Ruslan is one of those people you look at and can hardly believe how much they’ve accomplished. I don’t even remember how we met—it feels like Ruslan has always been around. I’m happy to call him a friend.
He has led growth teams at Bird, Vimeo, and Scale AI, and has produced more useful content than I can possibly consume (check out his Substack!). He contributes regularly to Reforge and is often invited to speak at universities like Stanford.
A true big shot!
Last week, I spent time in the French Alps, working remotely from there. I wanted to record a Christmas edition of the podcast and invited Ruslan to join at the very last minute. He kindly accepted and joined me from sunny California. It was quite late for me when we recorded and, of course, early for him.
I know it’s hard to find time to listen to a full podcast, so here are my takeaways.
On Growth and Company Success
Growth is not about the tools. This is not about the frameworks. This is ultimately about the culture.
When you set ambitious goals, people might not achieve them, but at least they're trying.
Growth managers identify problems across the entire company and have the freedom to fix them, regardless of titles or bureaucracy.
You have to move fast, fail often, and then iterate to get it right. It’s all part of the process.
Sometimes, companies run fast, crash, then slow down to fix the issues, before moving fast again.
On Leadership and Decision-Making
As a company leader, the decisions you make and the questions you ask set the tone for your team’s priorities.
If growth is your priority, make it clear through your actions and decisions.
The culture you build as a leader comes down to the decisions you make when facing trade-offs, especially between growth and user experience.
People will mimic your priorities when you’re not in the room, so set the tone through clear actions and choices.
On Experimentation and Speed
You typically call the shots without having all the data available. Based on what we know right now, let's move fast.
Run the experiments with the best knowledge you have at the moment. While they're running, you can gather more data.
On U.S. vs. European Startups
In the U.S., the mentality that we want to grow as fast as possible is dominating.
European startups often prioritize sustainability and resource efficiency over rapid growth.
Some U.S. startups focus on rapid growth at all costs, while others prioritize retention and sustainability.
On Writing and Self-Reflection
Writing helps you unlock your thinking. It forces you to structure your thoughts and revisit past decisions.
The act of structuring your thoughts in writing can help unlock clarity and better decision-making.
Writing forces you to self-reflect and sparks new questions, which deepens your curiosity and connections.
On Networking and Collaboration
To secure a growth role, referrals are key. Many companies hire growth leaders based on trust and strategic importance.
Writing doesn’t guarantee a job, but it helps ensure the right people notice your work.
Collaborate with people whose work you admire; building connections isn’t about spamming—it’s about genuine value.
When you’re genuinely curious about how things work, people notice, and that curiosity leads to better conversations and relationships.
Curiosity is the engine for learning and building meaningful professional connections.
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