Program Overview
The Reforge Deep Dive on Growth Models is a selective 8-week part-time program for B2C and B2B growth practitioners starting in Fall 2018. You can participate in the program from any location.
Led by growth practitioners Brian Balfour (formerly VP Growth @ HubSpot), Casey Winters (formerly growth @ Pinterest and Grubhub), Andrew Chen (formerly Growth @ Uber), and Kevin Kwok (Greylock Partners) this program will provide a deep dive on building detailed growth models.
The ability to build a growth model is essential for any growth practitioner. It provides a key tool in understanding how your product grows, identifying opportunities to increase growth, communicating growth with the rest of the organization, and a unifying framework for your team.
The program provides in-depth learning material, case studies of relevant companies, and guidance on how to apply to your product. The program also includes interviews and Q&A with top growth leaders at companies such as Google, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Slack, and SurveyMonkey, sharing how they have developed growth models for their company.
Like all Reforge programs, the Deep Dive on Growth Models focuses on helping you create long term impact for your career and your company by aligning what you learn with what you are working at your company. There are no meaningless credentials, memorization quizzes, or surface level material. You are expected to commit the time and participation, and in the process joining a community of top performing practitioners.
Program Creators + Hosts
Brian Balfour | program lead
Brian Balfour is the Founder and CEO of Reforge. Prior to Reforge, he was the VP Growth @ HubSpot, an EIR @ Trinity Ventures and founder of Boundless Learning (acq by Valore) and Viximo (acq by Tapjoy). He advises companies including Drift, Blue Bottle Coffee, Gametime, and Help Scout on growth and customer acquisition.
casey winters | Co-host + Contributor
Casey Winters is a was formerly a Growth Lead at Pinterest and the first marketer at GrubHub. He is currently a growth advisor to companies including Tinder, Eventbrite, Reddit, Canva, Pocket, and others on scaling and growth, specializing in retention and engagement.
Andrew Chen | Co-host + contributor
Andrew Chen is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Previously, he led Uber's rider growth team and has been an advisor and investor in tech startups including AngelList, Dropbox, Barkbox, Kiva, and Product Hunt. He writes extensively with over 650+ essays, and has been quoted in The New York Times, Fortune, Wired, and WSJ.
Featured Guests
All Reforge programs incorporate interviews from top growth leaders. We are still confirming the guests for the Deep Dive on Growth Models. Regular contributors include the following...
JOANNA LORD
CMO @ ClassPass
MATT PLOTKE
Head of Growth @ Stripe
GINA GOTTHILF
VP Growth & Marketing @ Duolingo
STEVE DUPREE
Former VP Mrk @ SoFi/LogMeIn
SIMON TISMINEZKY
VP Growth @ Ipsy
BRITTANY BINGHAM
Sr Dir Growth Marketing @ SurveyMonkey
JOSH LU
Sr Dir Product Growth @ Zynga
ELENA VERNA
SVP Growth @ Malwarebytes, Former SurveyMonkey
ADAM FISHMAN
VP Growth & Marketing @ Patreon
DARIUS CONTRACTOR
Eng Manager, Growth @ Dropbox
ADA CHEN REKHI
Former SVP Mrktg @ SurveyMonkey
FAREED MOSAVAT
Growth @ Slack
And Many More...
Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Deep Dive on Growth Models and our other programs. Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Subscribe below to get notified of future programs.
Outcomes
Reforge is dedicated to building the long-term foundation for career growth in a world where job responsibilities are constantly changing and staying relevant is a never-ending pursuit.
Our programs do not focus on tips, tricks, or hacks. Instead, you will:
1. Practice Applicable and Impactful Frameworks
We develop programs that are immediately applicable to your day-to-day challenges. We’re constantly updating and adapting these so you can create the strategies that will deliver the biggest impact at your job.
Learning what has worked in the past isn’t enough. We teach frameworks so you can learn how to think like the top growth practitioners and develop your own solutions that reflect your unique challenges.
2. Adopt the Mental Models of Top Practitioners
A lot of the best knowledge is still trapped in the heads of the world's top growth leaders, and the best lessons aren't shared through blog posts or panels. We connect you with the leaders who are on the front lines of the fastest-growing companies rather than with theorists or celebrities. They share behind-the-scenes stories that can’t be shared publicly. And after they speak, we lead Q&A sessions where you can ask the questions that unlock your next level of understanding. Our growth leaders are at the forefront of Google, Instagram, Slack, SurveyMonkey, HubSpot, Atlassian, Wealthfront, and other companies leading innovation in growth.
