Gina Gotthilf

Retention is the ultimate metric for product value; if users don't stay, the product isn't solving a real problem.

"I really believe that... the most important thing for the growth of anything tech, maybe in general, is retention. Of course, you need acquisition, but retention is important. And I simplify it a litt..."

The 'Why here?' question filters for candidates who have done their research and possess genuine mission alignment.

"Why do you want to work here is what I really like to ask because it tells me a lot... I want to know if this person knows what it is that we do, if they did a minimum level of research and if they co..."

Asking for evidence of 'world-class' skill reveals whether a candidate is data-driven and results-oriented.

"What are you world-class at and how do you know that you're at that? And the second part is almost more important... It tells me if people actually care about metrics, and I don't care what the metric..."

Over-localizing for international markets creates technical and organizational debt that slows down experimentation and growth.

"If as a startup, whether it be early stage, but as a startup you focus too much on those marginal differences between groups of people, you can run the risk of making big mistakes, which is making too..."

Effective communication is defined by the listener's ability to understand and remember the message, not just the act of sending it.

"Communication is constantly underrated. And communication isn't about being able to convey a message, it's about being able to convey a message in a way that the listener receives it, and understands..."

Using an unexpected or humorous voice creates an emotional connection that makes a brand more memorable.

"There is always a quirk, like it's unexpected. The way we talk to you is a little bit funny. It doesn't take ourselves too, seriously and it makes the person receiving this message feel something. Aga..."

Landing pages must be optimized for skimmability and mobile viewing, ensuring the core message and call-to-action are immediately obvious.

"First, the core copy, the message and button need to be above the fold. Or, if you're not going to keep the button above the fold, which I still recommend, but if you're not going to do that for whate..."

A unique brand voice differentiates a product from generic competitors and aids in message retention.

"I love copywriting, and I believe that communication is constantly underrated, and communication isn't about being able to convey a message. It's about being able to convey a message in a way that the..."

Maintaining a consistent brand voice requires rigorous internal standards and a clear definition of the brand's personality.

"We constantly looked at every copy we wrote and asked, 'Could this have been written by other companies? Could this have been any other company or is it Duolingo? What makes this Duolingo?'... It help..."

A lovable brand is built on a mission that users can rally behind, which naturally drives organic growth.

"The importance of building a lovable brand that really resonates with people and makes people feel something and want to stand behind an idea that's bigger than themselves is not easy to do, but possi..."

Transformation stories are more compelling for PR and brand building than simple growth metrics.

"If you're able to tell a story about people whose lives are completely transformed or something like that, that's much more interesting and has played an important role in, honestly, my work at Tumblr..."