So we put our dating app on Facebook, then an unknown platform. No plan B. Then it exploded: 100,000 new users in a single day. Then came the hard part: staying on top.
120M+
users signed up
$100M+
total revenue
2,000%
stock price climb
On screen
See it on CNBC and Bloomberg
Cliff was on his way to the office when CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo called. The stock had just gone up 1,100% in a single week.
Brutally honest, often very funny, and reads like a thriller.
“An incredible and entertaining story with invaluable lessons for startups and CEOs on growth hacking, marketing, management, and innovation from one of the smartest founders I know.”
Andrew WeinreichInventor of social networking · Founder of SixDegrees
“Cliff Lerner takes you along on the journey of one of the biggest early success stories in the Facebook App ecosystem.”
Michael LazerowFounder of Buddy Media, sold to Salesforce for $700M+
“A must read for founders and CEOs who want to achieve rapid growth while also building a great product.”
Payal KadakiaFounder & Executive Chairman of ClassPass
“Cliff has lived the rollercoaster of viral apps and startups. His first hand account is both insightful and entertaining.”
Brian BalfourFounder/CEO at Reforge, former VP of Growth at HubSpot
“Want to know how to grow your startup to 100 million users? Then this is the book for you.”
Each chapter pairs a raw, often hilarious story from inside the startup with the growth lessons behind it.
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’s parent company. Today Cliff 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 #36 overall · 4,412% revenue growthCo-founder, Snap Interactive First social media company to go public · 120M+ usersAuthor, Explosive Growth Published in 6 countries
Most startup books show you the glamour. Explosive Growth shows what it really costs: the all-in bets, the near-disasters, and the lessons Cliff paid for. It’s Cliff Lerner’s playbook from growing Snap Interactive’s dating app, AreYouInterested?, to more than 120 million users: viral marketing, PR, product, the three metrics that matter, Tinder and Bumble lessons, and staying on top.
Is Explosive Growth well reviewed?
Explosive Growth averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from 900+ reader ratings: 4.4 stars from 600+ Amazon ratings and 4.6 stars from 300+ Audible ratings. Entrepreneur called it a “Top Growth-Hacking Business Book,” Online Books Review lists it among the best growth hacking books, Blinkist and Cloudways include it among the best startup books, and Baylor University’s Keller Center Research Report reviewed it as “a useful and entertaining read.”
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, entrepreneurs, growth marketers, business and MBA students, and anyone who wants to know what building a startup is really like. It is not a glamour story: it pairs the hard-won lessons with the growth hacks behind them, from viral loops to press hacks. They are built on how people share, not on any one platform, so they still work today.
Is Explosive Growth good for business students?
Yes. It pairs a real startup story with lessons on growth strategy, culture, and hiring. Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business reviewed it in its Keller Center Research Report (December 2019), calling it “a useful and entertaining read with tips on how to achieve and sustain growth for your business.”
Who wrote Explosive Growth?
Cliff Lerner co-founded Snap Interactive, the first social media company to go public, launched the world’s first dating and swiping app, was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, and served on the board of Bumble’s parent company. Under Cliff’s leadership, Snap Interactive ranked #36 overall and 9th in the Internet category on Deloitte’s 2012 Technology Fast 500.
Andrew WeinreichInventor of social networking · Founder of SixDegrees
Michael LazerowFounder of Buddy Media, sold to Salesforce for $700M+
EntrepreneurRead the review ↗
Baylor UniversityRead the review ↗