3. Challenge Yourself Through Deep Materials
If you want a laundry list of tactics like "send cart abandonment emails on Thursdays" this program isn't for you. Instead, we share videos, readings, analyses, and assignments that provide structured frameworks and examples. These go deeper than anything else you’ll find. We look at one company from multiple angles and share multiple perspectives on how they could grow. And we build assignments meant to push you, where you can immediately stress test what we’re teaching before applying it to your company.
4. Develop Relationships, Not LinkedIn Connections
There is nothing more valuable than having a strong network of other top people in growth that you can learn from. We review every application to curate a high-quality group of practitioners, and we structure the program for you to build productive relationships. Our goal is to help you build a network that will live with you far beyond the 8 weeks of this program. Participants and alumni are changing how growth is done at companies including Facebook, LinkedIn, Dropbox, Airbnb, SurveyMonkey, Spotify, Atlassian, Google, and more.
Our programs aren't for everyone. We select applicants based on professional experience, initiative, and program fit. You should apply if you have...
- 3+ Years of Experience - 3+ years of professional experience as a product manager, marketer, designer, engineer or other professional looking to accelerate your knowledge about growth modeling.
- Strong Initiative - The program includes both passive and active participation. Those that not only consume the content but engage with it and the community will get the most value.
- Growth Related Role - The topics we cover aren’t for every role. Typical roles of successful applicants are a Product Manager, Sr. Marketer, Data Analyst, Engineer, or Executive working on growth initiatives or making the transition to growth.
This program is not for you if you are...
- Entry Level - Less than three years of professional experience. The program material assumes a certain level of base knowledge.
- Career Switching - If you are looking to get your first job in growth. The program material is designed to help accelerate an existing professional's path rather than establish one anew.
- Pre Product-Market Fit - If you are working on a product that is just getting started. The program material is designed for those working on products that have signals of product-market fit.
- Enterprise/Hardware - If you are in a company that primarily sells enterprise deals or primarily a hardware product. The program material is not designed to address these topics.
Who
The program can be done from any location. We focus on delivering the highest amount of impact as efficiently as possible. We know your time is valuable, so we've streamlined a program that cuts straight to the point with no "filler content."
There are 3 core parts to all of our programs:
1. Weekly In-Depth Lecture Material
Each week there is 2 hours of video and written material on the weekly topic. All of the material is taught by Brian Balfour and was created by Casey Winters, Kevin Kwok, Andrew Chen, and Brian Balfour.
The lectures are comprised of original material exclusive to the Reforge Program. The video lectures will be hosted on the Reforge website and available for you to watch at any time during the week and as reference material after the program.
Each lecture is accompanied by application sections designed to guide your application of the material you learn to your own product or company. You'll receive feedback from other experienced practitioners in the community for additional ideas and learning.
2. Examples + Case Studies
To complement lecture material, we weave in examples and case studies applying the frameworks from the lecture to recent companies such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Slack, and more.
3. Weekly Events (Online or Offline) w/ Discussion Groups + Expert Interview
A key part of the Reforge experience is connecting with other top growth practitioners via weekly events, both online or in person (SF only). The program can be done from any location.
We start the events with small discussion groups where you will apply the material to a hypothetical case with peers in similar roles/companies. All events require your active participation.
We end the events with an interview with a top growth leader. All of our featured guests are leading active practitioners in the field of growth. Examples of past featured guests include Andy Johns (VP Growth/Product @ Wealthfront), Ken Rudin (Head of Growth @ Google), Naomi Pilosof Ionita, former VP Growth and Monetization @ Invoice2Go and formerly Evernote, Matt Plotke, Head of Growth @ Stripe and formerly LinkedIn, John Egan, Growth Engineering @ Pinterest, Ada Chen Rekhi, former SVP Marketing @ SurveyMonkey and formerly LinkedIn, Elena Verna, VP Growth @ MalwareBytes and former VP Growth at SurveyMonkey, Fareed Mosavat, Growth @ Slack, and many others.
The Experience
Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Deep Dive on Growth Models and our other programs. Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Subscribe below to get notified of future programs.
