Word-of-mouth growth

Groww’s co-founder explains how the company moved from an unsuccessful robo-advisor to an investment platform built around customer choice, transparency, and frictionless onboarding. He describes finding product-market fit through customer conversations, strong word of mouth, and a willingness to leave monetization unresolved while reducing other risks. The talk argues that consumer companies should focus on understanding customers, use their own products, and build features customers either love or strongly dislike. It also covers how AI lowers the barrier to building products, why co-founders need shared values and clear ownership, and the importance of enjoying the work.

DoorDash co-founder and CEO Tony Xu describes how the company found its first idea by working alongside small businesses and learning from their unsolved delivery needs. Early tests with customers, merchants, and drivers helped the founders decide to keep going, while a cash crunch and a disastrous delivery night tested their commitment to customer service. Xu explains how DoorDash created a new market by enabling delivery for restaurants without their own fleets, and why customer demand led the company to focus on suburbs. He also discusses difficult fundraising years, DoorDash's COVID-era decisions, and the long-term opportunity to help physical businesses and cities grow.