Snap Interactive was on the brink of collapse when Cliff Lerner bet the company on an unknown platform called Facebook. What followed: 100,000 new users a day, a stock run past 2,000%, more than 120 million users, and the $78 million week that nearly finished the company. Told in the order it happened—in 13 chapters—and the growth playbook behind them.
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Startup lessons, bitcoin and explosive growth
The full interview on The Final Round, on building a startup and the lessons behind Explosive Growth.
“Explosive Growth is without question one of the most useful and entertaining business books I have ever read.”
David PerryDigital sales & business development at Google, Adobe, and Amazon
“Invaluable lessons on product, marketing, and leadership, all told through entertaining stories.”
Adam GriesCEO of OKpanda
Around the world
Published in 6 countries
Translated editions from China Youth Press, TurnAround, Galaktyka, Yuan-Liou, and MCBooks.
United StatesClifford Ventures
ChinaChina Youth Press
South KoreaTurnAround
PolandGalaktyka
TaiwanYuan-Liou
Explosive GrowthVietnamese editionVietnamMCBooks
Inside the tactics
Six lessons from the book
Ten times better product
A little better loses. Cliff shows how to build a product so good your users sell it for you.
“A marginally better product is worthless. It needs to be at least ten times better.”
Run the viral growth playbook
The loops, invites, and product tricks that grew Snap Interactive without an ad budget.
Inside the chapter “The Growth Rocket”
Three metrics that matter
Ignore the numbers that make you feel good. Track the three that tell you what to do next.
“What is the one goal that, if achieved, would solve most other problems?”
Press without an agency
The stunts and pitches that landed real coverage on a startup budget.
The tactics behind coverage in the WSJ, Fortune, and Bloomberg
What Tinder and Bumble figured out
What they got right first, and why everyone else copied them.
Why Tinder cracked the code first
Inside a public company
Funny, embarrassing, and true stories from a team that almost blew up.
“When a billionaire wants to work with you, never say no.”
The Facebook bet
No VC, a public company, and one big bet
Cliff Lerner co-founded Snap Interactive with his brother Darrell on about $200,000 from friends and family. No venture capital. An early IPO in 2006.
As CEO and chairman, he launched the world’s first dating and swiping app. Then he bet the company on Facebook. These are the numbers that followed.
120M+
users signed up
$100M+
total revenue
4,412%
revenue growth, 2007 to 2011
2,000%
stock price climb
Inside the book
13 chapters, from Lehman Brothers to a reboot
Told in the order it happened: the early failures, the bet that worked, the week it nearly ended, and the reboot.
My Epiphany at Lehman Brothers
The Early Lessons Learned from IAmFreeTonight.com
Does Our Product Suck?
Bet The Company
The Growth Rocket (100,000 New Users in One Day!)
From Revenues of $3 Million to $19 Million in Two Years
My $78 Million Week
Successful on the Outside, Scrambling on the Inside
Solving Problems and Sustaining Growth through Vision, Values, and Data
Tinder Cracks the Code
My Innovator’s Dilemma
Making “The Grade”
My Reboot
About the author
Cliff Lerner
Founder, investor, and author. A Cornell graduate who started as an equity analyst at Lehman Brothers, Cliff co-founded Snap Interactive with his brother Darrell, and later served on the board of Bumble Inc. Today he usually has five or more companies in flight across consumer social, dating, and fintech.
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Finalist, New YorkDeloitte Technology Fast 500 #9 Internet category (2011 revenue growth)Public company, no VC Friends & family to IPOAuthor, Explosive Growth Published in 6 countries
Explosive Growth is Cliff Lerner’s startup playbook from scaling Snap Interactive to more than 120 million users: viral marketing, PR, product, the three metrics that matter, Tinder and Bumble lessons, and losing $78 million along the way.
Is Explosive Growth well reviewed?
Explosive Growth is rated 4.4 out of 5 stars from 600+ Amazon reviews and 4.6 stars from 300+ Audible ratings. Benzinga named it one of the “Best Startup Books of All Time” and Entrepreneur called it a “Top Growth-Hacking Business Book.”
Has Explosive Growth been translated?
Yes. Beyond the United States, Explosive Growth has been published in China, South Korea, Poland, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Where can I get Explosive Growth?
Explosive Growth is available on Kindle, in paperback, and as an Audible audiobook narrated by Daniel Greenberg.
Who is Explosive Growth for?
Founders, CEOs, growth marketers, and PR teams who want the real story and the tactics behind it: viral loops, press hacks, and growing a public company without VC. Not a consultant slide deck.
Who wrote Explosive Growth?
Cliff Lerner co-founded Snap Interactive, was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, served on the board of Bumble Inc., and ranked ninth on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 in the Internet category for revenue growth.
Andrew WeinreichInventor of social networking · Founder of Six Degrees
Michael LazerowFounder of Buddy Media, sold to Salesforce for $700M+
Irish Tech NewsRead the review ↗
EntrepreneurRead the review ↗
United StatesClifford Ventures
ChinaChina Youth Press
South KoreaTurnAround
PolandGalaktyka
TaiwanYuan-Liou