Commitment
One of the most common questions we hear about Reforge programs has to do with the time and effort required to get the most out of the program?
While all Reforge programs are designed to fit with your current work and personal schedule, we also believe that you get out what you put in. The value that you and your company get from the program is directly correlated with the amount of time and participation you're able to dedicate to the experience.
We've designed our programs to be a time-effective experience that condenses decades of collective expertise into 8 weeks. To get the most out of the program, you should expect to spend a minimum of 5 hours per week on program material:
- 1 - 2hrs on lecture content.
- 1 hr applying the frameworks and preparing for the discussion groups.
- 1 - 2hrs participating in an online or in person event.
Our most successful participants set aside additional time each week to connect with other people, review what they learned with co-workers and managers, apply the material to their product, and go over bonus material, spending up to 8 hours per week total.
Reviews
JESSICA webb
PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, GROWTH
TRELLO
"The Growth Series got me thinking on a macro level about how a company functions and the different levers my team can impact to make a true difference.
I was able to network with people from many companies I admire, and I learned from their challenges (many of which were similar to my own).
Overall, it was hard but rewarding. It felt like being in a mini MBA program -- the material came at us quickly but the discussions were lively and motivating. I'm going through the material over and over now that the course has ended!"
GEORGE ZENG
PRODUCT MANAGER
"The content was excellent. Even though I work on a growth team at Facebook, I still learned new concepts that I implemented right away.
I focus my work specifically on developer growth, and based on the course content, I improved how we build growth loops into our developer acquisition channels. Overall, the course made me adopt a more robust way of instrumenting, logging, and tracking our funnel.
Beyond the content, I met so many growth people through the events - the program is a powerful growth network that I'm excited to be a part of."
CASEY CAREY
Director, platforms & publisheR marketing
"I was very impressed with the depth and structure of the content and discussions. I left each session of the Growth Series with newfound knowledge, ideas, and real strategies I could begin working on the next morning.
The case studies, real-life examples and discussions with seasoned growth leaders rapidly took each week's content from theory to application. While the concepts are powerful in the abstract, actually applying them or hearing how others applied them takes the learning to a whole new level.
I was a bit worried it would be too much about virality and "hacking" growth, which most of us can't apply in our businesses (especially here at Google). To my surprise, the topics provided coverage of all aspects of growth -- from business strategy and pricing, to user psychology, paid acquisition, activation, retention and more. None of this was 'hacky.'"
SARAH PAYNE
PRODUCT MANAGER
SURVEYMONKEY
"I strongly, as strongly as possible, encourage product managers in Growth roles to apply for Reforge. This program is the holy grail for Growth professionals who may be one of the few members of their organization tackling growth models and AB testing. With Reforge you find your peer set who share best practices and insights onto the responsibilities and goals of their Growth teams. In addition, the robust online content puts structure around the many concepts floating around tech companies and blogs on what Growth actually entails! I can’t thank the team enough for building such a comprehensive program – Reforge shaped the foundation of how I will approach the Growth team at SurveyMonkey."
HUGH MINSON
SR. PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER
SALESFORCE
"Thanks to the Reforge Summer Growth Series, I have gained a foundational understanding of one of the newest and yet most valuable areas of understanding to companies: growth. Brian and Andrew have done an incredible job of pooling and delivering knowledge acquired by industry leaders through extremely accessible content. The in-person get-togethers and online community also provide a terrific forum for idea exchange amongst all participants. I highly recommend this course to any individual who is looking to gain widespread adoption of their product or service."
Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Deep Dive on Growth Models and our other programs. Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Subscribe below to get notified of future programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not located in the San Francisco Bay Area, can I attend the program?
Yes. All of our programs are designed to be location-independent, with over 50% of program participants joining from outside the SF Bay Area. In addition to our all-online original content and live online events, we also offer in-person events in San Francisco, that all participants are welcome to join, whether you're local or traveling in. All participants enjoy access to 100% of our original content, our live online discussions, the private Reforge forums, and community.
How does the Deep Dive on Growth Models differ from the Growth Series and Retention + Engagement Series?
The Reforge Growth Series provides a comprehensive overview of all the major topics in growth, from your core growth model to your acquisition and monetization strategies. One week of it is dedicated to growth models.
The Retention + Engagement Series is an in-depth exploration of everything within the specific category of retention and engagement, and models come into play as we discuss the elements of retention (such as activation, churn, engagement, and resurrection).
