growth loops
    Features like easy team invites and cross-functional channels promote viral sharing.

  4. User-led onboarding
    Slack offers a frictionless onboarding experience, where users can explore and master the platform independently.

  5. Natural expansion within organizations
    As teams adopt Slack, usage grows organically as it becomes embedded in daily workflows.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Startups with scalable software products, particularly SaaS companies, will benefit the most from a PLG strategy. This approach is ideal for businesses where the product can demonstrate value quickly, allowing users to adopt and expand usage without heavy sales involvement.

Strategy 5: Network effects by Airbnb

Airbnb’s growth has been driven largely by leveraging network effects—a phenomenon where the value of a product or service increases as more people use it. In Airbnb’s case, the more hosts that join the platform, the more attractive it becomes to guests, and vice versa. This self-reinforcing loop makes each side of the marketplace more valuable as the other side grows. By optimizing this two-sided marketplace, Airbnb was able to scale rapidly, creating a global platform for short-term rentals.


Harvard's Airbnb network effects courseThe success of this strategy can be seen in its integration into course curriculums at universities like Cornell and Harvard.

What makes this strategy unique:

Airbnb’s network effects strategy is powerful because it builds value as the platform grows.

  1. Two-sided marketplace
    Both hosts and guests contribute to the platform’s value, with each new participant making it more attractive for the other side.

  2. User-driven growth
    New users attract more users organically, as satisfied hosts and guests naturally promote the service, creating a cycle of growth.

  3. Trust and reputation system
    Airbnb’s review system builds trust, encouraging more participation and reinforcing the platform’s reliability as it scales.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Marketplaces and platforms—especially those in the sharing economy—can benefit from network effects. Startups in industries like real estate, transportation, or peer-to-peer services can apply this strategy to scale.

Strategy 6: Dopbox’s Freemium model

Dropbox businessDropbox’s freemium model has been a key driver of its growth. By offering users a free tier with limited storage and features, Dropbox allows people to experience the product’s core value at no cost. Once users rely on the service and outgrow the free tier, they naturally upgrade to paid plans for additional storage or advanced features. 

This approach has enabled Dropbox to scale quickly by attracting a large user base while converting a significant percentage of free users into paying customers.

What makes this strategy unique:

Dropbox’s freemium model stands out because it offers users immediate value while building a clear path to paid conversion.

  1. Low barrier to entry
    Offering a free tier removes the upfront cost for users, making it easy for anyone to sign up and experience the product.

  2. Gradual conversion
    As users reach their storage limits, the product encourages a seamless transition from free to paid plans.

  3. Viral user growth
    The freemium model attracts a broad audience through word-of-mouth, with satisfied users recommending the service to others.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Startups with digital products that are easy to scale, such as SaaS, cloud storage, and productivity tools, are well-suited for the freemium model. This strategy is ideal for businesses where users can experience ongoing value from a free version and are likely to upgrade over time as their usage or needs grow.

Strategy 7: Drift’s category creation

Salesloft conversational marketingDrift pioneered conversational marketing, which allowed the company to create an entirely new category in the marketing space. By defining and owning this category, Drift differentiated itself from competitors and positioned itself as a market leader. 

This strategy enabled Drift to carve out a distinct niche and establish itself as a thought leader—ultimately gaining traction without having to compete in a saturated market.

What makes this strategy unique:

Drift’s category creation strategy stands out because it allowed the company to shape the market in its favor.

  1. Defining a new market space
    Instead of competing in a crowded marketing tech space, Drift created a new category—conversational marketing—giving it control over the market narrative.

  2. Thought leadership
    By educating the market through content, events, and resources, Drift positioned itself as the authority in this new space.

  3. Customer-first innovation
    Drift introduced tools like real-time chat and chatbots that solved immediate customer pain points.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Startups with innovative products or services that don’t fit into existing categories can benefit from category creation. This approach works well for companies that have identified a market gap and are looking to redefine industry norms by introducing a new solution.

