Hacking Growth: How Today’s Fastest Growing Companies Drive Breakout Success by Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown reflects on key factors that make companies succeed. In Part 1 of the book, “The Method,” the authors talk about building growth teams, determining if your product is must-have, identifying growth levers, and testing at high tempo. In Part 2, “The Growth Hacking Playbook,” the authors talk about how to hack acquisition, activation, retention, and monetization – and they also discuss virtuous growth cycles.

My favorite chapter was “Hacking Acquisition,” especially the section that delves into how “language fit” helps hone your product, not just your branding. The chapter also explores the importance of “channel fit.” In this chapter, as well as throughout the book, the authors feature handy charts; I found the chart showing the three categories of channels (viral/word of mouth, organic, and paid) and their corresponding examples to be very helpful. (One example of an organic channel is search engine optimization.)

Hacking Growth would be a good book for an ambitious entrepreneur or small business owner.