The Deep Dive on Growth Models is focused solely on working through real-world examples of growth models and learning the frameworks for how to develop your own. It is a deep dive on the concepts introduced in the Growth Modeling week for the Growth Series, and it analyzes models that encompass the end-to-end growth cycle past the retention and engagement models presented in the Retention + Engagement Series.
If you've already completed the Growth Series or the Retention + Engagement Series, then think of this as an advanced course on just the specifics around Growth Modeling. There is only a 10% overlap in material between each program.
Can I join multiple Reforge programs at the same time?
All Reforge programs are held concurrently, so it’s not possible to join multiple programs at the same time. We will be holding additional cohorts of each program throughout the year, and you can get notified about future programs here.
How many applicants get invited?
In previous programs, we've accepted 12% of applicants, though this varies program to program. Rather than focus on an acceptance rate, we focus on ensuring the best possible experience by curating an engaged and high-quality group of people whose backgrounds and goals are a strong fit for the program material, in a class size that's intimate enough to facilitate some of the most memorable relationships of your career.
How do we choose whom to invite?
We want to make sure if you take the time to participate that it is more than worth it. Unfortunately we can't cover every topic for every person in one program. As a result, our application process screens for three things. One, fit with the program material. Two, curating fit with the other program attendees. Three, your work experience (3+ years is required).
How advanced is the material?
This program is not a fit for beginners. As with Brian's, Casey's, and Andrew's public essays, the program is focused on practitioners who already know the basics and are figuring out how to take the next step. The content will be intermediate to advanced. We assume that you know about A/B testing, ad buying, etc. We do not cover tips, tricks, hacks, or tactics. Instead, we provide strategies and frameworks that enable you to solve growth challenges specific to your situation.
How much time should I expect to spend on the program?
Please see more details in the Time Commitment section above. Our programs represent decades of collective expertise in growth. To get the most out of this condensed "8 years in 8 weeks" experience, you should expect to spend at minimum 5 hours per week on program material and event attendance. That said, our most successful participants set aside dedicated time each week to stay current with lecture material, connect with other participants and growth leaders at online and offline events, and complete interactive activities -- spending up to 8 hours or more per week.
While the Deep Dive on Growth Models is designed to fit with your current work and personal schedule, we also believe that you get out what you put in. The value you and your company get from the program is directly correlated with the amount of recurring time and participation you're able to dedicate to the experience.
What will be the cost for the program?
Price is $3495 for an individual seat. The Group Rate for teams of 3+ is $2995 per seat. If you are a Reforge alum you will receive the group rate as an individual. If you need an invoice or any other materials to expense to your company we will provide that at the time of payment. Aside from the Group Rate, there are no additional discounts or scholarships available at this time.
Is this right for very early product teams seeking initial traction?
No. The best use of your time is to find product/market fit and build your initial business before you spend too much time on growth. If you are at or past product/market fit, then you will get a lot of value out of this program.
How actionable will the content be?
The content will provide actionable and analytical frameworks for understanding growth and forming a comprehensive strategy. But there will be minimal “how to” content on topics such as setting up landing pages, buying ads, etc. Those can be found on many other great sites free of charge.
In what timezone will the live online events be held?
We offer our live online events in the mornings, Pacific Time. If you can't join during that time, all sessions are recorded, and our community and online discussion forums provide global time zone coverage. It is possible to attend the program 100% remotely and asynchronously.
How much of the material is about SaaS/B2B versus B2C?
There is a balance of both B2B and B2C coverage in all of our weekly materials. Many of the frameworks apply to both given that “consumerization of enterprise” is now real. Please note, however, that there won't be direct material on enterprise sales or acquiring enterprise customers, although it may come up in Q&A.
Will I get access to the material after the program is over?
Yes, participants will retain access for a period of one year from the start of the program. After one year there will be ways to keep access and receive updates to the material.
Who will lead the events?
All of the events (both online and offline) will be led by Reforge alumni.
Are the in-person events live streamed?
No. The format we use does not lend itself well to recording. The events are designed to attend one per week (online or in person). Both online and in-person events follow the same format with the same exercises so you won't miss out on any content or learnings if you can not attend in person.
Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Deep Dive on Growth Models and our other programs. Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Subscribe below to get notified of future programs.