Strategy 8: Viral growth loops by Zoom

Zoom viral growth loopsZoom’s rapid growth was powered by viral growth loops, a strategy where existing users unintentionally help acquire new users by sharing the product. Zoom’s core function—video meetings—naturally involved inviting others to join, driving organic growth as new users were continuously exposed to the platform. 

The simplicity of onboarding and the frictionless experience meant that users could immediately engage with the product. This increased adoption without relying on traditional marketing.

What makes this strategy unique:

Zoom’s viral growth is unique because it’s inherently tied to its core functionality, enabling organic, user-driven expansion with minimal friction.

  1. Natural user invitations
    Every time a meeting is hosted, participants are invited to use Zoom, automatically expanding the user base as new users are introduced to the platform.

  2. Instant accessibility
    With no need for account creation to join a meeting, Zoom lowers the barrier for new users, making it incredibly easy for anyone to start using the product immediately.

  3. Multi-sector appeal
    Zoom’s intuitive design and versatile use cases allowed it to scale across multiple industries, from business meetings to education and social events.

  4. Organic product advocacy
    Users naturally recommend Zoom to others due to its reliability and ease of use.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Startups in industries where collaboration, communication, or sharing are central to the product—such as SaaS, social platforms, or productivity tools—can benefit from viral growth loops. It’s particularly effective for companies looking for rapid user expansion without the need for large-scale paid acquisition campaigns.

Strategy 9: Shopify’s ecosystem growth

Shopify digital ecosystemShopify’s growth is fueled by its ecosystem approach. By creating a platform where developers, merchants, and service providers collaborate, Shopify built a marketplace that grows without having to expand everything internally. 

Partners contribute apps, themes, and services that enhance the platform’s value which allows Shopify to scale rapidly. This ecosystem creates a symbiotic relationship between Shopify and its partners.

What makes this strategy unique:

Shopify’s ecosystem growth strategy is unique because it leverages external partners to build value, rather than relying solely on internal resources.

  1. Partner-driven expansion
    Shopify allows third-party developers to create apps and integrations that expand the platform’s capabilities without in-house development.

  2. Mutually beneficial growth
    Partners succeed by selling their solutions on Shopify. Shopify succeeds by partners selling their solutions on the platform. A definite win-win growth loop.

  3. Scalability through collaboration
    Shopify’s ecosystem scales as more partners and merchants join, continuously adding versatility and value with time.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Startups with platforms that can support third-party developers or service providers should consider an ecosystem strategy. This approach works best for tech platforms or marketplaces where external contributions enhance the core offering.

Strategy 10: Amazon’s data-driven optimization

Amazon data-driven insightsAmazon’s growth is largely driven by its relentless focus on data-driven optimization. By collecting and analyzing vast amounts of customer data, Amazon continuously improves every aspect of its business—from personalized recommendations to dynamic pricing and supply chain efficiency. 

What makes this strategy unique:

Amazon’s data-driven strategy is unique because it uses real-time insights to optimize everything from customer experience to operational efficiency.

  1. Personalized customer experiences
    Amazon uses data to heavily tailor product recommendations and marketing efforts.

  2. Dynamic pricing
    By adjusting prices in real-time based on demand, competition, and market conditions, Amazon maximizes sales and profitability.

  3. Operational efficiency
    Data informs Amazon’s supply chain, optimizing inventory, reducing delivery times, and lowering costs, giving the company a competitive edge.

Types of startups that should consider this strategy:

Data-driven optimization is ideal for e-commerce, SaaS, or service-based startups that have access to customer data. Startups looking to refine their products, improve operational efficiency, or personalize customer experiences should consider this approach.

Get product development support to parallel your growth

Growing a startup requires not only a strong growth strategy but also continuous innovation in product development. As you scale, the demands on your product will increase, requiring faster iteration, enhanced features, and a focus on customer feedback. It’s essential to have a dedicated product development team that can keep pace with the evolving needs of your business and your customers.

At DevSquad, we provide dedicated product development teams that work alongside your growth strategy to ensure that your product is ready to scale. Whether it’s building MVPs, scaling infrastructure, or optimizing user experiences, our expert teams are here to help you grow sustainably.

Are you building a SaaS startup? Learn more about how we can help you grow.

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