Top 4 marketing strategies I learned at Stanford GSB last week

Last week, I had the surreal experience of speaking at Stanford GSB, alongside some of the best in the game:

🔥 Kira Wampler (ex-CMO of Lyft)
🔥 Tim Brown (co-founder of Allbirds)
🔥 Sebastian Acevedo, who built an AI marketing tool later acquired by Reddit for $40M

We didn’t just talk theory. We broke down real-world marketing strategies that fuel massive brand growth. And now, I’m bringing them straight to you.

Here are the biggest takeaways that can change the way you approach marketing:

1. PR & earned media > paid ads
The best marketing doesn’t come from your budget - it comes from people talking about your product. The trick? Build something that gives them bragging rights. Make your product a part of their identity, and they’ll market it for you. Want proof? Look at Apple, Tesla, or Glossier - brands built on word-of-mouth.

2. Target a specific niche first
Trying to please everyone = pleasing no one. Find a small group of people who find your product genuinely cool. Why? Because while discounts can influence money, time is a different story. If someone is willing to invest their time into your product, they truly care.

3. Marketing ≠ Just Data
Funnels are useful, but real growth happens when you see how people actually use your product. QuickBooks noticed CPAs kept double-checking numbers on a turnkey calculator - even though a computer should be accurate. They added the feature anyway, and CPAs loved it. A small tweak turned into massive word-of-mouth growth.

4. Early users make or break your success
When launching, think about who will drive excitement around your product. Today, it’s often creators. Even in B2B, there are industry-specific creators who can amplify your message. The challenge? They’re bombarded with new products every day, so yours has to stand out.

Your next big business Idea:
Right now, companies run campaigns across multiple platforms - Instagram, YouTube, targeted ads - but most attribution models still rely on last-click tracking. This makes it nearly impossible to measure the real impact of each touchpoint.

With everyone running multi-touch campaigns, the need for better attribution is bigger than ever. The opportunity? A platform that precisely values each interaction, helping brands make smarter decisions and maximize ROI.

Grateful for the opportunity to share and learn!